Oceania vs Celebrity

[Merriem]

I booked Oceania morning!

[Merriem]

I booked Oceania morning!

 

THIS morning. Sorry for the typo

[hypercafe]

Good for you, it will be great.

 

Sent from my XT1032 using Forums mobile app

[LHT28]

THIS morning. Sorry for the typo

 

Enjoy !!!

[CintiPam]

My favorite in the Terrace at lunch is the lobster salad (when they have it).

 

My favorite is the double surf, no turf and no bread, lobster "sandwich" from the Waves Grill. Mounds of succulent grilled lobster with a bit of dipping sauce on the side.

[CintiPam]

So many dining options! Absolutely wonderful! :D

[Paulchili]

My favorite is the double surf, no turf and no bread, lobster "sandwich" from the Waves Grill. Mounds of succulent grilled lobster with a bit of dipping sauce on the side.

 

I'll have to try it next time.

Is this a "CintiPam original"? If so, you should patent it :D

[Mumofnine]

I'll have to try it next time.

Is this a "CintiPam original"? If so, you should patent it :D

 

Not sure about that; I requested a "surf and surf" on out first Oceania cruise in 2011. No eyebrows raised so maybe it is a regular request!!

It is so, so good!!

[Kevnzworld]

Celebrity isn't the " value " that it once was. Their prices have doubled in the last two years, especially in Aqua class or the suites.

We are trying Oceania in January for that reason.

Regarding the Oceanview cafe buffet on Celebrity, it's a zoo, especially on sea days. I find it difficult to believe that The Terrace won't be far superior..

The food quality on Celebrity has declined as the prices have risen, even in the specialty restaurants which now go for $45 pp.

[pacheco18]

Celebrity isn't the " value " that it once was. Their prices have doubled in the last two years, especially in Aqua class or the suites.

We are trying Oceania in January for that reason.

Regarding the Oceanview cafe buffet on Celebrity, it's a zoo, especially on sea days. I find it difficult to believe that The Terrace won't be far superior..

The food quality on Celebrity has declined as the prices have risen, even in the specialty restaurants which now go for $45 pp.

 

You have sailed on Celebrity more recently than I have. My last cruise was Jan 2012 and I have no more planned for the foreseeable future. The Terrace is far superior to the buffet on Celebrity -- agree it's a zoo and the food is not that good. Unacceptable for dinner IMO.

 

I loved all the specialty restaurants on Celebrity -- felt they were on a par with Oceania -- sorry to hear you think they have declined.

[travelglobetrotter]

Sailed on Solstice to Alaska this May, and was on the initial O cruise to Alaska in May of '11 as well. It was a 2 1/2 hour process to board Solstice in Vancouver, and a very long taxi wait when disembarking there as well. Will never sail out of Vancouver again.

 

Solstice wins on cabin space and balcony size and furniture and interactive TV, but food was only OK for the most part, with only a memorable kale salad and the Blue Mountain coffee mousse. Buffet was a zoo, not adequately staffed, and open tables were not bused often enough. Observed passengers spreading cream cheese on a bagel from the serving bowl, as well as replacing a waffle when a fresher batch was brought out. It was hard to go back to formal nights and fixed dining. We were quite surprised to get port charge credits when we were in Skagway. With Hal and Norwegian there, X always got the worst docking area.

 

Evening shows were a clear win for X, and their Cirque style show was the best we've seen on any ship. Their naturalist lecturer was great, too, and the theater arrangement was better for viewing. There were a lot of daytime shipboard activities, but we really didn't participate in many of them. We sailed with my sis and BIL, whose last cruise was on Carnival 40 years ago, and while they enjoyed the experience in total, their comment on the food was that it was just OK. It would have been a different story on O. Marlene

[pacheco18]

Sailed on Solstice to Alaska this May, and was on the initial O cruise to Alaska in May of '11 as well. It was a 2 1/2 hour process to board Solstice in Vancouver, and a very long taxi wait when disembarking there as well. Will never sail out of Vancouver again.

 

 

The wait to board Regatta in Vancouver was no better this past June. We were in a line with a Princess ship -- all of us mixed together -- it took forever to get through immigration.

[takemewithyou]

We have yet to sail Oceania, but have our first cruise booked.

That said, I hope there is a big difference between O and X.

 

We are trying Oceania because over the years (we are Elite with X), we have seen many cutbacks. With the addition of the beverage packages, that many people love ( we don't), the prices have risen :eek:!

 

The food is not as good, we are not impressed with the specialty restaurants any more, we are not impressed since Mr Bayley was brought in from RCCL, to replace Dan Hanrahan when he moved on, although Mr Bayley has sent the stock price soaring with his changes. On most ships the violinists are now gone and Miami DJ's with loud music thumping in the atrium of the S class ships have replaced them! :eek: Our favorites, the M class ships are now not the same as additional Cabins, aqua class, have been added and the MDR is now chopped up to make room for AQ class dining, as well as the jogging deck. The observation lounges in the bow on M class have been chopped up to accommodate the children's area (the Fun Factory) which was moved to make room for those additional AQ class cabins! I could go on.......but won't!

 

So I certainly hope things will be different on Oceania! :)

Edited September 18, 2014 by takemewithyou
Spelling

[no fuss travel]

The wait to board Regatta in Vancouver was no better this past June. We were in a line with a Princess ship -- all of us mixed together -- it took forever to get through immigration.

 

That is US immigration which the cruise ships have absolutely no control over whatsoever. Thankfully now at the airport, there are machines which read your fingerprints, eyes and passports, so that you can skip having to wait in the line to see an immigration officer.

