My Regatta Experience 11/28/14 to 12/5/14

[HeatherInFlorida]

I've posted this review to CC so we'll see if it gets published, but wanted also to share my thoughts here. This was our 3rd Oceania cruise, the first 2 on the Riviera. We chose a 7-night itinerary to see how we liked Regatta before our 12-night next April. Spoiler Alert! We're definitely back on Regatta in April :).

 

These are my personal impressions and not a representation of others who cruised the same dates. Seems whenever I write a review someone pops up and says "could we have been on the same cruise?". Yes we could ... We all know that nothing is perfect for everyone, but Oceania, at least for now, still holds me in the palm of its hand:).

 

Forethoughts:

 

A country girl at my core, I grew up without a lot of pampering. Much later in my life I was wined and dined and began to experience ‘the finer things’. But still I’ve always said I neither need nor want what I laughingly call ‘froo froo extras’. Still, a girl can sure can get used to a little pampering.

 

No review makes a lot of sense without knowing the author a bit. We began cruising in the early ‘80’s when a tiny cabin with narrow beds and 2 portholes was pure luxury for us. On our honeymoon cruise in the Mediterranean in 1985 we had 2 windows and we oooo’d and ahhhh’d over that. It was another 15 years or so before we decided to splurge our hard earned dollars on a balcony. I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

 

The ultimate splurge came when I decided to blow the budget completely and book a Penthouse category suite on the Oceania Riviera for my husband’s 75th birthday. I wrote a review about that cruise so nothing needs to be said other than to warn that there really is no going back and while my husband doesn’t care about the size of the cabin, he sure has come to enjoy the Butler.

 

I used to say ‘Butler schmutler’, but now? We get onboard and I can’t wait to meet my new best friend in the world. So our cruise on the Oceania Regatta came as no surprise, but it sure did support my continued awe of this cruise line. I can only hope with all my heart that it will not change under the watchful eye of NCL. Fingers crossed (toes, too).

 

And Regatta’s size takes me back to days gone by when all the ships were small and it was a little like “Cheers” where nearly everyone knows your name. Less is more, smaller is better, and I do like the warmth and ambiance of the smaller ships.

 

Embarkation in Miami – Terminal J:

 

Like water off a duck’s back. Regatta holds a max of just under 700 passengers. We were told we could board at 11:00. As usual we parked our car across the street (love Terminal J), walked through the doors, presented our passports, etc., and were onboard within 30 minutes.

 

I was disappointed that though we were told we could, we were unable to go to our cabin immediately upon boarding. Because of a huge inspection that morning there was a delay and we didn’t get into our cabin until after 1:30. Stuff happens. No biggie!

 

Who Was Onboard:

 

Captain: John McNeill

General Manager: Giuseppe Bagnato

Cruise Director: Dottie Kulasa

Executive Chef: Farid Oudir

Our Butler: Iljcho

Our Attendant: Merlin

 

Itinerary: Costa Maya, Belize City, Roatan, Key West

 

Costa Maya … While shops, pool, swim-up bar, etc., were added since our last visit, the port is completely forgettable and we were ashore no longer than 10 minutes. I am put off bitterly by vendors begging me to enter their shops. It was a drizzly day (as it was on our last visit), but their idea of a “beach” is different than mine. While there were beach chairs and everything you associate with sitting on a beach, there was no beach, no sand once you reached the water … just a rocky ledge. Even on a nice day, not very inviting.

 

Belize City … a dreary day we did not take the 25 minute tender ashore so can’t comment.

 

Roatan (Mahogany Bay) … again, not a very nice day so we just went ashore for a few minutes and returned to the ship. Looked like it would be fun to take the chair lift over to the beach on a nicer day.

 

Key West … be still my heart. What a wonderful port and one of the reasons I chose this itinerary. A perfect last day with temps in the 70’s and a crystal clear blue sky overhead. I swear you can ship me out of Miami on any Oceania ship, take me down to Key West, sail out into the ocean for a day at sea, sail back to Key West and so on until we return to Miami. I would pay a bundle for that. I just love Key West for more reasons than I can count.

 

Stateroom:

 

Our suite was 8054 (PH3). I can only compare this suite with the considerably larger PH3 on Riviera. Except for the closet and the bathroom, I hardly noticed the size difference. I prefer this cabin. The windows sweep the entire stateroom. I also prefer having the dining table separate from the bed with larger, more comfy chairs. And the couch is longer which is ideal. But there is less counter and drawer space than the Riviera.

