WildWanderers

Hi to @HaveDogWillTravel and others, Thanks for talking about the activities, which are still numerous, and listed in the daily newsletter. We took a package for access to the spa area that came with a massage, and ended up spending time in the spa area with the luxury of time to read on our Kindles. We'll have to do a better job of exploring the ship and its activities next time. The one I would most like to try is the "behind the scenes" tour. Cheers, Greg from the WildWanderers

Hi @QuestionEverything, I understand better now my perception of the crew's standoffishness, in light of your comments; as it is true that when we tried to connect with them they (with a rare exception) genuinely warmed up. I agree that the comparison is unfair, in the sense that as an ocean liner, we see using Cunard in lieu of a transatlantic flight, and Oceania for vacations; each meets a need for us. Your point about booking a Britannia room and treating yourself to the restaurants you pay for is intriguing...you likely do end up ahead money-wise. We found the Britannia room to be like a slightly outdated version of a veranda stateroom on an Oceania R-class ship, but with a shower we could fit into. Plus, also from your comments, it is clear that we missed out exploring some of the ship's nooks and crannies. Cheers, Greg from the WildWanderers

Hi @Jim_Iain and @the mice and @PhD-iva, @Jim_Iain : Good question re could our type of room (basic Britannia) be correlated with the congestion. It is possible that the times people were to disembark were staggered by type of room or floor, but I have no way of knowing this. That said, it would be difficult to believe that the crowds on deck 3 were only from our room type. People may well have ignored the disembarkation time they were given. I still find the lack of announcements to be puzzling. Thanks to @the mice for your kind wishes. Our successful upgrade was to the Queen's Grill, so we will have a different experience for sure this Summer. And to @PhD-iva : As much as Cunard did not meet the Oceania standard, in my view, I prefer it to a long flight from Europe to North America. As we went from Southampton to NYC, many days required clocks to go back by one hour - which you would think we would enjoy - an extra hour to the day; but it just meant we were up early before it was possible to go for breakfast. To get to Europe we took the Marina from Miami to Barcelona, and after a few days in Barcelona flew to Southampton. We had thought that we would have to fly to London, and then figure out how to get to Southampton (hauling heavy luggage onto a train is not fun, and a limo is expensive), but were able to bypass London. What I take away from the Cunard experience is ... Oceania provides a very good cruising experience that is easy to criticize and perhaps under-appreciated. What's the expression...you don't know what you have until the chickens cross the street to the other side...no that's not it. Cheers, Greg from the WildWanderers.

Hi @LuAnn, The ladies were dressed formally for dinners, many with stunning dresses. Breakfast and lunch in the main dining room were more casual, and the buffet was very casual, including shorts and running gear. Few wore shorts anyway as the transatlantic crossing was cold in early April. Women were dressed to the nines on the two Gala nights: Black & White and Roaring 20's. Especially the women were quite creative for the Roaring 20's. We had a table for dinner where we had a great view of the folk as they entered, quite entertaining. We did not have a Black & White outfit, so went to the buffet that night. From 6 p.m. though in the bars, you have to be dressed for dinner, including on the Gala nights in that garb, or you have to leave the bar. I did not know this, but understood why the bar waiter had looked at his watch when I ordered a second drink, as it was moments later that he asked me to leave. I heard that there was a place onboard you could rent Gala-wear but we did not explore this. Cheers, Greg

