Hello and New to Oceania

[2busy]

Hello to everybody. I am new to this form and to Oceania. My wife and I will sail on the Riviera in June. I have enjoyed reading many posts here but I have a few questions that I hope you veterans can answer. I did search for them, but could not get enough information.

 

I should mention that my wife and I are not new to cruising, just to Oceania (a half dozen on HAL and a couple on Crystal).

 

1. Could someone direct me to a list of spirits and champagne in the Prestige Beverage package? This will help me to decide whether or not to get the package.

 

2. For open seating in the MDR, can you make a reservation, and are there many tables for 2? Is there any wait for open seating?

 

3. Since we want to have dinner in each of the fabulous sounding specialty restaurants, we will miss many evenings in the MDR. Are there any special/not to be missed meals on certain nights that we should not miss? I am thinking of something like a steak and lobster dinner.

 

4. It seems there is no complete promenade deck for walking entirely around the ship. Is the space that is available for walking uncrowded with enough strait sections to have a comfortable but brisk walk?

 

5. Am I correct that boarding for a B category cabin is no earlier than 3 pm?

 

Well, thanks for any help with these questions, and we are really looking forward to our first Oceania cruise.

[jeffreys1]

Welcome to Oceania.

 

Here is a link to what is included in the Prestige Select package

 

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/beveragepackages/

Edited March 8, 2014 by jeffreys1

[LHT28]

2. For open seating in the MDR, can you make a reservation, and are there many tables for 2? Is there any wait for open seating?

Usually you have no waiting maybe a couple of minutes at most, no reservations though I have not asked

 

3. Since we want to have dinner in each of the fabulous sounding specialty restaurants, we will miss many evenings in the MDR. Are there any special/not to be missed meals on certain nights that we should not miss? I am thinking of something like a steak and lobster dinner.

No special event nights ...

you can have steak & lobster every night in the Terrace

The GDR menus change daily so check out what is on offer if it is something you prefer then cancel the specialty reservation

The specialty dining venues do not change

Be sure to reserve your specialty dining reservation before the cruise

 

4. It seems there is no complete promenade deck for walking entirely around the ship. Is the space that is available for walking uncrowded with enough strait sections to have a comfortable but brisk walk?

You can use the walking track or on the upper deck surrounding the pool

5. Am I correct that boarding for a B category cabin is no earlier than 3 pm?

 

 

sometimes you can board earlier but do not show up at noon expecting to get on ..it may not happen

 

enjoy the cruise

 

Lyn

Edited March 8, 2014 by LHT28

[robbie21]

Hello to everybody. I am new to this form and to Oceania. My wife and I will sail on the Riviera in June. I have enjoyed reading many posts here but I have a few questions that I hope you veterans can answer. I did search for them, but could not get enough information.

 

I should mention that my wife and I are not new to cruising, just to Oceania (a half dozen on HAL and a couple on Crystal).

 

1. Could someone direct me to a list of spirits and champagne in the Prestige Beverage package? This will help me to decide whether or not to get the package.

 

2. For open seating in the MDR, can you make a reservation, and are there many tables for 2? Is there any wait for open seating?No reservations in the GDR. Quite a number of 2 tops but usually very close to your neighbors. The wait, if any, depends on the time you arrive. We have never waited more than 4-5 minutes - have heard of 15 minute waits.

 

3. Since we want to have dinner in each of the fabulous sounding specialty restaurants, we will miss many evenings in the MDR. Are there any special/not to be missed meals on certain nights that we should not miss? I am thinking of something like a steak and lobster dinner.Steak and lobster is best in the Polo. Dinner menus are posted after lunch so I suppose you could cancel your reservation but the specialties are SO much better you would be silly to do so :D

 

4. It seems there is no complete promenade deck for walking entirely around the ship. Is the space that is available for walking uncrowded with enough strait sections to have a comfortable but brisk walk?There is a walking/jogging track on deck 15 aft. Tends to be windy. Treadmills in the gym :)

 

5. Am I correct that boarding for a B category cabin is no earlier than 3 pm?Boarding times are "flexible". If you arrive early priority will be given to higher categories but they will fit you in. We have always boarded well ahead of our scheduled time and most of the time walked right on around noon or one.

 

Well, thanks for any help with these questions, and we are really looking forward to our first Oceania cruise.

