Value--Oceania and HAL

[Druke I]

She was built for Royal Viking, later went to Seabourn, then to HAL.

[JimandStan]

She was built for Royal Viking, later went to Seabourn, then to HAL.

 

True, and Wripro is right, Royal Viking was an out of this world experience. They spared no expense for anything.

 

When they could no longer afford to run the company in the Grand Manner, they sold off the ships and called it a day.

 

That kind of "all or nothing" attitude has a romance about it, but I still miss them :mad:

[wripro]

I agree. And even as much I as I love Seabourn when the Royal Viking Sun became the Seabourn Sun it didn't work. The ship did not fit the company's way of doing things. However when the Royal Viking Queen became the Seabourn Legend it was a perfect fit because she was a carbon copy of the two previous intimate ships (Pride and Spirit.)

 

Royal Viking was truly a pioneer in luxury cruising but hey, I can't wait to get on the Marina.

[gillianrose]

I agree. All it would take to make O perfect is to eliminate smoking completely!:)

 

I have to admit that I am concerned about the deck smoking area on Oceania. I guess we will have to see once we are onboard, but I don't want to smell any cigar smoke whatsoever, anywhere, anytime.

[LHT28]

I have to admit that I am concerned about the deck smoking area on Oceania. I guess we will have to see once we are onboard, but I don't want to smell any cigar smoke whatsoever, anywhere, anytime.

 

It is very easy to avoid the smoking areas just go in the other doors away from the smoking area

[hondorner]

I have to admit that I am concerned about the deck smoking area on Oceania. I guess we will have to see once we are onboard, but I don't want to smell any cigar smoke whatsoever, anywhere, anytime.

Nobody is more obnoxious about smokers than Betsy. We have been in an outdoor high school football stadium, and she can tell when someone lights up on the visitor side :eek:. We have forgotten (once) and entered Horizons Lounge on the Port side; enter on the Starboard side and even Betsy cannot detect it. Same with the pool deck, but it's the opposite side -- go out the forward Port door and you'll be fine, the smokers are in the forward corner of the Starboard side.

 

There is no smoking anywhere else on the ship, and no cigar smoking at the single inside spot, only in that corner of the pool deck. If you detect cigar or cigarette smoke anywhere else on the ship; inform an officer immediately. Smoking infractions get one warning, after that they are put ashore at the next port. This is a no fooling smoking policy.

[dlb237]

It is very easy to avoid the smoking areas just go in the other doors away from the smoking area

 

That's certainly true for the outdoor smoking area by the pool, but Horizons (forward lounge, deck 10) can be a different matter. During the day, it's generally fine, but in the evenings, the entire lounge can get contaminated, making it pointless to go there after the show ...

 

... or at least that was our experience on three Caribbean cruises on Regatta. Our recent experience on Insignia's transatlantic was much better - Horizons was ok most evenings as long as one stayed away from the corner in which smoking is allowed (port side, rear corner).

 

FYI,

--David

[jamesm]

I've been on both Holiday American and Oceania. Food is much, much better on Oceania and the smaller ships are much appreciated compared to the larger HAL ships. For the money though, HAL is a good line.

[hondorner]

but in the evenings, the entire lounge can get contaminated, making it pointless to go there after the show ...

Your experience is wider than mine, because I never made it to Horizons in the evening -- we always go to the show straight from dinner, and then to our cabin straight from the show... :rolleyes:

[gillianrose]

Nobody is more obnoxious about smokers than Betsy. We have been in an outdoor high school football stadium, and she can tell when someone lights up on the visitor side :eek:. We have forgotten (once) and entered Horizons Lounge on the Port side; enter on the Starboard side and even Betsy cannot detect it. Same with the pool deck, but it's the opposite side -- go out the forward Port door and you'll be fine, the smokers are in the forward corner of the Starboard side.

