Oceania vs Regent/Silversea

[Maracamama]

Looking at an interesting itinerary for 2011 on Oceania. Can anyone who has cruised with Silversea/Regent/Seabourn give me an idea if a cruiser with 100+ days on these lines would be happy with an Oceania product?

 

I am sure these topics are somewhere on the board, but please comment on smoking policy, internet fees, laundry fees, food quality, any other area you would like to add when making the comparison.

 

Appreciate the input, can always count on CC'ers for help!

Martha

[CruiserPK]

We just returned from an Oceania cruise and we have over 100 nights on Regent. We chose the cruise for the itinerary and pricepoint.

 

The food was very good, but I would give a definite edge to Regent.

 

There are only two places on the ship where one can smoke; one corner of the deck near the pool and a corner of the lounge at the front of ship.

 

The laundry facilities are horrible....one tiny laundry room with 4 washers and 4 dryers. They use tokens purchased at reception for $3 per token. It is difficult to gain access to the machines, and frankly there are many disagreements as to how many machines any one person can use etc. It is a nightmare and Oceania is aware of the problem.

 

The wine list was okay, prices about what you would pay in a good restaurant at home. We had our maid empty the minibar so we could keep our own drinks inside. You can buy canned drinks at happy hour to use in the room. We also purchased beer off the ship.

 

The internet availability and connection is not good. In fact, it was called laughable by many on our trip. We did buy a small package since we were gone from home for a long time and wanted to send the occasional email. We could not understand why the server was so slow, but the bottom line is the room is always full and the cruise line is making a small fortune on internet revenue.

 

There are subjective things: passenger base, entertainment, guest lecturers etc that I would give a nod to Regent.

 

Overall, the cruise was a good dollar value. Would we go on Oceania again? Maybe, ..... although we will probably go back to Regent or another luxury line for our next trip.

 

Cheers!

[LHT28]

They use tokens purchased at reception for $3 per token.

 

 

You can buy canned drinks at happy hour to use in the room. We also purchased beer off the ship.

 

Cheers!

The prices must have gone up for laundry tokens it used to be $1.50 per token

Sodas & bottled water are now included in the fare unless there are other canned drinks you are talking about for purchase:confused:

 

Lyn

[CruiserPK]

On our cruise, water and soda was not included. However, you can buy beer at Happy Hour....that comes in a can and it's half price!;) We also purchased wine off the ship and that was nice to have for cocktails while getting ready for dinner.

[LHT28]

On our cruise, water and soda was not included. However, you can buy beer at Happy Hour....that comes in a can and it's half price!;) We also purchased wine off the ship and that was nice to have for cocktails while getting ready for dinner.

 

Starting with the European sailings this month the sodas are now included.

Yes I like their policy of allowing alcohol/wine for cabin use.

[gillianrose]

Starting with the European sailings this month the sodas are now included.

 

Yes I like their policy of allowing alcohol/wine for cabin use.

 

I was told by Oceania that ALL non-alcoholic drinks will be included. I specifically asked about specialty coffee drinks (without alcohol), Perrier and similar sparkling, premium waters, and non-alcoholic wine and beer. I was told that all will be included.

 

I hope that is true.

[Maracamama]

Thanks for the info. The internet problem clinched it for us, as we have free internet on Regent, it runs fairly well, and we have to continue to run our business via internet while we travel.

[LHT28]

I was told by Oceania that ALL non-alcoholic drinks will be included. I specifically asked about specialty coffee drinks (without alcohol), Perrier and similar sparkling, premium waters, and non-alcoholic wine and beer. I was told that all will be included.

 

I hope that is true.

 

I do not know about the new included water brands but I doubt wine & beer alcoholic or not is included.

