Define luxury on Oceania

[ClairetoCruise]

We want to continue cruising but consider we need to upgrade our requirements. What is luxurious about Oceania?

 

Claire

[orchestrapal]

We want to continue cruising but consider we need to upgrade our requirements. What is luxurious about Oceania?

 

Claire

 

Hard to define luxury when we don't know what your used to.

 

We look for great food beautifully served in a relaxed atmosphere.

Wonderful spacious suites with amazing bedding and butler service and well traveled interesting fellow travelers, almost no smoking and off season,when we travel,almost no children are more aspects of the luxury we enjoy. Casual elegance with NO formal nights add to the enjoyment. Since we never go to the entertainment we can not speak to that but it never has been a strong point for O.

Pick your favorite itinerary and join all of us who love O.

[canuck.qc]

Let us know what cruise lines you have sailed and then we can determine where the bar is set:rolleyes:

[gdlamberth]

Hard to define luxury when we don't know what your used to.

 

We look for great food beautifully served in a relaxed atmosphere.

Wonderful spacious suites with amazing bedding and butler service and well traveled interesting fellow travelers, almost no smoking and off season,when we travel,almost no children are more aspects of the luxury we enjoy. Casual elegance with NO formal nights add to the enjoyment. Since we never go to the entertainment we can not speak to that but it never has been a strong point for O.

Pick your favorite itinerary and join all of us who love O.

 

This is a GREAT IMHO personal definition of Luxury. Pretty close to what we'd come up with ourselves. I think I would add "the absence of crowds" and "open seating dining" as an elements we expect from our "luxury" experience on land or sea. The butler, on the other hand, I am more sanguine about.

 

Greg

[ClairetoCruise]

Hard to define luxury when we don't know what your used to.

 

We look for great food beautifully served in a relaxed atmosphere.

Wonderful spacious suites with amazing bedding and butler service and well traveled interesting fellow travelers, almost no smoking and off season,when we travel,almost no children are more aspects of the luxury we enjoy. Casual elegance with NO formal nights add to the enjoyment. Since we never go to the entertainment we can not speak to that but it never has been a strong point for O.

Pick your favorite itinerary and join all of us who love O.

 

 

Yes, this meets our expectations.

I'll copy the list of what we're want from the Crystal thread. Be right back.

thank you. Claire

[LHT28]

Luxury means different things to different people

 

For us the lack of crowds, limited children, being treated like we are adults

the beds on Oceania are luxury to us

 

General ambiance of the ships/passengers ...hard to describe

 

So far Oceania has what we need & enjoy

 

YMMV

[ClairetoCruise]

Looking for luxury:

 

Food is subjective but service needs to be unobtrusive.

Comfortable furnishings with soft seats, back support, ottomans.

Great ventilation and air temperature in public areas.

Quiet places

Shade and sun options.

Unobtrusive entertainment.

Optional dining.

No lines.

Excellent, knowledgeable guest services and tour excursion staff.

Smoke control and non-smoking enforcement.

 

That's a start.

Thanks, Claire

[LHT28]

Looking for luxury:

 

Food is subjective but service needs to be unobtrusive.

Comfortable furnishings with soft seats, back support, ottomans. not sure they have ottomans

Great ventilation and air temperature in public areas. most of the time but it can vary

Quiet places

Shade and sun options.

Unobtrusive entertainment. not sure what that means

Optional dining.

No lines.

Excellent, knowledgeable guest services and tour excursion staff. you may be disappointed

Smoke control and non-smoking enforcement.

 

That's a start.

Thanks, Claire

 

nothing in life is perfect even at sea :D

[ClairetoCruise]

nothing in life is perfect even at sea :D

 

With people it's give and take.

Nothing and nobody is perfect.

Differences enrich the journey.

 

Of course all staff can't be excellent, or they'd be promoted.:)

 

Tired legs do relish an ottoman or at least a foot rest.