[Paulchili]

On most ships the violinists are now gone and Miami DJ's with loud music thumping in the atrium of the S class ships have replaced them! :eek:

 

Oh, how well I remember that and how much I resented it at the time. They kept me awake till just past midnight in my mid ship cabin.

It would have been just fine in the early evening (maybe 6 - 9 PM) but not till midnight. Or else, it should have been in one of the lounges and not the open atrium - then they could have played as long as the wanted to (and as loud as they wanted to) without disturbing those that wanted no part of it.

 

So I certainly hope things will be different on Oceania! :)

 

I am certain that things will be different on Oceania and I hope you will enjoy it.

Edited September 18, 2014 by Paulchili

[Kevnzworld]

We have yet to sail Oceania, but have our first cruise booked.

That said, I hope there is a big difference between O and X.

 

We are trying Oceania because over the years (we are Elite with X), we have seen many cutbacks. With the addition of the beverage packages, that many people love ( we don't), the prices have risen :eek:!

 

The food is not as good, we are not impressed with the specialty restaurants any more, we are not impressed since Mr Bayley was brought in from RCCL, to replace Dan Hanrahan when he moved on, although Mr Bayley has sent the stock price soaring with his changes. On most ships the violinists are now gone and Miami DJ's with loud music thumping in the atrium of the S class ships have replaced them! :eek: Our favorites, the M class ships are now not the same as additional Cabins, aqua class, have been added and the MDR is now chopped up to make room for AQ class dining, as well as the jogging deck. The observation lounges in the bow on M class have been chopped up to accommodate the children's area (the Fun Factory) which was moved to make room for those additional AQ class cabins! I could go on.......but won't!

 

So I certainly hope things will be different on Oceania! :)

 

I agree. I hope that Celebrity sees this thread....we are both Elite + and abandoning Celebrity after our upcoming cruise in Oct - Nov.

[pacheco18]

That is US immigration which the cruise ships have absolutely no control over whatsoever. Thankfully now at the airport, there are machines which read your fingerprints, eyes and passports, so that you can skip having to wait in the line to see an immigration officer.

 

It was Canadian immigration, not US

I understand ships have no control over it.

It is a function of the pro itself

[LHT28]

It was Canadian immigration, not US

I understand ships have no control over it.

It is a function of the pro itself

 

Actually it is the US Officials that clear you before boarding the ship in Vancouver

 

They also have US officials at some Canadian airports to clear passengers going to the USA

[Travelcat2]

When you enter Vancouver, you are going through Canadian immigration. When you leave Vancouver and are going to the U.S., you pass through both Canadian AND U.S. immigration at Vancouver Airport. IMO, it is great way of doing it since you won't have immigration when you arrive in the U.S.

[no fuss travel]

When you leave Vancouver on the ship, you are going through US immigration. When you return you are going through Canadian immigration. Most of the complaints have been about boarding, although there has been a few about disembarking as well. My way of looking at it is, if the immigration officers are in a good mood, they will process much quicker than when they are not. Also, if it is a female officer, it takes twice the time to get through her line up. (Yes, I can say this since I am a female.) I avoid female immigration officers like the plague if I can.:eek:

[CintiPam]

I'll have to try it next time.

Is this a "CintiPam original"? If so, you should patent it :D

 

I claim no credit whatsover; just love lobster and suffer from weight-gain problems from my last two Oceania cruises (both on Riviera).

 

Spent four days in Maine a week ago and managed to have lobster each day. :)

[Travelcat2]

When you leave Vancouver on the ship, you are going through US immigration. When you return you are going through Canadian immigration. Most of the complaints have been about boarding, although there has been a few about disembarking as well. My way of looking at it is, if the immigration officers are in a good mood, they will process much quicker than when they are not. Also, if it is a female officer, it takes twice the time to get through her line up. (Yes, I can say this since I am a female.) I avoid female immigration officers like the plague if I can.:eek:

 

I am a bit confused by your post. When we enter Canada (via Hwy 99) we go through Canadian Immigration. When we arrive by plane, we go through Canadian immigration. When we leave Vancouver (either by ship or plane) we go through Canadian immigration (unless we are headed to the U.S.) We live 22 miles from the Canadian border.

 

Based on our experience, I cannot imagine going through U.S. immigration when you are already in Vancouver and are sailing to a place other than the U.S. Once we leave the United States, we never see U.S. immigration again until we return. This is really making no sense (from a United States perspective). This would be the same as saying that you, as a Canadian, pass through immigration to enter the U.S. Then, when you sail out of Seattle, you would go through Canadian immigration?

Edited September 19, 2014 by Travelcat2

[no fuss travel]

At Canada Place, once you leave you are heading for US ports, so you go through US immigration before you board the ship, when you arrive at Canada Place on a ship, you are entering Canada, therefore you go through Canadian immigration. If you are flying home to the US from leaving the ship, you go through US immigration at the airport. If you take the train, or drive down to the US, you then go through immigration at the appropriate venue, not Canada Place. Hope this helps. Confusing at the best of times.

[LHT28]

Based on our experience, I cannot imagine going through U.S. immigration when you are already in Vancouver and are sailing to a place other than the U.S.

 

Most of the cruises leaving from Vancouver are going to a US port eg Alaska

so therefore they try to expedite the procedure (not very well by the sounds of it ) at the port before boarding the ship

 

Does that make sense to you now

[Paulchili]

Most of the cruises leaving from Vancouver are going to a US port eg Alaska

so therefore they try to expedite the procedure (not very well by the sounds of it ) at the port before boarding the ship

 

Does that make sense to you now

 

Exactly - it's just like boarding a plane to US from Canada - you go through US customs & immigration.