Hi All, We recently cheated on Oceania with a Queen Mary 2 cruise from Southampton to NYC as a way to get back to North America. Comparing our 12 cruises on Oceania to one on Cunard is in some ways unfair, plus we have been in better accommodation on average on Oceania. With these as caveats, and in no particular order... On QM2 there didn’t seem to be a cruise director, and the entertainment director has no presence (makes no announcements, does not host cocktail parties, etc.). The presence of a cruise director on Oceania who reminds you of daily activities and hosts the Oceania Club members cocktail party and Captain’s cocktail party creates a sense of camaraderie or family. There was however a daily newsletter to let you know what activities there were. On the QM2 staff appear unhappy and detached, but some do warm up when you take an interest in them. On the QM2 sommeliers walk around with coffee carafes in the buffet restaurant, not looking to see who needs more coffee, rarely offering. On the QM2 sommeliers and bar staff have tablets to read your room card as you order a drink. The system recognizes if you have a drinks package or not, and the order goes straight to the mixologist behind the bar, or in a far-off room somewhere. The sommelier will reappear to drop your already-poured drink. As you do not see the bottle as the drink is poured, a pinot noir could look suspiciously dark from time to time. On the other hand, there was no need to track him/her down to hand over your key card after drinking. On the QM2 bar staff and buffet restaurant staff rarely clean up empty glasses or dinnerware, so that people looking for a table cannot tell if a table is available or not. On the QM2 the captain had no accent and his noontime report was understandable and rich with info. On the QM2 you can request a fixed table for dinner, but have to be there before 6:30 p.m. or it can be given to someone else. On the QM2 dress codes are strictly enforced. At the beginning of the cruise there was a large number of men who tried to wear baseball caps into our fine-dining restaurant. In spite of what you hear and read, men can go without jackets at dinner if dressed in smart casual. On the QM2 the ship was quite stable even in rough weather. On the QM2 you have to pay more for the specialty restaurants and are otherwise restricted to your designated restaurant, the buffet and a pub that is open only for lunch. On the QM2 food portions are smaller, making it more feasible to have an appetizer, soup or salad plus main. On the QM2 lockers in the spa area work like the safe in your room, so there is no need to carry a locker key around. On the QM2 there were constant nonstop huge line-ups at the purser’s desk (what did all of these people need?), and there may be a concierge in the concierge lounge for higher class accommodation, but there is no major presence of a concierge service as there is on the larger Oceania ships and to a lesser degree on the R-class ships. On the QM2 at the purser’s desk, I tried to purchase a gift to be placed in the cabin of a friend on the upcoming cruise of the same ship, and at first was given lots of reasons why it was a bad idea, including what if she does not show up. Hunh? Much of the QM2 is just gorgeous, but the rooms could use a refresh: metal shower curtain hooks holding up a clingy shower curtain, for example. On the QM2 you are limited to cocktails and wines by the glass that are $13.50 USD and less. You can order a small glass that comes in under $13.50, and another one later, for the same result, double the work for the staff. But the sommeliers often give you the full glass and charge for two small, to save their time. The nice champagne does not have a small glass so it is out of bounds unless you pay extra for it. The Cunard website is difficult to use and not very informative. There is an app to allow you to track your expenditures, but we could not upload it onto our iPhones. There is no access to your expenditures on the TV system. At the end of the voyage, when disembarking from the QM2, there was no announcement re where to go. Our room steward told us to go to deck 3, which was so jam-packed you could not move. (The folk who went early were in line-ups that snaked around on the floor and they knew where the line started and stopped and tried to keep people from butting in. However, as more and more folk got off the elevators, the open area became so packed that there was no definition of line-ups possible any more…plus no one knew where to go anyway.) We had booked a motor-coach to the Newark airport. There were still no announcements. On Oceania you are called according to your luggage tag colour and number, and told to stay away from the gangway if you have not been called. At one point we went through a bar to bypass the stationary crowd, found a line to a disembarkation exit, and went way to the end of the line. When we finally got to the front of the line, the woman at the door mentioned (did not shout) that anyone on motor-coach was expected to have gone to deck 2 - which was not easy to get to at that point. Once we finally got to deck 2 we were told to go toward the stern. When we got to that exit, we were told that the motor-coach exit was actually further toward the aft than we were even when we had gotten down to deck 2. We finally got to the exit and they were trying to expedite the motor-coach people out - frustrated that the motor-coach people were so late - and still no announcements. It was still a good walk to the motor-coaches. We had gone downstairs at 8 a.m. instead of the 8:15 suggested time, and ended up on the bus at about 9:45, almost two hours later, when it could have taken just 30 minutes max. And when we drove off, I felt sorry for the poor souls with (far too much) carry-on luggage stuck in the directionless disembarkation crowd. Cunard offered us the opportunity to bid on an upgrade, which we had done, and did not succeed. We are returning from NYC to Southampton for a holiday later this year, and were successful on the upgrade for that crossing, so it will be fun to see the difference. The cost of the crossing we just completed was the same as two business class tickets from Europe to North America, which is why we thought we would give it a try. Although this is more of a QM2 review, it is through the eyes of an Oceania traveller, focussing on Oceania vs QM2 (small sample) differences. In case any of this helps, Cheers, Greg from the WildWanderers.

Hi @Daniel A, We were on a cruise on the Insignia this past Christmas and the only place where a magnet would stick in our penthouse was the front and back of the door to the cabin. We had wanted to use a couple of magnets with Christmas decorations. The magnets almost held in some locations other than the door, but not enough to even hold themselves up, let alone suspend something. Recently on the Marina, the wall between the bathroom and the bed was metal, as my cpap mask suddenly stuck to the wall one day. More surfaces in our Marina penthouse could have been metal, I just didn't see the need to suspend my cpap in a variety of locations. Cheers, Greg from the WildWanderers

Hi All, We arrived in a Santorini town square after our bus tour and were told that the cable car quite a distance away, "way over there", was the way to get to the ship. Oh, and by the way, the line-up extending into the square and further...that is the line up for the cable car as there are so many ships in port today. We went straight to the end of the line in the naïve hope of getting back to the ship in time for lunch. We spent from just before noon until after 3 p.m. in the line, in the heat, unprotected from the sun, rather than walking around the town...a bit late for a Terrace Café lunch. Had anyone told us that the Oceania ship was the only one leaving after 3 p.m. we would have had lunch in town, wandered around afterwards and taken the cable car after 3 p.m. We lamented that there was no such notification in Currents. Next time in Santorini we will look up what other ships are going to be there and at what time they are leaving. Cheers, Greg from the WildWanderers

Hi All, In the briefing by the GM and captain of the Marina earlier this week, the one on how the ship works, how many eggs are brought on board, etc., plus a Q&A, it was confirmed that the short upcoming dry dock for the Marina would include redecorating of the penthouse suites, including the replacement of the bathtub by a big shower - to which everyone cheered. The woman who asked the question about the other suites started with...don't tell me that you are doing only accommodation renovation will focus on the penthouse suites...in a not so happy tone. The answer was that for the time allotted that is all that can be done with contractors working 24x7, and that in the near future the rest of the accommodation will be similarly upgraded. In case this helps, Greg from the WildWanderers.

