Iona and Geiranger

[Ardennais]

2 hours ago, Host Sharon said:

Iona may be capable of tendering, but when you look at her boats, they all appear to be lifeboats, no tenders (and yes, there is a difference.)

Thanks, didn’t know that! So what does that mean? Moley said that Iona was capable of tendering! 

[Megabear2]

2 hours ago, AchileLauro said:

I was thinking something similar Sharon but not having seen the survival craft on Iona yet was reserving judgment.

I have noted however that Britannia carries both types of craft so supposedly it is intended that she will visit some tender ports in the future if she hasn't already done so but perhaps it is not intended to do so with Iona and Arvia unless as a last resort.

Britannia tenders regularly in the Caribbean, I love that.

 

I was hoping Iona and Arvia would have tenders like Celebrity Edge!  Guess I was being too optimistic...

[Yorkypete]

5 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Britannia tenders regularly in the Caribbean, I love that.

 

I was hoping Iona and Arvia would have tenders like Celebrity Edge!  Guess I was being too optimistic...

It does look as though Iona is not able to tender. From what I heard the exits are not in the right position for it. I may be wrong on that but there must be a reason it cannot tender.

 

[AchileLauro]

I was wondering if Iona and Arvia have drop down  tendering sponsons similar to those on Aurora and Oriana?

[davecttr]

5 hours ago, Host Sharon said:

Iona may be capable of tendering, but when you look at her boats, they all appear to be lifeboats, no tenders (and yes, there is a difference.)

Do tenders need to have 2 screws for increased maneuverability and a central steering position so the helmsman can have all round visibility?

 

Maybe Iona is capable of tendering, with tenders supplied from elsewhere. I have seen this on a few occasions. Santorini springs to mind and Hellesylt in the days before the cruise berth

[Ardennais]

4 hours ago, Yorkypete said:

It does look as though Iona is not able to tender. From what I heard the exits are not in the right position for it. I may be wrong on that but there must be a reason it cannot tender.

 

Do you mean unable at Geiranger or in general? Moley has reassured us that Iona is very capable of tendering.

 

As someone who is disappointed with the whole Geiranger debacle (having already booked an excursion there in September), I’m just curious as to whether or not they even considered tendering there? I know that it wouldn’t be easy to tender over 500O passengers, but that’s the same wherever Iona tenders. 
 

I don’t expect an answer - P&O only explain what they want to tell us! 
 

Just to add, the loss of Geiranger won’t spoil my cruise, but the accumulation of P&O excuses has led me anyway to look more closely at others. The cruise after Iona is already booked with another cruiseline and the most recent one was Princess. I know that Princess has let down one of our regular posters badly, nobody’s perfect. But I’m so annoyed with P&O and their ‘operational reasons’! 

Edited July 13, 2022 by Ardennais

[Fandomlife]

So, does Iona even actually stop at Geiranger the actual port? People seem to get a lot of those operational reasons emails before their cruise and an excursions person told us they they'd never ACTUALLY docked AT Geiranger.

Now, it wasn't so much a problem for me and I found the boat, albeit at £60 to be a great way to cruise the fjord!

It just seems to be a bit of a con. It's even in Flam today so maybe this cruise they didn't even try to get in at all!

[Fandomlife]

I remain convinced Iona has never actually docked at the port of Geiranger. They just tell everyone beforehand the different place for operational reasons.

 

A cruise excursion person actually told is they never had.

 

I suspect 90% of the time it's always docked at Hellesylt or they've changed places all together an went to Flam - like today as far as I can tell from tracking the ship.

Edited July 13, 2022 by Fandomlife

[mikey22664]

I have friends on this cruise

Today was to be Hellesylt and Geiranger but the entire fjord was cancelled due to weather and Flam was the alternate 

They are staying overnight in flam and sailing out at 4.00 am 

They are also missing Haugesund and having 2 sea days back to Southampton

[molecrochip]

Its not hidden, Iona has not docked at Geiranger.

 

All of the 16 main lifeboats are capable of being used as tenders. By the forward and mid deck three gun-doors there are doors which cover deck 3 and deck 2 below. This is where the tender boarding is from.

 

The higher feature tender craft are significantly more expensive, therefore where there is no expectation of regular tendering, there is no benefit purchasing those craft.

 

If tendering was to become regular, it is possible to swap out lifecraft.

[Saab4444]

10 hours ago, Host Sharon said:

Iona may be capable of tendering, but when you look at her boats, they all appear to be lifeboats, no tenders (and yes, there is a difference.)

When you look at her boats they are All tenders and not lifeboats. All cruise ships are in general capable of tendering but the biggest ones like Oasis and Meraviglia class avoid it because it would end up in chaos with 5.000+ people. 

[Saab4444]

7 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Britannia tenders regularly in the Caribbean, I love that.

 

I was hoping Iona and Arvia would have tenders like Celebrity Edge!  Guess I was being too optimistic...

Iona has the same type of tenders as Edge and Apex.

[Saab4444]

When the Seawalk was introduced Carnivsl refused to pay extra for using it so only Royal and other companies ships docked there. Big Carnival ships like QM2 were diverted to other ports at short notice because of this dispute. QM2 never came back to Geiranger. It might be still the same issue between Carnival Group and Port Geiranger that no one is willing to tell to customers… 

[Ardennais]

33 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Its not hidden, Iona has not docked at Geiranger.

