Oceania Marina cancels yet another port; Holyhead, UK

[LHT28]

All the technology in the world and Mother Nature still rules.

[pinotlover]

I can remember people taking (attempting) the car ferry from Wales (Holyhead, I believe) to Dublin and the car ferry being cancelled because of winds and high seas for up to a couple of days or so at a time. Historically, this is not a great time to be challenging either the Irish Sea or attempting the Channel Islands. Doing cruises in those areas in July and August typically provided better weather results all around. From my travels in those areas, I would predict that during April through at least mid June one should expect to have port(s) cancelled due to weather problems. Then, there is the welcoming, almost constant, rain during this period. People should have expected this when they booked a cruise to that region for this time of the year.

[hypercafe]

I always feel that if I really want to see a place a cruise is not the way. When we cruise it is for the time away and the ship experience. The ports are just extra fun.

 

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[orchestrapal]

i always feel that if i really want to see a place a cruise is not the way. When we cruise it is for the time away and the ship experience. The ports are just extra fun.

 

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+1. Ditto!

[wripro]

I have been on many, many cruises on several lines and BY FAR Oceania cancels more ports and alters more itineraries than any other line I have ever sailed with. Personally, I think it's systemic.

[maximus217]

I am glad we decided to get the August cruise from Oceania rather than the June and September even though the June and September has one extra port and the ports listed seems to be much better than the August cruise.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Paranoia seems to be as contagious as norovirus! It was to save port costs! -- except they have to pay more for Dublin. It was to save excursion costs! -- except they have to refund all the fees. Never mind, there must be SOME reason it was the fault of the NCL merger! Couldn't be Oceania's pro-active policy of ensuring passenger safety and comfort???

[pinotlover]

Jazz;

 

I'm not faulting Oceania, in this case. When people travel to certain areas, during particular times of the year, they should expect bad weather and port problems. The cruise line certainly can't control the weather. Same goes with river cruises in Europe. If one books a trip in early Spring during the normal huge snow melt season in the Alps, and then cries about problems with high water, then shame on them. There's a reason the cruises are so cheap at certain times, and it should certainly be cruiser beware.

 

OTH, if a cruise line runs a tour to an area year after year, in a particular season and continues to have the problems, maybe they shouldn't be going there at that time. I do believe that including,(advertising), for example, Cairn Island as a stop, for a Cruise Line, is near fraudulent. The chances of stopping there are actually very slim to nil. Spring time in Europe, one can pretty well predict when the height of run off season is. Why are the river cruise lines running the ships then (obvious), why are the cruisers not doing just a little research and not cruising then and waiting for later ships?

 

So:

 

1. If one insists upon going into the Irish Sea and North Scotland in April and May, then expect problems and STFU.

 

2. Cruise Lines stop torturing those that demand upon rolling the dice and coming up with snake eyes, and stop going to places where the chances of fowl weather are really high during certain seasons.

 

A win-win! :)

[wally_bushy]

I have been on many, many cruises on several lines and BY FAR Oceania cancels more ports and alters more itineraries than any other line I have ever sailed with. Personally, I think it's systemic.

 

Systemic of what...:confused:

They all have variables at times to consider.

We have not had any changes in a few decades of cruising except in 1985 when Noumea was having a little uprising.

Are we lucky..probably, have we cruised with Oceania..yes

[hondorner]

Systemic of what...:confused:

They all have variables at times to consider.

We have not had any changes in a few decades of cruising except in 1985 when Noumea was having a little uprising.

Are we lucky..probably, have we cruised with Oceania..yes

It could be he thinks Oceania has a system to cancel as many ports as they can. for some nefarious reason. Of course, if that was true, they'd schedule many more exotic ports to which they could never cruise, in order to lure the unwary guests and then pull the rug out from under them -- I suppose to save money or rip off guests or some other conspiracy theory.

 

I don't know how many times I seen someone post, "But the seas looked calm enough to me..."

[citypete]

Just a quick update: 07:00 GMT:

 

Weather is wall-to-wall sunshine in Holyhead and Wales today with light winds until noon. Afternoon cloudier with winds picking up to gusts of 45mph and intermittent rain. Heavier rain after 6pm moving east accompanied by stronger southerly winds, giving gales (55mph gusts) around the coast later. Feeling cool under the cloud and rain.

 

Overnight

Strongest winds and heavy rain clearing eastwards. Some clear spells will be seen in the north later, whilst it'll remain cloudier and damp in the south.

 

Seas

Moderate. Light disruption possible to Holyhead > Ireland service.

