Thoughts One Week Post-Riviera Jan. 13 - Jan. 23 Caribbean Hideaways RT Miami Cruise

[LHT28]

 

Negatives: However, the pool deck attendants never the entire cruise (in my observation) removed anyone’s stuff from any chaise lounge, even after many hours sitting empty.

 

Did you point out to the pool attendants that the chairs were not occupied for hrs??

With 2 guys circling the deck & changing beds/towels getting drinks for people, it may be hard to remember how long a particular lounge was saved.

I know they have great memories some of the crew but a couple of the guys were new

 

We also noticed a large number of chair hogs on this cruise

 

Lyn

[JimandStan]

Did you point out to the pool attendants that the chairs were not occupied for hrs??

With 2 guys circling the deck & changing beds/towels getting drinks for people, it may be hard to remember how long a particular lounge was saved.

I know they have great memories some of the crew but a couple of the guys were new

 

We also noticed a large number of chair hogs on this cruise

 

Lyn

 

Let's face it, if one spouse is there, representing the couple and saving two lounge chairs, there is nothing that any Oceania Employee can do.

I'm sure that the number of people who bother to save a chair for someone who will be absent for hours on end is minuscule, anyway.

Although, a series of private, shaded Cabanas, along that ridiculously underutilized interior ring of the Deck 14 Pool Terrace, with walkers segregated to the outer portion with a sea view, would probably solve the entire problem, AND provide a revenue stream. :p

[LHT28]

Let's face it, if one spouse is there, representing the couple and saving two lounge chairs, there is nothing that any Oceania Employee can do.

I'm sure that the number of people who bother to save a chair for someone who will be absent for hours on end is minuscule, anyway.

Although, a series of private, shaded Cabanas, along that ridiculously underutilized interior ring of the Deck 14 Pool Terrace, with walkers segregated to the outer portion with a sea view, would probably solve the entire problem, AND provide a revenue stream. :p[/size]

 

Well you were not on this cruise & I can assure you there were chairs saved with NO ONE near them associated with the chair hogs

We watched as a group of 8 come along put their books on the lounges & off they went not to be seen again ..we were there for at least an hr after they left their books while other people were searching for shade

 

I would think cabanas on deck 14 would take some extra wind break installed or they would be blown away JMO

Lyn

Edited February 7, 2014 by LHT28

[ronrick1943]

Odd, when we last cruised the pool person put a card on an unoccupied (books/towels only) lounger - when they returned after the time limited they removed the items.

Rick

[JimandStan]

Well you were not on this cruise & I can assure you there were chairs saved with NO ONE near them associated with the chair hogs

We watched as a group of 8 come along put their books on the lounges & off they went not to be seen again ..we were there for at least an hr after they left their books while other people were searching for shade

 

I would think cabanas on deck 14 would take some extra wind break installed or they would be blown away JMO

Lyn

 

Pardon me for asking, but if they put their books on the shady lounge chairs and then went into the pool, are they still considered dirty stinking chair hogs?

I'm one one who pretty much stays in the pool once he goes in the pool, so I need to know.

[RachelG]

Last week, the crew was picking up books, etc left in vacant chairs for more than 30 minutes and putting them on a table by the bar that had a big sign on it that said loungers could not be left reserved and unoccupied for more than 30 minutes and stuff would be placed on the table if more than 30 minutes. There was a LOT of stuff on that table, so I think they were enforcing the rule.

 

Now if they know you are in the pool, I am sure they would leave your stuff alone. But there never seemed to be that many people in the pool on our cruise. The people in the pool are not the problem.

[hypercafe]

Let's face it, if one spouse is there, representing the couple and saving two lounge chairs, there is nothing that any Oceania Employee can do.

I'm sure that the number of people who bother to save a chair for someone who will be absent for hours on end is minuscule, anyway.

Although, a series of private, shaded Cabanas, along that ridiculously underutilized interior ring of the Deck 14 Pool Terrace, with walkers segregated to the outer portion with a sea view, would probably solve the entire problem, AND provide a revenue stream. :p

 

I am shocked you would think of this, IMO any line that rents out public space becomes a mass market line. Do you feel Oceania should make a area a beach club, with a daily charge, as NCL does. Isn't 600$$ a day enough to get you a seat by the pool??

