Mariner/Riviera Comparison

[jgn]

Is there very much difference between the Marina and the Riviera. I keep reading how wonderful R is but not so much the M., yet they are sister ships, are they not?.

 

Would appreciate hearing what the differences are.

[LHT28]

Have not been on the Riveira yet but as I understand it the art work is different

 

Maybe some of the lights fixtures are different but all else seems the same from photos I have seen

[wripro]

I haven't sailed on the Riviera yet but I loved the Marina.

[DOJO466]

Is there very much difference between the Marina and the Riviera. I keep reading how wonderful R is but not so much the M., yet they are sister ships, are they not?.

 

Would appreciate hearing what the differences are.

In most aspects they are exactly the same except for art work. Both are beautiful. I personally prefer Riviera because of the most delightful thallasso

therapy pool on the Spa deck

[sitraveler]

There are very few differences between the two sister ships.

 

The recent drydocking of Marina made some improvements that were discovered after Marina first sailed.

Some shelving was added to the bathrooms and a bottom landing was eliminated from the main staircase.

The spa pool is different and a reading lamp in the penthouse suite is only on Riviera. The art is different and a different organization does the shows.

[LHT28]

The spa pool is different and a reading lamp in the penthouse suite is only on Riviera. The art is different and a different organization does the shows.

 

What type of reading lamp & where is it located

 

I did like the ones on the bedside wall

 

Who does the shows on Riviera?

I thought they were the same production company on the O class ships

 

Lyn

[JimandStan]

Is there very much difference between the Marina and the Riviera. I keep reading how wonderful R is but not so much the M., yet they are sister ships, are they not?.

 

Would appreciate hearing what the differences are.

 

The two ships are alike enough to be indistinguishable to the casual observer, but there ARE differences.

 

The railings which protect the lower portion of the floor to ceiling windows in Marina's Ocean View cabins, for example, were not repeated on the Riviera, and the Riviera has a single large Thalassotherapy pool while the Marina is equipped with two smaller T-pools.

 

The artwork, decorative finishes and textile choices, while not identical, are very similar in tone, and the layout of the Public Rooms is virtually the same.

The one fairly significant difference between the two ships is that the roof of the stern deckhouse on Riviera was raised by about 28 inches, giving the the aft Public Rooms -from Barristas to Privée-, on Deck 14 higher ceilings, and some say, giving the Riviera a better profile.

As Sitraveler has already pointed out, the majority of the "improvements" which had been incorporated into the slightly newer Riviera were added to the Marina when she had her first major refit in the Spring of last year, so the two ships are more alike today than ever before.

 

Hope this helped~

[hondorner]

...Who does the shows on Riviera?

I thought they were the same production company on the O class ships...

The shows on Riviera are by Jean Ann Ryan singers and dancers, the same as on Regent ships. The shows on Marina and the R ships are by Gary Musica Productions.

[LHT28]

The shows on Riviera are by Jean Ann Ryan singers and dancers, the same as on Regent ships. The shows on Marina and the R ships are by Gary Musica Productions.

 

Thanks

[sitraveler]

On Riviera, not Marina, the sofabed has a light identical to those by the

beds. I'm guessing it was beyond the ability of the drydock to incorporate this.

[LHT28]

On Riviera, not Marina, the sofabed has a light identical to those by the

beds. I'm guessing it was beyond the ability of the drydock to incorporate this.

 

Thanks Marsha

[CAG]

The shows on Riviera are by Jean Ann Ryan singers and dancers, the same as on Regent ships. The shows on Marina and the R ships are by Gary Musica Productions.

 

Don,

Didn't Marina start out with the Jean Ann Ryan Production Company? When did they change?

Cenia

[jgn]

Thanks, everyone, for answering my question. I also talked to an O rep who said the Marina had been"tweaked" in dry dock to comply with feedback from passengers and that now there is virtually no difference between the two. Okay! That opens up more itineraries to ponder.

[hondorner]

Don,

Didn't Marina start out with the Jean Ann Ryan Production Company? When did they change?

Cenia

Cenia, that was my (possibly inaccurate) recollection, as well. But I'm not certain, and if Marina did start with J A R, I'm not certain when they switched to Cary Musick. I did see on the Gary Musick web site that the "new" cast was in their second month on Marina in February of 2012, which would mean they started in December of 2011. But, that doesn't necessarily mean they were the "first" Musick cast on Marina. The contracts typically run 6 months, so if one started in December '11, then one could have started in June '11. However, that is just 4 months after Marina launched, so the contract periods don't add up.

 

They are both fabulous production agencies, with the primary difference on Oceania being that J A R has rights to Andrew Lloyd Webber music. Both have a long history of cruise ship experience with credits on Celebrity, NCL, Regent, HAL, and many more.

