ORV

We need to know what room level you're in. On our most recent cruise on Marina in a B category there was no bag at all. In the past they have generally had one of the cheap paper fiber Tyvek style bags. I think I've read that you request one. We take a string backpack for day tours and ports.

If you are planning on Amtrak prepare to be disappointed. We traveled from Chicago to New Orleans about 25 years ago and it was great. We were in their best sleeper car and they actually had fantastic food prepared on the train by a chef. Fastforward to a 2019 or so and we did the Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle with a stop in Glacier National park in Montana. Rooms were dirty, dining room had stuff piled up in the corner. Food was pre-prepared box lunches and dinners like you get in Coach on airlines. Truly bad. Other than our room attendant most of the workers were sub par. The best part of the trip was Chicago beforehand, the two days at Glacier, and Seattle, and it sure ain't what it used to be. We were also in the best sleeper car they offer on this trip also.

This is us also, especially now with SM. I find we really don't need to upgrade. Some champagne with lunch, maybe a beer. A drink in the room or balcony late afternoon, then maybe or maybe not the 241 at HH. Then a couple of glasses of wine at dinner. Works great for us.

Exactly, we have 2-4 people here rather vocally and continually beating that drum. Then others read their posts and repeat it. At least one if not more are on an anti-Oceania tirade because their feelings were hurt when the GM and Captain didn't acknowledge their maritime expertise and follow their advice. Changing their name and locations really doesn't really fool those of us that follow this forum on a regular and long-term basis. People that have just come here in the last 6 months to a year don't understand the history of some posters. I'm not saying missed ports, shortened port times and changed itineraries doesn't happen. Obviously it does, but it's not as nefarious as some make it out to be. My personal experience is that Oceania is still a good product and one I'm ok with paying the fare for. Have there been changes in the product? Yes. But you really have to know the product and the previous 15 to 20 years history to realize what they are. None of this is cheerleading, just a personal observation of what I've experienced. Since the Covid shutdown we've been on 5 Oceania cruises and have 3 more booked. Other than the one last March that was going to Bermuda that went sideways and canceled Bermuda and wound up with an overnight in Jacksonville, everything has pretty much been as scheduled on my cruises. Of course the Captain didn't want to drive into a major storm.

On Marina it's perpendicular to the cabins. There is only one cabin by the door to it. On Marina & Riviera it's a door in the hallway. We were 4 cabins away from it and never heard a thing from it. As I haven't been on Vista I can't speak to the layout on it.

What night is Toga night and the Baked Alaska server parade?

Forget the tax and tips if you have the drink package, it's included. Paying cash is not an option, you can charge it to your onboard account and then pay that with cash or a credit or debit card. If you don't have a drink package you will have 20% grats added to any drinks you buy. If you are in an area that charges a tax, i.e. Brazil, Spain a few others, then the appropriate tax would also be added. In Brazilian waters it's 25%, so you could have 45% added to the cost of your drink. If you have a few and are in these areas that charge a tax, then getting the package is probably a good idea. I know from recent experience that it's also charged between ports if you are leaving a Brazilian one and going to another Brazilian one. Be careful in the Euro region, I remember a few years ago when starting in Spain the tax was charged throughout the whole Euro area. Not sure what's happening there now. IMPORTANT. there is no tax or gratuity added if you booked under SM and are getting wine or beer at lunch or dinner.

We were recently on deck 7 forward, almost all the on Marina and there is definitely crew quarters past the white door. We saw the CD multiple times going through it and down the hallway. Towards the end of our cruise he was moving to a regular room down the hall that wasn't being used. He told me that since he was going home and there was a new CD replacing him she would be getting his current room. I think they were on the ship overlapping for about a week. We also saw other multiple crew members using that hallway.

As always just do the math and check what else is available. I also tend to get the PE upgrade when it's offered. I just haven't seen it that high yet. When I do I'll have to compare it to what's available to do it myself. If the credit and the $499 is less than the rates I'll go with O. I like PE for a 10- or 11-hour trip to Europe. I'm not really at the point where I care to pay more for a business ticket than the cruise. Don't need to vacation that bad.

Contact your TA or 1-800 dial a rep to upgrade and pay tips in advance.

I could have sworn I posted asking SH the same thing. Maybe it was on another thread. At any rate, we had one port that was shortened by 2 hours, but this was done a couple of months before the cruise. We had one day cut off our Antartica portion in order to outrun the storm coming in the Drake Passage. We had an extra amount of time at Ushuaia. We didn't miss any ports.

It's the weekend, don't trust anything you see on the website over the weekend. That's a real big jump in the price of premium economy tickets. I have a cruise in Aug that I have PE to Edinburgh that I paid $199 each for. We booked it in Sept of 22. Is the $499 you mention for 2 or pp?

You haven't mentioned, but have you had any cancelled ports or times changed negatively? How was Montevideo? I enjoyed it more than some of the other ports, but we did 3 or 4 Brazil stops before it that I wasn't that enthralled with.

If it's a TA you'll probably have one, but as Shepherd Really stated theirs was not on Sunday, so not always on a Sunday. It's quite the spread, we didn't go in there to eat, but it looked great.

I believe no one knows for sure what the reason is, but there's enough people that have experienced it to validate that it is an issue. Any guesses about why are simply that, a guess.

Never heard of that 5% charge, but I hardly ever have any left and if I do we've just always got it on the penultimate day.

It means that there is an option for X amount of dollars to take an excursion in every port. Dollar amount is usually listed on your account. Usually the OS & OE are excluded or can be booked for additional money.

Sometimes you are not given the option to decide to book B2B or one cruise depending on how it is marketed. You always have to check. I'm sure FF knows more about this than I do, and it has changed in the last few years.

Concerning the port fees. For those of you that don't know. This was settled in a Florida court 10-15 years ago. Oceania doesn't list them as a separate line item on the invoice so therefore doesn't have to refund them when ports are missed. But good luck to anyone that wants to take them to court again.

Really? I don't think I've heard this before. Tell us more about why you're not cruising with them anymore, especially since you're hitting the sweet spot in the Oceania Club with 10 cruises.

You do know you're talking nonsense now?

Oh boy, Let me try it this way. None of the verandas (B & A category) on Marina have had, nor are they planning to have, their tubs removed. Other than a select handful on Riviera they have been removed. So I'll make this even more plain for you. If someone preferred the location of a B1 and preferred having a tub over a shower then Marina would have something that Riviera doesn't.

I’m pretty aware of that. I’m pretty sure I’m the person that posted the list of the rooms that still have them. Would you feel better if I had said most of them were removed?

Veranda rooms with tubs. Some like them, some don't, but they were taken out of Riviera, Marina will still have them.

If your past experience for these types of lounges has been Celebrity or other private lounges on larger ships be prepared for a different experience. These are nothing more than an inside room with a few couches and chairs, a place to grab a soda, water or other non alcoholic drink, a couple of TVS usually turned to Fox news, a few newspapers, some snacks (pretty much the same ones as at Baristas) and a Concierge person. While some like them I can't see hanging out there. Maybe to grab a soda, or a snack, beyond that not my thing. There is no view.