That's an interesting issue you've raised: How will Azamara handle air once the sale is finalized? 

I assume that ChoiceAir will no longer be an option, so does that mean specific pricing from Az only, instead of the bulk buying power of the RCL group?

Since after this stop you are going to be at sea for a day, you probably don't want to take too risky an excursion that you might miss the ship and have to find your own way to Skagen to catch up to the ship.

Have you been to Southampton before?  There are nice sites in the city that you can wander around.

We were on a British Isles cruise that started and ended in Southampton.  At the front end we went to Salisbury (Magna Carta) and Wilton House is nearby, and I suppose Stonehenge as well.  They are fairly close to Southampton.

At the back end we went to Brighton for a night on the way to London.  Brighton has more sights than Southampton but IMHO I'm not sure that it's worth the 3 hour total drive time more than what Southampton and environs has to offer, especially with the ship being at sea the next day. 

If you are still interested in Brighton, be careful that the highway between Southampton and Brighton can get very congested.  However, you're scheduled to dock there on a Sunday so that may be good for traffic but perhaps not so good for things open to look around at.

We were on Nautica in the Baltics a couple of years ago. 

In St. Petersburg, we docked at the English Embankment which is quite near St. Isaac's.  At night it was awesome to see the downtown river skyline from the ship.

I'm not sure if the O class ships are small enough to dock there.  I know that a Celebrity ship was in St. Petersburg with us but was docked further out.

The first day there it was a bit of a wait in line to get off the ship because of Russian customs and immigration (despite leaving the ship before 8 a.m.), but the next morning it was a breeze.

Not sure if it can be called a scam, but a few years ago we were at a tourist site and there was a street performer playing a local instrument.  He played a couple of tunes.  We enjoyed them and bought the CD he was selling which were recordings of his performances.  The CD looked home-made (CD cover clearly printed on a home colour printer), but even at that time, burning CDs was not a challenging operation so we weren't too concerned.

We didn't have a CD player with us so we safely packed he CD away for the rest of the cruise.  When we got home, we popped the CD into the player and then... nothing.  Well, there was a lot of nothing, but there were a couple of songs that played but the recording was terrible (choppy, low clarity and low volume for the set volume level).

Not sure if street performers still peddle CDs in this day and age so maybe this is no longer a thing.

On 1/28/2021 at 11:16 AM, Redtravel said:

In Russia, I bought a set of 12 nesting dolls.  Paid for them.  Vendor wrapped them up.  When I unwrapped them, the inside 6 dolls were missing.   
 

Were you on a shore excursion when this happened, and if so, was it at a store "sanctioned" by the tour company? 

We were on a private 2-day shore excursion in St. Petersburg and we made stops at specific stores to shop (and take rest breaks).  Our guide said that these stores had authentic/hand-made goods (e.g., nesting dolls, lacquer goods, amber goods and caviar) and the prices certainly reflected that, even when converted to USD.  We splurged on caviar and it was packed in a refrigerated bag that kept the caviar cool/cold the whole day, long enough for us to not worry about it during the tour as the stop was a little before noon.  It was still nicely cold when we got back to the ship and put the jar in our cabin mini-fridge.

On our last day of the excursion, we stopped at a more souvenir-driven store and while they did have a high-end section, most of the store had more massed-produced things at more touristy pricing.  That store also sold 12+ nesting doll sets, but that was in the high-end section was quite pricey so I would suspect that they were authentic too, but perhaps it wasn't.  If it wasn't that then that would be very disappointing.  I am sorry that you were scammed, I hope it didn't ruin the rest of your trip.

On 9/9/2020 at 4:43 PM, roothy123 said:

I know nobody's cruising now, but I'm dreaming of next fall.  Anybody know of shuttle availability in these Greek ports:

Militini (Lesbos), Rhodes, Patmos, Mykonos, Agios Nikolaos (Crete)? 

Or these Turkish ports: Istanbul, Kusadasi (for Ephesus), Alanya, Antalya?

Paphos, Cyprus?

 

I know the Piraeus (for Athens) situation!  

 

Thanks.

Our cruise in these areas were a few years ago, on an O-class ship, but:

Mitilini - This was a tender port to near the town centre.

Agios Nikolaos - You don't need a shuttle if it docks right near the town centre.

