Observations on Riviera ~ From Worry & Fear to Warm & Fuzzy

[HeatherInFlorida]

A fellow CC'er suggested staying off CC at least a week before embarking on my Riviera cruise and looking back that might have been a good idea. On the other hand, forewarned is forearmed and I'm not sorry I boarded Riviera with my Immodium in hand:). But it was sort of like a $16 insurance policy; we never needed it:D

 

Otherwise the starkness that greeted me would have come as a shock. This was our 5th cruise on Oceania in 3 years and there was something missing almost immediately. We were one of the lucky ones and by 2:00 pm we were sitting in Waves having lunch. By 2:30 they announced Deck 11 suites were ready and for the first time ever our bags awaited us. Others weren't so lucky boarding much later than hoped and some not receiving their bags until after 7:00. I didn't go to Reception to observe the mayhem, but from what I heard it was not a pretty sight ... one woman evidently took to screaming into her cell phone to her attorney son. Not sure the outcome of that.

 

The tables were the first shock ... sterile blank canvasses staring up at us that generally would be set with the familiar woven placemats, white cotton napkins, silverware and stemmed glasses. It helped that I knew why. Once a table had been used, a steward quickly descended to swab it down with a solution that had to be left to dry for 5 minutes ... the time was written on the card. This continued for 3 days in Waves and Terrace. Everything everywhere was sticky including my hands because the new sanitizer was different than the past...took forever to absorb. I was fine with that.

 

In the rooms ... nothing. No ice, no champagne set up, no stationery, no books, catalogs ... cold, unwelcoming. But I knew why so it was okay. So happy this wasn't our first cruise. And the bright spot was the soft, yummy, Oceania bed was just as always and I could look forward to resting my weary bones after our endless hour long drive from West Palm Beach;).

 

The crew, so overworked, so obviously exhausted and trying to keep bright smiling faces. All, and I mean ALL, were working at least 14 hour days. Our Butler told us this was a top to bottom effort on the part of the entire staff and crew. Walls and all surfaces were continuously washed down. Our Butler did not come as quickly as usual to greet us, but assured me that all was going to be well and he was sure in a few days the restrictions, at least for the most part, would be lifted .... "if".

 

"If" no one gets Noro. So that hung over us like a pall, but it was hard not to enjoy ourselves because everyone put on the brightest face they could. And 72 hours later, at 2:00 in the afternoon as I looked down from my balcony at the dock in San Juan, I saw them remove the horrid spray and the gallons of it sitting nearby and this was replaced by the familiar sanitizer dispenser. Sure enough ... our Butler said we were AOK and good to go. Such relief ... so happy to see the white tablecloths returned to the Terrace with all the splendid place settings and stemware. And once again we had salt & pepper, butter, bread placed on the table. Ahhhhh.....

 

This is not a review of our cruise. But I did want to let you all know how much work Oceania put into cleansing the entire ship. The Riviera is not, as some have said, a "sick ship". If it were there would not have been cruises between November and February with no Noro outbreaks at all. Yet there were. So Noro is brought on by guests and it's no one's fault ... not Oceania and not the guests. We can argue that it is spread by people not doing what they should, but there is only so much Oceania can do about that.

 

I learned they brought in about 200 additional workers to aid in the effort from that fateful Saturday night when the Riviera returned early until we boarded on Monday. They removed every single piece of furniture that wasn't bolted down and it was taken into the terminal where it was cleaned. Can you imagine? The linens were all washed 3 times over. Curtains were taken down and cleaned. The entire interior of the ship was cleansed and treated with what I don't know, but it was super clean. Knowing I'd be embarking on a cleanest ship on the planet that day, I didn't even bring sanitizing wipes. But I sure did wash my hands more than I ever have in my entire life. We were constantly reminded to do this. Staff was placed outside all dining venues and Riviera Lounge. If a person didn't use the sanitizers they were motioned to do so, but this was rarely needed.

 

We had to divert to Grand Turk to let someone off the ship for medical reasons. Of course everyone worried, but we were told it was not a gastro problem. Later into the cruise a couple of people got sick and they were quickly quarantined (and not happy), but from what I heard there was no case of Noro.

 

While I can't speak to anything that happened on prior cruises, from the time Oceania returned early to Miami I don't think anyone could ask them to do any more than they did. On day 3 we were so happy to have our beautiful Riviera back and thrilled to see our crew truly and honestly happy when Code Red was removed. I spoke to many of them in the following days and they were all so excited to be polishing everything to bring our beautiful ship back to its original splendor instead of seeing streaks of dried antiseptic wash dripping down elevator doors and walls.

 

To thank us for our patience and for the difficulties some faced during embarkation, they offered an open bar one night toward the end of the cruise. It was very popular and they were giving away the really good stuff!

