ruthnlarry

Do not assume that you contracted Covid on ship.  It's very difficult to determine where you contracted Covid since you developed symptoms 2 days after getting home.  It is very possible that you were exposed to Covid upon disembarkation or in a very crowded airport, or in a taxi or UBER.

6 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

We were booked on one for May 23. Like you we had heard nothing from Azamara, but decided it’s likely to be changed to Greece/Turkey which didn’t appeal. We asked our TA to transfer our booking to a Nov 23 Dubai to Singapore cruise instead. Azamara were happy to do this but did charge us £150 (£75 each) transfer fee (which is in their T’s &C’s).

Yes, our cruise will probably be changed to a Greece and Turkey intensive cruise.  However, we would not be interested in such an itinerary because we will be doing one in August and September.  The only reason that we booked our June 2023 cruise was because of the Black Sea itinerary.

Azamara is not truthful in still advertising these intensive Black Sea cruises.  No ship will be stopping in Ukraine or Russia because of the current war.  The Quest can't stay late in Odessa because it has been destroyed.  Azamara wants to use deposits on a cruise that will not sail as originally booked, and is still being advertised.  So, I would not want to pay any transfer or cancellation fee even though it is in their Terms & Conditions.    

We are booked on an Intensive Black Sea Voyage in June 2023.  This cruise is not going to happen.  There will have to be major revisions to the present itinerary, and none of the Black Sea ports will be visited.

To date, we have received no communication from Azamara regarding this cruise.  In fact, Azamara still lists this cruise on their website for booking, and there is no disclaimer about the need to change the itinerary.  Azamara is still advertising a late night stay in Odessa for this cruise.  

13 minutes ago, ChadnKate said:

With our bookings through Sept of 2023 we will be at 17 O Club points. From what I've read above and as we live in Florida, we'd probably be best booking a cruise way in advance and one that at least begins and/or ends in Miami. Maybe a 16 day cruise to or back through the Panama Canal. As a DIY points warrior that would require no more than one flight for us, and easy to book.  

 

A question - as a Gold member we get free gratuities and 400 OBC. As a shareholder we get a credit too. I assume the 400 will not be due us but the NCLH stock credit would?

From what I've read, you will get free gratuities and the $400 OBC on your free cruise.  Don't know about the stock credit.

On 10/29/2021 at 7:16 PM, jchipgcs said:

They don't run into crowding problems in the steam/sauna areas?

I have never seen it crowded.  Some of the time nobody has been in the steam room.  Other times only a couple people.  

I realize that changes and cancellations occur due to Covid, and we accept that without complaining.  After all, we have had 7 Oceania cruises cancelled. 

My complaint is that Oceania sent an email yesterday informing those on the 12/1 and 12/19 cruise that itineraries were changed and that Marina was no longer going to Ecuador and Peru.  The email did not say that the changes were due to Covid, or that negotiations were still ongoing.  The email did not say that there  was a possibility that itineraries might be changed.  As a result, I booked a flight for the 2 of us from Lima to Santiago since we had made independent plans to do a land tour including Machu Picchu.

Then, to my surprise, I get an email today saying that the itinerary might be changed back to the original because dialogue with Peruvian officials turned positive yesterday.  Why didn't Oceania tell us that these negotiations were ongoing?  I would never have booked flights yesterday if they had.  As a result, I could lose a substantial amount of money since I may only get 30% back from these flights if I cancel.  Insurance will not pick up any more.

It also seems very strange that Peru was eliminated because of Covid.  Peru has been relaxing its entry requirements.  Effective Nov. 1, people entering Peru either have to be fully vaccinated or show results of a negative Covid PCR test within 72 hours of their flight.

Even if I lose money on the flights I booked yesterday, I hope that our original itinerary is restored with us departing from Lima.  I just hope that we will be on Marina to celebrate the holidays and welcome in a New Year!!

6 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

So I’m assuming that the next cruise is picking up perhaps 3 Sea Days as they now become Santiago to BA instead of Lima BA! Wonder if those on that holiday cruise has gotten the message?

 

We’ve already picked up an extra SeaDay with The Falklands being shutdown. That will likewise become another sea day for the next cruise. 
 

Wonder what the new plan will be?

Yes, we are on the Marina cruise departing 12/19, and received the email of the itinerary change this afternoon.

I don't like the change at all.  We had made independent plans to tour Lima, Cusco, Ollantaytambo, and Machu Picchu before our cruise which we aren't going to cancel.  So, we now have to book an additional flight from Lima to Santiago, and purchase transfer from Santiago to Valparaiso cruise terminal.  Both of these are pricey and not covered by the $300/person change in flight that Oceania is offering.

The revised itinerary does not include extra sea days.  We spend an additional day in Santiago, Ushuaia, Montevideo, and Buenos Aires.

