Oceania- NEVER AGAIN !!!

[hondorner]

I really tried to keep out of this but sorry PaulChill I think your comments are unnacceptable. To even suggest that IF the OP had booked a better cabin would have resulted in better treatment. Nobody should test anyone elses pocket and that is really not the hub of the complaints.

 

I have had a Butler on all my Cruises and have found them often to be unhelpful......no need for any comments......just stating my view. I have found that the best way is to speak to the Maitre d' and the problem is solved as best as he can do.

 

We are back on O in a few weeks after a 3 year absence and will see for ourselves and form our own views and report back as usual.

 

I have always found that on any review site, if you discount the very best and very worst reviews you will get a fair overall picture. It is interesting that ALL the longest threads are when a new Poster dares to criticise any Line.

 

Brian

The OP had very plainly stated he paid the price for a penthouse, and therefore had a butler. One of his horrible experiences was that he might have to run upstairs at some point in the morning (and even there, he exaggerated, something about 7:30 AM), when even the worst butler on the ship would have performed that simple duty for him -- unless he is a jerk in person.

 

He said, "for the price I paid..." -- a simple case of misguided entitlement. I don't consider it an afront on my dignity, or too much effort, to drop by the maitre 'd, and I have gotten extra reservations on every sailing,including when I was in an ocean view cabin.

 

But, if, like I imagine from the example set here, he marched up and demanded extra reservations because of the price he paid, can we guess the response?

[cruisingallthe time]

"have your butler get the reservations for you". Now that's a good one. Do you really think we would not have known that ? Of course we tried to get the reservations through our butler. No luck. They check on the computer to see how many times your cabin has eaten in those restaurants and then decide whether to allow you to eat in there again. Try it.... you'll see. This is the very first question they ask when you call for a reservation "What is your cabin number ?". Why do you think they ask that BEFORE checking availability.

 

As for my comments on the MDR- did any of you ever ask for a table for two ? They absolutely do offer tables for two in the MDR. They are lined up in a line of roughly 4 or 5 tables for two, with 3 inches between each table. Is it possible that some passengers may be celebtarting a special occassion and want a bit of privacy ? Is it possible that some passengers

prfer to dine just with their spouse and not 3 inches away from the other "tables for two " ? Be sure of this- We DID do our homework and are keenly aware of what was offered on Oceania. We just had no idea how awful and unprofessional the entertainment really was .

 

Enough said. I think that a few of the posters hit the nail right on the head. A poster- whether a first time, or a 100th time poster, will be criticized if their opinion doesn't match that of others. It's an opinion folks. It was observation folks. It came from cruisers with diverse experiences on several other lines . And yes- it's a small ship- as is Crystal and Regent and Seabourn and numerous others, but for $1000 a day I feel that people are entitled to a lot more than they get on O. Sorry for the negative opinion but that's just the way it was. And- yes- we do like other lines much better and will be returning to them after now having tried O.

 

PS- If anyone can tell me how to post an image on this site I will be happy to post a picture of O's "Senior Prom Night".

 

Have a happy day y'all. :)

[cruisingallthe time]

FYI- There was no demanding and there was no marching- Why would you even insinuate that ? Let's not make silly statements just to make our posts sound better. We climbed/marched/went - chose the word you like best- the stairs to the buffet and waited at the little desk to request additional bookings with little success. We also asked out butler with little success because he ALSO has to request by cabin number. We also requested from the front desk, with little success. I really think you are all missing the point. For $1000 a day (which is a lot of money to me- and maybe not you some of you) I just expect better than that. This is not a low budget cruise line, but "we" found- maybe not you- their offering to be a lot less than $1000 a day in value. I don't want to have to "beg" for a restaurant reservation. At that kind of cost I expect better - which is exactly waht we have had on a number of other cruise lines. I hope that you now understand what I have been trying to say.

[burm]

FYI- There was no demanding and there was no marching- Why would you even insinuate that ? Let's not make silly statements just to make our posts sound better. We climbed/marched/went - chose the word you like best- the stairs to the buffet and waited at the little desk to request additional bookings with little success. We also asked out butler with little success because he ALSO has to request by cabin number. We also requested from the front desk, with little success. I really think you are all missing the point. For $1000 a day (which is a lot of money to me- and maybe not you some of you) I just expect better than that. This is not a low budget cruise line, but "we" found- maybe not you- their offering to be a lot less than $1000 a day in value. I don't want to have to "beg" for a restaurant reservation. At that kind of cost I expect better - which is exactly waht we have had on a number of other cruise lines. I hope that you now understand what I have been trying to say.