 

I applaud the crew, I applaud the staff, I love Oceania. I thank them all for working so hard. I realize they did this to retain the deserved reputation they have worked so long to achieve. To lose that would be so sad, but we their guests reap the reward of their hard work. I wish everyone cruising on Riviera in coming months a Bon Voyage and I so hope all will continue to be well.

 

Oceania is my cruise line ... now and forever.

[Travelcat2]

That you so much for taking the time to post. We are so happy to hear that this cruise is as wonderful as most Riviera cruises. We love the ship - the food - the crew - just a fantastic way to see the world. Nothing is perfect and hopefully the last couple of months will soon be a distant memory.

 

Enjoy every moment of your cruise:)

[RachelG]

As I have said before, the ship is not the problem with Noro. People come aboard who are sick or have contracted the virus but haven't become ill yet. And in close quarters, it spreads like wildfire. Credit goes to the ship's staff for all the extra work needed to contain it.

[Toranut97]

Bravo, Heather! So happy that your positive attitude was rewarded. And so glad you had a great cruise!

 

Donna

[Iamthesea]

What a lovely post, Heather. I do hope that Oceania and other cruiselines can come up with a way to check passengers for illness before boarding. Hope that Riviera stays virus free!

 

I didn't go to Reception to observe the mayhem, but from what I heard it was not a pretty sight ... one woman evidently took to screaming into her cell phone to her attorney son. Not sure the outcome of that.

 

I am surprised that she didn't contact the news station. :rolleyes: Reminds me of the hurricane cruise we were on and delayed by two days getting back to port. We loved the two extra days, but one gentleman did not. he demanded that the ship go to shore or he was going to hire a helicopter to come land on the ship and take him in. :eek:

[HeatherInFlorida]

Just to clarify any confusion, I am reporting on the cruise from 2/22 to 3/3. This was the first cruise following the Noro outbreak that forced the Riviera to return to Miami two days early. I had posted from my cruise and promised that I would provide more details upon my return.

 

It is my hope that my report does not begin yet another discussion about the past. We've pretty much done that to death here lately. This report was written to ease any concerns or worries of those boarding Riviera in the next couple of months.

[Paulchili]

As the saying goes - All is well that ends well :)

Glad that the cruise was more like what you had experienced in the past (after the first 3 days).

Good to hear how hard the staff had worked to get thing back to "normal' - not like I doubted that for a minute. They always work very hard.

Let's hope that this unhappy chapter for Riviera is closed for a long time to come, if not for ever.

Edited March 6, 2016 by Paulchili

[greatlake30]

I really appreciate your post regarding your Riviera cruise from 2/22 - 3/3. I'm boarding the ship on 3/13 and you have reassured me any concerns are wasted energy.

Like you, I was sort of thinking when I board it might be the cleanest the ship has been since it was launched. I feel sort of lucky to embark so shortly after the deep clean.

This will be my first Oceania cruise and I'm officially counting down the days.

Thank you for taking the time to reassure future cruisers.

[LHT28]

Thank you Heather for your report

 

I am glad that the ship is healthy again

 

Lyn

[Lrob]

Thanks for the lovely follow up, Heather. You have been such a bright light. Your optimism and your honest assessments have kept us informed and encouraged. We board on Saturday. Looking forward to it and glad you had a good cruise.

[hiccups]

Thank you for your post! We are on the 3/13 cruise and are very much looking forward to the O experience.

 

I hope the crew has had some time to rest up... sounds like they really need it!

[HeatherInFlorida]

Thank you all for such kind words. Reading CC days before, it was a little hard to stay positive and upbeat approaching our cruise; after all, stuff can go as wrong for me as it can for anyone else. I felt our cruise would be sort of a test run.

 

Don't worry about the crew! I've never seen people bounce back so quickly from adversity. And while I know this was their job and as in any job we all take the good with the bad, this entire mess way way harder on the staff and crew on Oceania than it was on the passengers as a whole.

 

I meant to mention that our Butler, Rathesh, spoke so highly about Oceania. He said they pay better than any other cruise line. He said he was happy to step up to work the extra hours to do his part to bring Riviera back. He admitted that not all crew members were as supportive during this period of time, but I got the sense that most of them were happy to go the extra mile for an employer who they felt very positive about overall.

 

Funny story ... my husband encountered one steward washing down probably the gizillionith table the morning of the 3rd day muttering under his breath "F*#, F*@, F*$#....." and so on:D. I can't say I blame him and it cracked Ray up. Sometimes you just have to let it go and vent!

[Iamthesea]

Sounds like the guy that told my husband to go get his own beer, or the one that said he was going to get fired if he gave us a place settings too soon. Bless them! ;)

Edited March 6, 2016 by Iamthesea

[smoothsailors]

SO glad that you had another positive experience ...thank you for your posts! (But I'm glad that you now have Immodium in your travel kit...a good precaution to take anywhere!)

