Marina -- August 15 cruise -- LIVE

[What A Market]

Sorry for disappearing completely. For the last several days, Internet was a mess. There was about 48 hours where service was non-existent. People were pretty wound up, but I think most everyone has free internet on this cruise, so hard to bitch too much. Still a pain because I am still a working stiff and need to work a bit everyday. Mostly stuck with connecting my devices to whatever local service I could find.

 

We are in Copenhagen today. Last full day on cruise. Disembarking tomorrow after an overnight stay. Weather continues to be crazy good. Maybe even a bit on the warm side.

 

I still haven't posted my issue with Polo. Will do so in a bit. Crazy thing is we had a completely screwed up dinner in the MDR the following night. I was beginning to get really upset thinking that Oceania was intentionally cutting back on dining room and kitchen staff, thereby putting intense pressure on those performing their duties. I really felt in both Polo and the MDR, at least on the nights I experienced, that the staff was very stressed. Particularly in Polo. Despite my frustrations, it was hard not to feel bad for the servers.

 

Everything is somewhat redeemed now. Amazing dinner in Toscana last night. This is the first cruise where I would rank Toscana as #1 for Specialty venues.

 

 

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[wristband]

I was on Marina earlier this month and totally agree with your comment on problems in Polo - steaks were tough and flavorless, wait staff seemed bewildered as to who did what. Most especially, reduced staffing was so apparent during dinner in the GDR.

 

Yellow jacketed floor captains frequently jumped in to bus our table & bring orders from the kitche. But it was a disorganized mess for us on a number of nights. At several dinners, I got to refill our water glasses - after signaling from the table with my arm raised we needed someone anyone from the staff.

 

Is the problem too few staff on duty at dinner? Are staff on break at dinner? Is the GDR staff not capable/trained to work together in teams?

 

What is odd: our & your Marina itinerary is port intensive so staff have time off during the day (vs cruises with sea days) when guests are off the ship. So why the service breakdown?

[loves2read]

[quote=What A Market

 

I still haven't posted my issue with Polo. Will do so in a bit. Crazy thing is we had a completely screwed up dinner in the MDR the following night. I was beginning to get really upset thinking that Oceania was intentionally cutting back on dining room and kitchen staff, thereby putting intense pressure on those performing their duties. I really felt in both Polo and the MDR, at least on the nights I experienced, that the staff was very stressed. Particularly in Polo. Despite my frustrations, it was hard not to feel bad for the servers.

 

Everything is somewhat redeemed now. Amazing dinner in Toscana last night. This is the first cruise where I would rank Toscana as #1 for Specialty venues.

 

I've enjoyed reading your posts. We were on this same cruise with you, but did not experience any issues with service. The wait staff in the Grand Dining Room and all the specialty restaurants were the best we've experienced in 31 cruises. Funny how there can be these differences on the same ship.