A grandad who has "been to hell and back" through ill-health has had his hopes of treating his family to a luxury cruise knocked back.
John Coates, 68, who uses a mobility scooter, and wife Sandra, 65, booked the holiday on the P&O cruise ship Iona before covid struck, which led to it being put back twice after the travel industry ground to a halt because of the pandemic.
However once the cruise to the Norwegian fjords was re-scheduled for this summer, the couple were eagerly looking forward to the holiday of a lifetime with their extended family, made up of their two sons, their wives, and four grandchildren, who are all under the age of 10.
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But the couple were forced to cancel the holiday, with only weeks to go, after P&O told them they were being moved from the disabled balcony cabin they had booked to an inside cabin, which could not accommodate John's mobility scooter.
Sandra, from Birkdale, said: "After three years of waiting we have had to cancel along with our family of 10. This has upset my husband greatly as this was meant to be a well deserved holiday for our family and our grandchildren have had to accept this.
"My husband is lucky to be alive after he spent four months in hospital for a life changing operation. I am now my husband's carer 24/7. He's been to hell and back and this holiday was meant to be a respite for our family."
They said they were told the reason for the change in arrangements was because the disabled cabin they originally booked was needed in case any passengers came down with covid. Mrs Coates said P&O initially only paid back less than half the £12,000 paid for the seven-day trip they booked from Southampton. The price covered the cost of cabins for herself and her husband, and their two sons and their families.
John's battle with serious ill-health began in 2018 with thrombosis of the stomach. At one stage he was in a coma and fighting for his life, and he has also had two bouts of cancer.
The former electrician said: "The family has been through such a trauma and I wanted to give them something back. The cruise was a way of us all getting together for a bit of luxury."
After being approached by the ECHO, a P&O Cruises spokesperson said: "We are so sorry that this happened to Mr and Mrs Coates. We have now spoken to them and offered them a full refund plus a gesture of goodwill on all linked bookings and would love to welcome them on board in the future."
