Sthrngary

WARNING: Long and Detailed. Read at night when you can't fall asleep. Hello Cruise Critic Friends: I came on the Oceania Cruise board 1.5 years ago. I wanted to make friends, which I did. I wanted to learn, which I did. I wanted to enhance my cruising experience with Oceania Cruises, which I did. I have an acquired taste, and I am fully aware of that. Yet, “It is nice when a plan comes together.” This post will be on the Oceania and the NCL CruiseCritic.com Boards. On NCL, I want to let my longtime cruise buddies that engaged with me on the “NCL Haven” to have my perspective on Oceania Cruises per their request. For the Oceania Board, I want those that wanted a new person’s perspective on Oceania to have one that is based on a perspective of a lots of cruises and the last 10 years of cruising in the VIP section of Mainstream Mega Ships. I am writing this partially on the flight back home watching “John Wick 3”, the morning after I get home and two days after I am home. A perfect approach to a review of sorts to allow one to remember it as it happened. “Let us begin.” Review with the End in Mind: Writing with “End in Mind”. For all those that say, my post is “Word Salad”. You were RIGHT, however that is the way I write. To honor you, here is my conclusion. “I Love Oceania Cruising”. For those that want the details, please read on. My thoughts are mostly good, with some areas of concern/improvement. I believe in honest balanced reviews. My order is my own based on what comes to my mind first. Full Disclosure, I had a few glasses of wine and now on my second cup of coffee Delta Airline Coffee so excuse the spelling and grammar. Flying on the Day before the Cruise: First, please always consider this if possible. We got lucky with NO air issues at all either way. That was a miracle. My wife and friends all flew First Class Delta domestically and Delta One Suites for the long haul from JFK to Athens, Greece. I used saved Delta Miles for myself, and I got lucky on inexpensive upgrades as they were made available for my friends. The Delta Suites were nice, but I like the older Delta One seats better on the return trip. I don’t know why, but I was more comfortable on the return flight. Although on the return, the seats, and areas around them were dirty, which is why we bring cleaning clothes. Just my thoughts about the Delta One seats, not everyone. This is from someone that has flown ALL his adult life. Was it better than coach or coach premium, YES but only at the right price. Full fare, I say not in our future. Hotel In Athens, Greece Day Prior to the Cruise: The “Hotel Grande Bretagne”. I booked it directly with the hotel, it is cheaper than booking through Oceania by almost half. Outstanding Hotel in every way. The roof top bar/restaurant has the most spectacular views at night of all of Athens, Greece and for breakfast the same view in the daylight. Breakfast was amazing and the greatest way to start a vacation. The best breakfast buffet I have ever had in my life and that is to say something. Plus, it was part of the room rate. Oceania Embarkment: This was the first TEST of my experience with Oceania Cruises. Security was as one might expect, awkward, a bit of a “Hurry up and Wait”. My approach for every cruise is to get onboard first (Based on Cruise Brand Rules), in this case 11:00 AM and this was NO difference. I was in a “Vista Suite” and my Guests were in a “Penthouse (PH2)”. Oceania let them check-in with us, which was nice. I took my Suite Card pictures at home for check-in and NO pictures were needed at the port. That was a first for me and I noted it. Quick easy and on board in less than 15 minutes. Just like other brands, I got multiple emails to watch the safety video, which we did. My Vista Suite was ready immediately and the PH2 was ready at 12:00 PM. I went straight to Muster, which was quick and easy, then to our Suite with our guest as one might expect. To answer a few questions. My key card for the Vista Suite was gold with a black edge. The Penthouse card was all gold. To my NCL Haven Friends, you cannot put your carry-on’s, in your suite before they are ready on Oceania like you can in the Haven. However, for this cruise anyway, the time you are asked to board, both staterooms were ready. I rate Embarkment a 9 out of 10. Vista Suite: Lovely suite but a “One and Done” experience for me. A huge suite with a huge balcony that is half the front of the ship literally. I rate the suite an “8 out of 10”. The exercise room is a waste of space for us on a cruise. The balcony furniture is pulled/tied down before the ship leaves a port which is a waste. The in suite blue tooth Bose Music System worked perfectly and love that. The Jacuzzi in the Master Bath was used a few times, and it was double sized and lovely. The Jacuzzi outside was never used because the water was warm but not hot. Before the Oceania CruiseCritic.com Police hit me up, YES, I told the right folks. The suite itself was nice but in the future, I will go for a PH or Concierge stateroom. I currently booked a Concierge Stateroom for an October 2025 cruise already. As some of you know, I got a very good deal on Vista Suite and it was worth every penny but still, for me not worth full retail. The six bottles of spirits, the Bath Gift Box and the Oceania Gift Bag were a very welcome and nice touch. A way to remember the suite. Before folks get confused, those gifts were only for Oceania, Vista, and Owners Suites. This has been a topic of another blog here on CruiseCritic.com. Embarkment lunch in the suite is ONLY offered to the Owners Suite which is an answer to another question recently asked. Not an issue, not the way I wanted my first lunch to be on Oceania anyway. The Oceania Vista Suite is basically the same as the H2 Haven Owners Suite with Large Balcony on the NCL Joy, Encore or Bliss. Butler: Rating 9 out of 10. He was GREAT, and I think his name was “Raj”. No request was denied, extra specialty restaurant reservations were obtained, and changes of reservations were done within 15 minutes. We never dinned in the suite at all but had coffee and Danish brought every morning from Barista’s at 07:45 AM. That was worth the price of admission. To my NCL Haven Friends, this butler was the Real Deal butler and the NCL butlers, I have had many, cannot come close. My guests, like so many new cruises that have never had a butler, did not take my advice, and utilize their butler except for complementary laundry services. They lose, but I understand. I did the same the first time I had a butler. My wife and I did not have anything pressed (allowance of four items done within the first three days of sailing) and we only used two (2) of the three (3) bags of laundry. The last morning, because of my mistake of missing the third bag, I was punished by doing two loads in the complementary laundry mat on deck 11. NCL Haven Friends, this is yet another difference with Concierge and above staterooms to have some complementary laundry however the laundry mat is available to every stateroom. I did a Butler Letter which I have posted about online and given some samples. It is something I have done for 10 years after being disappointed so many times with below average butlers. Every single request was made with no further comment from me. From extra lounge chairs on the deck, Nuts/Pretzels in the suite, Orange/Cranberry juice in the refrigerator and the type of soda’s we like. One request was not large portion for snacks because I had wasted food. All were honored. Our six (6) bottles of wine/spirits were delivered after the ship left the dock (Rules about delivery). The spirits were liter, which was a surprise. Before someone asked, those six (6) bottles come only with an Oceania, Vista, or Owners Suite not with a PH or lower. I took home in my luggage what we did not drink, I just unpacked what was left and put it in my home bar. To my NCL Haven Friend. Complementary Spirits and Mixers in your Haven Suite is limited to H2/Owners Suite and some of the larger suites on ships with no Haven areas. They are NOT liters; they are 5th on NCL. One more difference, if you have a drink package on Oceania, the room service or butler WILL bring those drinks to your stateroom complementary where in the Haven, there is a charge. NOTE, the rules to which Oceania Drink package applies. Do your due diligence, it will serve you well, especially if you have never cruised Oceania before. First Day Lunch: The Breakfast at our Hotel in Athens was one of the best I have ever had as stated above. I had items I have not had in years. I was not hungry for lunch on the ship, but we all chose to go to the Terrace Café’ (Buffet) not Waves as I originally planned. I had a very small lunch which was from the Carving Station and was great quality. My NCL Haven Friends, the Terrace Café’ is the buffet. It is NOT huge, but unlike other ship Buffets, the quality was very good. The closest I have ever gotten to this at sea was on Crystal Cruises with better bread on Oceania Cruise and better deserts on Crystal. Please remember, it was still a buffet but a good one. I knew we were going to dinner at the Toscana (Italian) for dinner. This cruise for me was not an eat feast. I had just lost lots of weight getting ready for the cruise so my stomach simply