 

I am sure you will enjoy your cruise. Oceania is a different experience from HAL. I don't know about Crystal but I hear the food is better on Oceania.;)

[Mura]

I don't think I'm being redundant here ... Lyn pretty well covered it. But I will babble for a while ...

 

NO reservations for the GDR. They aren't necessary. If you come at a crowded time, you might have to wait a few minutes but you should NOT have to wait for a table for two. And there are more than enough tables for two. (We've had the opposite experience -- we wanted to share a table but every so often we've had to have dinner with ourselves alone. Shudder ...:D)

 

If you go to Terrace you can have a wonderful buffet and find a table for two as well.

 

You asked about "special" nights in the MDR. Generally that's not the case. BUT:

 

You can check the menu before hand every day to make your decision. The difference with the MDR is that there are a number of courses available that change every day. The specialty restaurants have set menus that rarely change. That is one reason why we tend to prefer the GDR. (Lots of people will disagree with us but we almost always have had wonderful meals there ... and we've had off evenings in the specialty restaurants as well, and we haven't been the only ones.)

 

What might happen on your cruise is if you have a sea day on a Sunday, in which case the GDR often has a fabulous brunch. Just check the Daily Currents.

 

If you're tired after a day of touring, Terrace is a good option since you don't have to change out of your grungy clothes unless you want to!

 

Also, don't forget Waves if you get back late from a tour (after the restaurants have closed, usually 2pm) but you didn't get lunch.

 

When we took my mother on a cruise 10 years ago she converted us to breakfast in the GDR which we have done ever since, unless we have an early tour departure in which case we order breakfast in our cabin. It's a lovely leisurely meal with lots of choices. And I tend to eat less than when I'm at the buffet in Terrace! Lunch there is also nice.

 

We tend to check menus at both venues for lunch especially, and decide where to go when we see what looks more enticing.

 

Boarding times do tend to be flexible -- depending on who has shown up. Also look at the ship departure time ... if it's not due to sail until late at night (which has happened to us a couple of times), you might be able to board earlier than your assigned time, just because others are going to come to the ship later. But don't count on that!

 

It's really a question of who is there at the time ... we usually have early boarding times but often want to spend time in town touring before we come to the ship. If there are significant numbers of people who do the same, you could certainly board earlier ... although you wouldn't have immediate access to your cabin.

 

Hope I haven't confused you ...

 

Welcome to Oceania.

 

Mura

Mura

[orchestrapal]

Everything Maura has said is true.

Just note we too always have early boarding and have at times seen others told that they can not board until their stated boarding time. It probably makes sense not to arrive too early.

[mskaufman]

What type of entertainment is there on Oceania?

[Mura]

Entertainment is NOT the strong suit on Oceania. If that's what you want, go to a bigger line.

 

Sometimes the acts are good, often they are not. It also depends on what kind of entertainment you are looking for.

 

Lots of people like the string quartet that plays in the public venues for cocktails and such. Others like the music in the bars. (I saw a great singer up in Horizons on Marina recently -- I'm a classical singer, she was not, but she was wonderful.)

 

But most people are not entranced with the official shows.

 

Mura

[2busy]

First a thanks to jeffreys1 for the link to the alcohol list in the Prestige package. I just missed that and am glad you sent it.

 

Can anyone give me the cost of an XO cognac? The answer just might be the deciding point about getting the package.

 

Special thanks to Lyn and Mura for expanding on the dining options and boarding times. I really like the ideas of breakfast in the GDR or at an outside Terrace table. We just will have to do both!

 

Also thanks to robbie21 for telling me about the walking/jogging track on deck 15.

 

And thanks to orchestrapal for adding to the boarding time situation. Our cruise is Venice to Rome and we will spend a few days in Venice before we board. I suspect we will be trying to use the last few hours to enjoy Venice, so we just might be boarding late. Or, we might be ready to board as soon as we can. Just have to wait and see. Either way, we will enjoy.

 

Thanks again to all of you!

[TKS]

Something no one has mentioned yet as a lunch option is Waves "Surf & Turf" sandwich. A small filet medallion with a halved lobster, on a bun. If you ask, they will skip the bun (and/or the filet or lobster, as you please). I've asked for "surf & surf" and gotten that as well. DH loves their Kobe beef burger as well.

 

And I enjoy eating lunch al fresco in Terrace on days in port when the ship is "backed in." Great weather, great view, great choices for lunch. I especially love O's salads, and I try to hold myself back from their huge variety of daily baked breads. There are also 2-tops on the fantail as well.