Innovation takes care of some shortcomings.

 

thank you.

Claire

Edited January 11, 2014 by ClairetoCruise

[hondorner]

If you desire unobtrusive entertainment, you'll love the string quartets, always on board an Oceania ship. All of them are Pretty Good, and some of them are Excellent.

 

The beds have been mentioned; they are probably the best at sea, and so good some folks come home and buy them for their own homes.

 

There are quiet spots to relax, especially the Patio and Sanctuary on the Marina and Riviera (the "O" ships), and the Patio on Regatta, Nautica and Insignia (the "R" ships).

 

I consider my surroundings to be a substantial part of luxury. Oceania ships are maintained in fabulous condition, with low-key, pleasing decor and exclusive artwork personally selected by Frank Del Rio, Chairman and CEO, and Bob Binder, Vice Chairman. The libraries on the "R" ships, in particular, are gorgeous.

 

There may not be many ottomans, but the public area furniture is mostly selected for comfort. There is a well-known story about chairs in one of Marina's lounges being a bit too low; they were all removed and replaced with nearly identical chairs a couple of inches higher.

 

Food may be subjective, but not to Chairman FDR. Oceania has a reputation of the best food at sea, perhaps rivaled only by Crystal (although I haven't experienced Crystal). I do know they spend more per passenger for food than any other cruise line. They are regularly reported as a "foodie" cruise line.

 

It's this sort of attention to detail that defines luxury, for me.

[RJB]

Luxury means different things to different people

 

For us the lack of crowds, limited children, being treated like we are adults

the beds on Oceania are luxury to us

 

General ambiance of the ships/passengers ...hard to describe

 

So far Oceania has what we need & enjoy

 

YMMV

Just how we feel. The only thing lacking is an all inclusive setting. We have sailed Crystal and Silver Seas many times and the only thing they have over O in being all inclusive. :)

[ClairetoCruise]

We learned a lot from the posters on this thread.

I'll add gracious posters to my list for defined luxury.

 

Thank you,

Claire

Edited January 11, 2014 by ClairetoCruise

[wripro]

I've said this before: Luxury is like porn. You know it when you see it.

[RJB]

I've said this before: Luxury is like porn. You know it when you see it.

An interesting way of putting it.

[DavidTheWonderer]

Over on the Regent boards, the word "luxury" in conjunction with cruises is dangerous territory. So far, the Regent denizens haven't noticed this thread, but they probably will. Some over there are vociferous that Oceania is not luxury, but Regent is. I lack the sensitivity and intelligence to understand what the argument is about, but it is frequent and loud.

 

A commercial for the NFL playoff games says that Bud Light has rented a "luxury cruise ship" which they will turn into a Bud Light Hotel and party bar in New York for the super bowl. The ship will be the NCL new Getaway, which will have 4000 guests including the Bud Light girls! Again I lack sensitivity and intelligence, but suspect that the Bud Light Hotel won't qualify as "luxury" as some define it. Even if it does qualify as luxury, I can think of few things I would less want to do than be on that tub for the super bowl.

[ronrick1943]

Every person as their own view of what luxury is--for me it's the enjoyment of doing what I want when I want. It's going to dinner without the hassle, letting the butler bring me coffee and a roll in the morning. And just doing nothing at all sometimes. I enjoy "O", they but the frosting on everything for that little extra I want.

[LHT28]

Just how we feel. The only thing lacking is an all inclusive setting. We have sailed Crystal and Silver Seas many times and the only thing they have over O in being all inclusive. :)

 

That is why we like O

We are not paying for something we do not want

 

To each their own

[LHT28]

Over on the Regent boards, the word "luxury" in conjunction with cruises is dangerous territory. So far, the Regent denizens haven't noticed this thread, but they probably will. Some over there are vociferous that Oceania is not luxury, but Regent is.

