halfapair

I think the lesson here is that when you get email notifications from airlines that your flights/itineraries have changed, and they want you to click a button to accept it, read it very carefully. Unless the change is minor (a few minutes here & there), I don't click that button. There have been occasions where I have called and canceled the whole reservation (if the change is major you can do this) and started over. One time an airlines was going to have us do a layover in Detroit on Christmas Day. No, thank you. I got us on a Delta flight routed through CDG (in retrospect, I'm not sure that was the better choice). But it all worked out. Moral of the story: When you get an email notice from your airline, be wary of clicking on links/buttons to accept changes made by them on your behalf. It's probably in your best interest to call Customer Service and talk to someone directly.

This is one person's experience, and it sounds complicated. I have an O cruise in 2024 from Israel to Istanbul, and just booked our tickets on Turkish Airlines, open jaw SEA - TLV (via IST), and IST - SEA. Our tickets come with the ability to change them once, with a fee. Caveat Emptor

We did the Panama Canal on the Insignia in December 2022/January 2023. We booked a Concierge level room so we had access to the Spa sun deck, which was PERFECT for watching the canal transit. O did not change our itinerary.

Move over sugar plum visions...Ice cream sandwiches with cookies!

My favorite perk on the Concierge Verandah is the Unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace. Others have to pay to get in, but you can go for a steam, or sit on the sun deck (many people don't know it exists😉), etc. You still need to pay for spa treatments (massages, etc), but access to the Spa is included with your stateroom. Also, you can book your restaurant reservations sooner than others, so you'll have more options of dining times, etc. The Concierge Lounge is fine - a nice place to stop for coffee drinks, tea, a light snack, or some assistance from the concierge on duty. We also liked reading the newspapers in the Lounge.

I love the GDR for breakfast, too. My husband says I get too spoiled on our Oceania cruises. They place the serviette in my lap for me, bring round the pastry tray, get me another cappuccino (I got in the habit of bringing in one from Bartista's whilst on the Insignia)... Overall, a lovely way to start the day.

I don't know the full details of what happened on the Viking ship, but here's the story as it is now: https://news.sky.com/story/man-dies-after-falling-from-viking-mars-cruise-ship-at-port-of-cromarty-firth-in-invergordon-12944467

We were on the Insignia earlier this year. The seafood in the Terrace Cafe (buffet) was outside on the deck where the outdoor seating is. They had a live grill there every night. Check out there for fresh seafood made to order.

Things we love about O (can't compare to Celebrity, just what we love) 1. The food. Much higher quality in the Main Dining Room and all venues compared to any other cruise line we've been on (Princess, NCL, and RCL) 2. The itineraries. We are itinerary driven, and O's routes are jam-packed with great places to see. 3. The ship ambiance. We've been on Marina & Insignia and loved them both. The decor, the ambiance is elegant and comfortable. My jeans & t-shirt husband feels at home, as does his dressed-up wife. 4. The crew. Just excellent service. 5. Fellow cruisers. Everyone is easy to talk to, well-traveled, and unpretentious.

The unlimited access to the AquaMar Spa is a wonderful perk. Nice sundeck with comfy loungers, w whirlpool, a steam room, spa water while you relax… I loved it.

For me, I like to give cash tips in addition to the gratuities we pay into the pool. And I think it would be nice to give the cash tip in the currency of where the ship is when disembark, if at all possible. That way, if the crew member is departing at that port, they have something in their pocket they can use at the airport, or shopping in port, etc.

We received the massive 2024 book of sailings earlier this week. We already booked on the Vista for 2024, so I’d love to see what’s on offer for 2025-26.

Copenhagen, Denmark Gdansk, Poland Los Cabos, Mexico Puerta Vallarta, Mexico

For men: khakis/chinos, a collared shirt (DH wears polos), and and shoes. My DH hates wearing jackets & ties. I wear a dress and some dressy sandals. Glam it up a bit with makeup and jewelry. Some ladies wear a dressy pantsuit.

Room service attendant grabs the mic and belts out, "Will the real cake eater please stand up? Please stand up?"

Although your itinerary says "Berlin, Germany," your ship will dock in Warnemünde, Rostock, Germany which is a 2.5-3 hour drive to Berlin EACH WAY. I would consider doing something closer to the port. There is actually a lively port scene with shops and restaurants nearby. There are docked boats selling fresh seafood dishes (like food trucks, but boats). Or consider a tour to Lubeck (about a 90 minute drive) with a private tour company.

In Gdańsk you can use the free Oceania shuttle to get into town, and from there you can walk to the train station and take the train to the Old Town area. You can walk around, have breakfast and /or lunch, see the beautiful architecture at your own pace, listen to the buskers, and shop for amber jewelry. Then take the train back, and walk to the shuttle. It’s a free shore excursion!

Now I can get to the site. Must have been a temporary server problem, or something.

You could book a Concierge level cabin so you have access to the Concierge Lounge where you’ll have access to snacks, small sandwiches, coffee, tea, and cookies during the day. As others have said, there are several ways to get food when the buffet and dining rooms are closed: Waves Grill Baristas Room Service Also, when you go ashore during the day you can stop at restaurants and grocery stores in port. It would be difficult to be hungry on an Oceania Cruise.

I can’t even get to the Oceania site…at all… must be the weekend 🫨🫨

My favorite reason for the Concierge level veranda is: Unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace We were on the Insignia going through the Panama Canal. Even though the Insignia is a smaller ship, and does not have the Concierge Lounge, we LOVED being on the Spa Terrace while going through the canal. We could hear the commentary, and had the best view of the action. There was spa water to drink, shaded seating, and easy access to bathrooms. Absolutely ideal, and I am GLAD we paid the price for that amenity. We also had a Concierge Veranda room on the Marina during our Baltic cruise, and enjoyed popping into the C-Lounge for snacks, to read the newspaper, and extra cappuccinos for me😉 So, it all depends. What do you value? And what ship will you be on? What will make you happiest, and is it worth the extra price for you?

We were on the Insignia at the beginning of the ATW this year, and there were many ATW passengers on board. We got along very nicely with them - no problems socializing or playing Trivia, etc.

That would be great! We were on the Insignia at the start of ATW 2023, and went through the Panama Canal, but disembarked in San Diego, CA. I would prefer a larger ship, such as Vista, if I were doing ATW. Now I need to gotta start saving my pennies….

We pick cruises based on itineraries and value. Generally speaking, we prefer a line such as RCL for the Caribbean. You’re not really going anywhere special on a Caribbean cruise, but someplace like the Baltic, or Panama Canal, or Mediterranean is special. And Oceania will probably have the best itineraries for those types of cruises. so I would say that it all depends on what you’re looking for in a particular cruise.

We booked the cruise while on the Insignia going through the Panama Canal in January 2023. Our booking included 10 shore excursions (5 each person), and $250 pp OBC. I looked at the value of the shore excursions I reserved for us ($865 pp), and the ability to use the $250 OBC to pay for part of our gratuities. We did not book airfare through Oceania, so we received a credit for that. And we'll purchase trip insurance through a different provider.