Pensioners missed out on a trip of a lifetime with TUI due to a passport blunder.
Janet and Jim Baker, 75 and 65, drew on their life savings and cashed in part of a pension to make the trip possible.
The couple were hugely excited about the "once-in-a-lifetime" trip to see the Northern Lights which came amid health and financial issues, Kent Live reported.
It was only once they made it to Southampton's docks ready to board the TUI ship that they realised there was a problem.
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Janet discovered that she had between three and six months left on her passport at that point, which would have been enough before Brexit but the requirement is now more than three when you head home.
Son-in-law John Crook, 37, - who has dealt with the matter on the couple’s behalf - has criticised TUI and argued that it should have checked this.
The trip was arranged as a celebration of Janet's all-clear from cancer at the start of 2022, but before the couple were able to book Janet was diagnosed with dementia.
John said: “When we got told that there were no longer signs of cancer they just felt like it would be a good time to get away and take a breath, celebrate the news.
"But then, before they’d booked anything, we got the diagnosis for mum’s dementia which was a massive blow.”
He said that Janet is now “fearful about what’s to come” and that she has struggled since.
John added: “So they decided to make it a trip mum could really treasure and make some happy memories."
Janet and Jim were said to be nervous about making the arrangements themselves so chose to book through TUI in the Tunbridge Wells, Kent branch.
“There’s never going to be a better time,” John explained of their decision making.
“Not only did they do it through TUI but they actually went in and did it in person in the Tunbridge Wells branch to have that piece of mind and reassurance.”
The couple said they were asked to take in their passports to be checked and photocopied, and assumed there was nothing left to worry about.
Janet and Jim were said to have been “so excited” and had counted down the days before the cruise.
They even booked a taxi to and from Southampton to avoid the stress of the journey.
John said that the couple were left “devastated and confused” when they were turned away.
“She apparently just kept asking Jim what was happening,” he said.
“Jim was just so embarrassed as he knows admin just isn’t his strong point, hence them using TUI to do everything. He felt like he’d let Mum down.”
The family added that the TUI service team had been "very helpful" in the branch, and that they'd been happy with the service at the time. However, he said they were “beyond difficult” to contact after the missed holiday.
John said both Janet and Jim are “very clear” that they don’t want the money back or compensation, they simply want to go on a cruise before her health deteriorates further.
A spokesperson for TUI said: “We completely understand Mr and Mrs Baker’s disappointment in being unable to travel on their cruise as planned.
"We always follow the FCDO’s guidance, which outlines that a customer may not be allowed entry into some countries if there is less than six months left on their passport.
“Our systems don’t have any passport data recorded for Mr and Mrs Baker and we have no evidence to show they went to the store to provide this.
"Unfortunately, as their passports didn’t meet the criteria, our general terms and conditions apply.”
They added: “We encourage customers to check the TUI and FCDO websites for the latest passport guidance before travelling.”
Advice on the UK Government website states that travellers to Norway need a passport that is valid for “at least three months after the day you plan to leave”.
