Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Sabbycat

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    587

  • Joined

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Sabbycat

    New to Oceana

    in Oceania Cruises

    Posted

    There's a fairly long thread (about six pages) on the Azamara board detailing the events that caused the OP to cancel and rebook on O. It makes interesting and entertaining (in a perverse way—sort of like when you see something bad and can't look away) reading. I feel sorry for those affected but glad the OP found a substitute cruise. We were thinking of trying Azamara, but in light of that thread, I'm now not so sure. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2531417

    The key with Az is not to book more than 10 to 11 months out. This avoids their charter cancellation window i have found. Once on board they are wonderful.

     

    Sent from my SM-T560NU using Forums mobile app

    O excursions ??????

    in Oceania Cruises

    Posted

    Well, perhaps i shall find them quality over quantity!

     

    On our AZ cruise we were among the youngest, but still enjoyed it a lot. Most of the other passengers were quite active. Although we did find the average on that cruise to be perhaps early 60's. We found an amazing an active group of late 40's and early 50's couples and organized a bunch of tours with them. We had a blast with them! Probably one of my favorite cruises to date.

     

    Perhaps the older O demographic the the explanation for the roll call issues. None the less, we shall have fun no matter what we do. We are excited to try O, and experience all the great things that we have heard. 😀

     

    Sent from my SM-T560NU using Forums mobile app

    O excursions ??????

    in Oceania Cruises

    Posted

    1. Keeping the outrageous prices down for some.

     

    2. Geriatrics that can't handle more.

     

    3. Some people want to consume all meals aboard ship, so those schedules accommodates the dining room schedule.

     

    4. Cruisers that demand to be back in plenty of time before Trivia. Incredibly, some schedule everything around Trivia.

     

    #2 is huge!

    Are O cruisers that aged? I did not expect that. I guess my dh and i will be babies. (Late 30's and early 40's)

     

    We travel for the itinerary, and after many X cruises, find ourselves redoing the same ports, hence, moving to Az and O. AZ had many all day excursions, which is why i am surprised with O.

     

    Sent from my SM-T560NU using Forums mobile app

    O excursions ??????

    in Oceania Cruises

    Posted

    Maybe you could provide relevant details like the cruise ports and how much time the ship is in each port? I suspect some of the mavens can answer without this information but it would be helpful.

    It is a Transatlantic starting in Europe. Time in port ranges from 7 hours on low end (for only one) to a more usual of 9 to 10 hours, and as long as 13. It is disappointing. Even the On Your Own in Granada is 7.5, and our stop is 10! So it is 4 hours of driving and 3.5 hours of on your own! So strange. It puzzles me why they don't use the 80% of the port time for an excursion rather than 40-50%.

     

    One of the reasons we chose O is the more unique ports (same with Az.)

     

     

     

    Sent from my SM-T560NU using Forums mobile app

    O excursions ??????

    in Oceania Cruises

    Posted

    A question for experienced O cruisers....

     

    What the heck is with all of the half day excursions? I am embarking on my first O cruise and am really hoping to love it as much as AZ. But currently i am finding the excursion aspect frustrating. Almost all of the excursions are 5 hrs or less, and of these, they generally include 2 to 3 hrs of drive time. This frustrates me to no end because i feel if it is 90 minutes each way why not make it a longer tour and see more sights? There are a lot of sights that are being missed, to keep the tours between 4.5 and 5.5 hrs. Why does O feel this is the ideal time frame?

     

    And yes, i have tried to organize on the board, but alas that is not feasible for reasons i shall not delve into. And so cruiseline excursions have never been an issue in the past, but O does not seem to have stellar excursion products, and what they do have are insanely over-priced!

     

    And so i guess my actual question is....is this how O usually operates excursions, or is this just perhaps a one-off cruise? I am hoping it is a one-off. This is the part of O i can't seem to understand!

     

    Thanks for your insight! 😮

     

     

     

    Sent from my SM-T560NU using Forums mobile app

    Oceania Riviera cruise August 5, 2017- belongings taken away from Lou he chairs by po

    in Oceania Cruises

    Posted

    Belongings moved from lounge chairs while having lunch. Absolutely horrible and inappropriate. Low class ship and people. Be careful! Overcrowded ship and very disappointed.

     

     

     

     

    Sent from my iPhone using Forums

    Actually what is horrible and inappropriate is you thinking you can hog a chair. Unless you are royalty, come down off your high-horse and back to reality. Why should you get to hog a chair when you are not using it, if someone else shows up who wants to use it. You had you time on the chair. Now it is someone else's.

     

    Sent from my SM-T560NU using Forums mobile app

    Airport security returning home to the u.s.

    in Oceania Cruises

    Posted

    If you don't like it, stay home. When you're entering any foreign country it's up to that country to set the standards and procedures it uses for screening passengers. As I noted in my previous post, I, as US citizen born in the US, have twice been subjected to additional screening when returning to the US. If it can been done to me it certainly can be done to foreign nationals entering the US, or any other country for that matter.

    I think you are missing the point that the posters are making. Any additional security screening on the part of the United States government ought to be done by the US Government on US soil.

     

    Therefore, your tone and comment is inappropriate. Pls understand the concerns of the posters before making critical comments.

     

    With respect the secondary security screenings, I agree with what others are saying. Either the first screening was effective or it wasn't. If it was not, there are bigger problems than a second screening.

