Family watched $8,500 cruise leave without them after making brutal travel mistake

Imagine saving up for an entire year to take your family on a dream vacation, only to watch that dream sail off into the sunset.

That was the hellish nightmare Tisha LaSaine, of Brooklyn, went through with her three kids after booking a week-long cruise for an eye-watering $8,500.

The decision to splurge so much on a single vacation was in aid of LaSaine's 50th birthday, as well as being 'able to send' her first born son Kaseem off to Hampton College in Virginia.

But the reason the New Yorkers missed the holiday of a lifetime was because of a 'crew issue' with their flight from John F. Kennedy Airport in Queens to Orlando, Florida.

They were due to take off shortly before 10am and arrive just under three hours later, leaving them plenty of time to catch their cruise only 45 mins away from the airport, departing at 3.30pm from Port Canaveral.

Speaking with ABC 7, Kaseem said: "We took off at 11:40am. Our flight was scheduled for 9:54."

Tisha LaSaine and her three children, including eldest Kaseem, missed their cruise due to 'crew issues' with flight (ABC7)

Instead of landing at 12.51pm as scheduled, they landed around three hours later, meaning they didn't have enough time to board their cruise.

LaSaine ultimately had to tell her two young children, as well as her mom and Kaseem, that they would not be making the cruise.

"I went to my mom and told her 'Mom I don't think we're going to make it'," the postal worker said.

She was left absolutely distraught and well, you would be - especially if you had brought your young kids with you too.

When they finally reached the dock it was too late, they had no choice but to watch as the thousands of dollars LaSaine spent on the cruise just sailed off.

She said: "I think I cried more than the kids and it was for them."

LaSaine and Kaseem were left distraught after missing their $8,500 cruise (ABC 7)

While Kaseem added: "We missed the whole trip. That's a whole week. That's eight days."

The cruise liner issued the family with a full refund, but when they attempted to get the same from Delta Airlines, it didn't go as smoothly.

Kaseem explained that they were offered e-credit of $250 per person just for the flight there, leaving them very much out of pocket.

That's when they got in touch with the news station, which in turn placed pressure onto the airline. And in a statement to the outlet, Delta said: "Delta apologizes for the delay that led to the circumstances."

The company has since issued a full refund.