cutiepie43 Posted March 16, 2013 #1 Share Posted March 16, 2013 We are on the April 18th Papeete to Lima cruise on Marina. My documents show us docked at every port except Bora Bora. The other ports are Huahine Fakarava Pitcairn Easter Island These are all tender ports are they not? Why would Oceania say that we are docked at these ports? Even on their website it shows only Bora Bora as being anchored. http://www.oceaniacruises.com/findcruise/southpacific/MNA130418/default.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook1 Posted March 16, 2013 #2 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Yiu are correct all ports but first and last are tender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiepie43 Posted March 20, 2013 Author #3 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I sent an email to Oceania asking for them to clarify if we will be docked in all of the ports except for Bora Bora. They responded that yes we will be docked at all of the other ports. I have since emailed back and asked them to double check and maybe google a few of the ports. This could be a big issue if someone with mobility issues was booking this cruise based on the fact that they would be docked at most of these ports, only to find out that every single one was a tender port. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook1 Posted March 20, 2013 #4 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Emailing reservations solves nothing. They look at screen and see what you see. These ports are all tender! Now if you check the 2014 screens for this cruise you will see it is correct. Why they haven't corrected 2013 is...well. I have some insight on this but I will not disclose it here.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted March 20, 2013 #5 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Lert me tell you (as someone who did this cruise in the reverse in January, except for Huahine) that ALL these ports are tender ports but Papeete and Lima. This is regardless what they reply to you in the e mail. These places simply DO NOT have piers for docking. Period. Even tendering can be very tenious at times, esp. Pitcairn and Easter Isl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiepie43 Posted March 20, 2013 Author #6 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I realize now that all of the ports are tender but I was still disappointed with Oceanias response that insisted (3 times) that we will be docked at all of the ports (except Bora Bora). I simply emailed a final time and said that I am printing out these email communications and if I found out that we are not docked at each port I will take it up with passenger services onboard. I also gave her a few links to look at that may change her mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiepie43 Posted March 20, 2013 Author #7 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Emailing reservations solves nothing. They look at screen and see what you see. These ports are all tender! Now if you check the 2014 screens for this cruise you will see it is correct. Why they haven't corrected 2013 is...well. I have some insight on this but I will not disclose it here.:) It comes across as somewhat shady on Oceanias part to keep the website and our documents the same when they obviously know the correct information. My wife hates tendering and can get quite ill on the small boats bobbing up and down. When we first booked we were excited to see only one tender port. A lot of people on this cruise are most likely of a certain age and may not be very pleased when told they have to board a tender at every port. Hopefully most people have done their research and there won't be too many surprised people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook1 Posted March 21, 2013 #8 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Most people should be aware these are tender ports. While I can see why some might rather walk the plank than tender I like to tender. Makes it more a sea experience. We tendered at Chrismas Island and it remains one of my most memorable ship to shore. In the Marquesas locals surfed the tender's wake in one-man outrigger canoes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted March 21, 2013 #9 Share Posted March 21, 2013 While I can see why some might rather walk the plank than tender I like to tender. Makes it more a sea experience. OTOH, we had to wait 90 minutes in the lounge for our tender number to come up on Easter Islands for a private tour (ship's tours went ahead of us for most part) - also one of my most memorable ship to shore experiences (in a different way). It was a sea experience I could easily do without :) I surely would have preferred to walk the plank that day :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook1 Posted March 21, 2013 #10 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Lucky, for me, I am never in any rush to go ashore. Ship is in port for the day or overnight so time is plentiful. But I will take special note of number on tenders in service compared with other ships. No excuse for keeping their keels dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted March 21, 2013 #11 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Lucky, for me, I am never in any rush to go ashore. Ship is in port for the day or overnight so time is plentiful. That may well be true in many ports but when I have a full day private tour scheduled (like on E.I.) then I am in a bit of a rush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floridiana Posted March 22, 2013 #12 Share Posted March 22, 2013 As far as I know, Pitcairn's waters are frequently to rough to tender. If this happens, the locals come out to the ship, pick up supplies and sell their crafts and postage stamps. http://www.visitpitcairn.pn/cruise_ships/cruise_ship_schedule/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksps