Techno123

Have you also stressed with O that you are coeliac and not just gluten intolerant? If there are specific ingredients that you use in your cooking it might be worth you letting them know so they can have them onboard.

I haven't sailed O for a while but sailed Regent ( same 'family') last November. The people with particular dietary requirements were given the next days menu to choose some options they would enjoy and the chefs adjusted the ingredients so it was suitable. In fact the chef would come out to discuss with the guest if they were unsure. I would think O have the same set up.

Have a look at this thread post number 32

 In fact, if you put Coeliac into the Oceania board search there are quite a few that come up.

1 hour ago, Kay S said:

Can we get back to people's favorites now?  I'm making a list for my next cruise.

Me too 😁

We have a cruise with a competitor (SS) next February from Singapore to Hong Kong.

First we have a group tour of the Golden Triangle for 12 nights so flying to New Delhi and visiting Agra (Taj Mahal), Jaipur, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Shimla and hiking in the Himalayas. We are travelling between by bus and train then fly to Singapore for 2 nights prior to boarding the Nova. The bit I'm really not looking forward to is the packing and unpacking

I thinking packing cubes will be my friends 😂

18 minutes ago, Kay S said:

Okay, Lamb Lollipops going on my to-eat list.  This thread is so helpful for us newbies!

I just thought it would be a useful thread as people post in all sorts of places but I know to come back here before we go and @machotspur glad you are finding it useful and not utter bollocks 😂😂😂

@Harters - I was trying to be kind about our friends on the other side of the Chunnel 😜😜). Also t don't want to make out that the UK has unblemished animal welfare. There are still some areas (like battery farmed chickens) which we cannot be proud of 😢

@clo I'm still not convinced 😢 it is possible to produce ethical foie gras where the geese 'gorge' themselves rather than the use of gavage.
 

I do eat meat (though less and higher quality) The lamb I eat I watch grazing on the hill behind my house, similar with the beef cattle (local small farmer) and chicken is free range (well barn range of late because of avian flu). I also have a bit of an issue with milk fed, crated veal. In the UK (and I assume other countries) we produce rose veal which is killed young but allowed to live a more 'normal' life.
 

Anyway, I digress - back to the best things to eat onboard 😁

Thank you everyone - this is exactly what I was hoping for 👍👍👍
Its 10 years since we last sailed with O so I'm hoping the menu has changed 😂😜

@AMHuntFerry is the lack of spice to please the Nonos 😂

@AMHuntFerry I bet you are right 😂

As I have been reading through the boards, some people have specified particular dishes which they thought Oceania produced to almost perfection but others that didn't hit the mark. I know food is subjective (I don't eat shell fish, don't really like caviar and won't eat Foie Gras on principle) but as I didn't note down the great and not so great (apart from the miso sea bass), would fellow O board members be willing to list (in their opinion) the don't miss and don't bother options (and the restaurant), please?

I am sure it would be so useful to those of us who either haven't sailed O for a while, or for those who are joining O for the first time and would make it easier to find for those searching. Thank you in advance to those who participate. 😁

@AMHuntFerry (or if someone else knows the answer, please chip in 😁)

Similar question to @machotspur's If one purchases the upgrade to the Prestige drinks package, and decides to take advantage of the 15% discount on bottles of wine, is there a 20% gratuity added ( as there would be if you bought the wine without the package) or is that included as part of the drinks Prestige package 'included' gratuities. Many thanks.

We had a fortnight in a lovely hotel in Cyprus. As part of the checkin process we were told that we would have 2 sun beds allocated to us for the duration of the holiday and did we have a preference. As previous land based holidays had groups of people from a certain European nation who liked to get their towels out at 6am 😁 this was luxury and we asked for two as far away from the children's pool as possible 😜😜 and we had a lovely position at the cliff edge, facing the sea and a decent distance away from the pool where the families tended to be allocated. It was lovely being able to go out for the day and know we would have somewhere to sit when we got back.

Not possible on a cruise ship, I know, so I do like @Daniel A's suggestion.

For our August cruise on Vista.

sorrento 1/2 day £635 full day £793

santorini 1/2 day £714 full day £952

Venice has now implemented a €5 euro day tripper charge with significant fines if you are found in the city without having paid it.
If you are staying overnight you don't pay it but still have to register. The local mayor has said that knowing how many people will be there will help with service planning.

Whether that will make any difference whatsoever who knows.

@Hlitner and others onboard - Dubrovnik is more lovely in the evening when all the cruise ship passengers have left 😜 Hopefully, you will all be enjoying a relaxed evening stroll without being jostled by thousands of other tourists - every cloud and all that 😁

On 4/25/2024 at 4:28 PM, Mary_ said:

I am in Santorini at the end of Aug on Oceania.  I called my travel agent to ask about a way to avoid the cable car and my agent said all Oceania excursions that day will require you to get back on the bus after each stop and we will end at port.  (Great news to me).  Can anyone confirm?   The port has 13,000 passengers that day.  