 

On the minus side, I don’t like the placement of the TV on the wall next to the bed; very bad angle. The closet is way smaller than the Riviera (not a walk-in closet) and I missed that. But there is still plenty of space. Love the little entry area.

 

The worst is the bathroom that is very small compared to Riviera. And I hated the pedestal sink that is set quite high. It was very awkward and water splashed everywhere, all over the counter and the mirror. Very little counter space. And there is no outlet at all so a nightlight is out of the question. When we return I’m bringing a battery operated flameless candle for the bathroom. But I do wish Oceania would take a page from Celebrity Solstice class ships … a dim light turns on when you open the bathroom door … perfect in the dark of night.

 

However, the worst part of the bathroom is a design flaw that could only have been created by a man. No woman in her right mind would inflict this pain on her sisters. The toilet, as usual, is on an angle and it is placed opposite a mirror that covers the entire wall above the bathtub! Suffice to say a ¾ view of self is not something many of us want to see. I almost killed myself during this cruise is all I’ll say here for public consumption.

 

If you’re looking for negativity in this review, that was pretty much it.

 

Dining:

 

The Regatta offers only Polo and Toscana with hints of Red Ginger and Jacques on the menu in the Grand Dining Room. Our favorite remains the Polo Grill where the food is, quite simply, superb. Our Butler was able to get us an extra reservation there that we weren’t able to take advantage of and I hope we’re as lucky next time. My husband loves Toscana as so many do; it’s not my favorite. I had sea bass that was just okay. Next time I’m having pasta; maybe that’s a better choice there.

 

Dinner, always shared with others, in the Grand Dining Room was beautifully served and perfectly paced. There was only one blemish for me, the steamed lobster, which I did not mention until the end of the meal because I’d been eating more than my share and was better off without. But when asked how everything had been, I expressed my disappointment and he was so upset with me for not speaking sooner. In the end I was so embarrassed when the Executive Chef arrived at our table and I promised him there was no harm done; that it was simply written in the stars that I should stop eating. But they so wanted to make it right and I appreciated that even more than a perfect lobster.

 

Staff/Service:

 

There really are not enough words in the dictionary to describe Oceania’s flawless service and impeccable staff. They just can’t seem to do enough for you and they bend over backwards to make a perfect voyage for everyone ... always with a smile and a greeting.

 

Special mention has to go to Merlin, our Attendant, who from day one seemed to know exactly when we would leave and return to the room and along with her assistant had our suite ‘shipshape’ in no time. And just as amazing was our wonderful Butler, Iljcho. He was so friendly, so accommodating, and so in sync with our moods and needs. It seemed whenever I needed him he magically appeared. I just loved him and on our last morning as I thanked him for bringing our coffee I asked him if he could please do it again the next day. If I could know where he would be and when, I swear I would schedule our cruises to coincide with whatever ship he is on. The cruise was all too short and he and I both felt that just as we got to know each other and formed a bond, we had to disembark. It’s one reason Iljcho likes longer itineraries where he gets the time to really know his passengers.

 

All who work on Regatta work so hard and are always so warm and friendly. It has to be difficult for them when not everyone is a perfect passenger. In Waves, the Terrace, Polo and Toscana, along with the Grand Dining Room, Reception and Destination Services, the service was just amazing.

 

Captain McNeill. I liked him from the first day when someone asked where the restrooms were and he practically escorted him to the door, so accommodating. We were invited to meet him on the Bridge, an unexpected and very special treat. Then midweek we were invited to have dinner with him, General Manager Bagnato and two other couples in the Grand Dining Room. That was so special. Sitting to his right I was entertained by his charm and good humor. He is both delightful and down to earth. As each course arrived we found we had ordered the same thing and he teased that I copied him; I had to remind him that I ordered first but suggested perhaps it was our shared Scottish heritage that led to our choices. It was an extraordinary pleasure that neither my husband nor I will soon forget.

 

Entertainment: Tom Drake (Comedian) and Chris Rayman (Mentalist, Mind Reader & Chiromancer), Gary Musick Productions (newly onboard), Frances Bordlee (Vocalist), her last week as the featured Entertainer onboard.

