Riviera Observations

[louiscg]

Just returned from the pre-Xmas cruise (first time on Oceania). My wife and I have almost 300 days cruising, mostly on Seabourn, Sea Dream, and Regent. We were very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the experience. Here are a few observations:

 

Cabin was outstanding (we splurged for the OS). Pretty hard to beat!

 

Butler service was good, but we need to figure out how to get more value rather than just having a well-dressed room service waiter.

 

We enjoyed the food better than on any other recent cruise. We particularly enjoyed the six dinner venues and the fact that the food was mostly classical continental cuisine as opposed to celebrity chef-style designed more to wow than to provide a great dining experience. (We almost cried when Seabourn changed from contintental fare to Charlie Palmer stuff.) Our favorite dinner restaurant was Polo because it offered a great ambiance, excellent service, and a solid menu. The food presentation and service in Red Ginger was also excellent, but we are not fans of Thai fare, which dominated the menu. Enjoyed the food at Jacques, but the tables were too close and the atmosphere hectic. Food at Toscana was disappointing. Bottom of the list was the GDR--we went their twice, were seated at tables for four, and both times had to ask to have the extra place settings removed. (My wife then refused to go back.)

 

Service was excellent across the board. Occassionally food service lapses, but never a problem with bar service. We thought service quality was as good as on the "luxury" lines. The big difference was that it was harder to establish a personal rapport with the servers because of number of passengers and station rotations.

 

All-in-all, we had a terrific experience, as evidenced by the fact that we booked the 2015 pre-pre-Xmas cruise while on board.

[PaulMCO]

Agree on most your sentiments. We are currently on Riviera

Jacques -- yes it was crowded and very cramped space. Seems like they keep adding tables :(

 

MDR -- we have only ate there once. With all of the specialties and the Terrace we increasingly find the GDR/MDR not relevant. However regarding getting to know your waiters you can always request that they seat you with the same wait staff. That is what your butler is also for. O does goes out of the way to make sure OS and VS customers are happy.

 

Toscana -- agree but you will find diehard fans of Toscana here (not us). My DW had issues with her meal (ink pasta). I think it is the weakest link in the O specialty restaurants.

 

Service. So far so good. Some are better and some are not. Only issues has been waves. Bad managers not directly staff who stand around, and not clean tables. On 2nd sea day counted 8 tables that were uncleared and we had to sit at one of these and then wave to get someones attention top clean it.

 

Food -- not one bad meal except for Toscana.

 

La Reserve -- did you partake?? We are doing it tonioght -- always my favorite.

Edited December 31, 2014 by PaulMCO

[Paulchili]

Agree on most your sentiments. We are currently on Riviera

Jacques -- yes it was crowded and very cramped space. Seems like they keep adding tables :(

 

MDR -- we have only ate there once. With all of the specialties and the Terrace we increasingly find the GDR/MDR not relevant. However regarding getting to know your waiters you can always request that they seat you with the same wait staff. That is what your butler is also for. O does goes out of the way to make sure OS and VS customers are happy.

 

Toscana -- agree but you will find diehard fans of Toscana here (not us). My DW had issues with her meal (ink pasta). I think it is the weakest link in the O specialty restaurants.

 

Service. So far so good. Some are better and some are not. Only issues has been waves. Bad managers not directly staff who stand around, and not clean tables. On 2nd sea day counted 8 tables that were uncleared and we had to sit at one of these and then wave to get someones attention top clean it.

 

Food -- not one bad meal except for Toscana.

 

La Reserve -- did you partake?? We are doing it tonioght -- always my favorite.

 

Agree with you Paul. I too feel that Toscana is the weakest link in the specialty restaurants and that the MDR is (almost) irrelevant (for us).

Re: clearing the tables at Waves. Sometimes it may be hard to say if the customers have finished or just left to get a dessert or ice cream (sometimes from the Café). However, sharp staff/managers should be able to tell the difference.

[potterhill]

I find the food varies very much with the cruise. For several cruises we did not care for Toscana. Then much to our surprise, on our first Marina cruise Toscana was the standout.

 

Interestingly, we have never had a great meal in Jacques, in spite of the fact that it seems to be a favourite of many.

