Iona no show for Geiranger

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

Although not as big as Iona, RCIs Ibdependance has a switch back roll on facilty to take passengers down to the tender loading platform, and by using shoreside tenders everyone is able to go ashore; and the process is very slick with no long queues waiting for tenders.

It doesn’t surprise me at all to hear that other cruise operators have slicker / quicker processes for tender operations, just as I believe they do with embarkation and disembarkation. I guess that P&O work on the basis that us Brits are a passive lot and love to queue!

[Fionboard]

12 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

I dont believe that Norwegian Fjords have significant tides.

But having visited several times (and never had good weather!) I can assure you that they can have significant winds, snow and fog. Never had a port cancelled though. Must be lucky!

[gsmt47471015]

6 hours ago, jaydee6969 said:

I think it's more the other way around.  Iona has taken Grandiosa's berth.

Bit confused now as the original wording stated that Grandiosa is been moved to Gerainger from Hellesylt ?

[monsterl]

Stavanger today was also canceled due to "strong winds“.

 

Now we can look forward to a day at sea.

[newbie cruissy]

1 hour ago, monsterl said:

Stavanger today was also canceled due to "strong winds“.

 

Now we can look forward to a day at sea.

Looks like she made a decent effort to get alongside on the Marine Traffic site. Almost touching distance! 

[jaydee6969]

Have just been informed and seen on the Geiranger Port Authority site, Geiranger has been cancelled for the season for Iona with stops at Hellesylt instead.

 

https://www.stranda-hamnevesen.no/cruise-calls/

 

[thornegirl]

5 minutes ago, jaydee6969 said:

Have just been informed and seen on the Geiranger Port Authority site, Geiranger has been cancelled for the season for Iona with stops at Hellesylt instead.

 

https://www.stranda-hamnevesen.no/cruise-calls/

 

Can I ask who have you been informed by?

 

Isn't Hellesylt a tender port, its a tiny place.

 

We are on Iona on 6th August sailing and I have already booked a rib safari independently so I'm quite concerned.

[jaydee6969]

7 minutes ago, thornegirl said:

Can I ask who have you been informed by?

 

Isn't Hellesylt a tender port, its a tiny place.

 

We are on Iona on 6th August sailing and I have already booked a rib safari independently so I'm quite concerned.

 

The link is to the port authority, and until this morning Iona was stopping at Geiranger on the site.  Now all changed.  Obviously we are all waiting for the official word from P&O, but now I am expecting to be in Hellesylt next week.

 

Hellesylt has a dock to tie up too.  If you look at the video link below and scroll back a couple of hours you will see and Aidaperla tied up.

 

 

Edited May 23, 2022 by jaydee6969

[thornegirl]

8 minutes ago, jaydee6969 said:

 

The link is to the port authority, and until this morning Iona was stopping at Geiranger on the site.  Now all changed.  Obviously we are all waiting for the official word from P&O, but now I am expecting to be in Hellesylt next week.

 

Hellesylt has a dock to tie up too.  If you look at the video link below and scroll back a couple of hours you will see and Aidaperla tied up.

 

 

I'm relieved its not a tender port but my problem now is how to get to Geiranger for the rib safari!  Geiranger was one of the two highlights of this cruise

[newbie cruissy]

5 minutes ago, thornegirl said:

I'm relieved its not a tender port but my problem now is how to get to Geiranger for the rib safari!  Geiranger was one of the two highlights of this cruise

Maybe the local, independent operators will move their events down to Hellesylt? 

[terrierjohn]

5 hours ago, newbie cruissy said:

Looks like she made a decent effort to get alongside on the Marine Traffic site. Almost touching distance! 

Iona must be far less manoeverable than Celebrety's Solstice class, we berthed in Stavanger in very strong winds with ease, while one of Mein Schiff"s ships, and a small  MSC ship struggled to even get close to the berth.

[SarahHben]

4 hours ago, thornegirl said:

I'm relieved its not a tender port but my problem now is how to get to Geiranger for the rib safari!  Geiranger was one of the two highlights of this cruise

I’m onboard at the moment and one of the new Hellesylt excursions is an “on your own” boat trip to Geiranger. You can either leave at 7:30am or the one we’re doing, 10:30 am. I think they said it’s around 1hr 15mins boat transfer each way and we’ll have 3 hours free time once there. Hope that helps. It’s £59 per person

Edited May 23, 2022 by SarahHben

[jaydee6969]

4 minutes ago, SarahHben said:

I’m onboard at the moment and one of the new Hellesylt excursions is an “on your own” boat trip to Geiranger. You can either leave at 7:30am or the one we’re doing, 10:30 am. I think they said it’s around 1hr 15mins boat transfer each way and we’ll have 3 hours free time once there. Hope that helps. It’s £59 per person

 

Thanks for that Sarah, I'll pass that onto our group for next week.

 

Glad to see you are enjoying your first cruise.

