Luxury cruise passengers left out of pocket after ship seized by receivers
Customers who booked "once in a lifetime" holidays to Western Australia's north are left in limbo after a business loan went wrong for a luxury cruise company.
Kimberley Pearl Tours, a luxury cruise company, has faced a financial crisis after its director, Daniel Brown, went into receivership. Despite this, the company is still advertising cruises on its website. Customers who booked trips to Western Australia's Kimberley coastline are left in limbo, with some already paying thousands of dollars more than the original cost.
The matter is currently before the Federal Court, where parties will meet for mediation on August 31. Receivers were appointed to the company in January due to Brown's failure to repay a loan taken out to buy the business. Blackbird Private Equity, who loaned Brown $395,000, is now under investigation for alleged unfair lending practices.
The Federal Court has ordered that the Kimberley Pearl be kept from being sold until further mediation takes place.
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