2 days ago
I was so stressed after my dream £6k honeymoon cruise was cancelled my face COLLAPSED & was left PARALYSED
A NEWLY-WED'S face collapsed from stress after her dream honeymoon was cancelled at the last minute.
Gail Morgan, 50, suffered a Bell's Palsy attack, paralysing the muscles down one side of her face after the £6,000 cruise was postponed just prior to boarding - and then axed completely.
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Gail and new husband Pepe Davies, 53, from Wales, had flown out to Miami following their glam wedding only to be told the liner had suffered a "technical issue".
They say, subsequently, their treatment by operator Celebrity Cruises has been "disgusting" - and they've only received a third of the value back as vouchers.
Gail told The Sun: 'I was inconsolable. I broke down in tears.
'The heartbreak of losing our honeymoon and my 50th birthday trip, a holiday we had looked forward to for years, was overwhelming.
'And still, not a single word of communication from Celebrity Cruises.
'I recently completed my masters in social care, and this was also meant to celebrate my achievement.
'But the very next day, my facial muscles on the right side of my face stiffened up.
'Since then, my face has been stiff. I'm still going through it.'
Upon return to the UK, a doctor's assessment confirmed that the 'emotional trauma and psychological stress' were 'direct contributing factors to the onset of Bell's Palsy'.
The cruise was due to depart from Port Miami on July 20.
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Initially, the cruise was delayed by a day, before it was cancelled due to a 'technical issue' affecting the liner's speed.
Morgan added: 'We're working class people from a small village in Wales.
'It took us three years to save for this, skipping out on holidays and life's little luxuries.
'This was meant to be a milestone.
'Celebrity Cruises didn't even inform us of the initial delay and then the outright cancellation.
'We were informed by strangers who overheard our conversations.
'When we finally knew that it was cancelled, we couldn't even make emergency calls and had to borrow people's phones because we had British numbers.'
Morgan and Davies were issued with a credit voucher each, both totalling £2,619.
However, Morgan told The Sun: 'This is not good enough.
'First of all, you can't use the vouchers together, you can only use one voucher per cruise.
'You can't use the vouchers on special offers either, forcing people like us, who are working class, to pay for more expensive cruises.
'On top of that, they said they can't reimburse us for other charges incurred, like the taxi fee to get to the hotel.
'We didn't ask for any of this, and the way they have treated us has been disgusting.'
A spokesperson for Celebrity Cruises said: "Celebrity Cruises is in contact with the guest and their travel agent directly on this matter."
What is Bell's palsy?
What is Bell's palsy?
Bell's palsy is the most common cause of facial paralysis, but is still rare, affecting one in about 5,000 people a year.
The condition causes temporary muscle weakness or paralysis in one side of the face, and occurs when the nerve that controls facial muscles becomes inflamed or compressed.
While it is not known what causes this inflammation, it is thought that herpes or another virus, such as syphilis or Epstein-Barr, could also be responsible.
People with diabetes and HIV are thought to be at higher risk of developing Bell's palsy.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of the condition vary from person to person, but develop quickly and reach their peak within 48 hours.
According to the NHS, these are the key warning signs:
Difficulty closing your eyelid one side of your face, or your mouth drooping on that side
Irritation of one eye, such as dryness or increased tear production
Earache or pain underneath the ear on the affected side of the face
A change to your sense of taste
Increased sensitivity to sound in one ear
Drooling from your mouth on one side
A dry mouth
Pain around the jaw
A headache
Ringing in one or both ears
Dizziness
Difficulty eating or drinking
Impaired speech
The NHS advises that if you experience facial weakness or paralysis it can indicate a more serious condition, such as a stroke – so call 999 or visit your nearest A&E department immediately.
