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We booked this cruise on Oceania Riviera several months ago primarily because it went to ports such as Muscat. Khasab, Fujairah that my wife (who is a historian) wanted to see. Now, two days after the cancellation policy would result in 75% fee, the cruise line announces that it decided to cancel all these 3 ports (out of 6 ports in the cruise, i.e. 50%). All that is left is Dubai (where we've been several times already that they now made an overnight, Sir Bani Yas and Doha (also now an overnight). Even though the ship will have to go through the straight or Ormuz to go to India, they cancelled all stops east of it, even Muscat (our main reason to book this cruise) that is quite far from it on the way to India. The cruise is so different from what we booked that we asked for either a refund or at least a credit in the amount of what we paid towards a future cruise. But they ignored us completely, just reminding us that we will incur 75% or 100% cancellation fee depending on the date at which we cancel if we do. We cruise 3 to 4 times per year on Azamara, Celebrity, CFC, Holland America, Norwegian, Ponant, Royal Caribbean. Of course, we sometimes have a cancelled port due to bad weather which is normal. But in the very few instances when the cruise line altered significantly our itinerary, they offered a refund or a credit. This "revised" cruise makes no sense for us, they removed half the ports, added overnights in modern cities with little history and unnecessary days at sea despite very short distances traveled. If at least they had done an overnight in Muscat on the way to India instead of cancelling this and two other ports, we would have seen some value in the cruise. We would never have booked a cruise with this so-called revised itinerary.
Claimed loss: If we cancelled now (because the revised itinerary is completely different from what we booked), we would a penalty amounting to 75% of the total cruise fare.
Desired outcome: Preferably cancellation with a full refund, otherwise a credit for the full amount we paid towards a future cruise in the next 2 years (similar to what the other cruise lines have done in comparable cases).
FYI -We just returned form the Mid East Meanderings (Flounderings) and the same above ports were cancelled and an additional night in Sir Bani Yas. There was no reasonable explanation-especially Bahrain and Oman which we had exceptional private tours booked. These areas are no where near the Red Sea- and it is just Oceania just stuffing their pockets with cash since when they are at sea the prices are significantly less. Look at pricing on a Transatlantic cruise).
The most shocking thing we discovered was the guests we met from the Norwegian Dawn (same NCL company just returned from Bahrain! And we had that port cancelled! NO COMPENSATION whatsoever.
SHAME on NCL Holdings - Oceania-never again- too bad- referrals make up a good part of their business and we certainly will never return or refer.
We are also booked on that cruise, and I agree with your comments. I also paid for Business airfare on this cruise through Oceania, and just got the details YESTERDAY, months after the airlines allow changes. The last leg of my flight they booked ECONOMY, and say it cannot be changed. Maybe not a big deal to some, but I paid for the Business class.