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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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
