Has this happened before?

[roberts2005]

The people on the upcoming January 15th Marina Tahiti have all been notified that they can not check in until 5:00 PM on day of sailing. Luggage may be dropped off and you will be able to explore the island while waiting to board. Carry on' may also be checked.

 

No early boarding for suites

[canuck.qc]

The FP cruises are an exception to the norm. because of the early/late flight arrivals & also the very late nite flights for departing passengers. O is trying to iron out the glitches this season, the 2013 cruises were a bit of a learning process...many are arriving a few days pre-cruise to avoid any boarding problems, taking their time to board and avoiding problems. FP is less prepared for the many large ships visiting...than Europe, Caribbean etc...:o

[TERRIER1]

The people on the upcoming January 15th Marina Tahiti have all been notified that they can not check in until 5:00 PM on day of sailing. Luggage may be dropped off and you will be able to explore the island while waiting to board. Carry on' may also be checked.

 

No early boarding for suites

 

Yes - this is how Oceania operates their cruises from Tahiti. They allow the passengers that are disembarking to remain on the ship until 5 pm but they have to leave their cabins by noon. It is very inconvenient but most hotels will allow you to check your luggage at the desk and stay at the pool if you have come in beforehand. When we dropped off our luggage at the Town Hall (it was a Sunday) there were lots of very tired and sleepy cruises since their planes had arrived that morning.

[ronrick1943]

Yes it's true, and mostly the best way to handle this. What else can they do?

[JimandStan]

The people on the upcoming January 15th Marina Tahiti have all been notified that they can not check in until 5:00 PM on day of sailing. Luggage may be dropped off and you will be able to explore the island while waiting to board. Carry on' may also be checked.

 

No early boarding for suites

 

There is always a lot of friction with those South Pacific Cruises because of the timing of the long haul flights to and from the United States.

 

A little forbearance by everyone may be the order of the day. :)

One day, you too will be one of those departing passengers....

[LHT28]

Those disembarking should be off by noon ...they more than likely had a good night's sleep so they can go hang out at a hotel for the day by the pool ;)

Oceania could arrange a hospitality room with snacks until the flights are ready

 

Those arriving probably did not sleep well & just want to get onboard & eat sleep & relax for the day

They will be more cranky than those getting off ;)

 

Backwards thinking here :D

 

YMMV

 

We were on another cruise line with later flights they took us to a hotel where we could store our bags have snacks or do whatever until time to depart for the airport (it was in Europe)

But much better for both passengers & crew ..the crew could get on with their turnaround day chores

 

Lyn

Edited January 10, 2014 by LHT28

[JimandStan]

Those disembarking should be off by noon ...they more than likely had a good night's sleep so they can go hang out at a hotel for the day by the pool ;)

Oceania could arrange a hospitality room with snacks until the flights are ready

 

Those arriving probably did not sleep well & just want to get onboard & eat sleep & relax for the day

They will be more cranky than those getting off ;)

 

Backwards thinking here :D

 

YMMV

 

We were on another cruise line with later flights they took us to a hotel where we could store our bags have snacks or do whatever until time to depart for the airport (it was in Europe)

But much better for both passengers & crew ..the crew could get on with their turnaround day chores

 

Lyn

 

:confused: From my observations, most people sleep like bricks on an airplane.

I certainly do, but then......my conscience is clear.

[LHT28]

:confused: From my observations, most people sleep like bricks on an airplane.

 

I can never get a good sleep so I am one of those cranky people & if you told me go off & play until later in the day ...you might hear some not so nice words that I would not normally use :rolleyes:

 

:D

[orchestrapal]

:confused: From my observations, most people sleep like bricks on an airplane.

I certainly do, but then......my conscience is clear.

 

Same folks who will tell you" I can never sleep on a plane.":D:D

[roberts2005]

On our departure, which included air, no air was available that day. So I had to depart one day later. Oceania offered a $99,00 per person overnight at Raddison.

 

Wondering what time they will have us depart on 25th for the hotel

[Paulchili]

:confused: From my observations, most people sleep like bricks on an airplane.

I certainly do, but then......my conscience is clear.

 

When you are about 25 (as those lads on the plane seem to be) one can sleep just about anywhere. Maybe they had a beer (or five?) :D.

Not so much the case for us more mature folks :) Notice the "mature" man in the last row - is he sleeping?

You must be one of the young ones (or an exception to the rule) :D

Agree with Lyn - it's backward thinking. Get the rested, disembarking passengers off the ship to a day hotel or on a tour and let the arrivals board the ship.