cruise fan Posted March 22, 2013 #13 Share Posted March 22, 2013 I realize now that all of the ports are tender but I was still disappointed with Oceanias response that insisted (3 times) that we will be docked at all of the ports (except Bora Bora). I simply emailed a final time and said that I am printing out these email communications and if I found out that we are not docked at each port I will take it up with passenger services onboard. I also gave her a few links to look at that may change her mind. Upthread, you were told that the Oceania employees you've been talking to are simply reading the wrong information that is available to them. After hearing from cruisers who have done this cruise, you've had your own hunch confirmed. What I don't understand is why you plan on printing out the emails for the purposes of "taking it up with passenger services onboard" MARINA. Do you expect the onboard passenger services folks to build the kind of temporary piers that were thrown up during WWII so the ship can dock as is currently being written? Do you expect a significant rebate for giving you incorrect information? What do you seriously expect the passenger services employees to do? And more significantly, if docking is that essential for your enjoyment, why are you keeping your reservation when the facts suggest you're going to feel betrayed and angry? It's a shame that Oceania didn't include correct information from the beginning. It's a continued shame that Oceania hasn't corrected the mistake. However, I simply don't understand your plans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiepie43 Posted March 22, 2013 Author #14 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Upthread, you were told that the Oceania employees you've been talking to are simply reading the wrong information that is available to them. After hearing from cruisers who have done this cruise, you've had your own hunch confirmed. What I don't understand is why you plan on printing out the emails for the purposes of "taking it up with passenger services onboard" MARINA. Do you expect the onboard passenger services folks to build the kind of temporary piers that were thrown up during WWII so the ship can dock as is currently being written? Do you expect a significant rebate for giving you incorrect information? What do you seriously expect the passenger services employees to do? And more significantly, if docking is that essential for your enjoyment, why are you keeping your reservation when the facts suggest you're going to feel betrayed and angry? It's a shame that Oceania didn't include correct information from the beginning. It's a continued shame that Oceania hasn't corrected the mistake. However, I simply don't understand your plans. I have no intention of taking it up with passenger services when I'm onboard. I was trying to give the other person with whom I was in contact with an opportunity to at least check the facts and try and correct their mistake. We corresponded over 3 times with me providing examples of the fact that they were most likely not correct in the fact that we would be docked at each port. Each time it was insisted that we would be. Because I felt I was getting nowhere, that statement was my final communication. And if I did want to cancel, how exactly would that work out for me with less than 30 days before sailing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWED23 Posted March 22, 2013 #15 Share Posted March 22, 2013 I have no intention of taking it up with passenger services when I'm onboard. I was trying to give the other person with whom I was in contact with an opportunity to at least check the facts and try and correct their mistake. We corresponded over 3 times with me providing examples of the fact that they were most likely not correct in the fact that we would be docked at each port. Each time it was insisted that we would be. Because I felt I was getting nowhere, that statement was my final communication. And if I did want to cancel, how exactly would that work out for me with less than 30 days before sailing? ...A good TA specializing in cruising would have taken care of all of this.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook1 Posted March 22, 2013 #16 Share Posted March 22, 2013 As far as I know, Pitcairn's waters are frequently to rough to tender. If this happens, the locals come out to the ship, pick up supplies and sell their crafts and postage stamps. http://www.visitpitcairn.pn/cruise_ships/cruise_ship_schedule/index.html This is true. However, yesterday (Thursday) Bounty Bay was flat calm. So there is hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiepie43 Posted March 23, 2013 Author #17 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Well, the vice president of customer service called me today and apologized for the mistake. He was quite nice and said they were in the process of updating different sailings that were incorrect. As of today the sailing has now been corrected on Oceania's website. He offered me two additional reservations in the specialty restaurants as an apology. This wasn't necessary but it was still a very nice gesture on his part. I asked if passengers would be notified about this new information. He said that it would be mentioned in an upcoming email that they usually send out a few weeks before sailing to all passengers. Overall I was happy with the outcome and impressed that someone took the time to listen and get back to me and acknowledge that there was a mistake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiepie43 Posted March 23, 2013 Author #18 Share Posted March 23, 2013 ...A good TA specializing in cruising would have taken care of all of this.... I am the travel agent :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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