Laraine - your Riviera impressionS

[Travelcat2]

Jackie I think you need to take on board (no pun intended!!) the fact that Renaissance cruises were around, and those ships called the "R" ships, long before the "merger" of Oceania and Regent under PCH. So why on earth shouldn't they still be called the "R" ships? It helps differentiate them from Marina and Riviera - the "O" class ships - which are lots larger and (as I understand it anyway) quite different.

 

Doesn't bother me one iota. I have never referred to either Radisson OR Regent as "The R Line"

Gerry

 

 

Because many newbies to Oceania (and there are a lot) don't have a clue what Renaissance was -- they have been gone at least 10 years. Do we still call Regent "Radisson" just because they were around a long time? Perhaps I just like to live in the present and look towards the future

 

No, we do not call Regent "R" -- saying "Regent" (or Oceania) sounds so much better than using letters - IMHO. I was using the reference because if I did not know better, I could assume that "R" means Regent.

 

Seabourn had a great way of distinguishing their larger ships from their smaller ones -- it would be so nice if Oceania could come up with something clever like that.

 

Laraine - if you have a moment, when you see Natalie, please tell her that Jackie and Dennis send our warmest regards. We adore both her and Thierry.

[fairbourne]

This post may irritate some so fair warning

Don't read if my posts irritate u

 

I found out why I was invited to dinner with the gm, Thierry Tholon. His girlfriend is Natalie (former social hostess on O) with whom I became quite friendly on a transatlantic cruise in late 2011. Natalie is sailing with us and she looked over the passenger list, saw my name and told her boyfriend Thierry that she wanted to have dinner with me. Lol

 

So the four of us dined in red ginger. Thierry wanted comments, information, opinions about everything cruising. He was interested in my Azamara experience. He took plenty of notes. It was nice to see Natalie again and great to be able to speak frankly with someone who is truly interested in the guest experience. He is a class act.

 

Btw. Met a couple on their 17 th o cruise. They have been invited to dine with the gm in privee. Divine

 

St Barth today. This island feels like Europe You need to own a yacht to fit in here. We had two coffees for $12. There is a unique skin care line here called ligne st Bart's. Very exclusive. So I shopped here for myself and for some friends

 

There was a deck party last night. We did not attend but I heard it was great

 

I am delighted you had a lovely dinner with an old friend and got to meet her boyfriend, GM Thierry Tholon - you were indeed very "lucky" and certainly in the minority, as I can't recall even seeing him out and about on the recent Riviera TA! I only recognised his name from the newsletter!

 

A class act he may well be, but not from where we were sailing! We got the distinct impression that neither he nor any of the senior officers and management on that ship could have cared less in the "guest experience". There was no interaction at all, not that we need fawning over, or need to have dinner with any of them, but a smile or even a good morning would surely not have been outwith the bounds of their remit?

 

We felt sometimes we were a nuisance, particularly one evening when we struggled to find a clean table in the Terrace for dinner about 8.15 ish, and a table was eventually set for us after asking 3 times. However a squad, and by that I do mean about 15-20 senior managers/officers descended and my goodness, not one of them had to blink to be served and were fawned over by the waiting staff whilst we struggled to get anyone to even bring us a drink. We were ignored, whilst staff rushed to serve them. It was quite pathetic to watch!

 

Maybe you could ask him if he thought that that was a good guest experience?

 

Btw Laraine, I enjoy reading your posts as you call it like it is, so please don't be offended by my comments as I also tell it like it is. :)

[JimandStan]

Seabourn had a great way of distinguishing their larger ships from their smaller ones -- it would be so nice if Oceania could come up with something clever like that.

 

They already have it, "The R Ships". :p

 

Regent didn't get custody of the letter R in the Ren bankruptcy proceedings, so I guess that you will have to manage your assumptions accordingly. :rolleyes:

[pacheco18]

Fairbourne

I believe ur an Azamara regular

 

If that's the case you will always think the staff and officers on o are not interested. Lol

No comparison.

 

They are interested. Maybe not all but certainly the ones I have met and talked to. But you will never see that openness on o that you experience on Azamara.

 

What you experienced is simply unsatisfactory.

Edited December 17, 2013 by pacheco18

[fairbourne]

No we've never been on Azamara. But been on Seabourn and Silversea - with the same open, warm friendliness.

 

We've heard lots about Azamara, from others on the recent TA, but looking at their regular staterooms, they just seem so small!

 

We did love our PH, so well appointed, and our butler Xavier, and the stateroom team of Juliia and Suresh, all looked after us so well.

 

It was a different world in our little enclave! :D

[pacheco18]

I hope u put it all on ur comment card

They read them all

Just as we praise the staff who goes all out, we should advise management about those who disappoint. Oceania does not want those folks on board any more than we do

 

Service on this cruise has been excellent.