Hi All, I asked my Oceania representative this past week if he had any way of knowing if we could have the complimentary hotel stay in advance of a cruise we have booked that begins in Rio de Janeiro in 2025, given that Brazil is mentioned in the press release (about Oceania's upcoming offer effective April 1) on the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings website. He reminded me that it is not as simple as ... I'll take the free room please ... it means that I have to look at the rate for the room we have booked as it appears on April 1 to see if it has gone up - in which case my free room is not really free. At present there is no hotel on offer pre-cruise for our trip, but that does not mean that there will not be one. He and I are chatting on Monday, once the offer is published. In case this helps, Cheers from Greg of the WildWanderers

Hi @Stockjock, In the past my application for the shareholder credit has gone through smoothly at times, and only after much frustrating follow-up, at times. My Oceania representative advised me once to wait until 30 days before the sail-date to apply, and since then, it goes through within a business day In case this helps, Greg from the WildWanderers.

Hi John, I can't imagine having to deal with COPD, not fun I am sure. Difficulties with breathing would be my nightmare. Smart to have the rescue pack. We are fortunate that one of our best friends is a doctor, only an email away, so no need for us to self-diagnose. In these days of few doctors around, and decreasing numbers of family doctors, we are so lucky. I swear the cipro prescription we had on hand in Cuba one time saved my life. Cheers, Greg from the WildWanderers (Big fan of Coronation Street and Heartbeat, and addicted to BritBox. Such is a good life.)

Hi @JYDCruise, Thanks for your concern. We have the take or not take decision in hand. Totally understand that this will not fly in some jurisdictions. Cheers, Greg from the WildWanderers

Hi All, The only excursions available in Colon were seemingly the Oceania Select called the Colon Oscopy, and the special at the Montezuma race track, called the Trots. Many people stayed onboard, however, enjoying the newly renamed Terrace Café, now the Poop Deck. Butt seriously, if you have yet to take your trip, consider asking your doctor for a just-in-case filled prescription of ciprofloxacin. We never travel without it. Cheers from Greg of the WildWanderers

Hi All, Upgrading, Downgrading and Bidding, o my! We started cruising with Oceania in 2014, and in the following 4-5 years used to receive offers of upgrades and downgrades, for various costs and benefits, and sometimes several offers on a given cruise. Since then, crickets. We did ask our Oceania representative before an August 2023 cruise what the cost of an upgrade from a concierge level room to a penthouse would be. The price he quoted was pretty much what was posted, but he suggested I contact him a week before sailing and he would check what kind of a deal he could get then. We did and his offer was still beyond our comfort level. When we boarded and asked the executive concierge for an upgrade on the second of our then two back-to-backs, she said she would put us on the list, and warned me that if we got an offer, it was a fixed amount, non-negotiable. The next day we got a letter from her on our door with an offer far too good to refuse. As a result, for the second of the two cruises we had a shower in which we not only fit, but could turn around. This Spring we are taking a transatlantic Oceania cruise, and eventually returning on the Queen Mary 2 - our first time trying this. We noticed that the cost was the same to do this as two business class fares, so why not. A couple of weeks ago we received an offer to bid on an upgrade. I looked online to see if there was advice on how to play the game to get what you want, and found little. We bid on what is called a Princess suite (we would dine in a different dining room - with presumably a more special menu) and are currently in a Britannia suite that looks like an Oceania concierge level suite. The bid was good for three days and at the end of the three days we heard nothing. I now know (had to contact Cunard on another matter) that they kept the bid alive and we may hear that we got the upgrade up to three days before sailing. This will complicate the printing of their luggage tags for us, but this too is solvable. In case any of this helps, Cheers from Greg of the WildWanderers

The language on their Oceania club benefits website says, "10% SAVINGS ON THE PRESTIGE SELECT BEVERAGE PACKAGE", which in a SimplyMore world is just the upgrade. We have been given the 10% discount for our last two cruises, once we could prove that we had booked and paid in advance. I do not doubt you were told that it applies only if you book the full package, as I had 3 different interpretations of whether I was eligible or not from Reception / Executive Concierge staff. My feeling is that if it no longer applies in a SimplyMore world, remove it from the list of Oceania Club benefits. Clearer language would not hurt. Cheers, Greg from the WildWanderers