Is Sirena As Bad As They Say ?

[LHT28]

Agree with all.

Exception are some GMs (and some CDs) interacting with some frequent cruisers that they know from past cruises and host them at luncheons - .

 

I agree some GM's are just more visible than others

On our last cruise we saw the GM several times a day he always said hello & asked how were we enjoying the cruise

we had not met him before so not in the "old friends" category ;)

 

It may also be a language thing ...many upper staff are European & their English is limited

They do their job

[sammiedawg]

We recently had 17 terrific days on Sirena, disembarking October 4. It was a very, very nice cruise. We loved the ship and thought the physical plant was tip top. I thought the ship was quite beautiful. The food in all venues was as good as we've ever had on Oceania. Service was very good throughout the ship and the crew was friendly and helpful.

We didn't attend afternoon tea.

I'm surprised to read criticism of CD Corey, we thought he was just fine as a CD. We do not really care much about the CD and he met our needs.

I had no particular impression of the captain one way or the other but I noticed that he and/or the officers, CD, singers had large tables every night in the GDR.

[gdlamberth]

Thanks, Lyn. We will definitely consider Riviera or Marina. We did a place holder deposit for a future cruise while on-board.

 

Yes, we each have our own thoughts, opinions and experiences. We met so many seasoned O cruisers on this sailing and the vast majority of those we spoke with felt Sirena missed the mark in a number of areas and is in need of correction and training.

 

On the upside, we did have wonderful room attendants and some servers (Dragan in the MDR, Andrea in Tuscan Steak) and a great sommelier, Ritchie who is the bomb! We also met some really lovely fellow passengers and had a great time sharing some tours as well as some meals together.

 

We went into this cruise with an open mind, after reading so many negative reviews. We are not high maintenance people, but expect a certain service level, as well as senior officer interaction and engagement. Sirena faltered and we disembarked disappointed that our first O cruise was not what we entirely hoped for. Better luck next time :)

 

Denise,

Could you please comment on the appearance, maintenance, cleanliness of the cabin (and the category you were in, please). Also, did you have any experience with Waves? Others have talked about the crowded feel (tables too close and such) in Terrace; our own experience is that it is just a bit noisy. Any experience with the coffee bars? Milk Shakes? Room service?

Sorry about yr port changes, I know you had set up some private tours in Bermuda. Glad you and Alan had an overall good cruise though. Still hope to sail with y'all again.

 

Greg and Gretchen

[nyfeds]

I'm not defending Oceania, but it's pretty well documented here that the officers aren't really the social butterflies that they are on other cruise lines. Actually most of them I've encountered on Oceania seem uncomfortable speaking publicly or interacting with guests.

 

If you are looking for senior officer engagement and interaction like many report on Azamara then you will continue to be disappointed if you sail Oceania again. It's just not the culture on Oceania.

 

On service issues there's no excuse, there just needs to be more training.

 

An observation rather than criticism. Not a deal breaker for us

[nyfeds]

Denise,

Could you please comment on the appearance, maintenance, cleanliness of the cabin (and the category you were in, please). Also, did you have any experience with Waves? Others have talked about the crowded feel (tables too close and such) in Terrace; our own experience is that it is just a bit noisy. Any experience with the coffee bars? Milk Shakes? Room service?

Sorry about yr port changes, I know you had set up some private tours in Bermuda. Glad you and Alan had an overall good cruise though. Still hope to sail with y'all again.

 

Greg and Gretchen

 

Hi Greg and Gretchen!

 

In answer to your questions -

 

Our cabin was very clean and well maintained. We stayed in Concierge. Cabin was small, bathroom and shower tiny.

 

We ordered from Waves twice and food was well prepared. Alan ordered a couple of milkshakes there and he found them quite good. I ordered a smoothie and didn't care for it. Breakfast smoothies in the MDR are very good.

 

Ordered room service one evening with no issues.

 

We found Terrace to be crowded and noisy, but not annoyingly so. What was disappointing was the lack of good service and clearing of tables. I believe there is a a training issue that needs to be addressed.

 

Barristas was very good. Specialty coffee drinks, as well as some sandwiches, cookies, etc.

 

We had really hoped to visit Bermuda. However, safety first. Portland, ME and Newport, RI were very nice, albeit chilly, replacements. So much for packing shorts and bathing suit :)

 

Hope we can sail with you again, soon!

Denise

[LHT28]

When booking the small ships if you are not used to small cabins

try finding a room in your home that is about 8' x 21' now mark off a bathroom, some closets, the bed & small sofa & a desk , coffee table (you can see the layout on the deck plans)

Can you live in this space for the length of your cruise ??

