We booked a luxury 4-hour private charter aboard the Wellcraft 43 Portofino — a sleek, premium yacht — and paid $1,226 for what was meant to be a high-end, intimate experience for two. What we got instead was the MV INGE III — a boat so laughably mismatched, we genuinely thought it was a mistake.
The MV INGE III is not a luxury vessel by any stretch of the imagination. It’s an outdated, tired wooden boat that looks like it belongs in a group tour lineup from the 1980s. The interior was basic and cramped, the deck space awkward and worn, and the entire feel was more ferry ride than private charter. If you’re picturing a romantic yacht afternoon — forget it. This was the polar opposite.
There was no warning, no discussion, no attempt to justify the switch. Just a hope we wouldn’t make a fuss. But this wasn’t a minor substitution — it was a blatant bait-and-switch. We didn’t board. We couldn’t. It was so far removed from what we paid for, it would’ve been laughable if it weren’t so expensive.
No apology, no refund, no accountability. Just silence.
This wasn’t a misunderstanding. It was deception, pure and simple — and they’ve been reported to the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority.
Avoid this operator at all costs. If they’re willing to pass off the MV INGE III as a luxury yacht, there’s no telling what else they’re misrepresenting.