 Ask FDR
#183520
08/04/05 04:52 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
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ElleninNY
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There has been some talk about possibly cancelling certain destinations (Istanbul, Kusadasi, or anything else for that matter) because of terrorist threats. If the port that is cancelled is the final port, how would Oceania arrange for a shipload of passengers to get home? Unfortunately, this is not completely hypothetical, but a fact of life we have to live with now.
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Re: Ask FDR
#183521
08/04/05 05:07 PM
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Unfortunately Frank (Delrio) does not monitor this board..he monitors Yahoo and cruise critic..you might want to repost on one of those..
Jan
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Re: Ask FDR
#183522
08/04/05 05:28 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
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jhp
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Or, if you are a BK client, you may want to e-mail them. I'm sure they would be responsive. Ngaire and her staff always take care to answer client questions when she is away. I have had them many times, and always had an answer within a couple of hours. Of course, it is late at night now. But just you wait and see how quickly they respond if you are her client.
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Re: Ask FDR
#183523
08/04/05 05:53 PM
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Susan W
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I have just checked with Oceania this week and was assured by a top level decision maker that Turkey is still very much of their upcoming itineraries. They had changed one port in Turkey to another, but have no plans to make any further changes. I also checked all the travel warnings on the government site and Turkey is not included. I was assured by Oceania that any mention of them changing their itineraries is not true. I would imagine that should security issues arise in the future they would have to make changes. I doubt they would leave anyone hanging if they had to change the port of embarkation or debarkation due to security issues.
Susan
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Re: Ask FDR
#183524
08/04/05 06:03 PM
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Its amazing that these rumors even start..
Jan
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Re: Ask FDR
#183525
08/04/05 06:09 PM
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Susan W
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Susan
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Re: Ask FDR
#183526
08/05/05 03:29 PM
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Anonymous
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Hi Ellen..I am so glad Frank answered today..he is a really good guy!!
Jan
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Re: Ask FDR
#183527
08/05/05 03:36 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
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Claudia
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Olivia.. "FDR" is Frank Del Rio the owner of Oceania cruiseline. He monitors the Cruise Critic board ( for Oceania and also the Yahoo board for Oceania) and answers all the questions that folks raise. It is absolutely incredible to
me that an owner of a company such as that does this. I do recall Marc from radisson did the same for awhile.
If you want a true answer to a real concern which Ellen was having ( how to get home from Istanbul if port gets canceled and your airline tix say from there to home) that is a question that I suggested she throw out to him) and he answered. Guy is a doll.
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Re: Ask FDR
#183528
08/05/05 03:40 PM
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Claudia
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Originally posted by Jancruz1:
Its amazing that these rumors even start..
Jan The rumors got started, but they were not rumors.. Jan it seems that a few cruises by Oceania( or at least one in the last weeks had ports in Turkey cancelled) so if I had tickets coming back from anywhere that might not be the place I thought I"d be coming back from that would certainly be important to me, to at least know what I could expect to happen ( with ship responsibility) and mine.. and how the heck we'd get back 
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Re: Ask FDR
#183529
08/05/05 04:07 PM
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Anonymous
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Claudia,
The port they missed, (one time last week) Dikili, Turkey, was in the middle of the cruise not an embarkation or debarkation port..believe me things would be have to be really bad before Frank would change either of those..it would really be expensive for the cruise line..and the point is..if people are so worried..pick another cruise with ports where bombs are not being exploded..and they were rumors Claudia..the guide that was heard from said the ship was missing Ephesus and Istanbul..that was not true..
Jan
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Re: Ask FDR
#183530
08/05/05 04:17 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
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jhp
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Susan, not surprising to me that you responded so soon, like in 25 minutes! Amazing! We will not hold you to this in the future.
Claudia, you ask a good question given the recent events in Turkey. I would always expect that if I had booked my air through the cruise line (which I often don't) it is up to them. Otherwise, my problem.
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Re: Ask FDR
#183531
08/05/05 06:08 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
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Claudia
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Olivia: I thought so too about air fare not purchased through the ship but here is FDR's response to Ellen ( from CC board today ).. so seems to cover all basis?
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To put rumors to rest, we are NOT, as of today, changing ANY itinerary. We will go to Istanbul and Kusadasi as planned.
Please note that rapidly changing world circumstances could dictate future itineray adjustments, and if this does happen, we will address the SPECIFIC situation on an individual basis.
Should an embarkation port have to be changed for any reason, the company will bear the cost of re-directing our guests air or ground transportation to and from the ship.
And in response to another related thread I just read, ship captains don't dictate itinerary changes, HQ does. A captain can and will only make a specific decision on whether or not to change a particular port call based on either last minute local knowledege, wheather related factors, mechanical reasons and such.
Happy sailing.
FDR
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Re: Ask FDR
#183532
08/06/05 03:42 AM
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Joined: Mar 2004
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xrvlcruiser
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How do I find the Yahoo boards?
Thanks . . . Peggy
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Re: Ask FDR
#183533
08/06/05 04:59 AM
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johnandjudy
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We are booked on the Insignia Sept. 22, 2005 Barcelona to Istanbul. We were so unhappy with our TA for reasons too numerous to mention that when we found out B&K was now booking Oceania we had our reservation switched to them. FYI: Susan has been wonderful. Gets back to us within minutes. She finds out what is really happening and calls around until she has the answers. Ngaire is terrific and I am thinking that Susan is equally fantastic. WE were soooo thrilled to learn that they were now booking Oceania. They will build a steady following and Oceania will is blessed to have them taking care of their clients.And, no I don't work for them. My husband and I are hard working people in the medical profession and need a vacation every year that is as stress-free as possible and this agancy makes it possible. Anyone can e-mail personaly, Judyumcer@aol.com
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Re: Ask FDR
#183535
08/07/05 03:51 AM
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Joined: Mar 2004
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xrvlcruiser
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Re: Ask FDR
#183536
08/07/05 04:14 AM
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Joined: Jul 2005
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ElleninNY
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I am not sure that I understood what you did, Claudia, and perhaps Frank can verify it:
He said "Should the EMBARKATION port...."
Does that include debarkation port as well?
Also, he did not specifically state that he would take care of all airfare, regardless of how you booked it, through Oceania or on your own.
Perhaps I am nitpicking, but it would be a comfort to know his exact response.
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