 

There is no smoking anywhere else on the ship, and no cigar smoking at the single inside spot, only in that corner of the pool deck. If you detect cigar or cigarette smoke anywhere else on the ship; inform an officer immediately. Smoking infractions get one warning, after that they are put ashore at the next port. This is a no fooling smoking policy.

 

Thanks, and I am still concerned about the odor on deck caused by anyone who smokes cigars there.

 

It would be so great if either cigar smoking were totally eliminated on the ships or if they could enclose that outdoor area so that no cigar smoke could escape it.

 

Really, wouldn't the vast majority of Oceania cruisers prefer not to ever have to smell cigars?

[Druke I]

Perhaps because 5 generations of my family were tobacconists (I broke the liineage), I find the aroma of a cigar not unpleasant.

 

That said, I do not smoke them, and have not smoked cigarettes for 21 years.

 

I think Oceania's restrictive smoking policies work very well, and I have not noticed any overpowering tobacco odors on an Oceania ship.

[yorkiemomjn]

That's certainly true for the outdoor smoking area by the pool, but Horizons (forward lounge, deck 10) can be a different matter. During the day, it's generally fine, but in the evenings, the entire lounge can get contaminated, making it pointless to go there after the show ...

 

... or at least that was our experience on three Caribbean cruises on Regatta. Our recent experience on Insignia's transatlantic was much better - Horizons was ok most evenings as long as one stayed away from the corner in which smoking is allowed (port side, rear corner).

 

FYI,

--David

 

This was also our experience on the Regatta in April. We had some bad weather and I guess more smokers were inside in Horizons. We went up there one evening after the show and we could smell the smoke as we were going up the stairs (before we even reached the top:eek:, sounds like I'm like Betsy in that way:)), so we just turned around and went back to our room. The smoking area outside was easy to avoid, but not so in Horizons (at least on our cruise).

[vaitape]

This was also our experience on the Regatta in April. We had some bad weather and I guess more smokers were inside in Horizons. We went up there one evening after the show and we could smell the smoke as we were going up the stairs (before we even reached the top:eek:, sounds like I'm like Betsy in that way:)), so we just turned around and went back to our room. The smoking area outside was easy to avoid, but not so in Horizons (at least on our cruise).

We were on Nautica for 39 days in March/April and found the smoke odor awful in Horizons most every evening we were there. Stopped going after awhile, truthfully. Also, we were forward, starboard on Deck 7 and could smell the odor from the outside pool deck area in the corridor outside our cabin....must have drifted down the stairway. AND in the fitness room...crazy that the smoking area is located so close. Every time the outside door opened, another waft of foul smelling odor came along. Yes, we did make note on our comment cards. O can't please all the people all the time but it sure would be nice if the smoking areas were more isolated.

 

With HAL's current smoking policy, we doubt we will sail on her.

[yorkiemomjn]

We were on Nautica for 39 days in March/April and found the smoke odor awful in Horizons most every evening we were there. Stopped going after awhile, truthfully. Also, we were forward, starboard on Deck 7 and could smell the odor from the outside pool deck area in the corridor outside our cabin....must have drifted down the stairway. AND in the fitness room...crazy that the smoking area is located so close. Every time the outside door opened, another waft of foul smelling odor came along. Yes, we did make note on our comment cards. O can't please all the people all the time but it sure would be nice if the smoking areas were more isolated.

 

With HAL's current smoking policy, we doubt we will sail on her.

 

We also made note of it on our comment cards. Actually, that was the only negative thing we had to say about the entire cruise. It would be interesting to know the numbers. It seems the large majority have to endure this because of a very few. It is more than just being an unpleasant odor, it is a health issue. We never go to restaurants that allow smoking.

[Rotterdam]

I have sailed on over 50 cruises / crossings since the early 1970's and have seen the ups & downs of the cruise industry over the years......the last couple of years its been harder to find quality onboard & so we started to search other lines...Oceania & Seaboun are next up.

 

We sailed Azamara Journey in January 16 day Panama Canal..we looked at Oceania for a different cruise.....the ships are the same size & were wonderful....no crowding, open seating is great, country club casual met our comfort level( we do alot of black tie here in NYC).