You never know though

 

Espresso & cappuccino was always included

I guess when the current cruisers return you will get more info

I believe the new inclusions started with the April 4th cruise

[wripro]

I am a long time Seabourn and Silversea sailor and I love both lines. I also like Oceania very much. The food and service is excellent (though not at quite the same levels) and I am already booked on the Marina which I expect to be terrific. The one thing I would warn you about being a luxury line passenger is that signing for drinks and wine makes a big difference. I know you pay for them up front in your fare on the luxury lines but the feeling of just going in to any bar or restaurant and ordering what you want when you want without having to sign a bill makes you feel more like guest. Other than that I'd say give it a try, you'll probably love it.

[gillianrose]

I do not know about the new included water brands but I doubt wine & beer alcoholic or not is included.

You never know though

 

Espresso & cappuccino was always included

I guess when the current cruisers return you will get more info

I believe the new inclusions started with the April 4th cruise

 

Did the new inclusions come about because of Azamara's policy of including them?

 

I hope the variety of waters will be extensive, sparkling and mineral, and poured from glass bottles, not plastic.

 

Crystal, which does not include alcohol in their fares, does include non-alcoholic beers and wines, and that is why I specifically asked about them of the Oceania reservations person. She said they would be included.

 

I guess we will learn soon.

[hondorner]

Did the new inclusions come about because of Azamara's policy of including them?

On the contrary, Oceania announced their included beverage policy long before Azamara announced theirs. In fact, it seems like Azamara upped their policy to include a glass of house wine at lunch and dinner to try to "one up" Oceania.

 

I doubt Oceania noticed. Oceania is not in competition against Azamara; they don't need to be as Azamara seems always to be a day late and a dollar short. In fact, it is most likely the other way around, that Azamara sees Oceania as a target, having started out attempting to be a carbon copy of Oceania.

[LHT28]

Did the new inclusions come about because of Azamara's policy of including them?

 

It may have been the other way around;)

Just like Azamara 2 for 1 fares

 

Only 9 more months to go

[chicagogal]

On the contrary, Oceania announced their included beverage policy long before Azamara announced theirs. In fact, it seems like Azamara upped their policy to include a glass of house wine at lunch and dinner to try to "one up" Oceania.

 

I doubt Oceania noticed. Oceania is not in competition against Azamara; they don't need to be as Azamara seems always to be a day late and a dollar short. In fact, it is most likely the other way around, that Azamara sees Oceania as a target, having started out attempting to be a carbon copy of Oceania.

 

Off thread, but haven't seen your posts for awhile, Don. Are you feeling better? Hope so!

 

Patty (and Bill)

[gillianrose]

On the contrary, Oceania announced their included beverage policy long before Azamara announced theirs. In fact, it seems like Azamara upped their policy to include a glass of house wine at lunch and dinner to try to "one up" Oceania.

 

I doubt Oceania noticed. Oceania is not in competition against Azamara; they don't need to be as Azamara seems always to be a day late and a dollar short. In fact, it is most likely the other way around, that Azamara sees Oceania as a target, having started out attempting to be a carbon copy of Oceania.

 

Thank you for clarifying that for me. I am looking forward to cruising on Oceania, and I hope that in years to come either the Marina or its classmate will do Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.

[orchestrapal]

Are on Insignia now and all waters you can name are included (glass and plastic bottles) as well as all soft drinks. Specialty coffees are still included as before. Ship is in tip-top shape and staff is "the best.":)

[hrprof]

For what it is worth, I'm attaching a comparison of Oceania and Regent I wrote a while back.

 

A highly biased comparison – “R” VS. “O”

 

We have just returned from a 28 day B2B on Oceania Insignia from Valparaiso to Rio. This was our first cruise on O with most of our previous experience on Regent. While cruising has not played a dominant role in our travel, we have sailed on all of the Regent ships past and present. We were looking at the Mariner which did a similar itinerary in January, but we couldn’t get away then. We researched O and based on favorable reports on this site and others along with similarities between the two lines booked O for this cruise.

 

 

All cruise reviews are, by definition, biased based on previous experience, preferences, and expectations. Our preferences a bit bizarre, so let’s deal with them!