could not handle huge amounts of food. We gave up quantity for quality. For a fat guy, that was a major change in my eating habits. Brief Summary of Day One: After lunch we unpacked, which is the rule in my family and strictly enforces by my bride. We all then went to the outside Spa Terrace where the Thermal Spa is located. This was of great interest to me and an area I spent much time in during the cruise. My wife was impressed that all the of the spa amenities (outside of the Thermal Spa) were available for all. She especially liked the heated tile lounge chairs. This is part of your fare with Oceania for my Haven Friends information. We then simply took a tour of this well-appointed ship (Riviera) which was just renovated less than a year ago. We ended up in my Vista Suite, with drinks in hand, for the sail away. What a view of Athens and our guests were beside themselves. Time to get ready for dinner and another drink (two or three). Food and Drink: I will not share every aspect of the food we ate. We all must realize food is relative to the person. This will be a general overview only. Many others show pictures and comments. Specialty Restaurants: All the Specialty Restaurants were excellent except the Polo Grill which I will share below. The quality of the specialty restaurants, which are complementary in Oceania (Some Rules do Apply). For my NCL Haven friends, in my opinion Oceania Specialty Restaurants were much better, with the except for the steakhouse. NOTE: Oceania Cruises gives four (4) guaranteed reservations pre-cruise (ten-day cruise), (Oceania, Vista and Owners Suites have 😎 and space available when on the cruise which differs from NCL that charge for Specialty Restaurant past the “Free at Sea” promotion. Red Ginger (Asian fusion): 10 out of 10. Rated #1 by our entire group. Service, quality of food and for me the only place I loved dessert, which was simple. We have a special evening which I wrote about when a person from a table of 8 was screaming at his fellow table mates which made our dinner even more eventful. As previously stated, “Dinner and a Show” not on the Oceania Currents (Daily Activity Sheet Name). We went to Red Ginger twice. I could eat there every night. Jacques (French): 9 out of 10. Rated #2 overall and again we ate here twice. The entire staff treated us like rock stars, especially the host who is a super star. We wanted our friends to join our table for the second meal (Based on a Vista Suite) and it was always accommodated. I think what made this restaurant special was the atmosphere. It is gone on the new ships which I think is a loss and our next cruise is on the “Vista Ship” which means for us, no more Jacques. Sad about that. Toscana (Italian): 8 out of 10. Rated #3 overall. I like Italian food however we had several ports in Italy so simply no comparison. I found the food Americanized but I like that so just understand. It is not Italy, but It is good. No one in our group liked the olive oil cart except for the presentation by the great Vincenzo. We skipped the second dinner. Polo Grill (Steakhouse): 5 out of 10. Rated #4 of the specialty restaurants. We did not like it as a group, so I cancelled my second reservation. My Prime Rib queen cut was really great but just warm like it was sitting under a heat lamp. The service was awful. We asked for water, wine, and drinks multiple times and to no avail. The plates were cold, the food was lukewarm and, as so many have mentioned, not cooked to the temperature requested. For a small steakhouse, all the food seemed pre-prepared so in some cases cold and just did not taste good. Not everyone’s opinion on the ship is so relative to the person. Before I get comments on this statement, “Yes I told the GM (Emma) and the Restaurant Manager”. Both asked me to try it again and I smiled and just did not take them up on the offer. Normal Restaurants: The Grand Dining Room: 7 out of 10. This is the Main Dining Room for my NCL Haven friends. Our service was GREAT, but our dinner and lunch foods were average to below average. HOWEVER, I ate breakfast with my friend every single day and we loved the breakfast. The NCL Haven Restaurant is hands down much better than Oceania’s Grand Dining Room and there is no comparison. Waves Grille: 8 out of 10. This to most of us would be the Pool Grille. The burgers and fries were really good. We ate here for several days lunch. When the ship docked at 11:00 AM or later, we would eat on the ship. The Terrace Café’s (Buffet) was just around the corner so LOTS of options. Interesting that they cook your burger to order and bring it to you. To my Crystal Cruise friends, like what they did on Crystal however Crystal has a GREAT steak sandwich which still holds the price. Terrace Café’ (Buffet): 7 out of 10. About what you would expect, but more than slightly better quality and service. Some of my guests were picky, however I like the variety, quality, and service. At dinnertime they sometimes had themes. Yes, they will cook to order steaks, Lamb Chops, and Lobster Tails to order for you at night if not a theme night. NOTE: On most all Lobster dishes, they were below average, over cooked, dry, and not worth the selection. The only deviation was in Red Ginger which was really good. I only bring this up because it seems to be a hot CruiseCritic.com topic. Again, to my Haven Friends, the lobster tails in the Haven Restaurant were always excellent and no comparison. Just a FYI on that one. Afternoon Tea in Horizons: Excellent and I mean from start to finish. Service, Food, and Music. We only did it twice, but it is an experience I will not soon forget. The tiny sandwiches were great. Busy trip or we all would have done it every day. Take it from me, just do it and be open minded. Executive Lounge: for Penthouse and above only. Went twice. Nice concept, simply NO need for it for my enjoyment. Now with a Concierge Stateroom where you have no butler, they have a Concierge Lounge. That will be a better option for that level of stateroom. Snacks in the Room and Room Service: Nice concept, did the snacks once in my suite and skipped them for the rest of the cruise except for the Chocolate covered strawberries. All we wanted was a small bowl of pretzels and nuts. We did get the butler to give us Special Coffee with Danishes every morning from Barista’s. Our friends had breakfast the first day and it was less than good, so they skipped from that point forward. You must take the good with the bad. For my NCL Haven Friends, when you order room service breakfast, ALWAYS get it from the Haven Restaurant and you must ask your butler to do so. That breakfast is usually very good. That is a difference to note. Bars: We only went to Martini’s (10 out of 10) and the Pool bar (8 out of 10). Martinis was our place and we tried lots of great drinks. My favorite was “Big O” Martini. Sorry to the CruiseCritic.com poster that asked me for the recipe. I did not find out how it was made, I simply forgot. We never went to the other bars except the pool bar. Barista’s (Coffee): 10 out of 10. The only place for a great coffee period. For my Haven Friends it was always complementary. Better than Starbucks on the NCL ships by far. As mentioned, in the morning, before you go to breakfast, get your coffee at Barista’s then take it to breakfast. Not my idea. An idea I got from someone on this Oceania CruiseCritic.com Board. Mini Bar in the Suite: Soft drinks, water and juices are complementary. When you arrive, you are given one bottle of VERY NICE real French Champagne. NCL Haven Friends, not sparkling wine. Real Champagne. Gone day one and was very good. It was nice not to have the Room Seward must take all the stuff out of the stateroom on day one because they were all for sale. Just an appreciated difference. Drink Programs/Packages: If I ever get an Oceania, Vista, or Owners Suite again, I will NOT get the upgraded drink unlimited drink program called the Prestige Package. Waste of money under those circumstances. However, for all other staterooms, it suited me nicely. For my NCL Haven friends, Oceania recently changed their fee fare structure, so everyone has a Wine/Beer and Champagne at ONLY Lunch and Dinner which is in all fare. To upgrade to unlimited with spirits, it is $30.00 a day, per guest. Also note that Oceania has two, “2 for 1” happy hours a day so if you just have an occasional drink, review the programs carefully. On my last cruise on NCL, the White Wine was horrible. I mean really bad even with the NCL upgraded Premium PLUS Drink Program. The White Wine on Oceania was very good. Also different from NCL. Oceania allows you to bring on board 6 bottles of wine or spirits. Every port, I bought one or two bottles of wine for my wife for the Suite. I like the ability to bring wine/spirits on board like the “Old Days”. The only deal is if you take your wine to dinner, there is a cork charge but no charge if you drink your wine in your stateroom. Do your due diligence, you will thank me. NCL benefits are different so again, do your due diligence. Water On Board: 9 out of 10. Excellent reusable, sustainable and refillable. What a great idea and no plastic bottles. At first, I did not think I would like this. From the first drink, it was just fine. I think the system is called Vero Water. Oceania