ORV

21 minutes ago, Robjame said:

We are booked and past final payment date,  on one of the 40 cruises included in the flash sale. We have contacted our agency. 
The difference is more than $1500. Has anyone had success or not in getting satisfaction after the final payment date. OBC would be fine.

Thanks for your help.

Let us know what your TA finds out please. 

Just an FYI, if you're past final payment take a look at the Cancellation Schedule. In the past I've heard of people getting OBC after final, but if you're cancelling and rebooking, which so many times to get the discount is what happens, then your penalty can and probably will be more than the savings. This seems to also be a reason or benefit to O for the new Cancellation Schedule they instituted a few months ago, along with the earlier time to make Final Payment for cruises less than 15 days. 

9 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

What levels get pins specifically at the event depends on how many are in the various categories. In the many events I have attended, I’ve seen Platinum and up as the most widely recognized.

Back in the old days before there were so many repeaters they used to call up and hand out pins to the lower levels. There was a letter in your room as to whether you wanted to just get the pins or have them give them to you at the party. Over the years with more club members it has changed to just the higher ones. On our free cruise they didn't present us with ours. I would have thought that recognizing cruisers on their free ones would be a motivation for those working their way toward one. Anymore I just hear them tell how many Platinums there are along with the Gold, Silver, etc. 

38 minutes ago, JDPCruisers said:

As do I so this is welcomed news. Oh, what brand of welcome Champagne do they have in the Suites and around the ship?

There is no "Welcome Champagne" around the ship. Depending on the ship the Champagne available at lunch and dinner could be Heidseick Monopole Blue top or Germain. 

In the suites, Concierge & up it will vary. Usually the Heidseick or better. 

3 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

IMO, a day earlier (than embark) arrival is not enough of a potential problem buffer for intercontinental air with a connection.

 

The two looming challenges remain misplaced checked luggage and missed connections/delayed arrival.

 

With that in mind, our mantra is “minimum of two days arrival at embark port and no less than 3.5 hour layovers at major hubs for our preferred airline consortium (United and Star Alliance whenever possible.”

 

It was United that sent my bag to Anchorage, and only the 3rd time I've ever flown on them as they generally don't go in the right direction for connections from my home airport, until recently, now they have daily flights to IAH, they didn't then. In all fairness the guy checking in my bag was new and there was another person with my last name, (common) he was going to Anchorage. I'm sure he was as unhappy as I was when he got there. 

Usually fly Delta or AA and never had that problem. On the way home yes, missed connections delayed & cancelled flights, yes. For the most part we've been lucky, but we've spent plenty of nights at airport hotels that we'd rather not. I guess part of the equation if you travel. 

On 8/13/2024 at 1:43 AM, MonikaV said:

Dear fellow cruisers - this will be our first cruise with Oceania in while going through the webside I m unsure if they still offer breakfast in the cabins? I am a very early risern- my husband is not - and I normally enjoy a cup of coffee before he even opens his eyes. I know there are no coffee making facilities in the cabins but is it possible to get coffee somewhere this early (around 5.30 or 6:00)?

Thank you and happy sailing 😊 

Monika

Which ship are you on, it makes a difference.

DOH, nevermind, I see in the title you're on the Riviera. You have a lot of options, but as you said, the Concierge Lounge is probably your best bet. 

11 hours ago, clo said:

My husband traveled up to 85% of the time on business and together we've visited six continents. Not ONCE have we lost a bag. NOT ONCE.

There's lost, and then there's "it didn't show up when it was supposed to". I've had luggage misdirected, but show up, I've had luggage not make it to my home airport, but then they brought it to my house the next day, more than once. But, I've never had a bag completely lost. 

So, if it was not at your airport, and you were getting on the ship that day, but they know where it's at, they just can't get it there until the next day, then it might as well be lost. We traveled with an unfortunate fellow on a TA that kept being told by the front desk that his luggage would be at the next port. It finally was, when the next port was Miami. He had on the same T shirt a lot. 

Just another reason to go in a day early on cruises. I've never had a delay mess me up, well on the way home but that's another thing, but I was on a cruise that left out of San Diego and my luggage was in Anchorage AK, they got it there the next day before we left, but I did have to go back to the airport as they couldn't get it delivered to my hotel in time. 

