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Getaway is currently showing Catrina Rowntree sailing around Patagonia. 

Could you tell us which ship you're sailing on and where please?

15 hours ago, chelsea922 said:

We're really looking forward to trying this line out but are a little afraid we'll be so spoiled we'll never go back to Princess.

Every ship on every cruise line is a different experience, but the service and attention to detail is incredibly consistent across all Princess and Celebrity ships. Personally we love dressing for dinner and being served beautifully presented and tasty food in the MDR and specialty restaurants, and the enormous choice of meals and salads in the buffet.  Depending which Oceania ship you sail on you may want to hurry back to Princess as fast as you can 🤣

We have just disembarked from our first Oceania cruise after many years cruising on 'mass market' lines such as Celebrity and Princess. We found the Oceania excursions to be a mixed bag, everything from excellent to a complete waste of time and money. In other words, similar pot luck to any cruise line shore excursions. Most buses were full and there were multiple buses for the excursions we chose.

Thanks for posting this Ruth. It's a good warning for future travellers. 

17 hours ago, Debarco said:

Yes, Oceania is more expensive but we found the food considerably better and  speciality restaurants are included in that price as are soda/water at both meals and in your cabin and when you are leaving the ship for an excursion-no need for a beverage package.  Food is generally served at the appropriate temperature, as compared to the larger ships where it is often luke warm.  Also, the food on the buffet is put out in smaller portions and replenished frequently(yes, you may have to wait a few minutes for it to arrive) so it has not been sitting out for an hour; the buffet is served to you so you don't have a fellow passenger's germy hands all over the serving utensils.  Plus it's my understanding that Oceania now includes wi-fi which can be quite expensive on some ships.  

No germy hands and included wifi sure do make the food taste better 🤣

NRMA

I will say this.....you small group of Oceania cheerleaders are good. You manage to railroad every negative comment no matter how mild. How much does Oceania pay you?

We phoned our insurance company to check on 'clauses'. If our house burnt down or was damaged we 'would most probably'' be eligible for assistance to cancel flights and/or cruise but, there was no cancellation cover if we chose to stay and defend.

16 hours ago, Justalone said:

 

New to cruising.   Do they serve dim sum or char su ramen noodles?  Are they available daily at lunch or dinner?  Hong Kong fried noodles or Singapore style curry chow mai fun?

At least you can get a cold Tiger Beer 😎

2 hours ago, ATSEAMYLIFE said:

 

Interesting, ships must cook different styles.  I love escargot and creme brulee and neither one looked like that last week on Insignia.  Escargot was cooked in a puff pastry with almost no garlic flavor and the brulee didn't have that peanut thing on the top.  Both of those look mighty tasty.   

Escargots looked nothing like that two nights ago on Nautica. We were served little shrivelled things swimming beside a shell shaped puff pastry.

13 hours ago, ATSEAMYLIFE said:

We just returned from 11 days on Insignia and ate at every venue and room service.  Overall we found the food fair to good.  I think we only had one meal at Polo we both considered very good.  We didn't have anything I would call excellent.  It was a little disappointing as last time (ten years ago) we found the food outstanding.  

Overall the presentation and service was outstanding.  The food seemed to lack flavor.  We equated it to the dining room at the assisted living place my mom had lived.  The portions were good size with some steaks and prime rib "huge" and selections were varied.  In fact, I found the menu in Toscana overwhelming.  

Sorry to say, I found the best food to be at Waves.  The Mexican dog and Matador burger were outstanding; along with the Ruben.  

Thank you for your honesty and indirect support of others here who dare to point out issues with food on Oceania.

It would appear there was a major turn over of crew at commencement of our cruise following relocation to the Southern Hemisphere. This has impacted across the ship but particularly in food preparation, stores and service, everything from the GDR to Room Service has been affected. 

Please note well, this is not criticism or complaint. Just fact. Now please continue to attack me. We are taking on board all your personal criticisms and will endeavour to correct our dreadful appreciation of Oceania's fine cuisine and service, so please feel free to continue.

45 minutes ago, clo said:

Yes but. Bacon and eggs and toast for breakfast. A burger for lunch. Chicken, beef, pasta for dinner. The choices are so broad which is what I most praise it for.

I'm not trying to ve difficult but do you really think you've just described the best food at sea?

A meal served hot would be nice.

Currently on Nautica and I'm yet to eat anything that impresses me. In fact DH and I have left most meals barely touched or unfinished. We are not foodies but so far have found the 'best food at sea' to be sorely lacking. Heading to the Polo Grill tonight and looking forward to some improvement.

Happy sailing

4 hours ago, ORV said:

The Nautica has yet to go through the NEXT refurbishment which the other R ships have. It's scheduled sometime in 2020. 

Looks like they may gave started with beds and linen. It's an easy update without the structural changes involved in a full refurbishment.

Impressions of our Concierge cabin.

