Cancelled Ports

[clojacks]

We are taking our first Oceania cruise in March and since we are new, we have been soaking up Oceania info from as many sources as we can, one of them being the social media site no one is allowed to mention by name on here. I have read a few threads that make sound like cancelled ports on an Oceania sailing are more common than one would expect. Is this the case, or have I found a few posts that someone had a bone to pick on?  

[LHT28]

We have had times changed & 1 cancelled port so far  Montreal to Miami

on Day  6  of 15  so there is still time for changes 🙂

[AMHuntFerry]

No cancelled ports for 20-days of Alaska itineraries in June and September this year.

[sistersbrothers]

We just did a 12 night cruise from London to Barcelona. There were a couple of port changes announced prior to departure (Tarragona instead of Barcelona, and Bordeaux Bassens instead of Bordeaux)  and then three port cancellations along the way due to weather conditions.

[susiesan]

Yes, it's common on Oceania cruises  to cancel ports. It's more common for them to sell an itinerary and then after final payment is made to start lopping off an hour or two on a number of the ports, reducing the time in port and altering the itinerary from what you bought.

[mauibabes]

@clojacks

We hope you enjoy your Oceania cruise, wherever it is taking you and on whichever ship.  We have sailed on O for over 15 years, upwards of 30 cruise credits for Loyalty purposes.  Our experience is that we have not had ports cancelled unless it was for weather or governmental reasons, especially post Covid. Yes we see port arrival times adjusted but I am not a maritime professional so I can not tell you “Why” or form an informed opinion if it was a correct decision  because I do not have the information to make a valid decision.  I see the CC and Facebook posts share a lot of opinions and we all have them.  Our experience is O does their best to deliver a quality product, ensure you are getting value for your dollar and they definitely want you back on another Oceania cruise. Returning guests are about 60+% on most  Oceania cruises. That to me does not sound like a cruise line that wants to XXXX YOU OFF and drive you away. My experiences in a service related business is that customers are expensive and a challenge to get so you never want to see a “One and Done” cruiser.

Enjoy,

Mauibabes
 

 

[babydrum]

2 hours ago, sistersbrothers said:

We just did a 12 night cruise from London to Barcelona. There were a couple of port changes announced prior to departure (Tarragona instead of Barcelona, and Bordeaux Bassens instead of Bordeaux)  and then three port cancellations along the way due to weather conditions.

I get a bit nervous when they change the embarkation or disembarkation ports.  That's difficult to account for in planning.  I've had the flight that leaves in 3 or 4 hours after scheduled disembarkation time (not anymore).  I arrive early and stay at least overnight so that I'm not put out by last minute changes.  

[mauibabes]

👍

ABSOLUTLY because STUFF happens. 
Mauibabes

[PhD-iva]

My 25 APR 2025 20-day cruise has been shortened by 1 day. We received an email with a technical explanation, but the details escape me at the moment. A proportional price reduction has been promised.

several ports have also been changed. Here’s a snapshot of my scribbles, comparing my original itinerary to what I found online. I wasn’t that concerned about accuracy, more the broad strokes, and big picture. So don’t quote me.

[pinotlover]

More cancelled ports and cut port times in three Post Covid cruises than in all my prior cruises combined. Weather was not the only issue. We boarded the Vista in June and were informed upon boarding port times in three of 12 ports had been cut. Hard to believe the Captain made those decisions only on Embarkment Day.

 

Good luck. Enjoy your cruise.

[ak1004]

Cancelled ports and reduced port times and big concern to us. But I'm trying to understand if O does it more than other lines. I'm also trying to understand why would they do it (some people claim that they do it to save money, but I don't see how this is true and what they gain by doing it). This does not benefit anyone. They lose tons of revenues from port excursions and gain tons of angry customers, so the question is why?

[Tranquility Base]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

We boarded the Vista in June and were informed upon boarding port times in three of 12 ports had been cut.

