Land & Sea - LIVE from Spain as we sail & compare HAL to Oceania

[RuthC]

Jacqui, what, if anything does the ship have as a walking deck?

There is a small, uncovered outdoor deck above the pool area. It works in nicer weather, but is unsheltered, unlike most of the HAL promenade decks.

[kazu]

Jacqui, what, if anything does the ship have as a walking deck? That and their (at least past) habit of bait and switch pricing are the big things that keep me away from Oceania.

 

 

 

Roy

 

 

The walking deck would be like the sports deck Roy. There is no promenade deck. So you basically walk around the pool area.

 

I will try to post a pic here where you can see the officers walking around.

 

This was for the Officer versus Guest challenge today.

 

Overall, the guests won.

 

 

 

[kazu]

That is a shame I also like a good cuppa

 

O used to have Liptons plain tea but not sure if they still do or not

 

The Eurodam had Twinnings but no tea pots :(

tea bag in a cup doesn't do it for me

 

Different strokes

hope you find something you enjoy onboard

 

signing off here

 

enjoy the cruise

Lyn

 

 

no LIptons Lynn.

 

I hear you on the teapot - it's a must with me. I had to put my foot down on one HAL ship but usually I manage to get one ;)

 

For sure teapots abound on O - and very nice ones I might add.

 

After dinner I prefer a nice herbal tea - a roibos or hibiscus or nearly anything EXCEPT peppermint & camomille. (I don't need any help falling asleep - LOL).

 

I know that the Brits & Europeans that I have talked to are disappointed about tea but I guess we are all different ;)

[kazu]

Thanks Kazu for posting when you are able (and willing :)). DH and I are very interested in your comparisons. I was surprised when someone on the voyage prior commented there were 2 children onboard. I can't say we would be bringing 2 of 4....

 

Enjoy the crossing. Selfishly speaking, I hope the internet signal is available all the way across!

 

the children on board I have seen are VERY young so under their parents' care.

 

O is NOT a ship for the 2of4. They have no children's programmes and while they do not refuse children, there is nothing for them.

 

In fact, the sign in the elevaor says a child under 14 must be accompanied by an adult!

Edited November 24, 2015 by kazu

[kazu]

oops. sorry.

Edited November 24, 2015 by kazu

[OVgirl]

No, no time yet. And today is our cabin crawl - so maybe tomorrow.

 

I am not exactly anxious to go other than to see it and the little sandwiches and things. Tea on Oceania is a very BAD word with me. I am NOT a happy camper when it comes to their tea.

 

All their is is Twinings and only two herbal teas that I don't like at all. No PG tips. The only place with a nice herbal tea is Red Ginger and they won't let anyone have any. I never thought I would need to bring my own tea on a premier cruise line.

 

It's a little thing but a big deal with me. Not impressed.

 

When it comes to tea. HAL wins for sure.

 

Maybe some King Cole tea next time.

[sail7seas]

Kazu,

Very much enjoying your posts.

Thanks for all your effort and time to share with us.

[iancal]

Why is it that some HAL cheerleaders seem determined to play one upmanship with any positive that happens to be mentioned?

 

No matter what is said, HAL does it either better or Oceania does it worse that HAL

 

Why not just let the narrative stand so we can all get on with the next narrative or description.

[CowPrincess]

Thank you for using your vacation time to keep us up to date!

[kazu]

Just to let you know - I have posted the PH pics on the live thread and will be doing more food porn...

 

as well as an update on noro/gastro on board.

 

Have to do a life boat drill and then I will try to add more

[kazu]

oops sorry, duplicate post. stupid internet said it wasn't working. sorry.

Edited November 25, 2015 by kazu

[1of4]

the children on board I have seen are VERY young so under their parents' care.

 

O is NOT a ship for the 2of4. They have no children's programmes and while they do not refuse children, there is nothing for them.

 

In fact, the sign in the elevaor says a child under 14 must be accompanied by an adult!

 

What is what we thought. For this point in life, if I can travel again, it will be HAL purely because of Club HAL. But I am enjoying your pictures and comparisons as 2of4 are growing! DD is already 14 but she is not the one that needs supervision :o:rolleyes: as you well know!

[qsuzi]

Thank you so much for giving us a glimpse into life on Oceania. Very much appreciate the tone, information provided, and the effort it takes. Kudo's Kazu.

[kazu]

I did a post on my live thread, but I much prefer the way O does Bingo versus HAL. Very civilized and much more comfortable. :)

 

I know there aren't a million Bingo fans out there, but for the few that there are - the scales are tipped in O's favour even if it is a tad pricier than HAL.

[kazu]

As Orv and I have both reported, we do have a gastro outbreak on board (aka Noro). How many cases I really don't know.

