Oriana, Dry dock, April 10

[white duck]

I read on the Oriana vibration thread that Carol Marlow said during a talk on Oriana in Australia,during her world cruise, that she would be going straight into dry dock on her return from the world cruise to fix the unlined propeller shafts,that are causing the vibration problem.

I have been looking at this and other sites, and haven't seen any other mention of this. Has anyone any information on this, where it will be carried out, how long it is due to take and the effect on cruise X202,due to depart on 10th April the day of her return.

I hope the person who posted on the vibration thread misunderstood what was been said as the people going on 10th April really do not want days chopped off or the cruise altered.

Thanks for any information you have. Nick

[anivo]

Just hope this is not right as we are sailing on the Oriana on 10 April 2012. Has anyone else heard anything about the ship going into dry dock after the World cruise?

[anivo]

I have just checked with P & O and they have assured me that the Oriana is not going into dry dock on its return from the world cruise and that the itinerary remains the same for the Central Med cruise on 10 April. Thought I would post this good news to reassure everyone going on this cruise.

[LibraLass41]

phew!

I'm onboard in May, and any dry dock urgent work could disrupt the cruise schedule.

[Host Sharon]

She's only just come OUT of dry dock (November) !

[LibraLass41]

She's only just come OUT of dry dock (November) !

 

Ah but wasn't that for a refit changing to adult-only etc, the thread poster is saying this was ''to fix the unlined propeller shafts,that are causing the vibration problem. '' Which sounds like a different reason.?

[tom_uk]

Oriana's propellers and shafts had to be removed during the November refit in order to fit the sponson (aka ducktail). I also heard that longer shafts had to be fitted, and possibly the geometry of the propulsion system altered. It's being suggested that there is increased vibration as a result of those changes, and it may have been this that Carol Marlow was supposedly referring to.

 

However, I've done a bit of digging and it seems that Oriana has always been regarded as prone to vibration. Here's a link to a review from 1995 that mentions the problem all that time ago. So maybe it isn't any worse after all. Supposedly it only really manifests itself when she's running at full speed, and perhaps there was more full speed running on the world cruise than on a typical Med cruise. I believe that speeds have been dropped across the fleet in recent years, in order to save on fuel. E.g. three days at sea to Madeira - in 2008 we did it in two-and-a-half days on Ventura to have an overnight stay in port, and I'm sure Oriana and Aurora could do it even more quickly if pressed.

[Host Sharon]

Oriana's problem was from the outset in 1995 due to cavitation round the props. Their rotation was reversed in 1999 which eased it somewhat but it never went away fully. For that reason, between 1995 and 1999 she only ran at full speed overnight ! I have the General Arrangement Plans Tom, and the shafts are the same length both pre and post November refit. .

[tom_uk]

......

I have the General Arrangement Plans Tom, and the shafts are the same length both pre and post Novemeber refit. .

 

That's the sort of information I'm very interested in, Sharon. Are these files, or actual documents?

[Host Sharon]

That's the sort of information I'm very interested in, Sharon. Are these files, or actual documents?

 

 

PDF documents Tom, lent for the next book, so I cannot pass on I am afraid.

[southwinds]

We sailed in 1995 and a few years after that as well and the stories of glasses being thrown off tables in the Oriental restaurant were much over stated. Back in those days the Oriental would be open for breakfast and while docking it was VERY wobbly back there during that last manoeuvre before docking... so we wondered if the stories came from that. We have met people who told us that the Oriental restaurant was CLOSED in 1995 due to complaints which was odd as we sailed then and it never was shut plus another story I have heard and read on sites is that it was closed for two years... they did close if for lunch and breakfast from about 1997 ish.. maybe that is where the stories came from but always open for dinner..

 

The Vibration stories continue I doubt they will ever end... But having sat at a table at the aft of the Oriental restaurant on Oriana for dinner it really was only ever a slight pulse rather like a heart beat running through the ship... we have also as aft cabins and again it only ever felt like a pulse.

[tom_uk]

PDF documents Tom, lent for the next book, so I cannot pass on I am afraid.

 

So I shall look forward to the book! I very much enjoyed the 'P&O 175' book. I haven't looked at the Artemis one - for some reason, I wasn't very interested in that ship.

[bvm49]

We have just cruised on the Oriana. At a question & answer session, the captain appologised for the excessive vibration in the rear restaurant and said it was due to the 2 propellors being slightly out of timing. He said that it was worse at certain speeds which they were trying to avoid.