 

 

 

Since you value your privacy and had a beautiful PH suite, why didn't you have the restaurant deliver to your balcony? The butler would have served it course by course and you would have had the most private, romantic setting imaginable. I do not mean to attack you in asking this, but it seems to me that this would be the perfect solution for you. It would have been the ideal way of supplementing your "limit".

[TERRIER1]

cruisingallthe time - I have read the thread with much interest. Everyone experiences and interprets a situation differently and that is what makes the world go round. We only started cruising two years ago and that was on Oceania. We enjoyed our time so much we have been back several times. Other cruise lines do not offer what we want in a cruise experience so we stick with Oceania. I must admit we did not have any of the issues you had nor did we stay in a PH.

 

However, I am curious about your more enjoyable cruises - what cruise lines have you sailed with and what did they had to offer that you preferred over Oceania. Thanks.

[caribbeansun]

Sorry but you continue to post inaccurate information - we've almost always dined at tables for 2, yes there are some that are very close to one another but there are also others in other areas of the GDR that are not in a row.

 

If it was a special occasion and you were in a penthouse and you had a butler and specialty dining was so important to you and you hated the GDR noise and proximity to other diners - why the heck didn't you eat in your stateroom ordering from the specialty restaurant menus?

 

 

As for my comments on the MDR- did any of you ever ask for a table for two ? They absolutely do offer tables for two in the MDR. They are lined up in a line of roughly 4 or 5 tables for two, with 3 inches between each table. Is it possible that some passengers may be celebtarting a special occassion and want a bit of privacy ? Is it possible that some passengers prefer to dine just with their spouse and not 3 inches away from the other "tables for two " ?

 

Apparently not since most of the issues you've raised have been discussed here at length.

 

Be sure of this- We DID do our homework and are keenly aware of what was offered on Oceania.

 

Click the "insert image" icon

 

PS- If anyone can tell me how to post an image on this site I will be happy to post a picture of O's "Senior Prom Night".

[burm]

If it was a special occasion and you were in a penthouse and you had a butler and specialty dining was so important to you and you hated the GDR noise and proximity to other diners - why the heck didn't you eat in your stateroom ordering from the specialty restaurant menus?

 

You and I posted the same comment at the exact same time. :D

 

We will probably never have a PH suite but we often grab a plate of food from the buffet and enjoy eating it on our balcony. If we could order from the Polo Grill we would probably never leave our room. :p Well, at least on the first cruise we had the opportunity to experience such luxury. Most days we love the camaraderie of the dining room.

[Paulchili]

I really tried to keep out of this but sorry PaulChill I think your comments are unnacceptable. To even suggest that IF the OP had booked a better cabin would have resulted in better treatment. Nobody should test anyone elses pocket and that is really not the hub of the complaints.

 

Brian

 

Brian,

You need to read the posts more carefully :)

I did not suggest that the OP book a PH - HE DID have a PH;

Quote from his post above;

My complaint was that paying the price of a penthouse (close to $1000 a day for two people) we did not appreciate being restricted to how often we could eat there instead of the main dining room. If you read their brochure, it clearly states that a PH catagory will have a MINIMUM - repeat- MINIMUM, or 4 times in those restaurants. Instead, it turned out to be a MAXIMUM.

Cheers,

Paul

[cruisingallthe time]

1. To Burm- We really don't enjoy eating dinner in our bedroom (cabin) and much prefer to eat in a dining room/restaurant. I find we spen enough time in the cabin and prfer not to have our dinner in there.

 

2. To Terrier1 - First- we are terrier lovers ourselves. Had a wheaton terrier for years. So cute. Now-- to answer-- we have been on Crystal a few times (as well as many others such as Celebrity, RCCL, and all the others). On cruises that are overseas such as the med, the baltic, or others, Cruystal usually provides a shuttle service to take people in and back from town. It really works great. People can say what they wish, but it's really the same as a tender service except by coach. Other ships oftenm provide the same service. On our O cruise, we had 10 stops and they didn't provide one single shuttle except for ONE stop in which the loacl TOWN paid for and provided the complimentary shuttle service. There were a few elderly people that we saw in town having a hard time getting a cab back so we found a large taxi and took some of these folks back with us. They were very thankful and told us that they felt stranded and were worried about getting back to the ship.

[wripro]

Crystal is a luxury line and you pay for that shuttle in the price of your ticket.

 

imo enough has been said here. The bottom line is that no matter what the issue you have to examine the ratio of good to bad reviews. There is nothing that is perfect and someone will always disapprove. However if the majority of opinions are positive it's a sign that the product is pretty good.

