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More like 30 years useful life for any kind of an upper premium or higher market ship. Crystal is trying for an exception to that rule and results are mixed. Oceania senior leadership has stated that R ships' complete renovation done between 3 and 5 years ago is the last. Perhaps Azamara will make theirs last longer...who knows? I find the ridulously small bathrooms below PH level and fewer specialty restaurants a deal breaker. Others disagree.

And they may be operating with them well into the future. Owners have stated that newer ships will be part of Azamara only when current operations begin to show a profit.

I have spent 28 nights on Vista. It is a quirky ship..not my favorite Oceania ship. Sound barriers between cabins is nearly non existent. If you have quiet neighbors who rarely play their tv, you should be good. In two cruises we were not so lucky. Bring along white noise apps on your phones or earplugs, just in case.

Technically you are correct, then. Design and most construction occurred prior to Jan. 1, 2001 which was when century began, but either way, I stand by my general point. We have been loathe to cruise on them or Oceania's R class ships due to the ridiculously small size of bathrooms below PH level. Also, I enjoy playing in a casino in the evenings and that cannot happen on Azamara.

Hard to get excited about a cruise line that operates with zero ships built in this century.

Fits an unfortunate corporate pattern. We were on Regent Splendor in March. Several workmen boarded in Miami and installed Starlink during our transatlantic. Family member was on the same ship in August. Learned that Starlink will not be operational until at least October....although fully installed, waiting for contract with old internet carrier to expire. Understand same sorts of delays due to contracts are occurring on multiple Oceania and Regent ships.

Your point seems to be that currently when gratuities were included Silver members receive $250 credit. Just because gratuity inclusion will now change from sometimes to all the time Silvers will now get the $250 credit all of the time, so really no big difference. Correct? Many of us do not see it that way. I just came off of a 25 night cruise in PH category. I just gained Silver status and I enjoyed the additional value of gratuities worth about $1000 plus wine and beer with meals plus nearly $2000 in shore excursion credit. All of that goes away under the new program in exchange for $250 and cruise pricing remains the same. Not good.

The above point is candidate for CC poorly timed comment of the decade award, given changes made < 48 hours after it was posted. 😂

Yes. Just disembarked PH on Marina 3 weeks ago. Beautifully redone. However, I have heard there are 8 PH3 cabins on Marina where they kept the old design with a bathtub and small shower. Someone posted on CC a few weeks ago that those cabin numbers are: 9138,9145,10002, 10003, 10005, 10008, 10010, and 10011.

If you don't like the "speculation" tune out. We already have enough credible information to have some discussion. I just turned "silver" and recently completed a 25 night cruise at PH level. I already know that had the new "no more SM" been in effect under same pricing I would have theoretically lost at least $250 in value with having tips included and getting just $250 in OBC as a replacement. Also would have lost beer and wine with meals and excursion credit. In principle I love that the SM excursion credit is going away because the restrictions on it caused resentment and confusion. So cruising with Oceania will now be more expensive, period. We will see how they do in the marketplace with their new higher pricing/less value scheme.

So does it look like wine and beer with meals is going back to a purchased package or will that remain included?

We also just disembarked Marina last month and agree with your comments.

It certainly is fine according to "protocol" for guests to go to the coffee machines in the Terrace and get a fresh cup of whatever they want.

Wait to be served for boxed cereal. Can grab yogurts yourself if you wish IME.

After three cruises totaling 53 nights on O in last 8 months, I found the opposite to be true. Although we enjoyed evenings in the Terrace Cafe a few nights, the lines at the grill area and confusion and delays with orders was frustrating. Since over half of those nights were on the new Vista, I was especially disappointed that there was zero improvement in the layout of the grill area and the (very) nearby dessert area. Some love the "safety" of Oceania's staff served vs self service buffet area on other cruise lines, but the Terrace design which creates a crowded food service with guests standing close to each other seeking attention from staff to serve their choice of dessert or steak/lobster is far from ideal.

We enjoyed it twice on Marina over the past few weeks...back to back cruises. They move the art around after every cruise, so new game each time.

No longer IME. Only way I know of to avoid the fee us to charge $75,000 per year on the card, then you can bring a guest at no charge for the remainder of current year and all of the next.

Viking has its roots in river cruising and is an exception to point I made above about microphone and speaker systems ot being common on ocean cruise excursions.

Not normally. They are dependent on local tour providers and listening devices are not the norm in most of the ocean cruise industry. Regent is no exception.

We crossed Miami to Barcelona on Splendor this past Spring. Our cruise started March 31, so a little later, but we had warm gorgeous weather with zero rain and calm seas the entire trio. Loved it so much we are booked on the March 13 Rio to Lisbon trio in 2025.

I respect your viewpoint. GM told me all insulation is same throughout the ship and that they get complaints from all locations. I disembarked Marina last week and was told by the concierge that he and many crew members who have been on Vista also have noise problems with poor sound insulation between crew cabins. He reiterated that when he was on Vista he dealt with complaints and occasional arguments between neighboring guests on Vista due to the noise issue and they came from locations all over the ship.

According to senior officers I spoke with on the ship, soundproofing is equally problematic among all cabins. IME and from talking to both senior officers, reception staff, concierge and other staff, they get complaints from all over the ship. It matters who your neighbors are, not which cabin you are in.

I assume they will have to better insulate the walls. Someone posted that Vista senior crew told him they would be working on it "soon," but I would guess it would have to wait until a major drydock which could be years away. NCLH really has a two ship problem with this issue. Regent Grandeur, bult soon after Vista in the same ship yard is reported to have the same problem with lack of soundproofing between cabins.

Not true. It is absolutely pervasive throughout the ship! Makes zero difference where your cabin is located. What makes a difference is whether you have neighbors who speak in tones that are not very quiet and whether they turn on their tv, even at low volumes. Vista GM, Concierge and Concierge have confirmed to me that lack of proper sound insulation is equally a problem for every cabin on Vista. I have had crew tell me that crew cabins have same problem and crew often has trouble sleeping. I have spent 28 nights on Vista in two different cabins on different decks. Same problem. One of my neighbors had TV on at all times he was awake in the room. He showed me his volume was only at 7%. He turned it off only between 11:00 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. and only then could I sleep. Will never travel on Vista again unless they remedy the problem.

Unfortunately this Costco more affordable coverage is not available to those of us in NY state. Grrr.