We hired a taxi at the port. Took us around the island including Baths. Went at our own pace. Cost was less than the ship excursion.

I cruise often on Oceania and other cruise lines.  Last year I took 3 O cruises.  On the first cruise, I booked a future cruise.  On the 2nd cruise, I didn’t book a future cruise.  That cruise was in June 2023.  Got home and shortly after got a very nice Welcome Home letter with an offer of $200 off if we booked a future cruise within 45 days of disembarking. Booked in July 2023 for a May 2024 cruise. She took all the info about the coupon and sent it to Oceania. She said as soon as the $200 discount was applied, she would send us an updated invoice.  A few months later, I asked about the discount. She contacted Oceania and was told that it didn’t apply since I booked that cruise onboard.  I didn’t book anything on that June cruise.  Sent the actual coupon to the Miami address on the coupon.  Still nothing.  Final payment for the May 2024 cruise is due this week.  In the scheme of things $200 isn’t much compared to the total cost of a cruise.  Just rather annoyed.  
Did a cruise January 2024.  Also didn’t book a future cruise onboard.  We didn’t get a welcome home letter.

If a company makes an offer, it should honor that offer.  Disappointed in O Dania.
 

26 minutes ago, Harters said:

Very possibly. Connected to the different way in which beef is raised here in Europe and how it's raised in the States? Grass or grain fed. And how long its hung after slaughter. I've always found American steak more tender than I'm used to but without the flavour - so I rarely order a steak when visiting the States. 

 

Of course, if you were also finding differences with pork, lamb and chicken , then there may be another reason as I would think mass catering products would have been raised in similar fashions both sides of the Atlantic. 

Just the beef.  While I like eating beef, I actually prefer fish.  In Europe, we had amazing fish.  In the Caribbean, the fish was ok, but not as good.  It may be a difference of suppliers.  The food on Oceania is very good.  Looking forward to my next O cruise.

4 minutes ago, stevesol6718 said:

We were on the same June cruise. Noticed that the food in GDR was not quite the same.  Now on this new Dec/Jan cruise food just was not good.  We also have started eating in the other venues, not because it is quicker, but because, for some reason, it is better.  We are not reviewing any other food venue on Marina.  All are good. It is just the GDR that we have noticed a steady decline and have opted to eat as little as we can. Going on Vista in March and expect to have a great time.  I think that the problem is unique and only on the Marina.

Vista was great. We loved it.  Hope that Marina is as good. Marina is our favorite ship.  
On Marina on previous cruises in Europe, the food was good except in Polo.  Meat was tough. Polo on Vista was better. We sailed out of Miami. Meat was very good.  Wondering if the problem is the provision location.  Enjoy Vista.

Your comments are disturbing.  I have sailed on Marina many times. Most recent Marina cruise was June 2023. My next O cruise is Marina.  Just off Vista 2 weeks ago. Food was good. Many items were excellent . There were a few dishes that could’ve been hotter.  Portions were ok.  I don’t expect perfection.  I eat breakfast in Terrace Grill.  It’s quicker than the GDR. If I get something that isn’t to my taste, there are many good options. Baristas and the Bakery are also a good breakfast venue.  

2 hours ago, daydreamer62 said:

Less so from New Zealand which was my point. What's available in the US is not necessarily available to  customers outside the US.  Viking used to though especially with river cruises. Now it seems not so much but it may be changing. They are offering a partial credit now for some  Ocean cruises.Prices  are only just starting to come down after the pandemic. For our trip to France we had to pay more than double regards it would have cost us in 2020 had our trip to Europe not been cancelled. Our trip later this year is essentially the same price as last year but forward prices look better

Prices were much higher after pandemic.  We had booked Into the Midnight Sun for summer 2020. When the cruise got canceled, we took the refund instead of the 125%voucher.  When we went to rebook the same cruise for 2023, the prices were extremely high.  We waited until there was a promo.  The promo price was similar to the 2020 cruise.   After canceling cruises and offering vouchers, there were lots of people trying to cash in the vouchers within a limited time period. With a use it or lose it , those vouchers found guests booking again. Using vouchers time has passed. Now most people booking don’t have fcc or vouchers.   Cruise fares will remain high if bookings are up. If bookings are slow, prices will drop. It’s just basic economics.  

