Open Letter to President of Oceania Cruises and all potential new customers

My partner and I started cruising in 1984 and I was instantly hooked on the ease of travel as well as the experience aboard the ship. Even though the experience has changed over the years, there is still nothing like being on the open seas. We booked our first Oceana trip on the Riviera with a back-to-back Atlantic crossing and a Caribbean 10 day cruise after. The positive experience lead us to book two more Oceana cruises, the April 13th Panama canal cruise on the Regatta and a November 2015 cruise on the Riviera again in Europe (now cancelled).

The Regatta was so disappointing that I wrote a letter to Oceana to try and instruct them how to improve the experience. Unbelievingly, this letter was sent 5 times to a variety of Oceana E-mails addresses and NO ONE has yet had the courtesy to even acknowledge my letter. In my business, I am the compliance officer and my rule is to answer all inquiries the same day when possible; not to answer is not even a consideration. Am I being too picky or is this what quality looks like in the cruise industry? I would like to hear your comments as well as someone from Oceana if they really do exist.

Colleen,

I felt compelled to send you this note concerning the very disappointing cruise experience that I and my travel partner Jeff Wilson had on our recent cruise aboard the Regatta through the Panama Canal. First the good news about the trip; the ship was in perfect condition and maintained with obvious pride of ownership. The crew, for the most part were very attentive and added greatly to the experience. This unfortunately is were the good news ends. For a price point that is significantly above many of your competitors, we were hoping to find a more gracious, sophisticated experience than some of the other lines. What we found instead was a confused and crowded ship that seemed to be not able to handle the passenger complement of 684 people. We are not novice cruisers and have sailed on many other lines such as Royal Viking, Royal Cruise Line, Crystal, Holland America and Princess (before the take-over by Carnival) and Celebrity. This Regatta cruise was our 48th so we understand how to roll with the punches in some instances. The biggest issue in my mind was the organization of the entertainment on the ship and the dining offerings. The smallest lounge on the ship, The Martini lounge which has perhaps seating for 35 people (5% of the passenger load) was the sight of one of our favorite piano players that we enjoyed two years before of The Riviera trans-Atlantic and Caribbean cruise. Most nights when we tried to see the piano player the lounge was completely full so that this was not possible. The larger lounge on the ship, The Horizon seating perhaps 100-200 passengers had a band but they only played for a very small amount of time, so that if you wanted to have a late dinner and listen to music there was really no where to go. Dining was really a confused issue. The concept of dining anytime without a set schedule did not work on this ship. If you didn’t get in line for dinner before the 6:30pm opening you really had to wait until 8:00 or 8:30 for the first group to finish. More annoying was the set-up of the Terrace café.The U shape of the serving area combined with the fact that the crew served the food made for an experience that bordered more on a dormitory cafeteria rather than a gracious dining area. Seating was also very inadequate for the passenger load. Finally in this venue you had perhaps the worst and most inadequate salad bar of any ship we have ever sailed; lettuce, tomatoes, black olives and cocktail onions are not enough for a true salad bar. The final blow to turn us away from Oceana in general came on the third day of the cruise when we returned to our room to find a gentleman siting inside our bathtub re-caulking the entire room. We had no advance notice of this event and the room smelled of caustic acid for three days after this unplanned event. We decided at that point to cancel a future booked trip with Oceana that would have taken place in November aboard the Riviera sailing the Mediterranean and trans Atlantic.

b

I’m sending this note as a learning moment so that you may prevent future passengers from experiencing the negative cruise experience that we endured. I can honestly say, however, that I would be very hesitant to book another cruise with Oceana due to these issues.

Sincerely yours,

Kenneth J. Givich

Givich Vineyards, Inc.

http://www.givichvineyards.com

June 7, 2015

I've sailed on Oceania's "R" ships many times. We have never failed to be seated with 10 minutes of arriving at the dining room, unless we arrived at exactly 6:30, when there was a short wait. The terrace choices for salad were many, and I prefer being served there rather than self service.

Martinis was never crowded, unless it was trivia in the PM, after dinner.

You have 1 valid gripe, IMO, and that is the tub situation. That should be addressed, but lumping it with your other complaints negates the impact of your letter.

