Considering Oceana after Crystal & QM2, have questions

[dancer11]

I've read several months worth of postings here, they are so helpful.

My concerns were answered by one, made me question choice on another, so here it goes:

1. We are considering Regatta Passage to Panama from Dec 20 to January 5, 2012. From what I've read here, there should be minimal number of children, but is this true on a holiday cruise? Avoided holiday cruises before, but holidays with no family are boring at home.

2. I didn't like it when a balcony next to us has a cigar smoker on a ship that allowed it, so I'm concerned that smoke was bothering several posters, was that just in the lounge?

3. I'll miss the huge dance floor of the QM2, which we used a lot on the 94 day world cruise. Is there any dancing at all on Regatta?

4. Once we sailed on Indep of the Seas, and absolutely hated it for the constant announcements and loud music that was inescapable. Luckily we were on for 5 days, or I would have jumped ship. Someone posted complaint about music in public areas, please clarify.

The pluses are the size of ship, as QM2 was a hassle at every port to unload passengers and had to use remote industrial ports. The food quality is also a good consideration, and passengers seem to like the service.

Thank you for your help

[LHT28]

I've read several months worth of postings here, they are so helpful.

My concerns were answered by one, made me question choice on another, so here it goes:

1. We are considering Regatta Passage to Panama from Dec 20 to January 5, 2012. From what I've read here, there should be minimal number of children, but is this true on a holiday cruise?

There will probably be more children on the holiday cruise than other times

A lot of children on Oceania can be maybe 25

2. I didn't like it when a balcony next to us has a cigar smoker on a ship that allowed it, so I'm concerned that smoke was bothering several posters, was that just in the lounge?

 

NO smoking on balconies allowed, maybe it was in the lounger where there is a small section for smokers but sometimes the smoke will drift we sit on the starboard side to avoid this

 

3. I'll miss the huge dance floor of the QM2, which we used a lot on the 94 day world cruise. Is there any dancing at all on Regatta?

Small dance floor in the lounge & Horizons

4. Once we sailed on Indep of the Seas, and absolutely hated it for the constant announcements and loud music that was inescapable. Luckily we were on for 5 days, or I would have jumped ship. Someone posted complaint about music in public areas, please clarify.

I did not notice any loud music it is more like elevator music which can be distracting to some, I can usually tune it out ;)

I find the announcements very minimal but others may disagree

Certainly nothing like on the Mainstream lines

 

Lyn

[Mura]

Announcements outside of your cabin may be what Lyn was referring to.

 

Our experience is that if you want to hear an announcement IN your cabin, you have to turn on the TV to do so. They really do not make it a point on Oceania to have constant announcements. In fact, quite the opposite.

 

I will say that when we did the Panama Canal cruise (back in early 2003 or 2004) the announcements from the guide going through the Canal WERE audible in our PH cabin, but we wanted them to be! We had moved down from the top deck to our veranda for the later part of the crossing.

 

If anyone smokes a cigar on the veranda next to yours, CALL THE COPS! They didn't always enforce the rules but I understand that since the Princess fire a few years ago, they do. Besides, cigars are a whole 'nother category from cigarettes. (Not that I like either one.)

 

(Our Coop building has a serious smoker -- I walked out of my front door the other day and he was collecting mail quite a distance away. I could smell him from 30 feet away! And he wasn't even smoking at the time!)

 

It's true that as Lyn says, more children could be aboard on a holiday cruise but most people who ask about traveling with children get shut down here. It's not that people uniformly hate children, its' more that children won't enjoy a cruise on Oceania. There just aren't facilities for them and too few OTHER children on board.

 

In your case, I'd give it a try.

 

Mura

[pacheco18]

I will respond with respect to the dancing.

 

My husband and I love ballroom dancing. Oceania is very weak on that score. The music is less than fabulous and the sole dancing venue -- Horizons -- is far away from the dinner venues and the show venue (not that we enjoy the entertainment) which makes it very inconvenient to dance before or after dinner. If that makes a huge difference to your enjoyment of a cruise, you may be disappointed.

[crowpro]

You will love the Regatta, great ship, great crew, great experience. We also like to dance before dinner and sometimes after dinner. We were completely satisfied on our recent 24day cruise on Regatta.

[ksps cruise fan]

We are considering Regatta Passage to Panama from Dec 20 to January 5, 2012. From what I've read here, there should be minimal number of children, but is this true on a holiday cruise? Avoided holiday cruises before, but holidays with no family are boring at home.

 

We booked the Marina holiday cruise with the hope and expectation that there were be few children. Whoops! There were nearly 70 children on board although I don't know if that number included toddlers/babies who were always in a parent's care. Frankly, the toddlers/babies on the cruise were better behaved than the older kids. Often the littlest ones were part of a three-generation group and the toddlers/babies were being doted on around the clock. The eighteen year olds and young adults were also extremely well behaved.

