More than 1,000 mostly British holidaymakers were unable get back aboard P&O’s Azura luxury cruise ship after spending the day in the high-rolling harbour town. They had been taken ashore aboard small launches at 10am on Saturday morning but heavy Mediterranean seas made it to risk to try to get them back to the ship that night.
But instead of being put up in one of Monte Carlo’s five-star hotels, furious passengers were told to sleep on tables or makeshift beds on a basketball court.
Cruise passenger Julie Rowson, of Cannock, Staffs, said: “It was horrendous. It’s spoilt our holiday.
“We were supposed to be spending the day in the most luxurious and expensive place on earth but had to spend the night sleeping on a floor.
“I’m very angry and upset. It’s a disgrace. It was very cold. There were a lot of elderly people there.”
Julie, on holiday with her husband Paul, 48, and their two children and said the short journey from the cruise ship had been choppy.
They spent the day “seeing how the other half live” but then there was “delay after delay” when they returned to the port to travel back to the ship.
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“Guests travelled from Monte Carlo to neighbouring Villefranche this morning where the tendering operations were resumed.
“All guests are now back on board. We are so sorry that this happened.
“It’s certainly not what we would ever want for our guests but safety is our absolute priority.”