Oriana Leaving

For the person talking about baths. We have stayed in a lot of the inside cabins on C and D decks and also outside cabins on C and D decks. None of them have had baths. Shower only.

As for being a rust bucket with nothing working?? She was in great condition in April. We had no problems apart from a big judder in the dining room on one night as they had a problem with an engine. Soon fixed in Gib. All ships have problems. We sailed on Azura 4 months after launch. None of the public loos were working. Two of them flooded. Ventura has also just had a problem. It's a machine!!

and I would rather be on a ship like Oriana in a Force 10 gale than one of these top heavy block of flats! I have been in a Force 10 on Oriana - and also Balmoral. Both handled it well. I have been in a Force 7 on Azura and she rolled like a pig.

For the person talking about baths. We have stayed in a lot of the inside cabins on C and D decks and also outside cabins on C and D decks. None of them have had baths. Shower only.

 

 

As for being a rust bucket with nothing working?? She was in great condition in April. We had no problems apart from a big judder in the dining room on one night as they had a problem with an engine. Soon fixed in Gib. All ships have problems. We sailed on Azura 4 months after launch. None of the public loos were working. Two of them flooded. Ventura has also just had a problem. It's a machine!!

 

and I would rather be on a ship like Oriana in a Force 10 gale than one of these top heavy block of flats! I have been in a Force 10 on Oriana - and also Balmoral. Both handled it well. I have been in a Force 7 on Azura and she rolled like a pig.

Couldn't agree more Jean!

P&O have learnt nothing from the Adonia Sale & then the Oriana cancelled cruise Saga . The Customer Service Dept is pretty awful with "We value your Loyalty" followed by an insulting OBC offer when rebooking & seem surprised by the reaction of the Customer!. OBC costs P&O peanuts, probably about 25% of its value to the Customer. P&O really need to get a grip of its Customer Service. £150 OBC each plus a 15% discount on a re-booked Cruise might be more acceptable.

So to summarise then....

1. P&O have been unable to repair the ships engine correctly. Everyone appears in danger for the next 12 months due to vibrations?

2. They are selling the ship to China (an offer they couldn’t refuse)

3. P&O are banking (literally) on us transferring with £50 OBC to cruises that are now double/£2,000 more than when we booked.

4. Ship is registered in Bermuda so they can get away from consumer law.

5. No doubt this was known when the summer/autumn cruises launched.

6. The ethos of evolve or become extinct has been force fed by Carnival.

 

For us we were presented this cruise as a reward for going above and beyond in our work. We’ve now setting up our own company so lost it all.

Cheers P&O.

 

 

 

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Whilst I wholeheartedly agree with most of what you say, I am not sure point 4 would hold up. Whilst the ship may be registered in Bermuda, the cruises are sold in the UK from a UK registered company. I still enjoy cruises aboard P&O's ships and have been a loyal passenger for some 20 years but really wish someone would raise this with the media as I think they are treating people appallingly. The least they should be doing is transferring passengers to an alternative cruise of the same or similar duration without additional cost!

Yes Andrew, agree with you. Indeed we booked Adonia on launch, but when we had to transfer to Oriana, I think they should at least have honoured the launch price, but they did not. Very unfair on those who have booked early. If I had to pay the money that my next cruise is standing at, I would have cancelled. I wonder if the prices are so high because they kn ew they were selling Oriana?

For the person talking about baths. We have stayed in a lot of the inside cabins on C and D decks and also outside cabins on C and D decks. None of them have had baths. Shower only.

 

 

As for being a rust bucket with nothing working?? She was in great condition in April. We had no problems apart from a big judder in the dining room on one night as they had a problem with an engine. Soon fixed in Gib. All ships have problems. We sailed on Azura 4 months after launch. None of the public loos were working. Two of them flooded. Ventura has also just had a problem. It's a machine!!

 

and I would rather be on a ship like Oriana in a Force 10 gale than one of these top heavy block of flats! I have been in a Force 10 on Oriana - and also Balmoral. Both handled it well. I have been in a Force 7 on Azura and she rolled like a pig.

The cabins on deck C & D are new ones put in where the children's facilities had been. So they are shower only. The remaining (non suite) cabins are shower over bath.

So to summarise then....

1. P&O have been unable to repair the ships engine correctly. Everyone appears in danger for the next 12 months due to vibrations?

