Oceania Marina cancels yet another port; Holyhead, UK

[LHT28]

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.

 

David hope it is not too rough of a ride tomorrow ..still forecasting bumpy seas but maybe after you round Land's end it will calm a bit

 

Hang on the the railings ;)

 

I bet the sick bags are out :D

[Robyn2]

I live on the east coast of Ireland bordering the Irish Sea and can confirm that the weather on Monday, wind and rain was some of the worst we've had. We had pots flying around the garden, our polyhouse blew down and there were gale warnings on the radio, driving conditions were quite dangerous. The Irish Sea is quite shallow and so can be very rough, it has a reputation for unpleasant crossings at times. Given the choice, I would rather have been in any port than at sea yesterday!

[LaCroisiereS'amuse]

I arrived on the Isle of Man this morning and have spent the day helping my parents clear up their garden and grounds after the storm yesterday. Plenty of branches have fallen & lots of damaged plants all over, and the Isle of Man Steam Packet, the lifeline ferry to Liverpool and Heysham, is running with long delays. The ferries are playing catch up from yesterday, and with extra sailings due to TT practice week, and strong winds still remaining it's a tough job. The conventional ferry Ben My Chree took almost double the time to cross from Heysham yesterday , and finally managed to dock in Douglas in a force 7. The Mannanan catamaran from Liverpool was similarly late due to the winds. Had Marina actually managed to dock in the exposed cruise berth in Holyhead then their schedule for the rest of the voyage would have been impacted severely.

 

Does the OP have an axe to grind??? Maybe 'O' had refused this 'Travel Editor' a freebie cruise ?? :rolleyes:

Edited June 2, 2015 by LaCroisiereS'amuse

[globevest]

I have just spoken to my daughter at Laxey on the Isle of Man who reports very high winds and a rough Irish Sea.

[Toranut97]

I arrived on the Isle of Man this morning and have spent the day helping my parents clear up their garden and grounds after the storm yesterday. Plenty of branches have fallen & lots of damaged plants all over' date=' and the Isle of Man Steam Packet, the lifeline ferry to Liverpool and Heysham, is running with long delays. The ferries are playing catch up from yesterday, and with extra sailings due to TT practice week, and strong winds still remaining it's a tough job. The conventional ferry Ben My Chree took almost double the time to cross from Heysham yesterday , and finally managed to dock in Douglas in a force 7. The Mannanan catamaran from Liverpool was similarly late due to the winds. Had Marina actually managed to dock in the exposed cruise berth in Holyhead then their schedule for the rest of the voyage would have been impacted severely.

 

 

 

Does the OP have an axe to grind??? Maybe 'O' had refused this 'Travel Editor' a freebie cruise ?? :rolleyes:[/quote']

 

 

 

I have wondered the same thing... From the first post, it seemed that more was behind the postings. I find the "victim" language inflammatory.

 

 

 

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[rubysue]

Good grief! We are on Nautica in a mere two weeks, with our journey through the Irish Sea at the end of the cruise (early July). I have to register my foreign travel at work and received an advisory that there were predicted 115 kph winds across this region June 1 and 2 with travel advisories (as confirmed by folks living there, etc.). This "conspiracy theory" nonsense is just that, nonsense. In 2012, we did a cruise on Marina from Dover to Barcelona. We had to skip Casablanca because of the 9/11 terrorist and unrest activities and also skipped Oporto due to wildcat dock strikes at that port. The "experts" on board were livid: "We can't find any evidence of problems in Oporto. Why are they skipping that port?". As much as we wanted to visit this port, we found out from our private tour guide in Lisbon that, yes indeed, the dock crews would help dock a ship, then walk off the job for hours to days. That doesn't help a cruise line to be in a port, then be unable to move. Also, the decision to skip Casablanca was very wise, indeed, but you wouldn't know it from the whining going on by the passengers. I wrote up this cruise as a wonderful experience, except for the unbelievable "special snowflakes" on board who obviously knew better than the captain. Ports will be missed - the ocean is not interested in the personal emotions of the people on board. I'm glad they play it safe.