 

Here's the scoop... the laundry is closed (code red move) and the goodies have been removed from the Executive/Concierge Lounge. That move is very strange to me. I have been on ships with Noro in the past and the goodies remained but it was required that they be unavailable to reach for and they were served to the guests. There is a waiter in there all the time from what I have been able to see and a concierge most of the time so I don't get why they don't just pass the goodies to the passengers.

 

Laundry closure in my experience has only been in code red and when they did that they offered a reduced laundry package to passengers. Now the 20 item package is on for $25 (ok, technically $24.95) but it's a fold package which means nothing is on a hanger so of little use to us. Fortunately for me, I did a laundry yesterday morning early before they locked the doors.

 

The casino is still open, the library, the pools and one hot tub. So it's a big mix of protocols.

 

Dh spoke to one passenger today who has been on something like 15 O cruises and she says this is the first time that she has used a sanitizer. HUH????

 

One big difference I saw between my other cruise line and O was that no one was encouraging you to sanitize your hands when you came back from port and boarded, entering dining rooms, etc. In fact, in two ports, DH did not see any sanitizers to use before getting on the gang way. He might have missed them, but that's highly unlikely as he does do this stuff.

 

The emphasis and enforcement on sanitization only happened after the outbreak occurred. In fact the dramatic switch is what clued me in to what was going on.

 

So, I'm not sure what stage we are at. It seems some things are open that would be closed if we were at code red and yet things that would be open are closed if it is only code orange. (I am not sure if O uses those terms or not - but code orange on my other shp defines preventing the spread, code red defines a serious outbreak with more serious protocols).

 

I do not know if they are licking it or not, but all my sympathy to the crew that are feverishly washing down everything in sight. Tables, chairs, walls, elevator walls, buttons, slot machines, etc. They are all working at a frenzy and I hope for their sake that this gets fixed fast

 

oops I meant to put this on my live thread. sorry. But I will leave it since it is here and some of you may be interested..

Edited November 26, 2015 by kazu

[Krazy Kruizers]

Wonderful review Kazu.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The walking deck would be like the sports deck Roy. There is no promenade deck. So you basically walk around the pool area.

 

I will try to post a pic here where you can see the officers walking around.

 

This was for the Officer versus Guest challenge today.

 

Overall, the guests won.

 

 

 

 

 

Great pictures.

[kazu]

Well we are way past Code Red on this ship. WAY PAST.

 

From reports we have at least 6% of the ship sick with Noro.

 

We have been denied entry to Bermuda by their Ministry of Health so who knows how many are really sick on board? - we were originally going to be there for two days - <sigh> and now we are sailing to Nassau to spend two days there instead of one (ughh).

 

DH observed in the first two ports that there were no hand sanitizers out that he saw.

 

Now, on HAL as we know there is someone there spritzing you when you board, when you go to the dining room and Lido, etc.

 

Here on O there was nothing and no one until the day I saw them starting to sprtiz at the pool and I immediately sensed that something was up since this was such a dramatic change.

 

I have unfortunately been on two other ships with Noro on HAL - the N Amsterdam on a TA and the Prinsendam on a TA. The Prinsendam had it licked before we hit the TA. Captain Gunderson was adamant that anyone who did not follow the protocols would be put off in port and he would not sail with a ship with Noro on a TA. (and yes, he announced it). He succeeded.

 

As soon as there was the threat both the NA and Prinsendam put the nets over the pools, closed the hot tubs, sealed off the access to the library books, closed the slots in the casino, put paper salt and pepper shakers on the tables, etc.

 

Here on the Riviera the only thing they have closed so far is the laundry. huh??? What good does that do?

 

Not only that, when Prinsendam closed their laundries, we were offered a reduced laundry package while the self service laundries were closed.

 

Not the case on Oceania - they had a little special of 20 items for $25 but it was their standard special and the stuff does NOT come back on hangers like on HAL - that costs extra.

 

The special is over with and there is nothing being offered in today's currents. I guess Kazu will be going home with dirty laundry on top of everything else.

 

Oh and one other interesting thing, it appears that O does not refund port fees if they miss a port since nothing has been announced nor put in cabins. I asked another frequent O cruiser and they looked perplexed and said no, there are no refunds.

 

Normally when HAL cancels a port, there is at the least a glass of "champagne" or a drink or something. Not so here.

 

So, O has a captive audience for the next two days with no break in any costs whatsoever.

 

Just a little rant & observation.

[kazu]

I did a post on my live thread, but I much prefer the way O does Bingo versus HAL. Very civilized and much more comfortable. :)

 

 

 

I know there aren't a million Bingo fans out there, but for the few that there are - the scales are tipped in O's favour even if it is a tad pricier than HAL.

 

 

So, for Bingo they don't have the huge prize that HAL offers that increases in $5,000 increments which is nearly impossible to win.

 

On O they just pool the money so that it grows for the snowball and increase the number of balls daily.

 

When someone has a bingo all they have to do is call out the card number and it is verified - no long verification.