I am curious why Peru was eliminated especially since they were relaxing their entry requirements.  Now you either have to be fully vaccinated or show a negative Covid PCR test to enter.

Regardless, we have booked another flight from Lima to Santiago.  Now looking for a reasonable transfer from Santiago to the cruise terminal.  I just hope that no other further changes or cancellation occurs.  After 7 Oceania cancellations due to Covid, we are ready to start the New Year on Marina!!

37 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

I checked the port of San Antonio. Oceania Marina is the only cruise ship currently scheduled in for Dec-Jan. An Italian ship is due in in February.

 

I believe some of those on Antarctica expeditions are staying on the Atlantic side.

 

If Chile remains shut down ATW 22 won’t be going there as an alternative either.

The Silverseas Antarctica cruises are departing from Punta Arenas, Chile.

28 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Have you checked to see what the airfare would cost if you DIY?

 

I like to compare  routings/pricing  using

https://matrix.itasoftware.com/

Yes, I have checked the airfare.  Nonstop flights to Auckland are expensive, and limited.

We've been using the itasoftware site for a very long time, and have found it to be helpful.

6 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

There is something you can do:

Don't use O's air. You won't get an air credit because it's a milestone cruise. But, you won't be billed $1500 for tix you can DIY.

While your current Gold O Club (and future Platinum) gets you complimentary deviation fees, any added fare difference for your preferred itinerary/airline/booking code might cost you more than DIY. This is particularly true if you fly bizclass. Those tix would be an added charge above the $1500!!!!

Yes, I've considered that.  However, it looks like O's air might be the best way to go.   Will know for sure after we request our complimentary deviation.  We rarely use their air, but my reserve of miles is very low, and there is no way I am going to pay an exorbitant amount for business.

We're in a similar situation.  We booked our free cruise onboard Marina with the Oceania Club Ambassador in July.  We had several future cruises that would give us 19 cruise credits, but we had only accumulated 15 cruise credits at the time of booking our free cruise.  The Ambassador was aware of everything, and assured us that there would be no problem.  We had all of our cruises written down, and she verified everything.  

The Ambassador told us that our free cruise included RT coach air, and attached and dated part of the T&C's stating this.

The original invoice that we have from the onboard ambassador lists our air arrangements with the dates and arrival/departure airports.  The listed charge for these air arrangements is 0.00.

We later transferred this free cruise to our TA who sent us a revised invoice.  Our TA knew that this would be our free cruise, and stated this on the revised invoice.  The revised invoice now listed the air fair as $1,500/person.  The total amount on the original and revised invoice.

I emailed our TA this week, and asked whether Oceania would honor their original terms of included RT coach air with our free cruise.  She said that Oceania would not.  There is a clause in the T&C's stating that Oceania Cruises reserves the right to change the program rules, benefits, etc. at its sole discretion.

I don't like this change, but there's nothing that we can do.

I just feel very fortunate that we will have a free cruise. 

58 minutes ago, GeorgesGal said:

  On 11/23/2019 at 7:10 PM,  cayman09 said: 

We are going in 2021 on the 18 day Tahiti to San Francisco Regatta cruise. I would love to go with Patrick but I'm a novice at snorkeling and my wife would just be riding along in the boat to enjoy the day. Does anyone with experience in a Patrick tour have an opinion on whether we would get value for the cost of the tour? Or should we try something else?

 

Cayman09, I see no one answered your question.  I can offer my opinion:  GO WITH PATRICK!   You will both enjoy the entertainment on his boats - the captain and mate serenade their passengers with music and song, the motu stop for lunch and fire dance are entertaining as well.  Money well spent, I say!!!

 

Go and enjoy the day on the water.

 

Donna

 

I agree.  On our first cruise to FP, Ruth did not snorkel.  She is not a strong swimmer, and didn't like snorkeling.  However, she loved Patrick's excursion.  She loved it so much that we went on another Oceania cruise from Tahiti.  On our second cruise, she bought a mask and fins, and snorkeled with the help of Patrick's daughter.  Now, we have booked a 3rd cruise that includes FP and 2 days in Bora Bora.  We have booked Patrick's excursion for both days.

Go with Patrick.  You and your wife will love the experience!

33 minutes ago, ORV said:

Did you turn Silver on that cruise or were you already Silver? We've discussed this before, you only get the Club Membership Tote on your Keystone cruise. This is not the little nylon one or the one you get in Concierge and above. This one has your level on it. Even though we have twenty something cruises we couldn't get one. We have to wait until our 40th on. LOL. 

 

They handled this rollout very poorly. On your first cruise after they started this new program you should get the one for the level you're at, then a new one on each Keystone cruise. 