gives you two stainless steel containers to take with you to the ports. Nice touch and nice when you get home also. This has a cost on NCL even in some Haven. Notice the small items that are different which is what my Haven friends wanted too here. Entertainment: 6.5 out of 10 NCL wins hands down, no contest so if you want that kind of entertainment, skip Oceania. No Go-Cart Tracks, NO wall climbing, NO Virtual Reality, NO Lasor Tag, and NO water slides. The Shows were Hit and mostly misses. The Guest Singer was GREAT but only did two (2) shows. Just like food, subjective. The piano player in Martini’s was very good, every night. The strings were very good every time they played. The house band at the pool and Horizons late night (not very late) was always very good. You have options, choose wisely. The Cooking Classes: 9 out of 10. I loved it and my wife was so/so on it. One interesting fact. We learned that when using Rose, use a tiny amount. If you use too much, it tastes like dish soap. I bought a bag of cookies at a bakery at one of the ports. It tasted like dish soap. We both immediately knew why, and the cookies got tossed. Onboard Internet: 7 out of 10. Sometimes good and sometime well you know. We are on a cruise ship. Stay home for great internet. I upgraded our Internet to Streaming for a bit more once onboard. Casino: Small, casual and for me profitable. I waited until the last night. I check my account for how much was on it which is my judge for how much I must win. My wife bought a purse onboard, and we had the upgrade to the internet. I NEVER take my wife to a casino because she makes me nervous when I gamble. I won all the money in 10 minutes plus extra for lots of extra tips. Then I walked away a winner. The Vista Suite: 8 out of 10. For my NCL Haven Fans, the Vista Suite I stayed in was very close to the Haven (H2) Owners Suite with Large Balcony on the NCL Joy, Encore, and Bliss. The difference as I shared before was, they pulled the outdoor furniture before departing. On NCL, they never did that. The Vista Suite was HUGE, the deck was half the front of the ship with an outdoor hot tub which we never used. A four-person dining table outside which we used once, was a nice touch. Blue Tooth throughout the suite from your phone which was very easy to use and great sound through Bose Speakers was awesome. The master bathroom was huge with a supersized Jacuzzi. Second FULL bathroom which I used all the time was as you enter the room. The makeup area was in the corner of the bedroom. The beds were fantastic. Really best at sea so far. Great Room again was huge with a dining room table for four. NCL Haven fans, you can order from ANY Specialty Restaurant through your butler with Penthouse or above any dinner time. This gives Penthouse or above the ability to have specialty restaurant every single night. That, my friends, is a nice perk and since it is complementary, better than the NCL Haven. Talking about perks. We got three gifts for the Vista Suite which is not available for Penthouse or below. 1) A huge gift box of high-end toiletries. Super nice. 2) A very high-end beach bag with Oceania Branded hats, towels, and other things. 3) On the last day, which I think everyone gets two metal Oceania luggage tags. If you are in a high-end Suite, leave room in your luggage for all the stuff. The downside was the bedroom temp was super cold for a couple of days which I finally got fixed. Some folks have a hard time with the “Home Automation” Lights. I have these at home, so it was easy for me. The table lamps in the main great room need to be turned off by hand. The room is very loud when they dock, especially early. There is a sour smell when they leave the port like they are emptying the black tank. Neither last long but it was noticed. The deck is impossible to use due to wind while sailing. The exercise room which is gone from the new ships is a waste of space on this ship. As I said above, “One and Done” unless I get a crazy deal again. If so, I will opt for an Oceania Suite which has a deck on the side and a TV room. The bigger the suite is not always better. The Penthouse suites are excellent and larger than most NCL Haven Suites at 440 sf. Save the money is my opinion in the future. Don’t want a butler, go down one category to a Concierge Stateroom, which is lovely. Transfers: I did not use Oceania for transfers. At first it was a little scary, but it all worked out. All were done online, pre-paid, and the services were reasonable, on-time and professional. I hate Cruise Brand Transfers with the buses and waiting for those that are late so why not do it yourself. Google Search is our friend. Another word of advice. I asked both hotels what they charged for the same service, and it was usually four times more than what I paid. Do a little research. Ports & Excursions: As many of you know, I did a lot of preparation before traveling. I did NOT want to do Oceania, Air, Hotel or Excursions. All of which for me and my way of traveling was correct and now confirmed. It also saved us a lot of money in all categories. We did the “Hoop on Hoop Off” buses and trains. Had a list of 8 places to go in each port but only did two. The key is we made the choice based on how we felt, so we were in complete control. Never rushed off the ship or rushed to get back on. I always had the best way to get from the cruise ship to City Central. We stayed in a hotel the day before and the day after the cruise, which made the experience that much better. If you want my thoughts on each port, it really won’t matter to you. Every port is to your taste on what you want to do. I will say, if you have mobility issues, skip the walk through the Sistine Chapel. When possible, get your attraction tickets online and have it on your phone. Saves time and in some cases money. This includes train or bus tickets. Make sure you can cancel them if the port is cancelled, which happens all the time. Getting Off the Ship the Last Day: Smooth sailing ALL the way. We had a great breakfast at the Grand Dining Room. Waited until 08:30 AM. Walked off, got help with our bags and got in a Taxi Van super quick which I pre-ordered online. No fuss, no muss. Straight to the "Hotel Arts Barcelona" a Ritz Carlton Hotel which was lovely. At all ports we always left the ship one hour after it arrived to miss the crowd. Worked great. Just a thought if you are doing your own excursions vs. using Oceania. Conclusion: Cruise 9 out of 10 Cruises are what you make of them. Smile, have a good attitude and make it fun for the crew. Yes, you heard me right, make it fun for the crew and your time will be so much better. I was having such a good time, on day two, I went to say hello to “Emma” the General Manager and said thank you. She always said hello when she saw me on deck. Did things go wrong, YES. Where there some misses at meal, YES. Was the entertainment always great, NO. Where there are a few issues with my suite, YES. Did any of it matter so much that my cruise was negative, ABSOLUTELY NOT. Attitude is everything. Did my group get loud, make fools out of ourselves from time to time, YES. Did we get some looks from some of the other Guests, YES. Then they came and joined us and were welcomed. Were some folks inappropriately dressed for some restaurants, YES. Did we dress correctly, YES. Did it affect our enjoyment that others dressed too casually, NO. This is Oceania not Queen Mary. I mean NO disrespect by that statement. Just the way I feel. To each their own and let it be like “water off a duck”. We booked two cabins on a cruise onboard the Oceania Vista ship, Concierge Stateroom for October 2025. I will watch sales, for a four-category upgrade or other special promotions. This time, I think that won’t be an option because the date is in October vs. November. However, I will watch for it. The onboard special was 5% off for booking so far in advance (2025). $400.00 off the stateroom price which goes up with each category above. $250.00 per stateroom of On-Board-Credit and for this upcoming sailing the “Simply More” program with two (2) device internet, Lunch/Dinner Wine Package and I think $600.00 per stateroom excursion credit. My travel agent had a special so this time, she will pay gratuities, which is nice. The reduced deposit was $250.00 per person, which was also nice. Please remember, for ANY cancelation, the new Oceania policy is you will be charged a $150.00 cancelation fee NO exceptions. A side note and not meant to be advice for anyone. I gave a donation to the “Crew Cruise Fund”, gave extra to my favorite bartenders/servers. I took care of my butler and room Seward with extra. The amounts were personal, but I am very generous to those that treat my party nicely. You do you. This was my favorite cruise of ALL time. My wife had a great time, which is not always the case. For the first time, we saw places that we had never really seen before. First real port intensive cruise ever and in the Mediterranean. Very different and interesting for both of us. Our friends were completely blown away. The proof is we booked another cruise onboard. I will answer any questions you have but I was obviously very detailed. Hope for those that wanted details, I did not disappoint. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

