A retired couple from Leeds have described their luxury Christmas holiday as a 'hellish experience' after an onboard accident left the wife injured and struggling with inaccessible accommodation.
A Festive Holiday Unravels
Allan Hydes, 68, and his wife Julie, 75, paid more than £5,000 for a TUI package combining a festive cruise around the Canary Islands with a hotel stay in Tenerife. The experienced cruisers, however, saw their holiday unravel last Christmas aboard the Marella Explorer 2, a vessel boasting 10 bars, 10 restaurants, a spa, and a casino.
The incident began during a busy breakfast service. "It was very busy and a bit of a scramble," Allan told Metro. "Julie fell on a step when everyone was going to and from breakfast." The fall left Julie, 75, with a badly sprained ankle and arm injuries, and in significant agony.
A Cabin Crisis and a Carrying Ordeal
While ship medics provided a wheelchair, it immediately presented a major problem. "The wheelchair did not fit through our cabin door," Allan explained. The couple were informed that all wheelchair-accessible cabins were fully booked, leaving them in a dire predicament.
"They just said there was nothing they could do," Allan stated. This forced the retired engineer into a physically demanding routine. "I had to carry Julie in and out and around the cabin. I'm no spring chicken and I was carrying my wife around," he said, describing the stress of navigating a step into the bathroom.
The hotel portion of their holiday in Tenerife offered some respite, as Julie could finally use the wheelchair properly in their room and the corridors.
Formal Complaint and Operator Response
The couple have lodged a formal complaint with TUI, expressing deep disappointment with the ship's reaction and the lack of practical help received during the crisis. "We were very disappointed... we found ourselves in a terrible predicament," Allan added.
In response, TUI indicated that because the accessible cabins were fully booked and the injury occurred during the trip, no alternative accommodation was available. A spokesperson for Marella Cruises said: "We are really sorry to hear about Mrs Hydes' experience onboard Marella Explorer 2, however as this is now a legal matter it would be inappropriate to comment."
Reflecting on the experience, which he said ruined their Christmas, Allan concluded: "It was supposed to be the holiday of a lifetime but ended up being a hellish experience. It was very stressful and we feel let down."
The Marella Explorer 2 was also in the news recently after a 76-year-old British man went overboard on a cruise in November, an incident which remains under investigation.