We were already Silver on the Dec. cruise.  Wine, cap, and tote were the listed amenities from OC on our invoice.  We really didn't care much about the cap and tote.  We just remembered how a previous OC ambassador treated us when she wouldn't look inquire about our pre-paid gratuities Oceania Club Silver Benefit.  She said that it wasn't her job as OC Ambassador to look into why we didn't receive our OC silver benefits.

In Raiatea,  we have booked a tour for next year with Arii Moana, the #2 tour company on Raiatea according to TripAdvisor. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g309691-d9869732-Reviews-Arii_Moana_Tours-Raiatea_Society_Islands.html 
In the past, many have booked with Bruno of L'Excursion Bleue. You can read our experience on TripAdvisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g309691-d2181691-Reviews-or30-L_Excursion_Bleue_Day_Tours-Raiatea_Society_Islands.html

28 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Many times your Pre-paid  anything is up to your agent to see to.

The gratuities were an OC silver benefit.

We disembarked Riviera in December, and did not get the cap or tote even though they were listed as a silver amenity on our invoice.  We asked the OC ambassador, and she said that they ran out of the caps and totes.  Weren't expecting much, but OC can't even honor their reduced benefits.  This is not the first time that we have encountered problems with OC.  Previously, we had to meet with the GM because we didn't get our prepaid gratuities.  The ambassador on ship wouldn't do anything.  She said it wasn't her job.  

We were also on this Riviera cruise that disembarked on Sunday.  We booked our specialty restaurants as soon as reservations opened for veranda cabins.  We were able to get reservations at 7:30 sharing a table for 3 of the restaurants, and met some very nice people.  For Jacques, we got a table for 2 at 6:30. 

We do agree that the quality of some of the food is slipping in the specialty restaurants.  At Jacques, both of us had the dover sole, and thought that it was too salty.  This may have been due to the capers.  Our best meal was at Toscana.

We had 3 dinners at Terraces, and had no complaint.  Food was very good as usual, especially the grilled lamb chops, lobster tails, and freshly prepared pasta.  Our breakfasts and lunches were also very good in Terraces. 

We enjoyed staying at the Blue Keys Hotel https://bluekeyshotel.co.uk/

after reading their excellent reviews on TripAdvisor  https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g186299-d210579-Reviews-The_Blue_Keys_Hotel_Bar_Restaurant-Southampton_Hampshire_England.html

In addition to Smiths for Airports, we have been happy with transfers taken with https://www.blackberrycars.com/southampton-airport/

10 minutes ago, NC&KY said:

Unless you are in a suite, you cannot get a table for 2 at any of the Oceania specialty restaurants. The order in which passengers are able to book them, based on stateroom category, prevents it. Another of the numerous reasons we will never sail with them again.

We disembarked Marina 2 1/2 weeks ago, and were in an inside cabin.  We only shared a table 2X out of 8 specialty restaurant visits, and one of the shared experiences was by choice because we wanted to dine with new friends.  We had a table for two for our other 6 dinners.

13 hours ago, JPR said:

Sorry, but some of us hate the mouthfeel of paper straws. There are biodegradable bamboo and other substitutes available that are slightly more expensive but far more durable and look and feel like plastic straws. I too will bring my own.

 

Banning plastic straws was classic overwrought “virtue signaling” based on junk science by a nine year old.  The plastic sippee tops that Starbucks introduced are unsanitary and messy, and use more plastic than the straws they replaced.

Milo Cress' estimate that Americans use 500 million plastic straws a day was an estimate based on figures that plastic straw manufacturers gave the 9 year-old. It is not junk science. “Eco-Cycle, a Colorado-based recycling nonprofit that partnered with Cress' campaign, trusts his statistic. If anything, said Eco-Cycle communications director Harlin Savage, 500 million straws per day could be too low. And if anyone has come up with a different figure, Savage  — plus a lot of other people, she said —  would like to see it.” “The number this fourth grader came up with in 2011, as part of a personal environmental conservation campaign, has proved surprisingly durable, working its way to the heart of the debate over plastic straws.” NY Times.

The exact number of plastic straws that Americans use daily is debatable. However, the fact remains that we use too much plastic, plastic that is polluting our environment, accumulating in our oceans, and harming marine life. Milo Cress should not be attacked by those who deny these facts, but should be applauded for drawing our attention to the plight of our planet. Most of us can easily do without plastic straws without drastically changing our behavior. Isn't a tiny sacrifice such as living without plastic straws worthwhile if our environment can benefit? Why are some so selfish that they can't consider the “greater good”? How have we come to this?

It's really funny (ironic) that Cress' estimate of plastic straw usage is attacked by a minority because it is not published in a reliable, peer-reviewed scientific journals. Global climate change, its causes and effects have been widely studied and published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Yet, many of those who disparage Cress still refuse to believe the scientists who warn us about climate change. Acknowledging climate change and the issues of plastic straws involves admitting a major problem that requires a change in our behavior to help protect and preserve our planet.