 

Tom Drake is just so funny; loved him and we made sure to never miss his shows. I told Chris Rayman that what stood out for me about him wasn’t just that he’s so entertaining, but he seemed to engage so well with his audience and truly loved what he was doing. His act was fantastic and I learned something interesting from him in a casual lecture that took place spontaneously one rainy afternoon. He defined what he sees as the difference between “fear” and “worry”. He said that fear is something we experience when we are threatened; when we believe our lives are in danger. All the rest of it, all our concerns about pushing our limits, doing something new and outside our area of comfort, is simply worry. It resonated with me because I always thought I was a scaredy cat when I guess I’m just a worry wart!

 

The Passengers:

 

This was mostly an older crowd with a few younger people mixed in. But we were old more in years than in spirit. I’ve been on cruises when even people much younger than we are seemed somehow old in their hearts … not so on our cruise. There were a couple of children here or there, but I didn’t see them more than once. There were a large percentage of passengers from Canada and other countries, many of whom had been onboard the 21-day Amazon River cruise. And some were continuing on through the Panama Canal for 16 days. As is usually the case, we met a lot of people we really enjoyed and I just wished we had more time. My husband, a pipe smoker, was in heaven in his little corner on the pool deck! I think he’s missed them all since we’ve been home.

 

Disembarkation: We were the first group off the ship at about 8:15, I was treated to a quick kiss from the Captain as they swiped my card for the last time and I was standing at the curb with our luggage at 8:25 waiting for my husband to bring the car around. We were back in our house at 10:00 a.m. It doesn’t get any better than that.

 

Final Thoughts:

 

The poor weather in 3 of our ports didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s spirits, least of all mine. The ship, the sea, and the pampering are really my destination on a Caribbean cruise. I cruise mostly because I love to be on the ocean with nothing but water and sky all around me. Leaving Key West on our last night, the full moon on the water, the bell buoy’s chime mixing only with the sound of the ship cutting through the water …. There is nothing on this earth more blissful for me than that.

 

I love Oceania. We return to Regatta in April to celebrate our 30th Wedding Anniversary. Our Journey Through the Islands of the Caribbean will be our 4th Oceania cruise, but it most certainly will not be our last.

[DOJO466]

I so much love reading your reviews Heather. We have sailed in the Carrib with you but have never gotten to meet. I tried to connect At M&G but it was too crowded. Another time I saw you on the pool deck and before I could get to you, you were gone. I had so hoped to meet up with you.

I doubt we will meet soon as we are going in different directions. We are doing Riviera T/A in April and Regatta in June.

it's nice to hear such a good review. It seems first posters don't like the brand. We certainly do.

[wally_bushy]

Heather

Thanks for you review.

We are on the Regatta in May15 (Alaska) and look forward to our PH suite.

We were on the Nautica in Aug12 (Baltic) and loved Oceania's way of cruising.

Different things to different people but we can all make choices

[Mura]

Heather, I loved your review. Not over the top, not overly critical. JUST FAIR.

 

I was half way through reading it when my computer decided it needed to reboot to install updates even though I had told it not to! But such is the way of computer life, I guess. I'll finish your review in the morning.

 

I'm not a big fan of the Caribbean myself, so we decided some years ago not to do that itinerary again. Then, if we lived where you do, we might ...

 

I have become a fan of cruises that depart from or return to NYC ... for a similar reason.

 

Thanks so much,

 

Mura

[Floridiana]

Thank you for your review. We had the same executive chef and cruise director on the Regatta in 2011. I loved both.

[Tarpeian Rock]

Also thanks for your review. We're on Regatta for the first time in April. Other than being prepared for a smaller bathroom than we experienced on Riviera, we can't wait!

[HeatherInFlorida]

Dojo, I'm so sorry we haven't met up! You never know because I expect we'll be on Oceania ships for some time to come unless major changes take place. It's a long way down :). And I don't think Oceania is for everyone; it just happens to be for us ... depends what you're looking for.

 

I meant to mention I have posted my photos of our cruise on Google. There's a link in my signature, but here is the link:

https://plus.google.com/photos/106137413221576546805/albums/6091371159028196785

 

I know many people don't like to cruise the Caribbean and I understand all the reasons for that. But one reason we moved to FL was the ease of hopping on ships. If you're looking for just a nice getaway where you leave all your cares back home, it's perfect ... especially if, like me, you hate to fly!!

