ToxM

Yes I noticed they had tightened up on handing those over 😞

We had a vanity mirror stored below the sink on Riviera for Christmas. We didn’t have a clock, which I thought was odd.

The reinspiration of the cabins is a work of genius. They feel so much more airy. the bathroom is the work of a magician! So much storage. The rest of the ship…. Minor changes. The ice cream and smoothie bar next to the pool is a great move, but the tiles next to it were a really bad idea, I burnt my feet on them, and a couple of days later a mat appeared on them. The mew pizza offering is a great idea and the pizza are really good. This was way overdue as the waves space in the evening was so wasted. Now we just need Toscana revamped to something less …. Dated, and it will be wonderful!

If you have not cruised on a refitted O ship then Marina is still fine - well above most cruise ship standards. If you have cruised on a refitted O ship then you will notice that she needs to be updated to the level and standard of her sisters. I seem to remember during the future cruise presentation (half asleep only there to see if I could win the OBC) that Marina is not getting a refit til 2024. She will definitely need it at that point. Marina was my first love on O, if I am honest, I am worried for her future.

You can’t smoke cigars in the indoor smoking area on O, you will need to use the smoking area on the pool deck.

Ocean views are great … my one caveat would be to be careful you do not get one with a connecting door.

You will have a great time!

I preordered Root Beer for my cabin fridge and that was delivered no problem. I allow myself regular coke on holiday and had no issue getting it. I heard of issues getting chopped mushrooms for omelettes but pretty much everything else was ok as far as I could tell. I think they are making do with what they can get. I am not overtly fussy and was happy to be on a cruise. My one sadness is that the hot buns just don’t seem the same and that goes for my cruise on Sirena in March and the two since. I don’t know what has changed, but they just don’t give the same endorphin rush they used to.

Yeah I was surprised to see the imposter HP as we definitely had the real deal in March. Marmite I have never actively looked for as we take our own stash, and as you say it is an acquired taste 😉

If we are going to macro level, for all the Brits about to travel on O I can sadly report that the HP sauce presented at breakfast (well done for trying O) is a US version relabelled as steak sauce - it’s not and tastes different to the manna from heaven that is our own HP sauce. I don’t remember the HP sauce being an imposter before - even in March on Sirena. I have never seen Marmite available on O - we take single servings for emergency use. For tea drinkers - the tea is Twinings (I don’t drink tea at all apart from on cruises so it matters not to me) but if you are particular, you may want to bring some Yorkshire tea or whatever you need in order to function properly - remember to ask for fresh hot water at Afternoon Tea or else you may devolve into a murderous rage. Scones are available - they keep them in a warmer, ask for them! Clotted cream is available but you have to ask, or else you will get the wrong stuff. Don’t even ask about the mushy peas that go with the fish and chips in The Terrace - my northerner Marital Unit wept at the state of it. he joked that the pea vichyssoise in Jacques was closer than the offering in The Terrace. They do however have malt vinegar for the chips.

Staff training and food seem to be the bugbear of O’s offering at the moment. Whilst not trying to defend what has obviously been a disappointing cruise for you, I do think there are ongoing issues for all cruise lines which include loss of long serving staff, training new intakes and procurement issues for food. This doesn’t excuse poor food entirely, but I think all of the above are still ongoing for the industry as a whole. The above doesn’t help you of course and I am sorry you didn’t have the optimum very good experience that O usually offer. I do think these issues are industry wide at the moment. R ships have small cabins and bathrooms until you get to penthouse level. I am under no illusion that my view of R class ships being my favourite would be very different if my experience of them had been in a grade lower than a penthouse. I am addicted to researching so knew that anything below a penthouse would not be any use to me (due to my size). This is not to say that you made a mistake by not researching or assuming - purely my own experience. I am sorry your cruise wasn’t as good as it should have been. I am not sure any cruiseline is offering it’s normal level at the moment - despite what they advertise.

We didn’t actually make it to the GDR for dinner at all during thr Christmas cruise, we enjoyed breakfast there a good few times, I also recommend baristas for breakfast if you need some calm.

I’m not usually in my cabin at 5, either in Horizons for tea or by the pool. Maybe I should retreat there at 4:55 to save myself the onslaught.

File them where you want, I still found her to be really rather annoying - I am glad she was able to help you get an event together, however.

Dottie seems to be incapable of doing much apart from reading all the contents of Currents twice a day. The only thing she veered off piste about was Trivia because she ran that. I have to say that annoying as it is reading about things that cost money isn’t really nickel and diming, O offer very few extra charge activities compared to mainstream lines. I find the act of reading by rote the activities much more egregious.

Welcome to your cruising addiction! I see you have gone straight to the Class A section 😉

the second post was such a change in tone it was like it was written by a different person almost.

CBP on our disembarkation consisted of an officer asking if w had an ESTA after glancing at our US passports, was a very casual affair.

Interesting to see your reply, thank you. I am still interested in how the CD tried to nickel and dime you.

No crowds or lines

Disembarkation information indicated that US Customs required that the ship to have everyone off by 9am.

Which is probably why the suite was available - due diligence and all that. If I am right at the front or right at the back I research so I know what the potential issues are - especially if I were shelling out the amount of change that an OS would require.

I enjoyed using it as a main course and getting starter or dessert from Terrace, I also saw people using the main terrace seating with a number stand so they could get their pizza delivered to their table.

I don’t think this is a realistic overview of an O cruise, and it certainly wasn’t my experience on O over Christmas.

Thanks for your review, I particularly liked your rounding up of 500 hours on luxury lines, which give everyone a good indication of your experience with cruising. I think that some of your expectations and experiences were coloured by your 500 hours of experience. A spa is a money trap where the cost of something shifts with quantum realities, I thought everyone knew that regardless of line (or hours spent on them). I do not know of a cruiseline (apart from Costa?) that will allow you to embark mid itinerary, so that was a request that O was never going to entertain. Sounds like the embarkation procedure in barbados has not changed that much since my TA last year, that’s down to the port I am afraid. Food appears to be suffering on all lines, whether this is cost cutting or supply chain issues, I am sorry it wasn’t up to the standard you expected. I don’t really drink so I am glad the price of my cruise isn’t inflated - I am very happy with having soft drinks only. Did you not get the 6 bottle setup in the OS? I am curious as to how else you felt nickel and dimed as I have never felt like that on O. Am doubly curious as to what the CD did to try and shake the change from you - 😮 You certainly give a certain vibe off in your review and I am interested to hear what else you can add 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to write that comprehensive review! PS I don’t have white hair, I just turned 50 and I certainly don’t consider that an advanced age and I happen to love the R ships.