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Convince me to sail on Oceania Marina--Nov 9 2018 sailing "Timeless Beauties"


PatriciaF
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My husband and I usually sail Princess but have done others, NCL, Celebrity, HAL, Viking Ocean.

 

Over on the Princess board lots of people are encouraging us Princess people that book one of the more expensive cabin classes to move over to Oceania.

 

After reading these threads--most feedback is negative and many blame the buy out from NCL.

 

We picked this cruise due to the ports as there are several we haven't been to and it ends in Barcelona, where we plan to spend a few days before flying home.

 

Also--requested a quote through the Oceania website--never contacted back!

 

The current issue with Marina and the Not Noro GI illness is worrisome as it appears slow response, lack of openness about the problem, etc.

 

Pat

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Pat,

Do you really expect all these “strangers” to convince you one way or another? You don’t know me (or any other poster here) so why should you believe anyone one way or another.

Just take the plunge and try it for yourself. In the end, only you can decide if you liked it or not - regardless of how others feel.

FWIW, we are close to 30 Oceania cruises so you know how I feel.

BTW, we will be disembarking on Nov 9th in Monte Carlo after 14 days on Marina when you board :)

Also, we are Elite on Princess - so we know a lot about Princess and Oceania is in a totally different world from Princess. Chances are much better that you’ll not return to Princess rather than that you won’t like Oceania :)

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Paul--the only reason I ask from reading many of these posts it seems like lots of long term Oceania cruisers like you are moving over to Viking Ocean, Azamara, or Regent--due to dislike of the current product.

 

We usually pick itinerary and this is a great one for us--but sailing with a bunch old (we're getting close to 70), grumpy, sick people that are going to run you over with their motorized wheel chairs, sound like something we want to avoid not spend $7 or $8,000 on.

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We have 3 cruises booked on Oceania this year - so we are not going anywhere (just yet). If we do find that things have really gone down, we might.

We are also trying Viking in 2019 but not because we no longer like Oceania. It’s because it is a great itinerary and we do want to try something new.

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.

 

 

 

We usually pick itinerary and this is a great one for us--but sailing with a bunch old (we're getting close to 70), grumpy, sick people that are going to run you over with their motorized wheel chairs, sound like something we want to avoid not spend $7 or $8,000 on.

 

 

I’ve only done 5 cruises on Oceania. I have to say I don’t find the fellow cruises grumpy or sick. In fact most are world traveled, interesting and great to talk with. We have met some fascinating people when sharing tables for dinner or playing trivia. We are recently back from a 26 day cruise and I loved every minute of it!

 

 

 

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-but sailing with a bunch old (we're getting close to 70), grumpy, sick people that are going to run you over with their motorized wheel chairs, sound like something we want to avoid not spend $7 or $8,000 on

Patricia,

 

We're about a decade younger than you, and I must say that although Oceania passengers may skew slightly older than the mass market lines just any any product which is more expensive will, they seem to be younger.

They are certainly more informed, better educated, more worldly and better conversationalists.

 

The majority of them have more common sense than to make unkind and disparaging comments, about groups which they are on the very cusp of joining, themselves. :confused::rolleyes:

 

Perhaps you would feel out of place-

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I reckon you will love Oceania. My wife never wanted to cruise so I decided to convince her by picking a special cruise line and a good cabin grade. In September 2016 we did the Med in a penthouse on Riviera and it was great. The food, the service, the fellow cruisers were way beyond what we expected and now my wife is hooked.

 

In 5 weeks we join Marina in Tahiti for an 18 night cruise through French Polynesia, up to Hawaii and across to LA. We can’t wait. Give it a go. If you don’t, you will never know what you missed out on. The Marina is an ideal size and offers great dining options. We have looked at other high end cruise lines but this size of ship works for us.

 

We are very fussy and if there were faults we would have found them. Forget recent Norovirus reports. It happens on all ships but it is not always reported unless the ship visits the US. Princess had several outbreaks recently so you are choosing between two lines which have had issues but have resolved them.

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Paul--the only reason I ask from reading many of these posts it seems like lots of long term Oceania cruisers like you are moving over to Viking Ocean, Azamara, or Regent--due to dislike of the current product.

 

We usually pick itinerary and this is a great one for us--but sailing with a bunch old (we're getting close to 70), grumpy, sick people that are going to run you over with their motorized wheel chairs, sound like something we want to avoid not spend $7 or $8,000 on.

 

Are you sure you're not just seeing the negative posts and not the positive ones?

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Hey PF,

 

>We usually pick itinerary and this is a great one for us--but sailing with a bunch old (we're getting close to 70), grumpy, sick people that are going to run you over with their motorized wheel chairs, sound like something we want to avoid....<

 

Oh, pish tosh and nonsense.

 

Oceania guests are very polite. They beep before running you over with their wheel chairs. :)

We are still spry enough to get out of the way.

 

My Lady Wife and I are scheduled for Ireland aboard The Nautica this Summer.

 

If you like the itinerary --- GO!

 

Ira

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We sailed on both the Insignia (15 nights) and the Marina (10 nights) this past summer and fall. Both cruises were excellent. We just got back from a 10 day cruise on the Regal Princess and I saw more scooters, wheelchairs and walkers than I ever saw on Oceania. I won’t be back on Princess. The food was awful!