[Toranut97]

Thanks for your review, Heather. Although we have loved all of our O experiences, recent "reviews" around here have created some dis-ease. You have reassured me that our April Regatta itinerary will be just as great as the previous journeys. Thanks for sharing a bit of yourself and your priorities as context, also. It helps!

 

Donna

[rheasue38]

Hi!

Thanks for posting your review. Michael and I enjoyed sailing with you last year on the Riviera and years ago on another line.

We too love Oceania! In fact we'll be on the Riviera again in 3 weeks for our 20th cruise with Oceania.

I especially enjoyed reading your description of the bathroom. It definitely was designed by a man!

We too love Key West. It's a great walking town with adorable boutiques. It's also fun to take the tram tour through the town.

Keep on cruising and hopefully we'll see you on another Oceania cruise.

Rhea

[MVPinBoynton]

Thanks for the review. We had similar experiences in April. Regatta was our first O cruise and we just loved it. The service and whole experience made us O fans. We leave on the Riviera in two days and are looking forward to it; as well as the Nautica in March in China/Japan.

[canuck.qc]

Thank you Heather for your review, and wonderful photos.

[warburg]

Thanks for the review, Heather. We just got off Riviera, and while on board we booked January 4, 2016's Panama Canal LA to MIA. on Regatta. We sailed Regatta and Insignia at Oceania's beginnings on the R ships. We loved them.

 

In between then and now, we sailed Seaborne, NCL Villa Level, and Cunard, returning to Oceania in 2011 on Marina"s November TA to Miami. Our next O cruise will be our 6th. Your review was not only enjoyable, it also answered questions we had about the Regatta of today. Your positive comments reassured me that we will find Regatta as charming as we remember it. We are booked into a PH1.

 

We wanted the June 2015 Panama Canal transit that included Key West, but it was fully booked in PH. No Key West on our cruise, but we will enjoy it anyway. Living on South Beach makes the Keys an easy destination. Again, thank you.

 

Mary

Edited December 11, 2014 by warburg

[HeatherInFlorida]

Stanley, I should have mentioned I've been to Key West a few times and stayed at Ocean Key Resort which is lovely. But even for us in West Palm, it's a bit of a drive so fun to arrive by sea! Then again I'd rather arrive almost anywhere from the sea :)

 

I so want to go back on the Riviera! Such a beautiful ship. Hopefully 2016! So many choices, so little time.

 

Rhea, nice to hear from you! I hope you are both well and getting plenty of shrimp;). I thought of you one night when waiting for the show to start. I remembered our many conversations waiting for Showtime:)

[MVPinBoynton]

Stanley, I should have mentioned I've been to Key West a few times and stayed at Ocean Key Resort which is lovely. But even for us in West Palm, it's a bit of a drive so fun to arrive by sea! Then again I'd rather arrive almost anywhere from the sea :)

 

I so want to go back on the Riviera! Such a beautiful ship. Hopefully 2016! So many choices, so little time.

 

Rhea, nice to hear from you! I hope you are both well and getting plenty of shrimp;). I thought of you one night when waiting for the show to start. I remembered our many conversations waiting for Showtime:)

 

You are right about Key West being a long drive. We have lived in Palm Beach County for 15 years and only been to Key West on Cruises. Can't wait to return on Sunday while on the Riviera.:)

[JVNYC]

Hi Heather. I remember reading your Riviera review in 2013 and thought to myself "what a nice lady, someone who truly appreciates what's important." And once again I find your Regatta review more of the same. Thanks for sharing!

 

Would you say that you like the Riviera as much as Regatta? Do you have a preference? I've only sailed on Riviera and Marina (and booked Riviera again in 2015) and am considering the smaller ships in 2016.

 

Thanks again!

[Mura]

I'm not Heather but I will interrupt ...

 

We are long time cruisers on the "R" ships, going back to Renaissance days. I think I tend to prefer Marina/Riviera (mainly because I like the extra restaurant choices), DH prefers the smaller ships. But we don't feel adamant on either issue.

 

The smaller ships are obviously more intimate. They don't have all the extra attributes that a larger ship can provide. So if you want four specialty restaurants as opposed to two, the "R" ships are lacking. ("O" has brought on some dishes from Jacques and Red Ginger that are available on the Grand Dining Room menus on the smaller ships, but it isn't the same.)

