On a budget... advice please.

[Csardas]

Our options are: QV in July in an Inside for 14 nights (been on the ship 3 times now) or Oceania's Riviera in July for 11 nights, again in an Inside.

Both itineraries are attractive. Would be grateful for any comments from anyone who's been on both as I'm nervous of committing our limited means on an unknown!

[Host Hattie]

I haven't travelled on Oceania so I can't help with the comparison but if your budget is tight have you compared the cost of extras ?

Gratuities, drinks, excursions all seem more expensive on Oceania if that is going to make a difference.

[Csardas]

Hi Hattie,

 

We've added tips to both. Excursions we do ourselves. Oceania are offering a free wine/beer for meals offer. We added to the Cunard price what we spent this July and to compare properly, added the "top up" package for Oceania so adding all the costs up, there's nothing between them on price.

[jburton59]

Everything else being so close, I would think 14 days would beat 11.

 

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[averageisboring]

We're only due for our first cruise with Cunard next summer but we've been on Riviera's sister ship the Marina and we loved the experience. The food was the best we've ever had at sea and the included specialty restaurants were a great change of pace. Also they had a really good port lecturer and we had a lot of times in the port. Also because there are not so many people you always find a lot of outside space unoccupied by others, which is something I would want if I was staying in an inside cabin.

 

So if you like good food and if you have never sailed with Oceania I would maybe go for the Riviera instead of a ship I've been to before. If entertainment and dressing up is important to you, go for the QV.

[SellaVee]

All soft drinks, both in your cabin fridge and from the bars are free on Oceania, as are non alcoholic cocktails. They also have Baristas, where Illy coffees are free. It's open until 6pm. Also free are needlepoint kits and art materials if that is something you're interested in.

 

We've cruised on Riviera and the ship is beautiful and at 1250 passengers small by modern standards. There are some good deals for UK passengers on Oceania.

 

Next month we're taking a TA on QM2, after which I'll be better placed to offer you a comparison. I'm expecting to get plenty of exercise walking from one end to the other! Formal nights will be a first for us but as it's the festive season I'm looking forward to it.

 

Oceania has great itineraries and its smaller ships can get really close in to the ports but for a TA we really wanted to try Cunard. I just wish they still sailed from Liverpool!

[averageisboring]

All soft drinks, both in your cabin fridge and from the bars are free on Oceania, as are non alcoholic cocktails. They also have Baristas, where Illy coffees are free. It's open until 6pm. Also free are needlepoint kits and art materials if that is something you're interested in.

 

We've cruised on Riviera and the ship is beautiful and at 1250 passengers small by modern standards. There are some good deals for UK passengers on Oceania.

 

Next month we're taking a TA on QM2, after which I'll be better placed to offer you a comparison. I'm expecting to get plenty of exercise walking from one end to the other! Formal nights will be a first for us but as it's the festive season I'm looking forward to it.

 

Oceania has great itineraries and its smaller ships can get really close in to the ports but for a TA we really wanted to try Cunard. I just wish they still sailed from Liverpool!

 

Please let us know what you thought of the QM2 when you've returned! We loved our cruise with Oceania and are a bit worried that our upcoming TA with Cunard might not be entirely up our alley.

[SellaVee]

Will do. This will be our first TA. I notice you're doing two crossings next year, one on Insignia and one on QM2. Now that will be an interesting comparison.

 

We find the evening entertainment on Oceania to be a bit lame with many folks in bed by 10pm, but I do like the smaller sized ships. For a TA I'm hoping for more in the way of entertainment. It'll certainly be different, and I think an iconic journey on QM2.

[averageisboring]

Will do. This will be our first TA. I notice you're doing two crossings next year, one on Insignia and one on QM2. Now that will be an interesting comparison.

 

We find the evening entertainment on Oceania to be a bit lame with many folks in bed by 10pm, but I do like the smaller sized ships. For a TA I'm hoping for more in the way of entertainment. It'll certainly be different, and I think an iconic journey on QM2.

 

I absolutely agree with you about the entertainment, even on the Marina we only once or twice watched an entire show. But the TA with Oceania includes quite a few stops in Iceland, Greenland, Canada and the US so the activities on board are not that important to us. On the QM2 on the other hand I hope for some good entertainment - during the day and in the evening.

 

Generally I'm quite happy with reading a book on the balcony, going for a swim or playing a board game with my boyfriend. We both work a lot so some downtime is much appreciated. Especially as we'll travel in the USA and Canada in between the two TAs. I bet after almost a month of discovering the two countries - by train! - I'll be thankful for days with nothing to do ;)

[keithm]

Our options are: QV in July in an Inside for 14 nights (been on the ship 3 times now) or Oceania's Riviera in July for 11 nights, again in an Inside.

Both itineraries are attractive. Would be grateful for any comments from anyone who's been on both as I'm nervous of committing our limited means on an unknown!

If you like dressing up, then Cunard wins over Oceania's "Country Club Casual". Being "foodies" we'd go for Oceania(unless we're in the Grills)Still 14 days compared to 11. Yes, you have our permission to OBVIOUSLY do the 14 days on the QV.

[vrogers]

Yep have sailed on both ships, but if you love food and a relaxed atmosphere no having to pack formal attire than Oceania would be my choice. But if you love dressing up for evenings and dancing than QV would be the way to go. Tthis is just my personal view Oceania is my cruise line of choice, I can never fault Oceania their all inclusive rates which include all drink both soft and alcohol and non payment of extra for specialty restaurants, which by the way are outstanding would see me going for Oceania. But saying that will be back on QV in June as their itinerary wins this time...safe travels