Edited November 1, 2016 by LHT28

[nyfeds]

We knew both the cabin and bathroom configuration before we booked. We managed just fine :)

[ORV]

 

We went into this cruise with an open mind, after reading so many negative reviews. We are not high maintenance people, but expect a certain service level, as well as senior officer interaction and engagement. Sirena faltered and we disembarked disappointed that our first O cruise was not what we entirely hoped for. Better luck next time :)

 

An observation rather than criticism. Not a deal breaker for us

 

I guess I misunderstood the highlighted part. Just wanted to make sure you knew what you experienced from them is the norm on Oceania and not the exception.

 

As I mentioned before, the service is another issue altogether.

[Liz 130]

We have also just returned from this cruise. Many of the points that nyfeds made are very accurate. There were different service issues at the beginning of this cruise that seemed to improve as time went on. Terrace had many of them - tables not cleared - crowded - someone would ask if you needed water or coffee and then disappear. Lack of follow up.

 

When making specialty restaurant reservations - avoid 8:30 - both our reservations were for this time - last people seated - worst table (what everyone else has rejected) and dealing with servers that have had a very busy evening ... food was very good - but overall experience was lacking.

 

CD Corey was very good - overall entertainment was hit or miss. Enjoyed trivia - but felt there were long stretches where nothing was offered.

 

Our room stewards were very good - and food overall was excellent.

 

We really didn't care about officer interaction - but find that when they are visible all crew are performing at their best.

 

Did "O" impress us? No. It wasn't a bad cruise - just not memorable. Would we sail with them again? Possibly - but on a different ship.

[deedo68]

We just returned from the 10/18 Sirena cruise and were equally disappointed. NYFeds hit the "nail on the head." This was our 8th Oceania cruise, the last 3 on Regatta, and this was by far our worst experience. On our end of cruise comment form we stated that had this been our 1st experience with O it would have been our last - that's how disappointing it was!!! Service was virtually nonexistent in Terrace at times. We felt that many of the crew were ending their contracts and were tired, and some new crew were inexperienced. Cory's announcements were sometimes never ending, repetitive and intrusive and the assistant cruise director made it very clear that he would rather be anywhere else. He bordered on rude in Bingo. Though the change in itinerary was necessary, it would have been nice to have heard from the captain more frequently. On Regatta. Capt Hansen kept us totally informed with changes, weather, etc. and was available around the ship all day and evening and was enjoyable to be around and totally engaging. IMHO Sirena has a long way to go to represent Oceania properly.

[Paulchili]

We just returned from the 10/18 Sirena cruise and were equally disappointed. NYFeds hit the "nail on the head." This was our 8th Oceania cruise, the last 3 on Regatta, and this was by far our worst experience. On our end of cruise comment form we stated that had this been our 1st experience with O it would have been our last - that's how disappointing it was!!! Service was virtually nonexistent in Terrace at times. We felt that many of the crew were ending their contracts and were tired, and some new crew were inexperienced. Cory's announcements were sometimes never ending, repetitive and intrusive and the assistant cruise director made it very clear that he would rather be anywhere else. He bordered on rude in Bingo. Though the change in itinerary was necessary, it would have been nice to have heard from the captain more frequently. On Regatta. Capt Hansen kept us totally informed with changes, weather, etc. and was available around the ship all day and evening and was enjoyable to be around and totally engaging. IMHO Sirena has a long way to go to represent Oceania properly.

 

Oh boy..

Fairly or not, comments like these from experienced O cruisers carry more weight for me than those from newbies to O as repeat cruisers have a larger basis for comparison to their prior O experience.

If I have noticed changes on Oceania from the "old days", it also was in the Terrace café with poorer service, slow clearing of tables, etc.

Previously, one had hardly finished one's meal before someone was ready to clear your plate. Now - sometimes - new arrivals to lunch or dinner stand by tables full of plates waiting for these tables to be cleared so that they can be seated; or when I return with my entrée, the appetizer plate is still there, leaving no room for my plate.

I have seen this on occasion, not on every cruise, and I attributed it to either fewer staff or new staff.

