Retiree settles on cruise for life: she is kicked out for criticizing the organization in a WhatsApp group

Villa Vie Residences offers a cruise with 425 destinations, 147 countries and more than a hundred islands on 7 continents. Instagram Capture – @villavieresidences

A 68-year-old American woman retired, sold all her belongings to end her life on a cruise ship. Jenny Phenix was however dismissed from the excursion for having criticized the organization of the ship on a WhatsApp group.

A life of cruising. This is what the company Villa Vie Residences offers, with ships that you can simply live in, “cruises for life”. Jenny Phenix, an American from Miami, Florida, and a 68-year-old retiree, decided to sell everything she had and spent $300,000, or €270,000, to move there.

Technical problems

However, not everything seems so simple on these ships, last May, the ship was stuck in Belfast, Ireland for a month due to technical problems. And the cruise itinerary changed, not going to Miami, where the 60-year-old had planned to pick up belongings.

Jenny began to express her discontent on a WhatsApp group with other passengers on the ship. However, these messages were traced back to the organizers of the cruise, namely the management. She told the American that her reservation was being canceled because of “behavior that has an impact on community morale”.

A dozen complaints

Kathy Villalba, the ship's operations manager, told her: “We have received over a dozen formal complaints from residents regarding your incessant complaining and negativity. This behavior has had a significant impact on the morale and well-being of others passengers."

Jenny Phenix testified: "I can't even begin to describe the emotional devastation and physical toll this has taken on me. It's been weeks before I can talk about it and even explain it to my children."

"I'm going to have to stay with my daughter until I figure out a whole new plan for my life,", she concluded.