AMHuntFerry

@bobmacliberty You might find the menus useful on the Preisman blog: https://www.thepreismans.com/vista23_menus.htm The wines can change depending on availability, and other items may not be available if stock runs out, but this gives you an idea of the types of things that are typically available. The Main Bar Menu is completely available with the full package, the wines and beers by the glass are the SM drinks included with lunch/dinner. The regular dining venues (GDR, Terrace, Waves) have essentially the same by-the-glass selections (or smaller selection). At specialty restaurants, ask if a wine/beer is part of the SM package even if something is offered by-the-glass. We don't usually drink at meals, but enjoy the pre-dinner happy hour almost daily, the exception being the Captains party and the O-Club party nights when there are free drinks before dinner. The late night happy hour is usually after the show (~10:30 but can vary).

A force sensor might be harder to "bypass" than a light sensor, but your idea is good. I've noticed some airports have red/green bathroom stall indicators that are linked to an overall stall availability system; if the bathroom near you is super busy, the system directs you to the closest bathroom that is less busy. These things are getting cheaper so your solution is something that should be kept in mind when ships are built or updated.

The frig is replenished daily (or more often if needed). The default sodas are usually something like Coke, tonic water, ginger ales, Sprite or similar, and I think a diet Coke. You can ask your butler to stock more of one item than the other (e.g., if you prefer ginger ale to Coke, the Coke can be replaced). Well before sailing (at least 6 weeks?), your TA can request something different. It will be provided if O can source it (say, LaCroix or similar).

Go to the last page of the pdfs to see opening times for the venues. Sea day (GDR usually open on sea days and occasionally a port day):

Not that I know of. There are three ways that a price may change (someone please chime in if I forgot one): 1) Every quarter O has the opportunity to increase the "regular" (non-sale) price, but there are many (less popular?) cruises that never increase in price. 2) Advertised sales where the price is shown on the website; occasionally there are sales where you have to dig a little (call O, check a TA's site, etc.) to find out the sale price. 3) Unadvertised sales that are typically only available through some TA's (and not directly from O). I am guessing you want to know when prices go down. You can sign up for advertised sale notification with O or your TA. For unadvertised sales, you have to depend on your TA's notification process or check their site regularly.

I think it's an eastern US thing. Growing up in in the west I never saw a dress code for a restaurant until I went to grad school in New York. They even had them at some bars! (Ahem, I mean "niight club")

If a pdf of shore excursions is not included with your cruise documents, please ask for it. On the first page it will explain these price categories and the last has important info like cancellation info; I'm not sure Unlimited is still available under SM (may be a holdover for people still with O-Life). The tour price is the full price until you book a minimum number of tours (this miinimum number will be in the shorex pdf since it varies) which will give you the SM ~25% discount (middle column prices). The Unlimited price is for people who pay a flat fee up front (used to be ~$110 per port day)...the dollar amount is the additional amount due for each tour (N/A = $0). Yes, when you book a tour, the amount will be taken out of your SM credits which are split evenly between the two people. If booking enough tours to get the SM 25% discount, be sure to check that the discount was given; there have been mistakes (bad programming) with this. Booking online is problematic, so calling when booking tours is the safest way; I do not do well on phones, so I put everything I want in my cart, then call to finish the purchase. If you go over your SM credits you'll need to pay for the balance when booking. Oh, and definitely book as soon as you know what you want to do as the popular tours can fill up. You can always call and change tours later until the deadline for shorex cancellation (in the shorex pdf). Enjoy your cruise!

I'll extend that to "I wish there was only live music on the ship".

I'm not sure where the OP was reading, but this is O's dress code: https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005474533-Is-there-a-dress-code- Jeans are a hot topic since the wording changed from "no jeans" to "no casual jeans". If the wearer does not know the difference, the safe choice is not to wear jeans. Sandals and tennis shoes = athletic sandals and athletic tennis shoes (ladies wear sandals all the time and others black leather New Balance shoes). Here's the dress code in more detail from a November 2023 Currents:

Thanks! Uh, oh...that sounds like the space where the creperie may be going on Allura if rumors are true.

@LHT28 are there still board games/puzzles on Vista? I don't see a game room on the deck plans.

@Vertygo If the port is changed and the cost of rerouting the entire flight is cost prohibitive, you can probably get a regional flight from Instanbul to _____ for a decent price. Also, if the airline changes your flight between now and then (which will probably happen at least once), you have other options which vary by airline. I vaguely remember O giving a set amount for air-changes when they changed a South America embarkation port on short notice (similar to what was described by FlatbushFlyer), but that was during the post-pandemic start up so may not be what happens now.