 

Polo can be great or abysmal. On Nautica for 25 days in Asia there was not a decent steak to be had, until the last night. I gave DH a hard time when he ordered it, but it was delicious. And yes I tried sending my bad ones back. It wasn't the cooking, it was the beef. And not worth the hovering and the fuss when there was no improvement. So I just said it was fine, and ordered other items.

 

Mo

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Winner]

I am confused; you had a problem with Charlie Palmer's association with Seabourn but not with Jacques Pepin's association with Oceania. Incidentally, Charlie Palmer is no longer with Seabourn.

[louiscg]

To us, at least, it seems as if Pepin brought mostly classical French dishes to American TV. Charlie Palmer (and others of his ilk) were trying to "invent" new dishes. For example: old menu = shrimp cocktail. New menu = shrimp three ways. Personally, we enjoy the classical dishes as opposed to experimentation. Of course, there are many that will disagree

with us.

 

Three new observations: For the most part, the ship did not seem crowded to us. We expected that 1,200 (or so) passengers would be too many for us.

 

Also, we were concerned about the dress and deportment of the other passengers. Much to our surprise, we did not see one incident of passengers acting boorish. On the other hand, although most passengers did adhere to "country club casual," there were more "bowling shirts" and other attire that our eyes can do without when the Maitre'D is in a tux and the servers in uniform. The ladies were dressed nicely, but a few men took comfort to the extreme.

 

Finally, we agree with the previous comments on steaks. We had lamb twice that was excellent. Two tries at steak in the MDR were poor. One try at NY strip in Polo was acceptable but not great.

[cburger100]

What an excellent review. Looking forward to experiencing Oceania, but just can't leave SD :)

[Hambagahle]

Great review - and I learnt something interesting... I did not realise before that a Butler can actually do something about getting a table in the GDR for his guests! Now I know, I will ask. We loved the GDR for breakfast (so much better service than the Compass Rose on Regent) and lunch. We ate there only once at dinner on our last cruise and thought the meal was outstanding. And plan to eat there more this time around. Hopefully the Butler can get us a table for two in advance. Will ask anyway!

 

We think that Jacques is very good "provincial" or even "bistrot" cooking. Not at all haute cuisine and we like it that way. We can get as much "haute cuisine" as we like at home but French Provincial is hard to find. Toscana we did not like much as the portions were too large but someone said you can ask for small ones - which we plan to do.

 

Nice to know that our favourite ship is still pleasing its customers. Thanks for taking the time to write the review.

[Floridiana]

We think that Jacques is very good "provincial" or even "bistrot" cooking.

 

We had the best ever Boeuf Bourgignon with best ever red cabbage there. It was a one time special on our cruise and we were probably the only ones who followed the waiter's recommendation.

Edited January 1, 2015 by Floridiana

[rallydave]

What an excellent review. Looking forward to experiencing Oceania, but just can't leave SD :)

 

Can't leave South Dakota???:confused: Can think of thousands of reasons!!!!:D

[StanandJim]

Great review - and I learnt something interesting... I did not realise before that a Butler can actually do something about getting a table in the GDR for his guests! Now I know, I will ask. We loved the GDR for breakfast (so much better service than the Compass Rose on Regent) and lunch. We ate there only once at dinner on our last cruise and thought the meal was outstanding. And plan to eat there more this time around. Hopefully the Butler can get us a table for two in advance. Will ask anyway!

 

Don't waste your time, no reservations of any kind are offered in the Terrace, the GDR, or Waves. All of the dining venues except for the Specialties are strictly first come, first served. ;)

[joan24]

We never had a problem or a wait at the GDR for a table for two. Many times we were seated at a table for 4 and they just removed the extra place settings. i guess we are lucky, but always have had good service in the GDR on all of our Oceania cruises on all of their ships.

Happy New Year to all.

Joan

[Hambagahle]

Don't waste your time, no reservations of any kind are offered in the Terrace, the GDR, or Waves. All of the dining venues except for the Specialties are strictly first come, first served. ;)

 

Which is what I thought until I read the post about the Butler! I think I will ask the butler anyway and expect him to say he can't do anything about it! Then we'll just show up early and hope for the best.

[LHT28]

Which is what I thought until I read the post about the Butler! I think I will ask the butler anyway and expect him to say he can't do anything about it! Then we'll just show up early and hope for the best.