[Travelcat2]

I am shocked you would think of this, IMO any line that rents out public space becomes a mass market line. Do you feel Oceania should make a area a beach club, with a daily charge, as NCL does. Isn't 600$$ a day enough to get you a seat by the pool??

 

Have to laugh about NCL charging for a "beach club" (whatever that is:-) In terms of seats, IMO, no matter what you pay, you are not entitled to save a seat by the pool for hours without being there. It is common courtesy. Passengers do not put a book down on a table in a restaurant at lunch and expect the seat to be there for dinner.

 

There are simply not enough seats by the pool for every passenger on a cruise ship (and certainly not enough in the shade). If people would stop trying to "save" seats, there would be more room and it would be easier to get a seat in the shade (or sun). The only time a seat should be saved is when you are in the pool or going to the restroom.

[DaveFr]

Isn't 600$$ a day enough to get you a seat by the pool??

I agree that $600 a day is enough to get you a seat by the pool. However, Jim's proposal is for Deck 14 which is one deck above the pool deck. :D

 

Dave

[LHT28]

Pardon me for asking, but if they put their books on the shady lounge chairs and then went into the pool, are they still considered dirty stinking chair hogs?

I'm one one who pretty much stays in the pool once he goes in the pool, so I need to know.

Excuse me!!

I do not think anyone call them "dirty stinking chair hogs" ..if the shoe fits :p

 

The people we saw went in the opposite direction & were not in swimwear

 

If you go into the pool & stay there why would you need a lounger in the 1st place :rolleyes:

 

Maybe you need a vacation:D

 

Lyn

[LHT28]

Last week, the crew was picking up books, etc left in vacant chairs for more than 30 minutes and putting them on a table by the bar that had a big sign on it that said loungers could not be left reserved and unoccupied for more than 30 minutes and stuff would be placed on the table if more than 30 minutes. There was a LOT of stuff on that table, so I think they were enforcing the rule.

 

Now if they know you are in the pool, I am sure they would leave your stuff alone. But there never seemed to be that many people in the pool on our cruise. The people in the pool are not the problem.

 

Rachel good to know they were enforcing the rules

Maybe all the complaints from those on the prior cruise helped

We got off the day you boarded

I had talked to a couple of the pool attendants & they were new on our sailing so still getting their sea legs so maybe they were not up to speed on the rules & the card situation at the time of our cruise

 

I know they never stopped running here & there

 

Lyn

[computerworks]

Have to laugh about NCL charging for a "beach club" (whatever that is:-)

 

Not a real "beach club"...just in name only, but rather a private adult-only sundeck area on their 3 largest ships. With 4000 pax and families on board, it is a value that many will pay for, to get some quiet time. They sell a limited number of day-only or full-cruise passes

 

Guests will jump for quiet joy upon discovering this private retreat where they can connect with ocean – and disconnect from everything else. Exclusively for those 18 and over, Vibe Beach Club is resplendent with ocean views, oversized hot tubs, chaise loungers and cabanas, and a relaxing water feature – ideal for drowning out every last bit of stress. A full-service bar, water spritzers, chilled towels and skewers of fruit ease you even more into serenity. A limited number of passes will be available for purchase.

 

 

 

[computerworks]

..that ridiculously underutilized interior ring of the Deck 14 Pool Terrace.

 

Deck 14 is absolutely perfect as it is. :p

[wripro]

I don't understand why people don't just pick up whatever is being used to save the lounges and hand it to the nearest attendant, then claim the lounge for themselves. If you sit by and let selfish people have their way you have no right to complain.

[JimandStan]

Deck 14 is absolutely perfect as it is. :p

 

I'm very happy to hear that you think so, but as people who share your opinion may already enjoy the very similar fitness track around the Funnel, aft on Deck 15.

AND the newly revamped Sun Deck forward on Deck 16,

 

I can't help but think that those of us who are willing to pay for a reserved space topside might be granted some leeway on Deck 14......

[computerworks]

..willing to pay for a reserved space topside might be granted some leeway on Deck 14......

 

My point is that Deck 14, besides fitness, provides that "promenade" deck functionality that is missing on the lower decks. It would be a shame to lose that.

[JimandStan]

My point is that Deck 14, besides fitness, provides that "promenade" deck functionality that is missing on the lower decks. It would be a shame to lose that.

 

My point exactly, and I was very specific about this is my original post, I only suggested using the inside perimeter of the terrace surrounding the pool for the proposed Cabanas, leaving the outside area free for promenading and such.