WARNING: Long and Detailed. Read at night when you can't fall asleep. Hello Cruise Critic Friends: I came on the Oceania Cruise board 1.5 years ago. I wanted to make friends, which I did. I wanted to learn, which I did. I wanted to enhance my cruising experience with Oceania Cruises, which I did. I have an acquired taste, and I am fully aware of that. Yet, “It is nice when a plan comes together.” This post will be on the Oceania and the NCL CruiseCritic.com Boards. On NCL, I want to let my longtime cruise buddies that engaged with me on the “NCL Haven” to have my perspective on Oceania Cruises per their request. For the Oceania Board, I want those that wanted a new person’s perspective on Oceania to have one that is based on a perspective of a lots of cruises and the last 10 years of cruising in the VIP section of Mainstream Mega Ships. I am writing this partially on the flight back home watching “John Wick 3”, the morning after I get home and two days after I am home. A perfect approach to a review of sorts to allow one to remember it as it happened. “Let us begin.” Review with the End in Mind: Writing with “End in Mind”. For all those that say, my post is “Word Salad”. You were RIGHT, however that is the way I write. To honor you, here is my conclusion. “I Love Oceania Cruising”. For those that want the details, please read on. My thoughts are mostly good, with some areas of concern/improvement. I believe in honest balanced reviews. My order is my own based on what comes to my mind first. Full Disclosure, I had a few glasses of wine and now on my second cup of coffee Delta Airline Coffee so excuse the spelling and grammar. Flying on the Day before the Cruise: First, please always consider this if possible. We got lucky with NO air issues at all either way. That was a miracle. My wife and friends all flew First Class Delta domestically and Delta One Suites for the long haul from JFK to Athens, Greece. I used saved Delta Miles for myself, and I got lucky on inexpensive upgrades as they were made available for my friends. The Delta Suites were nice, but I like the older Delta One seats better on the return trip. I don’t know why, but I was more comfortable on the return flight. Although on the return, the seats, and areas around them were dirty, which is why we bring cleaning clothes. Just my thoughts about the Delta One seats, not everyone. This is from someone that has flown ALL his adult life. Was it better than coach or coach premium, YES but only at the right price. Full fare, I say not in our future. Hotel In Athens, Greece Day Prior to the Cruise: The “Hotel Grande Bretagne”. I booked it directly with the hotel, it is cheaper than booking through Oceania by almost half. Outstanding Hotel in every way. The roof top bar/restaurant has the most spectacular views at night of all of Athens, Greece and for breakfast the same view in the daylight. Breakfast was amazing and the greatest way to start a vacation. The best breakfast buffet I have ever had in my life and that is to say something. Plus, it was part of the room rate. Oceania Embarkment: This was the first TEST of my experience with Oceania Cruises. Security was as one might expect, awkward, a bit of a “Hurry up and Wait”. My approach for every cruise is to get onboard first (Based on Cruise Brand Rules), in this case 11:00 AM and this was NO difference. I was in a “Vista Suite” and my Guests were in a “Penthouse (PH2)”. Oceania let them check-in with us, which was nice. I took my Suite Card pictures at home for check-in and NO pictures were needed at the port. That was a first for me and I noted it. Quick easy and on board in less than 15 minutes. Just like other brands, I got multiple emails to watch the safety video, which we did. My Vista Suite was ready immediately and the PH2 was ready at 12:00 PM. I went straight to Muster, which was quick and easy, then to our Suite with our guest as one might expect. To answer a few questions. My key card for the Vista Suite was gold with a black edge. The Penthouse card was all gold. To my NCL Haven Friends, you cannot put your carry-on’s, in your suite before they are ready on Oceania like you can in the Haven. However, for this cruise anyway, the time you are asked to board, both staterooms were ready. I rate Embarkment a 9 out of 10. Vista Suite: Lovely suite but a “One and Done” experience for me. A huge suite with a huge balcony that is half the front of the ship literally. I rate the suite an “8 out of 10”. The exercise room is a waste of space for us on a cruise. The balcony furniture is pulled/tied down before the ship leaves a port which is a waste. The in suite blue tooth Bose Music System worked perfectly and love that. The Jacuzzi in the Master Bath was used a few times, and it was double sized and lovely. The Jacuzzi outside was never used because the water was warm but not hot. Before the Oceania CruiseCritic.com Police hit me up, YES, I told the right folks. The suite itself was nice but in the future, I will go for a PH or Concierge stateroom. I currently booked a Concierge Stateroom for an October 2025 cruise already. As some of you know, I got a very good deal on Vista Suite and it was worth every penny but still, for me not worth full retail. The six bottles of spirits, the Bath Gift Box and the Oceania Gift Bag were a very welcome and nice touch. A way to remember the suite. Before folks get confused, those gifts were only for Oceania, Vista, and Owners Suites. This has been a topic of another blog here on CruiseCritic.com. Embarkment lunch in the suite is ONLY offered to the Owners Suite which is an answer to another question recently asked. Not an issue, not the way I wanted my first lunch to be on Oceania anyway. The Oceania Vista Suite is basically the same as the H2 Haven Owners Suite with Large Balcony on the NCL Joy, Encore or Bliss. Butler: Rating 9 out of 10. He was GREAT, and I think his name was “Raj”. No request was denied, extra specialty restaurant reservations were obtained, and changes of reservations were done within 15 minutes. We never dinned in the suite at all but had coffee and Danish brought every morning from Barista’s at 07:45 AM. That was worth the price of admission. To my NCL Haven Friends, this butler was the Real Deal butler and the NCL butlers, I have had many, cannot come close. My guests, like so many new cruises that have never had a butler, did not take my advice, and utilize their butler except for complementary laundry services. They lose, but I understand. I did the same the first time I had a butler. My wife and I did not have anything pressed (allowance of four items done within the first three days of sailing) and we only used two (2) of the three (3) bags of laundry. The last morning, because of my mistake of missing the third bag, I was punished by doing two loads in the complementary laundry mat on deck 11. NCL Haven Friends, this is yet another difference with Concierge and above staterooms to have some complementary laundry however the laundry mat is available to every stateroom. I did a Butler Letter which I have posted about online and given some samples. It is something I have done for 10 years after being disappointed so many times with below average butlers. Every single request was made with no further comment from me. From extra lounge chairs on the deck, Nuts/Pretzels in the suite, Orange/Cranberry juice in the refrigerator and the type of soda’s we like. One request was not large portion for snacks because I had wasted food. All were honored. Our six (6) bottles of wine/spirits were delivered after the ship left the dock (Rules about delivery). The spirits were liter, which was a surprise. Before someone asked, those six (6) bottles come only with an Oceania, Vista, or Owners Suite not with a PH or lower. I took home in my luggage what we did not drink, I just unpacked what was left and put it in my home bar. To my NCL Haven Friend. Complementary Spirits and Mixers in your Haven Suite is limited to H2/Owners Suite and some of the larger suites on ships with no Haven areas. They are NOT liters; they are 5th on NCL. One more difference, if you have a drink package on Oceania, the room service or butler WILL bring those drinks to your stateroom complementary where in the Haven, there is a charge. NOTE, the rules to which Oceania Drink package applies. Do your due diligence, it will serve you well, especially if you have never cruised Oceania before. First Day Lunch: The Breakfast at our Hotel in Athens was one of the best I have ever had as stated above. I had items I have not had in years. I was not hungry for lunch on the ship, but we all chose to go to the Terrace Café’ (Buffet) not Waves as I originally planned. I had a very small lunch which was from the Carving Station and was great quality. My NCL Haven Friends, the Terrace Café’ is the buffet. It is NOT huge, but unlike other ship Buffets, the quality was very good. The closest I have ever gotten to this at sea was on Crystal Cruises with better bread on Oceania Cruise and better deserts on Crystal. Please remember, it was still a buffet but a good one. I knew we were going to dinner at the Toscana (Italian) for dinner. This cruise for me was not an eat feast. I had just lost lots of weight getting ready for the cruise so my stomach simply could