 

I am not sure how the butler would help for the GDR that you cannot do yourself

Unless you like to be escorted to dinner by the butler ...some people like that idea to show they are "special" ;)

 

We turn up, ask for a table for 2, they seat us

If we happen to find a wait team that we like we ask for that section the next time we dine in the GDR

[hondorner]

Rest assured it's a very small number who never dine in the Grand Dining Room; it's been full every night we've been there. There have been several times when a staff member from one of the specialties came down to the entrance of the MDR to offer folks a seat "upstairs" (metaphorically; I know Red Ginger and Jacques are downstairs). There are folks who love the Terrace; if the OP's eyes were offended by some of the dress in the other venues, they would hate the Terrace, which has a relaxed dress code.

 

Most of us cannot dine in the specialties every night, nor would we want to, because the menu has changed little in all our cruises. Our lowly cabins do not lend themselves to dining in the "suite". I think you'll find most people making these statements have one of the ten major suites on the small ships or the 20-some on the new ships, a small number, indeed. Their choices are perfect for them, and they have paid dearly for the privilege, but don't get the idea that it is widespread.

 

Our choice is either the hustle, bustle, bumping and pushing in the Terrace or the relaxed, elegant service in the beautiful GDR. The main items on the menu are the same in both. To me, the grill in the Terrace is not worth the trouble to stand in line, which leaves the GDR. We take nearly every breakfast and nearly every dinner in the GDR and love it; I usually insist on lunch at Waves to keep grounded.

[DOJO466]

We had the best ever Boeuf Bourgignon with best ever red cabbage there. It was a one time special on our cruise and we were probably the only ones who followed the waiter's recommendation.

 

OMG, I just said this to someone. I was the only one who did NOT get the Boeuf at our table. I so regretted it as I took one bite of Dh's and was in awe. I did go to Jacques again but alas no Boeuf. I plan on talking with Maitre D to see when it will be served on our TA.

[DOJO466]

OMG, I just said this to someone. I was the only one who did NOT get the Boeuf at our table. I so regretted it as I took one bite of Dh's and was in awe. I did go to Jacques again but alas no Boeuf. I plan on talking with Maitre D to see when it will be served on our TA.

 

And we were with Hondoner & Betsy (Happy New Year)

[Hawaiidan]

Can't leave South Dakota???:confused: Can think of thousands of reasons!!!!:D

 

I understand...Parole boards can be very restrictive sometimes. On the other hand they have some of the best caves in the world..Jewell and Wind the 3 rd and 4th longest in the world....

 

I might add I too see no since for a butler ( well dressed room service) Maybe if Mummy and Daddy hadn't had to let Carlton go I might feel better

 

I am not a fan of Italian so many ways to do pasta... and tomatoes basil and garlic. However it wowed me and we stuck to the appetizers and the soups..it was the surprise of the cruise.

.

Jaques is a great Burgundy bistro with a touch of Normandy and Provence .. French high end comfort food not Haut... Fun and flavor. The kind where they serve wine in a regular glass...and tear up the bread with your hands.....

 

Red Ginger... not Thai, not Chinese, but experimental Asian stuff... I am accustomed to and love real classics like Mongolian beef, dim sum, Pad Thai etc...the sea bass was overly sweet and overly fishy... worst meal on the ship. If your a real fan of Asian cooking you will be disappointed.. I was

 

Polo... a nice classic steak and chop house

 

Grand dining room.... when the had something unique I went... only for dinner and it was excellent every Never went for lunch or breakfast as it was too formal and long

Terrace Café.....Our favorite... even though on your 34 day cruise we could specialty reservations every night we spent 70% of our time here. After a several weeks and conversations with the chefs there, I discovered that they serve something from every restaurant on the ship and you could control portions and flavors making it a custom sort of dim-sum experience

 

Waves.... just fun and great for breakfast away from the crowds... I got the cooks there to prepare some great chili dogs for me

 

The sheer variety and quality of that variety was the most impressive thing for my taste.... you could go in any direction at any time and my wife got so much lobster that it lost the appeal...... every day in every venue. ( I laugh to read on the mass market fourms.. when is lobster night...Oh Oh...) Po paraphrase Marie Antoinette " let them eat langoustine"

[PaulMCO]

One more comment on my current cruise.

 

The pool deck today smells like a big ashtray.