After all this discussion I think I'll dig out one of my gear-driven watches for my next cruise and just move the hands when I browse the next day's Currents. ⌚

O does not use the "maximum price" model. The drink packages only include items on the bar menus in Horizons, Martinis, Waves, Grand, Terrace, Lounge (but not Founders I think). The $25 Woodford is on the Polo bar menu; specialty restaurant bar menus are not included in drink packages. The ~$17 Woodford is on the Bar Menu and is included in the package. Handy note when other venues are closed...you can get ice at Baristas or from room service. I don't use ice, but I saw a couple people getting some at Baristas.

Oops, sorry, thought we were on Riviera (mixing up threads while doing other stuff!). Vista's card-controlled area is much more enticing than the others.

The sauna, tile loungers, locker room/showers are available to everyone. Just the T-pool and sun lounges are behind the access-controlled door.

@Psoque You are correct; O is a premium line not a luxury line. While O uses the word "luxury" in marketing materials it is usually an adjective (e.g., luxury bedding, luxury experience). On the website (https://www.oceaniacruises.com/value) they compare themselves to premium, not luxury, lines: I have long suspected that the "bargain fare" (i.e., less popular) itineraries are used as a high staff turn-over and training opportunity. That would explain some of your unsatisfactory staff encounters.

Hi @JanR, it sounds like somethings are a bit wonky at the moment. We were last on Regatta in September and the sports areas were fully functioning. We didn't notice any issues with HVAC but we were in Alaska (to CA). I believe Regatta was refurbished in 2019 (Riviera was in 2022). We didn't notice neglect but I'm not too picky (especially about rust near salt water as it can be persistent). There may be some cost cutting for aesthetic maintenance due to fiscal need, but hopefully it remains minor (note - HVAC is not minor and should be addressed). Cargo containers (refrig) are weird and may indicate a major problem with refrigeration; at least the cruise wasn't cancelled 🙂

That is definitely the worst scenario! We had to do that with my uncle who died right after getting off the plane in Spain a few years ago; the costs were paid by his estate with the rest of the necessary expenses. It's part of the risk calculation, and if it's a worry, insurance is the answer.

Thanks for not calling me crazy 🙂 I should have also noted that our trips are in the less expensive range (i.e., we can't buy a new car with the same $$). If we were taking a super spendy cruise I would probably insure at least part of it. I've have the bad(?) influence of lucky parents who traveled extensively and never cancelled a trip or had a major interruption (just slight delays/reroutes), but they are/were a bit nutty. For example, my mom broke a bone in her foot and they were on a plane the next day for Fiji. Crutches and sand do not play well together but they had a great time...so in addition to inheriting high risk tolerance, I definitely inherited a little craziness.

So...I hesitate to post a different opinion, but just in case it helps someone...here goes... I completely understand that many people are more risk-averse than I am; I get it and am not saying that travel insurance is wrong. However, I have a relatively high risk tolerance so in most situations (not just travel) I self-insure or minimally insure (e.g., high deductibles, no comp/collision on older cars), and I don't mind paying out of pocket when expenses occur. My regular BCBS medical (high-deductible) insurance covers overseas medical (similar to GeoBlu), so I don't need that. I usually just use my credit card's trip insurance. Why do I do this? The risk of a trip being cancelled/interrupted is very low for us. Paying for insurance means the premium money is gone/spent; I'd rather invest the premium-money to have handy for the unexpected (or another vacation!). This assumes that our costs for cancelled trips or, for example, emergency flights home will be less than what we would have paid for travel insurance over the years (so far, so good). Plus I don't have to fill out insurance paperwork if I have a claim-worthy incident...avoiding paperwork is always a plus 😉 Do your research to see what is and is not covered; and most importantly make sure the policy you choose fits your risk tolerance.

We go against the common advice and use one of our advance specialty reservations on the first night. Why? 1) We don't really get excited about the specialties on R-ships which we have been on recently, so the GDR and Terrace are preferred; and on O-ships there are 4 specialties so we use one on the first day since Red Ginger is the only one we would try to get twice if there are a bunch of sea days. 2) The first day is a celebration and we like to know we're going to have an uncrowded, relaxed celebratory dinner rather than leave it to chance. 3) Day 2 is often a sea day so a lengthy dinner and/or eating late is not an issue. If this sounds like you, go ahead and reserve a specialty on the first day; if not, go with the more common strategy of asking onboard.

If you want a lid than you probably need to bring your own. I haven't seen lids for over a year (maybe 2?).

It opened on my computer. I've had some issues with pdfs on my phone recently but haven't done a troubleshooting session yet.

Agreed...I'd rather have one or two cocktails in lieu of wine/beer.