Kusadasi - No shuttle provided.  You are docked pretty much in the town centre, but of course the main historical attractions (i.e., Ephesus) are about a half-hour's drive away.  We booked a private tour for this port.  Hoped to avoid the sales visits (specifically asked not to have these in the request) but ended up going to a leatherware and a carpet shop anyway on the way back - I was irritated but it wasn't so bad.

Is it for certain that the images are from the actual ship that is on the market?

The image of the gift store isn't something I remember on any of O's R ships (it is much bigger than it is on O's R ships that I have been on - been on all of O's R ships except for Sirena).

There's also this which matches the sofa and cushions: 

https://www.princess.com/html/global/popups/metas/pa/pa_interior.html

Also factor in that if you don't have the drinks package and go a la carte and use the OBC option to pay for the drink that there is an additional 18% gratuity added to the price of the a la carte drink.  So the $9 dollar drink is really going to be a $9 + $1.62 = $10.62 use of your OBC and the $15 drink is going to be a $15 + $2.70 = $17.20 use of your OBC.

In other words, if you usually have two glasses of wine with your meals (and that you will actually be on the ship for lunch for most of the cruise) and you are fine with the wine-by-the-glass options, the drinks package probably works out better for you than the OBC.  As previous posters have noted, upgrading opens up the hard liquor options and availability at all times that the bars are open, not just wine and beer during lunch and dinner.

The possible drawback of the drinks package option is that sometimes people have commented (complained) that it sometimes took a while to get the second (or third, etc.) pour.  Also note that you still need to hand your room card to the sommelier after every meal even though both of you know that you are on the package.

On 6/26/2020 at 7:33 PM, EasyGoingGuy said:

I was going on that same cruise. Some friends and us flew to Lima in the week before.  BEFORE we left we we weighed the pros and cons and made a calculated decision to go. One of the cons was that the cruise could be canceled. While we were there no new information showed up that we didn't know when we left.  When the cruise was canceled, that Friday the 13th, we booked a flight that next Monday, the day the airport closed (happily getting out).  Trying not to be mean or cruel, but from where I sit, it seems that those folks made a really poor choice to travel, one of them was even "immune compromised".  I feel for them, but if the Marina had sailed on schedule, wouldn't they be out the entire cost of the cruise with no future credit?  They came within 2 days of that.

I'm a bit confused about the OP's scenario and why the travelling group notified O that they are cancelling the cruise. 

Assuming there is no insurance in place to cover the cancellation, I'm not clear on why someone would bother cancelling a cruise a day before sailing anyway (other than perhaps courtesy I suppose)?  Isn't it a 100% penalty (no refund, no FCC, nothing) so what is the point of telling the cruise line that you're cancelling so close in?  Or does the cruise line require you to be at the terminal ready to board when it officially cancels for the cruise line to be on the hook for the cancellation?

In other words, if OP just booked the plane tickets and went home a day before embarkation without telling the cruise line that they were cancelling their cruise, wouldn't they have been then eligible for the 100% refund option?

Feel for the OP though because basically it's become a game of chicken between the cruise line and passengers and the game of chicken centres around passengers gambling on their health.

On 4/23/2020 at 11:09 PM, Pirokp2 said:

I would be interested to know more about this, and more info on aon, as Rallydave mentioned.  I read about cruisecare today on the Azamara website, and for me it would fit my situation perfectly as I have a father in memory care.  The cancel for any reason and get 100% future cruise credit is really appealing to me.    I hope I read it right, and it truly is cancel for any reason, up until 48 hours before sailing??

Unless I'm misunderstanding, it looks like it's 75% FCC when you cancel for any reason.

3 hours ago, Pster55 said:

No.....at the time we submitted our claim to our Travel Insurer we had NOT cancelled our cruise for either a FCC or refund, and Oceania had not cancelled the cruise either. Oceania cancelled the cruise TWO DAYS after we mailed our claim to the Travel Insurer via registered mail. We were fearful that if we elected a refund from Oceania prior to submitting our insurance claim, or even afterwards (which we have to do by April 15th) the Travel Insurer would balk at paying our claim until much later, if at all - which is exactly what they appear to be doing becasue they refused subrogation. Insurers always want to be the "last to pay" so their delays in procesing claims has had the effect of forcing us to have to tell Oceania we wanted a refund. Our claim to the Travel Insurer was health related and had nothing to do with COVID-19. We finally told Oceania today we wanted a refund. Pretty sure the Insurer will now put our claim on hold. Our health related claim is a slam dunk. I will never buy travel insurance again...it's a scam. I think everyone is going to hear a lot of stories like this in the year ahead. 

