P&O Cruises has been forced to cancel a 50-night cruise onboard Oriana just 45 days before it was due to depart.
This comes down to “essential maintenance” and has stopped the 1,880-passenger ship that was due to sail from Southampton on January 6th 2018 to the Caribbean, Mexico and US, returning on February 25th.
Passengers affected have been offered alternative sailings on four other similar cruises and a 5% future cruise credit of the fare paid on the original cruise. The line issued a public apology:
We apologise to guests due to travel on Oriana’s X801 but our technical team has advised us that it’s necessary for Oriana to undergo a 3 week technical maintenance from Jan 6 2018. As a result we will be cancelling this cruise. (1/2)
— P&O Cruises (@pandocruises) November 21, 2017
We have contacted all those affected guests today and we are extremely sorry for the late notice and disruption. (2/2)
— P&O Cruises (@pandocruises) November 21, 2017
Oriana will continue to sail right up until January 6th before it goes in for a three-week dry dock, and P&O has confirmed the next cruise, on February 25th to the Norwegian fjords, will not be affected.
Alex White, VP Sales, Carnival UK, stated: “Following a recommendation from our technical team, Oriana must undertake some essential maintenance, which will result in the cancellation of cruise.
“We understand how disappointing this is for our guests, but our ships sail 365 days a year, and they do occasionally require unplanned maintenance. The only available slot for us to undertake this work is in January.
“We have written to guests and advised that there are four other similar cruises that sail to the Caribbean from Southampton early next year, including all of the information and itineraries for these departures.
“As a result of this cancellation, we are giving guests a 5 percent future cruise credit of the fare paid on the original Oriana cruise, which is available to use on one of the cruises mentioned or any other P&O Cruises holiday booked before 31st December 2019.
We will also honour the 500 Peninsular Club loyalty points they would have earned from the original Oriana cruise.
“We have asked them to contact us or their travel agent by Friday 8th December 2017 if they wish to transfer to another cruise. If, by this date, they have not done so, then the booking for the Oriana cruise will be cancelled, and all monies paid will be refunded.
If they do not wish to book an alternative cruise at the moment, the 5% Future Cruise Credit will be applied to their P&O Cruises unique reference number (URN) until they the new cruise booking is made.”
What do you think of the news? Were you booked on this sailing? Are you pleased with P&O’s immediate discount for passengers affected? Leave us your comments…
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