[StanandJim]

People can say what they wish, but it's really the same as a tender service except by coach. Other ships oftenm provide the same service. On our O cruise, we had 10 stops and they didn't provide one single shuttle except for ONE stop in which the loacl TOWN paid for and provided the complimentary shuttle service. There were a few elderly people that we saw in town having a hard time getting a cab back so we found a large taxi and took some of these folks back with us. They were very thankful and told us that they felt stranded and were worried about getting back to the ship.

 

Yes, and why don't they feed you ashore as well as on the ship? Passengers get hungry on land as well as at sea, don't they?

 

Perhaps Oceania could hire out a restaurant at each port of call and have the "free transfer busses" stop there at lunch time?

 

And while we are at it, what about those passengers who want to go somewhere out of the ordinary? A fleet of Taxi's really should be provided to take them elsewhere.

 

A full staff of Porters will be required to carry those passengers who chose not to walk around the local sites, or, alternatively to carry their bags, umbrellas and purchases.

 

Masseuses must be provided on the Promenade deck to apply sunscreen to outbound passengers, and to give complimentary foot massage to returning passengers.

[juli2020]

Yes, and why don't they feed you ashore as well as on the ship? Passengers get hungry on land as well as at sea, don't they?

 

Perhaps Oceania could hire out a restaurant at each port of call and have the "free transfer busses" stop there at lunch time?

 

And while we are at it, what about those passengers who want to go somewhere out of the ordinary? A fleet of Taxi's really should be provided to take them elsewhere.

 

A full staff of Porters will be required to carry those passengers who chose not to walk around the local sites, or, alternatively to carry their bags, umbrellas and purchases.

 

Masseuses must be provided on the Promenade deck to apply sunscreen to outbound passengers, and to give complimentary foot massage to returning passengers.

 

 

I have been on other lines that either provide a free shuttle or charge for a shuttle into town.

This poster has every right to come on this board and give his account of his experience. This might not be your experience...but why do you and others seem to have the need to attack, be rude or sarcastic to this poster because he did not have a good experience on Oceania?!

[orchestrapal]

Yes, and why don't they feed you ashore as well as on the ship? Passengers get hungry on land as well as at sea, don't they?

 

Perhaps Oceania could hire out a restaurant at each port of call and have the "free transfer busses" stop there at lunch time?

 

And while we are at it, what about those passengers who want to go somewhere out of the ordinary? A fleet of Taxi's really should be provided to take them elsewhere.

 

A full staff of Porters will be required to carry those passengers who chose not to walk around the local sites, or, alternatively to carry their bags, umbrellas and purchases.

 

Masseuses must be provided on the Promenade deck to apply sunscreen to outbound passengers, and to give complimentary foot massage to returning passengers.

 

Stan and Jim: Right on as usual and well said too!:)

[A Knitter]

I don't know the author of this quote but..........

 

"Some people will be unhappy if you hung them with a new rope"

 

 

Cruising is an experience. There are lessons to be learned from each trip, cruise critic blogs to review before leaving. Most of us would not buy a car or a house without doing research before. With this computer age, you can find out anything about everything. I have been on a great many of cruises and honestly I have enjoyed them all. A few bumps in the road but I still enjoyed them. Egads!!! Life is too short as I have experienced in my career and of life in general.

[cruisingallthe time]

You are one of the very few posters that actually gets it. I have always thought that in America, if you express your opinion in an open dialogue or review site such as this, that it would be respected as such, and not immediately attacked just becasue someone doesn't agree with your findings or opinions. For example the post by StanandJim is one such example. They have nothing to say other than being sarcastic and rude to someone who posted something just because they disagree with the poster's comments. Frankly, I find their post to be the most offensive and childlike post on this site. For their information, Crystal is not really much different in pricing than is Oceania. Crystal includes in their pricing several shipboard allowances so when you calculate it out, they are really not much different. However, they do provide complimentary shuttles into each town if not in walking distance, and do permit you to select where you would like to eat- including the specialty restaurants- at all times, and do charge half the O price for the use of the internet. There is no dining restriction and furthermore, you can always order special meals for the next evening in advance should you wish to do so. We were not permitted to do this on O. And- Yes- they do charge something like $20 or $30 to use the speciality restaurants, but when you're paying close to $1000 a day for the cruise, I guess another $20 or $30 isn't really very much to pay for having your choice of any specialty restaurant at any time, is it ?

 

Again- thank you for your post and your courtesy. A few posters on this site can learn from you.