 

Fortunately we weren't in that restaurant but did find the noise from the vibration excessive when in the Pacific Lounge which is on the deck directly above the rear dining room. It appeared that certain performers were moved from here to the front theatre for this reason. After the captain's comments, the noise did appear to reduce.

[Tynesider]

As per BVM 49 we were on Oriana from Sydney to San Francisco leg of the world cruise and in the Oriental restaurant there was considerable vibration on the first few nights out of Sydney but it gradually improved and we were

running at 24knots into San Francisco with no problems. Talking to the

captain one day he stated it was the variable pitch propellers that were

causing the problem and it was taking some time to get the balance right.

[Host Sharon]

So I shall look forward to the book! I very much enjoyed the 'P&O 175' book. I haven't looked at the Artemis one - for some reason, I wasn't very interested in that ship.

 

Thanks. Should be out around beginning of July, to coincide with some sort of event that is going on then !? lol.

[jeanlyon]

Just seen two work colleagues who have returned from their Worldie on Oriana. They have never cruised before! However, they moved their cabin 5 times due to vibration, said it was awful - also said she was past her sell by date. I have not spoken to them personally yet, but I will as I am about to book Oriana, so I really need to know where these cabins were.

 

Anybody sailed on her recently and can tell me. We will be booking C deck forward.

 

Jean

[Slow Foxtrot]

Just seen two work colleagues who have returned from their Worldie on Oriana. They have never cruised before! However, they moved their cabin 5 times due to vibration, said it was awful - also said she was past her sell by date. I have not spoken to them personally yet, but I will as I am about to book Oriana, so I really need to know where these cabins were.

 

Anybody sailed on her recently and can tell me. We will be booking C deck forward.

 

Jean

 

 

For what it's worth we did the UK to Hong Kong sector on this year's Oriana World Cruise and dined each evening in the Oriental Restaurant. We felt no vibrations for the entire trip. Our cabin was midships on the top deck and again there was no vibration there. In fact the ship, the service and the facilities were excellent. However, perhaps it's best to avoid cabins over the propellers of any ship for obvious reasons.

[Host Sharon]

Just seen two work colleagues who have returned from their Worldie on Oriana. They have never cruised before! However, they moved their cabin 5 times due to vibration, said it was awful - also said she was past her sell by date. I have not spoken to them personally yet, but I will as I am about to book Oriana, so I really need to know where these cabins were.

 

Anybody sailed on her recently and can tell me. We will be booking C deck forward.

 

Jean

 

It is of course possible, as it was their first cruise, that they felt the vibration was greater as they had nothing to compare it with. Every ship has a certain degree of vibration form the props/engines. I would totally disagree that Oriana is past her sell-by date. She is a beautiful traditional ship.

[jeanlyon]

Hi SF - thanks for that and agree about the stern cabins low down. That's very good news. We have requested the Peninsular Restaurant and that's because one trip on Artemis, the vibration was so bad in the restaurant I had to leave. It was going right through me. I think C deck forward will be fine.

[jeanlyon]

Hi Sharon, yes I agree and if you didn't enjoy it because it was too long, you would feel it even more. I am very much looking forward to Oriana, most people seem to love her. :-)

[indiana123]

All I can add is that we were on Oriana for l7 nights and dined in the Oriental, and our cabin was on B deck. Neither of us felt any vibration in the restaurant or in our cabin.

[jeanlyon]

That;s really good to know - happy bunny now :-)

[LibraLass41]

And me with a month to go and on B deck !!:)

[Adammara]

Our first long cruise was on Oriana in 1995, we were on first sitting and leaving Vigo. The whole restaurant shook for a short while, and the startled passengers on our table looked at each other, and the waiters were stood laughing. Never had it happen again fortunately!

 

Richard

[DamianG]

We've been lucky to have 2 cruises on Oriana in the last year both times on C deck and we didn't feel any vibrations in the cabin. Both times we were in (what is now) FA grade, cabins C260 and C224 and we felt that the extra cost for the better cabin was worth it. In particular we liked C260 and would choose that one again mainly because of its location. On the first cruise we dined in the Oriental Restaurant and there was occasional vibration as it so close to the main propulsion system so the second time we requested the Peninsular Restaurant (just like Jean!) and we much preferred it.

It is by far our favourite ship, hope you enjoy it.

Damian