New Yorkers Bamboozled By Fyre Festival Of The Seas

Many New Yorkers are dealing with what's being called the Fyre Festival Of The Seas.

A number of New Yorkers, Hudson Valley residents (myself included) and others from across the country booked a reality‑star‑filled cruise and thought we were headed for sun, sea, and selfies with your favorite cast members. But now, we are dealing with cancellations, allegations, and fighting to get back thousands of dollars.

Billed As Once In A Lifetime MTV The Challenge Cruise

The sail‑away date for Postgame Cruise 3rd Edition is this Thursday, setting off on a four‑night voyage aboard Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas. Tickets, according to the official website, start at $2,418 for an interior stateroom.

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The attraction? A “celebrity lineup” of MTV The Challenge stars, including Johnny Bananas, Mark Long, and Cara Maria. The trip included meet‑and‑greets, trivia battles, and what the site calls a “once‑in‑a‑lifetime” experience.

The specialty cruise got so many to quickly sign up that soon a similar cruise in January was scheduled with other fan-favorites, including Wes, Rachel, Jordan and much more.

Other reality cruises were also scheduled, like Teen Mom and Floribama Shore, all run by Mike Gibson of Showroom Reality.

These once-in-a-lifetime cruises are now turning into thousands of dollars of regret.

Johnny Bananas and Mark Long were first to announce they were pulling out of the November cruise, accusing Gibson of selling the trip “under false pretenses” and failing to fulfill their obligations.

"For full transparency, no payment or compensation of any kind was ever rendered to us for this event. We do not take lightly when our names or likenesses are used for fraudulent activity, and, as such, we will be pursuing all available legal action to hold those responsible for this misrepresentation accountable," Johnny Bananas & Mark Long said in a statement.

Further statements from other cast members paint an even bleaker picture , canceled hotel rooms, unpaid contracts, missing security, and zero itinerary detail weeks before departure

"Unfortunately, after discovering unpaid contracts, canceled hotel reservations, missing security details, and a complete lack of itinerary or communication, it has become impossible for us to safely and responsibly move forward," others said in a joint statement.

Other Cruises Also Impacted

The January 2026 sailing of Showroom Reality Cruise, similarly billed as a “Reality TV Extravaganza,” also won't be happening.

"If you had plans to go on this… please do your best to get your money back NOW. We will NOT be taking part in this. Not me. Not any of the cast," Wes Bergmann said in a statement for the cast.

Late Monday, I received an email saying my drink package for the January cruise was being cancelled and I'd receive a refund. I've yet to receive a refund for the cruise (nearly $3,000) from Showroom Reality, despite Royal Caribbean now saying I'm no longer cruising in January. Until this controversy, the Royal Caribbean app said I was on the cruise setting sail on Jan. 15.

Gibson Acknowledges Mess

Showroom Travel Agency and owner Mike Gibson soon posted a message of his own acknowledging the mess:

“I bit off more than I could chew,” he wrote. "I have used revenue from one cruise and lapsed it into paying deposits for other Postgame Cruises… With mass cancellations and failure to hit sales goals … the funds have not been made to pay for all talents to participate."

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He urged anyone who paid to dispute charges immediately, claiming pre‑approval for refunds was already in motion.

As of this writing, I've yet to hear from anyone who got their money back. I'm in talks with my credit card company to try and get back the nearly $3,000 I'm owed.

Police Now Involved

So many people have been scammed out of thousands that the police are now involved. The Cook County Sheriff's Office, out of Georgia (where Showroom is based) says it's been "made aware of possible criminal activity surrounding the company Showroom Travel Agency."

All impacted are urged to call the Cook County Sheriff's Office (229-896-7471) to assist the investigation.

"The Cook County Sheriff's Office has been working diligently with the assistance of the contracted employees of Showroom Travel to gather as much information as possible. We greatly appreciate everyone's cooperation and patience in this unique investigation," police said in a press release.

What was marketed as a once‑in‑a‑lifetime cruise with reality TV stars is now showing all the signs of becoming Fyre Festival Of The Seas.

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