Saving the planet one hour at a time......🌏🥵

[Tranquility Base]

1 minute ago, ak1004 said:

so the question is why?

Did you not get the email about 6 months ago ?🤔

[QuestionEverything]

OP, over many, many years of sleuthing on CC, without posting, I would say Yes, O has the highest reported cancellations of any cruise line.

I have read many posts, read reviews for many cruise lines and it appears O cancels ports more frequently than other lines.

I also noted that O came out and announced at the beginning of the year shortened port times to assist "the environment" - that of course, is total bull.

The weather is a convenient foil to hide behind. 

I was on a recent Insignia. O cancelled Nuuk, Greenland due to "high winds". Really O?

Was not hard to see via AIS Marine Tracking, that another cruise ship was docked there on the same day.................

I am very, very suspicious of O's track record on port cancellation.

[ak1004]

8 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

Did you not get the email about 6 months ago ?🤔

 

Yes, but this was about reduced port times, not cancelled ports.

 

1 hour ago, QuestionEverything said:

OP, over many, many years of sleuthing on CC, without posting, I would say Yes, O has the highest reported cancellations of any cruise line.

I have read many posts, read reviews for many cruise lines and it appears O cancels ports more frequently than other lines.

I also noted that O came out and announced at the beginning of the year shortened port times to assist "the environment" - that of course, is total bull.

The weather is a convenient foil to hide behind. 

I was on a recent Insignia. O cancelled Nuuk, Greenland due to "high winds". Really O?

Was not hard to see via AIS Marine Tracking, that another cruise ship was docked there on the same day.................

I am very, very suspicious of O's track record on port cancellation.

 

And the question still remains - why?

[jonthomas]

Suspicious and concerned.

O now being our line of choice.

A consumer is now faced with bait and switch. Itineraries are only possibilities and can't be trusted .

So what can we do other than switch lines.

Make our displeasure known more loudly, in every way possible.

As for any here who are into saving the planet by applauding Os actions, make it more than just about words, go live in a cave.

[Trbd4739]

I can only say that I have done two Viking Cruises, London to Bergen (14 days, ended 8/17/23)  and Alaska.  No missed ports. One change in arrival/departure time.  

[travelingJimmy]

I've been on 9 Oceania cruises and I think only one or two cruises have not had a port cancel.   Usually tender ports which are really at the mercy of the weather and high waves.   Sometimes, depending on the cruise, a day at sea can be welcome.   The bigger issue (at least to me) in my cruise last May, isn't the port cancel ( we had one on that cruise), it's the port time changes.  In all cases there was less time in port.  Depending on the port, that can be a big deal especially if the port where you dock is away from the primary cities (think London or Bordeaux).  Oceania appears to be doing alot of that in the name of "sustainability".  IMHO its really about cost savings for Oceania.   Go slower, save gas so less cost, less time in port, less cost.   I really want Oceania to be financially strong, I believe that is in all of our best interests, BUT, that can't come at the expense of level of service or experience.

[jonthomas]

completely agree with you...so well said....

 

what action can we take to make our voices heard above those who believe that ports should be cut and cancelled in the name of "sustainability"? 

 

folks that are champions of "sustainability"  should not be sailing to support their beliefs,  to do otherwise is hypocritical. 

 

if O truly believes in "sustainability" they should then be up front and post shortened port stays when releasing itins, not advertise the long hours and then switch....

 

its the dishonesty about the reasons for the cuts that is troublesome.....

 

there are unavoidable changes, we all understand that, we are not discussing that...

 

but O is being called out here for being the number one line for most cancelled and shortened ports.

 

It is unacceptable.

