pinotlover

I believe that the restaurant mgr should address some of the noise issues. There’s a credit card commercial with Gary Hart and he’s yelling the entire time to neighbors. One guy finally says” Gary, I’m standing right here, why are you yelling?” Hart replies “ Because that’s what I do!”

Too often that’s what a lot of people do! 😠. We have a friend we constantly have to tell him to tone it down! No one five tables away wants to hear, or compete with, our conversation. Often it just leads to more people shouting or talking loudly. There’s a survey going around the internet asking how people always identify Americans. Other than dress(often sloppy), the primary answer is they always talk LOUDLY! The restaurant managers need to tell people to tone it down quite often.

3 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

Though do remember that O allows you to bring on board all the beer, hard liquor and wine you want at embarkation and in ports. So you could bring your own Bailey's or equivalent and drink it before bed in your cabin. We sit on our veranda and drink our own alcohol. (The beer and hard liquor can only be consumed in your cabin. You can pay a corkage fee to drink your own wine in their restaurants.)

Thus sayeth the person that proclaimed they will only eat at two tops and seems to dislike intermingling with any of the other guest. Yes, some people do certainly enjoy sitting in their cabins drinking alone.

For the rest of us that enjoy meeting and co-mingling with our fellow passengers, the Happy Hours particularly in Martinis and Horizons are a great place to do so. 

28 minutes ago, basor said:

Absolutely true but some of us, more dense,  did not realize that port was included until several sailings in but we made up for that mistake on the subsequent sailings😉

👍

Agree 100 % with ORV concerning the Survey. Most of we Americans aren’t going to fly 24+ hours for a 7-10 day cruise. If the Embarkment or Disembark port is one we’ve already spent considerable time in, it’s a double no go.

Get much beyond 20 days and the odds of the Cruise of the Ancients, which my friends experienced this past winter, increases significantly, especially on R ships. 

2 hours ago, basor said:

It also includes champagne and port during lunch and dinner 

Both of which are wines! 😂
 

Yes, cabs, Malbec, Chardonnay, and Sav Blanc, all wines on the wine by the glass list , are included.

For both wines and beer, the package only includes those listed on the wine “ by the glass “ list and the beer list. 

3 hours ago, Techno123 said:

It is interesting to read about the change in demographics dependant on geography and time of year - it is obviously easier to observe for those who sail smaller ships rather than the behemoths. I have no issue with children on cruise ships - I do have an issue with parents who abdicate their parenting responsibilities the second they step onboard 😜. 

Fwiw , I’ve yet to encounter any children on an Oceania ship that misbehaved or caused any issues. Not the same for those passengers with dementia whose spouses abdicated their responsibilities and allowed them to roam.

1 hour ago, Sthrngary said:

One of the most profitable companies in the world is Toyota Motor Sales (TMS).  Every year they found ways to cut costs.  Even years with great earnings.  The key, as I have mentioned before, was cut costs, but not quality.  They were the best that that kind of thinking. 

 

Now do I put NCL or Oceania or Regent in the same category, NO.  I do say, "if the value received does not exceed the price by one penny, the client will consider buying elsewhere." 

 

Any cruise line, if they cut to a point where it does not suit me or any other client, I will purchase elsewhere.  If you charge me a fare, tell me what I will receive and do not deliver, you lose your client base and have to depend on other coming to your brand for the first time.  Why, they are looking for a change from the brand they used to love. 

 

If Oceania or any cruise brand does not fulfil my needs, I will let my pocket book to the talking.  Until that happens, I look forward to my next cruise, on Oceania for 10-days on the Vista in the Mediterranean in October 2025. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

Herein lies the problem. I was on an 17 day SE Asia O R ship cruise in 2017 with a lady that only briefly left the ship.she proudly proclaimed she had lobster 34 times during the cruise. Never ate in the GDR because lobster wasn’t served.

Here’s the question: would 99% of us care if lobster was only served 3 maybe 4 times per week in the Terrace? Would that even be a cost savings if they did? I can get Oceania quality frozen lobster tails for as little as $5.99 each, regularly at $6.99 each.  I rarely find ship lobster to be good as it is often grotesquely overcooked. Some people obviously love rubber band chewy lobster. 

Lots of reasonable cost savings are at hand. The issue is which can be achieved at the lowest volume level. I’m certain that lady would have squealed loudly if she only got lobster 33 times. Is that significant enough to overlook cost saving potentials?

We stayed at the Tokyo Hilton pre cruise and traveled around the City effortlessly from the subway system in the basement of the hotel. Post cruise we took the Shinkansen from Yokohama-Kyoto, then Kyoto-Kanazawa, then Kanazawa-Tokyo Central. From there an easily marked combo subway-elevated monorail right to our concourse in Haneda.

