Rough cruise round Malta

I wish to relate what happened on a boat trip to Gozo, Comino and the Blue Lagoon with Captain Morgan.

We were lucky to be staying at the Fortina Spa Hotel. With this package we were offered a free Round Malta Day Cruise. We were asked if we wanted to upgrade this to include Gozo and Comino, which we did.

We boarded the boat at approximately 9 a.m. on May 12. The boat was rocking in the harbour but we were assured that outside the harbour the sea was calm and safe.

We set off and within 500 yards of leaving the harbour the boat was rolling and pitching and immediately we were all wet through as the waves were coming over the sides of the boat. After about 15 minutes my partner put me in the middle of the boat on the mattresses as he said it would gentler.

I do not get seasick but I was absolutely terrified. The wind then whipped up the waste bin which hit me on the back of the head. By this time, I was getting more frightened and was crying. The mattresses were blowing everywhere and people were starting to panic.

One lady actually crawled on her hands and knees across the deck to get to the cabin. I was too petrified to move as the boat was rolling and pitching too much. My partner then decided to put our bags in the cabin and then come back to get me. As he made his way to the cabin (bearing in mind that he sails regularly and knows what he's doing on a boat) the boat lurched and he slipped and almost fell overboard - luckily a crewmember was just coming out of the cabin and grabbed him.

As he fell, his Oakley glasses were broken. He was left with the cord and the two arms hanging around his neck.

I think at this stage the crew realised just how bad it was for everyone out there on the deck. People were crying and starting to get seasick.

Two crewmembers then came across to help me into the cabin. The crew then decided to make everyone come into the cabin and it took two members to get each of the passengers in. By this time people were being sick and one poor lady was so poorly that she lay almost comatose.

We then heard several loud bangs which frightened everyone. It was equipment down below which was being thrown about as the boat rolled and pitched. The noise was horrendous and very frightening.

I think at this stage it was decided to turn back. In all we were out there for over one and a half hours. I think this decision should have been made much sooner. At no time were we offered life jackets bearing in mind that the boat was rolling and if anyone had fallen then they could have slipped straight underneath the rails.

The crew were very kind and extremely helpful but they should have turned back sooner.

On reaching harbour we showed the broken glasses to one of the staff. He told us to report it to the hotel which we did. They spoke to the office and they said they would get the glasses repaired.

My partner took the glasses to the Captain Morgan office (they could not possibly be repaired and the lens part was missing). They then decided for some reason that the lens part had been there when we got off the boat. But it certainly was not. We then wasted much time going backwards and forwards from reception to the office regarding this.

The management then insisted that we write a letter regarding the broken glasses but as we had no access to a laptop or writing paper this was not possible until now.

Several people in the hotel, including staff, said the boat should not have gone out as the sea was too rough. I also understand that the Sliema-Valletta ferry also stopped running later that day because of the rough weather.

We felt very upset at the way we were treated. The management of Captain Morgan made us feel as if we were telling lies about the glasses but they were there to be seen. The lady in the office on the Sunday was very rude and her parting words to me were: "If you don't like boats you shouldn't have booked the trip". I don't mind boats so long as they are safe and this one, this day, was not. What should have been a lovely, leisurely boat trip turned into a nightmare.

We feel very let down by the way the staff spoke to us and accused us of lying about the sunglasses and feel that we should be recompensed for them. The sunglasses were Oakley's and cost about £100 when bought.