Jackhammers, fumes turn B.C. family’s Panama Canal cruise into construction zone

VICTORIA — A suburban Victoria woman says she didn’t expect to be hearing jackhammers or smelling strong fumes when she booked a spring-break family cruise through the Panama Canal.

Cecilia Jenkins says a major construction project began moments after the Norwegian Cruise Lines vessel left a dock in Miami, and the raucous lasted the entire voyage.

Jenkins is one of dozens of passengers who were aboard the Norwegian Sun and are now publicly criticizing the company for launching the work on a vessel loaded with passengers.

She says her family spent more than $10,000 for the two-week trip that was filled with dust, noise and inconvenience.

Jenkins says she’s been suffering breathing problems since returning to Vancouver Island and at one point on her trip almost collapsed from inhaling fumes.

Norwegian Cruise Lines has not been immediately available for comment, but Jenkins and others say passengers were offered a 25 per cent discount on another cruise if they take it within the next year.