2. They are selling the ship to China (an offer they couldn’t refuse)

3. P&O are banking (literally) on us transferring with £50 OBC to cruises that are now double/£2,000 more than when we booked.

4. Ship is registered in Bermuda so they can get away from consumer law.

5. No doubt this was known when the summer/autumn cruises launched.

6. The ethos of evolve or become extinct has been force fed by Carnival.

 

For us we were presented this cruise as a reward for going above and beyond in our work. We’ve now setting up our own company so lost it all.

Cheers P&O.

 

 

 

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Re #1. Vibration has been an issue since delivery. Numerous refits/dry docks etc over the years hasn't cured it. Don't think a few extra months will make that much difference.

Just looked on my cruise planner for August 9th, 2019 and it is saying embarkation at Southampton followed by 7 sea days. Wonder if a cruise to Shanghai will soon be on sale [emoji15]

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Re #1. Vibration has been an issue since delivery. Numerous refits/dry docks etc over the years hasn't cured it. Don't think a few extra months will make that much difference.

That’s very true. There were vibrations during the initial sea trials. In fact, if I recall correctly, the propellers were changed within the first year, just before we went on her in 1996. At dinner the first night, as the speed picked up, everything started shaking and rattling for around 20 minutes until the chief engineer told them to ease the engines back. That was in the days when cruising at 25 to 27 knots was the norm and you had long days in port. It’s all a little more sedentary these days!

Although I think the demise of Oriana was inevitable once the second of the new ships was announced, my sympathies to those affected. I agree with others that the way that P&O ‘compensates’ affected passengers is nothing short of derisory and they deserve to lose customers to other brands as a result. No company should take anyone for granted these days.

Well said Selbourne.

I wish you all many happy sailings with P&O and hope you all have some wonderful cruises.

We’ve had 2 MSC cruises and off on a RCI Cruise in August. Tried NCL and it was a disaster. We’ve just booked another MSC as you can tell the “family owned” feel. A big shame as being British we wanted to try P&O next.

Take care all

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That’s very true. There were vibrations during the initial sea trials. In fact, if I recall correctly, the propellers were changed within the first year, just before we went on her in 1996. At dinner the first night, as the speed picked up, everything started shaking and rattling for around 20 minutes until the chief engineer told them to ease the engines back. That was in the days when cruising at 25 to 27 knots was the norm and you had long days in port. It’s all a little more sedentary these days!

 

Although I think the demise of Oriana was inevitable once the second of the new ships was announced, my sympathies to those affected. I agree with others that the way that P&O ‘compensates’ affected passengers is nothing short of derisory and they deserve to lose customers to other brands as a result. No company should take anyone for granted these days.

When people book early like the cruise lines want then this happens with Oriana and Adonia previously P&O should then offer a launch price on the ship they transfer too instead of the double whammy of losing the cruise they booked then being stiffed with an expensive replacement cruise.

We were looking at the Azura as a replacement but the price had increased by about 30% from the launch price.

 

P & O wouldn’t honour our 1 st day booking price.

Everything is always planned as a win win For P&O, they’re not stupid. All cruises will now rise in price so that they maximise income from passengers who are forced to book an alternative cruise.

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Everything is always planned as a win win For P&O, they’re not stupid. All cruises will now rise in price so that they maximise income from passengers who are forced to book an alternative cruise.

 

 

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Coincidence Oriana sale and price increases for alternative cruises?

I don’t know if this is true but I have read before that when other companies sell a ship they lease it back to honour existing bookings. If this is true why don’t P&O do it

I was one of those let down by P&O when they sold Adonia. Also took us ages to get our deposit back

We tried Fred Olsen but agree with the earlier poster - it was like being in a care home and our balcony cabin was very poor especially for what was paid

Though I would never say never I think I am sticking with Celebrity for the time being as I don’t think the larger P& O ships are for me

Strangely though, and I suppose it all depends on conditions, when we delayed for a whole day in Gib, we took on extra fuel and she did 24 knots all the way to the Solent. No vibration at all!

 

and I would rather be on a ship like Oriana in a Force 10 gale than one of these top heavy block of flats! I have been in a Force 10 on Oriana - and also Balmoral. Both handled it well. I have been in a Force 7 on Azura and she rolled like a pig.

Check out your cruise log for that trip, you'll see we were in a Force 10. A little bumpy but nothing the Orania couldn't cope with.