The first day the staff in terrace seemed a little overwhelmed but they have settled into a nice rhythm

[Mr&MrsJohnstone]

Thanks for your detailed and honest posts Laraine. I enjoy reading them.

 

Thierry was our Hotel Director in July and we saw him everywhere. Every time we saw him he always smiled and said hello and asked us how we were. In our eyes he truly cared.

We had a few of our friends that recently came off the TA and said how personable he was. This was their first cruise and enjoyed it immensely. The only thing negative they had to say was in regards to the weather. And of course that can not be helped.

 

Now you mention Natalie is a 'former' Social Hostess? Is she no more with O? or just in a different role? She was charming and so wonderful to have around. My DH is usually a quiet man but Natalie always made him laugh out loud. We loved her morning helpful hints.

 

We also found a dislike to the coffee onboard, but Baristas certainly put a stop to that. I just wish it was open later for after dinner.

 

I look forward to your next posting Laraine!

[orchestrapal]

If I remember correctly Oceania changed to Elly coffee throughout it's ships.

It is European and strong and when properly made wonderful in our opinion.

It would be interesting to hear what kind of coffee they are currently using as we board in a few months for a long cruise and look forward to our coffee.

[LHT28]

If I remember correctly Oceania changed to Elly coffee throughout it's ships.

It is European and strong and when properly made wonderful in our opinion.

It would be interesting to hear what kind of coffee they are currently using as we board in a few months for a long cruise and look forward to our coffee.

 

Yes ILLY is Italian coffee & a bit stronger in flavour that some people are used to

We love strong bold coffee so it works out well for us

We do try to limit ourselves to 2 coffees per day but on O it does not always work ;)

 

Lyn

[pacheco18]

It's illy in baristas Excellent

I have no idea what they serve elsewhere but it is undrinkable imo

We love strong coffee. I think mass produced large pots are the problem

 

Natalie finished her last contract with o in September. She is pursuing her "dreams"

If it doesn't work out, she can return. She seems very happy

[Mura]

Back to the interaction of officers topic ...

 

On our BCN-Rio cruise (just left Marina a week ago) there were at least two occasions when there was deliberate interaction with officers and passengers. Even light-hearted competition. I don't recall these events having taken place before.

 

Perhaps TPTB have seen the comments and are addressing them.

 

However, I've always been happy with the interaction we've had in the past ...

 

We are among those to are happy to have the officers drive the ship and keep us safe. We do NOT need the interaction. On those few occasions when we've been invited to dine with an officer we have had a lovely evening. But we don't expect that.

 

Mura

[Travelcat2]

They already have it, "The R Ships". :p

 

Regent didn't get custody of the letter R in the Ren bankruptcy proceedings, so I guess that you will have to manage your assumptions accordingly. :rolleyes:

 

Hmmmm, I already said that Regent doesn't use "R" (nor does it want to). Just suggesting that Oceania (not "O" - Oceania isn't alphabet soup), passengers come up with a clever name for their smaller ships instead of an alphabet reference to a cruise line that went bankrupt years ago. However, if regulars on Oceania are happy with the alphabet, so be it. We still love the Riviera and hope to sail on her again. I also appreciate your posts as you know at least as much about Oceania as we do about Regent and are so willing to share that information. That is a good thing!

 

P.S. How can the Riviera be an "O" ship when she is obviously an "R" ship and the Marina is a "M" ship? Okay -- just kidding!

Edited December 18, 2013 by Travelcat2

[bornfreenowexpensive]

Well, I love the opportunity to sail on the "R" ships now, cause when they were Renaissance ships I was dying to go, but staying home with little kids and no money. Who says you can't go home again?

[Travelcat2]

TC, you're more than entitled to your opinion, but it's a little biased. The fact that Renaissance built 8 ships all named "R1" through "R8" is reason enough to call all 8 of them "R" ships, regardless of who owns them now.

 

I think that Renaissance predated the name "Regent", unless the "R" actually reminds you of "Radisson".

 

But, more importantly, the first in the line of Oceania ships was named "Regatta", and this is partly the reason for calling the other ships in her class (Insignia and Nautica) "R" ships -- shorthand for "Regatta Class".

 

There are several cruise lines starting with "R", and few of their passengers have sailed with Regent, so I doubt they would have the same association with "R". Further, I've never heard anyone associated with Regent call Navigator, Mariner or Voyager an "R" ship, but almost everyone who ever heard of Renaissance instantly knows which ships you mean when you mention an "R" ship.

 

Just my humble opinion :D.

 

P.S. Yes - I am VERY biased:-)

 

Hi Don. Posters are taking my comments way too seriously. As someone that was new to Oceania this year, I read the boards and had no clue what anyone was talking about in reference to the ships (seriously -- not making this up). I had a desire to sail on Renaissance once upon a time and know that I can have that experience on Oceania, Princess or Azamara. However, it would never cross my mind that "O" and "R" had the meanings that they do. As I posted previously, I wanted to give my opinion and I have -- no need for anyone to get upset.