[cruzmaven]

Crystal is not really much different in pricing than is Oceania. Crystal includes in their pricing several shipboard allowances so when you calculate it out, they are really not much different. However, they do provide complimentary shuttles into each town if not in walking distance, and do permit you to select where you would like to eat- including the specialty restaurants- at all times

 

I have my first Crystal cruise coming up next month. I'm excited to hear they let you eat in the specialty restaurants "at all times". So far, they've limited advance reservations to one night in each restaurant. (Sounds kinda like Oceania). So based on your observations I'm expecting to pay my $20.00 extra each night and dine in the specialty restaurants every night, any time I choose. We'll see how that works out. Thanks for the tip.

 

I'm aware that Crystal does provide shuttles in port (as I've done some pre-cruise research). This is a nice perk. On my O cruises, though, I can't remember a port where there weren't numerous taxi's available right off the ship if we didn't want to walk into town. I specifically remember in Gdansk, having to walk through a gauntlet of drivers offering rides into town while we were trying to get to public transportation. While in town I was also always able to find cabs to take us back to the ship (as you state you were able to do).

 

BTW, the cost of my 2009 Oceania Baltic cruise was approximately $315.00 per person, per day. The cost of my 2010 Crystal British Isles cruise (comparable cabins) is about $515.00 per person per day, allowing for air fare credits and OBC's, etc. Granted, rates were a bit lower last year but I'm not factoring in that in order to use our $2,000.00 Crystal OBC's we're taking some overpriced ship excursions we would normally do on our own for less money so I think it balances out. For a $400.00 per day difference for the two of us, we can find our own transportation into town and pay $2.00 per load for laundry.

 

Nevertheless, as someone who has many more cruises to their credit than I do, I respect your opinions. I'm just not sure why such an experienced traveler such as yourself would choose to complain about issues you were aware of, or shoulda/coulda been aware of, when you booked. (ie, cost of laundry, cost of internet, lack of shuttles, number of guaranteed nights in specialty restaurants, etc.)

 

Some of your other issues (finding fault with the entertainment, close proximity of tables in GDR, lack of flexibility in composition of meals, poor quality of internet, difficulty in obtaining additional nights at the specialty restaurants) I understand are probably not so apparent from O's advertising and on-line information and I agree with you on some of this. So if these issues are deal breakers for you, you have every right to express your dissatisfaction and move to greener pastures. I hope your next cruise is more enjoyable.

[Cruise Junky]

Two lines that previously provided free shuttles (Celebrity and Princess) now charge. This is not unique for Oceania to be doing this. I pay $8 Canadian for nail polish remover. Totally depends on your brand - if you want to use 99cent cheap stuff then by all means do so, but I'm betting Oceania's was a far better brand. That was some rant - WOW :eek:

[hondorner]

FYI- There was no demanding and there was no marching- Why would you even insinuate that ? Let's not make silly statements just to make our posts sound better.

I think most would agree that I was following the example set for me. The fact that you think it was a silly statement is telling.

[Oceans&Rivers]

Crystal includes in their pricing several shipboard allowances so when you calculate it out, they are really not much different. However, they do provide complimentary shuttles into each town if not in walking distance, and do permit you to select where you would like to eat- including the specialty restaurants- at all times, and do charge half the O price for the use of the internet. There is no dining restriction and furthermore, you can always order special meals for the next evening in advance should you wish to do so. We were not permitted to do this on O. And- Yes- they do charge something like $20 or $30 to use the speciality restaurants, but when you're paying close to $1000 a day for the cruise, I guess another $20 or $30 isn't really very much to pay for having your choice of any specialty restaurant at any time, is it ?

 

Crystal provides shuttles when they can, and some ports do not permit cruise ships to do that. Puerto Vallarta comes to mind. When we cruised to the Mexican Riviera on Crystal two years ago, there were no shuttles in Puerto Vallarta, not even a tram to the main gate. Taxis with English speaking drivers were allowed inside the gates, and the charge to go into town was not high. One could also improvise a tour with the guide at a negotiated rate to go to resorts, have a guided tour, etc.; nevertheless, a free shuttle would have been appreciated. There was, however, nothing Crystal could do about it. It is a port rule.

 

The charge to dine in the specialty restaurants on Crystal is $7 per person, which is the gratuity for the specialty dining room staff. (Of course, one can tip higher, but $7 is the suggested amount.)

[BaltiGator]

What saddens me is that one such complaint would cause so much concern in the face of the overwhelming reports that have the opposite. Why choose to "worry" about one overwrought account?

 

A good question, and one I think that has a simple answer.

 

As someone who is very close to booking an Oceania cruise for Sept 2011, I have been reading the Oceania threads with much interest while not posting yet.

