Passengers hoping to be the first to experience the new adult-only incarnation of P&O cruise ship Oriana are going to have to wait a bit longer – the schedule for the vessel’s refit has been extended and three cruises have been cancelled as a result.
The 70,000-ton ship, named in 1995 by HM the Queen, is going into dry-dock in Hamburg for a transformation which includes 27 new cabins in place of the children’s play areas.
Also planned in the refit, which will begin after the ship returns to Southampton in November from a 16-night cruise to the Aegean, are the provision of a Marco Pierre White Ocean Grill and a Sorrento Italian restaurant – both have proved popular on board P&O’s Adonia.
“This work is going to take longer than originally expected and we have had to extend the dry-dock period,” a spokeswoman told me. “Regrettably, we have had to cancel the three short cruises that followed the refit.”
The affected voyages, all to have departed from Southampton are:
December 9, for which passengers are being offered an alternative three-night cruise on Arcadia on the same date.
December 12, whose passengers can choose to transfer to an alternative five-night cruise with £100 on-board credit as compensation; or accept a full refund;
Those booked on the two-night December 17 sailing get the best deal; they have been offered a three-night December sailing on Arcadia at no extra cost, or £50 on-board credit if they re-book another cruise. Alternatively, they can have a refund.,
Oriana’s first cruise in its new guise will now be a 16-night Christmas cruise to the Western Mediterranean, leaving on December 19 – if all goes to the new plan.
About the Author: John Honeywell
John Honeywell is a travel writer specialising in cruise ships and cruise travel. Winner of CLIA UK's Contribution to Cruise award 2017.
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