pinotlover

Definitions. If you tore down a Burger King and built a McDonalds some would signify change. Others, not so much. Point taken. 🥂

A genuine question for you. Does the addition of a strictly Americanized restaurant ( Ember) actually symbolize Change? Perhaps there may be differences of opinion on that subject, especially considering the highly Americanized menus of the other venues.

Albeit this being true, the OP was expressly questioning when the dining venues were open for wine and beer packages. Afternoon Tea, even though dinner for some, doesn’t qualify.

Outstanding, as it should have been. We had Peter the Shoe as CD, so questionable performance should be expected.

Concerning La Reserve: I make no declaration of being a typical or average Oceania passenger. I have eaten all of the La Reserve course at least twice ( including Dom Perignon) and some three times. My actual favorite has been discontinued. It disappoints me that Oceania doesn’t create more new menus on an ongoing basis. The Dom dinner first appeared in early 2019. Here we are about to enter 2024 with the exact same food and wines. Until they create a new menu, with wines, I probably won’t eat in La Reserve again until a new menu is introduced. Not holding my breath. Second, we have previously enjoyed the nights that the bar in La Reserve is open. Often new wines, not on the regular wine by the glass menu, along with finger foods is all we want for dinner. We don’t mind paying for those upscale wines! However, the Marina rarely advertised when the La Reserve bar would be open. One had to physically walk bye to see what was happening there on any given night. It was NEVER advertised in Currents on our March Marina cruise. Why? The price increases for the dinners are rather shocking. My personal opinion is that Oceania is allowing La Reserve to slowly fade away. Taking out the physical venue on Marina is therefore not surprising. Sad actually. With merely a yearly change of food and wine menus, the venue could be a long term success. Oceania doesn’t embrace change. See current Specialty Restaurants menu vs 2013 menus.

Privee seats 10, not 24. If they repeat the La Reserve booking procedure used on the Vista, they are effectively killing it slowly.

That’s a bit complicated. Being at Sea may not make a difference depending upon the next port.

If you upgrade your package on board, or buy either package onboard, in a country that charges a VAT tax, the tax also applies to these packages. So if the upgrade is $30 pp/d, the tax makes it $36/day. Always something to remember when considering timing of purchase. Unless there has been a change, upgrading the package can only be done aboard ship. For those on OLife ( without drinks package) or cruise only, they could pre buy either package at least seven days prior to boarding.

Not offended at all. There are probably 400-500 posts on wearing jeans already. From my experience here is the best answer possible to your question. The Maitre de at the reception desk decides what is appropriate attire at the time. One Maitre de may allow you in dressed however, and the next night one might be rejected wearing the same outfit. There is no consistency across ships or even aboard the same ship at different venues. No one here can predict what or how any Maitre de will react to any unseen attire on any given night. The rules are neither steadfast nor evenly administered. I have never seen a Restaurant Manager override the decision of the Maitre de. We other guests only request that if denied entry, one doesn’t make a scene; hold up the line; and just either go change or go to the Terrace. I hope this answer doesn’t offend you.

Haven’t had a “ formal “ M&G” since pre Covid. It has become far more difficult. Night two is most often the Captain’s Welcome Reception. Post Covid, on all my 3/4 cruises, night three has been a Newbie Welcome Party in Horizons. Sometimes there was a second Newbie Night. Then came the F&WT events, Alumni Events, corporate events, and other large gatherings making reserving any part of Horizons virtually impossible. We often ended up in the Grand Bar as far from the String Quartet as possible. The best solution is as FF hinted. Just schedule it on Embarkment Day and have everyone show up starboard side mid Horizons at 5:30. Have someone there early to attempt to reserve an area. The waiters will get everyone drinks as requested. Many of the souls will disappear at 6:30 to go eat, so more food isn’t needed. Be flexible and it will come together. People sitting in the middle of the Group , not wanting to participate, will generally get up and leave.

It’s not hard to grasp. It’s a childish game some enjoy playing. Kind of like starting another dress codes threads and sitting back and watching the pages of fireworks go up. It’s all a game .

Oceania has had the same dress code for a couple decades. CC has , over the decades, consistently gotten threads “ how slobbery can I go and still get in? What is the lowest level of dress allowable?” Neither the dress codes nor the number of those wanting to undermine them has changed. For 90% of us, our dress hasn’t changed. The other 10% enjoy playing the lcd game. There is NO level of dress code that some won’t attempt to take lower. It’s merely a game for them.

I was on the Vista this past June. I found the attire to be the exact same in the GDR and Specialties as was the case for the last decade. Probably a 100 pages of easily searched discussion of dress codes on Oceania. Zero interest in duplication.

Very true. 🤔. Shedding those outside royalties across the board. Those multi page advertisements in WS can’t be inexpensive either. Wonder how long they’ll last?

Trust me, Perry Como continuously isn’t enjoyable by some of us either. You can’t please all the people all the time. Variety helps.

On a different thread, we discussed Jacques aging out. It sounds like with the changes on Marina that La Reserve is doing so likewise. Oceania mostly stopped supporting it by not enhancing it. Repeated menus without updating. Having done all the menus a minimum of twice, some three times, to keep repeat customers at current prices required newer more exciting menus. Not something O does. Riveria will become the only ship( for awhile) with an advanced bookable La Reserve.

With the B2B2B2B2B2B2B2B2B cruise fare sales being offered, maybe Elliot will find one purrfect for him! 🙄

The overhang blocks the range of view. A tunnel vision thing.

If the Holiday Sale offers the same prices as the Black Friday Sale, then logically the current price of any cruise is now that sale price. What’s the new sticker price? Interestingly, just read an article where another cruise line is dropping its single supplement charges to move cruises.

June 2022

I apologize, it’s Barcelona that is now only allowing ships to dock that are e/d. Venice is regulating by ship size.

Oceania’s last release of cruises , outside of the new Allura, has been how many months now? They’re still trying to sell cruises released months ( or over a year) ago. If most of O’s patrons wanted any of those cruises they would have been booked months ago. At this point, looking for new red meat or bottom feeders. Personally booked through 24 and into 25. Waiting for the new releases next March/April for NEW cruises. We’ll probably see 3-4 new sales on those existing cruises with little appeal before the new release.

This isn’t difficult and has been posted previously. if a cruise ship is embarking or disembarking passengers in Venice, then the port of Venice can be used IF available. If a cruise ship is only visiting the area, and not e/d passengers, other local ports must be used. This policy is intended to (1) reduce the number of sea gulls in town; and (2) possibly spread the wealth of the visitors. If one is E/D in Venice, it increases the odds of hotels stays and restaurant meals consumed. OTH, The city is already full of seagulls, in their opinion, and they don’t need more from cruise ships. Look at your itinerary. What is the purpose of the port stop? Is it possible you might get in during off season. Yes. Possibly. Will you do it May-mid October, almost absolutely NO.

So Oceania encourage s chair hogs. OK, there you have it. Same with pool loungers obviously.

I always thought ones cabin was ” a comfy spot to read”. Also to sleep in. Not sure why people believe the library is their spare bedroom for naps! 🙄