Pursuit Itinerary Change - Papeete

[AA-Flier]

Just got the below e-mail 9 days before boarding that the Pursuit needs maintenance work that should have been anticipated so this is what thy changed:

 

"We wish to advise you of some changes to our scheduled itinerary. In advance of Seabourn Pursuit’s Antarctica season, we must conduct underwater hull cleaning and dive work. We will be completing this work by extending our visit to Papeete, French Polynesia for an additional day.

 

As a result, we will now remain alongside in Papeete overnight on Friday, September 27 and depart at 5:00 PM on Saturday, September 28. Your embarkation will still take place as scheduled on Friday.

 

We hope you enjoy this additional time to explore Papeete, one of our most exciting destinations. Guests will be able to choose from two included Expedition experiences to explore the island of Tahiti, and additional optional shore excursions unique to your voyage will be available to book, including a full-day tour to the island of Moorea. These will be available to book online shortly. [M(1] 

To accommodate this change, we will no longer call to Henderson Island, Pitcairn Islands on Friday, October 4, and remaining port calls through October 4 have been moved one day later than previously scheduled. The revised portion of our itinerary is as follows:

 

Note that the interesting Moorea trip is an optional excursion.

 

Just got off a Regent cruise, when they made a one-day change to the intimacy, they gave each person a five-hundred-dollar shipboard credit, Seabourn is offering you to pay for an excursion.

 

Seabourn needs to get into the game and do things correctly, most people will be arriving in Papeete early and don't need an extra day, so they need to come up with something more interesting. Henderson Island is a unique destination and not some place that most passengers will get another chance to visit, so this is not a good trade.

 

This is not how a luxury cruise line keeps customers.

[highplanesdrifters]

What the heck!  I'm onboard and they haven't bothered to tell us.  May I ask when you received this?

 

Would you consider posting the revised itinerary. 

 

This is the fourth schedule change to the detriment of the passengers. 

Edited Wednesday at 03:59 AM by highplanesdrifters

[lincslady]

One gets the impression that Seabourn have gone into expedition cruising in too much of a hurry to get it right.  I  am angry on your behalf, very badly handled.

[whogo]

10 hours ago, AA-Flier said:

We hope you enjoy this additional time to explore Papeete, one of our most exciting destinations.

Just what you book an expedition ship for, a long stay at a port visited by any number of mega-ships on an island with an international airport. Losing uninhabited Henderson Island adds insult to injury. "Henderson is one of the last two raised coral atolls in the world whose ecosystems remain relatively unaffected by human contact..." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henderson_Island_(Pitcairn_Islands) Seabourn will feel some heat over this one. highplanesdrifters' live thread will make for some interesting reading.

 

[lincslady]

It has gone quiet over there - maybe a mutiny?

[AA-Flier]

I received the e-mail on September 17 at 8:00 PM.

 

The revised itinerary they had in the e-mail:

"The revised portion of our itinerary is as follows:

 

Date	Destination	Arrive	Depart
Friday, September 27	Papeete, French Polynesia		Overnight
Saturday, September 28	Papeete, French Polynesia	Overnight	5:00 PM
Sunday, September 29	Anaa French Polynesia	12:00 PM	5:00 PM
Monday, September 30	Toau, French Polynesia	7:00 AM	12:00 PM
Monday, September 30	Fakarava, Tuamotu, French Polynesia	2:30 PM	6:30 PM
Tuesday, October 1	At Sea
Wednesday, October 2	At Sea
Thursday, October 3	At Sea
Friday, October 4	Adamstown, Pitcairn Island	7:00 AM	5:00 PM

[Robisan]

I assume they gave you the option of a full refund if you're not happy with these significant changes. 

[AA-Flier]

What is this thing called "refund"?

 

Did not find a definition in the Seabourn dictionary.

[Fletcher]

A great shame to miss out on Henderson, a seriously remote World Heritage Site, known for a unique bird (the Henderson rail) and massive amounts of plastic rubbish washed up on the beach.  It's a very tricky place to land, with deep clefts in the coral rock, and not many actually make it.  