 

An almost PERFECT day for touring North Wales. What a shame for those passenger victims of poor decisions (again by Oceania).

[SellaVee]

Live from the UK 0745. I can see North Wales from my bedroom window and it does indeed look glorious but the weatherman on my TV is telling me that things will be changing by the time school ends and it will feel like October!

 

Welcome to summer in the UK. In my local area we can have all four seasons in one day. You may think that it's an almost perfect day for touring North Wales but please read this, taken from the BBC Weather website.

 

"Met Office Warnings Issued For:

Isle of Anglesey

Yellow early warning of wind

From:

1600 on Mon 1 June

To:

1800 on Tue 2 June

Updated 31 May at 11:37

An unseasonably windy spell is likely across many parts of the UK later on Monday, overnight and well into Tuesday, as active frontal systems sweep across the UK. An initial swathe of southerly gales will move east across many parts later on Monday, giving gusts to 50 mph widely but 60-65 mph across exposed Irish Sea and perhaps some English Channel coasts. Winds will become west or southwesterly on Tuesday, with further gales in places, before gradually easing later. Heavy rain will accompany the strong winds at times and large waves may affect some coasts in the west and south.

 

Given the unseasonable nature of the winds, the public should be aware of the potential for disruption to transport and outdoor activities. Damage to some trees seems likely, given that they are in full leaf.There remains uncertainty in the areas likely to be worst affected and this warning will be updated on Monday in the light of new information."

 

The trees in my garden are already starting to "shimmy"!

[fairbourne]

Sellavee - as usual the voice of reason! My trees are doing a bit more than shimmy! LOL! The cherry blossom is falling like snowflakes and we have had hail showers the last few days - coming from the north. Thankfully these winds are not coming from the north - then you'd be worried!

 

Local TV forecast now showing very rough seas on the west coast. Snow over the Scottish hills! Winds later 65mph gusts - brrrrrrr! I would rather enjoy Dublin than chance these winds! Mind you I think Dublin is forecast a few strong gusts later too. Time to snuggle down at the Merrion Hotel for afternoon tea!

 

Welcome to the almost mid-summer weather in the UK!

 

Where is this cruise supposed to go after Dublin?

[LaCroisiereS'amuse]

Just a quick update: 07:00 GMT:

 

Weather is wall-to-wall sunshine in Holyhead and Wales today with light winds until noon. Afternoon cloudier with winds picking up to gusts of 45mph and intermittent rain. Heavier rain after 6pm moving east accompanied by stronger southerly winds, giving gales (55mph gusts) around the coast later. Feeling cool under the cloud and rain.

 

Overnight

Strongest winds and heavy rain clearing eastwards. Some clear spells will be seen in the north later, whilst it'll remain cloudier and damp in the south.

 

Seas

Moderate. Light disruption possible to Holyhead > Ireland service.

 

An almost PERFECT day for touring North Wales. What a shame for those passenger victims of poor decisions (again by Oceania).

 

And no mention of the yellow weather warning on the BBC.....do you have personal experience of docking a 66000 ton ship in an exposed Irish Sea port?? :rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

Current forecast pretty grim from lunchtime today....http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2646686

Edited June 1, 2015 by LaCroisiereS'amuse

[PY33]

I'm in North Wales right now and the weather is fine, but this is the current weather forecast from the BBC....

 

 

Isle of Anglesey

 

Yellow warning of wind

From: 1400 on Mon 1 JuneTo: 1800 on Tue 2 June

Updated 3 hours ago

 

An unseasonably windy spell is likely across many parts of the UK later on Monday, overnight and well into Tuesday, as active frontal systems sweep across the UK. An initial swathe of southerly gales accompanied by heavy rain will move east across many parts later on Monday, giving gusts of 40-50 mph widely but 60-70 mph across exposed Irish Sea and perhaps some English Channel coasts. Winds will become west or southwesterly on Tuesday, with further gusts to 40-50 mph more locally, before gradually easing later. Large waves will affect some coasts in the west and south at times.

 

Given the unseasonable nature of the winds, the public should be aware of the potential for disruption to transport and outdoor activities. Damage to some trees seems likely. This is an update to the warning to bring forward the start time, cover the rest of England in the yellow area and also to increase gust speeds through the Irish Sea.

[Floridiana]

There will always be someone doubting the captain's decisions. I was sailing with another line which was accused by some passengers to purposely omit ports "after all it wasn't that stormy". One of the passengers later came on cc to ask for recommendations of a line that would be "less afraid".