 

The phenomenon of this thread - and I think "phenomenon" is a fair word for it - happens from time and time in just about every cruise line section of CC. A relatively new member posts a scathing review. Loyal customers swarm to the line's defense, slashing and hacking away to refute every one of the OP's claims. Some people remain on the sidelines and comment on how these "attacks" shouldn't happen. And along the way a few reasonable people ignore the hyperbole and provide some useful information, though one has to wade through an awful lot of other...stuff...to find it.

 

In most cases the OP paints the problems too broadly, using overly harsh language and often exaggerating details. Perhaps that was also the case here. Why are the first posts in these cases almost always such rants? Maybe it's just the nature of venting, or of wanting to tell a more robust story. Or maybe it's the challenge of reporting a hugely negative experience in the very section of CC where it is most likely to be met with disbelief and denial.

 

But often, many of the rebuttals are just as guilty of excess. Some of the replies in this thread drip with sarcasm, condescension, and overly zealous praise of the line, while offering little compassion. The OP had an unhappy cruise. Hardly the end of the world, to be sure, but still, why not just accept that much at face value? We don't all have to agree about what disappoints us in life. We can still agree that disappointment, well, sucks.

 

Now to your question, Mr. Horner. The reason, I think, that these threads get so much attention and cause so much concern is that there is so little unabashedly negative commentary on CC in the first place. People report all kinds of small annoying/imperfect experiences, the sort of problems that don't usually affect their overall enjoyment of the cruise. But mostly, Cruise Critic is a fine and happy place. As it should be! So when someone comes along to report that their cruise went catastrophically wrong (at least from their own perspective) well that's sort of more interesting, isn't it? It's why people rubberneck as they drive past a car wreck even though they are slowing down traffic. They can't help themselves, they just have to take a peek at the carnage.

 

I want to thank the people in this thread who chose to rise above all the nonsense to make some comments that are useful to someone who has never sailed Oceania. From among those, two issues stand out that I'd appreciate some further discussion about:

 

(1) The dining situation - I fully understand that my opportunities to dine in the specialty restaurants may be limited. I assume Oceania has good reason for such policy - probably to prevent overcrowding. But what about the main dining room? Just how noisy and crowded is it? How long does one typically wait for a table for two at, say, 7:30? How much variety is there on the menu each night, and also from night to night?

 

One of the main reasons we are considering an Oceania cruise is for a significantly better dining experience than on lines like HAL and Celebrity. If we're going to be disappointed in that regard, we'll probably pass.

 

(2) Port shuttles - I don't care if I have to pay for it. I agree with those who say the line should provide shuttles in every port where it's practical to do so and alternative transportation to the places of interest is either costly or not readily available. Oceania can charge whatever it needs in order to fully recoup the costs of reserving, organizing and operating such shuttles. It will still amount to a pittance per person. But please don't just dump us a couple of miles from the center of town and make us wait for a taxi (and have to search for one to get back again too). That's pretty substandard IMO. We've used (and paid for) shuttles on HAL and Celebrity that were very convenient. We've also not used shuttles in many ports. We think having that option should be part of the deal. So what's the real deal with Oceania?

 

The rest of the OP's concerns, to me, indicate a serious mismatch between the customer's interests and the line's capabilities. I agree with those who say the OP should have done some more research. (That's why I'm here!) ;)

 

To the OP - I'm really sorry you had such a bad cruise. Hopefully your next one will make up for it! :)

 

Happy sailing everyone! :D

[pacheco18]

Thee rest of the OP's concerns, to me, indicate a serious mismatch between the customer's interests and the line's capabilities. I agree with those who say the OP should have done some more research. (That's why I'm here!) ;)

:D

 

That is the essence of the OP's problem. She just did not know enough about the cruise line and had expectations that were unrealistic -- disappointment was inevitable.

 

As an example, none of the OP's issues would affect my decision to sail on O.

We like to eat at the buffet not the MDR (and don't care much about the specialty restaurants). I want sushi every night!

I send the laundry out - I would not think of doing laundry on a cruise

I have free internet/email with my Blackberry

I only book private excursions and get picked up at the pier.

 

Consequently, O presents none of the downside (for me) that the OP mentioned. If my concerns were her concerns, I likely would have looked elsewhere.

 

As you can see from my signature, I also like Celebrity - different experience and different expectations.

 

Going on the PG in 3 weeks - boy do I have high expectations LOLOL

 

Bottom line: do your homework and you will likely not be disappointed.

