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Oceania Announces Massive $100-Million Fleet Reimagining and Refurbishment


LauraS
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Yes, Insignia is, as are Regatta, Nautica and Sirena. The “R” refers to Renaissance, the defunct cruise line that had eight of these ships made, or “Regatta, the first of the eight ships.

 

The O class are Marina and Riviera.

 

Thanks so much for the clarification. I am assuming here that because the Insignia is scheduled for drydock this year, that she will get some of that upgrade and renovation :D

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Is Insignia one of the "R" ships? It's our first Oceania cruise (next year) so I am not all familiar with them. And we are in our 60's also.

 

Yes, Insignia is an "R Ship", so called because they were built for Renaissance Cruises, before Oceania existed.

As regards Oceania's existing fleet, Sirena, Insignia, Regatta and Nautica are considered the R class, while the newer, larger Marina and Riviera are known as the O class because they were Oceania builds.

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Yes, Insignia is an "R Ship", so called because they were built for Renaissance Cruises, before Oceania existed.

As regards Oceania's existing fleet, Sirena, Insignia, Regatta and Nautica are considered the R class, while the newer, larger Marina and Riviera are known as the O class because they were Oceania builds.

 

So did Oceania Cruises only come into existence because they bought out Renaissance Cruises?

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Have a question,,does this mean no bathtubs????Know most of you love just showers, but the tub is a dealbreaker for me...due to medical condition.Had heard this before,and wrote to O,,but told ,,no plans.

 

If that s true,will only be on the big ships.Did book Regent just for that,,and itinerary reasons.Much more expensive,but do love them both.

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Have a question,,does this mean no bathtubs????Know most of you love just showers, but the tub is a dealbreaker for me...due to medical condition.Had heard this before,and wrote to O,,but told ,,no plans.

 

If that s true,will only be on the big ships.Did book Regent just for that,,and itinerary reasons.Much more expensive,but do love them both.

sounds like they are removing the tubs in the PH cabins

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Yes, sorry... I was presumptuous to assume everyone knew what the "R" Ships were. Indeed, most of what we value in Oceania originated with Renaissance Cruises and it was managed by Frank Del Rio. We sailed in R7 (now the AZAMARA QUEST) in 2000 on a 14-day Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona and it was exceptional. Indeed, I still rate the food on Renaissance better than Oceania... back then, it was astonishingly good and a revelation on a cruise ship. A lot of the staff were Australians back then and the crews more international with a lot of Europeans, too. Initially, Oceania had all European crew with most of the dining room stewards from Romania. Indeed, we still remember our second cruise in REGATTA when we had the only Filipino steward in the dining room. How things have changed! In the early days of Oceania, you remembered all of the staff and they remembered you, year after year.

 

The only negative of these ships as originally built was that they obviously ran out of money when it came to the open decks and furniture... it was nothing but horrible bare blue plastic and those awful white molded plastic chairs. Oceania vastly upgraded all of this as well as the interior furnishings while retaining the Edwardian ocean liner decorative theme.

 

So yes, the R ships have a lot of water under their keels and some a lot of different names and owners. It's hard to believe they are 20-odd years old.

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So yes, the R ships have a lot of water under their keels and some a lot of different names and owners. It's hard to believe they are 20-odd years old.

A well built and maintained ship should have a service life of 40+ years. I view the R ships as in their prime and will be headed to the breakers about the same time I am. I’m so thankful these ships were made and that Oceania came to be.

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It is a long story perhaps Jim will explain it

 

a short story

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/12/jobs/12boss.html

Interesting...thanks for posting that link. I have a newfound respect for FDR, after hearing his story. Previously all I knew about him was the "slamming" he received from many, on the CC NCL board....

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Back in the day Frank Del Rio was the heart and soul of both Renaissance and Oceania.... you could actually talk to him on the phone if there was an issue etc. And ran Oceania in the beginning like it was his personal yacht... Mrs. Del Rio picked a lot of the furnishings etc. and he was a man who "couldn't say no" it appears when it came to expenditures. Hence the quality of the ships. The "old" Oceania (back when it was independent) was beyond perfection in so many ways. The "old" Renaissance wasn't in terms of not working with agents and the owner seemed to antagonize everyone.... Del Rio spent most of his days with them apologizing and setting things right. But in the end, they went belly up very quickly. Del Rio was the one who picked up the pieces to create Oceania.

 

Conversely, he seems to have "flipped" completely in charge of NCL, the nickel and dimer extraordinaire. I am astonished when I read of NCL policies etc under his aegis as it's the complete opposite of his Oceania persona and policies. Then again, NCL is at the bottom and Oceania/Regent at the top so maybe that's why.

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Conversely, he seems to have "flipped" completely in charge of NCL, the nickel and dimer extraordinaire. I am astonished when I read of NCL policies etc under his aegis as it's the complete opposite of his Oceania persona and policies. Then again, NCL is at the bottom and Oceania/Regent at the top so maybe that's why.

Let's be fair

 

NCLH is a publicly traded company & has to answer to it's investors

 

FDR really does not have the control he had when it was just Oceania

 

JMO

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Let's be fair

 

NCLH is a publicly traded company & has to answer to it's investors

 

FDR really does not have the control he had when it was just Oceania

 

JMO

Very true, but I think he still is doing an amazing job fitting all the pieces together. Look how far he has come in just a short time creating a huge cruise company starting with just one ship from R... Overall still happy to be a customer. :):):)

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Conversely, he seems to have "flipped" completely in charge of NCL, the nickel and dimer extraordinaire. I am astonished when I read of NCL policies etc under his aegis as it's the complete opposite of his Oceania persona and policies. Then again, NCL is at the bottom and Oceania/Regent at the top so maybe that's why.

 

The mass market lines are marketing to people who are willing to make sacrifices in order to be able to afford a cruise at all.

To them, the nickel and diming is a clever alternative which gets them onto the ship by selecting which services they are willing to do without.

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We are excited to be sailing on the frst leg of the WC on Insignia in January. I dol ike the new colors. As far as Martinis is concerned, I will do the wait and see on the furiture. It should make it easer to get around in the area and may allow for more seating - it's hard to tell from the phto. It did look like some of the chairs might swivel and have curved arms. Of interest too will be the changes in the Observation lounge - supposed to be a better view etc. On our last cruise (December) on a "R" ship the cabin furniture was looking very tired and the TV, although we seldom watch it, was a poor excuse for one. Excited for the interactive one.

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We are excited to be sailing on the frst leg of the WC on Insignia in January. I dol ike the new colors. As far as Martinis is concerned, I will do the wait and see on the furiture. It should make it easer to get around in the area and may allow for more seating - it's hard to tell from the phto. It did look like some of the chairs might swivel and have curved arms. Of interest too will be the changes in the Observation lounge - supposed to be a better view etc. On our last cruise (December) on a "R" ship the cabin furniture was looking very tired and the TV, although we seldom watch it, was a poor excuse for one. Excited for the interactive one.

 

I've missed the part about the interactive TV. Details please.

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https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=8812

 

"Modern technology will also be incorporated into the redesign, with USB ports and a state-of-the-art interactive TV system (including movies on demand and weather forecasts for your trip)."

 

Thanks, I missed that originally. Looks like they'll have something the O ships don't.

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