An extraordinary story from the cruise industry broke in the news a few days ago, and it's one that does not surprise me at all. The Goddess of the Night, the lone ship in the fleet of industry newcomer NeoNyx Cruises, was impounded by Italian authorities after reports and images of shocking health and safety concerns onboard the ship emerged. I first heard about this new cruise line about a month ago, and while I thought the ship's paint job looked cool, I definitely had some concerns that have now been proven correct. I think it is safe to say that this ship will not be sailing anytime soon, and it will certainly not be embarking on its maiden voyage with paying passengers that was scheduled to take place in less than a month's time on July 14, 2024. This incident provides a cautionary tale about certain niche-interest cruise lines that have been popping up in recent years, and it serves as a reminder as to why travelers should stick to the large, established cruise lines when shopping for a cruise vacation.
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| A photograph of a stateroom in disrepair inside the Goddess of the Night. Reports of these shocking health and safety conditions have resulted in the ship being impounded by Italian authorities. Photo by The Daily Mail. |
NeoNyx Cruises and the Goddess of the Night
NeoNyx Cruises is a new cruise line/brand launched by a Greek shipping company called Seajets. The company purchased the Costa Magica (originally launched in 2004) from Carnival Corporation in 2023 and renamed it Goddess of the Night. NeoNyx had planned to sail 3- and 4-day cruises from Piraeus (Athens). The NeoNyx brand is heavily focused on electronic dance music, and an impressive list of DJs, including Steve Aoki and Paul Oakenfold, had been contracted to perform at special events on the ship. The cruises are adults only and are intended to foster a high-energy party atmosphere.
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| A promotional stock image of the Goddess of the Night. |
Now to the events in question. Although the Goddess of the Night has not actually carried passengers on a cruise yet, it was contracted by Italian government officials to be used as a floating hotel for police and security personnel working at the G7 meetings currently happening in Italy. It's not uncommon for cruise ships to be deployed as floating hotels for special events like this which put a significant strain on local hotels and infrastructure. A cruise ship can provide lodging, food, and sanitation for a few thousand people which makes them a convenient accommodation option for mega events like these. The G7 event would have also provided the ship's crew with an opportunity to do a test run of their operations in advance of their maiden voyage on July 14. Cruise lines always do a few trial runs of a new ship before its first official sailing just to make sure everything is running smoothly. Unfortunately for NeoNyx, the guests staying on Goddess of the Night began reporting about shocking conditions onboard which included torn mattresses, flooding, moldy food, broken air conditioning, and malfunctioning toilets. As a result, the guests have been relocated to other accommodations on shore, and Italian authorities have now impounded the ship and will begin further inspections. Essentially, the ship is not in compliance with basic health and safety regulations and has to be docked until necessary repairs and maintenance have been performed, similar to how health inspectors will shut down a dirty restaurant until remedial action is taken.
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| A photograph from inside the Goddess of the Night revealing a hallway littered with debris. Photo by The Daily Mail. |
There are a number of similar niche cruise lines popping up in the recent years, and they all have the same basic business model. That is to buy old ships that are reaching the end of their life cycles from more established cruise lines, and then to do some basic refurbishment and rebranding to cover up some of the operational issues that lay beneath the surface, while also promising guests an experience that they cannot possibly deliver on. This is exactly what has happened in the case of NeoNyx Cruises. This upstart company purchased a 20-year-old ship from Costa Cruises that is already near the end of its life cycle, and then tried to charge a premium for an attractive onboard experience centred on electronic music, nonstop partying, heavy drinking, and easy sex that obscures the maintenance and operational issues on the ship. When browsing NeoNyx's website, you will not see very much information about the ship itself. The focus is instead on the intense party atmosphere and the attractive guests. It is a very speculative business model. My theory is that the investors in this new cruise line bought the ship on a shoestring budget knowing that major repairs would be needed, and then began selling cruise tickets in the hope that the cash flow from these bookings could be used to finance the necessary repairs in time for their maiden voyage - an ambitious and risky plan that doesn't seem to have worked out. I think it is a real concern now that the company will go bankrupt as they will have to provide refunds and therefore lose access to cash that they need to pay for repairs.
This business model reminds me of the Fyre Festival controversy from a few years back. In case you don't remember, this was a music festival in which organizers put together an impressive lineup of popular artists and promised a luxurious experience on an island paradise, but upon arrival guests were greeted with inadequate facilities, poor sanitation, safety issues, and shortages of food and water. Many artists dropped out of the festival in the days leading up to it once some of these issues came to light, and many guests were left stranded while the festival's organizers dodged any responsibility. Even if NeoNyx can somehow get their ship operational again, I would expect that many of the DJs and artists they have booked will now begin to terminate their contracts just as those who were booked for the Fyre Festival did.
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| Fyre Festival attendees were provided with emergency tents instead of the luxury accommodations that were promised. Photo by The Daily Beast. |
Red Flags to Watch Out For
- All of the images of the ship's interior appear to be digital renders of how things will look once renovations occur, but they do not accurately represent the actual condition of the ship.
- All of the images and videos of people eating in restaurants, partying, relaxing in the spa, and doing other activities appear to be generic stock images that were shot in a studio rather than on the ship. The locations look so generic that they could be anywhere in the world.
- There are very few specific details about any of the ship's amenities. There are many vague references to world-class cuisine, relaxation, and wellness, but hardly any information about these amenities is provided which might indicate a lack of readiness.
- Having such a narrow focus on electronic music and partying might be a tactic to obscure issues with the other amenities on the ship.
- Lastly, a quick Google search would reveal that this ship is already 20 years old and previously sailed as the Costa Magica. Generally speaking, it's usually not a good sign when a ship is transferred to a different cruise line because it means the ship is already advanced in age and is no longer profitable for the original owner, and there are likely major renovations that need to be done.
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| A screen capture from https://neonyxcruises.com/cabins/. This digitally rendered image shows what a grand suite is supposed to look like on Goddess of the Night, but there is no way of verifying whether these renovations have actually been completed. |
Stick to the Established Cruise Lines
When shopping for a cruise, it is advisable to stick to established and reputable cruise lines that operate a significant fleet around the world. Cruise lines under the ownership of major players like Royal Caribbean Group, MSC Group, Carnival Corporation, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, as well as other reputable players in the river, luxury, and expedition cruising segments have years of experience and have demonstrated a high standard for safety, service, and operational competence. You also have some peace of mind knowing that these companies are not going to take your money and disappear overnight, and that they will be accountable if any issues do occur on your cruise.
Travel agents can also play an important role in verifying the legitimacy of a travel product. Reputable travel agents and their host agencies, such as Expedia Cruises in which I am part of, only deal with reputable travel providers. It does not appear that NeoNyx Cruises has any business relationship with travel agencies, and this is certainly a red flag. Agents who are familiar with the industry would have been able to sense that something was amiss with this new cruise line and advised their clients of the potential risks.
Speaking of established cruise lines... Are you interested in booking a cruise? Do you have questions or need some more help? Please visit my agency website and fill out the contact form to get in touch with me.