pinotlover

Even though they don’t do the Blue Book per se, we still got a mailing from O with the luggage tags and a definition of the tours offered. It came 3 weeks or so pre cruise.

No the 10/18 cruise Bilboa-Barcelona. Another HUGE point. Your 11/18 cruise was in the Carribe. Just maybe Carribe cruises are significantly different than late October cruises in the Atlantic Ocean. There was no sitting outside under the stars in 45 degree F weather with a 20+ mph cross wind. For several days the terrace area was completely closed all day. A lot of cruisers never get to see that outside seating area on their cruise. Thank God for the delightful GDR! A place were the food is served to the table without wandering around dodging other people. A place were you are taken to your table without having to wander around looking for one. Just as importantly, as demonstrated on our cruise, a place where people that can barely walk by themselves are not spilling their soup on others while trying to get to their table.

It’s not always as simple as cancelling a tour. 1. Did cancellation of that tour drop you below your YWYW discount level, meaning other tours would have to be repriced? 2. Is the cancellation credit the same as the listed tour price? 3. Those tours become part of your contract with Oceania. You have already designated your TA as your agent in handling all contractual manners. If you want to DIY, don’t designate an Agent. Your choice right up front. On and on. very simple for me to drop a text or email to my TA and have her take care of the details. Oceania has a bizarre accounting method, developed to be unnecessarily confusing, a fact you’ll learn upon reviewing your onboard account. Having your TA ensure your account is “ clean “ before boarding is a blessing.

Since Oceania is a relatively small line with smaller ships, as compared to the overall industry, you will find that most things are tightly ran out of Miami. The individual ships, and their officers, have minimal control on how things are ran aboard ship.

There are enthusiastic and adamant Trivia players on these boards. Some CD’s are better at running Trivia than others. We’re with those that could care less who any of the officers are.

Was on the Sirena this past month for the first time. Tuscan Steak had issues. It’s hard to discuss the food quality side, because we all don’t know the supply issues currently. Much more grisly tough steak than normal in the past. Overcooked steak, and seafood, was the biggest complaint we normally heard. Our ship was completely full. There seemed to be a glitch in the reservation system for Tuscan Steak. The hotel manager even came around and apologized one evening on the very poor service. Seems the system was allowing them to over book time slots. This meant every table was full , particularly early times, without the staff to handle it. I believe ours was the first full ship and we brought out the glitches! I don’t believe it was intentional, but getting extra reservations after that was more difficult.

One can always call for their butlers and they respond fairly quickly. Regardless of deck, one is best off scheduling services ahead of time. In honesty, on Decks 10 & 11, one can typically just stick their heads out their cabin doors and during service times catch your butler going by. Rarely happens on 7, you have to call. Remember that during the afternoon, the exact timing slips me, the butlers are on break. There is always one on duty that will respond, it just may not be yours. How busy that on call butler is will vary. Depending upon the cruise, extra dining reservations are not always available every night. We always coordinate with our butler well in advance when we want to do en-suite dining. Never had a problem. Similiar to all service staff, some butlers are better than others. Frequent O travelers learn the butlers maintain a computer file on the regular guests. They typically know what you like to drink, ship activities such as wine or bourbon tasting you participate in, La Reserve, etc when you get on the ship. They also know how, or if, you tip.

😂😂. In which jurisdiction would that happen?

Industry wide the average is 1 in 3 booked cruises are actually taken. Oceania is probably close to average. The Roll Calls are full of people that book and later cancel. By final payment date you’ll most likely clear waitlist, the odds are in your favor. Keep watching the tour’s status.

I believe the answers can often be found with a simple search of either forum or on Google. Two examples: Dress Code questions are poisonous but a simple google search will send one to a thread on CC where they can read DC discussions for hours. Same goes with bringing wine or alcohol abroad Oceania ships. Search it and then read about it in CC as long as you like. Someone starting a new DC thread every couple of weeks is ridiculous. Oh, and I don’t respond to those.

Care to update us on the Vista’s status? 🥴 Any current projected date for the Marina refit?

AMHuntFerry’s comments are so accurate! There is absolutely no set rules on what to expect when attempting to get Specialty reservations. The variables are huge. Therefore, anyone posting singular experiences across what is thousands of other experiences, across hundreds of cruises, is just that. A singular experience amongst thousands. A very simple example. On my last cruise, with over half the ship carrying over from one segment to the next, nearly all of the Specialty reservations were gone, for that Embarkment day before the newly boarded got on the ship. So claims about how easy it is into get a Specialty on Embarkment Day is silly. However, after the ship rolled into Miami, several weeks later, and 90+% disembarked, the odds probably changed immensely. People need to look at their particular circumstances and events, and not attempt to project any outcomes over an entirely different set of circumstances. This applies to not only restaurant reservations, but also booking popular ship shore excursions, cooking classes, and spa treatments. The posted experiences of those previously cruising on half empty ships might not mirror what you encounter on a full ship.