 

Using the "Ocean Side" of the deck is more traditional for use as a Promenade Deck, anyway. :D

[wowpeople]

For Wowpeople...

 

I think you should be able to utilize one end of the tub for hanging more clothes. There is a metal towel rack there that should accommodate several outfits. Hope this pic helps....

 

Pam - enjoyed your comments on the artwork. Thanks for taking the time to post.

 

Terry

 

 

Thanks Terry, yes I'm sure we will utilize this for either hanging stuff or hook up an over the door shoe bag in this area. And maybe it's the tub for large non foldable items like large brimmed hats, etc. I am bringing several Command Hooks as well. I bet our cabin will look comical when we r done unpacking....maybe I should take a pic of THAT, lol!

[Terryd444]

You can hang the over the door shoe bag at the other end of the tub where the shower has this glass partition. It doesn't reach the ceiling so DH has his toiletry kit hanging there. You should be fine...bring on the clothes!

[CintiPam]

Last week, the crew was picking up books, etc left in vacant chairs for more than 30 minutes and putting them on a table by the bar that had a big sign on it that said loungers could not be left reserved and unoccupied for more than 30 minutes and stuff would be placed on the table if more than 30 minutes. There was a LOT of stuff on that table, so I think they were enforcing the rule.

 

Now if they know you are in the pool, I am sure they would leave your stuff alone. But there never seemed to be that many people in the pool on our cruise. The people in the pool are not the problem.

 

Well, I certainly wrote a lot about this persistent problem on my final cruise comment form, so hopefully those comments (and I assume those from many others) had an immediate effect.:)

 

That table by the bar was fairly empty most days.

 

BTW, I was not posting about one or two scofflaws but dozens of empty chaises with books on them, particularly in the shaded areas of the pool deck.

[CintiPam]

I truly thought the food was superior the entire cruise, and my negatives mostly were a result of poor service or lack of training of the wait staff. We knew we were in for a treat from the very first evening when we visited Jacques, and I ordered the mussels appetizer. (Someone on this board advised to order these early in the cruise before they ran out, and I was more than happy to oblige.) The serving filled one of those large serving pots with lids, and it was delicious, perfectly prepared and spiced. Alert for mussels fan: it was about triple the size of the portion served the very next evening in the Grand Dining Room to our roll call friend when we dined together there.

 

Oceania is heaven for chocoholics like spouse and me, and the various iterations of a chocolate volcano dessert on offer were memorable. Also, because I am allergic to fish (the healthy stuff with fins and scales), and husband does not eat seafood, cruising provides me with the rare opportunity to eat seafood at least once a day.

 

.

 

We enjoy a nice breakfast and a multiple-course dinner, so to keep the weight gain down to reasonable proportions, we did not go to lunch after the first day and went to afternoon tea only once. The scones with jam and clotted cream servered then are delicious.

 

Specialty Restaurants: The two located on Deck 5 (Jacques and Red Ginger) were far too warm IMO. On the plus side, it appeared that Oceania makes an effort to have servers from the region of the themed restaurant; that thoughtful touch added considerably to the ambience IMO.

 

Jacques. We dined at Jacques our very first evening because that was the only day left where we could reserve for a 6:30 PM dinner when I went to reserve online. An early dinner was my requirement for that evening because our first flight that morning was at 7 AM, necessitating a 5:30 AM awakening. It remains a stand-out in terms of the complete package of excellent food (great sauces and flavors) and excellent service, a perfectly-paced and presented meal. Our table of eight was right by kitchen, so perhaps that accounts for my room-temperature issue there.

 

Red Ginger. It turns out that the only dining staff holdover that we remembered from our 2011 Marina cruise was Gretchen (from Germany), who now is the maitre d’ of Red Ginger. She readily acceded when I requested a table different from the one originally assigned; I prefer chairs for lengthy meals over banquette seating. She also did not turn a hair when I immediately thereafter exited because I thought the room was far too warm. (I returned to our cabin to change out of my two layers of fancy duds to a much more casual top.) I love the décor in this room. The chopsticks and tea offerings are fun; I really enjoyed my first “vanilla tea with coconut accents”. The duck and watermelon salad were as outstanding as I remembered, and I managed to have seafood for both appetizer and entree.

