‘Trump’s invasion of Venezuela has stranded our cruise ship’

It would be hard to believe if your mates blamed Donald Trump for a holiday from hell.

But that’s what one British couple have said after their Caribbean cruise holiday went awry.

The P&O cruise Arvia ship, which can hold 5,200 tourists, has been stranded in the Caribbean ever since the US President ordered the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela on January 3.

Holidaymakers onboard the family-friendly cruise set sail from Barbados on January 2, 2025, and were due to dock at Martinique on Tuesday before heading to St Kitts, British Virgin Islands and more destinations.

But due to the US military operation in Venezuela, passengers claim they haven’t got more than 30 miles from shore and have returned to Barbados three times already – including on Tuesday – to pick up passengers whose flights were cancelled or delayed.

Lizzy Meadowcroft, 56, and her partner Mark Crowther, from Morecambe, Lancashire, have been left ‘in limbo’ with their cruise ship circling Barbados since Maduro’s arrest.

Lizzy said the ship is currently docked in Barbados for the third time, where it will remain until 7pm local time on Tuesday before heading to St Lucia.

Many passengers who were due to be on the cruise did not make it after aircraft were instructed to avoid parts of the Caribbean by the US Federal Aviation Administration in the wake of the Venezuelan leader’s capture.

Lizzy said: ‘We are disappointed as the communication hasn’t been great.

‘First, we were told that the delays were due to the weather, then there was a problem with the aircraft and now we’re being told it is because of Trump.

‘We would have rather known the truth from the start.

‘We are currently back in Barbados, wondering if Trump will bomb Venezuela again or if other countries will get involved.

‘The feeling on the ship is not great, we are all disappointed as we have all saved hard for a holiday.’

A P&O spokesperson said: ‘Following the disruption and impact caused on Saturday by the international air restrictions, all P&O Cruises guests on Arvia Caribbean cruise holidays now have confirmed flight details to/from Barbados.

‘P&O Cruises has worked tirelessly over the weekend with our charter carriers to arrange new flights for a total of 5,000 inbound and outbound guests.

‘The onward ports of call and itinerary are being prioritised and communicated to all guests on board so they can now continue with their planned holiday.’

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