not handle huge amounts of food. We gave up quantity for quality. For a fat guy, that was a major change in my eating habits. Brief Summary of Day One: After lunch we unpacked, which is the rule in my family and strictly enforces by my bride. We all then went to the outside Spa Terrace where the Thermal Spa is located. This was of great interest to me and an area I spent much time in during the cruise. My wife was impressed that all the of the spa amenities (outside of the Thermal Spa) were available for all. She especially liked the heated tile lounge chairs. This is part of your fare with Oceania for my Haven Friends information. We then simply took a tour of this well-appointed ship (Riviera) which was just renovated less than a year ago. We ended up in my Vista Suite, with drinks in hand, for the sail away. What a view of Athens and our guests were beside themselves. Time to get ready for dinner and another drink (two or three). Food and Drink: I will not share every aspect of the food we ate. We all must realize food is relative to the person. This will be a general overview only. Many others show pictures and comments. Specialty Restaurants: All the Specialty Restaurants were excellent except the Polo Grill which I will share below. The quality of the specialty restaurants, which are complementary in Oceania (Some Rules do Apply). For my NCL Haven friends, in my opinion Oceania Specialty Restaurants were much better, with the except for the steakhouse. NOTE: Oceania Cruises gives four (4) guaranteed reservations pre-cruise (ten-day cruise), (Oceania, Vista and Owners Suites have 😎 and space available when on the cruise which differs from NCL that charge for Specialty Restaurant past the “Free at Sea” promotion. Red Ginger (Asian fusion): 10 out of 10. Rated #1 by our entire group. Service, quality of food and for me the only place I loved dessert, which was simple. We have a special evening which I wrote about when a person from a table of 8 was screaming at his fellow table mates which made our dinner even more eventful. As previously stated, “Dinner and a Show” not on the Oceania Currents (Daily Activity Sheet Name). We went to Red Ginger twice. I could eat there every night. Jacques (French): 9 out of 10. Rated #2 overall and again we ate here twice. The entire staff treated us like rock stars, especially the host who is a super star. We wanted our friends to join our table for the second meal (Based on a Vista Suite) and it was always accommodated. I think what made this restaurant special was the atmosphere. It is gone on the new ships which I think is a loss and our next cruise is on the “Vista Ship” which means for us, no more Jacques. Sad about that. Toscana (Italian): 8 out of 10. Rated #3 overall. I like Italian food however we had several ports in Italy so simply no comparison. I found the food Americanized but I like that so just understand. It is not Italy, but It is good. No one in our group liked the olive oil cart except for the presentation by the great Vincenzo. We skipped the second dinner. Polo Grill (Steakhouse): 5 out of 10. Rated #4 of the specialty restaurants. We did not like it as a group, so I cancelled my second reservation. My Prime Rib queen cut was really great but just warm like it was sitting under a heat lamp. The service was awful. We asked for water, wine, and drinks multiple times and to no avail. The plates were cold, the food was lukewarm and, as so many have mentioned, not cooked to the temperature requested. For a small steakhouse, all the food seemed pre-prepared so in some cases cold and just did not taste good. Not everyone’s opinion on the ship is so relative to the person. Before I get comments on this statement, “Yes I told the GM (Emma) and the Restaurant Manager”. Both asked me to try it again and I smiled and just did not take them up on the offer. Normal Restaurants: The Grand Dining Room: 7 out of 10. This is the Main Dining Room for my NCL Haven friends. Our service was GREAT, but our dinner and lunch foods were average to below average. HOWEVER, I ate breakfast with my friend every single day and we loved the breakfast. The NCL Haven Restaurant is hands down much better than Oceania’s Grand Dining Room and there is no comparison. Waves Grille: 8 out of 10. This to most of us would be the Pool Grille. The burgers and fries were really good. We ate here for several days lunch. When the ship docked at 11:00 AM or later, we would eat on the ship. The Terrace Café’s (Buffet) was just around the corner so LOTS of options. Interesting that they cook your burger to order and bring it to you. To my Crystal Cruise friends, like what they did on Crystal however Crystal has a GREAT steak sandwich which still holds the price. Terrace Café’ (Buffet): 7 out of 10. About what you would expect, but more than slightly better quality and service. Some of my guests were picky, however I like the variety, quality, and service. At dinnertime they sometimes had themes. Yes, they will cook to order steaks, Lamb Chops, and Lobster Tails to order for you at night if not a theme night. NOTE: On most all Lobster dishes, they were below average, over cooked, dry, and not worth the selection. The only deviation was in Red Ginger which was really good. I only bring this up because it seems to be a hot CruiseCritic.com topic. Again, to my Haven Friends, the lobster tails in the Haven Restaurant were always excellent and no comparison. Just a FYI on that one. Afternoon Tea in Horizons: Excellent and I mean from start to finish. Service, Food, and Music. We only did it twice, but it is an experience I will not soon forget. The tiny sandwiches were great. Busy trip or we all would have done it every day. Take it from me, just do it and be open minded. Executive Lounge: for Penthouse and above only. Went twice. Nice concept, simply NO need for it for my enjoyment. Now with a Concierge Stateroom where you have no butler, they have a Concierge Lounge. That will be a better option for that level of stateroom. Snacks in the Room and Room Service: Nice concept, did the snacks once in my suite and skipped them for the rest of the cruise except for the Chocolate covered strawberries. All we wanted was a small bowl of pretzels and nuts. We did get the butler to give us Special Coffee with Danishes every morning from Barista’s. Our friends had breakfast the first day and it was less than good, so they skipped from that point forward. You must take the good with the bad. For my NCL Haven Friends, when you order room service breakfast, ALWAYS get it from the Haven Restaurant and you must ask your butler to do so. That breakfast is usually very good. That is a difference to note. Bars: We only went to Martini’s (10 out of 10) and the Pool bar (8 out of 10). Martinis was our place and we tried lots of great drinks. My favorite was “Big O” Martini. Sorry to the CruiseCritic.com poster that asked me for the recipe. I did not find out how it was made, I simply forgot. We never went to the other bars except the pool bar. Barista’s (Coffee): 10 out of 10. The only place for a great coffee period. For my Haven Friends it was always complementary. Better than Starbucks on the NCL ships by far. As mentioned, in the morning, before you go to breakfast, get your coffee at Barista’s then take it to breakfast. Not my idea. An idea I got from someone on this Oceania CruiseCritic.com Board. Mini Bar in the Suite: Soft drinks, water and juices are complementary. When you arrive, you are given one bottle of VERY NICE real French Champagne. NCL Haven Friends, not sparkling wine. Real Champagne. Gone day one and was very good. It was nice not to have the Room Seward must take all the stuff out of the stateroom on day one because they were all for sale. Just an appreciated difference. Drink Programs/Packages: If I ever get an Oceania, Vista, or Owners Suite again, I will NOT get the upgraded drink unlimited drink program called the Prestige Package. Waste of money under those circumstances. However, for all other staterooms, it suited me nicely. For my NCL Haven friends, Oceania recently changed their fee fare structure, so everyone has a Wine/Beer and Champagne at ONLY Lunch and Dinner which is in all fare. To upgrade to unlimited with spirits, it is $30.00 a day, per guest. Also note that Oceania has two, “2 for 1” happy hours a day so if you just have an occasional drink, review the programs carefully. On my last cruise on NCL, the White Wine was horrible. I mean really bad even with the NCL upgraded Premium PLUS Drink Program. The White Wine on Oceania was very good. Also different from NCL. Oceania allows you to bring on board 6 bottles of wine or spirits. Every port, I bought one or two bottles of wine for my wife for the Suite. I like the ability to bring wine/spirits on board like the “Old Days”. The only deal is if you take your wine to dinner, there is a cork charge but no charge if you drink your wine in your stateroom. Do your due diligence, you will thank me. NCL benefits are different so again, do your due diligence. Water On Board: 9 out of 10. Excellent reusable, sustainable and refillable. What a great idea and no plastic bottles. At first, I did not think I would like this. From the first drink, it was just fine. I think the system is called Vero Water. Oceania gives