1 hour ago, daydreamer62 said:

Yes especially as there's no cheap option from here to many places but I see Viking have been offering a $3000 airfare credit per cabin lately. They used to include air periodically before the pandemic 

Viking often has promos that include free air.  Just booked a cruise that included free air.  Got code from Viking cruisecritic board.  It saved us $.

I was pleasantly surprised at moving up when you start the qualifying cruise. Just another nice thing that makes Oceania cruises great. 

Perhaps the intro of the loyalty program has caused problems.  I loved WS before the loyalty program.   Thought that it was very nice that WS was rewarding loyal guests. I don’t think that WS intended to annoy guests. Now I have doubts.  

Oceania does a nice cruise.  If problems arise, they try to help fix the issues.  I have taken 3 O cruises since the pandemic.  We didn’t get Covid on any of them.  

On 1/29/2024 at 5:16 PM, Nearpost345 said:

Honestly just go to reception onboard and tell them to turn on your wi fi and assign your suite to free laundry. They’ll see your 4 star status in the system, job done.

That doesn’t work.  They are adamant about withholding loyalty benefits.  
New WS president has changed WS.  No fun for loyalists. 

I know how you feel. Happened to us. We have taken 10 WS cruises and have 89 points. We took WS cruises before the new loyalty program. We were delighted when WS announced the loyalty program.  Got a email with promo for a cruise that had changed itinerary.  Price was attractive. Still being cautious about Covid, we hesitantly booked cruise for Sept 2022.  Once onboard, we noticed that OBC from loyalty program wasn’t posted on our account. Questioned it. Figured it was an error. We were told that we could only get the discount in the store and  10% off the laundry.  We were on a 10 night cruise.  The explanation was discounted rates aren’t eligible for OBC.  It was annoying.  I am in other cruise lines loyalty program. Regardless of price, I get all listed benefits for my loyalty level.  Since that cruise, I have sailed 4 times, not WS.  I have 2 future bookings, not on WS.  
Will we book a WS cruise again? Perhaps, if the price is right and the itinerary works for us.  If we do, I will be shocked if we get anything from the loyalty program.  
 
 

Chair hogging was rampant on Vista 1/9/24 cruise.  Went to reception and asked about it.  They said that you cannot touch another person’s property.  You can only touch ship property like library books.  You can move ship books. Good luck.

If your suite includes complimentary laundry, what is the turn around time?  Can you get same day free?  

We were told terminal J. However, the morning of the cruise, we got an email with a change to terminal B.  The email said that there were high winds.  We disembarked at terminal J. There was a free shuttle bus taking guests from J to B.  

It happened to us.  We ate at Ember early in the cruise. We loved it.  We talked to the maitr’d after our meal.  We often chatted with him at breakfast in the Terrace Buffet.  Toward the end of the cruise, we asked if we could get a table at Ember. We wanted to try other offerings. We again enjoyed our meal. The only thing that we ate both times was the potato soup. It is excellent.  

If you would like to dine at a specialty restaurant on the 1st night, talk to dining reservation maitr’d at lunch. Likely that you can do it.  Since we really like the menu in GDR on 1st night, we don’t do specialty that night. 

Once you book and pay for a cruise, the Viking website doesn’t let you book another cruise.  Booked and paid in full for a cruise in April.  Now I am looking for a cruise for winter 2025.  I can see cruises on Viking website. However, if I try to book online, I get a page of junk.  It’s crazy.  I often have multiple cruise bookings. Pre Pandemic we usually took 4 cruises per year.  We have taken 6 cruises since we resumed traveling.  We have 2 future cruises booked in 2024 and would like to book 2025.  