After all, what do they do in Rio where most flights leave late at night? They don't let the disembarking passengers stay on the ship till 5 PM (AFAIK).

Edited January 11, 2014 by Paulchili

[rallydave]

On our departure, which included air, no air was available that day. So I had to depart one day later. Oceania offered a $99,00 per person overnight at Raddison.

 

Wondering what time they will have us depart on 25th for the hotel

 

Does not sound equitable from O. If I understand, you are using O air and they are delaying you to not leave until the day after disembarkation because they can't get you a flight on disembarkation day and they want you to pay $198 for your room???

 

That seems to be in pretty poor taste considering it is their fault and out of your control. Know on Regent, at least it used to be this way if you have to go in a day early or stay an extra day Regent covers you hotel.

 

Think you need to point out to Oceaniathat O should be covering the full hotel cost!!

[Mura]

After all, what do they do in Rio where most flights leave late at night? They don't let the disembarking passengers stay on the ship till 5 PM (AFAIK).

 

 

Having just let MARINA on December 8th, I can confirm that. We were due to be off at the usual time. 9am. We had arranged a day's tour which brought us to the airport at the end of the day. We got there around 4:30pm but couldn't check in until about 6:45, with no place to sit while we waited. Also no place to eat. We were not happy campers but it wasn't O's fault.

 

I am guessing that the Rio situation is different from Tahiti. I'm also guessing that arriving passengers get there in the morning -- that may be wrong, because we arrived in Rio by ship. In addition, Tahiti has far fewer passengers.

 

Correct me! I haven't done the South Pacific and I'm always willing to be educated.

 

Mura

 

 

 

Still, unhappy passengers are unhappy passengers!

 

As to those happily sleeping passengers, what amazes me is the people who watch movies throughout the night ... I would be dead on arrival if I tried to do that. I don't sleep WELL on a flight (not even in the upper classes), but I do sleep.

 

Mura

[computerworks]

We are on the Marina now, due into Papeete on 1/15.

 

We were told all have to be off the ship by 4 pm.

[roberts2005]

We are on the Marina now, due into Papeete on 1/15.

 

We were told all have to be off the ship by 4 pm.

 

Great for you.

 

Just feel by the time we get our luggage and settle in it will be 8:00 PM

 

Those getting on will miss using the ship the first day

[yorkiemomjn]

I can never get a good sleep so I am one of those cranky people & if you told me go off & play until later in the day ...you might hear some not so nice words that I would not normally use :rolleyes:

 

:D

 

Same here! No sleeping on a plane for me! I can barely drag myself to the hotel after arrival.

[PirateShark]

It's very unfortunate that the mistake was made to send the e-docs to pax last week stating a noon embarkation. Then the email saying, oops - sorry just yesterday. Now, I just got an email saying if we wanted a day room on the 15th to call ASAP (including transfer) from 9-6pm. Since we will be in Papeete this Sunday for a few days prior, it doesn't do us a lot of good (we have a late check out at the IC).

 

Anywho, I am hoping that embarkation on the 15th is smooth and we aren't waiting for quite awhile to board past the new appointed time :(

[Benita]

I don't know the logistics of a day room at the Intercontinental or one of the other hotels, but the PG provides one in both directions for their passengers who take their "free" airfare and for a reasonable cost for those who don't. With only 300 passengers, it is obviously easier to do this than for the 1200 or so on the Marina. This is one of those times where flying in a day early would really make sense. We stayed at Le Meridien in Tahiti for a few days and for an extra $50 were allowed to checkin at 7am, when we arrived from the airport. They also would store the luggage and provide shower facilities on the day of checkout, so the 5 pm embarkation would work as well. As the PG docks in Papeete the night before debarkation, we opted to fly out that night, so we had our dinner on the ship and took a cab to the airport at 8:30pm and were able to avoid the day room altogether. I don't know how far the Marina sails the last day - our last port was only a 30 minute sail away in Moorea- but that could be something they look into for the future as many passengers might want to exercise that option, giving the crew more time to prepare their cabins for the new passengers the next day.

We actually took the ferry from Papeete to Moorea and stayed four nights there, so we took a 1 pm ferry back to Papeete and walked our luggage the few steps to the PG and had lunch in a local restaurant and walked around the roulette area flea market for the two hours before they would allow us to board the ship.

There are many ways to handle this, but letting people know a couple of weeks before embarkation that they are on their own until 5pm after flying for umpteenth hours to get there is not high on the list. From the looks of it, O is getting their act together and starting to provide other strategies.