you two stainless steel containers to take with you to the ports. Nice touch and nice when you get home also. This has a cost on NCL even in some Haven. Notice the small items that are different which is what my Haven friends wanted too here. Entertainment: 6.5 out of 10 NCL wins hands down, no contest so if you want that kind of entertainment, skip Oceania. No Go-Cart Tracks, NO wall climbing, NO Virtual Reality, NO Lasor Tag, and NO water slides. The Shows were Hit and mostly misses. The Guest Singer was GREAT but only did two (2) shows. Just like food, subjective. The piano player in Martini’s was very good, every night. The strings were very good every time they played. The house band at the pool and Horizons late night (not very late) was always very good. You have options, choose wisely. The Cooking Classes: 9 out of 10. I loved it and my wife was so/so on it. One interesting fact. We learned that when using Rose, use a tiny amount. If you use too much, it tastes like dish soap. I bought a bag of cookies at a bakery at one of the ports. It tasted like dish soap. We both immediately knew why, and the cookies got tossed. Onboard Internet: 7 out of 10. Sometimes good and sometime well you know. We are on a cruise ship. Stay home for great internet. I upgraded our Internet to Streaming for a bit more once onboard. Casino: Small, casual and for me profitable. I waited until the last night. I check my account for how much was on it which is my judge for how much I must win. My wife bought a purse onboard, and we had the upgrade to the internet. I NEVER take my wife to a casino because she makes me nervous when I gamble. I won all the money in 10 minutes plus extra for lots of extra tips. Then I walked away a winner. The Vista Suite: 8 out of 10. For my NCL Haven Fans, the Vista Suite I stayed in was very close to the Haven (H2) Owners Suite with Large Balcony on the NCL Joy, Encore, and Bliss. The difference as I shared before was, they pulled the outdoor furniture before departing. On NCL, they never did that. The Vista Suite was HUGE, the deck was half the front of the ship with an outdoor hot tub which we never used. A four-person dining table outside which we used once, was a nice touch. Blue Tooth throughout the suite from your phone which was very easy to use and great sound through Bose Speakers was awesome. The master bathroom was huge with a supersized Jacuzzi. Second FULL bathroom which I used all the time was as you enter the room. The makeup area was in the corner of the bedroom. The beds were fantastic. Really best at sea so far. Great Room again was huge with a dining room table for four. NCL Haven fans, you can order from ANY Specialty Restaurant through your butler with Penthouse or above any dinner time. This gives Penthouse or above the ability to have specialty restaurant every single night. That, my friends, is a nice perk and since it is complementary, better than the NCL Haven. Talking about perks. We got three gifts for the Vista Suite which is not available for Penthouse or below. 1) A huge gift box of high-end toiletries. Super nice. 2) A very high-end beach bag with Oceania Branded hats, towels, and other things. 3) On the last day, which I think everyone gets two metal Oceania luggage tags. If you are in a high-end Suite, leave room in your luggage for all the stuff. The downside was the bedroom temp was super cold for a couple of days which I finally got fixed. Some folks have a hard time with the “Home Automation” Lights. I have these at home, so it was easy for me. The table lamps in the main great room need to be turned off by hand. The room is very loud when they dock, especially early. There is a sour smell when they leave the port like they are emptying the black tank. Neither last long but it was noticed. The deck is impossible to use due to wind while sailing. The exercise room which is gone from the new ships is a waste of space on this ship. As I said above, “One and Done” unless I get a crazy deal again. If so, I will opt for an Oceania Suite which has a deck on the side and a TV room. The bigger the suite is not always better. The Penthouse suites are excellent and larger than most NCL Haven Suites at 440 sf. Save the money is my opinion in the future. Don’t want a butler, go down one category to a Concierge Stateroom, which is lovely. Transfers: I did not use Oceania for transfers. At first it was a little scary, but it all worked out. All were done online, pre-paid, and the services were reasonable, on-time and professional. I hate Cruise Brand Transfers with the buses and waiting for those that are late so why not do it yourself. Google Search is our friend. Another word of advice. I asked both hotels what they charged for the same service, and it was usually four times more than what I paid. Do a little research. Ports & Excursions: As many of you know, I did a lot of preparation before traveling. I did NOT want to do Oceania, Air, Hotel or Excursions. All of which for me and my way of traveling was correct and now confirmed. It also saved us a lot of money in all categories. We did the “Hoop on Hoop Off” buses and trains. Had a list of 8 places to go in each port but only did two. The key is we made the choice based on how we felt, so we were in complete control. Never rushed off the ship or rushed to get back on. I always had the best way to get from the cruise ship to City Central. We stayed in a hotel the day before and the day after the cruise, which made the experience that much better. If you want my thoughts on each port, it really won’t matter to you. Every port is to your taste on what you want to do. I will say, if you have mobility issues, skip the walk through the Sistine Chapel. When possible, get your attraction tickets online and have it on your phone. Saves time and in some cases money. This includes train or bus tickets. Make sure you can cancel them if the port is cancelled, which happens all the time. Getting Off the Ship the Last Day: Smooth sailing ALL the way. We had a great breakfast at the Grand Dining Room. Waited until 08:30 AM. Walked off, got help with our bags and got in a Taxi Van super quick which I pre-ordered online. No fuss, no muss. Straight to the "Hotel Arts Barcelona" a Ritz Carlton Hotel which was lovely. At all ports we always left the ship one hour after it arrived to miss the crowd. Worked great. Just a thought if you are doing your own excursions vs. using Oceania. Conclusion: Cruise 9 out of 10 Cruises are what you make of them. Smile, have a good attitude and make it fun for the crew. Yes, you heard me right, make it fun for the crew and your time will be so much better. I was having such a good time, on day two, I went to say hello to “Emma” the General Manager and said thank you. She always said hello when she saw me on deck. Did things go wrong, YES. Where there some misses at meal, YES. Was the entertainment always great, NO. Where there are a few issues with my suite, YES. Did any of it matter so much that my cruise was negative, ABSOLUTELY NOT. Attitude is everything. Did my group get loud, make fools out of ourselves from time to time, YES. Did we get some looks from some of the other Guests, YES. Then they came and joined us and were welcomed. Were some folks inappropriately dressed for some restaurants, YES. Did we dress correctly, YES. Did it affect our enjoyment that others dressed too casually, NO. This is Oceania not Queen Mary. I mean NO disrespect by that statement. Just the way I feel. To each their own and let it be like “water off a duck”. We booked two cabins on a cruise onboard the Oceania Vista ship, Concierge Stateroom for October 2025. I will watch sales, for a four-category upgrade or other special promotions. This time, I think that won’t be an option because the date is in October vs. November. However, I will watch for it. The onboard special was 5% off for booking so far in advance (2025). $400.00 off the stateroom price which goes up with each category above. $250.00 per stateroom of On-Board-Credit and for this upcoming sailing the “Simply More” program with two (2) device internet, Lunch/Dinner Wine Package and I think $600.00 per stateroom excursion credit. My travel agent had a special so this time, she will pay gratuities, which is nice. The reduced deposit was $250.00 per person, which was also nice. Please remember, for ANY cancelation, the new Oceania policy is you will be charged a $150.00 cancelation fee NO exceptions. A side note and not meant to be advice for anyone. I gave a donation to the “Crew Cruise Fund”, gave extra to my favorite bartenders/servers. I took care of my butler and room Seward with extra. The amounts were personal, but I am very generous to those that treat my party nicely. You do you. This was my favorite cruise of ALL time. My wife had a great time, which is not always the case. For the first time, we saw places that we had never really seen before. First real port intensive cruise ever and in the Mediterranean. Very different and interesting for both of us. Our friends were completely blown away. The proof is we booked another cruise onboard. I will answer any questions you have but I was obviously very detailed. Hope for those that wanted details, I did not disappoint. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

