AMHuntFerry

@flyers You are not the first to mention Dottie's many sales-type announcements although some people like her overall style (there is a whole topic on CDs). I feel lucky to have been on Riviera with Paul and Regatta with Leslie in 2022. Both kept their PA presence to a minimum.

This is from Oceania's 2023 COLLECTION OF VOYAGES (https://www.oceaniacruises.com/request-brochure:

No chai...think more Italian-style, less American/Starbucks-style.

Hi BevK - If the cooking classes are available for your cruise, they should show up in the "Other Options" tab (where the beverage package selections are):

I snickered too. I can usually guess which itineraries from my "maybe" list will be on sale by looking at some key data (shhhh! secret, but not difficult to determine 😉 ).

The wines by the glass are exactly the same for both the House and Prestige package (in other words they are the same wine list). The only difference is WHEN they are included (House = lunch and dinner, Prestige = all day).

Ask to see Paul's socks each day 😄

@NewSalty Thank you! Yesterday I found a website that listed the itineraries, but not the sale perk. This is very helpful.

@shepherd really is your super awesome TA back? According to my google searches the sale starts January 16th...hoping for an email from O in the next day or two, but won't turn down a pdf-preview 😉 Oh, and I'm also curious if it can be combined with onboard booking perks.

We had slippers in our Regatta cabin in September, but I remember they were both size L 😅

There used to be a CC post but I can't find it. This youtube link is not a TA so hopefully will not get deleted: And of course since I said that, I found it...

Your sacrifices in pursuit of knowledge are greatly appreciated. Enjoy!

Sorry, not aimed at you 😉 The OP mentioned a coffee shop on the other ship so I was continuing your post instead of repeating what you said. Sorry for the implication since you are one of my favorite O-sources.

...and while it doesn't have a coffee shop, it has a coffee machine that will make regular or decaf espresso drinks (americano, latte, cappucino...not as good as Baristas) and hot water for tea/hot cocoa. I can't remember if there is cold water or soft drinks. The bar is also open in the evening, and afternoon tea (4 pm) is served in Horizons. It's a nice place to sit and enjoy the view.

The menus have had a 14 day rotation in the past. There are menu photos on this site and on the Preisman's blog (easier than searching CC) if you want to get an idea of the variety offered. My opinion is that you'll have plenty of variety on a TA (which the O-regulars (not me!) classify as a short cruise) since in addition to the rotating GDR menu, the Terrace also has special menus that focus on a country/region or type of food. My husband was a vegetarian for medical reasons, but now he can eat some unprocessed poultry and meat (still no fish/seafood...sigh), and he has no complaints about variety in the GDR/Terrace 🙂

Request it ahead of time and it may be ready when you arrive. It can't hurt to ask since they are very willing to please. If enough solos ask for a different configuration (like a slightly smaller bed in exchange for a decent chair) on the end of cruise survey, it wouldn't take much to make the change. Before autumn 2022 the beds needed space for two people, but that's no longer the case.

Lots of caffeine free stuff! The Vero water in your room can be still or fizzy (have to ask you cabin steward for the fizzy since still is the default). The cans in the frig are usually ginger ale, seltzer water, and tonic water. Also I think Sprite (or similar). If you want a caffeine free Coke/Pepsi you might want to request it ahead of time, although I think they usually have some in stock (just not in the frig by default). The brands vary depending on where you are sailing. Baristas has decaf espresso (but not for the frozen drinks) and all of the coffee machines (all restaraunts, Horizons, and Con/Exec lounges) have decaf versions of the coffee drinks.

It sounds like you are in a non-suite (cat. A-G) with a 45 day pre-embarkation dinner reservation window. It is generally recommended that you get online to do your reservations at midnight (12:01 am ET) on the first day if you want the best selection of times and days. You can see where the reservations will be by logging on to your account...there won't be anything there except a "not available yet" message, but you will know where to go later. Non-suite - check each day to see if extra reservations are available. If in A-Cat on a larger ship the concierge lounge concierge can help. In general (always an exception somewhere!) the first night is not busy in the specialties. We are odd in that we prefer the GDR to most of the specialties (the exception being Red Ginger). We are not big meat eaters and the specialties focus on meat which limits the menu for us. The GDR and Terrace/Waves are fantastic. The huge lines are at 6:30 for GDR, Terrace, Waves (again, in general). If you can wait until 7 or 7:30 you can probably walk up and get a 2-top if that's what you like. It used to be that we could say that all non-alcoholic drinks are included. However, they have recently added non-alcohol wine (and beer?) which apparently is not included. There are lots of yummy smoothies in Waves and GDR. There is no Frappucinno, but there are Illy frozen coffee drinks (premade in a swirling machine). On the large ships there are two...an espresso with cream and sugar, or espresso with sugar. They are evil! We like classic movies so can't comment on recent, but yes, all TV stuff is included. Awesome Bulgari toileties in individual bottles (shampoo, conditioner, lotion, shower gel, plus solid had soap and glycerin soap). If you don't like the scent just ask for a different one (usually blue, green, or white if no supply chain issues, and I've heard there are unscented versions). Room service menu is good and has a variety of items. There are typically no "last minute" style sales like other lines. Book the category you want at a price you're willing to pay. Then keep you eye out for the "Upgrade Sale" (Pres. Day, Mem. Day, Labor Day, Black Friday) - if you're lucky your itinerary and category will be included and you can either upgrade or get a lower price (but don't count on it). The other sales are the "Ultimate Sale" where you get all O-Life perks for the price of one (only on certain itineraries/categories) and once you have sailed with O once, you can take advantage of the O-Club 0% discount (again, limited itins...)

We were in Regatta 6030 right before they switched to solo. I agree that 6030 and 6033 are the best due to the least obstruction (I believe it is the emergency/rescue boat). When I was researching I think that 6046/6049 were next best but would need to search to confirm. The space/storage was plenty big for two people who don't mind "cozy" (think Tokyo business hotel or small RV) so should be good for a single. The advice about keeping curtains closed is good (I almost got caught by the window washer!); however, if you enjoy watching the crew do drills and raise/lower tenders you will have an excellent viewpoint (I know...geeky). I agree that the lack of seating is a drawback; I thought they might replace the (~Queen size) bed with a smaller (~full size) bed plus a reading chair by the window below the reading light (keeping 2 side tables)...maybe next full-scale redesign?

Well there goes my hope that we would see more overnights in port (to save rushing from one port to another)

Dining preference varies massively. That said, we are in the "love Red Ginger" camp, and don't really care for Polo or Toscana (to us rank about equal to the GDR due to the menus...heavy meat and carbs are not our thing), so the R-ships (except Serena) have more limited dining. We are perfectly happy to eat in the GDR or Terrace/Waves every day (short trips) though so this is not a deal breaker. Major advantage is the agility of the smaller ships to get in the nooks and crannies...not as good as a kayak, but better than the larger ships. The smoking room in Horizons has a door on the R-ships. If mobility is an issue, the distance between things is smaller. No. All of the smaller ships have had recent overhauls so are all in good shape.

Does that mean they are 2 for 1 during happy hour now? I think you need to test that too 😉

The spa was 18% in September, but that was before the price increase. I think you may be right about it increasing on the new menu. Now where was that new spa menu posted....?

Our bar tabs have 20% added.

I think it's a programming error. My guess is they are planning to automate prepaying gratuities (housekeeping/meals, not bevvies) and this one was accidentally included with the drink packages. My crystal ball says that we will see another option in the "Other Options" tab for Gratuities along with Beverage Packages and Culinary Classes.