 

Once they call out the number, this comes up

 

 

and the Bingo is verified. The bingo board is huge and easy, very easy to see from a distance so you can see it from a distance whether you are sitting at a table or on the couch.

 

 

Our Asst CD is doing the calling and he does enough of the "typical" bingo stuff in a more gentle way and skips a lot of the other foolishness.

 

Bingo prices are a bit different than HAL - cheaper for a three pack ($20) but more expensive for a 6 pack ($40 versus $35).

 

When they offer an extra chance at the jackpot the cards are $10 like HAL but instead of one card you get a three pack for the final game.

Edited November 28, 2015 by kazu

[kazu]

Here are some pics of Red Ginger - the restaurant and some of the art right around Red Ginger...

 

 

 

 

 

OOPS< SORRY THIS WAS MEANT FOR THE LIVE THREAD _ apologies.

Edited November 28, 2015 by kazu

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

So sorry to hear about the extended Code Red. We experienced 14 out of 17 days of Code Red on the Amsterdam once and it was really terrible. A lot of the problem was that quarantined passengers would not stay in their cabin. A couple even tried to get off to take their excursion and were stopped cold at Security as they attempted to get off.

 

And denied entrance to Bermuda, that is really too bad. I feel for you and hope you and Jose are able to stay healthy. A real damper on your cruise, I am sure. Barbara

[kazu]

Well, I think enough have you been on a Noro ship on HAL. I observed a few things that caused me concern on the Riviera.

 

I put on my flame retardant suit and have posted my observations on my live thread on the O board if any of you are interested.

[CJcruzer]

we cruised with O about 8 years ago...

 

 

our muster drill station was in the main dining room, and all the tables were set up with cutlery, napkins, glasses etc. As we sat around these pre-set for dinner tables, people were coughing, wiping hands on napkins, fidgeting with cutlery, one woman even put her clutch purse down on the dinner plate!! EEEWWWWWWW...... I was shocked! Totally turned me off from coming to that dining room! (5 pm muster drill before sailaway 6pm....)

 

That night, I made a late reservation for the specialty restaurant, as I was so totally grossed out and I mentioned this concern in a comment card, while on the ship - in a phone call follow up once I returned home.

 

Another time, on another cruiseline (not HAL) we had specialty restaurant reservation with 2 other couples. As I came in the door, I was looking for a hand sanitizer. I was frostily told ' we do not need that up here in THIS restaurant! :eek:

 

So I guess they feel because people are paying approx $80 a couple to eat at a "fancier" venue, these people do not sneeze, cough, touch buttons in the elevator, hang on to handrails when climbing stairs, etc while making their way to the restaurant. Really. :

 

Recently on Celebrity, we had a Captain's Club cocktail hour. All the senior management were lined up - and as we passed through the receiving line, they shook hands with EVERYONE! what happened to the fist bump, or elbow greet?

 

Just shaking my head at some of the inconsistencies in protocol.

 

Carol

Edited November 29, 2015 by CJcruzer

[RuthC]

Keep in mind, though, that hand sanitizers do nothing to prevent the spread of noro or cold viruses. If used in sufficient quantity, and for long enough, they may kill some bacteria on the hands.

They are not a good substitute for washing the hands with soap & water. You would be better off leaving the squirt of sanitizer in your hand, then heading to the restroom to wash it off!

 

When the officers (or anyone else for that matter) shakes hands, they are liable to be picking up germs from the hands they touch. But so long as they don't then touch their faces, they aren't in danger of taking in those germs.

They could then transfer the germs to the next person, but it's that person's responsibility to keep their own hands clean, and refrain from touching their own face.

[cruisemom42]

Keep in mind, though, that hand sanitizers do nothing to prevent the spread of noro or cold viruses. If used in sufficient quantity, and for long enough, they may kill some bacteria on the hands.

They are not a good substitute for washing the hands with soap & water. You would be better off leaving the squirt of sanitizer in your hand, then heading to the restroom to wash it off!

 

When the officers (or anyone else for that matter) shakes hands, they are liable to be picking up germs from the hands they touch. But so long as they don't then touch their faces, they aren't in danger of taking in those germs.

They could then transfer the germs to the next person, but it's that person's responsibility to keep their own hands clean, and refrain from touching their own face.

 

^^^^

This.

 

Doctors have told us. CDC has told us. Cruise line staff have told us. Hand sanitizer is not, in most instances, going to stop noro.

 

I personally believe that the body needs a certain amount of frequent exposure to things in order to keep the immune system functioning optimally. I never go out of my way to sanitize any space I'm in (from airplane tray table to cruise ship cabin), nor do I use hand sanitizer. I even live dangerously and touch the handrail when going down the stairs -- I figure it's better that I catch an upper-respiratory virus or noro than that I fall and break an ankle or hip.... YMMV, of course.

 

I have never gotten noro while traveling. Only at home (when volunteering at my son's elementary school.....)