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We have enjoyed cruising on Oceania since 2005 and recently spent 30 days on Nautica. We saw no one run over by anything – Oh, sorry, maybe me on the way to Trivia. Seriously, even on this long cruise there were few guests needing assistance and of no concern to most. Perhaps our team was the “the grumpy one” when we lost Trivia but overall, a pretty happy lot. We have not seen a degradation of services since the NCL acquisition and will be happy to sail again on O when we like the itinerary. Please choose wisely and enjoy your cruise

Edited by Queen of DaNile
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I'm almost Elite on Princess and still enjoy cruising on them. After retirement, and on a fixed income, I may have to cruise even more on them instead of Oceania.

But I took my first Oceania cruise in December, 2017 and loved it. I'm mid-60's and a lot of passengers looked my age or younger. No higher rate of wheelchairs than on Princess. I have another Oceania cruise booked for next year.

I'm fine with either line, but they are definitely not similar.

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Paul--the only reason I ask from reading many of these posts it seems like lots of long term Oceania cruisers like you are moving over to Viking Ocean, Azamara, or Regent--due to dislike of the current product.

 

We usually pick itinerary and this is a great one for us--but sailing with a bunch old (we're getting close to 70), grumpy, sick people that are going to run you over with their motorized wheel chairs, sound like something we want to avoid not spend $7 or $8,000 on.

t

 

We’ve done a double digit number of Oceania Cruises and have three more booked. We absolutely love this product, but of course it is not perfect. On board the passengers seem happy and contented with Oceania food, the beautiful ships, the ambiance and service. You will meet interesting, well traveled people.

 

I don’t have the sense O customers are flocking elsewhere. We’ve done a couple Vikings as a change of pace. We enjoyed it but rank it below Oceania.

I don’t hear much about Azamara.

Regent is more all inclusive. .

 

Only you should decide how to spend your money.

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We cruise anyone depending on itinerary. We have done a couple of Princess, no way, but for itinerary we would.

 

Oceania, Regent and Crystal are our choices, depending on itinerary.

 

Food is the best on Oceania.

 

Try it...no one line is perfect.

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Ditto everything everyone has said. Oceania’s food is much better than Celebrity, HAL or Princess (those are the cruiselines I’ve been on). My only criticism of Oceania, and I think many will agree with me, is that their excursions are overpriced. So book your own through third parties.

 

 

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Ditto everything everyone has said. Oceania’s food is much better than Celebrity, HAL or Princess (those are the cruiselines I’ve been on). My only criticism of Oceania, and I think many will agree with me, is that their excursions are overpriced. So book your own through third parties.

 

 

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Agree totally.

That said, that is actually good news because one has a choice for not paying for something they don’t want (i.e. overpriced excursions) unlike on some cruise lines (Regent, Viking) where they are included (but definitely NOT free)

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Oceania passengers are not old and grumpy...All the old-and-grumpies are on Crystal.

 

We do like to travel in a suite on Princess (a very good buy), and we are crossing in one in a couple of months. But we choose the big suite so we can hide inside and avoid the rough stuff outside like the scary borderline fraudulent art auctions and the bars where the bands play "Proud Mary" 24/7. There may not be a lot of activity on Oceania, but what exists is pleasant, relaxed, and of a reasonable quality.

 

We do think the Club Class dining on Princess is very good and much better than the usual on mass market lines, but believe me the food quality and variety on Oceania is far above anything we have experienced on the eleven lines we have sailed.

 

So as others have suggested, give Oceania a try and see what you think. We'll be back when we find the right itinerary.

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Paul--the only reason I ask from reading many of these posts it seems like lots of long term Oceania cruisers like you are moving over to Viking Ocean, Azamara, or Regent--due to dislike of the current product.

 

 

 

We usually pick itinerary and this is a great one for us--but sailing with a bunch old (we're getting close to 70), grumpy, sick people that are going to run you over with their motorized wheel chairs, sound like something we want to avoid not spend $7 or $8,000 on.

 

 

 

Please go elsewhere. Your attitude is not in keeping with those who sail on Oceania. I have not seen a more offensive comment ever on cc

 

 

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. I have not seen a more offensive comment ever on cc

 

 

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Well, I don't know about that, but no call for it. I'm neither old or sick, but I am sometimes grumpy, especially early in the day.

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Please go elsewhere. Your attitude is not in keeping with those who sail on Oceania. I have not seen a more offensive comment ever on cc

 

 

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I spent about an hour reading posts on this board--and this is what many posted about their cruise and their fellow passengers. If this is the most offensive comment ever--you have had a sheltered life here on various lines boards.

 

We are ready to book--but our two usual travel agents don't book Oceania and getting even Oceania to contact us has been difficult. I want a quote in writing--not just over the phone. Wish people could recommend their agents on here--but not allowed.

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My husband and I usually sail Princess but have done others, NCL, Celebrity, HAL, Viking Ocean.

 

 

 

Over on the Princess board lots of people are encouraging us Princess people that book one of the more expensive cabin classes to move over to Oceania.

 

 

 

After reading these threads--most feedback is negative and many blame the buy out from NCL.

 

 

 

We picked this cruise due to the ports as there are several we haven't been to and it ends in Barcelona, where we plan to spend a few days before flying home.

 

 

 

Also--requested a quote through the Oceania website--never contacted back!

 

 

 

The current issue with Marina and the Not Noro GI illness is worrisome as it appears slow response, lack of openness about the problem, etc.

 

 

 

Pat

 

 

 

Convince you? No.

Do the research, here on CC and in every major travel publication. You will find that there is no better cruising value for quality of service and the "best food at sea."

 

 

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