Woodrowst

13 hours ago, BasandSyb said:

We received email notification this morning that our May/June 2024 Scotland/Norway/Svalbard cruise on Venture has had an "adjustment" and will now end in Edinburgh and not Oslo. A charter flight from Longyearbyen to Oslo will now be a flight to Edinburgh. "Adjustment" is a fabulous euphemism!

 

I am really sorry that you are going through this anxiety provoking and expensive situation.  It is a major reason why I have switched gears in booking air.  Previous to covid, I always made my own air arrangements and that was great.  Since cruising resumed post-covid, I have seen many cruise critic posters note embarkation/debarkation ports changes as well as date changes and even cancellations of the entire cruise.  So now, and for the foreseeable future, I make air arrangements through the cruise line.  The cost may be a bit higher (sometimes lower) and possibly have a bit more inconvenient routing (or not), but I know that the cruise line is now on the hook for changes.  This paid off when a cruise I took three months ago had its debarkation port changed from Istanbul to Barcelona.  The cruise line took care of rebooking the ticket with no cost to me. 

Please understand that I have great empathy for your situation and am not criticizing you for not doing what I do.  I only wanted to bring up an option for readers to consider.

4 hours ago, davencl said:

Assuming a OE small group tour. We took our first small group tour in Rome after our cruise on the GEM a couple of weeks ago. Not a cruise ship tour. It was insanely expensive but well worth it to us.  Learned and experienced so much more in the small group. I think some tours are fine in large groups others are best in small groups if your willing to afford it.

 

I agree with davenci.  I have taken both OE and regular Oceania tours and enjoyed both.  It is really a matter of deciding if you would benefit from a smaller group for a particular excursion.  My experience is that the two types of tours are not so different that only the OE would be enjoyable.  It is more of an enhancement in the right situation.

5 hours ago, Ray4Fun said:

Well, APP is needed. Period. Once you use a good cruise app you will not look back. Yes Baby Boomers we are part of this. 

If you can do so without rolling your eyes, could you explain to those of us who are not digital natives why an app is important?  What would you want to do with it that cannot be done otherwise?  Inquiring minds want to know ☺️

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? 😉

7 hours ago, shepherd really said:

Those power bowels sound delicious…

I did not realize that they they were that cleansing ☺️

1 hour ago, ORV said:

I think they said they're past 30 days, so cancelling would be the only option. 

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.

30 minutes ago, Woofa said:

Welcome kmcgann21.  

For the most part people who say they use a TA mean a private travel agent, not an Oceania representative.  Posting would indicate that many, perhaps the majority of O cruisers do book direct but I think you will find most posters here will advise you to use a TA, but only if you can find a good one who specializes in premium/luxury cruises and preferably one who specializes in O.  

Many threads about the pros and cons to find but at the end of the day, a good TA can arrange for some bonuses like free gratuities, OBC, a percentage of cruise fare back.  More importantly we believe is their knowledge and ability to go to bat for you if any issues arise.

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.

19 hours ago, acing_spades1 said:

Just nerd stuff in general. Not having microscopes isn't a deal breaker or anything, nothing really is when we're talking "Antarctica cruise" sphere, but it would be really cool to be able to look at the special Antarctic stuff close up like that. Since everyone does lectures the laboratories are a cool way to dive in deeper and an easy way to differentiate between lines. There will be much enjoyment of the environment and wildlife as well but again that's a given for any line. 

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?

3 hours ago, commodoredave said:

Did you take the pills and if so did they have any side-effects? 

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.

On 8/7/2023 at 4:02 PM, YourWorldWithBill said:

Yes, it's a bit ridiculous that a luxury line doesn't have an app.

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. 

7 hours ago, chromered7 said:

Because of the recent changes on our usual cruise line has the experience remained the same on O ? We are looking at alternatives for cruises in the future and O  has a very good reputation  but is that still true?

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.

7 hours ago, number one eagles fan said:

We are flying Delta and connecting to KLM. The trip was booked under one reservation with Delta so I'm feeling confident that our luggage will be checked through to our final destination of Copenhagen. KLM is a partner airline with Delta.

 

Thank you for your concern/help. 

 

Then you are good to go!  

On 8/3/2023 at 6:02 PM, number one eagles fan said:

A great big thank you for clarifying this for me. I'm so glad I don't have to claim our bags in Amsterdam.

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!

2 hours ago, broberts said:

Long or short sleeves?

Shorts or long pants?

 

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.  

5 hours ago, Ljme57 said:

I am now more concerned than ever about getting on Marina next Saturday! (Copenhagen to Tromso)I’ve had the original 2 shots and 3 boosters. The last booster was this past Monday. It Covid really that prevalent? 

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.

1 hour ago, never2home said:

Thank you for posting this information.  We are taking a similar cruise April/May of '24.  The bandanas are a great recommendation.  Did you purchase special clothing to combat the heat?

1 hour ago, never2home said:

Thank you for posting this information.  We are taking a similar cruise April/May of '24.  The bandanas are a great recommendation.  Did you purchase special clothing to combat the heat?

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:

On 6/26/2023 at 12:09 PM, anonymousegirl said:

Hi all,

Husband and I are doing our first O cruise on the Riviera on July 9, Southampton to Reykjavik. We're in a PH3 (with the old bathroom design). We have booked all three La Reserves, and have our four specialty dining booked as well. We've done the online check-in. We're staying in nearby Winchester and will Uber over to the terminal.

What tips do you have that you think I should know, do, download, or whatever?

Thanks!!!

Lori

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

2 hours ago, macbest said:

Were you able to standby at one of the alternative restaurants and get in beyond your allotment? What is the spa terrace like (for conceirge suites and above)? Is it shaded, how many loungers?

 

We board end of next week in Istanbul. The ship was near empty two months ago. Through unadvertised specials they essentially booked her completely. 

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.  

On 5/23/2023 at 8:24 PM, Woodrowst said:

My wife and I will soon be taking a Middle East cruise on the Nautica.  We are visiting a number of countries and would like a small amount of local currency.  We don’t need much as we are spending our off-ship time on Oceania shore excursions and mostly want money for tips, snacks, and bathrooms.  We are particularly thinking of Egypt where articles talk about the need to tip everyone.   It would be a burden to get so many local currencies in advance and my bank requires a minimum of $200 for each country.  
 

Does Oceania make available small amounts of local currencies for purchase at guest services?

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.

On 2/14/2023 at 9:57 AM, Free and Easy said:

I was about to resume sailing with Oceania Nautica. Yet to my alarm, I read on both Cruise Critic and TripAdvisor pax reviews that Oceania (and Nautica) now is not what it used to be pre-COVID (in fact that seemed to be true for many Cruise lines which are in a catch-up mode). Particularly so for the food which has always been the main reason I sail with Oceania!!  Would appreciate any sharing on recent sailing experiences with Nautica. Just wonder if I have been only able to see the negative feedback,,,,,,,:(

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.