Tried Oceania once, but not again

[Pet Nit Noy]

I'm not even close to being one of the much-criticized Oceania cheerleaders, but I have several observations.

 

The stateroom attendant didn't introduce herself until the third day, and never asked our preferences.

 

If I have preferences about the way I want my room made up and if the attendant doesn't ask, I tell the attendant. My satisfaction is much more important than testing the skills of my room attendant. Should the attendant have asked? Of course. But why were you playing a counting game to see how long it would take the attendant to ask?

 

Jacque's is something out of the 1970's

 

You've raised a really interesting point about the current state of French food. Last summer, my husband and I spend four days in Normandy and one week in Paris on independent travel. In Normandy, the most successful meal we ate -- at La Rapier in Bayeux -- served absolutely sublime food that skewed heavily towards the classics. Another night in Bayeux, we ate at Le P't Resto, which the posters on the French board on Chowhound praise highly and which prides itself on its innovation. Ugh! If a chef is going to innovate, he's got to be able to pull it off and this chef couldn't. My first course was a mound of lentils in dressing topped by a mousse of some Norman cheese. The mousse was lovely, but the lentils were undercooked to the point that eating them had the consistency of eating coffee grounds. Not my idea of successful step forward in French cooking! The rest of the meal never sank to those depths but never rose to the heights of the cuisine at La Rapier. When we arrived in Paris, we were disappointed by many of the meals we ate in modern Paris restaurants, albeit for a different reason. Happily, there were no clunker dishes -- and the meals were even delicious -- but I couldn't tell that I was eating in France. I might have been eating at a top restaurant in New York or Chicago or San Francisco. During our time in Paris, the best meals were either wildly innovative fusion meals (Ze Kitchen Galerie) or ethnic (La Berbere). Only three Paris restaurants successfully navigated the intersection of innovation and respect for their classic origins: Les Papilles, Terroirs Parisien , and Dans Les Landes.

 

The French onion soup I ordered for lunch at three different restaurants -- it was cold and rainy the June week we were in Paris -- was dismal. Julia Child and Jacques Pepin would not have been amused.

 

After our experience eating in Paris, I'm thrilled to eat in Jacques where the classics are given due deference and executed well.

 

and like Red Ginger, the food is a caricature of common american versions of the respective French and Asian dishes... Anybody that eats and likes Thai food would be disappointed.

 

No argument from me on this opinion.

 

Waves burgers with missing or wrong preparations etc

 

Waves definitely has some consistency issues. Someone needs to check plates going out to make sure they're served as described on the menu. However, when I get a perfectly grilled piece of fish in my beloved fish sandwich all is forgiven.

 

I was surprised that they don't offer different wines in the Italian and French restaurants.

 

Valid criticism since you're referring to the by-the-glass wine choices.

 

I could go on, but I thought I'd share this review for other cruisers who may be trying to decide between lines like, Celebrity, Seabourn , Oceania etc..

For us it's Seabourn or a suite on Celebrity

 

I don't want to cruise on a ship with the passenger load that Celebrity's ships carry. I don't want to pack a tuxedo for my husband and a gown for formal night so Seabourn will never look appealing. I'm unlikely to come to the same conclusion, but, with the exception of your knock of your room attendant, many of your observations have some validity.

 

All that matters is that you've found a cruise line that works for you!

 

For what it's worth, my husband and I are new grandparents and we can hardly wait for the day we go on our first multi-generation Disney cruise!

Edited February 4, 2015 by Pet Nit Noy

[Tansy Mews]

Oh MY!

<snip> My DH will be happy with meats, etc., but I tend to like lighter, cleaner preparations without heavy, creamy or buttery sauces! I hope I am not disappointed! Worried :eek:

 

I often select from the spa menu when in the dining room. Balanced nutrients over the day. Actually, I pick and choose - one course from the spa menu, one from the regular, etc. No rules!

See also: http://www.oceaniacruisesblog.com/taste/canyon-ranch-spa-cuisine/

and

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/documents/menus/grand-dining/Grand-Dining-Dinner-Menu.pdf

Edited February 4, 2015 by Tansy Mews

[BillPizzaiolo]

[YOUTUBE]9wWUc8BZgWE[/YOUTUBE]

 

+1 I love it ! ! !

[TrulyBlonde]

Kevyn, I have followed you a bit on Celebrity because we will be doing a B2B Nov. 2015 to Australia/NZ and Fiji. We are in Aqua class for Blu and having only sailed on them once, found it was enjoyable and the timing was appropriate.

