68 year old woman sells everything for dream world cruise, Banned after complaints leak
Florida: A 68-year-old woman, who sold everything she owned to fund her dream of a luxurious three-year world cruise, has reportedly been banned from the journey after her private grievances were leaked, leading to claims that she was "impacting community morale."
Jenny Phenix shared with the Telegraph that she had sold her businesses and belongings over the past year and a half, eagerly looking forward to her new life cruising around the world.
Phenix, a divorced mother of two, had liquidated her businesses and possessions, eagerly anticipating her trip aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey. Since December 2023, she had been "living out of a suitcase," waiting for the ship's departure, which faced significant delays.
The problems started when the Villa Vie Odyssey was set to sail from Southampton, England, on May 15, but unforeseen issues during dry docking in Belfast, Ireland, caused delays. The ship had remained idle for four years due to the pandemic, which led to expired certifications that required the company to reapply.As a result, Phenix and the other passengers found themselves in a state of uncertainty for nearly four months.
With the passage of time, Phenix's frustration mounted, especially after it was revealed that the ship would no longer land at Miami, the city where she had planned to get the remainder of her possessions. Even worse, she was informed that the staff was still using her allocated cabin, so she would have to spend some of the trip in a makeshift one.She talked about the delays and unforeseen adjustments with other travelers in a WhatsApp group where she vented her emotions. However, these messages were forwarded to the ship's management, resulting in significant backlash.
This is the second time Phenix's dream to live on a cruise ship got shattered. She had previously booked a spot on the Life at Sea cruise, which was abruptly cancelled in November 2023 after the company failed to secure the ship, leaving her out $30,000 in deposits.
"I cannot even begin to explain the emotional devastation and the physical toll this has taken on me," she stated. "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."
Kathy Villalba, the chief operating officer of Villa Vie, communicated to Phenix in a letter that her contract was being terminated due to "ongoing complaints and negativity." This situation had reportedly led to formal grievances from more than a dozen other passengers. The letter stated that her behavior had greatly affected the morale and well-being of fellow travelers."These were private conversations - I posted nothing on social media platforms," Phenix told the Telegraph.
Frustration grew among residents with each delay, and Phenix frequently voiced their concerns, receiving private thanks from others for her advocacy. Meanwhile, Mikael Petterson, CEO of Villa Vie Residences, stated to the Telegraph that Phenix had breached multiple terms and conditions despite signing a non-disclosure agreement.
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75% of UPI users may abandon service if transaction fees are introduced: Survey
New Delhi: A recent survey by Localcircles reveals that approximately 75% of UPI users would cease using the service if transaction fees are implemented. The survey, which gathered 42,000 responses from 308 districts, indicates that 38% of users conduct over 50% of their transactions through UPI.
Only 22% of respondents are willing to accept any transaction fee, with a significant majority stating they would stop using UPI altogether. The survey also noted that UPI transactions soared to 131 billion in the fiscal year 2023-24, marking a 57% increase in volume and a 44% increase in value, totaling Rs 199.89 trillion.
Localcircles plans to present these findings to the Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank of India to advocate against the imposition of transaction charges. The survey was conducted online between July 15 and September 20, with 15,598 responses specifically addressing transaction fees.