 

Space – we put a premium on space. Our Regent experience is based on the larger suites – we booked an OS for both legs of this cruise. Lest anyone think that we are obsessed with being carried around on a pillow, let me add that we travel extensively on Lindblad Expeditions where accommodations are not spacious, cuisine is not Haute, no butlers, no room service, no shows – a different experience with different expectations.

 

Shows – We don’t often go to shows – 28 days, not one show, so no comment on this.

 

Lounges – We are not lounge sitters – 28 days, no experience with lounges!

 

Cuisine – We are not foodies, our day does not revolve around meal time, but we expect food to be well prepared and served.

 

OK, let’s go.

 

Logistics – all pre planning and arrangements were flawless with the exception of a large number of itinerary changes on the second leg of the trip (BA-Rio). The inclusion of a stop at Rio Grande, Brazil had no redeeming qualities. Embarkation was a breeze with suite passengers allowed on the ship at 11 AM. No unessential niceties (Champagne and being escorted to room) which R is quite good at. R VS. O? An edge to R. I should add that as a result of bad air arrangements and missed connections a bunch of folks arrived without luggage and were pretty steamed about it. We always do our own air. We did talk to quite a few passengers who rated the cruise highly but would not go with O in the future because of the air problems.

 

Space – We found the OS on O to be more than adequate. We were on deck six at the stern – 622 sq ft. with a 340 sq ft deck – separate sleeping and living areas – large flat screen TV with Bose sound system, DVD player, fridge, 2 bathrooms, and most comfortable beds ever. Noise at the stern? Yes. A problem? No. Negatives? Bathroom does not have a separate shower. For those of us whose flexibility ain’t what it used to be, leaping the gunwales of a bath tub can be hazardous! For those who read my previous post on the fares of O VS. R on this site, we can’t ignore value. With this in mind, O wins by a landslide!

 

Service – Simply outstanding! From the Butler to the housekeeper to all Dining room personnel and front line folks at reception, we had nothing but favorable experience. Our experience with service on R has been uniformly outstanding with the exception of one grumpy butler and occasional slow service in Dining Rooms. A slight edge to O on service. One pleasant surprise was an invitation to all those in OS and VS (20 folks) to a private Cocktail party followed by a six course dinner in an area arranged for privacy on the pool deck. Those O repeaters indicated that this was new.

 

Dining Venues – O has a number of dining choices which parallel those available on R. There are 2 specialty restaurants, a main dining room, a pool deck grill and a buffet which is open for breakfast and lunch. Obviously, personal taste is dominant here, but we rated the two O specialty restaurants, Polo Grill (beef and seafood) and Toscana (Italian) as vastly superior to Latitudes, and Signatures on R. We never cared very much for the Latitudes menu – I think that we went there just once. Since we often have dinner in the suite, we were surprised that we could order from the Specialty restaurant menus as well as the main dining room. Another key difference in all restaurants on O is the number and placement of “two top” tables – there are many and there are lots with window locations. One other difference is the dedication of the buffet restaurant (Terrace) on O to an informal evening buffet. We went there often. A negative? The terrace did become quite crowded at lunch time. However, our preferences favor O on dining venues by a significant margin.

 

Food – Uh oh! As previously indicated, our day is not ruined if the piquancy of the Béarnaise is not properly calibrated! The food on both lines is outstanding with a very slight edge to R.

 

The “nickel and diming” debate – A key difference between the two lines is the all inclusive fares on R and the added charges on O. Having to get out the card to charge almost everything on O is a royal pain and, in my opinion, demolishes the warmth and hospitality which O is quite good at creating. We don’t go to lounges, but do like a drink (or two) in the suite before dinner. R always had Wild Turkey in the suite bar on arrival and replaced it when required – even on the Paul Gaugin in French Polynesia! On this cruise, we restocked the bar at port stops – O had no problem with this. Gratuities are automatically added to the bill, although our TA had this waived on the first leg. Outstanding service merited an addition to the standard gratuity amount. We discovered that OS folks did not have to pay for bottled water. The all inclusive concept is a defining difference between the two lines. Clearly, one pays dearly for the all inclusive fares on R. Drinking the difference in cost between the two would require immediate admission to rehab at the conclusion of the cruise assuming that one survived the cruise! So, pay your money and make your choice!

