What makes Oceania special? We want to try it.

When we were disappointed with 2 other cruise lines, many people recommended Oceania. I just wondered if you might take the time to tell a few things that you like about Oceania, and what makes them stand out to you.

Thanks so much! Your help is greatly appreciated. My husband will retire next year. We want to take a memorable cruise.

• Excellent food
  
• Quiet, refined atmosphere
  
• No “nickel and diming”
  
• Outstanding beds
  
• Smaller ships that look like ships
  
• Fewer passengers, no crowds
  
• Excellent, friendly service
  
• No extra charges for specialty restaurants
  

What we like

quiet ambiance

more mature people

food quality is better than on some lines

less people = less crowds

smaller ships

very few children

at the buffet the staff serve you

THE BEDS

many intangibles that I cannot describe you just need to experience for yourself

Enjoy

Thank you so much Classiccruiser777!:D Sounds wonderful so far! The prices seem higher than what we've done so far. But we want great food and nicer treatment, so we are willing to pay more. We also have always had a balcony, so are spoiled in that regard.

Dear LHT28,

I will keep working on my hubby, so we can both experience Oceania. Thank you so much!

Thank you so much Classiccruiser777!:D Sounds wonderful so far! The prices seem higher than what we've done so far. But we want great food and nicer treatment, so we are willing to pay more. We also have always had a balcony, so are spoiled in that regard.

There are 2-3 prices

1) airfare included & O Life perks

2) OLife perks no airfare (you get a small discount)

3) no air no O Life just the cruise

If you shop around you might find a TA that includes Gratuities +

• Excellent food
  
• Quiet, refined atmosphere
  
• No “nickel and diming”
  
• Outstanding beds
  
• Smaller ships that look like ships
  
• Fewer passengers, no crowds
  
• Excellent, friendly service
  
• No extra charges for specialty restaurants
  

Agree with all of above. Will add no formal nights (not even jackets or ties required for gentlemen).

Outstanding specialty restaurants - especially on O class ships.

Try it - you’ll like it :)

As usual I agree with Paul except I am always reluctant to say "try it, you'll like it". Because there are some people -- for whatever reason -- who do NOT like it. While we loved Renaissance and now love Oceania (and have been disappointed the few times we tried another line), I don't think that everyone will agree! And, of course, some cruises have difficulties -- like Noro -- that affect the experience.

On our recent Riviera cruise we encountered some glitches -- most were minor, a few were serious, but all were corrected to our satisfaction. But we felt it showed a problem with communications. We've never encountered problems to this extent on our 17 cruises with O.

So when you have an influx of new crew, for example, things don't always work out as you would expect.

To answer the OP's question, among our favorites are:

few children (we don't mind the well behaved ones)

open seating for dinner in the GDR

no formal nights

Mura

I think the 4 small ships are special. The ambiance is wonderful. I do not think marina or riviera are special. There is a huge difference in experience when sailing the r ships as opposed to the o ships. Once the renovations are done the r ships will be unbeatable

Just my opinion

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We've cruised with Oceania since the beginning and I'd number my personal pros and cons as

Pros

Small/intermediate sized ships. I much prefer the original R ships, my wife likes the new O pair

Superb, meticulous maintenance (astonishingly good)

Quality furnishings, linens, beds, china, silver etc.

Consistent levels of service

Personalized service from an empowered and respected staff.. not automatons. We value so many of them over the years as friends and important to our overall experience.

Excellent cuisine and varied menu

Super golf putting course on each ship

Value: a rare commodity nowadays. Not cheap but good. And no nickel and dime nonsense once aboard

Cons

Too port intensive itineraries for me (the ships are too good to be reduced to "bus stop" itineraries

Better attention needs to be paid to special diets (my wife is gluten free and Cunard is far better catering to this than Oceania)

MDR can be terribly slow in the evening, open sitting and an epic menu make it often difficult to run efficiently

Some cost cutting in evidence the last few years... the spa deck for example used to be immaculate, last cruise in REGATTA it was not.

"Country Club Casual" interpreted by too many whose club must be the YMCA. Elegant, beautiful ships and too many in the evening dressed like they just came off the 18th hole or mowed the lawn.

Occasional poor bar service if you have the BIB (drinks package) card vs. paying per drink

Too loud music around the pool... totally un-needed when everyone has their own personal music devices

Not keen on the announced redecoration of the R ships

But this is a superb, consistent product.. and has been for us since 2003. You have to really work at being vaguely disappointed. They work very hard to ensure you aren't.

