Collapsed Kimberly cruise company owes customers, employees $3 million

Collapsed Kimberly cruise company owes customers, employees $3 million

A collapsed Kimberly cruise company has left customers and employees out of pocket by more than $3 million.

Budget cruise company Ahoy Buccaneers, which liquidators said may have been trading while insolvent for the past two years, went into liquidation in December 2018 after its parent company Bloo Moons Pty Ltd went into administration in June 2018.

The ABC has been reporting on cancelled cruises from the line since May 2016 as well as a series of safety breaches.

The latest liquidators report indicates that unless the company is able to sell its 24-metre long schooner, customers and employees will not be paid.

One customer told the ABC she and her partner were left $17,000 out of pocket after travelling from Perth to Wyndham for a cruise which ended up being cancelled.

“That’s a life savings to some people, and we spent a year preparing for that trip,” Alison Branch said.

“These people are so unscrupulous, they knew that they weren’t going to sail, yet they got us up there.”

Two employees who also spoke to the ABC were owed $16,000 in unpaid wages.

“We nearly lost our house for overdue rent and had to struggle with the bills, nearly getting electricity and phone cut off,” Tony Richards said.

“It’s just a very sad situation for all concerned really.”

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