[Toranut97]

Good grief! We are on Nautica in a mere two weeks, with our journey through the Irish Sea at the end of the cruise (early July). I have to register my foreign travel at work and received an advisory that there were predicted 115 kph winds across this region June 1 and 2 with travel advisories (as confirmed by folks living there, etc.). This "conspiracy theory" nonsense is just that, nonsense. In 2012, we did a cruise on Marina from Dover to Barcelona. We had to skip Casablanca because of the 9/11 terrorist and unrest activities and also skipped Oporto due to wildcat dock strikes at that port. The "experts" on board were livid: "We can't find any evidence of problems in Oporto. Why are they skipping that port?". As much as we wanted to visit this port, we found out from our private tour guide in Lisbon that, yes indeed, the dock crews would help dock a ship, then walk off the job for hours to days. That doesn't help a cruise line to be in a port, then be unable to move. Also, the decision to skip Casablanca was very wise, indeed, but you wouldn't know it from the whining going on by the passengers. I wrote up this cruise as a wonderful experience, except for the unbelievable "special snowflakes" on board who obviously knew better than the captain. Ports will be missed - the ocean is not interested in the personal emotions of the people on board. I'm glad they play it safe.

 

 

Amen!!!!

 

 

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[Host Jazzbeau]

I think it's interesting that OP City Pete hasn't been back since claiming that June 1 weather was fine. TV weatherpersons are like baseball closers -- no memory of yesterday's performance -- but in this case he was claiming current conditions that have been refuted. Definitely some agenda there.

[Lane412000]

I will be in the minority in this thread and will be flamed to a crisp. But, damn, some of you people. The OP expressed disappointment in missing ports, for whatever reason the ports were missed. The OP expressed his/her thoughts and opinions and has been getting crushed left and right.

 

If the OP feels like the passengers were victims of a wrongdoing, that is their right to believe that. Whether the OP is right or wrong or way out in right field with their thoughts, why do some of you feel the need to crush the person? So what if the OP has a "hidden agenda"? Did the supposed "hidden agenda" effect your decision on whether you would or would not cruise with Oceania or take a British Isles cruise?

 

This thread is a microcosm of many threads in these forums. If someone expresses disappointment or frustration with a certain line or their cruise, it becomes a free for all beating. Before posting and coming down on a poster, take a step back and try to understand where the poster is coming from.

 

And, yes FDR wishes he knew me

[durante]

This thread is a microcosm of many threads in these forums. If someone expresses disappointment or frustration with a certain line or their cruise, it becomes a free for all beating. Before posting and coming down on a poster, take a step back and try to understand where the poster is coming from.

 

Just to point out that in this case the OP was not on the ship, he said he was a travel writer, and his case for the ship missing the port was that Oceania were to blame as the weather was ok.

 

As we now know, the weather was extremely rough, so this is why people are putting him straight.

[Pet Nit Noy]

The OP expressed disappointment in missing ports, for whatever reason the ports were missed. If the OP feels like the passengers were victims of a wrongdoing, that is their right to believe that. Whether the OP is right or wrong or way out in right field with their thoughts, why do some of you feel the need to crush the person? So what if the OP has a "hidden agenda"?

 

You and I apparently read different versions of Post #1. I read a post that's filled with financial instructions for how to compensate passengers and tour operators. Between posts #1 and #7, the OP focuses on missed economic opportunity for the region. This isn't about disappointment for cruise passenger and certainly not about safety; this is about compensation.

 

Finally, the OP is a journalist -- admittedly, an editor rather than a writer -- but editors need to have just as great a commitment to facts as writers. And this situation fails the fact test. The OP refused to believe the bad weather forecasts, forecasts we now know were spot on.

Edited June 4, 2015 by Pet Nit Noy

[hondorner]

Besides, I had the distinct impression that OP was NOT a passenger, and was basing his negativity on the idea that the local economy was being impacted. I felt strongly that he cared more for the well being of his local area than the well being of the passengers.

 

Quote: "This time Holyhead in North Wales will be the victim on 1st June 2015. Both cruise organised excursions and private operators are left in short-notice turmoil as coaches with guides are already booked, paid for and ready to give a warm welcome to this lesser visited region of the UK." And, from another post, "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."