If I understand this correctly, then it is totally poor behaviour by the insurance company and really nothing to do with Oceania.

OP cancelled the cruise for a reason irrelevant to COVID-19.  If that reason is covered by the insurance policy, which OP is certain it is, then the insurer should pay out regardless of what O does.

Put another way, if everything is hunky dory and that sailing proceeded, OP gets paid out.  Why should this change just because O cancelled the cruise?  Unless there is something that addresses this in the policy, I don't see why OP should be put through the shenanigans.  It is up to the insurer to pay out and take the loss (if the sailing went on) or seek reimbursement if it otherwise can find a way.

Based on my understanding of what has happened, I am sympathetic to OP but I don't think that the anger should be placed on O in this instance.  

Thanks for providing the actual experience.  One-way last-minute international fares are generally quite expensive!

I know this doesn't really apply to this thread since I think everyone probably had air included, but does anyone know what O would have done if you had arranged your own air for the ATW or segment but ended up debarking in Rio instead of the itinerary's debarkation port?

Would O have covered the air from Rio back home or would you still have to make your own way home?

Is this a general cruise line practice or is does this vary by line (e.g., HAL vs. O vs. Az)?

On 2/7/2020 at 10:06 AM, PhotoSail said:

Just got this from my TA a little while ago.:

 

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION FOR GUESTS TRAVELING WITH OCEANIA CRUISES   Dear Valued Guests and Travel Advisors,   We wish to bring you an important update on our upcoming sailings to Asia that have been affected by the recent travel restrictions impacting mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau.   Nautica – March 4, 2020 Nautica – March 18, 2020 Nautica – April 13, 2020 Insignia – May 9, 2020 Insignia – May 24, 2020   At this time, itinerary revisions are currently underway but are taking longer than anticipated due to additional travel restrictions and port closures around the region. Our port operations team is working to secure ports and berthing arrangements as quickly as possible. As soon as we have revised itineraries confirmed, we will communicate them to you along with very attractive goodwill compensation.   I would also like to present you with the most up to date restrictions that all guests need to be aware of. Policies currently in place include: ·         Guests who have traveled from, visited, or transited through airports in China, including Hong Kong and Macau, within 30 days of their voyage embarkation, regardless of nationality, will not be allowed to board any of our vessels. The standard incubation period recognized by the World Health Organization and United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for this virus is 14 days. ·         Guests who are denied boarding will be issued a refund when they provide proof of travel.   ·         For all guests, we will continue standard pre-boarding health reporting and evaluation. Any guests who appear symptomatic are subject to pre-boarding medical evaluations including but not limited to, temperature checks as deemed necessary.   ·         Any guest who exhibits symptoms of any respiratory illness while on board will be subject to additional screening at our onboard Medical Center and may be subject to potential quarantine and disembarkation.   ·         We have implemented additional cleaning and disinfection protocols on board all voyages. These protocols will be enforced in addition to our already rigorous sanitization standards in place.   ·         Our crew members who have traveled from, visited or transited via airports in China, including Hong Kong and Macau within 30 days will not be allowed on board our ships.   ·         Singapore and the Philippines are not currently allowing Chinese nationals to disembark at their ports. Guests with a Chinese passport who are traveling on voyages that disembark in one of these regions will not be allowed on board our ships. If additional port restrictions are put into place, we may have to modify this policy as needed. ·         Guests who are denied boarding due to this will be issued a refund.   The above measures will remain in effect until further notice and are subject to change at any time as we evaluate the situation and continue to consult with local health authorities, as well as the World Health Organization at www.WHO.int and United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.CDC.gov.     On behalf of the entire team at Oceania Cruises, I thank you for your understanding and patience with this fluid and rapidly evolving situation.   We look forward to sharing revised itinerary details with you shortly.   Warmest regards,   Carlos Ortega Vice President, Guest Services Oceania Cruises

Please note this email does not accept replies. This email was sent by: Oceania Cruises 7665 Corporate Center Drive. Miami, FL, 33126. USA

Latest update is here: https://www.oceaniacruises.com/coronavirus-statement

11 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

 

Right here on Cruise Critic:

Coronavirus: Updated Cruise Ship Policies and Cancellations

NCL ¶3;  Oceania ¶6;  Regent ¶[3]

 

Thanks for the link.