You can smell the cigarette smoke in Waves.

 

It time for Oceania to ban this activity from deck 12 when the ship is in port and there is no air movement.

 

Sorry to offend you smokers, but the smoke offends me.

 

My comment on using the butler was specifically addressed to the OP. Since they were in the OS, they are indeed treated differently. If they wanted to sit in the same GDR section every evening they should have let their butler know or talk with the Maitre De and I am sure an accommodation would have been made.

Edited January 1, 2015 by PaulMCO

[LHT28]

One more comment on my current cruise.

 

The pool deck today smells like a big ashtray.

You can smell the cigarette smoke in Waves.

 

It time for Oceania to ban this activity from deck 12 when the ship is in port and there is no air movement.

 

 

Maybe they could just enclose the area & keep the smoke/smokers contained in that area

[critics0001]

We will have our 4th cruise on Riviera in January so we do like the ship but our restaurant experience has been mixed.

We have eaten about 60-70% of the time in specialty restaurants. Our experience has varied from cruise to cruise except that Polo has been consistently very good but the quality of food seems to have gone down each time. Service has always been consistently the best.

I agree with the last reviewer of Red Ginger. Regular food with Asian spices, rack of lamb is hardly an Asian dish. Also it has been consistently the worse service. I do not care about specialty chopsticks. It is great that they offer multiple types of tea but it is more important if they refill it or even refill the water glasses.

Toscana has been a mixed restaurant but it tends to use to much salt on many of their items. Jacques has been the most perplexing restaurant since it was not very good on the first and third cruises and excellent on the second cruise.

The MDR is hit or miss. We have had some very good meals but you occasionally get a really terrible one. We have always been able to request a replacement item. Like Polo they tend to over salt their entrees.

The buffet for dinner was reallt good on the first cruise but we would never go there again based on the last cruises. I think Waves is the best pool restaurant for lunch of any ship.

To address the butler issue, he can help get you an additional reservation in a specialty restaurant since he then does not have to serve that meal in your suite.

There are a number of reasons to get a a PH suite. One of the perks is that you can order from any restaurant and have it served in the room. This is especially great if you take an all day tour and want to relax in your room. Also you can drink your own wine without a corkage charge or paying the high markup on O's wines in the restaurant. It is great if there are 3 people in the cabin. The extra room is really appreciated. If there are only two people it is important on cruise with lots of sea days.

Finally once you try a PH cabin it is hard to go back to a smaller one.

[Paulchili]

 

There are a number of reasons to get a a PH suite. Also you can drink your own wine without a corkage charge or paying the high markup on O's wines in the restaurant.

 

I was not aware of this fact - that if you are in a PH, you do not have to pay corkage fees on your own wine (although we do not drink, our friends do).

Is this a fact?

[LHT28]

My opinion only

 

The food ingredients are good quality but it all depends who is in the kitchen if the finished product is good or not

 

Up until last Jan we did not have any major disappoints there were a few minor ones

but when your chicken kebob comes to the table raw & the Dover sole smelled fishy (off) then I worry

 

I am hoping our next cruise will have some decent cooks in the kitchen that know when fish is bad & how to cook chicken ;)

 

 

Lyn

[LHT28]

I was not aware of this fact - that if you are in a PH, you do not have to pay corkage fees on your own wine (although we do not drink, our friends do).

Is this a fact?

 

Just guessing they mean drink it in your cabin without a fee ;)

 

 

Lyn

[RetiredFL]

Don't waste your time, no reservations of any kind are offered in the Terrace, the GDR, or Waves. All of the dining venues except for the Specialties are strictly first come, first served. ;)

I beg to disagree a bit.

On several cruises we have had a large party for a special night and we spoke to our butler the night before and a large corner table was reserved for our party. I think we could have done the same thing with the maitre d'. It was a specific table for a specific time.

Also after the first night if we find a table/server we like we always ask for that table by number. We have mentioned to our butler that we hope our favorite table was available and when we got to the GDR the maitre d' said he was holding it for us. Worked some times, other times the table was already occupied.

If we go directly to the GDR the maitre d' recognizes us and automatically gives us our favorite table, if available. It is amazing they remember. I should add we dine early and always at the same time which probably helps.

So we really don't have a "reservation" but it is amazing how accommodating the staff is.