 

Toscana. There is a bad fairy sitting on our shoulders when we dine here. In 2011 on Marina our meal was spoiled by our argumentative server. Fortunately, my husband dealt with the situation calmly and completely, and we left as soon as possible. So lightning cannot strike twice in the same place? Unfortunately that is not the case.

 

This time, our two servers clearly still were in need of training: ridiculously long wait for the appetizers; cold food (not a surprise as a result of the preceding complaint but devastating to my fried calamari); 40-minute wait for butter requested by a fellow diner in place of the vinegar and oil menu; mixing up who ordered what for most courses; literally hitting the blinds with the coffee cup tray; pouring so much pepper on spouse’s meal (after specifically being told just one twist after salad experience!) that a new order had to be prepared (while his neighbor had the pepper applied to the side of the plate rather than the entrée); etc. Our six dining companions simply were astonished. Next time (if there is one; husband does not want to return), I will stick to ordering the exceptional pastas because IMO the entrees are very ordinary but the pastas are fabulous. BTW, it has a rather bland décor.

 

Polo Grill. OMG, this was the best of the best for us, and what a wonderful farewell because we ate here the last night of our cruise. It also provided a lovely last impression after our Toscana debacle. When you combine comfortable seating, well-trained attentive experienced service with excellent well-prepared food served at a nice relaxing pace, together with a very nice pinot noir, it is such a delight. Foie gras en croute with mushrooms, lovely prime rib for me and a superb Porterhouse for spouse, creamed spinach and a seven-layer chocolate fudge cake: our entire experience there was the cherry on top of our 10-day culinary extravaganza.

 

Grand Dining Room: Our dinners in the Grand Dining Room were enhanced by the beauty of this room; the portion sizes are great for those of us ordering several courses, the food was very good, and the service more than adequate for the most part.

 

What I really noticed had changed since our Marina cruise in 2011 was that there were far, far fewer ethnic offerings in any cuisines such as Asian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, etc. The menus were very bland and vanilla compared to those offered in 2011. I love ethnic food because when I dine out, I really enjoy dishes I do not prepare at home. I assume Oceania menu planners are responding to the demands/comments of its patrons but it was much less adventurous dining this time around, which I think is a big loss.

 

Terrace Café: Breakfasts in the Terrace Café were excellent, and I enjoyed the variety of fresh fruit on offer. The excellent sticky buns were available every two or three days. The egg/omelette makers were reduced from three to two compared with Marina in 2011, so lines were longer. This compares unfavorably with breakfast on Azamara, where someone takes your egg order and then it is delivered to your table when ready so you do not have to stand in a line ever at breakfast.

 

On the other hand, I really appreciated the consideration of sanitary issues by having everything on the buffet line served, even though this requires many more staff at meals.

 

If one sits outside aft at breakfast, service (tea, coffee and even just water service) really suffers, but I seldom was in a hurry on this Caribbean cruise. One day I ordered two café lattes so I actually could have two before the place closed for the morning. The boss out there noticed, and our service never suffered again.

 

We actually ate dinner one evening at the Café when Gerry, who strongly prefers to be served at dinner, found nothing particularly appealing on the GDR menu. It really was nice, and supplied me with an opportunity to inhale grilled shrimp and lobster to my heart’s content.

 

Waves Grill. This was my mid-afternoon “snack/lunch” venue of choice, both because it was open past 2 PM and provided prepared to order grilled food with a unique menu going far beyond the usual burgers and hot dogs. After eating the “Surf and Turf” lobster and filet sandwich with truffles sprinkled on the fries on the first sea day, I thereafter switched to a made-to-order “snack/lunch”: a double order of lobster, hold the fries and bread. This lovely grilled lobster and a fresh mixed greens salad helped me to avoid a weight disaster upon our return to home after our many-coursed dinners. I drink a lot of iced tea, which always tastes freshly brewed. I never tried the ice creams or sorbets offered at the Grill, so I cannot comment on them.

 

Serving Staff: We encountered much less staff still needing training on this cruise compared to 2011, particularly in the Grand Dining Room. Service there usually was a well-oiled machine, except for the one evening when our server there had no assistant. Also, we never had to wait for a table in the GDR regardless of when we showed up; any line was very fast-moving line, a nice contrast to our “R” ship experience. Also, when eating with others in the GDR, the meals still were served promptly; on prior cruises, the larger the party, the longer it took to dine, and we did not find this to occur on this cruise (except in Toscana), so kudos to Oceania to cleaning up this annoying problem.