[Ardennais]

4 minutes ago, SarahHben said:

I’m onboard at the moment and one of the new Hellesylt excursions is an “on your own” boat trip to Geiranger. You can either leave at 7:30am or the one we’re doing, 10:30 am. I think they said it’s around 1hr 15mins boat transfer each way and we’ll have 3 hours free time once there. Hope that helps. It’s £59 per person

That’s rather steep isn’t it when some folks might have planned to do their own thing in Geiranger. Multiplied by 5 when we visited with our children - I would have thought twice about it! 

[Ardennais]

Sarah - are they still able to offer the Mount Dalsnibba  tour? We really enjoyed that, but I have no idea of the distance now from Hellesyllt. 

[thornegirl]

1 hour ago, SarahHben said:

I’m onboard at the moment and one of the new Hellesylt excursions is an “on your own” boat trip to Geiranger. You can either leave at 7:30am or the one we’re doing, 10:30 am. I think they said it’s around 1hr 15mins boat transfer each way and we’ll have 3 hours free time once there. Hope that helps. It’s £59 per person

There are 8 of us, so I don't think we will be adding that to the cost of the rib excursion.  So disappointed , will be contacting the rib company in Geiranger to cancel or see if they will be moving to Hellesylt.  I would imagine that there are a few very unhappy cruisers.

 

 

[Fionboard]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

Iona must be far less manoeverable than Celebrety's Solstice class, we berthed in Stavanger in very strong winds with ease, while one of Mein Schiff"s ships, and a small  MSC ship struggled to even get close to the berth.

Yes, although Solstice class are smaller than Iona. They both have azipods I believe. Loved the likes of Eclipse (especially happy hour in Sky lounge!) but they got too expensive for me.

[Britboys]

On 5/21/2022 at 11:06 PM, Ardennais said:

Of course I understand your personal preference and the reason for avoiding tender ports. Do you think that Iona will ever visit tender ports? 

When up to full capacity, I would think P&O would avoid tender ports for Iona at all costs. I'm not sure but I thought someone, somewhere on this board said that the lifecraft on Iona aren't suitable for tendering, which would mean local tenders being employed.

[jaydee6969]

48 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Yes, although Solstice class are smaller than Iona. They both have azipods I believe. Loved the likes of Eclipse (especially happy hour in Sky lounge!) but they got too expensive for me.

 

Iona has Azipods too.  Picture below from Meyer Werft during install on Iona.

 

 

[Britboys]

7 hours ago, jaydee6969 said:

Have just been informed and seen on the Geiranger Port Authority site, Geiranger has been cancelled for the season for Iona with stops at Hellesylt instead.

 

https://www.stranda-hamnevesen.no/cruise-calls/

 

Which would certainly seem to suggest that there is something specific about Iona and maybe use of the SeaWalk...?

[molecrochip]

Iona is the biggest ship to ever be scheduled to call at the SeaWalk.

 

Unusually with the SeaWalk, the ship is at anchor rather than tied to the quay/moorings. Therefore, I believe the SeaWalk requires seas to be slight as the ships must also switch of their engines when alongside.

Suggestion is that the sea conditions have not been right and there is now questions as to whether there will ever be the correct conditions.

[jaydee6969]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

Iona is the biggest ship to ever be scheduled to call at the SeaWalk.

 

Unusually with the SeaWalk, the ship is at anchor rather than tied to the quay/moorings. Therefore, I believe the SeaWalk requires seas to be slight as the ships must also switch of their engines when alongside.

Suggestion is that the sea conditions have not been right and there is now questions as to whether there will ever be the correct conditions.

 

From Geiranger port authority, the whole season appears to be scrapped.  

 

And we have heard officially from P&O that we will be stopping at Helleslyt on June 1st, with possible excursions to be advised once on board.

 

It doesn't sit well to be charged £59 for a trip to somewhere we should have walked over the Fjord too.

[BouncingWheel]

It just seems to be one thing after another with Iona, since launch, with trying to get into ports. Hopefully her luck will change but obviously not with Geiranger unless they change the Seawalk/port. Though for those people that put ship before itinerary it is not as much of a big deal. I guess Arvia will have the same issues if built the same.

[vitrocmax]

We were told that we would have a cruise by the Seven Sisters, but one of the trips on offer is to go past the Seven Sisters! 

[Ardennais]

2 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Iona is the biggest ship to ever be scheduled to call at the SeaWalk.

 

Unusually with the SeaWalk, the ship is at anchor rather than tied to the quay/moorings. Therefore, I believe the SeaWalk requires seas to be slight as the ships must also switch of their engines when alongside.

Suggestion is that the sea conditions have not been right and there is now questions as to whether there will ever be the correct conditions.

Interesting. As to your last point, didn’t anybody think to check that out properly before drawing up the itineraries? Geiranger is a jewel in any Fjords itinerary and a big draw for many so I imagine that there will be a lot of disappointment.