Full refund averts Queen Mary protest

Passengers on the Queen Mary 2 today called off a planned sit-in to protest a last-minute itinerary shift after the cruise operator said it would fully refund passengers.

Passengers on the world’s largest and most expensive passenger liner, which arrived in Rio de Janeiro this morning, had threatened to protest a decision by the Miami-based operator, Cunard, to cut stops in Barbados, St. Kitts and Salvador, Brazil, to make up for time lost due to a damaged motor.

The sit-in was called off after Cunard said it would fully refund passengers.

Cunard said passengers were being offered two options, either a full refund or 50% in cash and 70% in credits to be applied to future cruises.

An earlier offer of a 50% refund did little to placate the angry passengers.

Cunard said the company’s British-based managing director held meetings with passengers aboard the ship in the port of Rio de Janeiro this morning to discuss the refunds.

The ship had left New York on January 15, carrying more than 2,500 passengers.