Also it's "Oceania"

Sorry you had a disappointing trip. I hope your letter gets you some explanation however I would only expect a form letter responce. As a side note I looked at your business Web page, very nice. Did you bring your own wine?

Sent from my SM-T320 using Forums mobile app

Hi, I think 684 passengers is too many for an R ship

Sorry to hear that, but I agree with you not to answer a letter just shouldn't happen. We had the OC suite once and we also found a person fixing the shower-than told not to use the shower for 24 hours. Wasn't happy---We had a a few other things happen on that trip (still had a good time), but it was hell trying to talk to someone, even the Butler had problems getting us to the hotel manager. The first thing he asked us was what we wanted, we I told him nothing-we just wanted someone to listen and and make sure this doesn't happen again to someone.

Rick

All I can say is WOW

Too bad you did not use paragraphs it would make easier reading

We have had several cruises on the R-ships cannot recall it being that bad but then I am old

Wonder how they have stayed in business this long without your guidance

I guess Oceania is not for you at least on the R-ships

If you are sailing Oceania for the entertainment experience, you are clearly misinformed and misguided.

If you don't like open seating, eat any time, there are still many cruise lines that will give you an assigned time to eat at the same table with the same people at each meal.

The reason that the staff serves you at Terrace is to reduce the chance of one sick passenger infecting the whole ship. The servers wear gloves; the passengers do not.

If you were not traveling on my cruise your comments are based on emotion and factual information. Not a scientific approach.

As a professional Microbiologist I have forgotten more about food safety that you have ever understood so your comments on contamination are factually incorrect as well as not where my comment was directed; to the lack of space and organization of the room!

Your tone and attitude in your last two posts are quite revealing.

If you were not traveling on my cruise your comments are based on emotion and factual information. Not a scientific approach.

So, it's factual that the U shape of the Terrace Buffet can be crowded, and tables may be difficult to find. What do you expect them to do about it? It's been that way since the "R" ships were designed in the late 90's, and it's that way aboard any of the "R" ships, whether owned by Oceania, Azamara, Princess or P&O. If you don't like it, there is only one possible answer -- don't sail on an "R" ship, anywhere.

As for the Terrace being less than a gracious dining area, hey, it's a buffet! It's supposed to be more casual. In fact, since we are dealing with facts, the dress code is officially more relaxed at the Terrace. Servers handling the food, on the other hand, seems more gracious to me than individual guests digging in and grubbing for what they want, spreading possible disease on the utensils and even (which I have seen on other cruise lines) digging in with their hands.

I have never heard of having to wait until 8:30 for the early diners to depart from the Grand Dining Room. If it's that crowded in the GDR, that automatically means it's less crowded in the Terrace and there are tables open in Polo or Toscana. In fact (since we are dealing in facts), when the GDR has a line, I've often found staff from the specialties coming down and offering tables. Now, if it's a fact that you were waiting for a specific table and would accept no other, you would have had to wait for that table to be vacated.

Note, I am NOT cheerleading for Oceania; I'm actually criticizing the less than factual parts of your "open letter". As for the entertainment, it's what it is, and again regarding the size of the lounges,they are what they are. Staff cannot always accurately predict the popularity of certain performers. It's a fact that I have never seen the Martinis lounge fill up for anything other than trivia, and I've been on far more Oceania cruises than you.

You have a legitimate complaint about not being notified about caulking your bathroom.

As a professional Microbiologist I have forgotten more about food safety that you have ever understood so your comments on contamination are factually incorrect as well as not where my comment was directed; to the lack of space and organization of the room!

:rolleyes:

Is Colleen the travel agent? The name is not on Oceania's website.

Since I was not on this particular cruise, I cannot add/comment on your opinions on the Terrace, GDR or entertainment...On our last Regatta Cruise at Christmas this past year (full cruise), we did not see anything close to what you are describing, however, my question is, for the caulking incident, when you went to talk to the onboard staff that day, what did they do/say? And to whom did you speak with that day about the caulking incident? Did they offer to move you, or anything else?