 

You won't have the extra on-board attractions like the Culinary Center or Handicraft Center. But we haven't really missed those when on board the "R" ships.

 

And we still prefer the Library on the "R" ships to the "O" ships.

 

AND the cabins are smaller in all levels ... Even the OS on the "R" ships is about half the size of the OS on the "O" ships. (But we'll never be in such luxury!)

 

It's all very personal. If you can decide what is important to you before you cruise, it will help.

 

As many have posted, there are still lots of Oceania diehards who prefer the smaller ships despite the fact that all the attractions of the larger ships aren't available.

 

The Buffet has been upgraded to more closely represent the buffet on the "O" ships and a version of Baristas has been added as well. I have to say that I haven't been on an "R" ship since that has happened so I cannot speak personally to the changes.

 

Hope this helps in making your decision ...

 

Mura

[HeatherInFlorida]

You are right about Key West being a long drive. We have lived in Palm Beach County for 15 years and only been to Key West on Cruises. Can't wait to return on Sunday while on the Riviera.:)

 

😄😄you really are trying to torture me! LOL! Pure evil! I hope you get as magnificent a day as we did. Take a quick look at my photo link and scroll down to the KW photos. I wish you that. 😀

 

Hi Heather. I remember reading your Riviera review in 2013 and thought to myself "what a nice lady, someone who truly appreciates what's important." And once again I find your Regatta review more of the same. Thanks for sharing!

 

Would you say that you like the Riviera as much as Regatta? Do you have a preference? I've only sailed on Riviera and Marina (and booked Riviera again in 2015) and am considering the smaller ships in 2016.

 

Thanks again!

 

First, thank you so much for your kind words! I think I would echo everything Mura said even though I haven't had her vast experience with R ships. I still love the Riviera and so does DH. We debated about whether to celebrate our anniversary early on Riviera in March or go ahead with the April one we have booked. Because of all the things Mura mentioned we're sticking with Regatta. It's intimate, personal, manageable. You do give something up, but you get something that I can't express in words. It's a feeling.

 

We will sail on Riviera again absolutely. We love them both for different reasons. BTW, if you're in NYC, kiss the ground for me😀. I lived there on 57th St. for 20 years and there's a soft spot in my heart for that city.

[MVPinBoynton]

😄😄you really are trying to torture me! LOL! Pure evil! I hope you get as magnificent a day as we did. Take a quick look at my photo link and scroll down to the KW photos. I wish you that. 😀

 

I looked at all of your photos. Very nice and the ship looks just gorgeous. Can't wait to take my own.

[Mura]

Heather,

 

57th and where? I refuse to kiss each block!

 

But I'll be up near 57th Street soon, I am sure ...

 

Mura

 

(in Brooklyn Heights)

[HeatherInFlorida]

LOL, Mura :). Oh come on .... why not? I lived near Lincoln Center between 9th and 10th from 1966 to 1985. Wish I still had that apartment! It was rent controlled and went to rent stabilized. Our garage space cost almost as much as our rent!!! I lived in NY longer than I have anywhere else in my lifetime so it's home for me:)

[Mura]

Heather,

 

I spent a lot of time in your neighborhood in those times ... I was an opera singer wannabe who was up their all the time. My voice teacher was on West End around 75th, and I haunted the music library at Lincoln Center.

 

So I can kiss THOSE corners for you!

 

Hope we cruise together some time soon ...

 

And I have now been in NYC far longer than I was in my home town (L.A.) ... so which is home?

 

Mura

[HeatherInFlorida]

Such a coincidence. Spent a lot of time at Lincoln Center and O'Neal's Balloon across the street. And my Mom was born in a brownstone on West End Avenue in the 70's ... the area is still exactly the same because it's protected by landmark status.

 

I hope we meet up someday on an Oceania ship, too!

[potterhill]

We were on this cruise along with another couple.

 

We have very different opinions. ;-) Dont get me wrong, we love Oceania too. It's the only cruiseline we have sailed on and this was our 8th, but 9th based on one long one. And #10 is booked.

 

This was our first 7 day cruise and I was worried it would be over before it started. However we really enjoyed it and would do another. It was a great getaway from the early snow, even with all the rain we had. Yes we are Canadians. As are our friends. And when we shared a table in Toscana, it was with Canadians!

 

Tom Drake is so not funny. I went the second evening as I really wanted to see him. People were laughing but I'm still not sure at what. I actually felt embarrassed for him, and didn't stick around.

