Just returned from Marina

[tropicalkerry2002]

just wonder if you got the shingles vaccine?

[Mura]

So, that is the bottom line. I am going to just roll with whatever. The grass is never greener. We love Crystal and have some of those planned, but we love the specialty restaurants on O. For whomever said the food was good there...read my post. I said the food is still good in the specialty restaurants. It is the Terrace where the quality is seriously downhill. I simply worked around it by getting my food in Waves. I let my husband fight saw cutting through the overly cooked, tough meat in The Terrace.

 

 

Carol, Just a question ... when you food was overcooked was that during the Noro outbreak? When we were on Marina last year that was our main complaint: once Noro was on board, you just could not get rare meat.

 

So I'm just wondering if the tough meat was due to overcooking, and if so, was that because they just weren't permitting you to have rare meat.

 

When we were on Marina, I stopped eating beef and lamb because I'm a rare meat person myself.

 

I sympathize with your unhappiness with your cruise.

 

Mura

[ORV]

No noro on the Marina on this cruise, thank goodness. I don't think I could have stood another after the Riviera TA.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

No noro on the Marina on this cruise, thank goodness. I don't think I could have stood another after the Riviera TA.

 

Yes, we were on Marina last with Caroldoll and the lull between Noro although there were some cases not officially CDC required reporting. It greatly affected the food quality, service and ship overall.

 

Sorry, Orv, you have shingles. Frank had it a few years back. I hope your case is mild and not overwhelmingly painful.

[Caroldoll]

Orv, my heart goes out to you. Joe and I both had the vaccine when it was just a trial and we are grateful. I do hope you get rid of it. I understand that it is quite hard to shake.

 

Mura, I would not say the food in The Terrace was overcooked. It could not have been as when they had beef, he found some rare for me. I remember when you were on the Noro cruise, and Chatkat and I came on right after you. We had decided not to shake hands and we had a lot of positive thoughts and our cruise was all right, but it reared its ugly head again the following cruise. My butler has a theory that since he is Vegetarian he doesn't get it, but I do think he got it on The Riviera this time. They do have to cook the food more when there is Noro.

 

The meats they had just were substandard cuts. I say this for the beef and the ham and there was one other...then they repeat everything every 7 days. My husband loves The Terrace, but even he started having me to go Waves for his food. As I said the specialties were still all fine.

 

Don't anyone think I had a "horrible" cruise, as nothing in my life is "that horrible". I think Chatkat will verify that I am a very positive person.

 

The Riviera is sad. I really think they need to bite the bullet and take her out of service for an entire week and shrink wrap her with stuff to get rid of the Noro! LOL. I would be extremely hesitant to go on her after all this time with no success. These bacteria mutate like crazy and perhaps they need to change their cleaning solution. I did get Noro on Crystal one Christmas, and it is no fun. You can get it anywhere in a closed, humid environment.

 

Better days are coming!

[Mura]

Thanks for your comment, Carol.

 

I happen to agree that they really should bite the bullet and take Riviera out of service until the bugs are gone, gone, GONE.

 

I remain surprised to hear that the quality of meats have diminished. Not defending O at all -- they've just always been so proud of the quality of the food they serve. We will see in June when we board Nautica what we think ...

 

Mura

[ORV]

Although I had dinner in the Terrace quite a few times in 32 nights I didn't order anything from the grill as there was always a long line there, so can't speak to the meat there. I did have the carved ham at the Gala brunch and thought it was grisly and fatty. There was way too much self serving with tongs at the brunch for me.

 

The turkey & dressing in the Terrace was rather good I thought though.

[Caroldoll]

YES. I always have it on embarkation day. Great stuff. The spring chickens were good too.

 

You are right about gristle and fat...that applied to the meat too.

[iamkingofall]

[quote name= You could easily tour Portugal for two weeks or so (assuming -ALWAYS ASSUMING - that two weeks is the time frame for the dry dock) and then join the ship.

 

Of course' date=' I'm spending your money ... not mine!

 

Mura[/quote]

 

 

I like the cut of your jib :D:D:D

[potterhill]

We had absolutely terrible beef on Nautica's Beijing to Bangkok exactly 3 years ago.

 

We were on Marina for 25 days in November, Lisbon to Cape Town and overall the food was great. We had a fantastic cruise.

 

I suspect the beef varies with the location it is sourced from. I've always found the steaks in GDR tough. Often in Polo as well. And those lobster tails everyone is so nuts over are tough as shoe leather. At least when I've had them they are. One TA on Regatta had quite mediocre food overall.

 

In spite of these deficiencies, we continue to enjoy our cruises on Oceania.

 

Mo

[Silver Sweethearts]

There was way too much self serving with tongs at the brunch for me.

 

To quote about Seabourn from a cruise website: "Seabourn is clearly on board not only with (Thomas) Keller’s cooking, but also his way of life. The cruise line will pay homage to Keller’s childhood with themed nights incorporating family-style meals in a shared-dining setting". It would seem Oceania and Seabourn are worlds apart on self serving.

[avalon1025]

Sailed the Riviera 3/13-3/20, we were docked in Miami with the Crystal Symphony and I wished I was back on Crystal the entire week. First and last Oceania cruise for me...

[newlondon]

Potterhill, Exactly our experience on Regent Voyager. Imo location can determine quality of food and while we went from BK to HK the beef was not good, not inedible, but close.

