A LUXURY cruise in the Caribbean turned into holiday horror for a Winsford couple who were turfed off their ship to avoid Hurricane Georges.

Kevin and Sandra McShane were among 500 people ordered to disembark in Mexico to avert the disaster which has resulted in a death toll of around 600.

The couple, who live in Eden Avenue, were told their cruise would be cut short because the ship was taking a different route to divert from danger and if they stayed on board they would not make it back in time for their flight home.

The 110 mph winds and storms, which have hit Florida Keys and powered across the gulf of Mexico, were just two days behind the couple.

Kevin and Sandra's dream seven-day holiday turned into a living nightmare and they are now hoping to claim compensation from tour operator Thomsons.

Kevin, who booked the cruise as a surprise for his wife's birthday, said: "We are hoping to take this to consumer programme Watchdog because 350 people are complaining about their treatment.

"We jetted to Florida on Saturday, September 19, and up until Wednesday everything went to plan. We left from Port Canaveral on the Saturday night and on Sunday we were in the Bahamas.

"On Tuesday we were at sea heading for Mexico and we arrived on Wednesday morning.

"That day we had booked an excursion and we had to be up by 5am. But in the morning we found a letter and bill had been pushed under our door instructing us to settle our account and disembark the ship.

"I thought it must be a mistake but when we went down to breakfast we found out it was because of Hurricane Georges."

He explained: "The ship was taking a different route back, which would take longer, and they couldn't get us back to Port Canaveral on Saturday for our flight.

"At 1.30pm we were finally taken off the ship and all our cases were literally thrown off the side.

"There were 500 people wondering where on earth they were going and there were coaches turning up by the dozen. We were hurried on to the coaches like cattle."

Kevin and Sandra were then taken to a five-star hotel but they were directed to vacate their room by 4am the next day.

Kevin said: "After this we were moved to a Holiday Inn hotel at Coco Beach while others stayed in a hotel across the road. Our room had black mould all over the walls, so after complaining we were moved.

"However special the holiday had been at the start, it was all spoilt now. We should have still been on the ship enjoying a cocktail evening with the captain and entertainment but instead we were in substandard accommodation.

"In protest over our treatment, some holidaymakers refused to disembark a coach after a day out at a shopping mall. The police and Channel 13 news got involved.

"It was after this we called a meeting to sign a petition. The reps said we were not allowed to but we went ahead and did it. A total of 350 people signed."

He added: "They said we were taken off the ship because of Hurricane Georges, for our own safety. But they must have known on setting off what was facing us and what was likely to happen.

"They weren't properly prepared to deal with the situation. They should have had a contingency plan and rather than being told what to do, we should have been given choices."

A spokesman from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in London, described the hurricane havoc Kevin and Sandra managed to avoid.

Just days after they left it rampaged through the Caribbean setting off torrential flash floods and mudslides, killing at least 298 people.

He said: "A hurricane warning remains in effect from Louisiana eastward to Florida including the greater New Orleans area.

"British nationals should follow the advice of the local authorities. They should also consider contacting a relative or friend outside the area to let them know their whereabouts.

"Hurricane Georges has now passed by Antigua, Montserrat, British Virgin Islands, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba and Puerto Rico.

"We have no reports of injuries to British nationals. Many airports have been closed so homeward bound journeys will be delayed. That is to be expected."

Helen Leveridge, public relations manager at Thomsons, said: "This was what we call an act of God.

"A holiday operator or an insurance company cannot plan for things like this. That is one thing we make clear at the back of our brochure - we do not pay compensation for civil disturbances, natural and nuclear disasters or war.

"These are events beyond our control. Hurricane Georges is a natural disaster and compensation is not an issue.

"We made a decision to move and protect them for their own safety.

"We were simply thrown into a situation and took the right decision at the time - to move them into a hotel in Florida to escape the hurricane.

"Thomsons are very sorry for the couple but we did everything we could."

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