I don't have the cruise log in front of me but it was the day we couldn't get into the harbour because of the wind.

Just reread your post. Ignore my ramblings. :o

Strangely though, and I suppose it all depends on conditions, when we delayed for a whole day in Gib, we took on extra fuel and she did 24 knots all the way to the Solent. No vibration at all!

I cruised on the Oriana in May. Our Penninsular club lunch was held in the rear restaurant and the vibration was horrendous. Our table was hosted by an engineering officer, so we raised this with him. He informed us that it was nothing to do with mechanical faults but was in effect a sympathetic vibration which occured when the engines were used in particular configurations. It could not be cured. If I recall correctly, it occurs when the ship is operating under reduced power, which is why you did not experience it when going at high speed.

I cruised on the Oriana in May. Our Penninsular club lunch was held in the rear restaurant and the vibration was horrendous. Our table was hosted by an engineering officer, so we raised this with him. He informed us that it was nothing to do with mechanical faults but was in effect a sympathetic vibration which occured when the engines were used in particular configurations. It could not be cured. If I recall correctly, it occurs when the ship is operating under reduced power, which is why you did not experience it when going at high speed.

That’s interesting, because it means that they cured one type of vibration (which happened at high speed) and then caused another!

The majority of our cruises have been on Oriana. I like the layout of the ship and think it is elegant.

However we choose based on itinerary. So I am hoping one of the other ships will take over the itineraries and then I will get the

good itineraries (for me) and hopefully a balcony, which I can never afford on Oriana.

I also think P&O should be fairer when they cancel a cruise. If they want customers to book so far in advance they should be willing to offer good compensation if they can't deliver. After all they wouldn't loose much and would gain a lot in customer satisfaction.

I wonder how many people have been able to rebook at the launch prices, we tend to book direct off the P/O website and once booked with a TA

On contacting the TA, they said that their customers have been able to rebook at launch price minus 5%, so have they got a bit more clout than individual people

If someone did make a legal challenge I doubt we would get to know about it, Carnival will no doubt be pulling the strings and assessing how many of the several thousand passengers they need to compensate

For those affected have a look at the SAGA ocean cruising site. They are offering a discount just for those affected by cancellations “have you had your cruise cancelled by another cruise line” “exclusive saving just for you”

I don’t know if this is true but I have read before that when other companies sell a ship they lease it back to honour existing bookings. If this is true why don’t P&O do it

I was one of those let down by P&O when they sold Adonia. Also took us ages to get our deposit back

We tried Fred Olsen but agree with the earlier poster - it was like being in a care home and our balcony cabin was very poor especially for what was paid

Though I would never say never I think I am sticking with Celebrity for the time being as I don’t think the larger P& O ships are for me

Celebrity are known for letting the whole ship to one client and cancelling all other bookings often at quite short notice.

Celebrity are known for letting the whole ship to one client and cancelling all other bookings often at quite short notice.

Yes they do which is also very wrong of them but they tend to pay out a lot more for doing so / offer better terms for a replacement cruises.

Cunard do it too. They changed one our cruises from a 14 med to a 9 day Fiord just weeks before. They were however reasonably generous with OBC. This was a few years ago now and I wonder if they have also reduced what they offer.

They will all keep doing it as long as they can get away with it.

Holiday companies in general are quite contemptuous of their customers and do just what they like. Their behaviour over the years has resulted in the need for the new consumer protections.

Not generous at all! Many very annoyed passengers. £50 or £75 OBC (depending on length of cruise?) goes no where near the increased fares now being charged for replacement/alternative cruises. Very poor attitude from P&O.

As a passenger if you wish to, say upgrade you are referred to the price on the day of your booking. However, P&O does not apply this rule to themselves and of course fare have increased considerably across the board since people booked their Oriana cruises.

Not generous at all! Many very annoyed passengers. £50 or £75 OBC (depending on length of cruise?) goes no where near the increased fares now being charged for replacement/alternative cruises. Very poor attitude from P&O.

 

 

As a passenger if you wish to, say upgrade you are referred to the price on the day of your booking. However, P&O does not apply this rule to themselves and of course fare have increased considerably across the board since people booked their Oriana cruises.

As compensation that is down right pathetic.

Yes very much one rule for them but another for customers.

They may find that people take their money else where.

There are one or two who used to post on here regularly who said they would never book with P&O again and they have never been back on this board since.