 

Are you on the Vista? Your TA probably means you are taken to Fira which is the port town. From what I can see there only appears to be 2 ways up and down the cliff - cable car and the steps the donkeys take

@ak1004 but there are specific areas on Oceania . The concierge and executive lounges and the Aquamar spa terrace only available to concierge up: Seabourn has the retreat only available to those willing to fork out extra, not seen anything on Regent and not sailing SS til next year 😁

Sorry if you are reading this again I posted it on the Vista thread.
Has anyone done Volcanic Santorini? It involves a couple of boat trips but unlike most of the other excursions does not mention having to queue for the cable car but neither does it mention how you get back to the ship. I've also seen some private excursions doing the same thing which leave and arrive back to Fira harbour so 🤞🏻

Gaze into the crater of a still-active volcano and experience the green sulfuric waters of a thermal spring on this fascinating tour. Board a caique, a traditional fishing boat, and sail to the lava rock islet of Nea Kameni, where you’ll take an approximately 20-minute walk up an unpaved path among lava fragments and volcanic rock formations toward the crater of a still-active volcano. Learn that the island was named Nea Kameni, meaning “new burnt,” because it is only 400 years old. Perhaps you’ll observe steam rising from the crater’s walls and capture photos of the fascinating phenomenon. Re-board the caique for an approximately 20-minute cruise to the thermal springs at the nearby island of Palea Kameni. Understand that Palea Kameni means “old burnt,” since this area is over 2,000 years old, which unlike Nea Kameni has allowed it to develop soil to support a few goats, wild rabbits and some vegetation. Time permitting, you may take a dip in the relaxing, mineral-rich waters, whose temperatures can sometimes reach 98 degrees Fahrenheit. Marvel at na

You can walk down (if able) in about 20/30mins from Fira can't you? Obviously, need decent shoes on and to avoid the donkey droppings but beats standing in a queue in the sun.

2 hours ago, 90scruzer said:

But I do agree:  I book a ship for the itinerary/ports

3 hours ago, CptBoatface said:

We are guilty of being in bed by 9 and missing most shows on any cruise we go on. And we are 56 and 49. Sigh, we are part of the problem. 😸

We have no need to have a preferred cruise line but don't fancy sailing with thousands of other people so O, SB, RSSC have been our go to and we have a couple booked on SS.

Like @90scruzer We use the ship as transport to places we want to see so huge suites/cabins/rooms (choose your buzzword 😁) aren't necessary, don't want or need a butler, one or two sea days max is enough as is 2 weeks onboard. And, because we spend our days hiking or cycling or kayaking, like @CptBoatface says we go to bed relatively early (although usually still eating dinner at 9pm 😜😜) so entertainment until 11pm ish is fine. We don't need to be BFFs with the senior crew but do enjoy chatting with the crew who look after us, we don't choose to share tables but enjoy chatting with those around us, whatever their age 😁 We do like our food and a nice glass of wine or 3 so that is important to us.
 

We don't necessarily believe the reviews of people who thought everything was dreadful anymore than the reviews of people who think that 'their' cruise line is the best thing since sliced bread and feel any utterance that contradicts their view is sacrilegious 😜 but we do enjoy reading others views so we know what to look for and maybe what to avoid.

So thank you to everyone who posts on these boards - they definitely make interesting reading.

Loving your blog @Hlitner

My favourite trip when we spent a couple of weeks on Crete was hiking the Samaria gourge down to Agia Roumeli- stunning hike.

https://www.visitgreece.gr/experiences/nature/gorges/samaria-gorge/

Oh dear - this is getting a tad concerning 🥹

my memories of Oceania are of great food and small bathrooms - sounds like they have improved the bathrooms at the cost of the food!
 

I don't tend to add a huge amount of salt (because Mr T adds the same amount to his food whatever😁) but no garlic 😱how will we keep the vampires away.

@TRLD I think what we have to accept is that the small ships cannot possibly have the same level of entertainment as the mega ships do and to be honest, if people want to spend their days lying on a sunbed surely that is up to them? I have been on many land based holidays where that is exactly what people of all ages do - not my cup of tea as I like to be active, off the ship and enjoying the ports but each to their own.

I do hope the food reports (and I have noticed a few that are less than complimentary) are subjective. We haven't sailed O for 10 years but liked the itinerary of the one we have booked on Vista - the two things I remember are excellent food and tiny bathrooms (with awkwardly angled toilets 😜). This was Insignia - the bathrooms definitely look better on Vista so 🤞🏻 for the food.