 

They are probably still getting over jet lag but not to worry they will have their opinions :D

[warburg]

From what you list, you will probably find what you like on O. We avoid ship's tours, so Destination Services is not important to us. We figure out what we want to do where before we leave for the cruise. As to things like ottomans, I can't say that I noticed any. We don't have them in our flat. Since what luxury is varies with the individual, if you take O, you'll draw your own conclusion.

 

For us, veterans of Seabourne and Regent, O offers plenty of luxury. The extras all-inclusives provide are nice. But gorgeous decor, tranquility beds, and great accommodations count. Buying drinks packages creates almost the same effect.

[JimandStan]

I honestly don't mean to denigrate anyone elses' favorite cruise line(s), or their business plans, but I've always found the all inclusive concept to be more than slightly ridiculous.

 

In fact, a complete affectation.

 

On the order of pretending that ones' cleaning lady is simply a treasured friend, with whom you feel comfortable entrusting the joys of your soiled laundry and dirty bathrooms.

 

[TKS]

Luxury? To me, luxury is being treated as a welcome, sometimes pampered, guest who is entitled to rest in comfortable surroundings, with excellent service in a congenial and comfortable atmosphere.

 

How about immaculately maintained and tastefully decorated cabins and public spaces, excellent and well presented food in a variety of un-crowded and unhurried venues with well travelled and generally very congenial fellow passengers for company, a genuinely friendly "can do" attitude by most crew members, privacy available when you want it, no "required" dining locations or times, phony dress expectations (we are on vacation half way around the world, after all), no smoking in most areas, few children, etc., etc.?

 

Oceania offers all these things. You are treated as a responsible adult, and, as in most things, you get what you give. If you give respect and friendliness, you will find it returned to you many fold. If you have unrealistic expectations of "luxury" your expectations may not all be met.

[Paulchili]

That is why we like O

We are not paying for something we do not want

 

To each their own

 

Ditto. This also applies to "luxurious" Regent and their so called included shore excursions.

As we all know, there is no free lunch and we prefer to only pay for what we want and use.

Not having to pay extra for alcohol is not part of my definition of luxury.

As always, YMMV :)

Edited January 12, 2014 by Paulchili

[cbb]

One of the big reasons (besides the smoking policy) we love O is that it is not noisy. No band at the pool, limited announcements into the room, no shrieking at others...just calm and tranquil.

 

You know how you feel when you've been out and you enter your home and shut the door behind you...and exhale...that's what we feel when we're on board. Sometimes luxury is just ....quiet.

[Mura]

It has struck me that people who are used to all-inclusive often value that more than many of us from non-all-inclusive lines. They complain about having to sign a chit for a drink where that doesn't bother me at all. I sign for my drink and don't have a problem doing so. (Don't get me wrong: I can understand not wanting to sign when you're used to not having to do so!)

 

But the main thing, as some of us have said, is that I want to pay for what I want ... we don't drink that much on a cruise (well, I do but DH doesn't) and so paying for that in our fare isn't so valuable to us. Likewise, we prefer booking smaller private tours where we can, so having "free" bus trips doesn't appeal.

 

(Speaking about signing those drink chits ... If I were used to not having to sign I probably would object, too. But I'm not and so it doesn't bother me.)

 

As regulars here know, we don't even want to buy the drink package on O ... we probably would if DH ordered some other than "orange juice no ice" when we go into a bar ... but I also prefer buying a bottle of wine as compared to getting a glass of wine from a selected list ... Not that I am suspicious of the list selections ... I just want to choose my own.

 

Mura

[ORV]

One of the big reasons (besides the smoking policy) we love O is that it is not noisy. No band at the pool, limited announcements into the room, no shrieking at others...just calm and tranquil.

 

You know how you feel when you've been out and you enter your home and shut the door behind you...and exhale...that's what we feel when we're on board. Sometimes luxury is just ....quiet.

 

On the Riviera crossing there was a band at the pool almost every sea day.