Woodrowst

I agree with previous comments. We took our first post-Covid Oceania cruise a few months ago and everything was as good as ever including the buffet. The only change I noticed was that they had shrimp cocktail available almost every day. That was good for me as I really like it.🙂

After this gets settled could someone tell me how Caribbean is pronounced in Royal Carribean? 😉

I did not realize that they they were that cleansing ☺️

I would let my TA do the cancellation/rebooking so that things went smoothly and I did not inadvertently lose my cabin by trying to do it myself.

As an example of what Woofa said, my wife and received a $1,300 rebate from our travel agent for our recent Oceania cruise. We would not have received that if we booked directly with the cruise line. How can travel agents give perks? They get a commission from Oceania and share part of that with their client. As to your question about transferring your booking to a TA: That is done all the time where people first book directly with Oceania and then have it transferred to their TA. I have done that myself when I did not want to take the chance that my desired cabin would be taken in the lag time. But there can be time restrictions as to how long you have to transfer a booking. Don’t cancel your booking yourself. Settle on the TA you want to use and then talk to them about whether they can transfer the booking. We are not allowed to recommend specific TA’s on Cruise Critic. But try to find a TA whose company is in the top tier of Oceania bookings as they will get the largest rebate. The TA will be able to tell you if they are a preferred agency or you can do a google search.

I truly do not mean to give you a hard time but I am trying to understand what it is you want to do. Taking any samples back to the ship from an Antarctica landing - including, but not limited to soil, ice, feathers, and penguin poop - is banned. So how would you be able look at stuff on your voyage close up under a microscope?

You kind of lost me at “no microscopes”. Why would you need/want a microscope on an Antarctica cruise? What are the bucket list things you want to do on the cruise? Most people.focus on experiencing the landscape/wildlife/environment but it seems you are looking for something different?

I did indeed. This was the second time I had anti-malaria pills - the first was 15 years ago for a trip to Rwanda. I had no side effects whatsoever in either instance.

For what it is worth, I took a trip to the Amazon (the area around Manaus) this past December and my travel doc recommended and prescribed ant-malaria pills.

Maybe that is because Oceania is not a luxury line ☺️. It is firmly positioned as a premium line between the mass market lines and the luxury lines.

We were on the Nautica two months ago and it was as good as ever. One positive surprise was that shrimp cocktail was available at virtually every dinner. I don’t remember it being that plentiful pre-COVID.

Then you are good to go!

Just a point that a plane to plane luggage transfer assumes you are connecting on the same airline or a partner airline. If you happen to be connecting on a different airline without a partnership agreement you will have to pick up your luggage as if Copenhagen was your destination and re-check it with the second airline. As such, I hope you are connecting on the same or a partner airline. This also reduces the walking distance and number of checkpoints as planes from the same airline and alliance tend to be clustered together.

I don’t have a tour suggestion but do have a dining suggestion for your free evening. My wife and I were in Dubai two months ago and had dinner at Shebesten restaurant in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek. We had done our research and Shebesten was rated at the top of restaurants in Dubai. We were not disappointed - it was one of the best meals we had ever had in any of our travels. Shebesten is third generation owned and serves authentic Persian food. It was amazing and gave us a real feel for the local and regional cuisine. Not to be missed!

The Columbia silver ridge lite line has long sleeves and long pants. They incorporate Columbia’s “Omni-Shade” technology (whatever that is) that Columbia says is rated at SPF 50. Just as the bedouins cover their entire body in the heat, we found shielding our arms and legs from the direct sun with loose fitting clothes kept us cooler. Plus we didn’t have to deal with arms and legs slathered in sunscreen.

To cope with covid anxiety before our recent cruise we took both covid tests and PAXLOVID with us (our physician wrote a prescription so we could have it when we traveled). That way we could both diagnose and treat Covid if we got it on the cruise. Of course we would have also isolated ourselves during the active phase. Knowing that we were prepared for the worst case scenario helped.

The clothing you choose does make a big difference in high temperatures. I wore what I refer to as my “zoo keeper collection” because the outfits come in tan and green and make me look like zoo staff. They are the silver ridge light line of pants and shirts made specifically for hot weather hiking by Columbia. They are quite thin yet strong and made of synthetics that wick moisture away from your body - it really helps when your back does not stay soaked in sweat - and have lots of vents. My wife does not like synthetics so she wore mostly linen. She also wore Eddie Bauer guide pro pants which are her favorite hiking pants. They dry quickly. Our socks were made of merino wool. This may sound counterintuitive in hot weather but merino wool actually keeps you cool, wicks away sweat, and can be worn multiple times since it controls oder. The pros advise staying away from cotton in hot weather. Cotton does not breathe as well as synthetics, stays wet once sweat gets on it, and takes a long time to dry after you wash it. Synthetics made for hot weather can be hand washed and they will dry overnight. Please let me know if I can speak to any other questions.