So, it's factual that the U shape of the Terrace Buffet can be crowded, and tables may be difficult to find. What do you expect them to do about it? It's been that way since the "R" ships were designed in the late 90's, and it's that way aboard any of the "R" ships, whether owned by Oceania, Azamara, Princess or P&O. If you don't like it, there is only one possible answer -- don't sail on an "R" ship, anywhere.

s for the Terrace being less than a gracious dining area, hey, it's a buffet! It's supposed to be more casual. In fact, since we are dealing with facts, the dress code is officially more relaxed at the Terrace. Servers handling the food, on the other hand, seems more gracious to me than individual guests digging in and grubbing for what they want, spreading possible disease on the utensils and even (which I have seen on other cruise lines) digging in with their hands.

I have never heard of having to wait until 8:30 for the early diners to depart from the Grand Dining Room. If it's that crowded in the GDR, that automatically means it's less crowded in the Terrace and there are tables open in Polo or Toscana. In fact (since we are dealing in facts), when the GDR has a line, I've often found staff from the specialties coming down and offering tables. Now, if it's a fact that you were waiting for a specific table and would accept no other, you would have had to wait for that table to be vacated.

Note, I am NOT cheerleading for Oceania; I'm actually criticizing the less than factual parts of your "open letter". As for the entertainment, it's what it is, and again regarding the size of the lounges,they are what they are. Staff cannot always accurately predict the popularity of certain performers. It's a fact that I have never seen the Martinis lounge fill up for anything other than trivia, and I've been on far more Oceania cruises than you.

You have a legitimate complaint about not being notified about caulking your bathroom.

+1 you are right on.

15 + on R ships and 5 more booked!

Are you sure the Regatta was sailing to the Panama Canal on April 13? Better check, we were on the Regatta on April 13th, 2015 (happens to be my birthday) and we were NOT on our way to Panama.

hondorner

+2 after 6 R ship cruises

Cheers,

Don

I for one love the fact that the staff servers you at the buffet.

A few years ago my wife and I went into a Souplantation for the first time.....The guy in front of me picked up a roll with his hand, looked at it, and put it back. I picked up my wife's hand and led her out the door.....

I am not a fan of serve yourself buffets....

Looking at your letter there does not seem to be much that someone could really respond to, except to acknowledge receipt. Most seem to be tied to ship design and passenger load, not likely to change. If they were to agree with your issues then they would have to be conflict with the lines own business practices. Not likely.

Other aspects seem to be normal for Oceania and they would certainly have an idea what the majority of their passenger prefer.

So I would fault them for not acknowledging receipt, but am not surprised that you did not get a detailed response about your issues.

That was the Journey through the Islands cruise, wasn't it?

Saturday April 11, 2015 - 12 Night Journey Through The Islands

Regatta - Oceania Cruises

Ports of call: St. John's, Antigua; Castries, St. Lucia; St. George's, Grenada; Bridgetown, Barbados; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Gustavia, St. Barts; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Nassau, Bahamas

I don't see the Panama Canal on this cruise.

 

The final blow to turn us away from Oceana in general came on the third day of the cruise when we returned to our room to find a gentleman siting inside our bathtub re-caulking the entire room.

Perhaps this is a dumb question, but what level of cabin on Regatta has a tub?

Are you sure the Regatta was sailing to the Panama Canal on April 13? Better check, we were on the Regatta on April 13th, 2015 (happens to be my birthday) and we were NOT on our way to Panama.

Interesting

Wonder what else the OP was confused about :eek:

Penthouse

Perhaps this is a dumb question, but what level of cabin on Regatta has a tub?

I think the PH's still have a tub

Hi, I think 684 passengers is too many for an R ship

Because that is the capacity when full? It IS 684 in case you think it is not ...

So I'm not sure if you prefer an "R" ship to be sailing with less than the full complement of passengers or if you think that the capacity is less than 684.

684 is the number Renaissance always used.

Mura

P.S. Regarding the question about what level has a tub, the earlier posters are correct: PH has a shower/tub combination. At least it did the last time I was on one. VS and OC used to have a jacuzzi with shower but I understand they have been changed to a large shower. I'm one of those who prefers the jacuzzi/shower but from the posts I've seen, I am in the minority.