ORV

40 minutes ago, SATaxman said:

Are you saying that the Oceania Suite on Marina was not redone? Just removal of outside jacuzzi?

 

I believe they said they were in a Vista Suite. 

1 hour ago, ronrick1943 said:

We stay at the hotel above the JW Marriott in Miami.  Nice property and location was great.

I'm a little confused, is it part of the JW or something else?

2 minutes ago, mnocket said:

Love it!  Can I steal this line?

Sure, it's probably not original with me, I saw it somewhere else. 

1 minute ago, Harters said:

But why would you expect them to know the sizes of shoes in a country on the other side of the world? Beats me. 

Here in the USA most shoe stores list the sizes in European and American. 

I think my wife wears a size 8.5 & 39. She's bought more than a few shoes on cruises. 

But that seems to be beside the point, it's more about their surly non customer friendly attitude. If you don't want to deal with the public then don't work that type of job, or own a business that does. 

2 hours ago, Woofbite said:

What are the concierges for?  Can't they handle such requests?

 

That's usually not in their wheelhouse. You want to either ask your butler if you have one, and if not, talk to the person at the reservations desk. You really want to be nice to these folks. 

Concierges do have many other functions though. I personally have never had to use them. 

1 hour ago, gailellen12 said:

Actual airline miles. Thanks for the suggestion of moving the post

It might also help with advice to know where you are leaving from and where you are going. Also which airline miles you're using. 

7 hours ago, lorimay said:

I tried to buy a pair of shoes from one of the many shops, but apparently I offended the shopkeeper because I didn't know my European shoe size and she couldn't convert it. After telling me they didn't have a pair in my size, she didn't want to sell me anything and turned her back on me

Ain't that crazy, we've ran into this attitude a couple of times in Europe, you'd think if they have a store they'd want to do business. I've also ran into price of water or soda being jacked up for tourists in some stores. 

Thanks for your reports, been enjoying it. 

8 minutes ago, Syd58 said:

Am aware that higher levels get more specialty restaurant reservations pre-cruise. Also, am well aware of the perks for concierge level.  Whether the extra amenities justify the extra cost likely is individual specific. For us, not sure it does, especially on lengthy cruises where pre-cruise specialty restaurant reservations are limited to 1 reservation per restaurant..

We all have to look at what the guidelines are and the cost and then decide what works for us. 

1 hour ago, Syd58 said:

Yes, I'm aware of this, but to only be able to make 4 total pre-cruise reservations for specialty restaurants for a 22 or 24 day cruise doesn't seem right..

The link was posted in an earlier post, I'll put the pertinent information below, but it's been this way for years, and was that way when you booked your cruise. There are a considerable number of perks you get for Concierge level, so it's not all about the number of reservations. But if you wanted more you could have spent more and gone for the PH level, which would double your reservations. 

Guests are permitted to make the following reservations in our specialty restaurants - which vary by ship, category, and length of cruise: 

Marina, Riviera, Vista and Allura
Owner’s Suite, Vista Suite, and Oceania Suite 
Cruises 7 days or less: 1 reservation at each restaurant 
Cruises 8-17 days: 2 reservations at each restaurant 
Cruises 18 days or more: 3 reservations at each restaurant 

Penthouse Suite 
Cruises 17 days or less: 1 reservation at each restaurant 
Cruises 18 days or more: 2 reservations at each restaurant 

Concierge Level Veranda, Veranda, Ocean View, and Inside Stateroom 
All cruises: 1 reservation at each restaurant 

Lots of options, the two mentioned are good choices. The last time we were in Miami we stayed at the Gabriel Hilton. Great view of the port, especially if you have a room with a bayside view. We’ve also stayed at the Intercontinental and throughly enjoyed it. 

I can pretty much stay busy doing nothing all day, and I usually don’t get it all done, so I generally try to finish it up the next day, and the one after that. 

1 hour ago, ak1004 said:

Personally I find O crowd very sophisticated and intelligent.

Apparently, we haven't met. 🤡

Leslie Jon has also retired. 