As for food, I have eaten all over the world at the some of the finest Michelin etc. restaurants and after a while they all start to feel the same and I also have a passion for cooking. We also do not like heavy, sauce laden foods. Therefore, many evenings we would eat in Terrace cafe, where I can have my grilled items, fresh salads, DH can have a bit of red meat thrown in for his tastes, all of it served sitting outside on the veranda enjoying the sea. DH does not eat sushi, therefore, I have it for lunch, dinner, etc. and although not Nobu it is suitable enough for my palate. In fact, on our last O cruise (B2B) we passed on the free dining in Specialty restaurants because we like to eat light and healthy and it is too much food for us. We also like to have special lunches off the ship when in beautiful places to get a true feeling for the area. Food really is not that important to us when sailing as long as it is fresh. Sorry you were disappointed.

[hypercafe]

Thanks for your review, I have read some of your posting on the X boards and was wondering what you would think about O. We had a nice time on our trips however I can agree with some of your points, as for the food we are not "foodies" so we always found things that we liked, however I would never buy into the "Best food at sea" deal. As for comparing them to "Luxury Lines", I do not care what the tittle of the line is but compare by the end of the day price with all I want included. If they cost the same as Crystal then they should be equal to Crystal! On a side note I find it funny one of the big defenders of O on this has not even been on the ship, goes to show!!

[Toranut97]

On a side note I find it funny one of the big defenders of O on this has not even been on the ship, goes to show!!

 

I find it even funnier that a critic of O defenders seems not to see what they have done in their own post in this thread. But I guess I am the only one who noticed???

[Pet Nit Noy]

On a side note I find it funny one of the big defenders of O on this has not even been on the ship, goes to show!!

 

What am I missing? I've read this thread twice looking for a post that makes a big defense of Oceania. Sorry, but I'm just not seeing what you're seeing. I've been very impressed by people's respectful replies.

 

I've read threads where folks dump all over a critic, but this thread isn't one of them.

[Kevnzworld]

Thanks for your review, I have read some of your posting on the X boards and was wondering what you would think about O. We had a nice time on our trips however I can agree with some of your points, as for the food we are not "foodies" so we always found things that we liked, however I would never buy into the "Best food at sea" deal. As for comparing them to "Luxury Lines", I do not care what the tittle of the line is but compare by the end of the day price with all I want included. If they cost the same as Crystal then they should be equal to Crystal! On a side note I find it funny one of the big defenders of O on this has not even been on the ship, goes to show!!

 

For the record, I have been critical of X 's product lately. The suite prices have risen from $500 to almost $1000 per night. This is why we've been " exploring " the competition in that price category.

A few other observations :

The Terrace Grill/ Waves is FAR more civilized than the Oceanview cafe on X . We loved being able to sit at a larger table every afternoon around 1pm without problem. The pool area with the padded lounge chairs was also very nice.

One other " criticism " though. What's up with the fake table side Caesar salad preparation? The dressing SHOULD be made table side , that's the point of doing it table side. Instead it's pre made and just tossed table side. Lame.

Someone posted that we may reconsider and try Oceania again. That well may be true. There is an itinerary, Papeete to Sydney that we would enjoy on the Marina. We didn't book it onboard because of our unhappiness with the food.

Honestly, we would walk up to the posted GDR ( yes, it's grand and beautiful ) menu in the eve and both silently read it to ourselves, one of of would turn to the other and say the same thing ..."Is there anything here that you would want to eat".?.

[Pet Nit Noy]

I find it even funnier that a critic of O defenders seems not to see what they have done in their own post in this thread. But I guess I am the only one who noticed???

 

No, you're not. But the issue is so obvious that it's funnier not to say anything.

[TrulyBlonde]

Yes Kevyn, I agree about the buffet on X...it is like a cafeteria and not as civil as Terrace on O, we choose to not eat there. Also, I do not go to the pool area on X because it creates a "soreness for my eyes" ..trying to be diplomatic ;-).

Therefore, on any cruise, we make do with what we are presented with and most places have lovely luxury hotels, etc where we can satisfy our tastes for lunch. Our Alaska cruise on O this May will be interesting comparing Regatta to Riveria and do not expect to be lying around the pool..Brrrr

[Pet Nit Noy]

One other " criticism " though. What's up with the fake table side Caesar salad preparation? The dressing SHOULD be made table side , that's the point of doing it table side. Instead it's pre made and just tossed table side. Lame.

 

Oceania certainly does indulge in some lame pretensions: being offered a choice of chopsticks (Red Ginger) and being offered a choice of olive oil and balsamic vinegar (Toscana) are two that come to mind. In all my husband's and my independent land travel in Italy and Asia, we've never had similar experiences. But we've come to accept these brief moments as theater and as part of an over-all desire to please, even if woefully inauthentic. (I can hear someone in the food department saying, "People like to dip their bread in olive oil. Wouldn't it be neat if we could put them in control -- to let them decide which olive oil they'd like to use?")

