Any issues with cancelled ports?

[cruiseaholic78]

On 5/19/2024 at 6:57 PM, stevesol6718 said:

The reason I was so disappointed in the port change from Tokyo to Yokohama is not so obvious.  We are taking a back to back to back next March April.  Singapore to Hong Kong, Hong Kong to Tokyo and Tokyo to Tokyo.  We had planned on almost two days in Tokyo and spending time at night in the city. Now we have to take transportation to Tokyo, leave the city early enough to catch a train or pay $150 or more taxi fare.  The next day will not allow us to return to Tokyo for a second day because this is a departure day and we can not depend upon the trains.  So now the second day has to be spent in Yokohama, which is uninteresting and a waste of a day.  Now we have to "jam" in all of Tokyo in one day. which is impossible.  The whole point of taking this third cruise was to experience Tokyo and the two days was ideal.

 

I know it would be adding an extra expense (Tokyo hotels don’t come cheap) but have you considered overnighting in Tokyo?

 

[stevesol6718]

That is not a good idea.  Staying overnight does not accomplish anything.  We intended to stay late in Tokyo. Possibly have dinner.  All depends upon the train schedule and the time of return.  To stay overnight in a hotel, let's say cheaply at $500.00.  We wake up, have breakfast and then have to take a train back to the ship, again before the ship leaves.  What does that give us?  A few hours?  What can you see?  Not much before you have to return.  The old schedule allowed you to get off the ship, spend the whole day and then the second day allowed you much more time since the ship was in Tokyo.  The whole point of this is that before we had almost two days, now it is much less.  The result is that at the end of this third cruise, we have to now book a hotel in order to see Tokyo properly.  It is not the money.  It is the fact that we booked this cruise to spend the time in Tokyo, not Yokohama.  We are just very tired of Oceania changing the the itineraries after we book and not able to see what we wanted to, nor change the cruise without penalty.  It is not the first time and we are really getting tired of this. As I said, these will be our last three Oceania cruises and we will look for alternatives. The whole atmosphere of cruising with Oceania has changed and, not for the better. Yes other cruise lines have issues, but there are too many with Oceania.

[QuestionEverything]

1 hour ago, NeilWM said:

Current cruise on Sirena cancelled both Monte Carlo and Portafino, stuck with 2 days in Genoa

NeilWM, did O state any reason(s) for the cancellation of 2 key ports?

[NeilWM]

The weather forecast a couple of days out suggested tendering would not be possible. Has been smooth seas so far.

[NeilWM]

My first instinct is to trust the captains operational decision re safety of tendering. Missing the 2 ports is probably more frustrating than normal as my wife has some mobility issues and 2 of our excursions at other ports were cancelled with little notice leaving no option but to wander ashore and have a coffee

[roothy123]

On 5/18/2024 at 12:54 PM, QuestionEverything said:

SM, connect, saving port fees, reducing time in port, not able to re-book an excursion due to lack of availability, not return of forced payment of SM due to port cancellation - NOT a flattering profile of Oceania as being posted on Cunard, Celebrity sites.

But there have been some improvements recently too.  Here are new things  I've noticed so far, at least for Marina:  ability to fly out to embark city 3 or fewer days earlier without paying a fee (same true for going home), new Aquamar Kitchen for Breakfast & Lunch with table service, new procedure for Waves to replace procedure that newbies seemed to not understand at first, new or extended hours for pizzaria, new 24 hour ice cream bar poolside, Starlink with free wifi for 2 devices, and solo rooms/pricing. And while some complain about the absence of an app, I'm grateful that Oceania has not replaced its daily paper, and ability to book specialty dining reservations plus excursions via paper or in person on the ship. 

 

Edited May 30 by roothy123

[Redtravel]

Last winter I took a 10 night cruise only on Vista. Same cruise winter 2025 is almost double the cost with Simply More.  Not including air.  While operating  costs have increased, the increase in fare is absurd. That 2025 cruise is not selling. I have been watching it for a long time.