Would you know the CDC source for the ban simply based on passport origin (Azamara screening protocol #2)?

6 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

NCL is using the same passport rule for all of their cruise lines (NCL, Oceania and Regent).  So at this point the CCL cruise lines are the odd-man out [and they are the ones with passengers quarantined on their ships!].  I'm glad that passenger safety is more important to Azamara.

Can you provide the source for this?  I am unable to find it.

I am also unable to find the CDC source for implementing screening protocol #2 as well.

Thanks for any assistance.

Not sure if it matters anyhow because it seems that winning the prize is not tied to the winning (selected) name anyway.

19 hours ago, ORV said:

It looks like the 30 day cruise will be 9 & 10 credits. I think there is 8 going into it. You should be Silver when you step on board. 

Is this true?

Does this extend to world cruises as well?  For example, you have never sailed O before and a world cruise is the first cruise you book.  I know you get pre-paid gratuities for a world cruise, but do you get Gold level perks as well (i.e., a second set of tips in lieu for passing silver plus Gold level O Club OBCs) when you get on board the world cruise?!?

You're actually travelling near the middle of November into the end of November.

Weather-wise, it will likely be fine in the Athens area until you pass the toe of the boot (Italy), but a bit touch-and-go as you head further north and west, higher chance of rain.  You definitely should consider bringing layers and raincoats.  Obviously sunset comes sooner in the early evening as well. 

Crowd-wise, it will be quiet.  We were on a cruise that stopped in early November and the quaint towns (Eze, Monaco, Saint Paul de Vence) were very quiet.  The larger cities (Marseille, Florence, Barcelona) were fine.

As it looks like you're from the Northeast, the weather should be easy for you to handle 😎

7 hours ago, JVNYC said:

Has there been any improvements since the new menus rolled out last year? Are things still being repeated every few days?  I know many have not been thrilled with the reduction of menu choices in the GDR and Terrace and others not happy with the quality of food.  Many have said the GDR and Terrace are not the Oceania they knew.

We were on an R-ship this past summer.  IMHO there have not been improvements in the GDR, but we don't think the quality has dropped very much if at all.

There is definitely less variety in the GDR menu for both lunch and for dinner, but the eliminated items seem to be the "middle-of-the-road" options so the reduction isn't really that bad.

There are definitely repeaters almost every day, for example lobster bisque (which was very nice even without the brandy :)), jumbo prawns and caesar saled, but as someone mentioned, I think it allows you to save it for another day.

We didn't feel that the changes in the dinner menu materially affected our enjoyment of the cruise and was similar to our past cruises.

However, we weren't a big fan of the lunch menus when the GDR was open (it was closed for a couple of our port days, but wasn't too bad for us as we weren't planning to return to the ship early those days anyway).  Lunch is the GDR seemed to be a set menu for the entire cruise with "daily specials" along the right column.  The specials were pretty close to what we would have chosen for as our lunch entree for our past cruises so it was a small disappointment but nothing to raise an alarm about.

Also, if we're being nit-picky, I feel the pastries, in particular the flaky pastries like the chocolate croissants, are not as flaky as they were.  They were good but they weren't fantastic like on our last cruise.  The cakes and tartines are still very good though. 

We enjoyed our meals on this cruise as much as we did our last couple of O cruises.  Yes there were changes but they did not materially affect our experience.

When we were on board recently, there were lots of announcements to please complete the survey and where you could go to get help if you were having problems accessing it, so it wasn't like a thing that they were trying to keep secret.  There was also a contest for a random draw of I think $100 OBC to be applied on the current cruise so it seems that they were trying to induce submissions.  I didn't really notice any fewer questions being asked.

We completed it on our tablets without issue.

I think it might be more helpful for O for ease of reading the comments as well because let's be honest, not everyone writes as legibly as they probably think they do.

I think the only real flaw of using this system is that we are unable to provide comments on the last night and disembarkation experience if something substantial happened that warranted a comment, but I suppose that this is a small and usually uneventful gap and one can send a separate email on that if one feels the need to tell O about it.

15 hours ago, Paulchili said:

While the Nautica can dock at the English Embarkment (and ours did in 2006) there is no guarantee that you will dock there as well.

It depends on number of smaller ships that may be in port that day (Seabourn, Silversea, etc)

I think you’ll soon regret your decision to get your own visas - it’s a protracted and complicated process. Better to book your tours with a private agency who will get your visas and you can arrange with them to spend as much time at the Hermitage as you want.

