Dream Cruise Turns Nightmare for Passengers as ‘Around the World’ Voyage Remains Grounded
Passengers who paid for an around-the-world cruise with the company Voyage Centric Luxury (VCL) are alleging a scam, with the highly anticipated voyage repeatedly delayed and now seemingly stalled indefinitely. Hundreds of individuals,including Taryna and dennis,have reportedly lost meaningful sums of money after being enticed by heavily discounted fares and cashback offers advertised on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
The cruise, initially promised to set sail in late 2023, has faced a series of postponements, leaving passengers increasingly concerned about the legitimacy of the operation. Investigations reveal the company’s online presence is riddled with inconsistencies, including the use of stock images to depict crew members and “residents” onboard, and claims that individuals listed as staff had never received employment offers. The situation highlights the growing risks associated with online travel advertising and the challenges consumers face in seeking redress when targeted by possibly fraudulent schemes.
VCL has been promoting a lengthy cruise experience, offering ample discounts, flash sales, and cashback incentives to attract customers. However, numerous alleged victims have reported the advertisements to Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, without success. Consumer champion Adam Glezer stated, “It is indeed reprehensible that these platforms are allowing advertising for VCL despite the significant amount of evidence. They should be held accountable for this.”
Meta responded to the BBC, stating its advertising standards prohibit deceptive or misleading ads, including scams, but that it had found no evidence the VCL page violated its policies.
VCL itself denies operating a scam, claiming that those seeking refunds are simply unwilling to accept they are not entitled to one. A company representative stated, ”Our company has never disappeared, we have responded to every email, so we are not a phantom company.”
Despite VCL’s assertions, passengers like Taryna and dennis have been left financially and emotionally devastated. “It was a dream for us and we were really focusing on it as a lovely adventure.Its been traumatising,” Taryna said.While the company claims some individuals who initially signed up for the VCL cruise have since booked travel with other cruise lines, Taryna and Dennis report they can no longer afford a similar experience.