 

Most likely, he is not aware of the duties and responsibilities of a ship captain.

Edited June 4, 2015 by hondorner

[Lane412000]

I read a post that's filled with financial instructions for how to compensate passengers and tour operators. Between posts #1 and #7, the OP focuses on missed economic opportunity for the region. This isn't about disappointment for cruise passenger and certainly not about safety; this is about compensation.

 

 

What is the issue if he/she is making an attempt to provide financial instructions to these passengers or tour operators on how to receive compensation for missing the port and tours? If I were a passenger who booked a private tour and paid money up front, I'd like someone to provide me with information on how to get my money back.

 

I agree that patient safety is probably not at forefront of the OP message, but not sure if that should be his/her concern? Obviously, his/her concern as you stated is to get passenger money back if possible. So be it, if that is what the OP is trying to do, why is there a need to crush the person is the point I am trying to make.

[Pet Nit Noy]

What is the issue if he/she is making an attempt to provide financial instructions to these passengers or tour operators on how to receive compensation for missing the port and tours? If I were a passenger who booked a private tour and paid money up front, I'd like someone to provide me with information on how to get my money back.

 

I agree that patient safety is probably not at forefront of the OP message, but not sure if that should be his/her concern? Obviously, his/her concern as you stated is to get passenger money back if possible. So be it, if that is what the OP is trying to do, why is there a need to crush the person is the point I am trying to make.

 

To answer your question: Because he didn't wait 24 hours to post his veiled accusation about Oceania's behavior.

 

If Oceania's justification of bad weather was proven false, a delay of 24 hours before posting would have strengthened his point (not that weathermen are always right!!!).

 

The minute the OP started editorializing -- quotation marks around the words bad weather for example -- and the language of post #7 take OP's writing out of helpful financial advice category.

 

I think we're at the point where we'll agree to disagree.

Edited June 4, 2015 by Pet Nit Noy

[LHT28]

Important detail

 

The OP was NOT on this cruise

 

The tour guide I had used got 50% of the the tour price for his trouble (not chump change for me)

I have no problem with that as he could have booked someone that was on a land tour when the ship missed the port

 

Most guides refund when the ship misses the port due to weather

Edited June 4, 2015 by LHT28

[SellaVee]

I will be in the minority in this thread and will be flamed to a crisp. But, damn, some of you people. The OP expressed disappointment in missing ports, for whatever reason the ports were missed. The OP expressed his/her thoughts and opinions and has been getting crushed left and right.

 

If the OP feels like the passengers were victims of a wrongdoing, that is their right to believe that. Whether the OP is right or wrong or way out in right field with their thoughts, why do some of you feel the need to crush the person? So what if the OP has a "hidden agenda"? Did the supposed "hidden agenda" effect your decision on whether you would or would not cruise with Oceania or take a British Isles cruise?

 

This thread is a microcosm of many threads in these forums. If someone expresses disappointment or frustration with a certain line or their cruise, it becomes a free for all beating. Before posting and coming down on a poster, take a step back and try to understand where the poster is coming from.

 

And, yes FDR wishes he knew me

 

I'm not sure whether FDR wishes he knew you or not is relevant, or indeed of any interest to me, and you have every right to come out in support of the OP. However, as someone who has sailed many times off the North Wales coast I feel the OP's disregard for the sea state and his continued insistence that everything was fine disturbing. He seemed not to care in the least for the comfort of those passengers once they left Holyhead. Once you're out on the Irish Sea you can't just park up at the side of the road when the weather gets bad.

 

Ports do get cancelled. So do the ferries. It's not just about what the weather looks like in the morning and any one who reports that there is no sign of bad weather when there very clearly is is either being irresponsible or simply doesn't know where to look to find the right information, which is disappointing in a journalist.

 

That was the problem!

 

You saw him as a helpful poster while I saw him as someone who seemed to wish to unsettle people and ultimately misinformed them. Vive la difference.

 

He was perfectly entitled to post about the impact on Holyhead, just not to overrule the captain :).

