Chumby

On Sirena chasing Florence across the Atlantic right now. So far, they have straws if you ask for them, and it seems to me that the milkshakes are deliberately more runny so that you won’t ask for one. The result? I always ask for a thick shake and a straw. :-)

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I'm not at all sure that you have more "privacy" using your own equipment as opposed to the internet cafe since it's all the same system ... but it's certainly more convenient to work from your room than having to go upstairs to the internet cafe.

 

 

 

As always, JMHO.

 

 

 

Mura

Good point, Mura - that’s why I recommend that anyone using the onboard Wi-Fi subscribe to a VPN (virtual private network) service. These services provide a way to encrypt everything from your tablet, phone or laptop to the website you’re visiting. I don’t believe the Internet cafe folks will allow you to install your own apps on their PCs, which is one more reason why I use my own tablet. VPN services are quite inexpensive and are the best possible way to keep your communications secure no matter where you’re using your device.

http://Https://Appleworld.today

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Hi, The-Inside-Cabin. For six years, there have been connectors that let anyone with an iPad pop in an SD or micro-SD card (with adapter) and move their photos right into the Photos app. I use Apple’s iCloud Photos Library, and all of my photos are then backed up to the cloud and waiting for me on my “real” computer when I get home from my trip. Also, since I can create a trip album in Photos, it’s simple to share that album with friends and family.

Those connectors for SD cards run anywhere from $29 for the official Apple connector (called the “Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader” to less than $10 for some third-party models.

Enjoy!

https://Appleworld.today

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I’ve been using iPads on O ships since the first iPads came out in 2011. They’re great and last forever, not like cheap netbooks. An iPad can let you do email, get onto Cruise Critic (with the TapATalk app), take pictures and beautiful video, read ebooks so you don’t need to take a Kindle along, even do FaceTime calls (video or audio) and Skype. The newest iPads are also quite inexpensive, starting at $329 for a Wi-Fi only model (no cellular) that is perfect for cruising.

I have been a blogger writing about Apple products for MANY years, and I wouldn’t recommend any of the Android devices due to their tendency to be loaded with unneeded apps that are usually quite bad. You also have access to the Apple App Store, with millions of apps that are virus and malware free, once again unlike the “Play” store for Android. I play a number of games on my iPad while I’m on cruises, and they’re all great!

Want to write a journal while you’re on your cruise? Get one of the many third-party keyboards that work with iPads and you’ll be typing away at high speed while you enjoy a drink on the deck.

Enjoy!

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Maybe O scheduled this cruise too early. In past it was a July/August cruise when there would be less ice. My guess the southern passage was still icebound.

Totally agree. Once again, it seems like a bit of an oddball decision on the part of Oceania to schedule it this early. I wish we had known...

You're assuming that there were docking berths available in Akureyri or Reykjavik or any other port - captain can't just decide to stay in port if other ships are scheduled to come in.

The next ship into Akureyri was the MSC Splendida on Saturday, June 27 - four days after our visit. There is more than one berth at Akureyri, as well as spots anchoring.

As for Reykjavik, if we had arrived early (i.e., not taken the buggy ride to Nuuk), there was only one other ship in port on June 25 and 26, none on the 27th-29th (our original arrival date was to be the 29th), and three others when we arrived on the 30th.

Isafjord, which would have been a wonderful alternate port, had just one ship in port on the 26th and 27th, none on the 28th.

This is all publicly available information.

Lest you wonder why I'm bringing this up, there are a lot of people on this ship who are a bit miffed that they are spending $1,000 a day per person to have unplanned sea days.

Good answer! Thank you for the reply.

Not touching this one with a 10' pole. Questions are asked -- of us? What do we know?

I didn't ask you anything. As far as I know, I didn't address this to Hondorner. Even today in Liverpool our planned departure was moved up by two hours, allegedly because the QM2 is coming in and needs the berth. Interesting, since the Cunard schedule board says it's actually coming in tomorrow.