 

Hope you and Betsy have a very Merry Christmas and a safe and healthy New Year:)

Edited December 18, 2013 by Travelcat2

[gillianrose]

Note: I personally resent the smaller ships being called "R" ships. Yes -- I get the connection with the long gone (aka dead) Renaissance cruises (the long gone cruise line also has ships owned by Princess and Azamara and is not associated only with Oceania). However, "R" means Regent to many people and is very much alive. Calling Oceania/Princess/Azamara ships "R" ships is confusing when used in connection with Oceania. Just my humble opinion.

 

Whew -- I've wanted to say that for a very long time.

 

Sorry, but "R" ships are known by most people to be the ships of the former Renaissance fleet, regardless what they are named now. I read the Regent forum occasionally and haven't heard "R ship" as a reference to Regent's ships ever. I am not parked in that forum as you are, though, so I will not say it hasn't happened. But "R" ships are "R" ships are "R" ships as in Renaissance and even Azamara and Princess cruisers call them "R" ships, if they know the history of the ships.

[Paulchili]

As Don has pointed out, the R in the R ships, IMO, doesn't refer to Renaissance cruises as much as it does to the fact that they were actually named R1 - R8. That was their real name. Within Oceania they are now designated as R class ships as opposed to the newer O class ships.

Enough said :D

[orchestrapal]

As Don has pointed out, the R in the R ships, IMO, doesn't refer to Renaissance cruises as much as it does to the fact that they were actually named R1 - R8. That was their real name. Within Oceania they are now designated as R class ships as opposed to the newer O class ships.

Enough said

:D

 

You wish!!!

[JimandStan]

You wish!!!

 

Subtle, but I Love it !

[pacheco18]

Back to topic

 

In Tortola today. Spent two hours shopping and returned to ship to do laundry and then relax

 

If anyone is sailing riviera soon be sure to meet Carlos, the maitre'd in terrace

He is fabulous and adorable ( if I were 30 years younger lol)

He has a great personality and will really look out for all ur needs. Tell him I sent u. I have been on several cruises with him. He recently got promoted. Well deserved.

 

The other person you should try to meet is Lucian Ciuca, the f&b manager. He is a sweetheart of a guy. Very visible. Chats with all the passengers throughout the day. I think we have been on four or five cruises with him. He always wants to hear about the food. His stories about provisioning are fascinating. He has invited us to dinner our last 3 cruises as if we are old friends. This time he let me choose where. Going back to Jacques. He loves to invite folks to dinner. Just introduce yourself and ur bound to get an invite. Tell him I sent u too. Lol. Hope no one is irritated by this information. Lolol.

 

I am in cabin 9030. We booked rather last minute. it is between the cc lounge and the laundry

I love the location. We usually prefer aft to be on same side as restaurants, but since this is a fairly inactive cruise for us, the extra walking is good. I love the convenience of being near laundry and cc lounge. No noise at all

 

Tonight is the o club party and we have dinner in polo.

[NC&KY]

As someone that was new to Oceania this year, I read the boards and had no clue what anyone was talking about in reference to the ships (seriously -- not making this up).

 

You are not the only newbie who has that problem, and I still can't keep it straight. I wish they would either state the ship names or just say "the little ships" and "the bigger ships." If it matters on some subject I'm following, I still have to Google the terms and waste several minutes refreshing my memory. Next time maybe I should just print the page so I won't have to go through the Google exercise again.

[A Knitter]

It's illy in baristas Excellent

I have no idea what they serve elsewhere but it is undrinkable imo

We love strong coffee. I think mass produced large pots are the problem

 

Natalie finished her last contract with o in September. She is pursuing her "dreams"

If it doesn't work out, she can return. She seems very happy

 

Laraine. Please tell Natalie hello. She grabbed my knitted wrap right off my shoulders to pose for this picture on the 2011 TA. Please give her my best in pursuing her dreams.

[orchestrapal]

Laraine. Please tell Natalie hello. She grabbed my knitted wrap right off my shoulders to pose for this picture on the 2011 TA. Please give her my best in pursuing her dreams.

 

Really beautiful and can I take a guess that you made it?

[A Knitter]

Really beautiful and can I take a guess that you made it?

 

I did. Thank You.

[pacheco18]

Laraine. Please tell Natalie hello. She grabbed my knitted wrap right off my shoulders to pose for this picture on the 2011 TA. Please give her my best in pursuing her dreams.

 

Fabulous photo

I definitely will send her ur regards

 

Dinner in polo tonight

Another excellent meal

All 4 specialties very good this cruise

[A Knitter]

Fabulous photo

I definitely will send her ur regards

 

Dinner in polo tonight

Another excellent meal

All 4 specialties very good this cruise

 

:):)