 

Any venue you decide, I'm certain you will enjoy O.

Edited March 9, 2014 by TKS

[LHT28]

First a thanks to jeffreys1 for the link to the alcohol list in the Prestige package. I just missed that and am glad you sent it.

 

Can anyone give me the cost of an XO cognac? The answer just might be the deciding point about getting the package.

 

 

I cannot help with the price but I am sure J & S will know ;)

 

You could always take a bottle for use in your cabin if you like it for a nightcap or....

 

Lyn

[CintiPam]

And thanks to orchestrapal for adding to the boarding time situation. Our cruise is Venice to Rome and we will spend a few days in Venice before we board. I suspect we will be trying to use the last few hours to enjoy Venice, so we just might be boarding late. Or, we might be ready to board as soon as we can. Just have to wait and see. Either way, we will enjoy.

 

 

Welcome to Oceania, 2busy. Hope you have a fabulous cruise.

 

We always board between 2:45 PM and 3:15 PM and never have waited in any line longer than five minutes. We drop some of our carry-on stuff off in our cabin and then enjoy a late lunch in the Terrace Cafe (which is open that day until 4 PM) outside aft with glorious views. By the time we finish lunch, usually our checked luggage has arrived.

 

We prefer to both avoid lines (I am a terrible impatient line waiter) and enjoy the embarkation city for as long as we can, and certainly Venice is one of those places to enjoy every special minute. We sailed on Azamara Quest from there last September and just getting to the port (many of the smaller vessels sail from San Basilio rather than Marittima) was a fun adventure from our hotel, actually a lovely ride up the Grand Canal on a vaporetto to the train station, where we switched to another vaporetto which delivered us just 50 yards from check-in! For a Marittima embarkation, we simply have taken a vaporetto to the bus station and than a very short taxi ride from there to the terminal.

 

Hopefully you have a starboard cabin so you can enjoy one of the best sailaways in the world (and one that may not be available for many more years.)

 

Kudos to poster TKS for mentioning the Waves Grill surf & surf option. Several days on our January cruise, I enjoyed the double surf, no turf, no bun option with green side salad for lunch - utterly fantastic! :) (It also helped atone just a bit for my chocolate croissant or sticky bun every day at breakfast.)

Edited March 9, 2014 by CintiPam

[mskaufman]

Entertainment is NOT the strong suit on Oceania. If that's what you want, go to a bigger line.

 

Sometimes the acts are good, often they are not. It also depends on what kind of entertainment you are looking for.

 

Lots of people like the string quartet that plays in the public venues for cocktails and such. Others like the music in the bars. (I saw a great singer up in Horizons on Marina recently -- I'm a classical singer, she was not, but she was wonderful.)

 

But most people are not entranced with the official shows.

 

Mura

 

We're not big on the production shows of the bigger lines. Sometimes we enjoy a good comic in the evening. So, what goes on after dinner on Oceania?

[Mura]

It varies from cruise to cruise. If your CD is Dottie, her husband comes along as a comic -- and we enjoyed his shows very, VERY much. Sometimes there are solo acts (classical or jazz or something else). Occasionally a magician, but I don't remember many of those.

 

You will see what is one each day in your Daily Currents. It's hard to say specifically what kinds of shows you will see, and I believe that the glitzier shows (to the extent that they are glitzy) will be on Marina or Riviera since they have larger stages.

 

There is always a string quartet which plays at cocktail hour and various times during the day (for example, at a special brunch). The bars also have musical entertainment at various times.

 

We rarely worry ourselves about the evening shows because we usually have dinner around 7:30-8:00, which means we get out too late to see a show. If there's a show we think we'd like to see, we schedule an earlier dinner.

 

It does tend to be quiet after dinner given the usual demographic ... although I have to say that our BCN-Rio cruise in November had a lot of younger people on board. Normally I'd expect that on a Caribbean cruise but not necessarily on an 18 day transatlantic.

 

Mura

[Hokapontas]

And thanks to orchestrapal for adding to the boarding time situation. Our cruise is Venice to Rome and we will spend a few days in Venice before we board. I suspect we will be trying to use the last few hours to enjoy Venice, so we just might be boarding late. Or, we might be ready to board as soon as we can. Just have to wait and see. Either way, we will enjoy.

 

Thanks again to all of you!