It is true that there are no guarantees, but it's a good data point to have!  

Interestingly enough, a Silversea ship was also in port but was docked at the Lieutenant Schmidt Embankment on the other bank of the river.  A Celebrity ship was also in port but must have been docked at the outer port.  Having said that, we basically had he same tour itinerary as the group from that ship for both days there so I don't think location really matters if you're going on a group tour with a blanket visa.

8 hours ago, Maya_C said:

Would you please tell me where the Nautica docked in St. Petersburg. Was it close to downtown (walking distance to the Hermitage), where only smaller ships can dock, or was it farther from the center, where the larger ships dock. Thank you.

6 hours ago, LHT28 said:

they do not seem to show the  schedule for the  English Embankment or Lieutenant Schmidt Embankment

so if you are  not on the main port maybe you will be  at one of the closer docks

For this cruise it was at the English Embankment, close to downtown, probably the best location possible for a cruise ship.  While the dock is close to downtown, it is still a bit of a walk to the Hermitage though not too bad.  That said, to walk to the Hermitage on your own you will need a visa from the Russian government to leave the ship and not sure the cost of a "free-to-roam" visa is worth it if you're visiting by cruise ship for just a few days.  You cannot leave the customs/immigration area of the port without a visa of some sort.

On 5/8/2019 at 7:58 PM, HilsTas said:

Oceania Shuttles List

==================================================================Write Review

Does Oceania Cruises provide free shuttle service? Free shuttle buses are offered when:

 

 

• The ship is docked a long walk from the main thoroughfare
• Taxis and or public transportation are not easily accessible from the port. .
• The port is industrial and not pedestrian-friendly.
• The decision on whether free buses will be offered will be based on the port used and will be made closer to or during the sailing

Once on board, a list of ports that will offer a complimentary shuttle into town will be provided.

 

Airlie Beach (Aust.) .....Tender, then $5AUD pp each way shuttle

Akaroa NZ ................... Tender

Alesund ........................ Dock at town so no shuttle

Alexandria .................... Shuttle to city square

Amalfi .......................... No need for shuttle

Antigua...........................dock in town ..no shuttle

Antofagasta ................. Free shuttle to town

Antwerp ....................... Dock in town - no shuttle needed ... Aug 2017

Aqaba ........................... Shuttle

Bangkok ....................... Free shuttle to town

Bar Harbour ................. Dock at town so no shuttle

Barcelona .................... Free shuttle to town (worldTrade Centre)

Basseterre, St. Kitts ..... Dock at town so no shuttle

Belfast .......................... Free shuttle to town (near City Hall)

Bermuda (Hamilton)....... dock in town ..no shuttle

Bilbao ............................Free shuttle to town

Bordeaux (city) ............ Dock at town so no shuttle

Bordeaux (Le Verdon) .... shore excursion required

Brisbane (Aus) ............. Free shuttle to town

Broome (Australia)........ Free shuttle to town

Bruges (Zeebruge) ......... free shuttle to port gates and free shuttle to Knokke (*not* Blenkenberge)... Aug 2019 (R ship)

Buenos Aires ................. Free shuttle to town

Cadiz ........................... Dock at town so no shuttle

Cairns Aus ................... Dock at town so no shuttle

Callao (Lima) ............... Free shuttle to town

Capetown..................NO shuttle - walk or  cab. (E berth, Terminal, Duncan Rd  Jan 2019

Casablanca .............. Free shuttle to town

Castries, St Lucia ...... Dock at town so no shuttle

Civitavecchia(for Rome).. Free shuttle to Civitavecchia

Cobh..................... Dock at town so no shuttle

Colombo, .............. Free from ship to Port Gate 1. (local taxis available there) Jan 2019

Concarneau .............. Dock at town so no shuttle

Copenhagen .............. Free shuttle to town – however reports of it being difficult see post 301

Coquimbo ................ Free shuttle to town

Corfu ......................... Free shuttle to town

Corner Brook ............ Dock at town so no shuttle

Dar es Salaam...........Free shuttle from pier to Hyatt Regency in City Center.   Long walk from ship to exit gate.  There are several gates which may be confusing. Very busy working port  (Jan 2019)

Darwin Aus ............... Free shuttle to town

Dubai .........................Free shuttle from the port to the Dubai Mall

Dublin ...................... Free shuttle to town (kildare St/Merrion Square) ... Aug 2017