 

All of the 16 main lifeboats are capable of being used as tenders. By the forward and mid deck three gun-doors there are doors which cover deck 3 and deck 2 below. This is where the tender boarding is from.

 

The higher feature tender craft are significantly more expensive, therefore where there is no expectation of regular tendering, there is no benefit purchasing those craft.

 

If tendering was to become regular, it is possible to swap out lifecraft.

Thank you. Not sure I follow exactly though. 
 

So tendering is possible from Iona. And I take it that the ‘higher feature tender craft’ are those fancy ones someone mentioned recently? Nothing to do with Iona?
 

So am I right in deducing that tendering from Iona is possible in Geiranger but that, for some reason, it has been decided not to do that?

And what do you mean exactly by ‘swap out lifecraft’? 
 

I’m just trying to understand what tendering Iona can/cannot do. It will help inform my choice of cruises in future. I don’t want to be let down again! 

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

Its not hidden, Iona has not docked at Geiranger.

 

All of the 16 main lifeboats are capable of being used as tenders. By the forward and mid deck three gun-doors there are doors which cover deck 3 and deck 2 below. This is where the tender boarding is from.

 

The higher feature tender craft are significantly more expensive, therefore where there is no expectation of regular tendering, there is no benefit purchasing those craft.

 

If tendering was to become regular, it is possible to swap out lifecraft.

Moley, why have P&O not considered using a similar system to RCIs Independence OTS on their last 2 new builds. This has a switch back ramp from the upper gun port deck down to the tender platform, to allow wheelchair passengers to tender by utilising a shoreside roll on tender boat. Is this just a cost issue, or do P&O not really want to encourage wheelchair using passengers?

[Host Sharon]

2 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

When the Seawalk was introduced Carnivsl refused to pay extra for using it so only Royal and other companies ships docked there. Big Carnival ships like QM2 were diverted to other ports at short notice because of this dispute. QM2 never came back to Geiranger. It might be still the same issue between Carnival Group and Port Geiranger that no one is willing to tell to customers… 

It was my understanding that Iona's gunport openings are not compatible with the Seawalk, not that P&O wouldn't pay for its use.

[Host Sharon]

2 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Its not hidden, Iona has not docked at Geiranger.

 

All of the 16 main lifeboats are capable of being used as tenders. By the forward and mid deck three gun-doors there are doors which cover deck 3 and deck 2 below. This is where the tender boarding is from.

 

The higher feature tender craft are significantly more expensive, therefore where there is no expectation of regular tendering, there is no benefit purchasing those craft.

 

If tendering was to become regular, it is possible to swap out lifecraft.

 

2 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

When you look at her boats they are All tenders and not lifeboats. All cruise ships are in general capable of tendering but the biggest ones like Oasis and Meraviglia class avoid it because it would end up in chaos with 5.000+ people. 

Not according to Molecrochip. He specifically says Iona's lifecraft are NOT the higher feature tenders.

[davecttr]

33 minutes ago, Host Sharon said:

 

Not according to Molecrochip. He specifically says Iona's lifecraft are NOT the higher feature tenders.

..and the higher specification tenders can replace the 'lifecraft' if necessary. Is Arvia due to tender in some ports, in which case she will have some proper tenders?

[Saab4444]

8 hours ago, Ardennais said:

Thank you. Not sure I follow exactly though. 
 

So tendering is possible from Iona. And I take it that the ‘higher feature tender craft’ are those fancy ones someone mentioned recently? Nothing to do with Iona?
 

So am I right in deducing that tendering from Iona is possible in Geiranger but that, for some reason, it has been decided not to do that?

And what do you mean exactly by ‘swap out lifecraft’? 
 

I’m just trying to understand what tendering Iona can/cannot do. It will help inform my choice of cruises in future. I don’t want to be let down again! 

Of course they can but they don‘t want to to avoid chaos or they may not stop with so many people on one ship anymore.

[Saab4444]

5 hours ago, davecttr said:

..and the higher specification tenders can replace the 'lifecraft' if necessary. Is Arvia due to tender in some ports, in which case she will have some proper tenders?

Her boats are fully useable as tenders, classic lifeboats are open top boats who look like big rowboats.

Edited July 14, 2022 by Saab4444

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, Saab4444 said:

Her boats are fully useable as tenders, classic lifeboats are open top boats who look like big rowboats.

I refer you to post #33.  Ionas 'lifecraft' are not meant for regular tendering which needs a different design for maximum efficiency

[Megabear2]

10 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

Iona has the same type of tenders as Edge and Apex.

Hooray - do I get the padded armchairs too?  The tenders were more comfortable than Edge's Kelly Hopson armchairs!

[Saab4444]

30 minutes ago, davecttr said:

I refer you to post #33.  Ionas 'lifecraft' are not meant for regular tendering which needs a different design for maximum efficiency

After looking at pictures again I have to admit that this is correct, they are covered boats that can be used for tendering but they are not full modern tender boats like e.g. Edge or Apex have.

[Megabear2]

17 minutes ago, Saab4444 said:

After looking at pictures again I have to admit that this is correct, they are covered boats that can be used for tendering but they are not full modern tender boats like e.g. Edge or Apex have.

Boooooo! 

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, Saab4444 said:

Her boats are fully useable as tenders, classic lifeboats are open top boats who look like big rowboats.

 I have never seen open topped lifeboats on any modern cruise ship we have sailed.