It's the same size and configuration as many we have sailed in before but has a lot more storage. The dark timber is in keeping with the Oceania image but is a bit gloomy really especially with the old fashioned mustard carpet. The blue door into the corridor is a nice touch.

Yes, the bathroom is tiny and you need to sit sideways on the toilet and bang your elbows on the shower walls, but it has a lot more storage options than we've had on other cruise lines. The towels are plentiful and all appear brand new. At the moment they feel a bit like sandpaper but they'll soften in time I'm sure. The amenities are Bulgari, a mix of green and blue.
 

The bed is comfortable and we slept very well last night. The mattress also appears to be new with a deep topper that feels like rubber making the bed a bit spongy but as I say, we slept very well. The bed linen also appears to be new and looks and feels fresh, clean and inviting.

There's ample storage and heaps of coat hangers. I always have to ask for more on other cruise lines. The two seater lounge is very low as is the stool provided. My husband found that difficult and asked if there was a chair. Our wonderful room steward provided a chair with arms within minutes.

The balcony chairs also appear to be new. Not the table which is wobbly and unstable. And the decking is that new plastic timber which makes it look fresh and clean. For those who don't know this size of ship, the balconies are those little enclosed alcoves. Very private and snug.

The safe is small but easy to operate. The TV has the menu for the GDR and there's a selection of DVDs to choose from. There are plenty of electrical outlets but no USB ports.
 

We like the Room Service system where you phone, your call is logged and someone calls you back to take your order within minutes. 
 

It seems the Nautica has recently undergone a few upgrades and we're very happy with our cabin. If I've forgotten anything please ask.

Edit: in case anyone missed it in my opening post, there's a wonderful bedside clock. Never had one of those before. We usually tra el with our own which we've left in the suitcase this time.

9 hours ago, pinotlover said:

The Terrace is for Teatotallers.

 

We were on the Nautica for 20 days last summer, adult beverage service will not improve there during your cruise. Mgt up and down the line are fully aware of the situation. It is what it is.

 

The buffet onboard the Nautica has an issue with trying to maintain the food at a proper serving temperature. You won’t find spicy food aboard the Nautica. As I was told by the head chef “ food is prepared to be approachable by the largest cross section possible “. Or as a waiter replied to a passenger “ Oceania doesn’t do spicy”! An example is their sweet tomato mix they  attempt to pass as salsa. 🤮
 

You can find great enjoyment with the food and service in the GDR and Specialties. Enjoy the meals for what they are and enjoy your cruise. 🍷

Not looking for spicy, just tasty. 

We definitely enjoyed the flavours at dinner last night.

3 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

OK - folks. How about getting back to my original question regarding who are the current top hotel leaders onboard Nautica right now.

7 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

OP: would you please post who is serving as the General Manager and as Cruise Director on Nautica right now?

Also, if you don't mind, please add who is the Executive Concierge and who is the Oceania Club Ambassador.

Captain's name would be great as well. But, I am most interested in the folks with whom we'll probably be dealing when we board in Cape Town on February 3.

THANKS in advance! 

Answered you on the other thread. 

 

9 hours ago, Classiccruiser777 said:

For what it’s worth, when dining in Terrace and when I want an alcoholic beverage I request it when passing by the bar on my way in. Fast service every time.

Good idea. I'll remember that.

This is our 20th cruise but the first on Oceania. We boarded today in Cape Town for a 14 night cruise around South Africa. Thought I'd try to write a blog of sorts for people like me who enjoy learning from the experiences of others. Maybe you'll enjoy our observations.
 

We arrived at the port about 11.15am and were seated in the Terrace Cafe by noon despite a mishap at check in where a visa in my passport was used repeatedly as a failed passport scan and our credit card was applied to two different cabins. (We had to fix this ourselves once onboard). 
 

As others have reported we almost had to beg to get a drink, the waiters were so thin on the ground. There was a good selection of buffet food but everything we chose was surprisingly bland and luke warm.

Our Concierge Cabin was ready by 1.30 pm. The Muster Drill was interesting in that we all had to follow our group leader to the allocated lifeboat. We were the last group and I reckon the ship would have gone down well and truly by the time we got to our lifeboat!

The best thing so far is the bedside clock. Love it!

11 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

Country club  is  Slacks, Dockers, golf or collared shirt and  shoes.   Sport coat optional for specialties  No baseball hats.       Pants suits or dresses for ladies.    No shorts or beach attire.

Dress like you want to be perceived....   How would you dress at home if going to  a upscale place to eat or party?      Would you feel comfortable wearing jeans when   most other are   not.....  Your call   

  Its not a matter of what you can get away with  but manners and decorum of the situation.

We know what golf or collared shirts are but I'm fascinated by "slacks and dockers".

Mistakenly thought from your subject you were referring to the comfort level of the balcony chairs. Urgh.....designed to make you spend as little time on your balcony as possible.