Cruising the Orinoco

When 600+ passengers boarded Fred Olsen's MV Braemar in Barbados on 22nd November 2007, most were looking forward to the comparatively rare experience of cruising the lower reaches of the mighty Orinoco river. A good number had previously enjoyed cruising the Amazon and saw this as an opportunity to enjoy a similar experience. Many had done their homework on this unique waterway and had been persuaded by the brochure text: ' Sailing into the fabled seldom-visited Orinoco is like entering another world, albeit one awash with scintillating surprises.... - The intoxicating hinterland of foliage and exotic fauna hide meandering channels that branch off at intervals into dense swampy swathes of rain forests. With soaring trees that seem to claw at the sky, this surreal canopy is alive with the sight and sounds of chattering monkeys, flitting from tree to tree It may well be true, but a change in itinerary resulting in a late night dash up the river and a late night dash back to sea, meant that not a single passenger saw anything of the Orinoco river other than the night sky and water flowing past the ship at anchor in an industrial port. Definitely a surprise, but not a 'scintillating' one. The reason for the trip was removed at a stroke.

Itinerary. The original itinerary, effectively the recipe from which customers choose the dish, listed a string of Caribbean islands from 22nd to 30th November followed by 1st December - Cruising the Orinoco River, 2nd December - Puerto Ordaz (on the Orinoco), 3rd December - Ca. Araguaito (0n the Orinoco), 4th December - Cruise the Orinoco Delta (the latter is an advertising puff anyway. The Orinoco Delta is effectively the same as being 'at sea' in that nothing much except sea can be seen from the ship.) Many of the passengers had already visited the Caribbean on one or more occasions and those we spoke with were happy to pay to do so again, mainly because it was a way of seeing the Orinoco. If it had not been for the Orinoco section, they would not have been on the ship! That was certainly true in our case.

Concealed Itinerary Changes. At least a week prior to the trip, the company was aware that it would not be fulfilling its contract in respect of the Orinoco, but passengers were not informed of this fact, a change that amounted to removal of the major objective of the cruise. This was a significant change and, under current legislation, gave rise to the option of cancellation with a full refund.

We alone among the passengers were aware of the planned changes because, on 8th November, 14 days prior to the trip, we wrote to the company bringing to their attention the high cost of ship-arranged shore excursions at Ca. Araguaito. Priced at c£100 and £150 for some pretty basic trips, they were cited as the only way in which passengers could go ashore. Don't pay the money and you are a prisoner on the ship! The Olsen reply, on 17 th November, started with the rather ironic phrase,Venezuela holds a certain magic for world travellers and the scenery along the banks of the Orinoco will not disappoint them ( it certainly does at night ) but, beyond those idyllic horizons is a country whose infrastructure is in decay. It said that operating safe tours was expensive and that this was reflected in the price. It went on, I have just been informed by our Director of Logistics that he has decided to cancel the visit to Cano Arguatio (sic) and we are instead hoping to secure a berth at Trinidad on 3rd December. Irrefutably, the company was well aware prior to the cruise that the Orinoco section of the cruise was effectively lost - passengers were not told. Arriving on board, we asked the tours office about the change but were greeted with denials by a staff member who demonstrated all the charisma of a hooded cobra about to strike. However, we could not book a tour in Ca. Araguaito as 'the matter is on hold'. When the itinerary change was eventually admitted, the Braemar staff blamed the late change on the Presidential Public Referendum being held on 2 nd December and the fact that public services would not be available on that day. Not only was this an inconsistent story but the referendum had been planned for several months and the local tour managers to whom I spoke at Puerto Ordaz were adamant that public services had been available as normal on 2nd December and had never been under threat. The passengers will probably never know the real reason, but it is unlikely to be either of the excuses spun by the company. Even prior to announcement of the itinerary change there was some discontented muttering among passengers when those who had booked early discovered that a good number of late bookers had received very heavily discounted packages at a fraction of the early booking price and this was further enhanced by an amount towards on-board spending. This type of discounting is a fact of life and does not give grounds for complaint. The answer is to take advantage of these discounts by booking late. With the massive increase in cruise capacity and an economic downturn in the USA and elsewhere, cruise customers will see some very good deals if they can be flexible with their travel plans and book late. There is no ground for complaint that you have made a bad commercial decision, but when the company fails to deliver what they contracted to deliver, there most certainly is.

General Standards. The trip started well. Since we last travelled with Monarch Airlines they have raised their game considerably. Seat legroom has been improved and the cabin staff, led by Lydia, was attentive, helpful and did their utmost to make the flight a pleasant one. It is encouraging that at least one airline appreciates that many passengers would rather pay a small premium than suffer leg pain for hours on end!

For the greater part of the voyage, Braemar hotel staffs were as professional and friendly as ever, but those who have used an Olsen cruise ship in the past would have noticed significant changes that smack of cost cutting or poor management. The Palms Cafe, an alternative to the main dining facility and the destination for those escaping formality or in need of a constant supply of tea or coffee, seldom had enough mugs or cups and the absence of a supply of teaspoons often necessitated guests using those discarded by earlier visitors. An unhealthy practice given that a virus, of which I shall say more later, seriously marred the last few days of the cruise. The Captain's traditional welcoming cocktail party, these days little more than an opportunity to have ones photograph taken with the Captain, thus giving the ship's photographer the opportunity to sell some 300 photographs at around £10 each, even ran out of the cheap sparkling wine after fewer than half the guests had arrived, leaving the latter half of the queue to take orange juice or a rather insipid dry sherry. A small cost saving, but presumably an important one.