Edited February 18, 2014 by CintiPam

[CintiPam]

Because we had four sea days, we had plenty of opportunities to engage in daytime shipboard activities on this cruise.

Guest Lectures: I attended several of the almost daily enrichment lectures provided by “Guest Enrichment Lecturer” Sandy Cares. Billed as a teller of island stories, Sandy was a bundle of energy, pacing ceaselessly around the Riviera Lounge, and regaling us with many stories regarding the islands we were visiting. Unfortunately, she often provided misinformation regarding basic facts in her lectures and also rambled off-point, so I stopped attending. Previous lecturers on my cruises have been retired or vacationing college professors, and whether entertaining or not (they varied), at least I knew that I was not being told incorrect information.



Trivia: Spouse and I enjoy team trivia and played the first two days in the afternoon, but, as I wrote on another thread previously, the way Cruise Director David Peterson conducted these sessions, as if he was late for another more important appointment, was very unsatisfactory. He would race through the questions, add varying and arbitrary amounts of bonus points for each of the 20 questions, and always insisted on marking all the papers himself. He delighted in showing off his mathematical skills by adding everyone’s scores in record time. We opted out after our second experience.



In contrast, we very much enjoyed the evening trivia, which was hosted by various members of the entertainment staff, usually one of the young singers, at 8:45 PM. We preferred its much more relaxed interactive atmosphere: we actually marked each other’s papers; and the hosts were cordial and did not act is if the contest was a chore to be completed as quickly as possible. We attended almost daily, and met some very interesting people, both hosts and fellow players, as a result. Two nights there was a late evening (10:45 PM) trivia, with the assistance of excellent Martinis lounge pianist Oleg, playing Broadway show tunes the first time and movie tunes the second, and those were the most fun of all.



Other Activities:



Shuffleboard, croquet, bridge, table tennis, paddle tennis, dance class (with wonderful ballroom dancers), zumba, bingo, wine tastings, golf putting, mah jong, cooking classes: plenty of opportunities for engagement with others were offered. The daily newsletter Currents was essential reading for planning one’s day at sea or evenings after lovely port days.

Edited February 18, 2014 by CintiPam

[CintiPam]

I am delighted to report that the entertainment at the evening shows in the Riviera Lounge exhibited a vast improvement over that offered on our prior Oceania cruises. Since we last had sailed on an Oceania cruise, Oceania has hired Jean Ann Ryan Productions to provide show entertainers. The three shows offered by this group of four singers and four dancers plus two excellent ballroom dancers, including one with very strong production values showcasing the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, were very enjoyable. The two young male singers exhibited excellent voices and good stage presence, and one also did a great Elvis impersonator show during our cruise. There also were several opportunities to attend cabaret shows (one vocalist) at 6:15 PM in the Riviera Lounge or 10:45 PM in Horizons. Assistant Cruise Director Margaret Lynn performed at two of those shows. She is an outgoing delightful performer, with whom we dined one evening at one of the officers’ table in the GDR, and she was as warm and friendly as CD David Peterson (in our opinion) was cold and distant.

Other main stage entertainers included a dreadful comedian (are clean funny jokes an oxymoron?), an oddly charming comedy magician, and a dreadful singer/impressionist. The classical quartet and show bands were excellent.

Edited February 18, 2014 by CintiPam

[CintiPam]

We did not take any of the ship’s excursions because we prefer to tour independently and not be bused around on the schedule of the slowest of 35 people. However, at most ports, Oceania had a local tourism person on board for the first few hours after arrival, and that person provided excellent maps, which I always obtained and were very useful (I am a happy map enthusiast, the more detailed the better.) This cruise had five ports and we toured as follows:

 



Tortola: Husband’s bum knee would not have enjoyed the path down to Virgin Gorda’s Baths, so at the suggestion of fellow roll call passenger Lyn (Oceania frequent poster LHT28), we took the 2-1/2 hour jitney tour of Tortola. These jitneys line up in the parking lot right at the dock, and I simply chose the most modern looking one, which indeed was very comfortable. It made a leisurely circuit of this beautiful island, with stops for views, restrooms and refreshments. The jitneys hold about 20 passengers each in five rows of four. There were four passengers from Riviera and 16 from the Carnival ship also in port that day on our tour. About twelve of those from the Carnival ship were middle-aged friends from one USA state far south of Ohio, and I learned a lot first-hand that day about prejudice and the stereotypical “Ugly American” from the men in that group.

