Will Grand go to Oslo

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

Appears public strike on going so no pilots so no ship movements,

 

Grand is due in just over a week

 

yours Shogun

[spyro1952]

Hi All

 

Appears public strike on going so no pilots so no ship movements,

 

Grand is due in just over a week

 

yours Shogun

 

Shogun, I am on the Grand 6/23 doing North Cape and Spitzbergen. Do you know if the strike is affecting all the posts in Norway or just Oslo? You may have more news about this on your side of the pond than we do over here.

[caribill]

Hard to predict the future.

 

Here is some of the present news:

 

http://www.newsinenglish.no/2012/05/25/heres-whos-out-on-strike-around-norway/

 

http://theforeigner.no/pages/news/norway-strike-to-deteriorate-next-week/

 

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/World/Story/STIStory_803533.html

[paul929207]

Strike could be over any minute or drag on. The Grand and her passengers will just have to wait and sea

[spyro1952]

I have encountered this before, most recently in St. Thomas last year. Five or 6 ships coming in and we sat outside the port for about 5 hours.

Most cruises I don't book for the itinerary, but this is one I book for the ports and tours. Although many of the news outlets below are predicting a country wide strike of public workers, I don't see that lasting 4 weeks. We'll just wait and see.

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

You should be OK in 4 weks but what about the folks there in a weeks time.

 

 

yours Shogun

[cherylandtk]

Pity the passengers on Vision of the Seas; it was due to dock in Oslo today and turnaround the ship. Which means the shipload of passengers currently in Oslo expecting to board Vision have no ship and those onboard will now be offloaded in Gothenburg, Sweden. The cruiseline is transporting pax by bus the ~300 km distance, which takes about 3-4 extra hours.

[simok99]

Pity the passengers on Vision of the Seas; it was due to dock in Oslo today and turnaround the ship. Which means the shipload of passengers currently in Oslo expecting to board Vision have no ship and those onboard will now be offloaded in Gothenburg, Sweden. The cruiseline is transporting pax by bus the ~300 km distance, which takes about 3-4 extra hours.

 

Ouch!! That's nasty, we are due there next Thursday, wonder if Princess have got a back up Port. I will call them tomorrow.

[simok99]

Shogun. Will you be able to find anything out about our cruise? Ken.

[spyro1952]

Ouch!! That's nasty, we are due there next Thursday, wonder if Princess have got a back up Port. I will call them tomorrow.

 

 

Double ouch!! With the holiday weekend here, I doubt if you will hear anything from Princess until Tuesday. They may put a notice in your cruise personalizer or they may just wait until the last minute to make alternate arrangements hoping the strike will end. I really feel bad for all those RCL passengers. Also google cruise industry news and you can see updates.

[simok99]

Our holiday weekend is next weekend and it's the queens jubilee. Princess UK are open tomorrow.

[caribill]

Pity the passengers on Vision of the Seas; it was due to dock in Oslo today and turnaround the ship. Which means the shipload of passengers currently in Oslo expecting to board Vision have no ship and those onboard will now be offloaded in Gothenburg, Sweden. The cruiseline is transporting pax by bus the ~300 km distance, which takes about 3-4 extra hours.

 

I feel sorry for those with plane reservations out of Oslo today as they may not get there in time. Not sure if the strike is also affecting the airports.

 

From the RCCL web site:

"Since the port pilots in Oslo are on strike, and they are required to be onboard in order for us to enter the port, if the strike continues Vision of the Seas will be unable to dock in Oslo on Sunday, May 27, as originally planned. Because of this, it will be necessary to modify Vision of the Seas’ boarding and debarking process on Sunday. Vision of the Seas will arrive in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Sunday, and guests will be transported to and from Oslo via motor coach."

[toff10]

Hello All

 

If anyone finds out anything about this I would be very interested to know. My party are disembarking in Oslo for me to be a bridesmaid at my best mates wedding so it would be major disaster if we didn't dock and just headed back to Southampton!

 

Shogun - we might need your contacts to find out if we have prior warning to jump ship in Helsingbourg!! Gutted if we miss an extra night though!

 

Soph

[shoreham01]

My sister is travelling on Balmoral to Norway on Tuesday, I have just read this news here and am so upset for her. They are now saying that this strike will be for pilot boats at all Norway ports, does anyone know if a pilot boat is needed even if the ship uses tender boats. I have not mentioned this to her as I don't want to stress her out as it will be the first cruise she has done alone.

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

My understanding that pilot is required for a few miles as the ship makes it way towards Oslo,

 

so tendering will not help

 

 

yours Shogun

[shoreham01]

Thanks Shogun, I feared this would be the answer. She is not going to Oslo so just hope the strike does not escalate.

We hope to take a Princess cruise next year although have not booked yet as prices are so high at the moment. It was this reason that drove us to Celebrity this year, same cruise less money. We do love Princess so hope they can come up with something for us for next year.

[Shogun]

Hi shoreham01

 

Princess has had many great deals this year but you had to book a week or two before sailing,

 

yours Shogun

[caribill]

Hi There

 

My understanding that pilot is required for a few miles as the ship makes it way towards Oslo,

 

Even if you did not need a pilot, the customs people are also on strike, so a ship might not be able to clear in order to allow people to disembark.

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

Princess have told me they are watching the strike,

 

if there is a change or any news they will e mail passengers

 

if not they will inform us at boarding of any change

 

the problem for them is thy just do not know if th strike will be on or off

 

the day we get to Oslo

 

 

yours Shogun

[simok99]

Hi All

 

Princess have told me they are watching the strike,

 

if there is a change or any news they will e mail passengers

 

if not they will inform us at boarding of any change

 

the problem for them is thy just do not know if th strike will be on or off

 

the day we get to Oslo

 

 

yours Shogun

Thanks Shogun....need the get the cases ready now.

[caribill]

Cruise Critic news about this

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4850

[shoreham01]

Bad news with Norway. My sister is on the Fred Olsen Balmoral and she has just sent me a text to say her cruise is cancelled. They were on their way to Bergen but have now turned round to return to Southampton. She is so upset. Hope they sort this strike soon.

[spyro1952]

Bad news with Norway. My sister is on the Fred Olsen Balmoral and she has just sent me a text to say her cruise is cancelled. They were on their way to Bergen but have now turned round to return to Southampton. She is so upset. Hope they sort this strike soon.

 

I would be really upset too. According to the CC article and Cruise Industry News, the strike could go nation wide today, affecting all Norway ports not just Oslo. This could really be devastating for lots of us. I know Shogun is booked on the Grand this week or next and I am booked on the Grand 6/23.

[shoreham01]

Apparently according to the news page on CC the cruise is not cancelled, they are seeking other destinations for the ship. Tracking it on AIS it seems to be going at 10.3 knts towards Germany or Denmark at the moment, so not coming back to Southampton just yet.

 

Good luck to all hoping to sail to Norway, hope the strike ends before you sail.