We've cruised with Oceania since the beginning and I'd number my personal pros and cons as

 

Pros

 

Small/intermediate sized ships. I much prefer the original R ships, my wife likes the new O pair

Superb, meticulous maintenance (astonishingly good)

Quality furnishings, linens, beds, china, silver etc.

Consistent levels of service

Personalized service from an empowered and respected staff.. not automatons. We value so many of them over the years as friends and important to our overall experience.

Excellent cuisine and varied menu

Super golf putting course on each ship

Value: a rare commodity nowadays. Not cheap but good. And no nickel and dime nonsense once aboard

 

Cons

 

Too port intensive itineraries for me (the ships are too good to be reduced to "bus stop" itineraries

Better attention needs to be paid to special diets (my wife is gluten free and Cunard is far better catering to this than Oceania)

MDR can be terribly slow in the evening, open sitting and an epic menu make it often difficult to run efficiently

Some cost cutting in evidence the last few years... the spa deck for example used to be immaculate, last cruise in REGATTA it was not.

"Country Club Casual" interpreted by too many whose club must be the YMCA. Elegant, beautiful ships and too many in the evening dressed like they just came off the 18th hole or mowed the lawn.

Occasional poor bar service if you have the BIB (drinks package) card vs. paying per drink

Too loud music around the pool... totally un-needed when everyone has their own personal music devices

Not keen on the announced redecoration of the R ships

 

But this is a superb, consistent product.. and has been for us since 2003. You have to really work at being vaguely disappointed. They work very hard to ensure you aren't.

We just ended our first Oceania cruise on the Insignia on Tuesday. It was amazing. As a celiac, I too must be gluten free. On QM2, they do have a separate GF section of the buffet, it is self serve which always makes me a bit nervous. QM2 had better afternoon tea GF selections. Both ships will give you the menu the evening before so the MDR can accommodate the diet. However, on the Insignia, each time I dined at the Terrace Cafe buffet, the head waiter brought a chef out who took me on a tour and pointed out safe selections and also offered alternatives cooked separately. The buffet was not self serve and I felt more confident about possible cross contamination. The food was delicious and I felt more varied. We booked another cruise with Oceania next year.

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To add to the list of "likes"

-The String Quartet: so civilized

-Afternoon Tea: lovely china, white glove service, splendid offerings, every day!

-Accommodating policy that allows guests to bring wine, beer, and liquor on board for consumption in staterooms. Corkage fee in all dining venues. We especially appreciate this in the Mediterranean when we like to bring on French and Italian wines.

-Baristas: Illy coffees at no charge!

-Ongoing crew/staff training & safety drills: 3 times on a recent 10 day cruise services were suspended for crew safety drills, usually less than an hour. One afternoon I witnessed crew members in the lifeboats going through a simulated evacuation. It was not a casual walk through, everyone was very serious and engaged.

But most of all we must agree with kohl57 about the meticulous maintenance. Oceania is relentless with cleaning, washing, repairing and replacing. It isn't mentioned often probably because it is most evident when it isn't done. We have stayed in Marriotts and Hyatts that were worn out, tired, and never as clean as any of the Oceania ships we have sailed.

There are more things to like. I'm sure others will add to the list.

Katie

Worth every penny.

WOW! You all are absolutely wonderful with your comments! I feel like I've already been there! Thank you all so very much!

Also no photographers sticking their cameras in your face whilst you are enjoying your dinner. A pet hate of mine with other cruise lines.

Also no photographers sticking their cameras in your face whilst you are enjoying your dinner. A pet hate of mine with other cruise lines.

Also, no pictures with silly mascots in every port.

OP, my offerings on the elements that Oceania pleases me as a former mass cruise line patron:

Customizing your trip. Oceania lets you purchase what you want (like just the cruise if you want) and that is wonderful, no forced beverage packages or having to pay for alcohol for others or shore excursions you do not want

Not las vegas at sea - you are a ship, not a floating vegas hotel

Guests are classy and knowledgeable and gracious (thanks everyone)

No fixation on beverage packages and the antisocial behavior that has emerged on the mass lines

Limited fixation and segregation based on "class" - all guests mingle and eat together

Amazing service levels - for everyone, not a few

On a ship - Oceania has not descended into the mass cruise line trend of eliminating ocean viewing (like Celebrity in particular). Many locations inside and out to be with the ocean

Port information - real context by excellent speakers, not the garbage consumer purchasing as on the mass lines

Smaller scale = ease of getting on and off

Great variety, ingredients and presentation of food

__________________

Oceania (and the other premium lines) are everything the mass cruise lines are not - the mass and premium are diverting away from each other in terms of experience.

Thankfully we have much choice, so please enjoy your next voyage!