My wife and I recently took an early summer Middle East cruise with stops on Dubai, Oman, Egypt (Safaga for Luxor and the Valley of the Kings), Jordan (Aqaba for Petra), Israel, and Malta. We knew it was going to be hot and it was - temperatures routinely exceeded 100 degrees with an apex of 113 degrees at the Valley of the Kings with no shade in sight. So we had researched products to help us cope with the heat and came up with three to take with us: a sun protection umbrella, a handheld battery-operated fan, and cooling bandanas that you soak in water. Before the trip we hypothesized that the umbrella would be most helpful; that the fan would come in second; and that the bandanas would bring up the rear. Were we wrong! Here is what we actually found in order of helpfulness: #1: The cooling bandanas. The bandanas have polymer beads that allow them to stay wet for the entire length of a 13+ hour shore excursion. They stayed remarkably cool in the heat - all we needed to do was rotate the bandana when our body temperature warmed the bandana. The effect of cool water against our necks made a big difference and the effect lasted all day, even when exposed to 100+ degree temperatures. Very impressive! A distant #2: The cooling fan. The fan worked as advertised and blew a reasonable amount of air in your face or wherever you pointed it. The problem was that with the temperatures at 100 degrees or more, we were blowing hot air in our face. That prevented evaporation and mitigated any cooling effect. An equally distant #3: The umbrella. We were quite surprised that the umbrella (which were specifically designed for sun protection) had little effect. It seemed to be just as hot under the umbrella as when only a hat was used. It was much cooler when we could find a tree to stand under. So the umbrella did not equal finding shade; shade was much more effective. I'm not sure why the umbrella did not help. The only thing I can think of is that the hard surfaces of sand, gravel, bricks. concrete, and rocks we routinely faced reflected the heat from the ground back up under the umbrella. The specific products we purchased are below. All three are available through Amazon. The cooling ties (bandanas) can also be picked up at REI. All three do get good reviews on Amazon. 1) Umenicie UPF 50+ UV Protection travel umbrella. ($30) From Amazon: Aluminum frame PROTECT YOU SKIN：UPF 50+ Double coated silver canopy to protect your skin from over 98% the UVA and UVB ray WINDPROOF SYSTEM：Strong fiberglass frame with windproof system for sunny and windy day. ULTRA LIGHT WEIGHT AND COMPACT SIZE: Good quality aluminum frame to reduce the wight, 11.6 inch long make it fit you handbag well, so that you can take the umbrella with you in any time. PU COATED HANDLE NEW DESIGN: PU coated makes the handle both good feeling and last long time -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) Jisulife Portable Handheld fan ($15) For $15 this fan is solid and quite well made. It claims to last 14-21 hours on a charge, has a flashlight, and can charge your phone. From Amazon: 【Super Long Endurance and Strong Airflow】- Adopted the advanced technology, it lasts for 14 hours with 2-speed, 21 hours with 1-speed after about 3 hours full charge. The maximum rotating speed of the fan is 3400 rpm which is enough for personal use to keep you cool. 【Foldable Design and Mini Size】- The foldable design makes it easy to carry and store. Besides, with the oval shape(1.3*1.3*4.7 Inches, Weight: 4.4 Oz), this rechargeable fan can hide the fan blade, small and easy to slide into your pocket and purse. 【Power Bank Function and Quiet Operation】- 5V/1A USB output port makes the mini hand fan to be a power bank(2000mAh) in an emergency, supplying power for mobile phone, MP3, etc. With no frame design, make the noise low to 50db that causes no bother during work. 【Flashlight and Include Wrist String】- Long press the power button to open the flashlight feature when the fan is not spinning. The flashlight is quite bright and can be used in dark areas or if electricity is out. And with a lanyard included, you can hang it on your hands or travel backpack. 【USB Fast Charge & Gift Choice】- You can use a wall charger, laptop, power bank to charge it. And the handheld fan only needs 2-3 hours to get fully charged. This mini handheld fan will also be a gift for your family, friends. Cute, tiny, and useful gadgets for most people. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) Kafka Cooling Ties Original Cooling Bandana ($15-$18 depending on quantity). There are dozens of colors. From Amazon: Since 1992! Kafka Kool Ties are The Original Cooling Bandana Neckwear-Do not accept imitations! Made in the USA in Phoenix Arizona! Lifetime Warranty too! Look for the Silver K on each Kafka Kool Tie to insure you are always purchasing a Original Kafka Kool Tie! HOW TO HYDRATE YOUR KAFKA KOOL TIE: To hydrate, submerge the Kafka Kool Tie in clean water for 30-45 minutes. You can not overhydrate a Kool Tie, but you can under hydrate your Kool Tie. Do not leave your Kool Tie in water though for long periods as it can eventually wear out the seams of your Kool Tie. Once finished soaking, check for color fastness before using. One good way of doing this is to let it hang for 10 minutes and drip away any colors that may appear. HOW TO WEAR YOUR KAFKA KOOL TIE: Allow for air flow around your Kool Tie so it maximizes the cooling effect. As you begin your activity, and your body heats up, periodically rotate the Kool Tie. Think of when turning your pillow over at night to access the cooler side. You can also re hydrate as needed for 10 minutes. When you are finished using, always let air dry so crystals dry out and returns to the original state. This can take a couple days as these crystals are built to hold moisture. ACTIVITIES & USES OF KAFKA KOOL TIES: Kafka Kool Ties are comfortable and easy to wear an amazing product to use for many outdoor activities! Favorite uses are hiking, camping, travel, pickle ball, tennis, golf, dogs walks and just trying to stay cool in the warm time of the year! Another great reason to wear on a hot day even when you are just hanging out at your home and trying to stay cool!