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Oceania skips ports and often has short visits in ports.  Not sure the explanation is legit. Once there was a replacement port. Usually a skipped port becomes a sea day.  I have been to St. Barts on several cruises. However, never got there on Oceania.  On Sirena in March 2020, St. Barts was supposed to be our first stop. We were told that the seas were too rough for tenders. Looked outside and saw flat water. On that cruise we skipped most ports because the ports closed. .  We sailed in circles.  Never on that cruise did any crew member mention Covid.  Fast forward to January 2024, on Vista. St. Barts was skipped again. We were told it was rough seas due to wind. Seas looked calm.  That port day was replaced by a sea day.  Oceania never apologized. From past experiences, they never refund port charges.  Port charges aren’t much for each guest. On other lines when we skipped ports, we were refunded port charges. It usually is about $15.  On Windstar, when we skipped ports, we were given a nice amount of OBC and FCC.  

Once you are onboard, you may be able to switch times or dates.  When you book a B ,C, or lower cabin, you may not find any tables for 2 when you reserve online. That’s ok if you like sharing a table. If you don’t like sharing, book a higher level cabin.  Be flexible.  If we find that the on,y option is a later time, we take it. On those days, we get something to eat in late afternoon.  Go to Tea, visit Baristas and the Bakery, or order room service.  Room service cheese plate is very nice.

1 hour ago, shepherd really said:

Your travel agent screwed up, that's where the blame should be placed.

I don’t think so. My TA has always been excellent in making arrangements.  Oceania insists that we booked onboard. While we sometimes do book onboard, we didn’t that time.  In June, there was a hint ,but not much info about Simply More. On the June cruise, we did inquire about it. Future cruise person said that they didn’t or wouldn’t give us info about Simply More. She only said that it would be better. That’s why we didn’t make a future booking on the ship.  Once we got home, we got all the details about Simply More. We got the welcome home offer.  For us, Simply More was good for the cruise that we wanted to book.  It was a Med cruise with ports that had interesting excursions.  We booked.

We took a cruise in June. We didn’t book any future cruises on that cruise. Shortly after returning home( July 1, 2023)we got a nice welcome home letter that had an offer of $200 off any booking made within 45 days of returning home.  Nice gesture.  We looked at future cruises, called our TA, booked a cruise, and told her about the $200 coupon.  That was July 2023.  She said that she would send us an updated invoice as soon as Oceania applied the $200.  Hasn’t happened. We are almost at final payment. Spoke to TA. She said that Oceania thinks we booked onboard and will not honor the $200 coupon. TA knows that this isn’t true.  Has anyone else had any problem with the welcome home voucher?   My TA increased OBC to cover the $200.  

Oceania should include tips in the basic fare.  You are going to pay them.  Other cruise lines include them.  Perhaps Oceania is including tips in some markets to see if bookings change.  Simply More has changed the way I book.  I only consider Oceania on itineraries that have excursions that interest me.  Cruising business has become very competitive. Keeping tip out of the fare shows a reduced fare.  It may attract some people.

On 1/25/2024 at 3:54 PM, ORV said:

Someone reported that on another thread on another cruise recently but I’ve never seen it, including last night. We got anything we asked for. Either some people are intentionally reporting wrong information, are confused, or there is another Oceania ship operating under different rules. 
 

I have seen the menu changed out after Happy Hour so maybe they misunderstood what they are seeing. 

 

Celebrity has a list for the Elites but nothing like that on Oceania. 

On Vista earlier this month, the Captains Welcome party had a very limited drink menu.  It was absurd.  The repeaters party had open bar with anything you asked for.  We cruise on Oceania often. We did notice some small changes compared to Previous cruises.  No clock, no sewing kit, and no clear soap, in cabins.  Not a big deal. I asked for sewing kit and got one.  Also, no glass of bubbly as you embark. 
I am elite plus on Celebrity. The nightly reception has a limited drink menu. It includes more than Oceania welcome menu. However, since I seldom drink, it isn’t a big deal. The cutbacks on Celebrity were enough to drive me away. Oceania is much better than Celebrity.