Possible shipyard delay

From an article in Sea Trade Insider, concerning union troubles at Fincantieri shipyards, was the following:

"In Genoa today, Fiom [union] members at the Sestri Ponente yard stopped work on an Oceania vessel [Riviera] that is due to be launched next month and delivered in March in protest at the lack of an agreement. Union representatives at the yard said that ‘until we get answers from Rome, the ship will stay at its berth and the yard will remain closed,’ according to Italian wire reports."

Something to keep an eye on...

Can't think of a better reason NEVER to book a maiden voyage. Not everyone wants to sit around on pins and needles until they know when their cruise will depart.

I feel for all of you in that position now with Riviera and hope you'll have some good news very soon.:)

From an article in Sea Trade Insider, concerning union troubles at Fincantieri shipyards, was the following:

 

"In Genoa today, Fiom [union] members at the Sestri Ponente yard stopped work on an Oceania vessel [Riviera] that is due to be launched next month and delivered in March in protest at the lack of an agreement. Union representatives at the yard said that ‘until we get answers from Rome, the ship will stay at its berth and the yard will remain closed,’ according to Italian wire reports."

 

 

Something to keep an eye on...

Thanks, for the update!! Hopefully it will be resolved soon!

Can't think of a better reason NEVER to book a maiden voyage. Not everyone wants to sit around on pins and needles until they know when their cruise will depart.

I feel for all of you in that position now with Riviera and hope you'll have some good news very soon.:)

Sorry, I respectfully disagree. We were on the maiden voyage of Marina and couldn't have had a better time. Sure, there were some glitches. I know the staff was working their hearts out to make the best cruise they could for the passengers after O took possession only three days earlier, but the people I met were adventurers, understood the possibilities when they booked and relished seeing the ship take shape. And what a grand time we all had!!! It makes me smile just thinking about it.

And what if things do have to slide? What is one out, really? O will make the passenger whole, plus provide additional "perks" for the inconvenience. There is no gamble here, only a winning hand for whoever does get aboard the maiden voyage!

I hope the ship arrives on time, and I wish all the passengers of the maiden voyage well in their trip. No matter when it happens, you all are in for a grand time!:D

Kay

Sorry, I respectfully disagree. We were on the maiden voyage of Marina and couldn't have had a better time. Sure, there were some glitches. I know the staff was working their hearts out to make the best cruise they could for the passengers after O took possession only three days earlier, but the people I met were adventurers, understood the possibilities when they booked and relished seeing the ship take shape. And what a grand time we all had!!! It makes me smile just thinking about it.

 

And what if things do have to slide? What is one out, really? O will make the passenger whole, plus provide additional "perks" for the inconvenience. There is no gamble here, only a winning hand for whoever does get aboard the maiden voyage!

 

I hope the ship arrives on time, and I wish all the passengers of the maiden voyage well in their trip. No matter when it happens, you all are in for a grand time!:D

 

Kay

I agree. We had such a good time on the maiden voyage of the Marina that we decided to sign up for the Riviera's maiden voyage---twice (April14 and now, maybe, April 24).

Cruising with Oceania is always a great experience. I appreciate Don letting us know that there might be a delay.

Sorry, I respectfully disagree. We were on the maiden voyage of Marina and couldn't have had a better time. Sure, there were some glitches. I know the staff was working their hearts out to make the best cruise they could for the passengers after O took possession only three days earlier, but the people I met were adventurers, understood the possibilities when they booked and relished seeing the ship take shape. And what a grand time we all had!!! It makes me smile just thinking about it.

 

And what if things do have to slide? What is one out, really? O will make the passenger whole, plus provide additional "perks" for the inconvenience. There is no gamble here, only a winning hand for whoever does get aboard the maiden voyage!

 

I hope the ship arrives on time, and I wish all the passengers of the maiden voyage well in their trip. No matter when it happens, you all are in for a grand time!:D

 

Kay

Kay,

Thanks for the encouragement! I LOVE your positive outlook! :)

And what if things do have to slide? What is one out, really? O will make the passenger whole, plus provide additional "perks" for the inconvenience. There is no gamble here, only a winning hand for whoever does get aboard the maiden voyage!

 

I hope the ship arrives on time, and I wish all the passengers of the maiden voyage well in their trip. No matter when it happens, you all are in for a grand time!:D

 

Kay

I agree with you in general but what about those flight change/cancellation fees - will Oceania pay for them; and if you are flying on award tickets (esp. in business), can you get award seats at such a late date?

I know that these things can happen and everyone tries very hard to make the best of it but there is a potential gamble for some people.

I too hope things will go as scheduled.

I agree with you in general but what about those flight change/cancellation fees - will Oceania pay for them; and if you are flying on award tickets (esp. in business), can you get award seats at such a late date?