[caribbeansun]

As I'm sure you can appreciate dining is a very personal matter in terms of food "quality" - we each have our own ideas of what constitutes quality.

 

As a couple we've never found the dining room to be overly noisy, at least no more so than any other restaurant. Terrace has been almost empty on some cruises by the way.

 

We've never experienced a wait time longer than a few minutes - the "rush" can be at 6:30, by 7:30 you're more than likely not going to have any issues.

 

Variety - we often make a point of taking a look at the posted menus for GDR and Terrace before deciding on which venue to dine at (ie. before changing for diner). If there's something particularly interesting on the GDR menu we'll go there, if not we default to Terrace because that has turned out to be our preferred dining location.

 

 

(1) The dining situation - But what about the main dining room? Just how noisy and crowded is it? How long does one typically wait for a table for two at, say, 7:30? How much variety is there on the menu each night, and also from night to night?

 

It's hit and miss - if the local board of trade or similar organization pays for the shuttles they are available. More times than not shuttles are not available. I have to say though that this has NEVER (as in not once) been an issue for us. Mind you, I have no problem with renting a car, grabbing a cab or walking.

 

I do some research ahead of time, find local providers or decide what to do ahead of time to determine if transport is even necessary. In a great many cases we could easily walk to what we were interested in or there was a car rental agency adjacent to the port or a line of taxis right out front.

 

I wouldn't count on shuttles. Plan on getting where you want to on your own. If it so happens that a shuttle is available then you can take advantage of it, if not, you already have planned for this contingency.

 

 

(2) Port shuttles - So what's the real deal with Oceania?

[burm]

One of the main reasons we are considering an Oceania cruise is for a significantly better dining experience than on lines like HAL and Celebrity. If we're going to be disappointed in that regard, we'll probably pass.

 

I too like Celebrity and can tell you that you will not be disappointed with the dining experience on Oceania. I will not say that it is miles above Celebrity, but you will definitely not be disappointed.

 

The anytime dining on the Regatta last year worked out very well for us. It was a treat to be able to enjoy the sunset, then stroll into the dining room at our convenience. As we did not care where we sat, we never once had to wait for a seat. Oops, I lie. One night we arrived late and they were busy so sent us to the Polo Grill. The Surf and Turf I ate that night (with their incredible lamb instead of steak) did not make me feel hard done by. We enjoyed lobster three times during 12 days!

 

The main dining room was not unreasonably crowded or noisy.

 

I think what we like best about the smaller Regatta was never having to wait in line for anything. We were able to walk into the evening shows at the last minute and always get a great seat. No waiting for the dining room or tour information.

 

There are some things I prefer about Oceania, others I prefer about Celebrity. Both are worth experiencing.

[Paulchili]

BaltiGator,

A very sensible and sober post; this often happens when the passion subsides and the dust settles.

Regarding your 2 concerns I can only give you our experience (4 Oceania past cruises & 4 pending):

(1) The dining situation - I fully understand that my opportunities to dine in the specialty restaurants may be limited. I assume Oceania has good reason for such policy - probably to prevent overcrowding. But what about the main dining room? Just how noisy and crowded is it? How long does one typically wait for a table for two at, say, 7:30? How much variety is there on the menu each night, and also from night to night?

 

We always eat early when they first open the MDR for several reasons; one of them is that we like tables for 2 and there are only a few "coveted" tables for 2 that are not lined up with other tables for 2. Thus the earlier we arrive the more likely we are to get one of those separate tables for 2 (BTW, we get it almost all the time). We have never waited for a table at this time (obviously as the dinning room is empty) - cannot comment on 7:30 seating. We find the food in the MDR very good to excellent (not as good as Polo, IMO); there is enough variety every day and the menu changes. Noise is not a problem but you may have an occasional "happy" group at the next table that is having a "good old time" encouraged by extra libations (this is rare).

 

(2) Port shuttles - I don't care if I have to pay for it. I agree with those who say the line should provide shuttles in every port where it's practical to do so and alternative transportation to the places of interest is either costly or not readily available.

 

IIRC, there are shuttles in most places, usually for a fee. Between the excursions we do on our own and the occasional tour with the ship, I never remember this to be a particular problem (i.e. we have never been stranded or felt neglected). Free shuttles everywhere would be great but costly.

I hope this helps.

FWIW, I believe you will enjoy your cruise not just because Oceania has a great product but also because you have done your homework and your expectation will be appropriate to the cruise line.

[hondorner]

...

