Couples’ six-figure cruise nightmare
A Geelong couple and their friends have racked up medical and travel bills of almost $200,000 after falling gravely ill on a “cruise from hell”, claiming to be “abandoned” in French Polynesia by the cruiseliner.
Corio man Gordon Melvin and his wife, Patricia, had embarked on their dream trip from Sydney on March 26, taking in Hawaii, Fiji, New Zealand and French Polynesia, before being struck down with a serious virus on the Coral Princess.
“It was rampant on the ship,” he said.
They, along with NSW South Coast couple John and Brenda Sewell, were told they would need to disembark at Papeete and seek emergency medical treatment.
“That’s where the nightmare truly began,” Mr Sewell said. “I thought Brenda was going to die.
“We had no money or local cash and if you didn’t have a credit card, you were screwed.
“Princess just got rid of their problem, dropped us on the island and they were on their way.”
Both couples would spend the next two weeks in the French Polynesian capital, with the Sewells racking up a $120,000 hospital bill, and the Melvins “close to $60,000”.
Both are now locked in discussions and a mountain of paperwork with their travel insurers regarding their coverage.
“What really pissed me off was Princess just dropped you off,” Mr Sewell said.
“They did not contact us after shuttling us to the jetty.
“It was really scary, and also just infuriating.
“I didn’t know if I’d be bringing Brenda home in a box. “She nearly died.” Mr Melvin, 67, who arrived home to Geelong with his 81year-old wife earlier this week via New Zealand, said he sought support from the Australian consulate, who attended the hospital in Papeete.
He claimed they were surprised with the lack of contact and help from Princess Cruises.
“I’ve never been so angry in my life,” he said.
“They just dumped us and wiped their hands.
“We got zero support from the cruise, they gave us guarantees we would be well looked after once we got off this ship, and that was the greatest load of s--t known to man.
“I don’t want anyone else to go through it.”
Mr Melvin’s daughter, Julie, was forced to fly to the island to support her parents.
“It was a pretty dire situation for them to be in,” she said.
“Their story probably doesn’t do justice to how bad it was.”
The Coral Princess was carrying about 2300 passengers on the 35-day cruise.
Many are believed to have been disembarked at various hospitals due to severe illness on the ship, something that is standard protocol. It’s understood a Covid test on board cost each passenger $40.
Princess Cruises has been contacted for comment.
I’ve never been so angry in my life … they just dumped us and wiped their hands. We got zero support from the cruise.