 

Avalon1025, That is a very strong statement. May I enquire why you feel that way as DW and I will never sail on the current Crystal ships for such reasons as cost, small cabins, less than open dining and far more formal than O. Food is subjective but our experience on O was ioo best at sea

[bitob]

Our experience has been that the food in the specialties varies from cruise to cruise. It's not just the sourcing; it's the chef

[RJB]

Potterhill, Exactly our experience on Regent Voyager. Imo location can determine quality of food and while we went from BK to HK the beef was not good, not inedible, but close.

 

Avalon1025, That is a very strong statement. May I enquire why you feel that way as DW and I will never sail on the current Crystal ships for such reasons as cost, small cabins, less than open dining and far more formal than O. Food is subjective but our experience on O was ioo best at sea

Have been on both ships and find on balance that O is the best for us. Small cabins on Crystal are the breaking point for us. For the money we do better on O

[Hawaiidan]

We had absolutely terrible beef on Nautica's Beijing to Bangkok exactly 3 years ago.

 

We were on Marina for 25 days in November, Lisbon to Cape Town and overall the food was great. We had a fantastic cruise.

 

I suspect the beef varies with the location it is sourced from. I've always found the steaks in GDR tough. Often in Polo as well. And those lobster tails everyone is so nuts over are tough as shoe leather. At least when I've had them they are. One TA on Regatta had quite mediocre food overall.

 

In spite of these deficiencies, we continue to enjoy our cruises on Oceania.

 

Mo

Wow.....its been my experience to have had in Terrace the finest prime rib I ever had..better than Lawrys....... and steaks in Polo...always perfect, Lobster excellent. Can get over done a bit in Terrace or Waves but elsewhere on R or O class...in any venue some of the best I have ever had.. and thats a lot of places world wide from The french laundry and Jamine ( Joel robuschon) on down.... always get it rare....or not at all

No beef for the beef in 6 cruises....

[avalon1025]

Potterhill, Exactly our experience on Regent Voyager. Imo location can determine quality of food and while we went from BK to HK the beef was not good, not inedible, but close.

 

Avalon1025, That is a very strong statement. May I enquire why you feel that way as DW and I will never sail on the current Crystal ships for such reasons as cost, small cabins, less than open dining and far more formal than O. Food is subjective but our experience on O was ioo best at sea

 

I loved the penthouse, but felt for the price, plus a drink package and tips, the value just wasn't there. The crew was exhausted and rather unfriendly (most likely due to the noro issues) - except our butler who was wonderful, officers were never seen, piano player was awful and zero fun. Entertainment laughable. Food was very good, but it was also great on Crystal. I just found the whole Oceania experience blah, nothing that I wanted to run home and tell friends about. On Crystal I was made to feel like a welcomed guest right away (no one ever called you by name on Oceania, or remembered your drink, etc), on Oceania, like I was bothering each crew member. Honestly, its like a small house in a better neighborhood, i'd rather be in a smaller cabin on Crystal than a larger cabin on Oceania. After over 100 cruises, I've only come off a handful indifferent, the Riviera was one of those cruises. The Riviera is a beautiful ship, with nice restaurants and food, just not the whole package for me.

Edited March 30, 2016 by avalon1025

[Paulchili]

I loved the penthouse, but felt for the price, plus a drink package and tips, the value just wasn't there. The crew was exhausted and rather unfriendly (most likely due to the noro issues) - except our butler who was wonderful, officers were never seen, piano player was awful and zero fun. Entertainment laughable. Food was very good, but it was also great on Crystal. I just found the whole Oceania experience blah, nothing that I wanted to run home and tell friends about. On Crystal I was made to feel like a welcomed guest right away (no one ever called you by name on Oceania, or remembered your drink, etc), on Oceania, like I was bothering each crew member. Honestly, its like a small house in a better neighborhood, i'd rather be in a smaller cabin on Crystal than a larger cabin on Oceania. After over 100 cruises, I've only come off a handful indifferent, the Riviera was one of those cruises. The Riviera is a beautiful ship, with nice restaurants and food, just not the whole package for me.

 

Isn't it great to have so many choices to please everyone.

[avalon1025]

Isn't it great to have so many choices to please everyone.

 

It is, and that is good.

[Mura]

Your experience on Oceania has NOT been ours, but your experience does not need to be ours! At least you know what you like and what you don't. (Or maybe I should say you know what you PREFER.) Perhaps you really DID dislike the Oceania experience, and if that is your opinion ... that is your opinion!

 

I hope your future cruises please you more.

 

Mura

[avalon1025]

Your experience on Oceania has NOT been ours, but your experience does not need to be ours! At least you know what you like and what you don't. (Or maybe I should say you know what you PREFER.) Perhaps you really DID dislike the Oceania experience, and if that is your opinion ... that is your opinion!

 

I hope your future cruises please you more.

 

Mura

 

Not "Perhaps", but yes, I wasnt impressed with my Oceania experience, Its great if you like them, but for me, I'd rather sail Crystal, Seabourn or Silversea, where there is more value for me. Honestly, the crew was so overworked and sad, I would have rather been on Celebrity than on the Riviera two weeks ago. I'm not ruling out that my sailing was under special circumstances and hence unique, but I didnt feel like the CD or Officers gave a rats butt If I was enjoying my time on board at all. Would I try them again?, not likely, my vacation time is precious and I'm not going to gamble that when there are lines that I know will be more consistent for me

Edited March 31, 2016 by avalon1025