I hope that this is an occasional situation and not a steady trend. The latter would not be welcomed. :(

[Paulchili]

Duplicate post

Edited November 1, 2016 by Paulchili

[Paulchili]

Another duplication - I am not sure what's going on

Edited November 1, 2016 by Paulchili

[LHT28]

The Terrace is a popular place at dinner with the new grill area so it does seem a lot busier & of course loud with people trying to be heard over other guests

I find most buffets on the any cruise line is noisy & crowded

 

We try to avoid the Terrace for dinner plus I am not a fan of getting up/down for my food.... just my personal preference

 

Paul On Regatta in the spring the service was fine in some areas & not so in others ...new crew, short staffed not sure what the problem was

Polo was the worst one evening it took 3hrs with almost 1 hr from salad course to the main

[nyfeds]

We just returned from the 10/18 Sirena cruise and were equally disappointed. NYFeds hit the "nail on the head." This was our 8th Oceania cruise, the last 3 on Regatta, and this was by far our worst experience. On our end of cruise comment form we stated that had this been our 1st experience with O it would have been our last - that's how disappointing it was!!! Service was virtually nonexistent in Terrace at times. We felt that many of the crew were ending their contracts and were tired, and some new crew were inexperienced. Cory's announcements were sometimes never ending, repetitive and intrusive and the assistant cruise director made it very clear that he would rather be anywhere else. He bordered on rude in Bingo. Though the change in itinerary was necessary, it would have been nice to have heard from the captain more frequently. On Regatta. Capt Hansen kept us totally informed with changes, weather, etc. and was available around the ship all day and evening and was enjoyable to be around and totally engaging. IMHO Sirena has a long way to go to represent Oceania properly.

 

I have to concur about Cory's announcements and demeanor. He could be quite terse during trivia.

 

Another troubling issue we experienced occurred after tea time. If you were still drinking your tea and finishing up your pastries/sandwiches, and tea time was over, crew thought nothing of coming to your table, removing your dishes and tablecloth, finished or not. Talk about rude!

Edited November 1, 2016 by nyfeds

[nyfeds]

Oh boy..

Fairly or not, comments like these from experienced O cruisers carry more weight for me than those from newbies to O as repeat cruisers have a larger basis for comparison to their prior O experience.

If I have noticed changes on Oceania from the "old days", it also was in the Terrace café with poorer service, slow clearing of tables, etc.

Previously, one had hardly finished one's meal before someone was ready to clear your plate. Now - sometimes - new arrivals to lunch or dinner stand by tables full of plates waiting for these tables to be cleared so that they can be seated; or when I return with my entrée, the appetizer plate is still there, leaving no room for my plate.

I have seen this on occasion, not on every cruise, and I attributed it to either fewer staff or new staff.

I hope that this is an occasional situation and not a steady trend. The latter would not be welcomed. :(

 

My husband and I are O newbies. Sometimes newbies offer fresh perspectives. We have cruised for years on both Regent and Celebrity, as well as taken several river cruises. I am a retired InterContinental Hotels Group employee. I have expectations on what appropriate, acceptable service is. After speaking with many seasoned O cruisers, as well as newbies, on this cruise, it was clear that many things were/are amiss on Sirena.

 

I would hope O takes the comment cards we filled out twice during our cruise and here on CC seriously to make the necessary changes to bring Sirena up to snuff.

Edited November 1, 2016 by nyfeds

[UAL_FlyGal]

We found Terrace to be crowded and noisy, but not annoyingly so. What was disappointing was the lack of good service and clearing of tables. I believe there is a a training issue that needs to be addressed.

 

Hi Denise! :) Pat & I also found the Terrace Café to be VERY crowded. That's why we only ate there twice. We attributed it to the cold weather. The outside seating was always closed! There was no place else to sit. And to sit in the 'Waves' area would have been suicide it was so cold!

 

We'll be going on Insignia 8/20/2017 - 8/31/2017. It'll be thunderstorm season. :eek: Hopefully we'll make it to Bermuda this time. It was wonderful meeting you & Allan!! :D

[Paulchili]

Another troubling issue we experienced occurred after tea time. If you were still drinking your tea and finishing up your pastries/sandwiches, and tea time was over, crew thought nothing of coming to your table, removing your dishes and tablecloth, finished or not. Talk about rude!

 

That depends on how long after tea was over people were "hanging on".

The crew have other duties that they have to attend to after the tea.

They cannot stay as long as some might wish for them to stay; if they leave to their next duty - who will clean up the tables when guests finally decide they are finished?

Some people arrive to tea just before the tea finishes and want to linger after - not really fair to the staff. It's not an endless event.

Catch 22?

Edited November 1, 2016 by Paulchili

[nyfeds]

That depends on how long after tea was over people were "hanging on".

The crew have other duties that they have to attend to after the tea.

They cannot stay as long as some might wish for them to stay; if they leave to their next duty - who will clean up the tables when guests finally decide they are finished?