One thing not yet mentioned in detail: many people say entertainment on Oceania falls short compared to some other lines - smaller shows, fewer "wow" factors. If you expect Vegas-style shows by most accounts you will be disappointed, If you can enjoy more cabaret-style shows you will likely be fine. Entertainment does seem to be a frequent first-timer on Oceania disappointment, so something to keep in mind if that is important to you.

Full disclosure - entertainment assessment is mostly based on CC comments, I am definitely not an expert as O is the only cruise line I've been on that had entertainment, and so far I believe I have been to 2 total evening shows in 6 O cruises...not because I don't like them, but because I'm usually focused on dining and sleeping as my evening activities lol.

Agree with most of the "pro's" listed so far, especially O's generous BYO corkage policy for wine. Most other lines seem to either restrict or prohibit BYO, or allow BYO but include (that is, charge you in the fare for) beer & wine by the glass.

I believe Oceania does offer a great value and a wonderful overall experience. Most of the positives have been addressed. A few of the negatives.

The quality of the guest speakers can vary greatly. We’ve had wonderful speakers that enlighten and inspire us for upcoming shore visits, and we’ve had horrible speakers where fellow cruisers just stop going to hear them. More front end Q.C is definitely needed.

To much of a good thing is not always a good thing! Several of the earlier post talked about the quiet ambiance and peaceful nature of the ship. On a recent thread one cruiser, in bad health sailed expecting the ship to be a convalescent home. Some cruises blow past peaceful and get down right sleepy and sedate. Hearing passengers say” I haven’t seen the backside of 9:00 pm in years” can be a common occurrence. I’ve been on cruises where being in our mid late 60s put us in the youngest 5% of passengers and the vast majority of those 75+ were neither a young or active 80 year old! Depending upon the particular cruise you choose, mentality prepare yourself for being the youngster on the cruise.

Oceania has a wonderful product, but as Mura says it may not be for everyone. Give O a try and decide for yourself!

FWIW, We hugely prefer the O ships ( Marina and Riveria) over the smaller R ships. Far less chance of sedateness running amok with greater options.

One overall aspect of Oceania that I personally find appealing (and perhaps in reference to the perceived "lack" of entertainment) is that they treat their passengers like adults... not millennials with attention spans of eight-year-olds. So if you require (and it's your holiday and your business) 24/7 organized "stuff", activities, pool games, lavish Vegas shows etc etc. you should avoid Oceania. If you don't, you might find it a refreshing change from the majority of lines that assume these are essential to a pleasant holiday at sea. And one of the aspects of Oceania that I don't like... too many ports and too few sea days on too many itineraries, takes care of this issue in itself. Eight ports in 10 days in the Med and you won't have the time or the energy to do much aboard anyway!

As an example of how opinions differ. We like those eight ports in ten day cruises. Actually, only one sea day is fine with us on that short a cruise. We cruise to visit the world. If we wanted to just sit around taking it easy, we do that far less expensively , and more elegantly, in a Four Seasons or spg resort where great golf is an option.

People that don’t want , or are to tired to get off the ship while in port have the option of remaining aboard. Many do this exact thing, so why complain about the number of port stops?

Eight ports in 10 days in the Med and you won't have the time or the energy to do much aboard anyway!

+1 Don't envision yourself leading the Conga Line at 2AM, after years of forty winks in the chair after the News.

Old habits are difficult to break, particularly when you were up at 6 yesterday, and need to be up at 7, tomorrow.

Fifty-eight days on 4 cruises in last 4 years - both O and R ships with 2 more booked within the next year

Not yet mentioned are :

1) Cruise Directors have been personable, approachable, informative and entertaining

2) Cuisine/Cooking class and Art classes on O ships

3) Afternoon trivia

4) Knitting group social for the ladies

5) Cigar group for gents evolves in a few days

6) O-point activities through the day

What we enjoy the most is that you can be involved as much as you desire. We are never in the cabin during the day and have begun booking Ocean View.

After years of planes/trains and a different Hotel every 3 days throughout Europe we began cruising for new destinations. We may book a couple of shore excursions if they look appealing otherwise explore the port on our own.

People that don’t want , or are to tired to get off the ship while in port have the option of remaining aboard. Many do this exact thing, so why complain about the number of port stops?

Why? Because a relaxing at sea on the ocean with ocean breezes is a lot more relaxing TO ME than staying aboard in an often hot, noisy port.

People that don’t want , or are to tired to get off the ship while in port have the option of remaining aboard. Many do this exact thing, so why complain about the number of port stops?

Why? Because a relaxing at sea on the ocean with ocean breezes is a lot more relaxing TO ME than staying aboard in an often hot, noisy port.

Exactly, big difference.