There are a number of items that are neither spicy nor red meat. Depending on whether you like tempura or not there is an excellent vegetable tempura as an app, as well as a couple of shrimp dishes. Also Udon noodles and some rice dishes. I like most of what I've had there. We usually pass on the Edamame, the tea and chopstick dance as well as the broth. Just bring on the food. 

1. That Lisbon to Miami on Marina is looking really good. But I have a 20 day cruise starting on the 3rd of December. I'd have to spend a week in Miami, or go home for a couple of days and then head back. Probably aint happening. 

I think I know what is happening here. There are at least a couple of Travel Agencies that use an internet address that is almost identical to Oceania's actual internet address. Perhaps your husband actually booked through one of them. It doesn't make sense that if you booked directly through Oceania that they won't talk to you. 

Just a thought. 

13 minutes ago, funnyname said:

Riviera Info on converters and magnets would be appreciated.  On other lines we have had to bring magnets to hang necessary paperwork and hats, belts etc and of course bring converters and extension cords to plug in our multitude of electronics.  Any info on both would be appreciated.  Thanks. 

Since being updated a lot of the metal surfaces have been covered with soft material. There are still some metal surfaces, so bring some magnets and experiment. Riviera has USB plugs by the bed now, but I find it's always a good idea to bring some adaptors. A converter is another animal altogether. 

As far as extension cords go, you may or may not have them confiscated. I've seen it happen before. Best to request an extension cord from housekeeping. 

1 hour ago, MarkWiltonM said:

 

I suppose you could say it's a matter of opinion but it's also a matter of fact. I don't know when the current furnishings on Marina were installed but I imagine it was more than 10 years ago, probably longer (anyone know). It's interesting to me, just as a matter of curiosity, that some people who wouldn't dream of wearing clothing that has gone seriously out of fashion take umbrage when someone points out that an interior is, literally, dated. As for the scratches and dents, I'm glad your stateroom had been spared the ravages of time.  

Yes, but there are some interior styles that are considered "timeless or ageless" I'm not saying the original design of the Marina or Riviera are that, but the public spaces on the R ships would be in my opinion, and that's all that is, my opinion. Some folks don't care for the Classic dark wood look. 

7 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

Boarded the Sirena last week, and had taken our pictures as part of the boarding pass process.  No new picture was taken at checkin and we could see the agent's screen had our submitted ones.

This was the same on my last cruise, but the one before that they retook them. 

12 hours ago, clo said:

I'm an adult and have no problem with doing that. Sorry you do.

I'm not even sure what you're saying??

3 hours ago, MEFIowa said:

All the "Welcome Aboard" is now is a generic guide to your ship, with NO personalization and NO specificity for your cruise & its itinerary. Unlike the old ones, that we're being sent out quite recently (e.g., 11/2023). With much of the previous information stripped away and what remains with minimal text and lots of white space.

 

And nothing quite says "waste" like being on a 2nd cruise, the B2B, and receiving a 2nd IDENTICAL generic package! I shudder to think that if someone has a 3rd leg, they'd get a 3rd IDENTICAL generic package. And so on. A cold pile of 4 or 5 identical generic packages.

Yet I don't think you ever saw the original Blue Package that it gets it name from as it was before you cruised Oceania. Perhaps if you ever cruised a line where you had to print your own tags and purchase some type of holder then you might just appreciate what Oceania does instead of complaining about it. I'm just happy to be going, so I don't take time to pick apart what they do send me, I just toss the stuff I don't need and keep the things that I do, like the luggage tag inserts. 

Just an FYI, those packages you received post covid were nowhere as near personalized as the older original blue ones. When I moved last year I tossed a whole filing cabinet drawer full of them along with my personal folders for each cruise. One of those things you have to ask yourself, why am I keeping this?

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Today our cruise documents and luggage tags arrived. 
 

Very professionally prepared and impressive compared to Celebrity self service download, print and tape. 
 

 

Yet I've seen some people recently still complain about it. 

