CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) – Michael Albano and a group of 43 from Clearwater planned a cruise for next month. They were devastated to learn that Sarasota-based Legendary Journeys closed without paying for their cruise.
“They said, ‘Yeah, your cruise has been canceled because Legendary Journeys never paid the monies for the cruise.’ And I said, ‘What?'”
More than a dozen others contacted Better Call Behnken for answers. At first, the company sent a statement, but complaints piled up and enough was enough.
We tracked down owner Al Ferguson for answers.
He tells us the company will make sure every customer is paid back.
He blames employee theft and travel restrictions to Cuba and says the company could not stay afloat. He made the decision to shut down, he says, on Oct. 24.
“We continue to communicate with our clients in every single way about exactly what is occurring and what we’re doing about it. A company that is dishonest doesn’t do that,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson claims every customer will be paid back by the end of the year. Credit card customers are first, followed by those with insurance, followed by those who paid in cash.
We asked him why so many customers say they were encouraged to pay with cash. Those customers are angry now because it is tougher to get their money back.
“I would say that I’ve operated for more than 20 years and that’s been a policy that I’ve done for more than 20 years,” Ferguson said.
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