 

And if you were a passenger who had booked a private tour would you not have asked about the port cancellation policy before you booked?

[petcoke]

We where on this cruise ,in our view oceania made right move when we left dublin still 21 ft waves. Never going to please every one:)

[hypercafe]

I guess the result of this is do not take this cruise if you really want to see these ports. If you want tour insurance take the ships tours. Takeing private tours saves you lots of money on Oceania however you are on your own.

 

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[hondorner]

I guess the result of this is do not take this cruise if you really want to see these ports. If you want tour insurance take the ships tours. Takeing private tours saves you lots of money on Oceania however you are on your own.

 

Sent from my SM-T320 using Forums mobile app

Not sure what you mean about "on Oceania you are on your own"...a more appropriate statement would be, "any time you take a private excursion, on any cruise line in the world, you are on your own". No reason to try to cast aspersions on Oceania...

[tanny18]

Let's say I am "suspicious". As mentioned, Holyhead is not a tendered port and I know handles vessels in winds of up to 70mph comfortably as it uses a jetty system. Although the weather on Monday is showers and winds gusting to 45mph during the time berthed, this would not (and has not) caused port abortion in isolation.

Let's set the record straight. We just left the Marina - the reason for not docking in Holyhead and tendering in Guernsey, was that there was a storm in the Irish Sea and the Channel to the tune of 50 mph winds and seas of 20 feet!!! Not only did the Captain not want to go into a storm of this magnitude, but the authorities in Dublin would not let us leave. It had nothing to do with the bug that affected many of the passengers and crew. We were as disappointed as everyone else, but I'd much rather miss a couple of ports than to be a storm! As it was, the day at sea was a little rocky for most of the day and eased up late afternoon. So, as you were not there to experience any of this and can only pontificate as you look at a weather report, I think perhaps the issue is moot at this time.

[PaulMCO]

It had nothing to do with the bug that affected many of the passengers and crew.

 

Hope you and Allan were bug free :D

[SellaVee]

I guess the result of this is do not take this cruise if you really want to see these ports. If you want tour insurance take the ships tours. Takeing private tours saves you lots of money on Oceania however you are on your own.

 

Sent from my SM-T320 using Forums mobile app

 

Not sure what you mean about "on Oceania you are on your own"...a more appropriate statement would be, "any time you take a private excursion, on any cruise line in the world, you are on your own". No reason to try to cast aspersions on Oceania...

 

Don, I put the (invisible) comma in a different place when I read this. Put it after Oceania in the post above and I think you will see that hypercafe meant that private tours save you money compared to Oceania, but you take them at your own risk.

[hondorner]

Don, I put the (invisible) comma in a different place when I read this. Put it after Oceania in the post above and I think you will see that hypercafe meant that private tours save you money compared to Oceania, but you take them at your own risk.

 

Ok, I see that, and I apologize, giving him the benefit of the doubt.

[tanny18]

Thanks Paul, we were; but Laura (of Laura nd David) was bitten and was quarantined for 1 1/2 days. And the she was just fine. And there was no charge at the doctor!

Hope you and Allan were bug free :D

[avalong]

I will be in the minority in this thread and will be flamed to a crisp. But, damn, some of you people. The OP expressed disappointment in missing ports, for whatever reason the ports were missed. The OP expressed his/her thoughts and opinions and has been getting crushed left and right.

 

If the OP feels like the passengers were victims of a wrongdoing, that is their right to believe that. Whether the OP is right or wrong or way out in right field with their thoughts, why do some of you feel the need to crush the person? So what if the OP has a "hidden agenda"? Did the supposed "hidden agenda" effect your decision on whether you would or would not cruise with Oceania or take a British Isles cruise?

 

This thread is a microcosm of many threads in these forums. If someone expresses disappointment or frustration with a certain line or their cruise, it becomes a free for all beating. Before posting and coming down on a poster, take a step back and try to understand where the poster is coming from.

 

And, yes FDR wishes he knew me

 

This would be a boring forum indeed if lively discussions did not ensue from postings. And I think that "crush" is an overstatement. People do sometimes disagree strongly, but crush? Nah.