Newbie to Oceania

My husband and I are looking for a more upmarket cruise for next year and would like to try Oceania for the first time. I have seen a cruise for next year which incorporates Cuba. Is it worth paying the extra to do the Concierge level or is there not much difference? I would very much appreciate your feedback.

Thanks.

it depends

Here is a recent thread on the topic

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2619399&highlight=concierge

you will find many others if you use the search feature

My personal opinion--Concierge on R ships is not worth it. On the larger ships, I think that it is. I like having the lounge to go and pick up a treat or make a cup of tea in the evening.

My husband and I are looking for a more upmarket cruise for next year and would like to try Oceania for the first time. I have seen a cruise for next year which incorporates Cuba. Is it worth paying the extra to do the Concierge level or is there not much difference? I would very much appreciate your feedback.

 

 

Thanks.

NO....its an ego pleaser same cabin as all the others, to small for your to dine in has a butler....whoopie Get a regular outside .

Just returned from our first Oceania cruise on Riviera (long time Princess cruisers). Loved it! Opted for Concierge Class. Don’t think it was a bad decision. Access to the lounge, while not a highlight, was nice. Latte, non-alcoholic beverages, snacks, cookies...all nice. Maybe what we enjoyed most was the 3 free bags of laundry. We began our vacation prior to the cruise, so this was a nice amenity. Almost forgot... earlier access to specialty restaurant reservations and early boarding was also appreciated.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

We have been on one Oceania, and loved it. Former Celebrity regulars.

Booked a regular balcony, was excellent on Marina. There is enough included food and snacks aboard that you really do not need a concierge lounge unless you want a private lounge and the laundry option noted above. But there are costs.

What I will say is concierge is possibly worthwhile on the smaller R vessels - because of cabin location. I am booked on an R and paid for concierge because the deck was the only one with cabins above and below.

Enjoy Oceania, it is a step up from the mass lines on many levels of analysis.

NO....its an ego pleaser same cabin as all the others, to small for your to dine in has a butler....whoopie Get a regular outside .

Has NO butler as far as I remember.

Greetings from South Beach, orchestrapal. You are correct. PHs have butlers, concierges don't. On Regent, concierges are worth it because one precruise hotel room is included. They are also quite lovely.

Mary

Greetings from South Beach, orchestrapal. You are correct. PHs have butlers, concierges don't. On Regent, concierges are worth it because one precruise hotel room is included. They are also quite lovely.

Mary

Mary, thanks for the confirmation.

I wasn't aware that Regent gives you one night in a pre-cruise hotel if you are in concierge. Good to know.

That takes me back to Renaissance when we had 2-3 days in a 5 star hotel in the beginning and ending ports - the number of days was dependent on cabin class, of course. I don't know if they did that for everyone -- probably not. But when we were in what they called a "B" cabin (PH on Oceania) it was 3 days, on a Deck 7 veranda cabin it was 2 days. Still a very nice perk!

Mura

Greetings from South Beach, orchestrapal. You are correct. PHs have butlers, concierges don't. On Regent, concierges are worth it because one precruise hotel room is included. They are also quite lovely.

 

Mary

I am recalling that Regent is about 2x the price pp as O, Last Time I checked about 300-400 a night. times 7 day cruise I dont see the wisdom in spending $2100-2800 pp to get a $350 a night hotel? Am I missing something???

I am recalling that Regent is about 2x the price pp as O, Last Time I checked about 300-400 a night. times 7 day cruise I dont see the wisdom in spending $2100-2800 pp to get a $350 a night hotel? Am I missing something???

Greetings, Hawaiidan. No, you are not missing anything. It's just that some people who are coming in the night before anyway, like that feature because it includes transfers to and from the hotel. We book PHs on Regent because we like them, but we arrive a few days early and book our own hotel. We get credit for the "free hotel and transfers" that we don't use. The stateroom next to ours on our first cruise on Explorer was concierge and very pretty. If we were too late to get a PH on a voyage, at least on Explorer, concierge would also do nicely.

Mary

I am recalling that Regent is about 2x the price pp as O, Last Time I checked about 300-400 a night. times 7 day cruise I dont see the wisdom in spending $2100-2800 pp to get a $350 a night hotel? Am I missing something???

A Concierge suite on the Explorer is 356 square feet. An inside cabin on the Regatta is 160 square feet. That and several other amenities might account for the price differential.