I know that these things can happen and everyone tries very hard to make the best of it but there is a potential gamble for some people.

I too hope things will go as scheduled.

We were booked on the original 10 day Riviera maiden voyage on April 14. When O couldn't make that date, they offered to move everyone to the 12 day April 24 sailing (at no extra cost) AND reimburse us for our change fees. We had to change dates and cities. Originally, we were leaving from Barcelona and ending in Athens. The new maiden voyage leaves from Athens and ends up in Istanbul.

I'm not sure how they deal with people using miles...

They don't :(. Well, they will pay for any change fee, but not for lost miles, or additional miles needed for new routing. We lost a 2-for-1 flight coupon due to the first cancelation. Never book air for a maiden voyage yourself, use the cruise line air...

Any news on the shipyard strike?

The Marina Maiden Voyage, as TKS said, was fabulous. We had top service, experienced no glitches but minor ones, which you would expect, but the staff went above and beyond.

We booked the Riviera maiden (the 1st one),but when the date change came about, we cancelled, and we were very sad about that.

Whoever will be aboard will come home with fabulous memories. :)

Using Google page translator on a few Italian news websites, it appears that the shipyard shutdown is still on-going. It seems that it will continue until at least the 10th, when the strikers are scheduled to meet with an Italian labor or finance minister.

Do you suppose there are two weeks of slack in the Riviera schedule???

Just a curiousity question. What happens if the ship gets delayed and the cruise needs to be pushed out? Who gets bumped? The folks on the inaugural that was delayed or the folks on the next scheduled cruise?

If like the airlines, no one gets bumped, they try to place canceled passengers on next open seats. Otherwise the ripple effect would go on forever...

Just a curiousity question. What happens if the ship gets delayed and the cruise needs to be pushed out? Who gets bumped? The folks on the inaugural that was delayed or the folks on the next scheduled cruise?

If the changeover from the original (Barcelona to Athens) maiden voyage to the present itinerary (Athens to Istanbul) is any indication, Oceania will move all of the folks whose corresponding cabins on the newer cruise isn't booked, but if there is a conflict, then people on the NEW ITINERARY get precedence.

Naturally, there are also goodies thrown in to make it worth ones while to change; on the first go round it was a $500 per cabin credit and we got the newer 12 day cruise at the prices we paid for the 10 day itinerary.

On our "original maiden," we had the requested stateroom, but when the delay occurred, we were advised that they would place us in a guarantee for the same stateroom category as the room we had reserved was already taken. There was not a stateroom in the area in which our original room was located that was available.

Ninety-nine per cent of the time, we chose our stateroom, so that was a reason for cancellation as well as the itinerary they were now going to do, which was the main reason.

We have "mentally" canceled the maiden also, due to the itinerary. But have not officially canceled, had thought we might stick with it. But we can't change our air again so given the new high potential for slippage, we pretty much have to cancel before the 25th.

Current backup plan is two weeks in Italy. Maybe we'll swing by to visit Riviera if she is still stuck in the shipyard at the end of April...

I guess the BIG question at this point is how sold out the second sailing is and heaven forbid even the third. I've tried to peak on O's website, but either I'm having a problem on my computer or their website or it's me!

I guess the BIG question at this point is how sold out the second sailing is and heaven forbid even the third. I've tried to peak on O's website, but either I'm having a problem on my computer or their website or it's me!

The Athens to Istanbul cruise, as it is presently scheduled, ends on May 6th, after which the ship is scheduled sail a ten day cruise to Venice.

On the 16th, she sails southbound on another ten day Cruise, ending in Athens

Interestingly, this is followed on May 26th, by an Athens to Barcelona itinerary which is the reverse of the very first proposed maiden voyage.

All of the cruises until the May 26 cruise to Barcelona are waitlisted. The May 26 cruise is waitlisted B2 category; all others are open to select, but I didn't check to see how many cabins are available in those categories.

Seems a coincidence that the first three Riveria cruises are now all wait listed. Is it perhaps a strategy to stop any additional bookings until the shipyard situation is resolved. Just wondering.

That's what happened just before they canceled the initial maiden...

Don..how do you find if a cruise category is waitlisted or still available on the site?

Thank you,

Sherry

Don..how do you find if a cruise category is waitlisted or still available on the site?

Thank you,

Sherry

Not Don, but I know the answer :D

You log onto the cruise as if you were making a new booking.

As part of that process you will see a list of which staterooms are available or wait listed or sold out.

You used to be able to do it even if you were already booked on that same cruise. Now, if you are booked and try to do a fake rebooking to check availability, the web site won't let you. So, I have another identity registered with Oceania (actually my DW) that I use to check availablity when I'm already booked. Just don't go so far as to confirm the booking :o.

Certain on line travel agencies also have the availability on their web sites.