Fwiw- elevators or moving stairs aren’t always available for all of the subway lines and the crowds can be substantial . I would doubt that Oceania would ever turn its demographics loose in a subway system in Japan. Expect tour buses to be the norm for ship sponsored tours.

1 hour ago, Vallesan said:

I have a feeling this autumn may be slightly different. I’ve been looking at September/October and am yet to find any  balcony cabin that’s not at either end of a ship or isn’t exorbitant. I’m watching Oceania, Seabourn, Silversea and even Regent who would be my last choice. I’m waitlisted, no:1 on one Oceania cruise but after speaking with my Oceania rep she thinks waitlisted cabins that free up are going to be few and far between! Will just have to wait and see I guess.

 

P.S. it seems that there are no where near the same number of ‘Lookie Loos’,as you call them, since the introduction of penalties prior to final payment.

So cabins available, that O wants/needs to sell, just none that you personally want. There’s a difference. Kinda like people that say they can’t get dinner reservations, but then admit that only two tops at 6:30 is acceptable.

That new cancellation charge is chump change for many of O cruisers. May slow a few down, but not very many.

People need to take a look at all the sales continuously going on for 2024 cruises. Look at berths available, after Final Payment Date, after the Lookie Loos have been cleared out. None of my last three cruises have been near full , including an early sailing on the Vista. 

😂. Do people really believe those wintering in the warmer climates are the ones working for tips back at home? 🙄🙄. Yep, Oceania is full of former service workers, garnishing tips, so to live the life of liesure. 🤔

I guess most of those O guests give their left over foreign currency to American service workers. It’s easy for a Chicago cabbie to convert that Argentina money. If you’re too lazy to convert even a small amount to local currency, why are you even tipping?

When we tip, we do it in local currency. 
 

Di you believe an American waiter would want to be tipped in pesos or yen? People should try not being the ugly American tourist.

12 hours ago, Huib said:

I see where you are coming from. The average cost of a meal at Ember is probably lower than in Jaques. The cost of a pizza at waves is much lower for Oceania than a meal at the GDR. But that is OK. You don’t have to eat the pizza and you still have other speciality restaurants to choose from. I am not going every day to the High Tea because I paid for it. When in a speciality restaurant I am not thinking about the potential costs for Oceania. I just come to have a good time. If I want a Pizza I can. If I want to eat a little more healthy at Aquamar I can. It is all about the options that are available. 

Let me add to this that if I want to eat ashore, I do. I don’t worry about that provided meal back aboard ship. I have the option of scampering back for it if I choose. Likewise, we take the shore tours we want and don’t worry about SM credits. Just like those lunches, the credits are there if it suits me, not something I fill at all obliged to use.

In a realm where logic and some cognitive forces exists, this wouldn’t be a difficult situation. I have eaten at very upscale restaurants where symbols such as chili peppers (🌶️ for example) are displayed on the menu denoting the dish was either spicy or perhaps hot to a degree. People could choose, or not choose, to order a dish based on those parameters.

The problem with this simple solution is that many of Oceania’s passengers continually prove they are neither logical nor capable of displaying much cognitive ability. Oceania attempts such a system with its ship land tours to little avail. Look at all the passengers that will continually ignore both the walker symbols and the tour descriptions and take off on tours they are physically unfit for, but expect to be facilitated. They believe they have a right to both take any tour they desire, and to be fully facilitated on that tour despite its impact on other participants.

This attitude parlays into food selections. No matter how many 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Oceania were to put beside a dish, the NoNos would first order it , then shriek in horror, then demand it be prepared to their bland taste preferences. Oceania has a recognized history of cowering to the NoNos, just like they do to the passengers that day after day go on tours they aren’t physically capable of.

I see little hope in this area.

31 minutes ago, Thought2go said:

💯 💯 💯-Unfortunately,You can’t have real Indian cuisine if cow toeing to the No-Nos.

Exactly, or Mexican and a host of other specialties.

1 hour ago, mauibabes said:

OK Pinot, so “Always” is a wrong word to use because you identify a lot of possibilities where a person may not luck out. I have never not gotten a first night reservation so maybe we are just lucky. Woof, all those of us who suggest trying to book after midnight on the prescribed day are telling you is that it is a way to ensure you are at the front of the line getting your reservations. I do not know how other lines like Princess or HAL or Viking operate so I only relate to the Oceania process for reservations. If you are dreading it, I sure hope you have a great time anyway as O is a superior product to those others. Go with a positive attitude and ENJOY. 
Mauibabes

I believe you changed stories midstream. I always book my Specialty dining reservations at 12:01 EST on the first day allowed, and recommend others do the same. That is a completely different situation than advising people, on some cruises, that first night extra reservations will “ always “ be available. There are situations where they indeed will be, and situations where they will not be. My advice is to analyze your specific cruise and attempt to decide what the best options are for you and proceed accordingly. 
 