 

Dumbest thing we did – O ships have “Cabanas”. There are 8 of them, top forward, which give a private space with a forward view. These are somewhat controversial because they block off this area from other passengers. Since our cabin was in the stern, we rented one of these for the cruise to give us a forward view – big mistake - $1250 for 47 minutes of occupancy. Oh well, live and learn!

 

CCC VS. Black tie – R has the traditional dress code array of formal, informal and CCC, while O is CCC throughout the ship. I did the Black Tie thing enough when I was working for a living and view hauling the tux and associated accoutrements as an inconvenience and a bit of an anachronism. We saw no cases of abuse of the dress code and, in fact, saw more jackets at dinner than we expected. I’m with O on this one.

 

Shore excursions – O has been criticized for expensive and poorly planned excursions. This is a valid criticism. We went on the O Iguacu excursion out of BA – it was expensive and was a bit of a mob scene – the Falls were breathtaking, but for $ 2600 for two for one overnight and be put in a room with no falls view was disappointing. R gets the nod on this one.

 

Miscellany – I can’t understand the popularity of art auctions on cruise ships – both R and O do these along with most lines. I guess that some folks really like these.

 

We don’t do shows because our taste in the performing arts leans to ballet, classical music, opera and Broadway. O had a string quartet that played in a venue not intended to be background music, but truly listened to. It was not the Guaneri or the Tokyo, but was very good. Kudos to O for providing this.

 

Shipboard activities were the usual games, lectures, afternoon tea (we didn’t get to this) dancing etc. No major differences here.

 

Many of the rooms on O are quite small and not all have outside decks. One must book a Penthouse suite on O to get close to the “basic” suite on R. We would only cruise O in OS or VS, and it is difficult to confirm these suites. A $1000 deposit can tie up a suite for a year until final payment is due, so these suites get bought up in nanoseconds after schedules are published. I would suggest that O increase the deposit and cancellation penalties to insure a higher level of commitment to the initial reservation.

 

The fellow passengers on O were, with few exceptions, delightful folks. There were many repeats among the complement, and because of the lower fares the group was more diverse than is the case on R. A large number of Brits and Canadians on this cruise.

 

Bottom line – In terms of value received for the dollar, R gets knocked out of the ring! (Please refer to my fare comparison on this site) Will we desert R and defect to O? No. One reason is the unavailability of the limited suites on O that we would book and we really like the all inclusive concept. But, if we could be assured of getting an OS or VS and be able to somehow pay a supplement which would destroy the charge card……..???

 

Some of the more recent changes on R dress code bring it closer to O - a positive change IMO

[WesW]

Ted, thanks again for the excellent/detailed comparison. What's your next travel adventure? Cruise?..are ya'll still diving? How about Marina--have u booked yet?...we have two Marina TA's booked for 2011...best, Wes

[hrprof]

Great to hear from you, Colonel! Iit's clear that your retirement is active and satisfying!

 

I am hoping that Oceania will replicate their 35 day Istanbul to Capetown cruise in 2011. We were booked on it in the fall of 2010 but cancelled because it came too close to, an already booked, 5 week B2B on National Geographic Explorer beginning with a pre-cruise in Moscow and cruising from St P to Lisbon. It would be doubly exciting if the Marina were to do that west Africa itin next year.

 

Yep, still blowing bubbles! Tapering off a bit - tanks seem to be getting heavier every year. Did get back to French Polynesia and Fiji last fall on Regent PG.

