Oceania ..NEVER AGAIN...floating nursing home

Click bait at its best. Lot's of adjectives of dispair. I won't waste my time reading this thread or defending Oceania unless more evidence is presented .

The OPs title of the thread doesn’t seem to match up with his complaints. Perhaps just a tactic to get readers.

+1

Also, the most agregious offenses tend to listed first to make a stronger case rather than being saved for later (which is still pending)

> I have been to those same Mexican/Central American ports on [The Regatta] and I will agree that they are not 1st world cities,<

It's also hot.

Loved the ship and the cruise.

Ira

>... dumped us in ghetto ports ....<

Rather offensive way of describing them.

Usually when I read this kind of post I have to remind myself that not everyone knows about Cruise Critic or does much research before a cruise and it's understandable that there may be disappointments. But in this case there is just no reason for the OP to be on a cruise that is so obviously not suited to their tastes. With all of the information right here, at their disposal, I just don't understand it.

The last grand voyage we did included a transatlantic segment followed by Med/Greek isles segment. Totally different demographics with average age dropping significantly on segment 2 (including far more kids onboard).

Wouldn't it be a "kick in the butt" if the "mix" OP wanted (incl. less geezers and more tourist traps) appeared on the segment he dumped?

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As for entertainment, we knew it wasn’t one of O’s strong points, and OP could have known it as well with just a little research. We are often too tired from a day of touring to stay up for a show anyway.

I agree. We always book port intensive sailings and usually satisfied with the entertainment offered.

I do feel Oceania can improve entertainment in the capacity of variety and a couple more guest entertainers per cruise. For example on our recent 10 night cruise we had the typical musicals by the onboard singers and dancers which was great. Another two guest entertainers who also sang. Now this was fine if you like singing and dancing. We did come home very satisfied with the sailing however couldn't help realise a few simple changes could have improved the on board entertainment offerings.

Perhaps the odd comedian or magician would be nice. We also found it odd having the guest entertainers on for the entire 10day sailing and only performing 1 show with a second shorter show (mediocre) thrown in later. It would make more logistical sense to have them on for half the sailing then flown to another ship and receive a new guest in return. Now I'm sure the guest entertainers may disagree since they are currently enjoying a full cruise and only performing 1.5 shows. However if they performed 1 show on each ship it would only equate to an extra 0.5 show and provide double the amount of guest entertainment per sailing. We also felt more of a poolside band in the afternoon would have been welcome.

Every other aspect of our cruise was to our liking an expectation.

Chris,

I am sure you realize that it is more expensive to fly entertainers back and forth from ship to ship for 2 -3 day contracts or single shows (depending on ship’s location). Things like this have a cumulative effect - it effects more than just “your” cruise.

Are you willing to pay for this expense with higher rates?

Speaking for myself - I am not.

Chris,

I am sure you realize that it is more expensive to fly entertainers back and forth from ship to ship for 2 -3 day contracts or single shows (depending on ship’s location). Things like this have a cumulative effect - it effects more than just “your” cruise.

Are you willing to pay for this expense with higher rates?

Speaking for myself - I am not.

Mr Paul

To be honest I don't feel the guest entertainers are on a contract for each specific sailing and ship. They are most likely on contracts with the cruise group for several weeks. During other cruises (with other lines) the guest entertainment has always switched out mid cruise and usually to other ships that are from the same group and port we visted on the day. So the nessesity of flights would rarly be required and if they were most likely in a domestic capacity.

My suggestion/observation is really just that a suggestion/observation. It would really only mean another employee in head office responsible for sorting out the logistics and the cost of a flight here and there. Do I really think this would hit our wallets. Absolutely not.

Chris-

Certainly on a Cruise Line which has several ships meandering around a specific geographic area, the Caribbean say, or Alaska, swapping out Entertainers makes good sense all around.

On Oceania, however, the ships roam the entire Planet and it is something of an occasion when two of the ships are in port together.

Another kettle of fish, entirely

I didn’t know they were a cruise line, most cruise line are like you mentioned with the exception of a few. Royal carnival and in part NCL

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Chris86,

I suspect that both of us are talking about things that we do not know very much about (at least do not know details) and are just guessing.

I don’t know what other cruise lines use the same entertainment company, how often are those ships in the same ports for possible exchanges, have those entertainers had there show already in order to be able to leave the first ships and etc, etc, etc, etc.

I am only going to say that it probably is more complicated than we know and that it would costs someone more money (the cruise line or the entertainment company). I suspect if it was financially beneficial to either one, they would do it.

JMO

Chris-

 

Certainly on a Cruise Line which has several ships meandering around a specific geographic area, the Caribbean say, or Alaska, swapping out Entertainers makes good sense all around.