Some people arrive to tea just before the tea finishes and want to linger after - not really fair to the staff. It's not an endless event.

Catch 22?

 

Removal was mere moments after tea had concluded. Lingering for a half hour, hour, etc. would justify moving people along. I realize that crew have many duties to fulfill, but to abruptly remove things the way they did is really not acceptable to me.

 

Hi Kathi and Pat :)

Edited November 1, 2016 by nyfeds

[LHT28]

Another troubling issue we experienced occurred after tea time. If you were still drinking your tea and finishing up your pastries/sandwiches, and tea time was over, crew thought nothing of coming to your table, removing your dishes and tablecloth, finished or not. Talk about rude!

I can honestly say I have never had that happen to us ...

I would agree it was not good

 

We have overstayed tea time well into happy hour & they have asked if they could removed the dishes when they saw we were done & just chatting

[Paulchili]

I can honestly say I have never had that happen to us ...

I would agree it was not good

 

+1

 

We have overstayed tea time well into happy hour & they have asked if they could removed the dishes when they saw we were done & just chatting

 

Agrees with our experiences and agree that the way they rushed you was not good..

Edited November 1, 2016 by Paulchili

[LaCroisiereS'amuse]

I have to concur about Cory's announcements and demeanor. He could be quite terse during trivia.

 

Another troubling issue we experienced occurred after tea time. If you were still drinking your tea and finishing up your pastries/sandwiches, and tea time was over, crew thought nothing of coming to your table, removing your dishes and tablecloth, finished or not. Talk about rude!

 

Completely agree about Cory.....The announcements went on and O, and yet didn't say anything as he would miss out important information. I have had more succinct PAs on MSC ships....they get what you need to know in 4-5 languages in less time than Cory does in 1!

 

Have to agree about the ACD too....

[bitob]

Thanks, Lyn. We will definitely consider Riviera or Marina. We did a place holder deposit for a future cruise while on-board.

 

 

 

Yes, we each have our own thoughts, opinions and experiences. We met so many seasoned O cruisers on this sailing and the vast majority of those we spoke with felt Sirena missed the mark in a number of areas and is in need of correction and training.

 

 

 

On the upside, we did have wonderful room attendants and some servers (Dragan in the MDR, Andrea in Tuscan Steak) and a great sommelier, Ritchie who is the bomb! We also met some really lovely fellow passengers and had a great time sharing some tours as well as some meals together.

 

 

 

We went into this cruise with an open mind, after reading so many negative reviews. We are not high maintenance people, but expect a certain service level, as well as senior officer interaction and engagement. Sirena faltered and we disembarked disappointed that our first O cruise was not what we entirely hoped for. Better luck next time :)

 

 

We love Dragan. He is the best!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[sammiedawg]

We just returned from the 10/18 Sirena cruise and were equally disappointed. NYFeds hit the "nail on the head." This was our 8th Oceania cruise, the last 3 on Regatta, and this was by far our worst experience. On our end of cruise comment form we stated that had this been our 1st experience with O it would have been our last - that's how disappointing it was!!! Service was virtually nonexistent in Terrace at times. We felt that many of the crew were ending their contracts and were tired, and some new crew were inexperienced. Cory's announcements were sometimes never ending, repetitive and intrusive and the assistant cruise director made it very clear that he would rather be anywhere else. He bordered on rude in Bingo. Though the change in itinerary was necessary, it would have been nice to have heard from the captain more frequently. On Regatta. Capt Hansen kept us totally informed with changes, weather, etc. and was available around the ship all day and evening and was enjoyable to be around and totally engaging. IMHO Sirena has a long way to go to represent Oceania properly.

 

I agree with your impression of the bingo caller.

[computerguy99]

We were on Riviera in August 2016. It was out of this world. Cabins are 240' and I upgraded to 280' with a balcony the week prior for a bargain price. Bathrooms large with bathtub and comfortable shower. All windows in every cabin are floor to ceiling and sailing into port is a highlight. 4 specialty restaurants, each one better than the other. Terrace Grill always excellent and never a wait. Main dining room superb. Staff unbelievably good and friendly.

So I know what to expect.

The itinerary I want next year is on Sirena. Lots of bad reviews. 165' cabins with portholes. Only 2 specialty restaurants. Very small bathrooms. Long terrace grill waits. So so food and service. Burnt out staff. Cruise director issue etc. etc. and it is no cheaper!!

So I guess the advice I am looking for is will I be disappointed and should I look elsewhere? I am seeing too many bad reviews in a lot of places.

Brian