Gee & Gee

3 hours ago, njhorseman said:

Not to excuse many of the shortcomings you experienced on your recent O cruise, but why would you expect O to be comparable to Seabourn? Seabourn is a luxury line, Oceania isn't. Seabourn's market cohorts are the likes of Regent Seven Seas, Silversea, and the late but soon to be resurrected Crystal. Oceania is a notch below in the cruise marketplace and more appropriately comparable to Azamara and Viking. 

Unrealistic expectations are a sure path to disappointment.

Oh I was waiting for this kind of hall monitor comment. Not only were the poor meals we got on Marina (not all the meals we had, but the bad ones) below the level of Seabourn, but also worse than what we’ve gotten on Celebrity, HAL and RCCL in the past. Draw your distinctions if you must, but I’d read enough direct comparisons of Seabourn and Oceania to expect  at least in the same ballpark in the area of food service. 

Hello Chris! I disembarked Marina in CPH the day you boarded. I was just down a few doors, in 11028. Jude was our butler — I can’t tell if that’s him in your photo but he was a very pleasant guy. 
 

Last week we had very good dinners in Red Ginger and Polo Grill. However, we had dreadful food and service in Toscana and the main dining room (just 1 night apiece in those venues). Service in both seemed totally disorganized and hot dishes weren’t even warm. My ‘shrimp cocktail’ in the main dining room were the 3 tiniest, limpest, room temperature shrimp I’ve ever been served. All I’ve heard is that food is top notch on Oceania so we were pretty surprised to have such slow, poor meals. I’m curious to hear if you have similar experiences. We were also unimpressed by the same dry, bland goodies day after day in the floor 11 Executive Lounge. (As you know, right by our room and yours so we kept going back but found it lacking). 
 

We are still considering giving Vista a try next year because it looks lovely. But our 2 cruises prior to this were on Seabourn and we found those to be much better in terms of food and personal attention. I was expecting Oceania to be comparable but it just wasn’t. With the bigwigs and press on your cruise, I will be curious to hear whether Marina steps it up from one week to the next. 

Hello folks - I am also on this cruise and just read through this thread. Kudos to WNcruiser for doing such an excellent job recapping the experience. I wasn’t sure I saw mentioned, so just thought I’d add for anyone wondering, that breakfast is available in the Colonnade until 10 AM, both a large breakfast buffet and made to order requests. I agree some dinner entrees have been more successful than others but we have had outstanding dinners at both Earth and Ocean and Sushi. We opted for dinner at Sushi on the formal night and it was superb. I had an excellent steak in The Restaurant one night. Tonight will be our first dinner at the TK Grill, so no comment there yet. We have sat in the piano bar outside the TK grill a few nights after the larger shows have ended and it is a lovely experience. Excellent cocktails, a beautiful setting and fine live music. We also really enjoy the Observation bar on deck 11 in the later evening hours, which is surprisingly mostly empty, despite the beautiful setting, great live entertainment and excellent bar service. I echo all the comments above about the incredible service in every venue — the staff is so warm and attentive, they seem genuinely happy to see everyone and have the opportunity to provide the Seabourne experience. For those of you booked on upcoming cruises, I’m confident you will enjoy your time onboard as much as we have.

I did a Canadian cruise on Quest (from Montreal to Boston) in October 2019 and stayed on Deck 4IMG_4443.HEIC. (Loved that cruise, by the way!) We booked pretty much at the last minute so I didn't even have balcony and it didn't bother me a bit. For one thing, the weather was pretty chilly so I wasn't inclined to spend a lot of time outdoors (though it may be warmer in September). Also, you spend so much time outside at the ports of call and onboard there are many nice outdoor decks (for example, off Seabourn Square or the tables in back of the Colonnade) so you'll enjoy plenty of fresh air. Everyone has different opinions, of course, but that was my experience. 

On 9/1/2021 at 3:03 PM, corthaus said:

My boyfriend and I are booked on Oasis of the Seas out of Cape Liberty on September 26, 2021; this is our second cruise (after a somewhat disappointing first cruise we did with my extended family in November 2019) and we're pumped! 

Corthaus, how was your cruise?

13 hours ago, rbtan said:

Is Atlantis booking the entire ship? If it's just a group of people, you'll find the ship gets pretty quiet after 10 PM. You should find some of the best food you've ever had on a ship. Entertainment is fairly blah. The line spends more on food than any other line, which is why foodies like us enjoy the line.

Yes, Atlantis booked the entire ship (Oceania Marina) and it sold out within about 48 hours. Therefore, fortunately, in addition to the fine food there should be some good headliners entertaining. On our last Baltic cruise with Atlantis, Megan Hilty (a Broadway performer) was a headliner and she was fantastic. We've also seen Patti LuPone on Atlantis and she was wonderful too.

My husband and I have 2 cruises booked:

Nov. 29-Dec. 10, 2021 -- traveling with family on Seabourn Ovation - Miami to Miami (San Juan / St. Barts / Guadeloupe / St. Johns / Saint Kitts / Jost Van Dyke). If any of you have recommendations / suggestions for any of those stops, I'm all ears. I've been on Seabourn Quest but this will be our first time on Ovation.

7/31-8/7/22 -- Atlantis Events cruise on Oceania Marina through the Baltic (Stockholm to Copenhagen). This will be our first time on Oceania and we're looking forward to it. We did an Atlantis Baltic cruise in 2014 but it did not stop in St. Petersburg, so we're also looking forward to going there this time.

Just now, Paulchili said:

I think the point was more that there already is a long thread discussing this issue - no need to have a new one.

In the longest, snidest and most condescending manner possible, so no thanks, I stand by my post.

I requested a refund in mid-March (for a late March sailing), the morning after complete cancellations were announced and full refunds were offered. I have not received any refund either. I have called Oceania back and just gotten a weak "we're working on it."

I'm highly concerned NCL will bankrupt before we get refunded. And I think it's gross to jump down the throats of posters asking these questions and raising these concerns just because you were one of the lucky ones who got a refund already.

My partner and I will be on this cruise. Anyone else going? This will be our first time on Oceania.

I am taking this cruise with my siblings and our dad. Will anyone else be on board? Some non-family sanity breaks would be much appreciated. 🙂