 

Same ship, same cruise, same captain a week later, one passenger was so afraid of a slightly bumpy tender operation that she constantly yelled in the tender "I don't know why they are taking us out there". The local Indians were "out there" in their slim canoes.

[SellaVee]

Local TV forecast now showing very rough seas on the west coast. Snow over the Scottish hills! Winds later 65mph gusts - brrrrrrr! I would rather enjoy Dublin than chance these winds! Mind you I think Dublin is forecast a few strong gusts later too. Time to snuggle down at the Merrion Hotel for afternoon tea!

 

Welcome to the almost mid-summer weather in the UK!

 

Where is this cruise supposed to go after Dublin?

 

The next stop is scheduled to be St Peter Port. Marina was due to leave Holyhead at 1600 tonight. There's no great distance between Dublin and Holyhead so she should stay on schedule. As LaCroisiereS'amuse pointed out, Holyhead is very exposed. I'd much rather be in Dublin given the choice.

 

After St Peter Port the cruise ends in So'ton.

[Toranut97]

"Victim(s)" seems to be the OP's operative stance. We yield some autonomy to the captain and line when we book a cruise. I guess this is not the line for you as O is conservative about the safety of passengers/victims. Sorry you have been so tragically victimized... How dreadful to be trapped this way. And on a scow like Marina, no less.....[emoji44][emoji44][emoji44][emoji44][emoji44][emoji44]

 

I think they should carry small rowboats or kayaks for folks like you who doubt the difficulty of maneuvering on a rough sea (that appears smooth)! Sign some releases and take yourself ashore. That way you would not be a helpless victim at the mercy of the big bad cruise line!!!

 

And perhaps you would understand the decisions that the captain has made. [emoji51] After reading the weather reports from BBC above, I understand them!!

 

[emoji6]

 

 

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[LHT28]

After St Peter Port the cruise ends in So'ton.

 

Guernsey was dropped also

[skybarshrek]

The next port to be dropped will be Southampton probably!!

[hypercafe]

I really do not know much about the ports involved. I have been to Dublin, Cork and Foumouth ?, however on a much bigger ship. If you take the larger ships they go to established ports and the ship is so large they can use it to provide a Lee so the tenders can pull up to it smoothly. Oceania has small ships and goes to less traveled places, might have something to do with it, just saying. On that trip we got stuck in St Johns NF because it was too windy to go through the cut to get out of the harbor, this was a 95000 ton ship. Can happen to anybody.

 

 

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Edited June 1, 2015 by hypercafe

[SellaVee]

Hi Toranut97. I'm neither "angry", "on the ship" or a "tour operator". Just a travel editor that gets increasingly frustrated when whole regions are disappointed after so much preparation. Holyhead is not a tendered port and there is certainly no sign of "bad weather" on Monday!

 

I am on this cruise.Two ports are being cancelled..has nothing to do with gastro issue. Storm coming up the Irish Sea is the reason and according to the crew there is a real chance we would not be able to dock in Holyhead and would face being stuck with multiple sea days in very rough waters. We are absolutely fine with the decision. Better safe and calm in rainy Dublin for an extra day..even without internet and satelite TV.

 

Compare and contrast.

[inuit]

Compare and contrast.

 

Very high winds tonight here in central london. Wouldnt want to be out on the water. Will be boarding marina in southampton on weds june 3. Anyone have an update on the norovirus headcount? Last i heard a few days ago there were 22 affected. Has that increased or decreased. Wishing you all smooth sailings here on and no noro issues.

[LAexNY]

It's just past midnight. We sailed from Dublin at 10:30 tonight, delayed 2 1/2 hours because the Irish Port Authority held departure due to high winds. We're out in the Irish Sea and we are rocking and rolling nicely. We were told to expect a bumpy ride tonight and tomorrow en route to Southampton where we are due Wednesday morning.

I think the captain has our safety in mind and I trust his judgment although we are sorry to miss Wales and Guernsey,

No conspiracy theories here.

[Mura]

I don't think I'd want to be on board tonight even! I remember the horribly rough seas we encountered on Insignia in June '06, coming from Dublin to Dover. That's about as rough as we've ever encountered and our cabin stewardess confirmed these were the worst of the cruise. (For years I've been remembering this as Iceland to Dublin, but I checked my diary tonight and I was wrong!)

 

Better safe than sorry ... of course, we love sea days anyway!

 

It's always disappointing to miss a port ... but I tend to believe what the line tells me as to the necessity. When we had to miss Falmouth last year it didn't seem the waters were rough at all, but looking at the bunker that was "feeding" gas to Marina, it was rocking and rolling.

 

Mura