 

On Oceania, however, the ships roam the entire Planet and it is something of an occasion when two of the ships are in port together.

Another kettle of fish, entirely

My understanding is the Oceania entertainment is acually under the norweigian umbrella. As the entertainment staff made mention they were employed by Norweigian. So I assumed the guest are also employed by Norwegian (i might have this wrong). We were docked in burmuda for 2 nights and so was a Norweigian ship. Halifax we also met another NCL ship. I guess this is why I assumed guests would be switched out. I would be more forgiving if it was a longer more exotic sailing such as this amazon cruise.

That sounds reasonable for Bermuda and Halifax, What happens afterwards? Are those ships in NCL ports again anytime soon with another ship or are these people now “stuck”?

etc etc etc

Again, speaking for myself - if I were an entertainer (a good one at that, which is what everyone wants) I don’t think I would sign a contract like that. Not to mention that most NCL cruisers expect “different”entertainment/entertainers than does Oceania (and v,v,)

Sounds way to complicated to me - too many ports, too many ships, too many continents, too many variables :)

Actually it looks like their cruise is just about over. Rio arrival is on Fri Jan 19.

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/south-america-cruises/san-diego-to-rio-de-janeiro-SIR171216/

 

I also read somewhere that cruisers going to some off-the-beaten-track ports of call have to leave the port area and venture further afield to appreciate what the destination has to offer. Can that be the problem?

 

Frances

I have wanted to see cruises in progress before but could only search for not yet sailed trips. Maybe wanted to see excursion offering with prices as for close in. May I ask how you got the URL?

:loudcry::loudcry: I am posting this in hopes of dissuading those contemplating an Oceania Sirena Cruise.

 

Currently on the 35 day Oceania Sirena San Diego to Rio..sounds great, doesn't it??? Cruising the Amazon..great, huh???

 

Not so fast, dear readers....never again..

 

the most boring, worst entertainment..if any..

food above average, staff incredible and wonderful..

 

We are in a PH1...most expensive penthouse suite..have met with general manager..4x..i have profuse notes about the myriad of disappointments..if you are seeking anything close to the deceptive brochures, you may be in for a shock..more coming on this board when I can finally depart in Rio...dumped us in ghetto ports and more..so sorry I ever booked Oceania..they are riding on a reputation no longer deserved..5 star..in their dreams.:loudcry::loudcry: we booked back to back and jumping ship..cannot bear 21 more daysfrom Rio to Miami..flying home.

Let's see how 5 star Oceania handles my concerns when I call them next week. Many unhappy passengers here who will never return...:eek:will keep you posted with the details...

Just like to mention that , on one of the threads about Ocean's "arch-rival" (alledgedly! ) cruise line, Viking Ocean, there were similar comments on their Amazon cruise - great food, but disappointed with the entertainment and stopover ports! Now, isn't that curious??!!!

That's why we cannot be blamed if we often compare Viking vs. Oceania . The two cruise lines might "dis-like" (?) each other, but it appears they have so much in common !!!! (And both cruise lines could improve in their standards of entertainment provided to guests.)

That's also probably why some Oceania cruisers would happily cruise with Viking Ocean, and vice versa. And if they do not like Oceania, their feelings with Viking Ocean might not be that different.

Would you agree with that view or not?

See: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2582323

When people complain about the entertainment it does make me wonder if they can't amuse themselves for a few weeks. Read a book, go for a swim, play cards, walk round deck, enjoy dinner. Maybe even research your next port, so you can plan something you would actually enjoy. Alarm bells ring for me if you need to speak to the general manager 4 times, i'm sure twice would be more than enough. As for the age of the others passengers, live and let live, who does it even matter.

When people complain about the entertainment it does make me wonder if they can't amuse themselves for a few weeks. Read a book, go for a swim, play cards, walk round deck, enjoy dinner. Maybe even research your next port, so you can plan something you would actually enjoy. Alarm bells ring for me if you need to speak to the general manager 4 times, i'm sure twice would be more than enough. As for the age of the others passengers, live and let live, who does it even matter.

I can empathize with the OP. Sure, he/she can do those things as you suggested, but surely you can only be expected to "amuse yourself" (!) for so many days before you begin to feel that perhaps some additional recreational activities and better entertainment standards would not go amiss !

Amusing yourself on cruises would be more ok if the cruise is port intensive. However, if the cruise has many, many sea days, requesting better a quality of entertainment and more on-board activities would, I think, be quite reasonable.

And of course, every individual is different. Some people are just happy to watch the TV news in the cabin/stateroom, repeated a dozen times or more daily and think that is "fine". After 2 weeks, others may begin to start climbing walls !!!