I want to thank the people in this thread who chose to rise above all the nonsense to make some comments that are useful to someone who has never sailed Oceania. From among those, two issues stand out that I'd appreciate some further discussion about:

 

(1) The dining situation - I fully understand that my opportunities to dine in the specialty restaurants may be limited. I assume Oceania has good reason for such policy - probably to prevent overcrowding. But what about the main dining room? Just how noisy and crowded is it? How long does one typically wait for a table for two at, say, 7:30? How much variety is there on the menu each night, and also from night to night?

 

One of the main reasons we are considering an Oceania cruise is for a significantly better dining experience than on lines like HAL and Celebrity. If we're going to be disappointed in that regard, we'll probably pass.

 

(2) Port shuttles - I don't care if I have to pay for it. I agree with those who say the line should provide shuttles in every port where it's practical to do so and alternative transportation to the places of interest is either costly or not readily available. Oceania can charge whatever it needs in order to fully recoup the costs of reserving, organizing and operating such shuttles. It will still amount to a pittance per person. But please don't just dump us a couple of miles from the center of town and make us wait for a taxi (and have to search for one to get back again too). That's pretty substandard IMO. We've used (and paid for) shuttles on HAL and Celebrity that were very convenient. We've also not used shuttles in many ports. We think having that option should be part of .

I appreciate the calm and thoughtful manner in which you have approached this subject, and will endeavor to treat it with the respect it deserves. Might I say first, and briefly, however, that most of the "attacks (which I did not see) and the "dripping sarcasm (which I not only saw, but in which I participated), resulted from the tone set by the OP in his or her first post. Much of it was hyperbole, much of it was inaccurate, and much of it was worded entirely too strongly to deserve anything but which was received. There were legitimate complaints and factual situations, which I would be happy to discuss, but smack me down, and you will possibly get smacked.

 

Enough said about that subject; let's move on to your concerns.

 

The dining situation. Oceania indeed has excellent reasons to restrict the dining in the specialty restaurants to "reservations only". They are quite small, about 90 seats each, and given Oceania's refusal to hurry anyone through their meal, are generally restricted to 2 or 3 "turn overs" (a restaurant term for the number of times a table may be used in one period). Yes, it's true that at any given time when one enters the restaurant, tables may be empty. But, when you consider that Oceania is very serious about the phrase, "Your world -- your way", it stands to reason that not all of those turn-overs are going to be simultaneous. You are permitted to choose a dining time of 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, 8:30 and possibly even 9:00 -- there is no way all of those tables could all be filled at any given time and not force people to dine within a half hour period. In one fell swoop, that dismisses one of the contentious poster's major complaints

 

But, your question was primarily about the main dining room. First, let me state a little background information. There is more than enough capacity to sit the entire passenger load down for dinner somewhere on the ship, all at one time. Adding the total of the Grand Dining room, the two specialty restaurants, and the copious Terrace restaurant, both indoors and outdoors, results in more than the 684 published capacity of the ship and, considering the singles (and almost non-existent triples), far more than the typical actual capacity, without taking the occasional in-suite dining into consideration.

 

The problem is that with truly open seating (when you want, with whom you want, and, withing the obvious physical limits where you want), the normal distribution rarely matches a computer model of where everyone would have a seat.

 

The first relief we get in this matter is that of turn-overs. Because dining is a matter of several hours, and because not everyone takes that long to eat (although I've frequently come close on Oceania), capacity doubles -- or more. You still have to have that capacity because of the non-predictive manner of the guests, but it doesn't all get used at any given time.

 

Planning this sort of situation requires the most talented of actuarial analysts or economic planners, and a strict regimen of dining venues and times -- or it requires the openness and accommodating philosophy of a true luxury cruise line, where they simply throw out all the rules and let the guest determine everything that will happen.

 

As has been stated on this and many other threads, many times, Oceania is totally unique in it's niche. It does not call itself a luxury line, because it is NOT all-inclusive, and there are still a very few of those pesky rules around. On the other hand, it does not all into the category of a premium line, because it does offer much more flexibility and service, and far fewer of those rules, than other cruise lines. and it does endeavor to offer a true luxury experience in the area of food and dining, which is so "hot a hot button" for the CEO that he has been known to bring down the wrath of the Gods against the entire food service department on all the ships for the lack of fresh berries one morning.

 

He feels so strongly about this matter that it is a matter of intense effort to raise the standard of dining on Regent Seven Seas, Oceania's sister cruise line and possibly the most inclusive true luxury cruise line, to match the standard of Oceania since Regent's purchase less than 2 years ago.

 

Now, on to space and noise. The grand dining room is a large room, given to conversations over dinner and orders given to waiters, and occasional laughter, so it is not a library or theater. No dining room is silent, nor would I very much enjoy dining in one that is.

