Robjame

Norwegian cruise ship ran aground in Puerto Plata (port in question in this case as well) when strong winds blew her aground. The ships changed policies to prevent this happening again by restricting docking or leaving dock in winds greater than 25 knots. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-60749404

It was a pain. I had to take the picture with my iPhone - could not get my iPad to do it. The person taking the picture had to move forward and backward to get it to fit in and even then it didn’t look like it was successful but the picture did take. Just my experience.

The new hours for the Specialty Dining starts January 24 so we don’t know. Best guess is no change for Terrace or MDR as this change is to accommodate the number of people having access to the specialty dining in 7 days.

As far as we know, it is Terminal J. We arrive at 6 am. The port with Wonder of the Seas was San Juan so no problem at Terminal J. Easy luggage drop off there and a 50 foot walk to the terminal.

Riviera now:

If this has been a standard policy for 7- cruises or if it is a new, positive change.

After 31 days of being on Riviera we have not seen these facial recognition/thermal machine anywhere but at the boarding areas. I wonder if they are used onboard only when cases begin to rise or perhaps the policy has changed with the current change in Covid testing requirements.

Since the grounding incident, Oceania’s policy has been To not attempt dockings when there is a possibility of +25 winds. As a result we are skipping Dominican Republic today and adding a sea day while sailing home for Miami. Those who board on January 24 can be assured Riviera will be at Terminal on time! As the January 24 cruise is a seven day cruise, they have expanded the dining hours to accommodate the requests for specialty dining. Hours of operation have changed from 6:30 - 9:00 to 6:00 - 9:30. This was not the case when we originally booked our specialty dining. Those who wanted earlier or later dining might find they can easily find these now. ‘This may have always been the case for 7 day cruises but it is not something we have run into before. I am sure someone can clarify.

I am an atrocious speller but usually I am able to blame it on spell-check.🤐

Not sure of the gratuity as we were invited to this dinner. ‘Yes wine is extra. I believe there may be a wine-pairing choice in the future but this was a Degustation event. Our host provided wine /champagne. I got the feeling that the chef provided the menu for our host to approve. The choice of entrée covered the most obvious problem. I got the impression that substitutions would not be a normal process though we were asked to suggest side dishes from Tuscana and/or Polo.

The Privée experience is no longer limited to the items in Tuscana and Polo. Here is a copy of the Degustation Menu which we experienced last night.The cost is the same - $300 plus gratuity for the use of the room for a total of 10 people. ‘There is a third option Best of Oceania but not sure it has been introduced yet.

The Privée experience is no longer limited to the items in Tuscana and Polo. Here is a copy of the Degustation Menu which we experienced last night.The cost is the same - $300 plus gratuity for the use of the room for a total of 10 people. ‘There is a third option Best of Oceania but not sure it has been introduced yet.

Not very good but Verandah washroom Riviera

Vanity mirror reflecting clock on B3 Riviera now. If these items are important to you I would have my TA list them with the type of soda in the fridge, distilled water for CPap, champagne bucket, etc.

Correction: The bags available are for Bronze Level Oceania Club. Sorry for the confusion. Jon is right as usual.

I think the wind complaint is more for 7108 & 7111 as you will get more wind when the ship is underway 7008(port) and 7009 (starboard) are the same location only on opposite sides of the ship. Their angled open side faces aft and attracts little (or no) wind when underway. We have sat comfortably while the Riviera is moving. Of course, like other cabins, if there is wind abeam you will feel it. As Lyn has said the 2 open to the bow extended verandahs (7108 & 7111) are reported to act as air scoops when Ship is underway. View straight back and view trying to see in neighbours stateroom from 7009.

Yes - I don’t think there is any change to the layout of the veranda stateroom. Change (for the better) to bathroom layout Yes.

We are on Riviera now and there are new Oceania bags available- no idea as to how they are allocated but there are new Oceania bags on the ship.

?

Sorry don’t know

Tonight we ate at the pizzeria which takes over Waves from 6:30 to 9:00. We started with a fantastic appetizer of burrata, tomatoes on roquette drizzled with balsamic and served with slivers of focaccia. Wow! ‘We each ordered a pizza but next time we will just share one. This is not your Terrace pizza! This is thin crust with the bubbles of charred dough like the finest Toronto pizza in Little Italy. I had a simple margarita and it was wonderful. Like the new Baristas it is under utilized but perfect for a lighter supper. Mattsimo(sp) from Baristas serves and adds the flair of his Italian banter. We really recommend this place!

We had so much fun meeting you at the Meet & Greet, Jon. we wondered how you got along with the different food - not too much fish lol. ‘We are always amazed how you run into the same people on the ship and never seem to see others. And the time always flies by!

When we left Miami two days ago it was a low of 41 degrees and windy. There was all manner of parkas and toques on the locals. Two days later we are passing Dominican Republic and sitting out on our balcony is comfortable again. It is 27 degrees at home so we weren’t complaining.

We have eaten about half our breakfasts and half our dinners in the Main Dining room and it is our favourite venue. It is seldom crowded, the service has been excellent and we are very impressed with the wide selection. Now we are slow eaters and don’t do well in the hustle-bustle of buffets. The secret is knowing that food prep takes about 15 minutes and we time our next course request to suit. ‘Breakfasts always start with a selection from a tray of pastries, juices or fresh cut fruit or berries, muesli or yogurt parfaits. Every imaginable egg choice is offered. Similarly there is a wide variety of toast, muffins, though they do arrive in the English cooked but cold style. Eggs Benedict, corned beef hash, lamb chops, kippers are everyday specialties. We have only had one miss which was quickly corrected when a soft boiled egg was hard cooked. We always find something special on the dinner menu which has items from the specialty dining rooms, and three of Jacques Pepin selections. There are selections of food from around the world and healthy choices. Last night our dinner included caviar, a cheddar cheese soufflé appetizer and duck à l’ orange. All were consistently delicious. There is always a rotating choice of soufflé for dessert or a cheese tray. A sommelier arrives promptly when we sit down and we usually ask them to pair our dinner choices with wine by the glass which has resulted in attentive service. There has been some reports of inconsistencies but it is not something we have experienced on Riviera.

If you are paying for glasses of wine at bars or restaurants, add another 20% for gratuitity.