Posted on Thursday, January 26, 2012 by Peter Knego
Sestri builder's plate for MV MARINA, twin sister to MV RIVIERA.
Keep up to date with Peter Knego on Twitter by clicking here
Strikes at Fincantieri’s troubled Sestri Ponente shipyard (formerly the famed Ansaldo that built LEONARDO DA VINCI, ANDREA DORIA and a galaxy of brilliant Italian liners) have delayed the completion of Oceania Cruises 1,250 passenger RIVIERA. The maiden voyage of RIVIERA has moved from April 24 to May 16, and all guests affected by the delay will be contacted by their travel agents or by Oceania Cruises directly to discuss alternative cruise dates.
“We sincerely regret any inconvenience that this may cause our guests,” stated Kunal S. Kamlani, the cruise line’s president. “We are working very closely with the shipyard to ensure RIVIERA is completed to meet Oceania’s high standards of quality and service.”
“We know that sophisticated international travelers are anxious to welcome RIVIERA and we regret that labor strikes have caused this delay,” said Giuseppe Bono, Fincantieri’s chief executive officer. “All of us at Fincantieri are committed to producing a superior quality ship and we will deliver a truly magnificent vessel to Oceania Cruises without further delays.”
MV RIVIERA was floated out at Sestri on July 16 2011. Photo courtesy of Oceania Cruises.
The new maiden voyage is a 10-day “Pearls of the Aegean” cruise that includes an overnight aboard ship in Venice before visiting Dubrovnik, Kotor, Corfu, Monemvasia, Crete, Santorini, Kusadasi (gateway to Ephesus), Delos, Mykonos and Athens.
Guests booked on affected sailings will have the option of rebooking another cruise and receive a future cruise credit, which ranges from $250 to $1,000 per guest, depending on category of accommodation. In the event guests do not wish to rebook, they will receive a full refund. Travel agent commissions will be protected.
RIVIERA will be the virtual twin of Oceania’s MARINA (click here for the first part of a Double Decked! top-to-bottom virtual tour, which was launched to much acclaim in 2011.
For more information on RIVIERA, visit Oceania Cruises
