golfguyhhi

18 minutes ago, JVNYC said:

How do you know this? 

I could be mysterious and say I have second sight and divined this.  Or I could say I have a good Travel Agent who attended Oceania's webinar about Vista that was broadcast to Travel Agents last week.  By the way, there will likely be a 2 or 3 day break in Miami before the Mia-LA trans-canal cruise so O can host some large number of travel agents to get familiar with the new product.  Same thing on the LA end.

2 hours ago, JVNYC said:

How sure are we about the transatlantic from Southampton to NY? I think Vista would remain in the Med and depart from there. 

Likely a Barcelona to Southampton cruise, then the NYC run.  The full TA from Barcelona to NYC as an extended/grand voyage (or whatever the current title) is also very likely.

Mauibabies - Trans-Atlantic will be Southampton to New York.  After that, NY to Montreal, then down to Miami, followed by Miami - LA, then LA back to Miami for the winter in the Caribbean.

RetiredLifer - Substitute Africa for Australia and you'll have the 4 continents. 

Lyn,

I'll go to the CVS, just like I will next year to get my photo for my passport renewal.  i was just feeling cranky about having to do this myself instead of having the Embarkation Team take my picture as they always have done in the past.

I know, I know, Grumpy Old Man syndrome.   Hey, you kids, get off my lawn!!!!

2 hours ago, Queen of DaNile said:

A camera-enabled device such as a laptop, mobile phone or tablet to take a selfie for our friendly shipboard security team

I have none of the devices listed.  I trust the FSST has a camera of their own to take pictures of those of us who are not as technologically current.  Maybe an out-of-work caricature artist between gigs at the county fair could whip up a likeness.

Lyn and Orv,

TA just back from talk to O.  No deviation fee for flights related to 15th cruise.  Very nice!!!

Orv,

I've booked my 15th cruise and am now working on the air arrangements.  I want to deviate the return by 10 days.  Since it is my 15th, which gives me a free deviation, do you think I can get it for the flights  of/for the 15th, or does it really mean the O Club free deviation benefit begins with the 16th cruise?

TA is asking O this same question right now, so I should know the answer later today, but I'm wondering what you think??

Dave,

Do you mean Nicki Upshaw and Randall Soy?

Bob,

When you first introduced us to the new Vista, you said you would be giving us an update/sneak peek at more details of the ship each month, to keep our excitement at a fevered pitch (as if that was needed).  I was hoping to see more info about cabins and suites, as well as dining venues other than Compass Rose.  And I thought you'd show us any new dining options, as well as the Vista Lounge theater.

I'm already fired up to book a cruise (or 2) in September, but I really want to see more of the ship.  June has come and gone with no news.  Please don't skip July's update (nor August's, for that matter).

Oh, and by the way Bob, I really wish you had kept Allura as the name, and not chosen Vista.  Is it too late to go back to correct what has to have been a clerical error and make the right choice?😁

Bob, don't leave us hanging!!!

20 hours ago, basor said:

I believe that Oceania is requiring a copy of the vaccine cards be provided at least 2 weeks prior to cruising besides bringing along to board.

Where did you get this information?  Can you provide a link?

For those of you who have 'deviated' your flights to arrive in Barcelona (or any port, for that matter) early, do you know how many days in advance of the actual cruise start date one might be able to fly in using Regent's air?

I see 4 days, and 8 days mentioned.  Do you know if it could be as much as 21 days?

I don't care if someone forges a CDC card to get on board.  I'm fully vaccinated, as is my wife.  If the forger starts to show symptoms, O has promulgated their protocol for dealing with this possibility.  The forger and family will be immediately quarantined near the medical center and will be removed from the ship at the next port, with O helping to arrange the forger's return to the port of origination.  There should be little disruption of the cruise for the rest of us who have achieved immunity. 

I hate to argue with posters who make pronouncements about things, but I will just say that the 2 times we had lunch in our owner's suite (in the 12 to 2 window) our butler offered us a large menu with soups, salads, appetizers, entrees, and desserts.  Looked like a subset of the GDR (or MDR, if you prefer) menu.