[highplanesdrifters]

19 minutes ago, Fletcher said:

A great shame to miss out on Henderson, a seriously remote World Heritage Site, known for a unique bird (the Henderson rail) and massive amounts of plastic rubbish washed up on the beach.  It's a very tricky place to land, with deep clefts in the coral rock, and not many actually make it.  

 

As mentioned on my live post we are disappointed.   Seabourn have been slowly canceling or  switching all the smaller interesting islands, replacing them with larger cities.  Expedition in name only.

[Robisan]

20 hours ago, AA-Flier said:

In advance of Seabourn Pursuit’s Antarctica season, we must conduct underwater hull cleaning and dive work.

I hate to be the chronic complainer here, but Antarctica season preparation had to be known from the time they designed Pursuit's schedule - many, many months ago and certainly well before cancellation penalties effected for this cruise. To suddenly announce change of dates for every port stop, plus the elimination of a critical, unique stop, just nine days prior to embarcation is a breach of good faith at best and a deliberate misleading of buyers at worst. IMO a full refund if desired or a sizable OBC or FCC should be requested as compensation.

 

To be clear, if these changes were due to an unforeseen issues I'd be much more understanding. But as described in the communication from SB, it's hard to see this as something other than deliberate bad faith.

[highplanesdrifters]

1 hour ago, Robisan said:

To be clear, if these changes were due to an unforeseen issues I'd be much more understanding. But as described in the communication from SB, it's hard to see this as something other than deliberate bad faith.

 

I'd call it incompetence at headquarters.   

 

Even I know about IAATO requirements. 

 

Currently on board Pursuit.  They just canceled half the tours in Venautau because of a beetle infestation.   I kid you not. You can't make this up.🤣

 

Seabourn cheapskates do not have a local guide/emissary on board like other expeditions do.  I suspect the right local person could have solved this.

 

[florisdekort]

I can’t comment on this particular issue, but hull cleaning has been a major issue for many cruise lines the past 2 years, because ports and/or countries keep changing the rules on what’s allowed in port for environmental reasons. Google it, and you’ll find stories of Viking and Princess ships stranded offshore from Australia due to failure to clean their hulls prior to arriving. In none of these cases was it an “oversight”; hull cleaning had been planned, but ports withdrew their permission to do so because the rules are getting stricter and stricter. (Again, I’m not saying that’s the case here, but it’s likely more complex than someone forgetting something.) And the irony is, hull cleaning is - for example - mandatory prior to arriving in Australia, but Australia also recently banned hull cleaning in port for environmental reasons. So if Seabourn had planned to do this in for example Darwin… 

 

 

Edited Friday at 01:28 PM by florisdekort

[Woodrowst]

On 9/18/2024 at 12:22 AM, lincslady said:

One gets the impression that Seabourn have gone into expedition cruising in too much of a hurry to get it right.  

Responding to this broad general statement:  I was on a Seabourn Venture expedition cruise to Antarctica and it was wonderful.  They got it right.

[lincslady]

I am genuinely pleased to read that, having done a wonderful Antarctica cruise years ago,  not with SB of course, but one does get the impression that it takes a huge amount of preparation to start these expedition cruises, and SB are not always getting it right, by any means.

[Robisan]

5 hours ago, florisdekort said:

In none of these cases was it an “oversight”; hull cleaning had been planned, but ports withdrew their permission to do so because the rules are getting stricter and stricter.

Wasn't aware of this when I posted above and perhaps a fair counterpoint if there is a previously scheduled overnight later in Pursuit's pre-Antarctica itinerary where they intended to do this. If so, this would indeed be out of SB's control.

 

5 hours ago, florisdekort said:

And the irony is, hull cleaning is - for example - mandatory prior to arriving in Australia, but Australia also recently banned hull cleaning in port for environmental reasons.

Imagine if every port/country said hulls must be clean, just don't do it here. 

[AA-Flier]

I think one point that is being missed - the way Seabourn is treating the passengers who are being affected. No onboard credit being offered, no future credit on cruises, and if you did not want a bus tour, you get to pay between $135-$345.

 

This is not a good way to start a cruise. When you make change like this, all shore excursions should be included. Shame on Seabourn for the nickel and dime mind set. I thought the new President would bring the brand back to luxury, time will tell the actual direction they take.