 

Our dinner in Polo was not great. The service was very scattered. The waiters kept bumping my friends chair. In the end we moved the table ourselves. Just pulled it over towards me and then we all adjusted our chairs. And I only realized later that they didn't bring the jellies, my favourite treat....

 

We ate twice in Toscana which is a coup on a 7 day cruise.

 

Generally I hate buffets, but I am almost ready to declare the buffet the best food on the ship.

 

We bought the 7 bottle wine package and it was very good value for our group. My friend mostly abstained so there were 3 drinkers and it turned out to be just the right amount for us. Some of the sommeliers were excellent, others seemed clueless. Also they were not all familiar with the package. We had to educate them, which shouldn't be necessary.

 

Dottie was our CD. She taught a great line dancing classes on sea days. However, I did not like all the announcements she made. Isn't that why we get Currents? It was intrusive and annoying. We have never experienced this on any other cruise.

 

Met the Captain around the ship several times. I'm pretty sure this is the first cruise where I spoke to the captain. Not just once, but several times. He and I seemed to be on the same schedule! He was great, but I am jealous as I didn't get a kiss!

 

The ship looked great after the refit. Love Baristas. Not so much the coffee machine in Horizons. The coffee it makes is not great. Dunno if they used the same beans as Baristas. The new drapes, upholstery, and carpets are lovely. Beds are as comfy as ever.

 

The tile in The Terrace is a broken hip or worse waiting to happen. It was so slippery one morning I could slide in my sneakers the way we slide across ice in shoes. The staff said it was due to humidity. They are aware of the issue but didn't even put out wet floor signs which would have indicated the need for extra care. I'm fine. Technically not a senior yet, and my mobility is good. However there are a lot of guests who are quite fragile. I foresee a gut job. Too bad.

 

We did not book any excursions from O. Our friends did and had several cancellations. They made other arrangements and were happy. O staff helped our friend to arrange a private diving tour when his snorkel tour was cancelled. I was impressed.

 

This was our second time in Key West. I see no reason to return. Lots of overpriced shopping for tourists, not a lot else to see or to do a second time.

 

Not sure why we need a "shopping" person but people seemed to like her.

 

The enclosed smoking room in Horizons is nice. The smokers on the deck have comfy furniture now which I'm sure they enjoy.

 

We were in a Concierge room which we acquired through a very attractive upsell. The main reason was to get a more midship room as we were the most forward side balcony prior to the change. The rooms are identical, and it felt like coming home when we entered our room. And the hot breakfast so many want and can't have? We never availed ourselves of it. 😀

 

Looking forward to our next in 2016. Unless we see an amazing deal in one of those brochures we get daily!

 

Mo

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[HeatherInFlorida]

Hi, Mo :). I'm not sure I see where your experience was that different except you have a few complaints that I do not. But as I mentioned at the beginning of my experience, someone would come on and wonder if they were on the same cruise. No two experiences can possibly be the same.

 

I didn't feel Dottie's announcements were intrusive; you only hear them if you're in public areas and if I recall they were twice during the day at most and I didn't really pay attention. Humor is, of course, subjective and I thought Tom was just so funny. However, he was much funnier the first night than the 2nd. The first night I had tears rolling down my face ... not so much the second. But I still thought he was very funny and related to so much of what he said.

 

As I mentioned one of the things I liked about Captain McNeill was he was so accessible and easy to talk to. We've cruised about 25 times on several cruise lines and there was only one other Captain in all those years who I found as friendly and accessible. As it happens, in our conversations Captain McNeill mentioned this man who had been our Captain on a Prinsendam cruise many years ago. They're good friends and I wasn't surprised. DH and I were very fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend time with him on the Bridge and, of course, dinner was extra special.

 

Several people felt the Terrace has the best food on the ship and I would agree it's pretty darned good. If I were being critical I would have to say that as good as I felt the food was in all venues (except Toscana) on this cruise, it was better on the Riviera. We'll see how I feel after our next cruise on Regatta.

 

So while you began your post saying we have very different opinions, I have to confess reading your comments just didn't give me that impression. You had a few issues with the cruise as did I, but overall it sounds like you had a really good time. Sorry we didn't meet up; we had dinner several nights with our northern friends and it would have been nice to meet you as well.

[PathfinderEss]

Very nice review, thanks for posting it.