Voyage of a Lifetime Turns Sour: Woman’s Dream Cruise Ends in Disaster After Private Chats Exposed
Woman Kicked Off World-Spanning Cruise After WhatsApp Messages Leaked
Jenny Phenix, a 68-year-old divorced mother of two, had sold everything to embark on a three-year maiden voyage of the Villa Vie Odyssey. However, her dream was cut short when she was kicked off the ship after her private WhatsApp messages were leaked.
Phenix had liquidated all her businesses and belongings, preparing to live out of a suitcase as she traveled to 425 destinations in 147 countries. She had put down an initial deposit for the world tour and planned to decide whether to spend $120,000 to $350,000 or more on cabin rates once onboard, or join the company’s Endless Horizon program, which allows passengers to take the cruise of a lifetime for as little as $300,000.
However, the voyage was plagued by delays, and Phenix expressed her disappointment to fellow passengers in a WhatsApp group about the ship no longer docking in Miami, where she had planned to collect her remaining belongings during the cruise. She also expressed concern that refit work on large vessels could continue even after the ships have set sail.
The message was sent to the owner of the vessel, Villa Vie Residences, and said the voyage had been cancelled due to “conduct that was detrimental to the community.” Chief Operating Officer Cathy Villalba told Phenix that she had received more than a dozen formal complaints from residents about her persistent complaints and negative attitudes.
Phenix was surprised to see the notice and insisted that she had never been rude or disrespectful, and had never engaged in any personal attacks. She added that she was not the only one upset that the maiden voyage kept getting delayed.
Despite the setbacks, the Villa Vie Odyssey is now scheduled to set sail next week after successfully completing two sea trials. However, Phenix will not be on board, and she is still trying to come to terms with the emotional devastation and physical toll that the experience has taken on her.
Phenix had put down an initial deposit for the world tour and planned to decide whether to spend $120,000 to $350,000 or more on cabin rates once onboard, or join the company’s Endless Horizon program, which allows passengers to take the cruise of a lifetime for as little as $300,000.
The vessel had been out of commission for four years during the pandemic, causing its certification to expire, and Villa Vie had to start from scratch rather than simply renew its certification. CEO Mike Peterson explained that a problem arose when DNV (the company that carries out the certification) requested documentation of the vessel’s past repairs, which Fred Olsen refused to provide.
Phenix said she couldn’t understand why she was kicked off the ship and received a refund of part of her Odyssey deposit but still does not understand what happened.
Other residents are now scheduled to set sail starting next week when the Odyssey ships out. CEO Mike Peterson said that everything was good and that the company had been given “some pointers” on “adjustments” including staff training, but that the issues would not prevent certification and the ship’s launch.