By the way @debsjc, weren't you on a Holland America cruise to Norway not too long ago ? Well, you know how great the entertainment and amount of recreation on board the Koningsdam was. It would be great if the level of entertainment/activities Oceania could be as good as on HAL. The sweet pastries and desserts on Oceania are far, far superior than on HAL though (Sorry HAL, there is no comparison to Oceania's pastries, not with your cruise line anyway!)

Just looking again at the original post. They booked back-to-back. So they just finished their first leg - 35 days from San Diego to Rio. The return to Miami seems to cover a couple of the same Brazilian ports - Salvador, Fortaleza.

Here's what they have done: https://www.oceaniacruises.com/south-america-cruises/san-diego-to-rio-de-janeiro-SIR171216/

Here's what they say they are not doing: https://www.oceaniacruises.com/south-america-cruises/rio-de-janeiro-to-miami-SIR180120/

Since they don't list the destinations, only ships in their signatures, it is hard to see what they like.

Disappointing that they have not given us more detail, but since they will be arguing with Oceania, I guess they are smart not to.

Frances

I can empathize with the OP. Sure, he/she can do those things as you suggested, but surely you can only be expected to "amuse yourself" (!) for so many days before you begin to feel that perhaps some additional recreational activities and better entertainment standards would not go amiss !

 

Amusing yourself on cruises would be more ok if the cruise is port intensive. However, if the cruise has many, many sea days, requesting better a quality of entertainment and more on-board activities would, I think, be quite reasonable.

 

And of course, every individual is different. Some people are just happy to watch the TV news in the cabin/stateroom, repeated a dozen times or more daily and think that is "fine". After 2 weeks, others may begin to start climbing walls !!!

 

By the way @debsjc, weren't you on a Holland America cruise to Norway not too long ago ? Well, you know how great the entertainment and amount of recreation on board the Koningsdam was. It would be great if the level of entertainment/activities Oceania could be as good as on HAL. The sweet pastries and desserts on Oceania are far, far superior than on HAL though (Sorry HAL, there is no comparison to Oceania's pastries, not with your cruise line anyway!)

I was on HAL, last June, as you say a 14 night Norwegian cruise! Much as the K is a wonderful ship, I think that cruise had it's downside. We found the food in the MDR fairly bad, after trying if for 3 nights, we gave up and ate in other places. BB Kings are fantastic, and 1 of the guest vocalist was excellent, but the other shows were not great. However I had a fantastic trip, because I made the most of the parts I enjoyed, and worked around the rest.

It does seem like the OP didn't do their research very well, and might be able to gain more from their trip if they concentrated more on the positives.

It would be great if the level of entertainment/activities Oceania could be as good as on HAL.

:DIt sure would!, :D

you must also take into account that the Konigsdam carries 2,650 passengers, whereas the ship which is the topic of this thread holds about 700.

I can empathize with the OP. Sure, he/she can do those things as you suggested, but surely you can only be expected to "amuse yourself" (!) for so many days before you begin to feel that perhaps some additional recreational activities and better entertainment standards would not go amiss !

 

Amusing yourself on cruises would be more ok if the cruise is port intensive. However, if the cruise has many, many sea days, requesting better a quality of entertainment and more on-board activities would, I think, be quite reasonable.

 

And of course, every individual is different. Some people are just happy to watch the TV news in the cabin/stateroom, repeated a dozen times or more daily and think that is "fine". After 2 weeks, others may begin to start climbing walls !!!

 

It is interesting that all the people on the 180 day long WC - and there is plenty of them - are not “climbing the walls” after 2 weeks.

By the way @debsjc, weren't you on a Holland America cruise to Norway not too long ago ? Well, you know how great the entertainment and amount of recreation on board the Koningsdam was. It would be great if the level of entertainment/activities Oceania could be as good as on HAL.

 

..and wouldn’t it be great if the food on HAL would be as good as that on Oceania..

 

The sweet pastries and desserts on Oceania are far, far superior than on HAL though (Sorry HAL, there is no comparison to Oceania's pastries, not with your cruise line anyway!)

It would seem that you are in an enviable position with easy choices - if you want to cruise for entertainment, go on HAL, if for food then Oceania :D

For most others it’s not as simple

I have empathy for the OP. Currently on Regatta -- 5 missed ports so far (shall we try for 6 as our next tender port is no guarantee). Certainly not a happy camper (and I recognize the fact of zero control -- being a firm member of the Murphy law club).

There are many comments on this voyage from regulars -- "never again on Oceania."

Lots of little things -- ranging from the condition of the ship, and some food issues. This seems like a training vessel.

That is not the same cruise. Where is Regatta cruising?

That is not the same cruise. Where is Regatta cruising?

Circumnavigation of Australia.. Not same cruise but same cruise line.