2 hours ago, katz said:

Recently, we were in Cabin 10060 on Vista.  We could listen in on our neighbor's daily 5:30 pm call to her family, or any other phone call they made.  The woman would also have middle-of- the- night wailing fits.  We reported this to Reception being concerned about her safety.  Security checked on the couple.  They denied any noise. This was our weirdest cruise experience.  Just above the lady would traveled with a Sock Monkey, who was always dressed for the occasion, e.i he even  had a life jacket for our water excursion, He attended all the functions properly dressed.  

Ah yes, I'm reminded of the old Jim Morrison line.....People Are Strange when you're a stranger. 

16 hours ago, 90scruzer said:

I'm no expert, with but one O cruise under my belt, but ... we sailed last year.   

a) others had different experiences, but we never could get good wifi.   Even when having a coffee.   We watched others FaceTime, while we never could.   Hopefully that is a one off -- or they improved the link capacity since then given all the starlink services going onboard cruise ships these days.

.

I don't if you talked to them, but they might have purchased the upgraded internet. It's not any faster, but it unlocks the streaming, which is probably what Facetime works best with. But I've heard others say that they've used Facetime with the standard internet. 

6 hours ago, yogagal47 said:

Thank you-I’ve got the date on my calendar for when I can book specialty reservations, and I will definitely try to make a few for our 18 night cruise. Thanks to everyone for helping out. We are looking forward to trying Oceania for the first time. we have previously cruised as Amira and the two are often compared.

Looks like you'll get 3 reservations in each Restaurant, so you'll have 6 total. You'll be able to book them at 60 days out, which gets you 15 days ahead of the bulk of the ship. With 6 reservations you might need to be a little flexible on times, especially if you want 2 tops. If you are willing to share for those nights then it opens up many more options on the times available.

8 minutes ago, JDPCruisers said:

Yes, understand, thanks. I'm interested in his opinion of Oceania as we are long time RC and X cruisers moving over to try it, as well. 

Yes, You’ll find a lot of regular Oceania cruisers that used to be and still are from that background. As well as HAL & Princess. 
 

I’m almost Elite plus on X and still find we are ok with both. I just know what I’m getting into and adjust accordingly. 

42 minutes ago, JDPCruisers said:

LOL! As we'll be Vista newbies for Panama Canel crossing in Jan/Feb your review will help lead the way!

If I read your other post correctly you are going to be on the Vista Ship. Jim is going to be in the Vista Suite on Regatta. The only comparison is that they are both Oceania ships. It does get confusing that they have a ship named the same as a Suite Class. But they're not the only cruise line that has done that. 

Back to malts and milkshakes on O. You can get them by Waves Grill. I personally don't like them at all. Many people do. I think it's the shelf stable milk, or whatever it's called that throws the taste off for me. I've tried them multiple times, every time was the same outcome. Blecch. 

I love ice cream, I love milkshakes, I love gelato, I love custard. Most of the ice creams on Oceania I like. I enjoy the Humphrey Slocumbe, but I think I liked the standard stuff they made onboard better. I haven't seen Rocky Road since the HS came around. 

I'd suggest trying the shakes or malts, you might like them. 

2 hours ago, yogagal47 said:

It’s nice to see your positive feedback after your first cruise with Oceania. we have a guaranteed Concierge cabin so we are hoping for a decent Location, but we might have to wait until embarkation day to find out where we are actually assigned.

Which ship are you on?

7 hours ago, Jayne E said:

Photo displayed of verandah cabin for Marina (when you’re in O website booking) is of the totally refurbished Riviera. On Deck Layout, also displays Riviera with “limited” tub cabins. This should be corrected. It is false and misleading, especially to new O cruisers. 

Do you have a link to the page you were looking at?

I'll jump in also with a Me Too, I've never seen any sales on Packages or Excursions. I also agree with Basor about the OBC on Olife. If you think you're going to get a drink package then change to the basic one and then upgrade later onboard. 

Just one can purchase the package. When you have the Premium package they still need to run your card, but you don't have to sign anything. For wine by the glass you just show it once at dinner or lunch, sometimes they'll run it, sometimes not.