We stayed on the ship, so sorry. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

It was a once in a lifetime experience. It was exciting and accelerating and scary. Thank you for asking.

No, quite nice. I am a sweatshirt kind of guy.

Pool day, thanks for all the help folks. Lovely cruise!!!

Rome, Italy: Very unique experience. For those interested, we took the bus from the port to the Train Station, 6 euros each. We took the train to the Vatican, round trip was less then 10 euro's each I think. We walked our legs off and instead of doing my plan which was to have lunch away from the Tourist area, all of our bodies hurt so we did a local place. Wine was good, pasta was average at best, desert and coffee was over the top great. We get back to our suite, made a drink and just was quiet for a time to recharge after a very long day. No reservations for dinner to night and to be honest I may just skip dinner to get a burger and fries. Lots of great food on the ship but sometimes, comfort food wins. I want to comment on a few things: Lobster: Love the idea of having lobster but it is really not that great. Usually over cooked and tough. No big deal, I am a beef guy anyway. Buffett: Better then some and a nice place if the weather is good so you can eat outside. Really depends on what you get. Grand Dinning Room: My favorite place for breakfast. Cookies: I am not making a joke here. I fully NOW understand what some folks said about the cookies being tasteless. However, what they are is simply not sweet. For me, I really like them with proves food is subjective. Butler: Our butler is great. He is one of the best I have ever had. Quiet as a mouse, and everything gets done. Internet: I expected it to be awful and it has been good. The Blue tooth in my room is excellent. Entertainment: Hit or miss as I expected. The Guest singer was great and her second performance it tonight. Cancelled PORTS: We were NOT disappointed, LOL. We are missing Florence due to weather and going to LA Spezia. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@ToxM I am sorry. I thought I responded but it was either deleted or never got posted. Very hard to explain and answer your question. I will try. I was surprised at the fact that the furniture on my fantastic deck always gets put up just before we disembark. I was on the NCL Joy, in the Owners Suite which is in the same place as the Vista Suite with the same size deck. This was never the case however, it was a much larger ship. I am not disappointed, it just was a bit of a surprise. I was thrilled that the energy level on the ship was much higher then I expected. I am comparing this to a Crystal Cruise I did just when cruising started up again. Now folks don't stay up late but they enjoy the show and the band in the Horizons most nights. Folks dance, smile and have a good time. I am also surprised that Martini's is as uncrowded as it is. I thought you would not even get a seat. This is my favorite lounge PERIOD. The Spa Deck with the Thermal Spa is one of my favorite places to go. It reminds me of the Vibe Beach Club or the NCL Haven Sundeck without a bar. I was NOT surprised with my over all meal at Polo Grill. So for me, with my prime rib being excellent, I was good. My wife and guest did not like it so we cancelled our second reservation there. All in all, I am thrilled with Oceania but it is about what I thought. It was the difference I was looking for and we will be booking another cruise while onboard. That should say it all. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Thursday, November 16, 2023: Naples was fantastic. We went to Gini's by the water for pizza and pasta. We walked the city, went to the famous Galleria Mall. Everyone has French bull dogs like I do and it was so nice to see the all. They are all allowed to run off leash and mind their humans. Mine would have ran to Rome if I let him off leash. We canceled our dinner in Toscana for Wednesdays Night and rescheduled it for Saturdays night. We cancelled our last night at Polo Grill and YES I did say something "Nicely" to the staff about our dinner. Not an issue, enjoying the food anyway. We took an early night because of all the walking in Naples and caught up on some reading. For the first time I used the Jacuzzi in the Master Bath and it was great. We still have not used the one on the deck but tonight is the night I think. We are going to book another 10 day cruise for 2025 in October on the Vista. When we come back from Rome today, we will go to the future cruise desk to fully understand the deal. If you have any question I can answer, ask, I will keep my posts and answer short but happy to help. Cruise well and enjoy every moment. PS: Weight Watchers, here I come.

Wednesdays, November 15, 2023--07:00 AM Yesterday we were in Messina, Italy. Again for those following this information, we did not Oceania Excursions. Messina is all about the clock. We found a cafe, got Expresso, and watched the clock. We then took the tourist train for 10 euro's each which took us around the area with audio information. It stopped several times to let us take pictures. A few of the Homeless asked for money but no one was mean when we said no. During our tour, we found a Pizza place off the beaten path and randomly choose it. It was GREAT. Came back to the ship after about 4-5 hours. Everyone wants something different on a ship. I want relaxation and the heated tile loungers in the spa is just up my alley. My wife and I laid down, and in 2 minutes were fast asleep. Now that is living because when we woke up, it was sunset outside. Again I say, a cruise is what you make of it. Everyone knows i did a lot of study, yet when I entered the ship, I stay open and flexibly. If there is one thing I really want to do, that is a focus. The other things are options. It is as if my hard core structure brain is turned off. We ate in Jacques for the second time. Just as lovely as the first. The weather was GREAT and we feel so lucky for that. We went to bed early because we all wanted to do a lot of walking in Naples. My goal is to find the espresso place I say on YouTube. Other then that, my friend wants to shop and I will watch her do so. I don't shop, I buy for my wife, but shopping is not my thing. Unless you are in Naples of course. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@mauibabes This will be done. I did not want to do it the night of. I would not have been as clear diplomatic as I would be a day later. But I assure you, it will hapGpen, thank you. The wine was lovely more important it was Italian wine. My wife LOVED it and the experience buying it. Why do you tempt me like this????? I promise my voice will be hear in 100 words or less. And a smile. Cruise well and thank you.

Thank you you take the good with the bad, but still, best cruise I’ve ever taken in my life. I also took your advice, we bought some nice wine and bought it on board and my wife is loving it. Thank you for all your help over all these months. Cruise well, and enjoy every moment

It is very important on any cruise not to let any experience affect your overall appreciation. We were also blessed to have the opportunity to cruise at any age. I have had poor experience in steakhouses on most all the cruises I’ve been on. This was no shock and just let me know to try something different. Most everything else food wise has been fabulous. Cruise well, and enjoy every moment

Tuesday, November 14, 2023: I am writing this overview based on being new to Oceania, being a veteran Cruiser of 40 years, looking for an enhanced cruise over Main Stream Cruise Brand and being 66 years old and having guest that have not cruised before. You have to understand my perspective when I make comments. I also attempt to look at the positive vs. the negatives yet still be realistic. Just who I am as a person. On to my thoughts about yesterday which was a sea day. Dinner at Polo Grill: Let me start by saying, I have another reservation for the Polo Grill for the last night of the cruise. I will cancel it today. That is going to give you an indication of my thoughts on our experience last night. I had high hopes for the Polo Grill yet read every ones review of the experience they had here on Cruise Critic. So I went in with balanced and realistic expectations. Let's start with the good. My Prime rib, queen cut was excellent. I was thrilled with that. Yet, I asked for horseradish three times and never got it. Still, great meat. The whole main lobster was inedible, tough and hard to cut. The 20 oz porterhouse was not cooked correctly and just warm. The deserts was average to below average. Now I can live with all that except the service was simple awful. From the ability to gain assistance, to the drink service to cleaning dishes off the table to asking us how our food was. This was the first and only major fail of this cruise. The table around me were having the same discussion so it was not just my table. As it relates to other cruise ship Steak Houses, other then my prime rib, it comes in on the bottom of my personal list. On our last night, we all agreed we will cancel Polo and go to the Waves Pizzeria. The Main Show: Tonight the show was really not good. Rather than complain, here is how we handled it. We sat in the back, gave it a chance, stood up and left. When to Martini's for a drink and the piano player. Then went to Horizons for Beatles Music which was very nice. The guest singer will be to night again and she was great for her first performance. Cooking Class: EXCELENT. I did thing I never thought I could do then ate them. Learned what i was doing wrong at home which will change my approach especially when cooking pasta and making a salad. I HIGHLY recommend any class. Folks From Cruise Critic That I Haven Met: Everyone has been lovely, kind and interesting. Thank for the warm embrace. Butler: You want a highlight, our butler. He caught us gong back to hour suite late and asked, "Since we get in to port late, what time do you want your coffee in the morning?" A little thing, but just think about how intuitive it was. Bravo. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Embarkment: Timed like all other cruise lines. The higher your suite, the earlier you can board. The more expensive suites like the Oceania, Vista and Owners Suite were ready when you boarded. No waiting. The Penthouses were ready at 12:00 PM which was their boarding time. No waiting for your room with Penthouse and above. This is not always the case but it was my experience.

@shepherd really Good for you for getting my humor. Funny thing, it was a wind breaker. Also funny, you cannot make this stuff up.

