Ramblings From Riviera

[LHT28]

Thanks ORV for your thoughts & comments on your cruise

It certainly sounded like a trying experience

 

Someday I may finally get to do a TA ;)

I am happy just to sit & read so activities onboard do not bother me one way or another

 

Lyn

Edited December 5, 2015 by LHT28

[kazu]

Thanks Orv for sharing :)

 

I agree on the strings. DH and I like the strings but someone's (if not two) instruments sounded really out of tune and we stopped listening to them.

 

One thing I noticed about the new crew was that some of our stellar service came from new crew - Christien in Jacques had just started and he is truly stellar, our one wine steward in Terrace was awesome and she too was new on the ship & had come from Crystal.

 

There were several others and they were all new.

 

so, I'm not sure I can blame issues on the new staff. Or the ones I met were the stellar ones - not sure :) but they were truly stellar and were one of the highlights of our cruise.

[wristband]

Kazu, I agree with your thumbs down on the string quarter. Painfully out of tune. We tuned out and ignored them early on. A female singer in Horizons was - yowza! - also off key and her pitch was like hearing fingernails on a chalk board.

 

Pianist in Martinis banged away at schmaltzy classical music, ham fistedly attacking jazzier tunes. Drove us out of the bar area several times (had long waits to finally get our drinks in Martinis which was strange).

 

I found it surprising - on our prior O sailings the musicians were first rate, esp the solo pianists at happy hour. We have really enjoyed the gents who offered a nice selection of improvised jazz and show tunes which are a nice fit for the setting. Not this cruise.

[no fuss travel]

What a shame about the musicians. We had great ones on our September sailing, but they were all getting off the ship I think after the next two cruises. The entertainment team was being replaced as well as the others had been on board for 6 months. You would have got the new singers and dancers I guess about a month after they boarded.

 

I agree with your comment about the CD. Not my cup of tea.

 

Thanks for your comments. I felt they were fair.

[dibel]

I thought the strings sounded like they were plating at their weekly lesson...no originality or pizazz....somewhat painful to listen to.

[RJB]

Thanks Orv for sharing :)

 

I agree on the strings. DH and I like the strings but someone's (if not two) instruments sounded really out of tune and we stopped listening to them.

 

One thing I noticed about the new crew was that some of our stellar service came from new crew - Christien in Jacques had just started and he is truly stellar, our one wine steward in Terrace was awesome and she too was new on the ship & had come from Crystal.

 

There were several others and they were all new.

 

so, I'm not sure I can blame issues on the new staff. Or the ones I met were the stellar ones - not sure :) but they were truly stellar and were one of the highlights of our cruise.

Well, about the staff... If half of them were sick (and were told not to report it, but just stay in their rooms) that the remaining ones had to pick up the slack and could not do everything that needed to be done.

[Mura]

In June 2006 we were all seasick, passengers and crew. It wasn't a matter of noro, but we all felt equally lousy. I remember that our cabin stewardess was as sick as I was, but she had to clean our room while I stretched out on the bed.

 

My sympathies are always on the side of workers who have to keep on working no matter how they feel.

 

Mura

[cat shepard]

I appreciate the details. Find these posts so informative.

[ORV]

A couple of things I forgot to mention.

 

There were some exceptionally good flavors of Ice Cream, some of the best I've ever had on Oceania.

 

On a related subject I usually average around 1 lb a day weight gain on a cruise. We were on for 25 days and I only gained 16. :rolleyes: Not sure if I should celebrate that or not, new diet started this morning:mad: Whoever said there are no calories in vacation food was a liar. ;)

[janecambridge]

Thank you for your report ORV.We are sailing Oceania for the first time in August and have the same type of cabin as you,near the concierge lounge.I am concerned to read about the noise.We are booked in 9011.do you think we will be ok there?

[ORV]

Thank you for your report ORV.We are sailing Oceania for the first time in August and have the same type of cabin as you,near the concierge lounge.I am concerned to read about the noise.We are booked in 9011.do you think we will be ok there?

 

You are a bit forward of where we were at, so I don't think you'll hear quite as much noise. The only people you'll have coming by your cabin going to the lounge will be the ones in the 5 cabins in front of you. I'm not sure if there is a crew access door across from you, but that white space on the deck plans indicates there might be. That would be your biggest issue I would think.

 

Keep in mind as I mentioned there are definitely pluses to this location.

[cat shepard]

A couple of things I forgot to mention.

 

There were some exceptionally good flavors of Ice Cream, some of the best I've ever had on Oceania.

 

On a related subject I usually average around 1 lb a day weight gain on a cruise. We were on for 25 days and I only gained 16. :rolleyes: Not sure if I should celebrate that or not, new diet started this morning:mad: Whoever said there are no calories in vacation food was a liar. ;)

 

Orv! Love ice cream. This is great news. Though I am sorry to learn that there are calories in vacation food. But what a way to go!:D

[janecambridge]

Thank you ORV...:)