 

The food service & condition of the ship were about a 3.5 out of 5. But with the new pricing we will not be back. We would choose Oceania or Seabourn instead .

 

I sailed on HAL Prinsemdam a couple of years ago & it was like a private club...the ship was showing its age back then & the additional cabins installed by HAL on the aft deck were pretty shoddy.....the 2 seatings for dinner and dress code was fine for the 14 day Trans atlantic crossing...over all a 3 out of 5. After a NOORDAM carib cruise 2 years ago we will not be back to HAL.....disaster does not begin to describe that cruise.

 

We also recently did a 13 day carib / Panama on the Queen Mary 2.....I have to say the & service surpassed both HAL & Azamara...the ship is huge but plenty of space...

 

So now we are looking at Seabourn & Oceania...the smaller ship & country club casual is wonderful...a newer small ship w/ great service & food is what we are after....

 

Good luck on your choice & special occasion!!!

 

 

I agree completely. Prinsendam is an Oceania-like experience on a HAL-ship. It tends to sail longer, port-intensive itineraries and attracts a passenger demographic very similar to Oceania -- even younger if you can believe that, given HAL's now undeserved reputation as the cruise line of choice for the 80-somethings. The ship itself is absolutely beautiful. Because the kitchen is cooking for far fewer people than on the megaships, the food is of comparable quality to Oceania.

 

However, we were on the Prinsendam before it went into drydock and had some structural changes -- including adding rooms to the back of the ship. I do not know how that has affected the experience, if at all, but I am glad we got to experience that lovely ship when we did.

 

Prinsendam sails my dream itinerary: round-trip FLL circumnavigating South America, including several days in Antarctica. The ship is old by today's standards (1988?) but I hope it is still sailing that route when we are retired and can (hopefully) afford to take it.

[LHT28]

I think it depends on the number of smokers on each cruise on one cruise we sat on the port side of Horizons along the side & we did get the smoke smell most other cruises not much

It would be nice if they enclosed that area & had the smoke vented better to the outside but then again people in the cabins below would probably get it.

I just avoid the areas & like Don we do not go there in the evenings

 

Lyn

[JBVols]

We have never smelled smoke on any O ship other than in the designated places. This was also true on our recent A cruise.

[yorkiemomjn]

I think it depends on the number of smokers on each cruise on one cruise we sat on the port side of Horizons along the side & we did get the smoke smell most other cruises not much

It would be nice if they enclosed that area & had the smoke vented better to the outside but then again people in the cabins below would probably get it.

I just avoid the areas & like Don we do not go there in the evenings

 

Lyn

It would be wonderful if the new Marina could be smoke free, or at the very least enclosed with a separate ventilation system, as you said.:D

It's a shame they feel the need to accommodate such a small number of people.:(

I'll shut up and get off my soapbox now.:)

[JimandStan]

It would be wonderful if the new Marina could be smoke free, or at the very least enclosed with a separate ventilation system, as you said.:D

 

It's a shame they feel the need to accommodate such a small number of people.:(

 

I'll shut up and get off my soapbox now.:)

 

If you look at the deck plans for deck 15 on the Marina, you'll notice that the service pantry for the bar forms a barrier between the port side smoking area and the rest of the room. Only the narrow area where the bar starts is open to the rest of the room.

[caribbeansun]

So as long as you don't want to sit at the bar or use the men's facilities then there's no issue.

 

Smoking indoors has become very foreign to us with the ban on smoking here having been implemented many years ago. We've never noticed smoke on board however we haven't visited Horizons very often.

 

I don't fully understand the logic of not having all smoking areas outdoors - if people are willing to stand outside in a raging blizzard in -30 degree weather I can't imagine it being an issue on board.

 

If you look at the deck plans for deck 15 on the Marina, you'll notice that the service pantry for the bar forms a barrier between the port side smoking area and the rest of the room. Only the narrow area where the bar starts is open to the rest of the room.