[Frncie]

Heather, I just want to add my voice to the chorus of thanks for all your reporting (give that girl a Pulitzer!) We haven't been on a cruise since Disney's Big Red Boat in 1991, so we might as well be newbies. We're booked aboard the Riviera from Venice to Barcelona in May, and yes, it's a long way off, but it's still our ship, and we're watching all this with interest.

 

We have learned so much from your posts about the ambience, the restaurants, the activities, the beds(!), the crew, and so much more. The noro was part of it too, and it was a very grave situation for those aboard, but your posts helped us keep it all in perspective. We are really excited about our trip, and I just want to say thanks for your positive attitude throughout a difficult time.

Edited March 6, 2016 by Frncie
Directed to Heather in florida

[HeatherInFlorida]

SO glad that you had another positive experience ...thank you for your posts! (But I'm glad that you now have Immodium in your travel kit...a good precaution to take anywhere!)

 

I think it has a 2 year expiration ... I hope it expires:D.

 

Heather, I just want to add my voice to the chorus of thanks for all your reporting (give that girl a Pulitzer!) We haven't been on a cruise since Disney's Big Red Boat in 1991, so we might as well be newbies. We're booked aboard the Riviera from Venice to Barcelona in May, and yes, it's a long way off, but it's still our ship, and we're watching all this with interest.

 

We have learned so much from your posts about the ambience, the restaurants, the activities, the beds(!), the crew, and so much more. The noro was part of it too, and it was a very grave situation for those aboard, but your posts helped us keep it all in perspective. We are really excited about our trip, and I just want to say thanks for your positive attitude throughout a difficult time.

 

You made my day! Thank you :). I am going to write a review of our cruise for CC. If they publish it, I'll link it here on the forum.

[LHT28]

I think it has a 2 year expiration ... I hope it expires:D.

 

 

I always carry Immodium the only time I needed it was on a land trip in the DR

I have thrown out more boxes than I have used & hope I continue to do so :D

 

Lyn

[aztocalifornia]

We sailed on this 2/22 cruise and met you and youureview is exactly spot on and what I would have written. The first 3 days were not pleasant and it was not Oceanias fault and if it weren't for your posts on the message board, we would not have had a clue arriving early that day and being unprepared. The travel agents did not get notified so their clients arrived with no prior warning. It was a big miscommunication lapse on Oceania's part and they should have told us what to expect for the 3 days. They tried their best to do extensive cleaning to rid the ship of this virus. In all after the 3 days of a "cleaning cruise" we loved the rest of our trip.

 

The food, entertainment ,cabin and ship were wonderful. We had great weather and enjoyed the ports. We even booked a cruise to the Western Caribbean next March with substantial savings. It's unfortunate that the norovirus was on this ship,but if you look on other cruise boards, it's on other ships too! We have been on Princess and Celebrity and Oceania before and there is a big difference. No photographers no art auction no announcements every minute to buy things no kids in the pool, no contrived activities. Just a group of well travelled comfortably classy retired people who appreciate the finest.

[RJB]

I always carry Immodium the only time I needed it was on a land trip in the DR

I have thrown out more boxes than I have used & hope I continue to do so :D

 

Lyn

Better to be safe than sorry. Sometimes when we are finished packing it looks like we are taking a drug store with us.

[KS&JW]

We have been on Princess and Celebrity and Oceania before and there is a big difference. No photographers no art auction no announcements every minute to buy things no kids in the pool, no contrived activities. Just a group of well travelled comfortably classy retired people who appreciate the finest.

 

 

yes!

[HeatherInFlorida]

..........The travel agents did not get notified so their clients arrived with no prior warning. It was a big miscommunication lapse on Oceania's part and they should have told us what to expect for the 3 days. ..............

 

It was so great meeting and spending time with you both on this cruise. Had it not been for Noro, I'm not sure we all would have met up. But there was a bonding between many of us just days before the cruise! Wish you were going to be on our cruise next year, but I can't win 'em all!

 

I'm not sure we should blame Oceania for the miscommunication. After all, my TA got the letter from Oceania and forwarded it to me so there was a letter. It was sent to all TA's who had passengers on that sailing.

 

I ran into another one in our group who contacted her TA asking why they never received the letter. The TA mysteriously found it ... seemed to have gotten lost along the way. So maybe we should blame the TA's and not Oceania:) ... maybe some of them are too busy taking bookings and not busy enough serving those who already booked!!!

 

I've written a real review of the cruise itself and submitted to CC. I'm going to copy and paste in a new thread for anyone who might not read the Member Reviews.

[Keith1010]

Thanks for your post.

 

Keith

[KirkNC]

Thanks for your report.

[CintiPam]

Heather, I am very happy to read that you enjoyed your cruise and particularly happy to read that Riviera's hard-working staff have gotten some relief from the lengthy endless hours they had to put in sanitizing non-stop on the previous cruise on which we sailed.

[Clarea]

Thanks for the follow-up.