A 29-month residential cruise due to depart next month has been postponed due to low occupancy levels, which the line says is caused by an ‘unexpected wave of cancellations’ from Canadians.
Victoria Cruises Line posted a message on its website informing customers its Victoria Majestic ship will not be departing on its inaugural round-the-world cruise from Port Everglades in Florida on 26 July.
In a statement, the line said: “As a responsible operator, we had set a minimum occupancy threshold of 80% to ensure the quality, stability, and sustainability of life on board. By the end of April, we were very close to meeting this target. However, recent political and economic tensions between the United States and Canada have led to an unexpected wave of cancellations from several Canadian residents, making the current occupancy level (430 cabins) insufficient for a viable launch.”
A new departure date will be announced soon, and Victoria Cruises Line will notify booked guests, it said.
The statement added: “As a gesture of appreciation and to acknowledge any inconvenience caused, all affected residents will receive compensation, the details of which will be shared directly.”
It is not the first time the line, which is based in Hungary, has postponed the cruise, which was originally due to set sail in May 2023. The launch was initially pushed back to September 2023, and then again to this year.
