Brides dress ruined on P&O cruise during storm

Sarah Harries had been planning her wedding day for months.

The Sydney-sider decided to do something a bit different and have her wedding onboard a cruise ship.

But unfortunately for Sarah and her husband, Dr Paul Stephens, it wasn’t exactly the trip and wedding they planned.

The pair, along with their family were onboard Pacific Aria from June 3rd to the 6th – the same weekend the east coast of Australia was lashed by a ferocious storm. While the celebrations went head and the wedding went smoothly, water leaked into Sarah’s cabin.

“It was my wedding cruise from hell – my wedding dress is ruined and P&O are doing nothing about it,” she told Cruise Passenger.

But the line said they were working on a package deal to help out Sarah.

Sarah and Paul’s cabin suffered a major leak which resulted in her wedding dress getting water damaged.

“The water was inside our cabin. And P&O staff refused to move us when I called frantically at 2am, having a panic attack. They said all they had to offer was another suite that was also flooding. It was pretty much the issue for all suites on level 10.”

Sarah said she was still waiting on compensation from P&O and was told to try her travel insurer.

“The dress was ruined by the water after the wedding, thank God. But I have received no compensation as of yet. And I was told to try travel insurance.”

A spokesperson from Carnival Australia told Cruise Passenger that P&O would be working with Sarah to compensate her.

“For the comfort of guests, Pacific Aria sheltered in Jervis Bay to avoid the worst effects of the East Coast Low. We have acknowledged the issues Sarah experienced with water seepage due to the at times torrential rain. Our Customer Care people are actively working to assist Sarah,” said David Jones, Carnival Australia’s Corporate Communication Manager.

“Any question that might have been asked about travel insurance cover in no way suggests this is the limit of our concern or preparedness to help. We will continue to remain in close contact with Sarah in order to address her concerns to achieve a mutually satisfactory outcome. We will be doing everything reasonably within our power to help Sarah with the dress along with an appropriate goodwill gesture in relation to cabin issue.”