A cruise that departed Sydney, Australia, was scheduled to make several stops in New Zealand but was turned away due to seashells stuck on the ship’s hull.
New Zealand’s entry requirements are strict, and the shells — one hydroid, also called a Lace Coral, and three juvenile mussels — are invasive species in the country. Although the cruise line scheduled a cleaning to remove the biohazard, the diving conditions were poor, and the cleaning was canceled.
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But missing out on visiting the country wasn’t the worst part for many of P&O Pacific Adventure cruise passengers — it was being stuck out at sea with 30-foot waves.
“The sick bags are quickly disappearing from the stairwells,” 21-year-old Jake Welch told The Guardian.
“My wife and I are on this crummy cruise to nowhere, very disappointing, never [traveling] on P&O again,” one passenger wrote on Facebook.
P&O told The Guardian it has offered full refunds plus an additional onboard credit of $300 per person.
“I’m happy with the outcome and would cruise again with them knowing that they are willing to give onboard credit and a refund – although it did take some outcry from the passengers,” one passenger said.
Related: I Live on a Cruise Ship for Half of the Year. Here’s What My Room Looks Like.