He spread a linen tablecloth, linen napkins, silver, MDR/GDR plates, and champagne flutes as we drank the Veuve Cliquot they had for us on ice.

Very civilized.  Can't imagine it will be any different when we board Marina this November.

What enforcement authority does the CDC have?

I see they "strongly recommend" that people not fly, but TSA reports week-over-week steady increases in airport traffic, airlines are adding flights and routes, and bringing planes back from storage to handle the increased volume.

State and local governments are lifting mask and social distancing requirements.

What do you suppose would happen if Gov. DeSantis and the Mayor of Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, told Crystal Cruises that, in addition to cruising from Nassau, they could start cruising from Miami, as long as they could prove their entire crew had been fully vaccinated and that all passengers had proof of being vaccinated?

And what if cruise lines instituted these 'fully vaccinated' requirements and refused to stop a cruise and return to port if a passenger showed symptoms of COVID, but, instead, quarantined that sick passenger until the end of the cruise -- since every other passenger was immune to the disease?

What's the CDC going to do?  Call out the National Guard to block passengers?  Send the Coast Guard to block the ships?

And, by the way, I am not proposing that the US provide any subsidy money to the cruise lines, but it couldn't hurt if something was done for the American's who had depended on the cruise lines for their livelihoods were given some consideration.  Think of those trailer truck loads of food and supplies that lined up to deliver their goods every day as the 4,000, 5,000, and 6,000 passenger ships pull in and out of cruise ports all around the US.  Think of how many people are (were)  involved in those supply chains and now have nothing.

If the CDC hasn't banned flights in airplanes, then it seems they are focused on cruising in a strange way.

If the CDC did want to help cruising, even in the smallest way, they could simply say "All crew members must be verifiably vaccinated against COVID by one of the accepted and approved vaccines before being allowed to return to work on board.  All passengers must be verifiably vaccinated against COVID by one of the accepted and approved vaccines prior to boarding."

The CDC could also identify which method of "vaccination passport" would be acceptable as proof of vaccination.

This guidance would enable cruise lines to make every effort to get their crews vaccinated - even going so far as to work with governments to arrange to obtain vaccine on their own to administer injections.

Crews News,

Thanks!  Guess the record keeping is easier that way.

How are drinks over the (Elite Package) $15 handled?  If, for example, you wanted a drink that cost $20, are you charged the $5 difference between the $15 and the $20 cost of the drink -- or are you charged the full $20 (plus gratuity since the drink is outside of the package)?

Riviera just got underway on its trip to Eastport.  

Gee, doesn't sound like anyone onboard was in a position to tell if he had Covid-19.  Thus endeth the conspiracy theory about a cover-up.  OK all you Oceania haters, back to work finding something else to complain about.

Just be aware that you can only get the reduced price if there is still availability in your cabin class.  We got a total of nearly $7,500 savings on 3 of our 4 booked cruises.  None on the 4th because our class was wait-listed.  The small print on the "Ultimate Sale" mentions 'subject to availability'.

Does anyone know if construction has begun on the new ship yet?  Has the keel be laid down?  Is steel being cut?  Based on how Regent handled its new ships, mid-summer (July-August) 2022 would be delivery, with a few Med cruises before a trans-Atlantic on November.

Jan and 4Lakes,

Thanks.  That's great news!!  My wife and I were to have dinner with Evan the night he suffered what was thought to have been a stroke.  He was medevaced out (very luckily his wife was onboard at the time) and went back to England to convalesce.  We heard last November that he was back at work.  When we last saw him he was F&B manager and now he's a GM.  Looking forward to (I hope) seeing him in a few weeks. 

If you are on-board Sirena now, can you tell me me who are the GM, the Food and Beverage Manager, and the restaurant manager?  And, could you find out if the same group will be on the April 1 cruise?  Just curious, as we've sailed with a few that we really enjoyed talking and dining with and hope one (or more) of them will be on when we are.

Thanks!!!

China addict,

Who were the new GM and the new CD you mentioned in your post?

Thanks!!!  I'll check again in a couple of weeks.