Dubrovnick .............. Free shuttle to town

Dunedin NZ .............. Free shuttle to town

East London, SA ........... Free shuttle from pier to the Hemingsway Mall (Jan 2019)

Edinburgh (Leith) .......No shuttle - Closest port to town but still a distance to city centre 

Eden Aus ................... Tender then shuttle but only short walk

Esmeraldas ............. shuttle to  Playa de las Palmas (docked / itinerary said tender) Mar 2019

Exmouth (Aus) ........... Free shuttle to town

Flam Norway............... No shuttle needed - dock in town July 2018

Gdansk........................ Free shuttle to just outside of Old Town... Aug 2019 (R ship, docked at Westerplatte)

Geiranger ................... No shuttle needed - Dock at town 

Gisbourne NZ ............ Free shuttle to town but short walk

Gothenburg ................ Shuttle to City Hall

Greenock ................ ..No shuttle needed - Dock at town  (15-20 minute walk to train to Glasgow)

Haifa ......................... no shuttle on Sat but there was one on Sunday

Halifax ................. ....No shuttle needed - Dock at town 

Halifax pier 31  shuttle  to Pier 22 pavillion  April 2019

Hamburg ................. Shuttle provided by Port to City Hall ....Aug 2017
Harvest Caye........... ferry to mainland *not* operating for independents when there Mar 2019

Havana, Cuba ............ Dock in city. walk off on main street.... April 2017.

Helsinki ................... Free shuttle to town/ Shuttle from Westport to terminal near Market Square and no shuttle if docked near where SkyWheel Helsinki is located (close to Skatuddens terminal)... Aug 2019 (R ship)

Hobart (aus) ............ Dock at town so no shuttle ... Sep 2017

Holyhead ................ Free shuttle to town (really to end of dock) ... Aug 2017

Invergordon ............. Dock at town so no shuttle .... August 2017

Klaipeda .................. Dock at town so no shuttle ... Aug 2019 (R ship)

Koper ...................... Dock at town so no shuttle

Kotor ....................... Dock at town so no shuttle

Kristiansand ............ Walking distance to town ...(South coast Norway)  August 2017

Kristiansund.............No shuttle - dock in town (West coast of Norway) July 2018

La Coruna ............... Dock at town so no shuttle

Langkawi.................Free shuttle  from pier to Cenang Duty free Mall Jan 2019

La Rochelle ............. Free shuttle to town

Le Havre (for Paris) .... Free shuttle to town (Le Havre) .... August 2017

Le Verdon ................. Free shuttle to town (Soulacsur Mer)

Lerwick .................... Dock at town so no shuttle

Lima - .......................Free shuttle to Marriott at Larcomar (Miraflores neighborhood) Mar 2019

Lisbon .................... Free shuttle to town (or dock in town)

Liverpool ............... Dock at town so no shuttle ... August 2017

Livorno ................... Free shuttle to town

Male, Maldives.........tender port.... guides waiting + pick up tours there. Walk in town Jan 2019

Mahe, Seychelles........no shuttle . Jan 2019

Manta Ecuador ...... shuttle to main square (longish walk); will drop you at port gate Mar 2109

Maputo, ...................Free shuttle from pier to City Center (feima market) Jan 2019

Marseille ............... Free shuttle to town (fort Saint John)
Miami .................... Free shuttle to Bayside Marketplace (*not* as an embarkation day)  Mar 2019 

Monte Carlo ............. Dock at town so no shuttle

Murmansk ................ Need to book a tour either O or private for visa

Muscat ..................... Free shuttle to the Souk

Nassau, Bahamas ..........dock in town

New York .................. no shuttle (Manhattan cruise terminal) Mar 2019

Newcastle .................. Free shuttle to nearest metro station (limited timing)

Nosy be, Madagascar...Free shuttle  (tender port) from pier to Town Center Market Jan 2019

Oporto ........................ Free shuttle to town

Oslo ............................. Dock in town so no shuttle .... Aug 2017

Palma de Mallorca........ Free shuttle to town (cathedral)

Paris - see Le Havre

Phuket, Thailand........no shuttle Jan 2019

Picton NZ .................... Dock at town so no shuttle

Pisco ......................... Free shuttle to town

Port Elizabeth,  South Africa....Free shuttle from pier to the Boardwalk jan 2019