 

Oceania gets the big things right for me. Apparently not for you and that's fine. I won't even ask you to give O another chance. You don't need to enjoy O cruises for me to enjoy O cruises!

[Emperor Norton]

...

 

I don't want to pack a tuxedo for my husband and a gown for formal night so Seabourn will never look appealing...

 

You may find the dining room service on Disney is friendlier and more efficient than on O (Disney also knows how to poach eggs and turn out sandwiches as described on the menu.).

 

Good news about Seabourn:D - no need for the tux. The formal nights now require just slacks and a jacket for gentlemen (though tuxes and dark suits are still options they're not required).

 

Attire During the Day:

• During the daytime, casual, resort-style attire, including shorts and jeans, is welcome in all lounges and dining venues. Swimsuits, brief shorts, cover-ups and exercise attire should be reserved for poolside, on deck or in the spa and fitness center.
  

 

In the evening (after 6pm) there are two different dress codes:

Elegant Casual

 

• Men: Slacks with a collared dress shirt or sweater; Jacket Optional. Ladies: Slacks / skirt, blouse, pant suit or dress. This is the dress standard for all dining venues
  
• Jeans are welcome in all dining venues during the day, but not appropriate in any public venues after 6pm.
  

Formal

 

• In the Restaurant, Men: Tuxedo, suit or slacks and jacket required. Ladies: evening gown or other formal apparel. Dress in other dining venues is Elegant Casual.
  
• Jeans are welcome in all dining venues during the day, but not appropriate in any public venues after 6pm.
  

[Emperor Norton]

What am I missing? I've read this thread twice looking for a post that makes a big defense of Oceania. Sorry, but I'm just not seeing what you're seeing. I've been very impressed by people's respectful replies.

 

I've read threads where folks dump all over a critic, but this thread isn't one of them.

 

You found Kekilias responses respectful? Essentially she accused the OP of being a liar, then went on to attack his age and fitness level and then had a senile moment by mentioning Howard Johnsons as if that were somehow germane to a thread about a cruise line that's supposed to be foodie centric. All that from someone who hasn't sailed on ANY Oceania ship.

 

And the other 'joke' is that the person who pointed out that Kekilia hasn't sailed on O also lacks an O cruise in their signature history.

Edited February 4, 2015 by Emperor Norton

[Floridiana]

Some people, like me, block signatures, so they don't see who has sailed where.

[LHT28]

at the risk of being called an O defender I must say

Oceania is not for everyone nor is it perfect

 

We are NOT foodies but do enjoy at lot of what Oceania offers

 

I agree about the fake caesar salad table side production & the cooking dover sole at the table side

 

YMMV

Edited February 4, 2015 by LHT28

[Emperor Norton]

Some people, like me, block signatures, so they don't see who has sailed where.

 

 

And then there's the tapatalk app which doesn't show signatures.

[Pet Nit Noy]

You found Kekilias responses respectful? Essentially she accused the OP of being a liar, then went on to attack his age and fitness level and then had a senile moment by mentioning Howard Johnsons as if that were somehow germane to a thread about a cruise line that's supposed to be foodie centric. All that from someone who hasn't sailed on ANY Oceania ship.

 

And the other 'joke' is that the person who pointed out that Kekilia hasn't sailed on O also lacks an O cruise in their signature history.

 

I have quite a different read of Kekilias' post. In the first paragraph, her negative remarks are directed at Celebrity. That paragraph details the problems of her most recent X cruise. The food that she compares to Howard Johnson's food was, in fact, Celebrity's food. Furthermore, I felt her comparison was useful so a reader could understand her point of view. That's not even close to senile. Above all, she was not calling the OP a liar about his O food criticisms.

 

In the paragraph about the average cruiser's age, Kekilia did not attack the OP's fitness level. I read her words as saying essentially, "So what if the average O cruiser's age is 75?" The list of her physical activities was continuing in that vein, "I'm 67 -- not 75 -- but I'm a close to that birthday and look at what I can do."

 

Now, admittedly, the last paragraph is the most confrontational. And the last sentence is just plain silly.

 

It's no secret Kekilia hasn't sailed on any Oceania ship, but she says that up front. She writes that she hopes what the OP wrote is exaggerated or bad luck since she's looking forward to sailing O because of dissatisfaction with Celebrity. Exaggeration isn't lying! And bad luck does occur. Read post #7 where he refers to a wide range in the quality of O cooking.