     

     

     

    Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4

    Are we too young for Oceania?

    in Oceania Cruises

    Posted

    I personally object to the idea of being "too young" for any cruise line. It's more a question of personality and interests. I am someone who would always have been good to go on a cruise with people far older than I was. When I was in my early 20s several times I celebrated New Year's Eve with my parents and their friends. I was the only young person at the table (generally at a restaurant, not at home) and I enjoyed it far more than more typically frenetic New Year's Eves. I've never liked frenetic times!

     

    We met a young couple (in their 30s) on our first Renaissance cruise. This was a cruise where we looked around at the boat drill and figured that the average age was 70-plus. I was in my mid-to-late 40s, I think, DH would have been mid-50s. I asked this younger couple how they were enjoying the cruise and they were loving it. The DID have a few qualms when as they were boarding they saw four wheelchairs being loaded on the R2 ...

     

    So it's really more a matter of who you are than how old you are. At least that is MY opinion.

     

    On transatlantics there usually are guest lecturers, but you never know what you will be getting. We've been on cruises with several very interesting lecturers, and a few times they were fewer and NOT so interesting. There is no predicting that dynamic. If you are on a port-intensive cruise there probably won't be time for lecturers. They seem to assume everyone will be touring.

     

    And it's very true that there are more activities on the "O" ships -- they are larger and have more space. So the Culinary lessons and the artist's loft just aren't available on the "R" ships.

     

    I adore the library on the "R" ships and am happy to spend there on sea days. But I do pray for good weather ... because if it's bad weather it may be impossible to find a chair.

     

    Then there was the lady on one cruise who came up to the library every day, immediately fell asleep and snored VERY loudly. There is no predicting that aspect either!

     

    Mura

    I agree with Maura.

     

    My dh and i have cruised both Celebrity and Azamara. Azamara has an older demographic. (Similar to Oceania i would expect) But this is not an issue for my dh and i. I absolutely love talking to my elders and hearing about their travels. They are, for the most part, more well traveled than we are and their stories are interesting and exciting. I also love how youthful they seem and their endless energy. I have met some amazing people.

     

    I also find their contributions to conversations interesting because they have experience so much more in their life. I find they can thought provoking.

     

    I find the casual nature of the ship adds a great atmosphere on board. I think it allows for more sharing and talking, rather than people wandering about showing off their formal wear. People seem more relaxed. It is an inviting atmosphere.

     

     

     

    Sent from my SM-T560NU using Forums mobile app

    Art classes on Riv and Mar

    in Oceania Cruises

    Posted

    Yes its first come...no charge for materials or classes...I took a series from Graham Denisson, a former Disney master and he was stunning in has ability to teach. I have been on other cruises where the "artist" was so self absorbed that it was a waste. It all depends. My suggestion is that if you want to cruise and paint...I mean really really want to learn then you want to seek out the cruises then Graham Denison will teach....seriously excellent teacher.

    Lets put it this way, I had modest skill.. at the end of several weeks he had taught us all sorts of professional techniques, and methods to the extent That I was winning awards in art salons with my works months later..., against highly experienced artists.... Graham is the guy to listen too... He would frequently let classes run most of the day if you wanted and would be there for personal one on one instruction.... You can take that to the bank!

    Oh, I don't need to be good or the best, but I just need to enjoy myself. It is the peace and zen that I find painting brings to me that makes me love it so! [emoji18]

     

    With that said learning new skills are never a waste!

     

    Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4

    Art classes on Riv and Mar

    in Oceania Cruises

    Posted

    Just got off the Riviera on Monday where I did the art class. Classes are free, but as everyone said, it's first come, first served. Andre Allen was the artist. He does painting on glass, and his art is on all the Oceania ships. We painted on glass plates. It took a total of 1.5 hours stretched over 3 different time slots. I really enjoyed it and got inspired to do more. The Artist Loft, the space where the classes are offered, is always open. There was a separate table with watercolors, acrylics, oils, paper and brushes for anyone who wanted to paint. No charge.

    That sounds delightful. I find painting so relaxing and so would love do it at sea! I am not super great, but have fun just the same.

     

    Sent from my SM-T560NU using Forums mobile app

    Soooo much junk mail from Oceania!!! Are prices better than online?

    in Oceania Cruises

    Posted

    My dh jokes about the number of mini brochures we get weekly also. Funnily enough the cruise that we have booked with them I found online and not in the flood of brochures.

     

    Ironically, I did request two specific brochures about 3 to 4 weeks ago, rec'd email confirmation I requested them, but have yet to receive them in the mail. Go figure. I can get the ones I don't want in spades, but the 2 I want...no dice! 😁

     

    Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4

    Another Shore Excursion Question

    in Oceania Cruises

    Posted

    Hi all,

     

    I am trying to gage the price of the unlimited shore excursion package vs. the World Collection for our 18 day cruise with 9 ports of call.

     

    Is anyone able to provide a ball park for this? Approx price for the unlimited vs what the min. # of excursions that will need to be bought for the World Collection?

     

    Thanks for any light you can shed on this closely guarded Oceania secret!

     

    Sabrina

    Acrylic Nails

    in Princess Cruises

    Posted

    The time I used them for a fill, I had gel. Quality was okay, but not great.

     

    The rest of the time I just have a shallac french mani. Ihave a mani/polish half way through my trip. This service is good. They seem to know how to remove the shallac without damaging the nail bed. So I recommend this service.

     

    Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4

×
×
  • Create New...