 

In contrast, a gang of perhaps 20 kids ages six to sixteen age -- who largely came on the cruise as strangers -- were often disruptive around the pool A number of them would chase each other around the pool, shrieking the whole time. One afternoon, the older boys and girls entertained the younger ones by swinging them on the pool deck and letting them loose to splash into the pool, again accompanied by much screaming. I'm told that that some teen-aged girls spent one afternoon around the pool time texting someone (one another??) using extremely profane language. At one point, the girls began reading their texts out loud. An adult within earshot spoke to the girls about their behavior and the group immediately stopped this activity so at least those kids had a sense of right and wrong behavior if corrected by an adult. Unfortunately, I never saw a parent step in when their darlings were being disruptive. (I was particularly appalled by one six-year old girl who spent considerable time trying to kick the teen-aged boys. Given the swing of her kick, I think she was capable of some serious injury.)

 

Either the parents who booked Marina hadn't read the brochure or they didn't care that their darlings were entertaining themselves at the passengers' expense.

 

Here's where it gets sticky: What is Oceania's responsibility in this situation? There's nothing about their marketing to suggest that families should book this line. If Oceania starts to offer children's programming a holiday time then, more families will book and I don't think either Oceania or its taget audience will want that!

 

Having shared my information about Marina's 2011 holiday cruise, I still think you'll be okay with the specific cruise you're considering. You're probably safe booking a longer cruise, choosing an itinerary that requires transportation to an Atlantic coast embarkation point and home from a Pacific Coast point, and traveling on one of the R class ships.

 

I don't think you can count on few kids for a Caribbean cruise round trip out of Miami in spite of Oceania's best intentions.

[winegirl]

I've seen some very low prices for cruises during holidays, in particular during December. Given that, I think you can expect more family groups, especially when the airfare is included. That makes the cruise a last minute decision based on affordability. If you want to avoid kids on cruises, as we do, cruise when the kids are typically in school, or pick a longer cruise. January/February, May, September, October, November are good months where fewer family groups will be on board.

[redmanflorida]

One Thousand Fellow Passengers Agree with you-I Hope Frank Del Rio Addresses This Situation As His Employees Remained To Silent To Parents Ignoring Thier Children!!!!!!!!

[LBFlorida]

I agree with the comments made by dancer11. I, too, was disappointed in the behavior of the tweens on board. More shocking was the fact that their parents were nowhere to be seen. Not a single one had adult supervision in the very deep pool, or in the hottubs.

I would suggest that Oceania put an age restriction on their cruises. No passengers under 18. If Oceania continues to allow disruptions by children, they will lose repeat holiday travellers. This is probably unrealistic, but a thought. At the very least, letters of acceptable behavior should be left at each cabin occupying children, reminding cruisers that Oceania appreciates 'well-behaved guests'. After all, they reminded me to spend my onboard credit in a lovely note left at my cabin. Or, allow your staff to correct inappropriate behavior. Cruise staff at all levels told us there was nothing that could be done.

[Mura]

Renaissance had a similar age rule although towards the end they lowered it. I had been thinking that Oceania initially didn't permit younger children but apparently my memory was wrong on that.

 

It's a pity that a few negligent parents and spoiled children can ruin it for everyone else. The children we have encountered on Oceania cruises (and there haven't been many) have been mostly older teens and beautifully behaved. I've never seen such a situation as has been described, but then we rarely, if ever, travel at holiday times.

 

Mura

[eddmel]

I am sorry that KSPS experienced the bad behavior of the children and young teens on their recent cruise. Sadly lack of proper parental control seems to be on the increase. As others have said, best to cruise when schools are not in session. Of course this is difficult to do precisely due to differing school calendars around the US. We will keep our fingers crossed for our upcoming Riveria trip in May.

[azevedan]

dancer11, come by the Roll Call for that Dec 20 Panama Canal cruise. There are a fair number already registered (including us).

It is a long cruise, leaves out of one side of the country and returns to another, so I don't think it will experience the same large influx of families that have been cited about other holiday cruises.

Hope you decide to join us!

[LHT28]

dancer11, come by the Roll Call for that Dec 20 Panama Canal cruise. There are a fair number already registered (including us).

It is a long cruise, leaves out of one side of the country and returns to another, so I don't think it will experience the same large influx of families that have been cited about other holiday cruises.

Hope you decide to join us!

I think the cruise they were looking at sailed already;)

[azevedan]

I think the cruise they were looking at sailed already;)

 

I think his date format is just confusing. The first post was posted Dec 25, 2011. The cruise begins in 2012, so Dec 20, 2012 is correct, but the end date (Jan 5) is actually 2013.

[LHT28]

I think his date format is just confusing. The first post was posted Dec 25, 2011. The cruise begins in 2012, so Dec 20, 2012 is correct, but the end date (Jan 5) is actually 2013.

AHHH yes you are probably right