Oceanwide replaces Antarctic Dream due to delayed repairs

From:
Michel van Gessel, Managing director
Ko de Korte, Arctic Program Oceanwide Expeditions

Recently we have been informed by the owners of the Antarctic Dream (Chile), that they will not deliver the ship to Oceanwide Expeditions in time for the Arctic 2012 Season. This is due to delays in the repair of essential parts of the ship. The ship does not meet yet the requirements of the Flag State for passenger vessel certification.

As a replacement we have managed to charter the “Sea Spirit” from ISP for the period July 10 – Sep 08, 2012, LYR – Spitsbergen – Greenland – LYR, which will enable us to sail on the planned dates offering the same programs with your passengers for the following six Antarctic Dream voyages.

ATD08, July 10 – July 19, Spitsbergen
ATD09, July 19 – July 28, Spitsbergen
ATD10, July 28 – Aug 06, Spitsbergen
ATD11, Aug 06 – Aug 15, Spitsbergen
ATD12, Aug 15 – Aug 27, Greenland
ATD13, Aug 27 – Sep 08, Greenland
Your passengers will be accommodated in cabins on the “Sea Spirit” with the same or better standard than the cabins for which they paid for on Antarctic Dream.
We must inform you though that we have to cancel three Antarctic Dream voyages for Arctic 2012;

ATD06, June 24 – July 01, Spitsbergen
ATD07, July 01 – July 10, Spitsbergen
ATD14, Sep 08 – Sep 17, Greenland
We apologize sincerely for this, and regret the disappointment this will cause you and your passengers booked on any of these three departures.

With your cooperation we will try as much as possible to mitigate the negative effects of the cancellation.
Full paying passengers, including tour leaders (other than reduced or FOC escorts, FOC passengers or FOC journalists) booked on ATD06 and ATD07 are invited to rebook on our OTL, PLA and (the replaced ATD) now SPI voyages subject to availability and on a first come first served basis.

We do still have quite some vacancies on the following;

OTL07, July 03 – July 12, Spitsbergen
PLA07, July 04 – July 13, Spitsbergen
ATD08=SPI08, July 10 – July 19, Spitsbergen
ATD09=SPI09, July 19 – July 28, Spitsbergen
ATD10=SPI10, July 28 – Aug 06, Spitsbergen
OTL12, Aug 21 – Sep 01, Franz Josef Land

Passengers booked on ATD14 are invited to rebook on (ATD13) now SPI13, Aug 27 – Sep 08, Greenland.
Your clients who do choose to rebook their voyage on any of the above mentioned voyages, may encounter flight ticket change fees. The change fee amount will be reimbursed by Oceanwide Expeditions.
Your clients who do not rebook this season, can rebook for Arctic 2013 for the same prices as they paid for Arctic 2012.

In effect, this gives a discount of 5 % on the Arctic 2013 rates. Alternatively they can book on a selection of our Antarctic 2012 – 13 Peninsula voyages (10 or 11 nights) with a discount of 30 %. The amount paid for your cancelled arctic trip will be applied as deposit paymentfor the Antarctic trip (at the 30% discounted level) and any balance owing will be due at normal time of final payment deadline. In both situations, should your client incur flight change fees, these will be reimbursed by Oceanwide Expeditions.
For your clients who choose not to rebook their voyage, we will refund the net (cruise) fare paid to Oceanwide Expeditions. Change fees for flight tickets, including cancellation fees will be reimbursed by Oceanwide Expeditions to a maximum of 600 USD. For your clients who do not rebook their voyage, we will give you a bookings fee of 450 USD as compensation for not earned commission.
We sincerely hope that we can find a satisfactory solution for your clients on the three cancelled ATD voyages. At the same time, we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused.
All current no-name allotments without commitments on the OTL and PLA voyages will be cancelled herewith.
With your consent we are ready to rebook the passengers from ATD08 through ATD13 on SPI08 through SPI13 for the same programmes and same or better cabins.
We are also ready to rebook the passengers from ATD06, ATD07, and ATD14 on alternative departures.

Contact our Head Office:
Oceanwide Expeditions
Bellamypark 9
4381 CG Vlissingen, the Netherlands
T: +31 (0) 118 410 410
F: +31 (0) 118 410 417
E: info@oceanwide-expeditions.com
www.oceanwide-expeditions.com