Holiday company cancels cruise to Turkey and Israel over 'political instability'

A Christian holiday company cancelled a cruise to Turkey, Greece and Israel just 10 days before the trip, citing political instability in the region for a drop in cruise passengers.

LivingSun Holidays cancelled the October 13 trip less than a fortnight before departure, leaving holidaymakers £20,000 out of pocket.

This is Local London reports that in a letter to customers, company director Bob Fleming said: "The cancellation of the cruise has left us in a difficult financial situation – we have considerable costs which are irrecoverable for us and while we fully accept this is our problem to resolve, it means we simply do not have enough cash at the moment to start the refund process."

Mr Fleming said that around 18 people are owed a refund, which he hopes to pay back at the end of the month.

Customer Gospatric Home, 81, told the Surrey Comet that he is still waiting for a £2,490 refund from LivingSun Holiday after booking the trip for him and his wife Diana.

"It is a crazy saga," he said. "The money we all paid was not held in an escrow account. If it had been, then he could have repaid it all to everyone."

LivingSun Holidays' website states: "Our core vision is to provide excellent Christian holidays for people to enjoy God's creation together. Our aim is to give you a holiday where you can be fully refreshed, mentally, physically and spiritually and we believe it is the presence of God and His living Son at the centre of our holiday operation that makes the difference."