Disney cruise abruptly cancelled and passengers forced to 'panic pack' and disembark due to mechanical fault on the ship
A four-day Disney Cruise Line voyage was suddenly called off last week due to a mechanical issue - forcing passengers to disembark just one night after they had boarded. Passengers checked into their cabins as usual and settled in for their first night aboard the Disney Adventure after embarking at Singapore's Marina Bay Cruise Centre on Thursday, 7 May. The vessel stayed docked overnight while engineers attempted to fix a mechanical issue with the propulsion system before the captain announced the sailing would be aborted at around 2.30pm the following day. Up until Captain Wesley's announcement, dining and entertainment services continued as normal, though some shops were eventually closed and meet-and-greets called off, according to The News International.Passengers were then given until 8pm to pack and vacate their rooms, where they'd discovered a letter informing them that they would be issued full compensation, plus additional financial assistance for hotels and flights. In a letter shared online by one of the 6,700 passengers on board, Disney penned: 'Once again, we offer our heartfelt apologies for this unexpected situation and thank you for your patience, understanding, and cooperation. 'While we are deeply disappointed not to complete this voyage with you, we sincerely hope to welcome you aboard a future Disney Adventure sailing.' Hotel arrangements were made for all passengers for that evening - with some assigned rooms at swanky, five-star hotels like the Shangri-La and Marriott The Luxury Collection. Disney's latest cruise, Disney Adventure, abruptly cancelled a during a four-day sailing in Singapore - leaving thousands of passengers scrambling to arrange last-minute exit plans Pictured: A letter issued to guests shortly after the captain announced the cruise would be cancelled As well as a 100 per cent refund of the cruise fare and any unused prepaid packages, like Wi-Fi and photography, guests were given a further 50 per cent discount on their next Disney cruise - though they have until August to book one that sails before June 2027. Coverage for flight change fees, up to $500 (£367) for other incidental expenses, and hotel dining credits were also provided to guests in each cabin. However, many of those on board have reported having to dash to their cabins and 'panic pack' within hours - all while enduring 'long waits' for last-minute bookings at nearby hotels - before being 'herded' through immigration. One passenger, who goes by Gwendolyn Braam, said she and her family had been enjoying cocktails at the ship's Infinity Bar at 2.32pm when Captain Wesley declared the cruise had been cancelled. Detailing the 'emotional rollercoaster' on the Disney Adventure Cruising Singapore Facebook page, she revealed she took 'immediate' initiative and reserved a three-night hotel stay for $465 (£341), before later learning that her hotel would be covered by the cruise line.After packing up her belongings, she and her family members headed to deck 10, where they enjoyed a 'farewell' dinner at Maximus. At 5pm, all buffets and small restaurants were opened to guests who could grab a final meal before disembarking.Gwendolyn revealed, how, after being 'herded through immigration', she joined a 'really really long' queue of passengers waiting for buses to take them to their assigned hotels - though she noted Disney 'did great with dealing with the crowd'. After about 45 minutes of going through customs, picking up luggage and going through baggage check, she and her family boarded the bus and made their way to their 'luxurious' room at the five-star Shangri-La hotel, provided for by Disney. Another passenger, who posted anonymously on Facebook, said they'd enjoyed 'the best 24 hours of fun before the announcement' while acknowledging that 'a lot of people's experiences were much worse'. They recalled how, shortly after boarding the ship at 12pm and heading to the top deck on embarkment day, the fire alarm had 'gone off and all the power went out', before the captain announced 'there was an issue and they were working on it'.The power came back on later that day and the ship's schedule returned to normal. The passenger said the family enjoyed a delayed show at the Garden, met with Goofy and Mickey, and organised a meet-and-greet with Duffy the following afternoon - an experience that, of course, never ended up happening. Until the announcement, guests on board enjoyed 24-hours of fun on the ship, which is known for its enchanting areas, interactive shows and meet-and-greets with characters After learning the cruise would be cancelled, the family hastily returned to their rooms and 'panic packed', before heading to Cosmic Kebabs for dinner, where they'd waited 'hours and hours' until they were informed which hotel they were heading to at 8.30pm.Although the passenger described their ordeal as 'extremely emotional and stressful', they said 'all the staff were amazing, we loved the ship, and we will 100 per cent be going back next year to try again!' However, not every guest felt the situation was handled smoothly, with some complaining of delays and long queues, while others claim they were offered far more modest hotel rooms compared to the five-star accommodation handed to a number of passengers. One person who commented under an Instagram post, detailed: 'This is not the compensation everyone got. Some guests were provided four-star hotels, (we personally did not get any $200 [£147] room credits, but got breakfast at least). 'Some guests were only moved off the ship at 3am in the morning, provided a four-star hotel stay with no credits/breakfast provided. Overall cruise fare got refunded at the very least but just sharing what we experienced, contrary to what is being shown here. 'Things were still being handled relatively well, all things considered. Just wanted to share the truth that not everyone got this.'Another described how trying to disembark the ship was 'a bit stressful with two toddlers in tow' while a third said 'almost all of the decent hotels that that we know are fully booked when we tried booking'.They added: 'I was able to book through a Singaporean, who personally approached a front desk, less than an hour before check-out. It was really stressful, especially if you have an infant and a kid with you.' Although the ship remained at port for the remainder of the four-day voyage, subsequent voyages, including one scheduled to set sail today, 11 May, until 14 May, are to go ahead, as confirmed by Disney representative on Facebook. The Daily Mail has contacted Disney UK and Disney Cruise Line for further comment.