Red Ginger for Dinner Last Night: This cruise brand is so different in a unique way. On the first night, we ate at Toscana. It was lovely and everyone in my party was so impressed. The second night we ate at Jacques, to the person we all agreed, this was a truly positive experience in so many ways. The third night we ate in the grand dining room. The food was good, but how can you compare. It was better then most Main Dining Rooms I have gone to. THEN there was Red Ginger. To everyone who gave me advice on Red Ginger, Thank you. I was afraid our guest would not like it. Instead we all agreed, it was slightly better then Jacques. The crispy duck salad, the sushi plate, the expanding wet wash cloth, and for me, the Rack of Lamb. Yes, I did not get the Sea Bass but others did and LOVED it. BUT that lamb was outstanding. I have not been impressed with the deserts but my simple cake desert in Red Ginger I ate every bit. About the food: The food is obviously really good but that is compared to my previous experience on other cruise lines. I did not cruise Oceania pre-covid so I have no comparison to those that did. It is hard to image it being any better across the board. I am not challenging anyone that is was better, just giving my opinion. In addition, I am eating less and less every day we cruise. I find that the food is richer then I am used too. I have adjusted my eating patterns to eat less so I can be more hungry for dinner. Some Area's of Improvement: The pool bar is good for mixed drinks but don't order a Mud Slide there. Kind of tasteless. However the only reason why I ordered a mud slide was I tried to order a Milk Shake at the ice cream counter. The crew member there was over worked and alone. He keep leaving the door open for the Ice Cream and it was melting. My Milk Shake was like drinking chocolate milk. I wrote it off because I rarely ever get a Milk Shake anyway. The Morning Pastries are hit of miss. When they are a miss, I simply don't finish them. Back to my appetite. If you ever met me, I love to eat even when I am not hungry. When everything is for the most part a new level of good, it is hard eat something that is just OK. So I just eat less and wait for dinner. I hope that makes sense. My bedroom was a frozen tundra and I had to ask twice for it to be fixed. Finally, it is adjustable. Who ever stays in this suite on the upcoming cruise, you own me a drink. Conclusion for this Post: Bumpy waters for our first and only sea day. The weather has been crazy. One second it is raining cats and dogs. The next second it is sunny and warm. Trying to take a nap and being bounced around the bed is a unique experience. I thing all this bouncing makes one need to go to the bathroom more. That is my experience anyway. PS: To all the folks dancing late last night in the Horizons, I have you did not have to much of a hang over this morning. Some of you were feeling no pain. Yes I took pictures but will not release them unless you send me lots of money to Bit Coin. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Of course you are right. Folks should be more considerate. The issue they are not, simply cannot effect our over all enjoyment. Kind of like getting a bad meal. It happens. Make it like water off a duck. As it relates to the staff. They are a product of what happens when a person complains about them. It affects them in a negatives way even when the guest is wrong. If anyone is uncomfortable with this or any other situation, complain in a quite way to the leadership. I seriously doubt anything will change. But it is all of our rights to express dissatisfaction with a rule not being enforced. My observations is this type of situation has been observed, but I have not seen it much. I did see a many, from a country outside of the USA, in Red Ginger almost have a fist fight with his table of 10. I am not kidding. He was yelling at the top of his lungs until he grabbed his jacket and walked out. I love Dinner and a show. What a great meal and a memorable experience including this low class individual. I thought I was on Carnaval Cruise Line for a second. I looked at our guest, with a big smile on my face and said, "You wanted a memorable cruise and you got it." We all had a nice green tea and had a laugh. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

As it relates to the way people dress, this is a much more refined, cruising experience that I’ve had in the past. Unlike some of the passengers, I took the time to study what was acceptable and unacceptable dress. This is just what most people do. Yet it is true that some folks Choose to dress below casual. I say to each his own and enjoy my steak. how they dressed does not affect my cruise one little bit. That’s just me, everybody’s different. Just my two cents being on the cruise.

November 13, 2023: Entertainment Like food, subjective. I have been pleasantly surprised. Consider if I was on an NCL ship, their would be lots of big production shows. Here on Oceania, it is like a small venue cabana show. We saw the singer last night and she was excellent. The small production show as very good. How do I know, I did not leave as I would normally do if it was awful. The Piano Player at the Lounge (Martini's) if very good also which is where I spend most of my time. NCL obviously is better on all categories of entertainment however Oceania has nothing to be ashamed about. I will say, the crowds are older and subdue. Not insanely crazy on other ships. I kind of miss that energy form the crowd but this is a different cruise experience on many levels. The band by the pool, and in the lounge at nice was really fun and that is where I saw outstanding dancers who are guests. Everyone seems to not be late night people which suits me because I do like to go to bed a bit early. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

November 13, 2023: Day 5, of 10 of our Mediterranean Cruise. My real time blog is on the Oceania Cruises Cruise Critic area. However, I waited to start writing this one until I felt I understood the differences. I will do a couple of posts here and if I have time, I will answer some questions. We are on the newly renovated Oceania Riviera. The Biggest Difference: When you leave your stateroom, everyone is treated the same. No separate Haven Area or Haven bar/restaurant. No one ever feels like they are not getting the full luxury experience. Within your suite, the higher up you go, the more amenities in you gain. If you are a penthouse or higher, you get a butler, access to the Outdoor thermal spa which is like the Vibe Beach Club with a thermal spa area but no bar. An executive lounge with a concierge, snacks and computer area. I can get more specific here but I can say it best by saying, when you leave your stateroom, it is like the entire ship is the Haven on Steroid. Specialty Restaurants: No charge for any guest but everyone gets four guaranteed reservation pre-cruise and space available when on the cruise. If you are in the three highest suites called the Oceania, Vista and Owners Suite, you get 8 pre-cruise reservations. Food is subjective to the person so keep that in mind. From my opinion, the Specialty Restaurants are some of the best I have ever had on the sea, PERIOD on Oceania. The service has been stellar each and every time. The quality has also be excellent. The restaurants are smaller and they only have one seating. The Main Dining Room: Better then the Main Dining Room on any ship I have been on but not a huge difference. I will say, on day two at breakfast, they new my name and my guest names. That was impressive. Buffet: Smaller then NCL. Food quality, no comparison, Oceania wins again on the food quality with a grill to order section. I think you get the point on the food. The Butler: Yes, I did a butler letter. Yes, I had several items I asked for. Sorry NCL, you simply don't have butlers, you have folks that look the part. I kind of figured this from a past experience on Crystal. My butler on Oceania is the Real Deal. Quite, never have to ask twice, always available and never says no. No excuses, generally loves to see us enjoy ourselves in a way that makes you feel nice. He double checks everything you as for has been done. No comparison if a butler is important to you. Suite: I have a Vista Suite 1250 sf which is the equal to an H2 Owners Suite on a large NCL ship. My guests have a Penthouse, 440 sf. The quality, artwork, are all better on Oceania. The bed and linens are a new level. I like the showers better in the Haven because they are larger, regardless of which suite. I will add some more in the future, remember, I love the Haven, always will. At this point, no comparison. Ask any questions you might have. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Every stateroom has unlimited Specialty Restaurants. Oceania, Vista, and Owners Suites get 8 guaranteed reservation pre-Cruise.

November 12, 2023: Second Day in Istanbul We took the same Taxi we did yesterday and did the Blue Mosque. Lovely. We asked the Taxi driver to take us for a ride around town and he did. To our surprise, he took us with the cab on a ferry, to the other side. It was amazing. I was expecting the entertainment to be average on the ship. What I found was somewhat of a surprise. Especially the singer from Brazil. Really good especially on the pool deck for sail away. Tonight we go to Red Ginger for the first time. I will let you know how it is. Emma the Hotel Manager was wonderful and we had a good laugh at the sail away today. The grand dinning room staff new both my guest and my name on day TWO. A world record. Several folks came up to me to say hello. My wife said, how do they all know you. I said, I have no idea. She does not read any of my post so keep it a secret, please. LOL This is a lovely ship, great crew and a lovely time. Look, not cruise is perfect, however they are all what you make of them. Have realistic expectations, be flexibly and every one has a great time. One thing though, you might of to detox from adult beverages when one goes home. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Today, it took 5 min to get in. Easy.

We hired a taxi for the day who stayed with us and he took us to the leather place. It was $60 for the taxi back-and-forth and he stayed with us. We paid him $100. Punts leather