Traveller94

We’ll be in one of the C2 cabana cabins with the potential high glass on the inaugural. I’ll report back.

I’m on the inaugural in 38 days and I still can’t book dining. No one has reported being able to on our roll call. Sun dining does not seem to be set up yet.

I’m on the inaugural and we can’t bid for an upgrade. We can’t book dining either.

Thanks so much for your review. I’m excited to board the Pride tomorrow and your review had a lot to do with that!

Thanks to you both. I’ll be following along closely. I’m glad this only cancelled one stop for you.

Thanks for the live posting. I have been following along to see what to expect when we embark the Pride on the 21st. If you hear anything about the next cruise, I would greatly appreciate the head up. I hope you enjoy your unexpected sea day. Thanks again for all the time you have taken to post.

I did online passport renewal on 1/5/23. My application showed received on the same day. At that time it said 8 weeks, so I figured plenty of time before my April cruise. It didn’t expire until September, but because I had what I thought was a big gap between trips (December to April), I applied thinking I would have no problem. Two weeks ago, I tried calling and they wouldn’t even put you on hold. Last week I researched online and saw people on the west coast were being sent to the Puerto Rico office because it was the only place with appointments. Today, after 12 weeks, I got an email that my passport is now “in process” and processing time may take 10 - 13 weeks. I sure hope all that time in “received” status counts and we’re not talking an additional 10 -13 weeks. Please give yourself a lot of time for renewals.

I haven’t seen FTTF listed for my cruise out of Dover in July yet. Does anyone know if it’s too early, or they don’t offer it from Dover? We have three tender ports, so I thought it sounds worth it. Thanks!

We did two cooking classes on Riviera at the end of August. It was still one person per station, but in both our classes couples were still next to each other. I don’t cook at all, but my husband does and we thought it would be a fun couples activity. The staff helped me a couple times, so it didn’t matter that I had my own station. I could have asked DH as well, since you are still close to each other. We both had fun. One of the classes had a chicken dish. We went by the open house on embarkation day and I let the instructor know I didn’t eat chicken. She had a vegetarian modification ready for me the day of class.

On Riviera, they told us they sometimes add two extra places, so I think it’s definitely possible.

Joe, the Privee staff brought me a cake and sang. The room steward and butler decorated the room. Everyone on Riviera made me feel very special for my birthday. I think your husband with love it.

OP here. I know this thread has taken on a life of its own, but I thought I would report back for anyone who wondered. I let the concierge know that I was thinking of canceling Privee since we would be dining on our own and, as a picky almost vegetarian, I wasn’t that fond of the special menus. He arranged a meeting with the Sr Executive Chef who sat down with us a created a special menu for us. We ended up having a wonderful night with fantastic food. It was the highlight meal of the cruise. They made an out of this world emmenthal cheese soufflé, which I suggested they consider adding to the menu for those that can’t eat or don’t like goat cheese. About the tipping question. Unfortunately, we didn’t think about this until in the room, where we didn’t have any cash. Our waiter definitely deserved a tip, so my DH found him in the main dining room the next morning.

I did ask the concierge tonight. He told me Oceania was out of tote bags and pens fleet wide because of supply chain issues. He said it was a problem for all cruise lines, not just Oceania. He didn’t indicate it would be corrected any time soon. So, pack a tote bag and pen, just in case.

I knew cruise critic could help! Thank you for solving the mystery of the missing tote bag (and strange bathrobe bag!) It is a bit disappointing that the website still lists them if they know they don’t have them. I understand the brochures, but the website is an easy fix and then I would have brought one.

Thanks. I forgot all about the executive lounge since we’re down on 7. I’ll head up there tomorrow to ask the concierge.

Hi Oceania Cruisers. We’re on our first cruise with Oceania and I didn’t bring a tote bag because we’ve always gotten a canvas(ish) type of bag of varying quality on other lines and I saw that listed as an Oceania amenity with a picture of a canvas bag on Oceania’s website or brochure. We are serval days in to our cruise in a Penthouse and still don’t have a bag, so I asked our stateroom attendant for one today. He told me he would ask his supervisor for permission. He later came back and handed my husband a bag that seems to be made out of a bathrobe. It was very kind of him, but I’m just looking for the regular canvas bag from the Oceania marketing materials to take on shore, to the pool, etc. What am I missing? Did they get rid of them? Am I not qualified to get one despite them being list as one of our cabin amenities? What is the robe bag thing? I don’t want to keep bugging the attendant if they don’t exist or I shouldn’t get one, but I would like one if it’s a regular, easy thing. That’s for your input!

It does seem like Oceania should have the appropriate information on the boarding pass. It definitely causes confusion to get an email from them saying a test isn’t needed and then get a boarding pass that says it is. I agree that additional checking is needed. My TA said that she’s going to follow up with me after August cruising starts and we see what is really happening.

Thanks for confirming. My travel agent called Oceania this morning and was told we were just supposed to ignore the testing requirement listed on our boarding passes.

We’re in the same situation. We spend five days in Barcelona before the cruise on Aug 18, so I’m trying to figure out if I need to arrange for testing in Barcelona or not.

janecambridge, Thanks for the birthday wishes! Cliff-FLL, it’s interesting to hear from someone who enjoys Privee as a couple, as well as a group. Thanks for letting me know that can be an enjoyable option. I’m awash in excellent choices it seems! I’ll come back during/after the cruise and let everyone know what we ended up doing. 30 days to go!

It’s great to know I may be able to request a special item. I see multiple soufflés in my future! LHT28, Great point about moving the table in front of the window. Good to know it fits there. I’m so glad I asked this question. I feel like I have gotten so many great tips I wouldn’t have known otherwise. With a three year gap between cruises and a brand new line, I have the excitement of a first time cruiser!😁

We are in one of the larger balcony PH rooms on deck 7, so I think we will try eating out there one night, but it’s a good point that we should see how the weather is before picking the night. From all the great feedback, it seems like we can’t go wrong whichever way we decide to go, so we might just play it by ear.

Thank you all so much for your advice. I’m excited about all the great sounding options. It looks like I have until the 3rd night of the cruise to cancel Privee, so if I end up with some wonderful people to share a meal with by then I’ll keep the reservation, and if I don’t I’ll cancel and see if our butler can get us in to one of the specialty restaurants. Or, I don’t think anyone said, but is it possible to have room service on the balcony? We could do a speciality restaurant room service meal on the balcony is that’s allowed.

Wow! Those soufflés sound awesome. If you ate at a specialty restaurant can you go to the main dining room for soufflé dessert?😁 Thanks for the tip about the goat cheese soufflé. I may have to try it. I do have an intolerance to goat cheese, so it would be living on the edge, but maybe worth it. I was able to find the cancellation policy on my main invoice. Strangely, I didn’t even think to look there. It says 36 hours or less is a 100% cancellation fee. I’m assuming that means any time before 36 hours is no fee. Thank you all for the help!

Thanks to you all! It does sound like it’s really better for a group. I did see they menu includes cheese soufflé, which I love (although that changes if it’s goat cheese.) I didn’t see that on any of the specialty restaurant menus. Did I miss it or is this the only place to get a regular cheese soufflé? I googled it, but I can’t find a cancellation deadline. Does anyone know? Thanks, again.