Edinburgh: The change of port from Leith to Rosyth

[cdfev]

2 hours ago, Woodrowst said:

I am getting the feeling that you are not a go with the flow and adapt kind of person…..

I guess not. When you pay the fares, I believe the provider should be forthcoming about why they made the change. Air and train providers routinely offer you alternatives if they cannot deliver what they sell you, I think a premium cruise line should do this as well. It is clear the Oceania apologists do not agree with this, and I do not believe this cruise line deserves such. I am very much a go with the flow and adaptable person and made the best of what I think was an improper way of handling the situation by this cruise line. You all are obviously much better travelers than I am and I apologize for noting what I think is bad customer service.

[fruitmachine]

9 hours ago, cdfev said:

I guess not. When you pay the fares, I believe the provider should be forthcoming about why they made the change. Air and train providers routinely offer you alternatives if they cannot deliver what they sell you, I think a premium cruise line should do this as well. It is clear the Oceania apologists do not agree with this, and I do not believe this cruise line deserves such. I am very much a go with the flow and adaptable person and made the best of what I think was an improper way of handling the situation by this cruise line. You all are obviously much better travelers than I am and I apologize for noting what I think is bad customer service.

In the UK (and across the EU) we have much greater consumer protection.  Significant changes (even up to the day of departure) allow you to cancel and receive a full refund, including for any other travel element such as flights, hotel, car hire, etc booked as a 'package' together.  That protection costs, which is a main reason why we pay more.

 

But a change from Leith to Rosyth would never meet the 'significant' hurdle.

 

Your beef seems to be with not being told the reason for the change.  Have you formally requested that reason from Oceania?

[Vallesan]

10 hours ago, cdfev said:

I guess not. When you pay the fares, I believe the provider should be forthcoming about why they made the change. Air and train providers routinely offer you alternatives if they cannot deliver what they sell you, I think a premium cruise line should do this as well. It is clear the Oceania apologists do not agree with this, and I do not believe this cruise line deserves such. I am very much a go with the flow and adaptable person and made the best of what I think was an improper way of handling the situation by this cruise line. You all are obviously much better travelers than I am and I apologize for noting what I think is bad customer service.

It’s all in te ‘terms and conditions’ of booking. Unfortunately not many people read them thoroughly.

[osandomir]

1 hour ago, fruitmachine said:

 

 

But a change from Leith to Rosyth would never meet the 'significant' hurdle.

 

Your beef seems to be with not being told the reason for the change.  Have you formally requested that reason from Oceania?

And how would that matter? Obviously, it was a reason other than just to make customers disappointed. But it seems that the OP was looking not just for an explanation.

[Harters]

1 hour ago, fruitmachine said:

That protection costs, which is a main reason why we pay more.

And I've benefitted from it, when a land & cruise trip to Canada was cancelled at the beginning of Covid. The Canadian owned, but UK based, company only wanted to issued a credit but I knew they were legally bound to give a full refund. We had some "back and forwards" for a few weeks but eventually I was in contact with a senior manager with whom I had a "see you in court" conversation. Full refund within days. 

[cdfev]

When I pay more than $500 per day per person to a travel vendor, they should let me know why they need to change what they marketed to me for more than one year and what I paid for in good faith. They have every legal right to do whatever they want but it does not make it a good business decision or good customer service. I AM NOT LOOKING FOR COMPENSASTION osandomir (and do not expect it) but the explanation (which I have formally requested) should be provided (as this would be appropriate customer service), although they have no legal reason to provide such explanation. It will however determine if I ever use this cruise line again.

[Harters]

On 8/24/2024 at 2:26 PM, cdfev said:

I am stating that Oceania should not market a port for over one year for the same ships

I come back to this comment you made much earlier and continue to agree with you 100%. This has been shabby customer service on O's part and there really is no getting away from that. This is not a port change that might occur at the last minute due to weather. It is something O has clearly known about for some considerable time. The change of  port may indeed be a necessity but some transparency and explanation would be in order. 

[tine-tine]

From Scottish newspaper today, a further quirky snippet about the city of Dunfermline!

 

https://www.thenational.scot/news/24549700.fife-council-confer-status-dunfermlines-beloved-birds/

[Stella Maris]

I also received the Oceania email in March, advising of the port change.  We had wanted to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia, docked in Leith, but also go into town and see Holyrood.  We knew months ago that the Yacht idea wasn't practical, used the Edinburgh On Your Own bus to go into the city, walk to Holyrood, and do some more walking before we caught the bus back.  Frankly, given the mass of humanity in Edinburgh that day, we would never have been able to add on Britannia.

[Harters]

15 hours ago, Stella Maris said:

We had wanted to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia

If you pass that way again, it is well worth seeing as a little piece of British "times gone by".  I remember, from when I was in my early teens, there were often clips on the TV news of the Queen on Britannia visiting some far flung part of the Commonwealth. I think they probably fed my republican tendencies. 😀

Edited September 7 by Harters