[ak1004]

8 minutes ago, travelingJimmy said:

I've been on 9 Oceania cruises and I think only one or two cruises have not had a port cancel.   Usually tender ports which are really at the mercy of the weather and high waves.   Sometimes, depending on the cruise, a day at sea can be welcome.   The bigger issue (at least to me) in my cruise last May, isn't the port cancel ( we had one on that cruise), it's the port time changes.  In all cases there was less time in port.  Depending on the port, that can be a big deal especially if the port where you dock is away from the primary cities (think London or Bordeaux).  Oceania appears to be doing alot of that in the name of "sustainability".  IMHO its really about cost savings for Oceania.   Go slower, save gas so less cost, less time in port, less cost.   I really want Oceania to be financially strong, I believe that is in all of our best interests, BUT, that can't come at the expense of level of service or experience.

 

The real question to me is not what kind of excuse they are using to justify it. The real question is how the reduced times compare to other lines. From what I can see, SS typically has much longer port stays. SB - not sure, but I think shorter. Azamara probably longer, but this was always the case.

[clojacks]

Wow, never in my wildest did I expect a simple question to elicit this much feedback. It wouldn't have affected our decision to book the upcoming Amazon cruise we have, but it sure does give us a heads-up on what "might potentially" happen. Very very interesting. I genuinely appreciate everything I am reading.

[Twiga]

13 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

My 25 APR 2025 20-day cruise has been shortened by 1 day. We received an email with a technical explanation, but the details escape me at the moment. A proportional price reduction has been promised.

several ports have also been changed. Here’s a snapshot of my scribbles, comparing my original itinerary to what I found online. I wasn’t that concerned about accuracy, more the broad strokes, and big picture. So don’t quote me.

@PhD-iva -  I am booked on this cruise, too.  Please note that the two stops in Japan on April 28 and 29 have been changed, as well as several port times.  Oceania sent us an email last month telling us that the cruise was shortened by one day and will be arriving in Vancouver a day earlier than originally scheduled.  However, Oceania did NOT tell us of the four port changes, including the cancellation of Victoria and Dutch Harbor, when they had already made those changes.  That is a serious problem.  The same thing happened on another cruise this year on the Regatta.  They cancelled Hilo at least one month before they notified us, only three days before the cruise began.  It is this lack of information that I resent.

[PhD-iva]

13 minutes ago, Twiga said:

@PhD-iva -  I am booked on this cruise, too.  Please note that the two stops in Japan on April 28 and 29 have been changed, as well as several port times.  Oceania sent us an email last month telling us that the cruise was shortened by one day and will be arriving in Vancouver a day earlier than originally scheduled.  However, Oceania did NOT tell us of the four port changes, including the cancellation of Victoria and Dutch Harbor, when they had already made those changes.  That is a serious problem.  The same thing happened on another cruise this year on the Regatta.  They cancelled Hilo at least one month before they notified us, only three days before the cruise began.  It is this lack of information that I resent.

Agree absolutely! But I can’t afford Regent’s pricing, and am not tempted by other premium/luxury lines. 
Lucky for O, I’m a “go-with-the-flow” kinda girl. But it really shouldn’t be acceptable.

[jonthomas]

We need some kind of united effort. 

When booking an itinerary, how do we hold O accountable to deliver what they have sold barring any real, unforseen circumstances?

If port hours are changed after final pay, if they are changed after sailing, if ports are cancelled but other lines have no issues being there, I will protest loudly, verbally and in writing, demanding compensation.

I encourage everyone to do the same.

I can hear some of you saying, "good luck with that".

Staying silent, negates your right to complain here or anywhere else.

[shepherd really]

9 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

We need some kind of united effort. 

When booking an itinerary, how do we hold O accountable to deliver what they have sold barring any real, unforseen circumstances?

If port hours are changed after final pay, if they are changed after sailing, if ports are cancelled but other lines have no issues being there, I will protest loudly, verbally and in writing, demanding compensation.

I encourage everyone to do the same.

I can hear some of you saying, "good luck with that".

Staying silent, negates your right to complain here or anywhere else.

Read you contract, then go waste your time complaining.  You agreed to the terms.