Oceania Riviera Maiden Voyage Delayed

Year	2012
Gross Tonnage	66,000 t
Length between Pp	210 m
Moulded  Breadth	32.2 m
Number of Cabins	629
Max Speed	19.5 knots

Artist Rendition of  Oceania Riviera            Courtesy Fincantieri

Oceania Riviera Facts

Oceania Cruises announced that the debut of its next ship, the 1,250-passenger Riviera, has been delayed due to recent strikes at the Fincantieri shipyard near Genoa, Italy where it is being built.  It is a sister ship to Marina which debuted last year.  It was also built by the same shipyard.

Delay Cancels Two Cruises

The maiden voyage of the 66,000-ton vessel has been pushed back to May 16 from April 2, 2012. Two cruises scheduled to take place between April 24 and May 16 are being canceled.

"We sincerely regret any inconvenience that this may cause our guests," Oceania President Kunal Kamlani says in a statement accompanying the announcement. "We are working very closely with the shipyard to ensure Riviera is completed to meet Oceania's high standards of quality and service."

Second Delay for Debut

This is the second announced delay, within the last six months, to the maiden voyage of the Riviera. The line announced in August that the ship's debut was being pushed back from April 14 to April 24.  Delays to maiden voyages, while rare, can happen for a number of reasons.  In this case, a strike over reorganization planned at the shipyard due to a slowdown in newbuild orders, lasted longer than expected.


Oceania says customers on the canceled cruises will be contacted by the line or their travel agents to discuss alternative cruise dates. Those who choose to rebook onto a later voyage will receive a credit ranging from $250 to $1,000 per person, depending on category of accommodation. Those who do not wish to rebook will receive a full refund.

The new maiden voyage is a 10-day ‘Pearls of the Aegean’ cruise that includes an overnight aboard ship in Venice before departing for Dubrovnik, Kotor, Corfu, Monemvasia, Crete, Santorini, Delos, Mykonos and Athens.