We have cruised 7 times on Azamara, and 14 times on Oceania.  We have enjoyed all of these cruises, and would cruise with either line again depending on price and itinerary.  We have cruised more with Oceania because they have more ships, and are able to offer more unique itineraries.  We really like the newer O class ships of Oceania, Marina and Riviera.  The cabins and the bathrooms are larger on Marina and Riviera.  The O class ships have 4 specialty restaurants vs. 2 on the R class.  The grill in Terrace Cafe on Marina and Riviera have a larger selection where you can get prepared to order grilled baby lamb chops, shrimp, lobster tails, steak, and fish every night.

We have never missed a port on Oceania.  The worst was not being able to tender to Easter Island on our second day, but this was due to the large swells.  However, we were very happy to have successfully tendered on our first day.

Azamara, on the other hand, has cancelled booked cruises 2X for us because they chose to charter the ship.  This has never happened to us on Oceania.

Oceania does not have a White Nights or Azamazing Evening that we really enjoyed on Azamara.

Azamara does not have a daily High Tea with the string quartet that we look forward to on Oceania especially during sea days.

The specialty restaurants are free on Oceania, and you are guaranteed at least one reservation at each on shorter cruises.  On longer cruises, you get additional reservations.  If you book on-line before the cruise, you can get a table for 2.  On our last cruise (24 days), we only shared a table 2X out of 8 visits, and one of the shared experiences was by choice because we wanted to dine with new friends.  One can get additional specialty restaurant reservations, especially if one is flexible and willing to share a table, by inquiring on the day desired.

Overall, we like the cuisine on Oceania a little better than on Azamara.  On our last cruise, we did not eat dinner once in the MDR.  We ate in the specialty restaurants and the Terrace Cafe where we enjoyed lobster tails, lamb chops, shrimp, fresh fish prepared to order along with made-to-order pasta.  Another huge plus in Oceania's Terrace Cafe besides the high quality, is that all food is served by the staff.  Passengers do not touch serving utensils or the food.

Yes, the officers on Azamara interact with the passengers more than on Oceania, but this is not important to us.

We do not book any ship excursions, choosing to book private or small group excursions organized on our roll calls.

We have found guests on both cruise lines to be friendly and well-traveled, and stay in touch with many that we have met on previous cruises.

We have found the perks of Oceania's loyalty club more generous than Azamara's.  We get free included gratuities, substantial OBC, and are looking forward to booking our free Oceania cruise which can be up to 14 days and includes air.

In closing, both lines are good, but different in some regards.  Different is not necessarily bad.  We will cruise both again depending on itinerary and cost.   

On 4/1/2019 at 4:47 PM, StanandJim said:

There is a semantic dissonance at work here.

 

The $59.95 charge provides cocktails on a tax free basis, that is true.

I.E. there are no taxes assessed on a drink by drink basis, whilst using the Package after the purchase.

 

However, whether a value added tax is assessed on the $59.95 purchase itself, is not within the purview of Oceania Cruises.  They are merely collecting the taxes after all, not assessing them or benefiting from them.

 

I know that we have paid VAT on Beverage Packages purchased on Cruises starting in Spain.  

 

 

We boarded Sirena in Rio yesterday.  I purchased the Prestige Bev Pkg, and no VAT was added.  Just 59.95/day.  

While in Brazilian waters a 25% VAT is added to individually purchased drinks in addition to the added gratuity.

1 minute ago, Hokapontas said:

 

You should  know though, that wind can really close that door! Last time (in 7001 in Marina) on the first day of a Tahiti itinerary, we were slammed outside and the latch refused to open. Luckily the people above responded, as they were enjoying the sights as well, and called for a mechanic - who replaced the latch. 

Also, be aware that the verandah fence is solid metal, not glass. We figured the glass gets horribly opaque, so it didn't upset us much. 

Where are you off to? I am on Sirena in June. 

Yes, we're aware of all of the above.

We are on the TA from Rio to Barcelona.  We were just on a great Sirena cruise in January from Miami to Cuba.  So, we're expecting to see some of our friends again before they get to go home during the drydock!

We also received an upsell offer 14 days before sailing.  The offer was to move from a C2 to a B1 or B2 or Sirena.  Eventually, I accepted an offer to move to any A cat., and I picked a A2 cabin.

3 minutes ago, robbie21 said:

We went to a travel clinic and the nurse there was extremely knowledgeable about all the geographical areas affected by malaria and the drugs that were appropriate for each of them.

She had of course access to the CDC websites noted here as well as the health departments of the various countries.

 

My recommendation would be to find a similar expert. I don't really think healthcare is a do-it-yourself project.

We totally agree!  I have graduate and postdoctoral training in tropical medicine, and I still consult CDC and experts at a travel clinic.  Never take the advice from a novice who does not have the professional training.