The Residential Cruise That Promised a New Life
An exciting advertisement from **Victoria Cruises Line (VCL)**, billing itself as the world’s first truly **affordable residential cruise**, captured the imagination of many. Their pitch was irresistible: “Throw your current lifestyle overboard!”
The vision was a three-year journey to 115 countries. With cabins available for around US$3,840 (£2,858) a month, offering travelers. The chance to live at sea for as long as they wished.
For Australians **Dennis and Taryna Wawn** from Perth. The timing felt perfect as they mapped out their retirement plans, seeing this as a wonderful new home at sea.
The Dream Hits Choppy Waters
Sadly, the reality has turned out to be much harder than the dream. Three years later, the ship has yet to set sail. The Wawns, along with dozens of other hopeful residents, have been waiting for their journey to begin only to discover that VCL does not actually own or lease the advertised vessel.
This long delay has been incredibly tough on those involved. Some people made huge, life-changing decisions. They **sold their homes**, found new homes for their beloved pets, and put all their belongings into storage. One heartbreaking story involved a woman who made the difficult decision to put down her sick dog, believing. She would soon be gone for years.
Another couple, due to their increasing age and health issues, have had to move into a retirement community, unable to wait any longer for a cruise that may never depart.
Adam Glezer, who runs a consumer advocacy company, captured the sentiment perfectly: “The people that put down a deposit for this cruise were sold a dream… and it has turned into nothing short of a nightmare.”
Seeking Solutions and Refunds
Those affected have been active in their attempts to get answers and their money back. They have reached out to the company, filed consumer complaints with government agencies, and some have even launched legal actions.
VCL has stated that it needs **more customers** before it can charter a vessel, which is why it continues to advertise. The company maintains that customers were aware of this occupancy condition when they booked and denies intentionally harming anyone, noting that they even advised some clients not to sell their homes to cover deposits.
While many who signed up have lost hope of the cruise ever sailing, or of receiving their refunds, the community is still actively seeking resolution and accountability for what they were promised.
The Affordable Residential Cruise That Has Yet to Sail
An inspiring ad for **Victoria Cruises Line (VCL)** promised an incredible lifestyle change: “Throw your current lifestyle overboard!” Billed as the world’s first affordable residential cruise, the offer was a three-year, around-the-world adventure to 115 countries for about US$3,840 (£2,858) a month.
For **Dennis and Taryna Wawn** from Perth, Australia, this dream couldn’t have appeared at a better time as they were planning their retirement. The thought of a permanent home at sea was simply captivating.
A Nightmare Instead of a Dream
Unfortunately, three years later, the ship has not left the dock. The Wawns and dozens of others who paid deposits have since discovered a shocking truth: VCL does not own or have a lease on the ship being advertised. They are now among many waiting for refunds.
The human cost of this delay has been immense. Would-be residents made huge, difficult life adjustments: people **sold their homes**, found new places for their pets (even rehoming cats), and put all their belongings into storage. In a truly heartbreaking account, one woman even made the tough decision to put down her sick dog, believing she would be gone for years.
The passage of time has been especially tough on an older couple who, due to **advanced age and failing health**, have had to move into a retirement community. They simply could no longer commit to a cruise that might never set sail.
Adam Glezer, a consumer advocacy expert, summed up the sentiment: “The people that put down a deposit for this cruise were sold a dream… and it has turned into nothing short of a nightmare.”
The Wawns’ Story: Doing Their Due Diligence
Taryna, 64, explained that when she and Dennis saw the cruise in May 2022, they felt they took the right precautions. The company had a detailed and professional website, they spoke with a VCL representative who answered all their questions, and they joined an active Facebook group with other “residents.”
Feeling reassured that it “was all above board,” the Wawns paid a **US$10,000 (£7,450) deposit** within a month.
Their scheduled departure for May 2023 was postponed by VCL just weeks beforehand. The reason? The cruise had not met a roughly **80% occupancy condition** needed to charter a vessel. After two more postponements, a fellow hopeful resident reached out with a warning: “I’ve dug a little bit further. Get out.”
VCL’s Current Position
Those affected have been fighting for answers and refunds by contacting the company, launching legal cases, filing consumer complaints, and even writing to the FBI.
VCL told the BBC that it must **continue advertising** because it still needs more customers to meet the occupancy required to charter a ship. The company claims that customers knew about this condition when booking and denies intending to harm anyone, noting they even advised some clients *not* to sell their homes to cover deposits.
Unfortunately, many people who signed up have now **given up hope** of ever sailing or getting their hard-earned money back.
Questions About Advertising and Images
Adding to the concerns, it seems the imagery used to promote. The cruise wasn’t quite what it seemed. The company featured photos of happy, new **”residents” posing on board**. But many of these were reportedly **stock images** easily found elsewhere on the internet. VCL has also used appealing strategies like **hefty discounts, flash sales, and cashback schemes** to encourage people to commit to long stays.
Victims of the delay say they have repeatedly flagged these advertisements to **Meta**—the company that owns Facebook and Instagram—but the platforms have **declined to remove them**.
Consumer champion Adam Glezer expressed frustration, saying It is reprehensible that. These platforms are allowing advertising for VCL despite the significant amount of evidence. They should be held accountable for this.
In response, Meta stated to the BBC that while their advertising standards strictly prohibit deceptive or misleading ads, including scams, they found **no evidence that the page violates their current policies**.
VCL Maintains Its Position
VCL continues to deny that it is running a scam. The company claims that those seeking refunds are simply “unable to accept that they were not entitled to a refund.” They emphasized their accessibility, stating. Ours company has never disappeared. We have responded to every email. so we are not a phantom company.
The Financial and Emotional Toll
Taryna Wawn still believes the core idea of the cruise is viable. She noted that some people who initially signed up for the VCL journey are now **traveling the world with other cruise liners**. This suggests the dream itself isn’t too good to be true, just that this specific path hasn’t worked out.
Sadly, for her and Dennis, the opportunity is now gone. The money they paid means going on another such residential cruise is **no longer something they can afford**.
Taryna summed up the deep emotional impact. “It was a dream for us and we were really focusing on it as a lovely adventure. It’s been **traumatising**.”