19 minutes ago, Twiga said:

We were at Heathrow in June and gate numbers were not posted until 50 minutes or so before the flight.  However, the American Airlines app notified me of our gate in terminal 3 at 11:46 a.m. for our 2:45 p.m. departure. The gate was not posted on the departure board until 1:35 p.m.  The gate number that American Airlines told me was correct.  Of course this may not always be correct, but we were at the gate early, before the crowd.

It's been a few years since I've been there but if I remember right, I couldn't check my luggage until 2 hours (maybe 3) before the flight. Not much chance to go to a lounge or have time to sit down and have lunch. By the time you went through security and then to your gate it was time to board. 

4 hours ago, osandomir said:

I can’t imagine my husband checking my charges on our cruise ship’s account or elsewhere, if it’s matter. But probably for someone who is much more financially concerned it sounds normal.

We only have one account, ours. We used to have separate checking etc. but somewhere along the line that just didn't matter anymore. Now it's just us.

Let me edit this to say that we have multiple credit cards, some in my name, some in hers, but that's only to work the system, not to keep anything separate. 

4 hours ago, MEFIowa said:

Really, so you don't look at the same TV monitor when you check your individual accounts during the cruise? You tell him to turn his back or leave the room? And please STOP pretending that you have one joint account. You don't. You get your own separate statements! So, couples can do what they want. (You might study the statistics on couples and finances. Those who have shared accounts, those who have individual accounts, those who have a mix of both. This is 2024. Not 1954. So wide variety of practices in regard to finances and financial activities.)

Oh my. 

How many times do we have to do this?

It's what the founder of the company said it is. 

1 hour ago, Thought2go said:

I know you are detailed oriented- but are you sure about the hard liquor part??

In this instance he is definitely correct. I've brought on anything I want for 15 years. Let me stress this. THEY DON'T CARE!

3 hours ago, Thought2go said:

Hey those drifts could certainly pile up!! Plus it was always a fun time to put pots on the roof and collect the snow to make snow cream-a southern version of icecream.

Had that as a kid, throw in a little vanilla flavoring, heavy cream, stir it up and you're good to go. 

38 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

Though during the cruise IF you go to the TV menu and look at your statement, you'll be seeing YOUR statement and HER/HIS statement, two different statements, tied to how each is using their own World Card. You don't see just one statement tied to your room. It is good to keep in mind that IF you want to, you can use the World Cards in a way that works best for you as a couple so you feel comfortable each day with your then current statement.

If that works for you fine. I do know how the system works. It’s always balanced out, no matter who uses their card wherever. 

14 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

It’ll take awhile for us to get past the “ I walked three miles to school in 3 feet of snow, uphill both ways “ crowd. We’re just barely past all those Renaissance lovers who really care which current ship was R1or R2! 🙄 That line has been defunct for 23 years! 😂. 
 

Really time to concentrate on the current product. Doesn’t matter how much you loved that 1958 Mercury, they don’t make it anymore. Things change.

Did we have the same Dad? I never did understand how there was ever 3 ft of snow in Mississippi. 

1 hour ago, MEFIowa said:

Our theory is go for the airfare and cabin in our budget that lets us do the most before, during and after the cruise. We cruise to really see and do fun things in fantastic places.

 

So, we'd rather save a lot on our cabin to spend 3 nights each before and after the cruise in some wonderful city (e.g., Venice & Barcelona last year) and do some amazing private excursions (to Ephesus & Rome). We've got 3 nights in London and 3 nights in Copenhagen for our upcoming Sirena cruise in the Baltic.

 

And that budget has to include any expenditures on board, too, like drinks. (We bring our own alcohol on board.)

You do understand there are many Oceania customers that can do all that and stay in an upper suite and not give the cost a second thought? Not me of course, but there are plenty of them. I say more power to them. 

I believe we are starting to make an easy situation confusing.
 

In over 15 years and over 30 cruises on O we’ve always used whichever card was convenient. It always works out and balances out in the end. Don’t over think it. 

We always take a few ear plugs just in case. Rarely have had to use them, but those few times we did they are invaluable. 

They're in Australia, so whatever they did doesn't apply to those of us in North America. 

43 minutes ago, boblerm said:

Have all of the bathtubs been removed from the PH1,2 and 3 categories on Marina?

I'm not sure there has been an accurate report on Marina, but on Riviera I believe the PH1 & PH2 categories were replaced, but not the PH3's.