Strikes at Fincantieri delay delivery of Oceania Cruises m/s Riviera

Miami based Oceania Cruises says it was notified by Fincantieri late last week of construction delays and as a result, will reschedule the maiden voyage of its m/s Riviera. Construction on the 1,250-guest ship fell behind schedule when strikes at the shipbuilder’s Sestre Ponente shipyard near Genoa, Italy, lasted longer than expected.

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.”

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.

Oceania Cruises is a unit of Prestige Cruise Holdings (PCH). PCH was formed in 2007 to manage select assets in Apollo Management’s cruise investment portfolio and is the parent company of both Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.  PCH is led by Chairman & CEO Frank J. Del Rio and President & COO Kunal S. Kamlani. PCH targets the upper-premium and luxury segments of the cruise industry with nearly 5,200 berths between the Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, a number the company expects will grow to approximately 6,500 berths this year.

Riviera

Guest Capacity:     1,258 (Double Occupancy)
Tonnage:     66,084
Builder:     Fincantieri; Sestre Ponente, Italy
Length:     782 feet
Width:     105 feet
Draft:     24 feet
Cruising Speed:     20 knots
Propulsion:     Diesel Electric, 2 controllable pitch propellers
Restaurants:     Six Open Seating Restaurants:

The Grand Dining Room – Continental Cuisine
Polo Grill – Steak House
Toscana – Gourmet Italian
Jaques – Country French Cuisine
Red Ginger – Asian Cuisine
Terrace Café – Casual Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodations:     629 Guest Staterooms and Suites:

3 Owner’s Suites
8 Vista Suites
12 Oceania Suites
124 Penthouse Suites
220 Concierge Veranda Staterooms
244 Veranda Staterooms
20 Ocean View Staterooms
18 Inside Staterooms

January 26, 2011