Just commenting on what appears to be a string of odd decisions on the part of Oceania.

OK, I know that I don't post here often, but give me the benefit of the doubt. I'm on my sixth Oceania cruise, Nautica's Vikings, Castles & Kings voyage from Southampton to Southampton. This is the first time I've really begun to question what the heck Oceania is up to...

First, we were told well AFTER we sailed from Akureyri that we would have a change of destinations because of ice in Greenland. What? You didn't have any idea of the ice conditions in Qarqotoq and Narsaq before you sailed? Thanks to your decision, Oceania, we have now spent way too damned many days at sea, going around the south of Greenland to Nuuk, then detouring through the ice on the way back and getting to Reykjavik later than expected. Not to second guess the geniuses at Oceania, but why not spend more time in Akureyri, then visit another site in Iceland before spending a few more leisurely days in Reykjavik. No, instead we've had day after rough day at sea, seeing nothing.

We're finally getting to Liverpool tomorrow - of course, we are NOT going to Londonderry because of our detour to Greenland. Tonight, we get this weird announcement from the Captain that since we have a "medical emergency" onboard, they're heading at top speed to Liverpool and we'll arrive early... And there will probably be changes in shore excursions. If it's a true medical emergency, why not stop at either Belfast or Londonderry, which we're passing right now? And why are shore excursions being rescheduled? Is Oceania so cheap that they're going to leave before our scheduled departure?

I've been on 26 cruises and I understand that occasionally you're not going to make a particular port because of weather or other conditions. But the conditions in Greenland were known before we left Iceland, so why even try to go there? This has turned into the "cruise to nowhere". And don't make up stories about medical emergencies if they're not so serious that you don't divert to the nearest port and save the patient twelve hours of distress.

Seriously not happy with your decisions, O. Your staff, as usual, is amazing but I am seriously wondering about the front office and Captain Vasily.

Yes, I know that port visits can be canceled at any time. But Oceania should have been aware of the ice conditions in Southern Greenland before we left Akureyri - if a passenger could find this information on the internet, why couldn't the bridge crew and why couldn't they have stayed in Iceland rather than taking us on the crazy train to western Greenland? Sure, we got to visit Greenland. But I - and many other pax that I've talked to - would have been much happier keeping all of our other ports and shore excursions intact and skipping the long detour to Nuuk.

Re: kids on cruises and kids on Oceania in particular

First, if people want to bring their kids on an Oceania Alaska cruise with them, let 'em. It's a beautiful part of the world, and I wish every kid could have the opportunity to see the wonders of nature that Alaska offers. If the kids are acting out, point this out to crew members first and their parents if you can find them. Explain NICELY what it is that is upsetting you, and perhaps you'll see better behavior on the rest of the cruise. Or just move your body to some place where the kids aren't and you'll be a much happier person.

DW and I have been on six Disney cruises and the kids, well -- they're in their own world. Yeah, you run into them on the nights when you go to the main dining rooms. But go to the specialty restaurants and you're with a bunch of happy adults. The food? Really quite amazing, although you do pay a premium.

DW (RubySue) left a comment here and I agree with her: we've had much worse situations with kids on other cruise lines, but not on Disney where they know that they have guests who just don't want to be bothered by the little ones and teens.

Stick to the adult venues on a DCL trip, and you'll have a wonderful time. And, as DW mentioned in her post, we also had an incredible time on RCI's humongous Oasis of the Seas last December. The ship is ginormous, but well suited for the number of guests, and we had a wonderful time. I think the ship itself was the most beautiful vessel I've ever been on, bar none.

I might get slapped for this, but quit being cheerleaders for a cruise line. It's a BRAND, not a life-changing event. Probably every cruise line has some feature, ship, restaurant, or employee that would make you love them forever. There are things that I absolutely love about Oceania, which is why I'm going on my fifth cruise with them in October. But I'm willing to go on other cruise lines, some of which actually have the audacity to cater to families, and I've found them to be quite enjoyable.

Said my piece.

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