I always board the ship with a positive attitude and reasonable expectations based on past experiences. I therefore enjoy my cruises immensely. 🥂

11 hours ago, mauibabes said:

As I mentioned previously, do not bother to book a Specialty restaurant on the first night, they are always available so just go to the Reservations Desk when you board to see what is available. It is an easy way to get an extra dinner in one of them. 

Enjoy,

Mauibabes

Stop saying always!!! 🤬

Do a little analysis on your specific cruise, if you’re interested in that additional first night Specialty. Is your cruise still showing availability? Is your cruise in essence a repeat of the prior cruise, and out of a major port where 90+% of the passengers are embarking with you? Then yes, most often one can get that first night extra reservation.

However, is your cruise sitting in the middle, or back end, of a listed Extended Journey that is sold out?  Are you boarding in a minor port? Is your segment short (7-10 days) or a longer one? Do a little analysis. If you’re in this latter group, everyone on board has had the opportunity to book that night before you step aboard. I’ve been on multiple segment cruises where only 25-30% of the passengers are newly boarded. Trust me, there are no additional tables for those newly embarked.

If Embarkment Day is a special one for you; Anniversary, Birthday,etc., and you really want that Specialty, then book it early. Pay zero attention to people who tell you that you can always do something. Truth is, you can’t.

16 hours ago, Hanoj said:

Finally something more?!?

Talk is cheap. The proof will be in the pudding, or actually the authenticity of those meals they’re touting. We’ll see if they stray far from the NoNos. 
 

Is this announcement an indication they realize they have a NoNo problem?

One can make incremental payments as they choose, but must make complete payment by Final Payment date. If a cruise is booked after Final Payment date, full payment must be made at booking.

Wide range of experiences reported. Comes down to how lucky the OP feels. It’s like a dice game. If money is no issue, then bet on someone making the 12 or 2. If money is an issue, and they want improved odds on spending their funds and not coming up with craps (a 7), this cruise is very late in the season. Read the historical weather charts for where you are visiting. Your money, your bet. How lucky do you feel? A lot more ways for rolling a 7 than a 12 that late in the season.

Very much the shoulder period. You may have nice weather, really crappy weather, or probably a combination of both. Crowds are typically small then so that’s an upside. Expect it to be dark by 4:30-5:00 in the afternoon, so a lot of the sail in/out of ports is in the dark. 
 

All in all, a bit late for us.

36 minutes ago, Vallesan said:

You seem to constantly imply/assume in your posts that anybody who is not 100% able bodied needs to eat at 6.30pm so they can be in bed by 9pm at the latest. I actually, as a person with mobility issues, find you quite offensive. I think you should refrain from assuming that anybody who can’t run a marathon is ‘gaga’ which is what you’re implying.

Are you offended when the airlines allow those with mobility issues to have extra time and board first? We believe arriving later than 6:30 and allowing all those with such issues a matter of courtesy. Same with those that choose to go to bed early. We let them have plenty of time before we arrive to achieve their wishes. If you’re offended by any of this, you’re just easily offended. Absolutely no reason to be. Enjoy your cruises. 🥂

11 hours ago, kahuna21 said:

In our experience of three cruises on Marina, the shows were at 9:30 PM, and from  8:00 or 8:30 to 9:30 PM, there was no/nada music anywhere on the ship. That was a real downer for us early diners who have 1 to 1.5 hours to spend between dinner and a show with nothing happening. 

Marina is an “ O” ship, with an elevated stage. Nope, they don’t do music in the Lounge early. See post #4.

We have found 7:15-7:30 to be a lovely time to dine for dinner. All those starving souls aboard ship, people requiring extra time or assistance in getting seated, are adamant about being at a special table, air wanting to be in bed by 8:30 are all taken care of before we get there. We can then leisurely enter, eat, and be finished in plenty of time to hit the head and go directly to the show.

For those inclined, the ships often do trivia in Martinis starting around 8:00 that lasts to near showtime. Sometimes, it’s “ name that tune” with the piano player which we find more fund than regular trivia. It’s harder for those that typically cheat by googling answers.

Another thread where people use TA interchangeably. Is the Agent or Agency making this offer? 2. We have zero knowledge of the commissionable amount of the mystery cruise. 3. Are the numbers quoted for each individual or for the couple combined?

We’ve been over this before, not all Travel Agents work on commission. While some do, others are hourly employees of an Agency, and others work on an arranged flat fee amount for each assigned account..

I’ll tell you that if your getting 9-10% rebates, it’s coming from the Agency not the Agent.

In that this is the first time that Travel Agency has been used, I might be a bit more conservative and request the refundable OBC. Use what I want aboard ship, take the rest home. Then, if all happens accordingly, the next cruise I’d take the Visa card.

Once you take the card, you will forever be on that bank’s mailing list. Be careful to understand use restrictions on the card.