Port Klang................... Shuttle to Bukit Tinggi Mall. Break from 11:45 - 1:30.  Jan 19

Portofini ................... No need for shuttle
Puerto Limon........... no shuttle, tours by the local taxis & shops on the pier, walk to town Mar 2019

Portland ................... Free shuttle to town

Praislin, Seychelles....no shuttle
Praislin, .............. .......no shuttle . Jan 2019
Roatan ...................... no shuttle, Oceania docks in Coxen Hole, many port shops etc Mar 2019

Roatan  can also dock at Mahogany Bay resort port

Rhodes ....................... Dock in town so no shuttle

Richards Bay............... Free shuttle from pier to Boardwalk Mall.  (Jan 2019)

Rio .............................. Free shuttle to town

Rome ........................(see Civitavecchia)

Safaga,Egypt .............. a shuttle to downtown

Saint John NB ........... Dock at town so no shuttle

Salalah, Oman ............ shuttle to the Souk

Salaverry............. shuttle to Trujillo/or shuttle to port gate - private tours. Tours in Trujillo  Mar 2019
Santo Tomas, ...... - no shuttle, tours in the terminal,  walk into town Mar 2019

Santos ......................... Free shuttle to town

Skagan Denmark............free shuttle to town July 2018

Singapore.......................no shuttle Jan 2019

Sorrento ...................... Free shuttle to town

Split ............................. Dock at town so no shuttle

Stavanger ....................dock in town July 2018

Stockholm ...................Free shuttle to town (near Gamla Stan)... August 2019 (R ship, docked at Värtahamnen)

St Barts ..................... tender to town..no shuttle

St. Lucia ................... Castries: Dock at town so no shuttle.

Pointe Seraphine: .....walking distance (500 metres) or harbour water taxi to main area town.

St Malo ...................... Dock at town so no shuttle

St Jean De Luz .......... Dock at town so no shuttle

St Petersburg .............. Need to book a tour - either O or private for visa

Sydney N.S. ................. Dock at town so no shuttle

Sydney Aus ................. Free shuttle to Darling Harbour centre

Tallinn ........................ Free shuttle to gates of old lower town (main road outside city wall)... August 2019 (R ship)

Valencia ..................... Free shuttle to town

Valletta ..................... Dock below town. Take an elevator up for €1-€2 . Free to go back.

Venice ....................... Free shuttle to town

Warnemunde............ walk to town or train (short walk from port) to Rostock July 2018

Zanzibar................... Free shuttle from pier to Kelele Square (Jan 2019)

Zeebruge (for Bruges).... Shuttle to port gates or free shuttle to Knokke (not Blankenberge)... Aug 2019 (R ship)

Thanks for posting, really appreciate your observations!

That you, as a past experienced cuisine-geared O cruiser, feel the food quality seems to be slipping is disappointing and saddening to hear.  We will be on an R class ship (not Sirena though) later this summer and will be able to see for ourselves how the food is compared to the past.  I really hope it hasn't sunk that much or low.  On the other hand, I have read some cruisers have observed that Sirena's food quailty isn't up to the standards as the other R ships, so perhaps it's isolated to just Sirena? 

Roughly, our experience regarding the food quality on our last 3 O cruises (all on R ships; we've been all of the R ships except Sirena) were mediocre, then excellent, and the last one was good/very good. 

There was a decent length of time that passed between the mediocre experience and the excellent experience because, like you, we value the cuisine quality on our cruises and didn't feel going on a cruise then was a good value for us, so it was a great surprise that when we eventually took another O cruise that the cuisine for that cruise was excellent.  However, the one after that was "just" good/very good, so it has slipped somewhat again and here we are now giving O another go.  If this cruise falls below very good, we will probably look at other cruise lines.  We don't need 7 options, but we need the 5 options to be actual options and not 2 real options surrounded by 3 pseudo options, with the accompanying quality of course.

IMHO, the *quality* of the food should should not depend on which ship (O class or R class) one is on; obviously I can understand that the variety and choices are greater on the O ship and they should be, but the quality of a menu item should be close across the line; a chop in Polo should be close not matter which R or O ship one is on.

I also am alarmed that the GDR has been closed on more days than not.  Previously, our experience was that it was closed only at ports where most passengers were expected to be on full day excursions (for example, for Civitavacchia, Livorno and any of the ports for Berlin) as coming back for lunch would be too time-consuming.