 



Antigua: I arranged through Hertz to rent a car from their local franchisee and we drove across the island to visit historic Nelson’s Dockyard, including the marvelous small museum there, and nearby historic fort on the heights above. There also was an excellent multimedia show in the round about Antigua’s history, quite informative and well-done, and we enjoyed our private showing. On the way back, we drove down Fig Tree Drive through the rainforest and then stopped for a swim at Darkwood Beach, a lovely beach that was recommended to us by a young couple from the Carnival ship that we met during our stop at surprisingly unlovely Cane Garden Bay beach during our Tortola jitney tour.

 



Barbados: Lyn previously had read about an artisanal chocolate factory near the port in Bridgetown, and she arranged for a private tour for any interested from our roll call. You reserved your spot directly with Agapey Chocolate by paying in advance through Paypal, and we all walked over together. Owner Derek provided a very detailed and professional look at the chocolate trade for about 90 minutes, from tasting various types of sugars, then various chocolate beans, explanation of his machinery and processes, all the way until the finished product. Sincere thanks to Lyn for a wonderful and fascinating morning. We purchased eight bars of the delicious chocolate for family back home, and returned hot and happy to the ship.

 



St. Lucia: We had booked an all-day private tour - Spencer Ambrose’s Land & Sea Adventure Tour, a fabulous way to spend our port day, and also one where I did not have to worry about potholes or car breakdowns as I did on two other port days. Four others from our roll call joined us; and the day started with all six of us wasting 15 precious minutes of our short port day waiting for two more from our roll call. These two chose not to bother informing either the tour company or me that they had made other plans for the day. I never will understand how thoughtless others can be regarding private tour commitments when no up-front money is required.



Our land tour with Spencer’s brother Small was excellent, organized and thorough. He drove us in a very comfortable van with excellent a/c south through this very mountainous island, with stops including the Morne Fortune view, a banana plantation, some fishing villages, a drive-through volcano, a lovely small waterfall, followed by lunch (jerk chicken and other local dishes) at a place called Captain Hook’s. After lunch, we boarded a short boat ride to a beach between the two famous Pitons for a delightful swim before a crazy, exciting speed boat sightseeing ride back to the ship by Spencer with another tour guide narrating regarding the sights seen from the water. Thanks to Oceania forum poster computerworks, whose description of this same tour from his March 2013 Caribbean Hideaways cruise provided me with the recommendation of this excellent tour company for our day in St. Lucia.

 



St. Barts: We rented a car through local company Turbe for the day and explored this beautiful island at our leisure with the excellent map Turbe provided us, including lengthy stops for swimming at first Gouverneur’s Beach (rough waters on the Caribbean side of the island) and then Flammands Beach (calmer waters on the Atlantic side of the island). St. Barts offers excellent roads and driving and steering wheel on the same side as in the USA, although it still provided me with a challenge because of the narrow lanes and very steep ascents.

Edited February 18, 2014 by CintiPam

[CintiPam]

Surprisingly to me, the average passenger age on this cruise was much younger than on any of our previous Oceania cruises. I expected an older demographic for a Caribbean cruise but this certainly was not the case. Most passengers were from the US and Canada, a sharpl contrast to our September 2013 Azamara cruise where North Americans were the minority, heavily outnumbered by passengers from Great Britain, where Azamara has focused much of its marketing efforts recently, plus a large group from a company in New Zealand. We met delightful people through our roll call, at meals and while playing trivia.

 



I was able to meet many of the people from our roll call early in the cruise because we strong-armed Oceania into permitting a Meet & Greet event at 11 AM on our second day at sea in Horizons, so early on we were able to put faces to many of the names from our roll call. I was disturbed with how reluctant Executive Concierge Alper Dalyan was to do anything to help me make arrangements for this large group of 52 passengers, but after reading other posts on the Oceania forum, I realize I should be grateful that invitations were sent out promptly by Oceania and that a large sign was erected in Horizons for our meeting. I also enjoyed the mostly positive and friendly group with which we enjoyed our cruise. We dined with several couples we met through our roll call and are happy that we will be cruising again with some of them next January on our Mayan Mystique itinerary.

Edited February 18, 2014 by CintiPam