 

I've never quite understood why folks think Oceania has inferior entertainment, because either Jean Ann Ryan or Gary Musick Productions provide the bulk of the entertainment on many of the ships, especially the smaller ones. Granted, NCL has Blue Man Group and Second City, and Celebrity has Cirque Du Soleil, but both are found only on selected larger ships. Jean Ann Ryan does a cirque-style show on Regent.

 

Short of emailing Michael Day, Vice President of Entertainment at PCH, that's the best I can discover.

[babysteps]

Aside - in September 2012 on Riviera, an executive chef told us that in addition to the relatively few front-of-house changes, by far most of the initial differences on Riviera were behind the scenes (to improve service times/efficiency etc.).

 

Wouldn't be surprised if Marina's drydock time addressed many of those as well.

[Hambagahle]

I read a quote from Frank Del Rio that there were 754 changes made on the Riviera based on experience with the Marina. I also read that most were small...

[cohner]

:)I am trying to decide between Regent Seven Seas and the Oceania Marina

 

Any one tried them both and want to help :)

[LHT28]

:)I am trying to decide between Regent Seven Seas and the Oceania Marina

 

Any one tried them both and want to help :)

There are lots of comparisons on both forums

here is the latest from the Regent forum

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1782938

[Wendy The Wanderer]

:)I am trying to decide between Regent Seven Seas and the Oceania Marina

 

Any one tried them both and want to help :)

 

You'd have to say which Regent ship you were interested in. Mariner and Voyager and fairly similar, but Navigator is different (smaller.) As someone said, there's lots of comparisons around, see the Regent board for recent discussions.

[wristband]

I have been on Oceania Riviera & Regent Mariner (many times). There is considerable difference in the two, principally in the age of the ships (Riviera obv newer) and the "expenses all in" aspect of Mariner compared to the pay-as-you-go nature of Oceania.

 

Both have lovely cabins but my preference is for Riviera's spacious, well appointed penthouse cabins and impressive bathrooms. Riviera's spa trumps the much smaller and dated spa on Mariner. Restaurant dinner options are obv greater on Riviera with "only" four on Mariner and those emulate what is available on Riviera (a steak house, the general dining room, a buffet, a quasi-French cuisine venue). Riviera's specialty restaurants were considerably better than Regent's two choices.

 

Personaly, I believe the food is far superior on Riviera but by no means is Regent fare mediocre. Just the choices, menu items, presentation and overall quality is much better on Riviera. One aspect I appreciated on Riviera - at the buffett, the staff serves passengers vs. passengers grabbing food items and then putting those items back on the tray. Not good.

 

In comparing booze costs, I prefer to pay as you go with wine. The choices included on Regent's wine program have been mediocre and the quality has gone down markedly in recent years (Croatian wines, really?). You get what you pay for so I would rather get what I want and pay a fair on-board price for a bottle of wine that I enjoy. The prices on board are very reasonable and there is, as you have seen here, a flat price program offered.

 

The so-called "free" excursions on Regent have been, again based on my experience, not good. 25 people on a bus with a guide that speaks broken English and has little to offer of insight has made me avoid Regent excursions. Others disagree but I no longer book excursions through the ship even though they are "free." Again, you get what you pay for.

 

Service is comparable. One major difference is the number of passengers on each ship - considerably more on Riviera compared to Regent (1100 to 750+). I noticed no queing or congestion at meals or elsewhere on the spacious Riviera. The dining venues on Riviera - especially the Grand Dining Room - are spectacular and are in a league well above those on Mariner which need an overhaul.

 

I will be on Mariner this spring and I look forward to the cruise. Our last two cruises on Mariner were decidedly below what our prior experiences have been but they were still enjoyable so I am hopeful about returning after a two year absence. The business airfare option was a very nice perk with Regent but I understand (perhaps mistakenly) that is no longer available.

 

All in all, my personal view is Riviera is a far superior experience in many respects but Regent Mariner can offer you a very nice experience.

[JPR]

As a long-time Regent cruiser, I totally agree with the previous review. In the end, I choose between the two lines based on timing and itinerary. But I would not sail on any Oceania ships over Regent's other than Riviera or Marina.

[ncc1701 luv2cruise]

I am looking for feedback on this cruise as we are looking into it for 2014:)

[LHT28]

I am looking for feedback on this cruise as we are looking into it for 2014:)

You may want to start a new thread

You may attract more responses that way

[ncc1701 luv2cruise]

Thanks will do

[LuAnn]

In most aspects they are exactly the same except for art work. Both are beautiful. I personally prefer Riviera because of the most delightful thallasso

therapy pool on the Spa deck

 

Is that open to all?