 

We'll just agree to disagree on how rude Kekilia's post was.

Edited February 4, 2015 by Pet Nit Noy

[Paulchili]

Kekilias .....and then had a senile moment by mentioning Howard Johnsons as if that were somehow germane to a thread about a cruise line that's supposed to be foodie centric.

 

I thought that Kekilia's reference to Howard Johnsons was in regard to Celebrity's buffet and Celebrity is definitely NOT "foodie centric"

[Paulchili]

Just a few of my observations pertinent to the discussion in this thread.

 

Caesar salad preparation at table side – I like the idea as you can direct the server as to exactly what and how much of each ingredient you wish in your salad, rather than just be presented with a full plate not to your preferences. I do not need for the dressing to be mixed at table side (nor do I want the “authentic” raw eggs in the dressing) - as long as the dressing tastes good.

Oil & vinegar in Toscana – I don’t even like it (I ask for butter) but I think it is nice to be able to choose which oil and which vinegar you’d like rather than have no choice. Also, this way you can try different ones and see which one you prefer. It may not be “authentic” but it is a unique touch (ditto for chop sticks).

Authentic is not always the best – at least not for me. Give me a slice of good NY pizza and I’ll take it over any “authentic” pizza I’ve ever had in Italy :D

As always, YMMV

Edited February 4, 2015 by Paulchili

[TrulyBlonde]

+1 on NY pizza vs Italy :) or Chicago style

[wripro]

I am an avid Seabourn sailor and it is my cruise line of choice. I will always go back there absent other conditions, usually itinerary. Nevertheless, I have sailed on Oceania several times and find the food in the specialty restaurants to be excellent. I disagree that the food in Jacques and Red Ginger lacks flavor. I found it wonderful. BUT I really dislike the GDR, especially on the large ships. I find the room resembles a catering hall and every time I ate there I expected the cruise director to introduce the newly married couple as Mr. and Mrs. for the first time. Food was just okay and service less than stellar. However, I would sail Oceania more often happily IF it didn't wind up costing me more than Seabourn. I simply find the regular cabins too small so I have to book a PH (superb on the larger ships.) Once I do that and add on the $60 pp per day for alcohol I am spending more than on Seabourn. Just not worth it to me unless, as I said, there are mitigating circumstances.

[StanandJim]

I would sail Oceania more often happily IF it didn't wind up costing me more than Seabourn. I simply find the regular cabins too small so I have to book a PH (superb on the larger ships.) Once I do that and add on the $60 pp per day for alcohol I am spending more than on Seabourn. Just not worth it to me unless, as I said, there are mitigating circumstances.

 

Superbly phrased as usual, and sums up our opinion that with the correct "add ons", an Oceania Cruise competes beautifully with the so called "luxury" Lines.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Kevnzworld: Thank you for the detailed review of Oceania's cuisine. Since the line claims that its food is one of its strengths, I was glad to read a review that concentrates on that claim. I have sailed on Oceania (once), and also found that the food did not live up to claims or expectations. After reading your specific complaints and sensing the kind of food you are looking for on a cruise, I would suggest you try Crystal (which I have also sailed once). They introduced new menus last year that each night combine some traditional Continental choices with some Nouvelle Cuisine. We tended to order mostly from the Nouvelle side of the menu, and the food was superb. I don't know whether the sushi is frozen or not, but it has Nobu's blessing -- and the Miso Black Cod was to die for. Also the Tastes restaurant on Serenity has a modern menu that is done extremely well.

[hypercafe]

You found Kekilias responses respectful? Essentially she accused the OP of being a liar, then went on to attack his age and fitness level and then had a senile moment by mentioning Howard Johnsons as if that were somehow germane to a thread about a cruise line that's supposed to be foodie centric. All that from someone who hasn't sailed on ANY Oceania ship.

 

And the other 'joke' is that the person who pointed out that Kekilia hasn't sailed on O also lacks an O cruise in their signature history.

 

Well I guess I worded my option wrong, I felt the poster you mention was degrading the op option without being on a Oceania trip so really had no way of knowing what Oceania was about. Seemed they do not like X. As for not being on O, I have been on the Rivera over 20 days which is not as much as some but I do not find it a joke unless you would like to mail me a check and we can both have a great laugh.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-T320 using Forums mobile app

Edited February 4, 2015 by hypercafe

[Paulchili]

Superbly phrased as usual, and sums up our opinion that with the correct "add ons", an Oceania Cruise competes beautifully with the so called "luxury" Lines.

 

...and beats the luxury lines easily for those of us that do not drink or use ship's excursions (or do not like formal nights, no matter how they are defined) :D

Edited February 4, 2015 by Paulchili