Back from Spain last month. We normally tipped the bus driver 1Euro each and the guide up to 5 Euros each depending upon how good they were. One of the guides was exceptionally good and we gave her 20 Euros total. That was on the larger bus tours. On smaller private tours we gave the guide/driver considerably more.

Lots of articles on this. You’re cruising both during the monsoon season and when the river is far out of its banks and all is flooded for miles inland. Take a very good rain suit and don’t expect to see anything from the ship most of the way along the river.

Even flying out of BNA, I would adjust my schedule to fly Singapore Airlines out of Houston, non stop to Singapore. Plenty enough to do there so to fly the days available. Could even fly through LAX. United is a Star Alliance partner and flights to Houston or LAX are easy.

Lawyertx; As a lawyer, I’m surprised you paid someone in advance for a service and then just assume months later it would be done to your satisfaction!! As Lyn has pointed out, the correct procedure with O Air ( it’s actually all NCL. air now) is to first agree upon air arrangements, then pay, then ensure Oceania actually books the flights you paid for. Your assumptions about O Air got you in trouble.

Went round trip to Europe twice this year. Every plane packed 100% full. One of the international flights was overbooked and looking for volunteers to not fly. Airports are reportedly back to pre Covid record levels. What are people expecting from “ free” airfare, especially since it isn’t booked until 45 or so days pre flight. If you think of Oceania Air as some insurance policy, then fine. Insurance policies have a cost, and that cost might well be some really crappy routings. I have a cruise ( hopefully) booked on the Vista for next summer. Most of the direct flights are already nearly sold out. Things aren’t going to get better. What type of connections does one realistically expect to get if they wait until April or May to book that June or July flight???? I don’t think my old body could handle that “ free” flight! 🥴 Most all of we experienced Oceania cruisers don’t fly in the day of Embarkment, and we book our own air. We don’t do so because we’re rich but because we’re experienced Oceania cruisers with an emphasis on experienced.

I remember the big drought in 1976 and the Neckar essentially ran dry. The canal turned brown and extremely smelly with little fresh water flowing in. River traffic was barely moving. I’m surprised they even allow full barges to sail right now.

We did an overnight in Iceland visiting beautiful areas unreachable by single day trips. Our group simply notified the ship of our plans. No problems. Great sites, wonderful experience Ended up staying in a small Icelandic town having a delightful summer festival. No one missed not having American food abroad ship that night and we were back in time before sailing. One can’t, or shouldn’t, live their lives in total fear that a car, bus, or van might break down .

My experience has been if you wait around and talk about the extended balcony cabins, on any particular cruise, they are booked quickly. How much time do you normally spend on your balcony? How many sea days do you have to spend there? It was dark by 5:30 (17:30) in our recent cruise. Are you spending time on your balcony in the dark? Different question if you’re cruising when it not dark to midnight or later.

Talk to your CD once aboard. I was on a cruise with a surprisingly large number of ballroom dancers and the CD had the band playing nearly every evening pre show.

Personally, I would plan something on my own. Oceania does, most typically, offer a day tour with luggage. However, that tour usually ends at latest around 4:00 pm, at which time they drop you at the airport. Not only is this six (6) hours before your flight, but at least three hours before the airlines will allow you to check in. I’m both a Marriott Bonvoy and Hyatt member. My plan would be to go to either of those two and ask ( and tip) the Concierge to watch my bags for the day. I’d then explore the area, have dinner, and return for my bags around 7:30-8:00 , then off to the airport.

That’s the exact same wine by the glass menu we had, with some of the out of stock and replaced. 😂

Last month, on Sirena, it depended upon the show. IF, the cast was performing that night, then the band often set up early and played early and some danced. If however, an outside entertainer was performing, not needing the band, such as a couple of the comedians, then no band playing in the Lounge that evening. Seems to me the band played at ( after) the Cpt’s Reception, and the OCA repeater party where the CD encouraged people to dance after the main presentations.

Last month on the Sirena, I had to ask for the bin end list. It was outrageous! Absolutely no deals on the list, with only a couple bottles priced under $100. As far as the wine list, hopefully they restocked in Miami ( they were supposed to) and put out a new list. Only a few of the listed “ wines by the glass “ on the menu were what was being poured. One got whatever was opened and being poured not what the list said. Some referred to the “ mystery wine of the night”! The wine stewards weren’t quick on showing you what was actually poured! 😂 Should have restocked in Miami and printed a new list, so hopefully that’s behind them.