[Paulchili]

As the PG docks in Papeete the night before debarkation, we opted to fly out that night, so we had our dinner on the ship and took a cab to the airport at 8:30pm and were able to avoid the day room altogether. I don't know how far the Marina sails the last day - our last port was only a 30 minute sail away in Moorea- but that could be something they look into for the future as many passengers might want to exercise that option, giving the crew more time to prepare their cabins for the new passengers the next day.

 

Our Marina Valpa to PPT also docked in Papeete overnight and we also took the evening flight out. It was the reasonable thing to do, especially as we had been to Tahiti before.

Like you, we had dinner onboard and took a taxi to the airport afterwards - no worries about how to spend the next day waiting around for late evening flight.

This option may not be available on every cruise though - only when the ship is in PPT overnight.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Paulchili

[Acrusa]

Here's the problem for me. We are boarding at 5 pm on February 4,but those passengers who are arriving on Oceania's 6 AM flight on February 4th will be allowed to board at 8:30 AM.

So they are getting an extra day on board.

[Hawaiidan]

I can never get a good sleep so I am one of those cranky people & if you told me go off & play until later in the day ...you might hear some not so nice words that I would not normally use :rolleyes:

 

:D

The only people who sleep like bricks are the ones in lie flat business or first class.

People in coach after 8 hours are dehydrated, cramped and fidgeting trying to get comfortable an any way... Some drift in to a forced sleep or coma, only to snap back reality . The low humidity and dehydtation really take a toll.

But the confines of non reclining 17-18 inch wide seat with 31 inches of leg room takes its toll. The do recline in the strict sence...about 2 inches. Not that makes a difference.

[RJB]

Here's the problem for me. We are boarding at 5 pm on February 4,but those passengers who are arriving on Oceania's 6 AM flight on February 4th will be allowed to board at 8:30 AM.

So they are getting an extra day on board.

Have not heard anything like this in the past. Where did this info. come from? No one was allowed to board before 5 and had to go to a day room or take a tour after landing. Are you sure about this?

[Acrusa]

All this is on our rollcall.First they said all those who took O air even if they came in 2 or 3 days befoes can board at 8:30.Then they retracted that and went back to everyone boarding at the same 5:PM.Then they retracted that and sent out e mails to all those on O air leaving on the 3rd and arriving into Papeete at 6:AM on the 4th to get guest passes for the day to board at 8:30 am.Dosn't seem fair to the rest of us.

[TERRIER1]

All this is on our rollcall.First they said all those who took O air even if they came in 2 or 3 days befoes can board at 8:30.Then they retracted that and went back to everyone boarding at the same 5:PM.Then they retracted that and sent out e mails to all those on O air leaving on the 3rd and arriving into Papeete at 6:AM on the 4th to get guest passes for the day to board at 8:30 am.Dosn't seem fair to the rest of us.

 

We were on this cruise last April and information from Oceania came in very late and changed. I realize they are at the mercy of the airlines but this is not their first time operating this cruise. They should be past the learning curve. It was very difficult for us to make any informed decisions as to when to arrive, take the deviation, etc. when we didn't have information. I believe part of the problem is the size of the ship. PG can handle logistics much better since they only have 300 passengers whereas Oceania is running the Marina in this neck of the woods with 1250 people. I do agree with you that it is not fair. The ship will be crowded with those arriving on the early flight in conjunction with those who are allowed to stay on the ship and in their cabins till noon.

[rallydave]

We were on this cruise last April and information from Oceania came in very late and changed. I realize they are at the mercy of the airlines but this is not their first time operating this cruise. They should be past the learning curve. It was very difficult for us to make any informed decisions as to when to arrive, take the deviation, etc. when we didn't have information. I believe part of the problem is the size of the ship. PG can handle logistics much better since they only have 300 passengers whereas Oceania is running the Marina in this neck of the woods with 1250 people. I do agree with you that it is not fair. The ship will be crowded with those arriving on the early flight in conjunction with those who are allowed to stay on the ship and in their cabins till noon.

 

Don't forget those who Oceania is costing additional money. They purchased this cruise and planned their trip with the understanding that they could board by early afternoon thus not incurring costs for extra time in hotels or wherever they end up plus meals that were included and now required to incur double costs for purchasing their own meals while missing out on their already paid for onboard meals.

 

As you said, this is not a surprise to O and the incoming people are owed compensation for this total screw-up.