Charges Filed Over Canceled 2026 Cruise; $642,000 in Refunds Owed

Hundreds of cruisers are thousands of dollars out of pocket and looking for answers after a major music cruise was canceled at the last minute.

The Capital Jazz SuperCruise, scheduled for late March 2026, never left the dock. Now, the state of Maryland is stepping in to find out where the money went.

According to news reports, Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has filed formal charges against Capital Jazz and its owner, Clifford Hunte.

The state alleges the company took at least $642,240 from 103 identified passengers and failed to pay it back.

While some guests only found out the trip was off a few days before departure, investigators say the cruise was actually destined to never happen months ago.

The Four-Month Gap

The investigation found that the ship operator, MSC Cruises, had already canceled the contract with Capital Jazz in November 2025 because the promoter wasn’t paying the bills.

Despite losing the ship, the company reportedly kept taking money and holding onto deposits until the very last second. Many people had already paid for flights and hotels in Miami before they were told “not to show up” at the port.

A Pattern

This isn’t the first time the promoter has been in hot water. Capital Jazz was already under a 2025 legal settlement for failing to refund customers from previous years.

The Attorney General says the company didn’t just ignore the 2026 passengers. They also stopped paying the penalties they owed from that first case.

Attorney General Anthony G. Brown said that “Capital Jazz made a commitment to Maryland consumers and broke it, and then they brazenly did it again.”

Video of the 2025 SuperCruise:

A Judge to Decide

A hearing is set for July 21, 2026, where a judge will decide on penalties and how to get the $642,000 back to the people who paid it.

If you are still waiting on a refund for this cruise, the state is urging you to file a formal complaint with the Consumer Protection Division to make sure you’re on the list for potential repayment.

“I Truly Pray We Get Refunded”

After ABC 7 reported on this story, dozens of guests who were impacted reacted to the story.

“I am part of this cruise and am out of 7,376.00,” one comment stated, while another said they paid over $8,000 for the trip.

The frustration among guests often focused on a single theme. It was the feeling that the company knew the cruise was in trouble long before they told the public.

“I am part of this cruise as well. The amount is $7,836,” one passenger posted. “They took money knowing the cruise was cancelled based upon the information [the state] obtained.”

Another traveler noted that they had been trying to get answers for months. “I’ve known that the cruise was canceled back in December. My phone calls to SuperCruise started on Dec 18th… I was told in Mid-January that it was canceled and that I would receive an email with further info. Did you get an email? ME EITHER.”

For some, the cancelation felt like a betrayal of years of loyalty. One fan, who had supported the company for 15 years, noted that their group was out over $7,000.

“The lack of communication, the sudden removal of the website, the unanswered calls, are ALL completely UNSATISFACTORY!!!” they wrote. “I truly pray we get refunded.”