 

There are tables for 4, 6 and 8, and on a couple of the ships, a couple of the tables for 10 or 12, often used for the Captain's tables on those ships. I have dined at one of those corner tables for 12 with the Captain and four other couples, and I had no problem carrying on a conversation.

 

There are also tables for 2, in two primary locations in the GDR. Along the sides, perpendicular to the side of the ship, are several rows of "2-tops" in groups of three. The deck plans tend to give an indication of what these are like, but are not totally accurate because they use the same drawing for all of the "R" ships, and the table arrangement is not exactly the same among them.

 

These tables are indeed close to the neighboring table, and would have been a very legitimate source of disappointment by the Original Poster on this thread that could have been reduced or solved if the poster had been reasonable in the manner of their complaint.

 

I have been seated at these tables, and they are close enough to each other for it to be a matter of choice -- and possible discomfort at intruding -- to have normal conversation between the tables. It can be embarrassing to have to decide whether to treat the closely adjoining (but not abutting) tables as conversationalists or privacy seekers.

 

But, in one of the most fundamental flaws of the OP's complaint, they are NOT the only tables for 2 available, and the others are significantly more desirable. Having requested a table for 2, and once approaching the less private side tables, it only takes a quiet word with the waiter to determine if one of the other tables might be available. In fact, now having been forewarned (as the OP would have been if they had sought information instead of a reason to complain), you should be able to determine at the maitre 'd station before hand exactly what table is available.

 

There are a lot of tables. There are far more tables for multiple couples than there are for a single couple. If the laws of random distribution happen to be broken at the moment you request the more desirable location, you might actually have to wait, It should not be overly long -- they are experts, and would not have filled all the tables at exactly the moment before you appeared, creating an equally long wait for any of them.

 

There are other times when there may be a slight waiting period. Immediately after the Captain's Welcome Party when everyone seems to head for the GDR at the same moment is one of those. A port days in which everyone seems to return from excursions at the same time is another, as are the appealing sail-aways. There are also inexplicable periods when the Moon is right and everyone got out of the same side of the bed, that everyone heads like lemmings for the GDR. On this occasions, staff are often seen at the line into the GDR offering tables in Po;lo or Toscana -- after all, if they are "here", then they aren't "there".

 

Oceania has no beepers to give to parties waiting to dine, like at least some of the other cruise lines upon which the OP has undoubtedly sailed, because there is no need for them. The wait is never that long, and they know who you are. I would find the use of such a beeper as a contributing factor to my "worst cruise ever", but have never subjected myself to it.

 

Variety on the menu -- does the offer of lemon iced-tea flavored sorbet indicate variety? Seriously, my waiter thought it was lemon sorbet, and brought me a double scoop, and we were a bit flabbergasted when it was brown.

 

But, a more serious answer is tied up in my comments about CEO Frank Del Rio. He is the co-founder of Oceania and is now the CEO of Prestige Cruise Holdings, the owner of Oceania and Regent (Prestige, in turn, is owned by Apollo Management, but has chose to make almost no input into the daily operations of the cruise lines. He has created one of the most successful cruise line from virtually nothing over a period of less than 8 years, and he didn't achieve that success by creating the "WORST CRUISE EVER". He often responds directly to a legitimate complaint here on Cruise Critic, unless it is masked by hyperbole.

 

He is a Foodie, and he insists that his ships are the same.

 

That does not dismiss individual tastes, and I have seen complaints that the food on Oceania was "too bland" and "too exotic" (on the same ship on the same evening in the same restaurant, but I don't think that was your question. Is it "5 Star" or "6 Star" or whatever that means? Heck, I've gotten an order of Mac 'n Cheese at TGI Fridays that I considered ambrosia, so who can say what "5 Star" means to you or me? It will certainly be a bit different that a land-based restaurant due to logistics and health restrictions, but it WILL be among the best food AT SEA.

 

Finally, a word about shuttles. It's not an important subject to me, as I like to walk, or have made my own arrangements for a port. However, in 57 days aboard, we have only been one port, the port of Recife, Brazil, in which the nature of the port was so industrial that we were not permitted to walk through the dock yard -- and a shuttle was provided by the local authorities.

 

I can't imagine anything being useless than a shuttle in, for example, Barcelona, where, if you are docked at the World Trace Center, you walk out of the front door onto Las Ramblas, perhaps the most famous pedestrian walking street in the world. Other ports may require shuttles, and it may just be a matter of being beyond my experience.

 

I'd be happy to answer any of your other reasonable questions, if you have the patience to read my answers :rolleyes:.