[wripro]

This thread has turned from Value on O vs HAL to another smoking thread. Enough already!

[winegirl]

I am hoping for a good experience on our first Oceania cruise. We were somewhat reluctant given the number of passengers carried. Our favorite cruise line is Windstar with 150 passengers, so the increase passenger count on Oceania is a concern to us. However, I anticipate a great cruise due to the many complimentary comments on the message boards.

 

We did sail the inside passage on HAL Westerdam (a Vista ship.) We did that on the recommendation of seasoned cruisers. The ship was very nice, we had a suite type room with a big balcony, which we never used because it was too cold and wet out there. Had a full bath with a tub, lots of storage, etc. Food was pretty good, except in the Lido restaurant, which we felt was cafeteria quality. Tablemates (we had assigned tables) were congenial. However, that ship carried close to 2,000 people and we felt the overall atmosphere was kind of cold and mass market. No personalized attention, no warmth on the part of the staff, seemed like they were just herding passengers around. We don't care about after dinner entertainment, but if you do, this line has some. The number of passengers overwhelmed the ports of call, and made it seem like a stop at the shopping mall, rather than a cultural experience.

The size and method of operation just left us cold and we will never sail on a ship that size. Even Oceania Marina is too big for our taste, which is unfortunate since they have some itineraries we'd enjoy. But we would not enjoy a ship that big, never again.

[esther e]

I am hoping for a good experience on our first Oceania cruise. We were somewhat reluctant given the number of passengers carried. Our favorite cruise line is Windstar with 150 passengers, so the increase passenger count on Oceania is a concern to us. However, I anticipate a great cruise due to the many complimentary comments on the message boards.

 

We did sail the inside passage on HAL Westerdam (a Vista ship.) We did that on the recommendation of seasoned cruisers. The ship was very nice, we had a suite type room with a big balcony, which we never used because it was too cold and wet out there. Had a full bath with a tub, lots of storage, etc. Food was pretty good, except in the Lido restaurant, which we felt was cafeteria quality. Tablemates (we had assigned tables) were congenial. However, that ship carried close to 2,000 people and we felt the overall atmosphere was kind of cold and mass market. No personalized attention, no warmth on the part of the staff, seemed like they were just herding passengers around. We don't care about after dinner entertainment, but if you do, this line has some. The number of passengers overwhelmed the ports of call, and made it seem like a stop at the shopping mall, rather than a cultural experience.

The size and method of operation just left us cold and we will never sail on a ship that size. Even Oceania Marina is too big for our taste, which is unfortunate since they have some itineraries we'd enjoy. But we would not enjoy a ship that big, never again.

 

Gee, I guess that means you won't consider the Oasis of the Seas?:p

[writer100]

We've never sailed Oceania, but thought about it mostly because the line seems to get such (almost) uniformly high praise. But--of course, there is a but-- to us the O really seems like The Big O. Our cruise experience is, in chronological order: Regent Navigator (450 pax); Seabourn Odyssey (460 pax) and Seabourn Legend (210 pax.) Next up is Seabourn Sojourn, 460 pax.) The difference between Legend and Odyssey/Sojourn is huge. Not just the mathematical number, but the conversion to atmosphere, on board spirit, attention to passengers, and so on. Yes, the bigger ships offer more diversions. But...And O does appeal, with its restricted smoking policy and informal dress code. Now, if they could offer a ship with, say, 200 passengers...

[frqttrvlr09]

For what it's worth, the Prinsendam docked in Anchorage, Alaska (where I live) yesterday (first cruise ship to dock here in 22 years) and it is beautiful from the outside. It was such a huge deal (and a gorgeous day) that the news stations were interviewing passengers as they came off and all over downtown. In addition to raving about the beauty of their cruise up (it is an unusually long 2 week trip, we have had very sunny weather this spring in Alaska, and the ship will be back here as part of its itinerary) they also raved about the ship/cruise.