I have just completed my eighth voyage with Oceania Cruises. The introduction at the beginning of the Cruise Document package wished me an “unforgettable cruise”. It was an “unforgettable cruise”, for all the wrong reasons. In fact for me it was a disappointment.

I opted for this cruise against a variety of others available because it was going to Easter Island. As you must be aware by now Marina did not land passengers there because of “inclement weather”, blue skies notwithstanding. I understand the logistics of the decision, but question it. We have been landed in other ports under worse conditions. Wind and seas at Sinop, August 31, 2010 being a prime example.

Had I known that not landing was a possibility, I would not have booked this cruise and instead I would have chosen to fly from a South American destination. Your company listed a weather advisory for Pitcairn Island. Why not Easter Island? I found out later that not landing at Easter Island is the rule rather than the exception. On two previous Oceania Cruises I was told that they made landfall on only two of the four days there. So including our cruise that is a 67% failure rate and that I believe should be noted in the itinerary as “Landing at Eastern Island, weather permitting”. The captain didn't bother to hang around for the second day claiming bad weather forecasts. Weather forecasts for most of the trip were unreliable as is the predicted weather pattern for that part of the Pacific. Read more