 

May I ask a question too? I am going on a Venice-Rome cruise (our first) in July, but on the Insignia. We are returning our rental car in Venice at 10 on the morning of the cruise. We had no choice in this. We are looking forward to wandering the city, but will have all our bags. If we were staying in a hotel the night before we could store our baggage in the hotel storage. Is there luggage storage in the cruise terminal?

[orchestrapal]

May I ask a question too? I am going on a Venice-Rome cruise (our first) in July, but on the Insignia. We are returning our rental car in Venice at 10 on the morning of the cruise. We had no choice in this. We are looking forward to wandering the city, but will have all our bags. If we were staying in a hotel the night before we could store our baggage in the hotel storage. Is there luggage storage in the cruise terminal?

 

You can leave your bags with the porters by the ship and then take off to wander.

[LHT28]

May I ask a question too? I am going on a Venice-Rome cruise (our first) in July, but on the Insignia. We are returning our rental car in Venice at 10 on the morning of the cruise. We had no choice in this. We are looking forward to wandering the city, but will have all our bags. If we were staying in a hotel the night before we could store our baggage in the hotel storage. Is there luggage storage in the cruise terminal?

 

You can also store your bags at the hotel ..

There is also left luggage place in PL Roma for a fee

I think the only car parking is at PL Roma so if you have a hotel there it might be easier

 

Just depends on where you have to go to return the car & how early the ship will accept luggage what plan to follow

 

I see the ship overnight's in Venice so will you be staying in Venice the night before boarding or outside of Venice?

[Hokapontas]

You can also store your bags at the hotel ..

There is also left luggage place in PL Roma for a fee

I think the only car parking is at PL Roma so if you have a hotel there it might be easier

 

Just depends on where you have to go to return the car & how early the ship will accept luggage what plan to follow

 

I see the ship overnight's in Venice so will you be staying in Venice the night before boarding or outside of Venice?

 

Thanks, orchestrapal. I was hoping we could store luggage at the terminal. Aren't they great?

 

I am coming in from Florence, Lynne. We were staying originally in town beforehand but decided to see Florence for a couple of days rather than heading there as well as Pisa on our stop at Livorno. Leaves the day a bit lighter, and gives us more Florence.

[LHT28]

I am coming in from Florence, Lynne. We were staying originally in town beforehand but decided to see Florence for a couple of days rather than heading there as well as Pisa on our stop at Livorno. Leaves the day a bit lighter, and gives us more Florence.

So you are driving to Venice the morning of boarding ..

 

You should be able to drop your luggage by the time you arrive then drop the car & go off to sightsee

Then you can check in with the ship later in the day

 

Enjoy

Lyn

[GeorgesGal]

Gee, I didn't see anyone mention that fabulous afternoon tea...... What a treat that is, but hard to get to on port-intensive itineraries!

[Hokapontas]

Gee' date=' I didn't see anyone mention that fabulous afternoon tea...... What a treat that is, but hard to get to on port-intensive itineraries![/quote']

 

I can't wait for the afternoon teas! But I suspect we won't be eating dinner till 8:30 though.

[YoHoHo]

Can anyone give me the cost of an XO cognac? The answer just might be the deciding point about getting the package.

$20 or $22 as I recall

[YoHoHo]

Sorry, in retrospect I think that was just wishful thinking. Probably more like $28 (+18%). I'll see if I can find an actual price.

[edgee]

Two points I would add to the great advice/insight on this thread:

 

1. While there may be some variance regarding flexibility on boarding times, we have observed that Oceania is pretty rigid on times when cabins are available. For passengers in cabins "below" Concierge class, it seems the the 3 p.m. earliest time for access to cabins is enforced. Recently on Riviera everyone was allowed to board upon arrival, but this meant that some "early" arrivers at about noon had to wait for several hours before having cabin access. We were most recently in Concierge class and our cabins were announced as "ready" at the advertised time of 1:30 p.m…no earlier.

 

2. At least on O class ships we are seeing improved talent for evening shows. The caliber of performers we enjoyed recently on Riviera ranks equivalent to what we have seen on HAL or Celebrity, although the sophistication of the productions/staging/scenery is certainly nowhere near that level due to the smaller, more intimate theatre.

[Mura]

Regarding your point #1, my perception has always been that it's not a matter of "enforcement" but rather how quickly they can get the rooms ready ... and they start at the top and work their way down. I can't see any motive for deliberately keeping a room empty just because it is not yet "time" to allow access.

 

Mura