Take the time to enjoy the pre-dinner string quartet concerts. They are a wonderful luxury.

We had difficulty even getting our initial single allotment at Polo Grill and Toscana. I went online the day it opened for concierge passengers and was only able to get reservations on the first and last night of the cruise. This was mostly because we wanted a table for 2 and did not want a sharing table. There were times available if you were willing to sit with another couple. I asked a few times during the cruise if any tables for 2 had opened up during any sea days and was always told no. Even though we had access to the spa terrace because we were in a concierge cabin we did not use it. It is mostly for sunbathing and since the temperatures in the Middle East were 100+ degrees (it got to 113 in Luxor) we had no desire to roast like a suckling pig. The spa terrace does have a hot tub that is more private than the ones around the pool if that appeals to you. So the small spa terrace is mostly to have a somewhat private sunbathing/hot tub area.

To close the loop after returning…..like IWantToLiveOverTheSea the only non-US denomination Nautica made available was euros when we got to Barcelona. And like JoePDX we found that US one dollar bills were accepted as tips in Dubai, Oman, Egypt, Israel, and Malta. Some bathrooms wanted the local coin but let us use them anyway when we said we did not have any.

We got off the Nautica last week Dubai to Barcelona. We had a wonderful cruise. The food was as good or better than previous Oceania cruises. If you have any specific questions please let me know.

Last week we disembarked from the Nautica in Barcelona. The ship docked at 6:00am and was cleared for disembarkation at 6:50am. We were the first group off the ship and got our luggage at 7:10am. We had an Oceania transfer and the bus waited for all 26 passengers until 7:30am but we could have taken a taxi and been at the airport at 7:40am. Getting through fast pass was a breeze and definitely worth it. BUT….. the fly in the ointment was the airline check in process. It was chaotic with very long lines. We flew United but all airlines looked just as bad. We could use the business class line and that helped but still took a while. It looked like the economy/economy plus check in could take an hour. So that makes your plan quite dicey. Another way to look at it is: why would you want to submit yourself to the stress and worry during your cruise that you will make your flight? I know that would make me enjoy the cruise less. Everything worked like clockwork for us. What if the ship docks late (as happens)? Or it takes longer than usual to get clearance (as happens)? Or the line for a taxi is 20 minutes long (as happens)? If you miss your flight what if you can’t rebook because all flights are flying full and there are no seats available for the foreseeable future (as happens)? And what if missing your flight means your tickets are cancelled, you can’t rebook for free, and you have to pay for your new tickets (as happens)? If the 9:20am flight is the best for you my suggestion would be to schedule it for the next day and stay a night in Barcelona. That would give you a day to see a fabulous city. If you haven’t seen La Sagrada Familia get advanced tickets and view the most amazing architecture you may ever see. If you need to fly out on disembarkation day I would get a flight that leaves at noon or later.

We just returned from the Nautica cruising Dubai to Barcelona. The masking situation changed over the course of the cruise. At the beginning very few passengers and virtually no staff wore masks. About 2/3 of the way through the cruise all staff started wearing masks and so did many passengers. They also removed any ability for passengers to get their own food (i.e. morning croissants near the coffee machines). There must have been an outbreak of some sort. A fellow passenger said they heard it was a stomach virus. That would explain the “no touch” food policy but not the masks as norovirus is spread by touch and not by air. This does point out that the mask situation can be fluid.

On our current Nautica cruise (we just left Israel and are headed for Malta) the other baked goods are fine. We are especially enjoying the breadsticks, french bread, and chocolate croissants. Only the cookies are devoid of flavor. ☺️