Florida mom Jenny Phenix booted from her dream, 3-year cruise over WhatsApp messages after selling her possessions
A Florida mom who uprooted her entire life for a luxurious, three-year cruise around the world was allegedly banned by the ship’s owner after her private messages with gripes about the voyage were leaked and were “impacting community morale.”
Jenny Phenix, 68, reportedly took umbrage with multiple alleged issues on the ship — like an apparent four-month delay to even set sail — in WhatsApp messages that eventually made their way to the vessel’s owner.
“During the past year and a half I have liquidated businesses and possessions, eagerly awaiting my new life cruising the world,” Phenix told the Telegraph last week.
The divorced mother of two had been “living out of a suitcase” since December as she waited to board the Villa Vie Odyssey’s maiden voyage.
She first arrived in Southampton, England, in May, expecting to embark on the years-long voyage on the 15th, but the ship was moved to Belfast, Ireland, where guests were told they’d set sail on the 30th.
However, more problems were discovered on the Villa Vie Odyssey while dry docked, which further delayed its voyage.
The ship’s certifications expired as it sat idle for four years during the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing the owners of the ship to start all over again, according to the Telegraph.
The ongoing delays left Phenix and other passengers waiting to set sail for nearly four months.
Her frustration grew when the ship changed its itinerary and revealed it would no longer dock in Miami, where she planned to pick up the rest of her belongings.
Phenix was also told that after the trip was underway, she would have to use a temporary cabin as the crew was still using the one she booked for the three-year adventure.
The 68-year-old voiced her concerns over the sudden changes to fellow passengers in a WhatsApp group over the developments.
Phenix then received a notice from the owners of Villa Vie stating that her reservation had been canceled for “behavior impacting community morale.”
“We have received over a dozen formal complaints from residents regarding your continuous complaints and negativity,” Kathy Villalba, the ship’s chief operating officer, told her. “This behavior has significantly impacted the morale and well-being of other passengers.”
Villalba notified her that due to the “overwhelming feedback” it received, Villa Vie “must cancel” her contract “permanently” to ensure it “uphold[s] the well-being and satisfaction of our community.”
The blindsided mother of two questioned how these messages got back to the ship’s owner.
“These were private conversations — I posted nothing on social media platforms,” Phenix told the Telegraph.
“The frustration among residents grew after each delay. I tended to be one of the more outspoken in asking important questions. Many of the residents thanked me privately for speaking up for the entire group.”
Villa Vie Residences CEO Mikael Petterson told the Telegraph that Phenix “broke multiple terms and conditions and signed a non-disclosure agreement.”
This is the second time Phenix has had her hopes of living on a cruise ship crushed.
She had booked a spot on the residential ship Life At Sea, which is based in Florida. On Nov. 17, 2023, the company announced that the cruise, expected to leave on Nov. 30, was canceled because the company hadn’t been able to buy the ship.
Life at Sea Cruises was forced to file for bankruptcy and still owes the divorcee the $30,000 deposit she laid out, according to the Telegraph.
In January, Phenix had to share a house in Ecuador with another stranded passenger because she had rented her Florida condo out since she was expecting to go on the cruise, she told the New York Times.
However, still determined to live on a cruise ship, Phenix waited for Villa Vie Residences to buy the former Fred Olsen ship Braemar — now rebranded as the Villa Vie Odyssey — before locking in her spot, she told the Telegraph.
The divorcee purchased the “Endless Horizons” program, which allows “individuals to retire on a luxury cruise ship with unlimited lifetime cruises.”
The program starts at $300K and requires guests to pay at least half the deposit, according to the company’s website.
Since being banned from the cruise, she has been partly refunded and is awaiting reimbursement of the remainder of her deposit.
The Odyssey has recently had sea trials as it gets recertified but has yet to sail on its three-year voyage, which is due to visit 425 destinations in 147 countries, the Telegraph reported.
Phenix has since returned to Florida, saying the ordeal has worn her down.
“I cannot even begin to explain the emotional devastation and the physical toll this has taken on me,” she told the outlet.
“It is still very hard for me to discuss, as I had the same dream everyone else on that ship does, and they took that from me seemingly without a thought.”
“I will have to stay with my daughter until I figure out a whole new plan for my life.”