 

One way or another, we will be returning to Africa next year!

 

Ted

[jpalbny]

We found the OS on O to be more than adequate. We were on deck six at the stern

 

One pleasant surprise was an invitation to all those in OS and VS (20 folks) to a private Cocktail party followed by a six course dinner in an area arranged for privacy on the pool deck. Those O repeaters indicated that this was new.

 

Having to get out the card to charge almost everything on O is a royal pain and, in my opinion, demolishes the warmth and hospitality which O is quite good at creating.

 

Just a few comments on your very interesting and comprehensive review - thanks!

 

We've been in the starboard OS on Deck 6 (6091) on all 3 O ships... Love it! Our favorite accommodations on any cruise.

 

Not sure when you wrote the review, but I think they started doing the private dining party in early 2008. We have considered it one of the highlights of our trip on each occasion that we've been lucky enough to experience it.

 

I think I saw on another thread that O has recently eliminated the art auctions.

 

Unfortunately after cruising SS, we're having a hard time going back to O because of the point you bring up above... It's SO nice to not have to charge everything! We'll see how we feel after a few more SS cruises, but I am sure I'll be back on O at some point. They are certainly in our top 2.

[hrprof]

JP

 

Yes, the cruise described was in Feb-March of '08 - so that was the beginning of that tradition. I'm delighted that it continues. We haven't cruised O since then largely because of the difficulty in reserving the space that we like. We are encouraged by the larger selection on Marina. We have only sailed SS once (Whisper) and were very pleased with the experience. In addition to the relaxation of the dress code on R, the revision of their dining venues seem to bring it closer to the O model. I rejoice at the demolition of the art auctions!

[ECURB1994]

Starting with the European sailings this month the sodas are now included.

Yes I like their policy of allowing alcohol/wine for cabin use.

 

Can one purchase alcohol at the airport then bring on board ship ?

[StanandJim]

Can one purchase alcohol at the airport then bring on board ship

 

Of course you can. Oceania does not restrict alcohol as long as it is for personal use.

 

If you are asking if you can buy duty free alcohol before your cruise, that depends on the circumstances of where you are coming from and from where you are sailing.

[Benita]

It seems that many people prefer Regent, because of its all inclusive pricing. We would love to try Regent, but have not, for the same reason. We are not alcohol drinkers and the extra you need to pay to subsidize the alcohol for everybody else puts it out of our comfort zone, as far as costs. Oceania also has more entry level pricing - granted the cabins that are not suites are very small, but still comfortable enough that we stay with it.

Somebody wrote that they want to sail O as an all inclusive - I guess I just want to try Regent, as a pay as you go. That is the big thing that separates the two lines, from what I gather, so, since they have the same owner, it is probably better for them to have two totally different products, so they don't compete as much with each other.

[VIRGINIA ARTIE]

My DH and I switched from Regent to Oceania because we don't drink and didn't make use of all the excursions. It's great that we have an opportunity to choose between two distinct products. We like to pay only for what is important to us.

[gillianrose]

My DH and I switched from Regent to Oceania because we don't drink and didn't make use of all the excursions. It's great that we have an opportunity to choose between two distinct products. We like to pay only for what is important to us.

 

I understand. I especially dislike it when a cruise line adds "KIDS SAIL FREE" and I have to pay for someone else's food!

 

Does Oceania do that? More importantly, do you think Oceania WILL do that for next summer's Alaska sailings? Regent does it or did it during their Alaska season and to very negative result, from what I have read. Dining rooms were very full and staff was overwhelmed.

 

I am looking into several Alaska summer sailings for next year, and I think it may be wise to book several, then drop whichever line adds that promotion for their summer sailings. (Notice I have intentionally inserted the word "summer" in my post so that someone does not come along and reply with the standard "avoid summer and holidays to avoid kids". I enjoy kids in smaller numbers just fine, but I do not want to subsidize them or to have them in large numbers on my cruise.)