Newbie

[Irie]

i am thinking about doing my first Oceania trip

 

Probably 25 days to South America.

 

I have done lots of cruising on RCI, Carnival and Celebrity.

 

Will I like Oceania?

[Jay23]

If you like good food, good service and wonderful beds and bedding then, yes you will like Oceania

 

If "big show" entertainment is important to you, then it may not be for you.. J

[pinotlover]

What a question! We know absolutely zero about your personal likes and dislikes. What you highly regard in cruise lines and don't g-a-s about. So how could we possibly answer the question.

 

Based on the breath of your post, I would say the resounding answer is NO.

 

You can also do a quick search and see where people have started a similar thread.

[Jancruz]

What a question! We know absolutely zero about your personal likes and dislikes. What you highly regard in cruise lines and don't g-a-s about. So how could we possibly answer the question.

 

Based on the breath of your post, I would say the resounding answer is NO.

 

You can also do a quick search and see where people have started a similar thread.

 

I would have given the same answer..or looked into my Crystal Ball..LOL

Jancruz1

[cbb]

If you love love love Carnival, then you probably won't care for O

[LHT28]

I would try a short cruise before committing to a 25 day cruise

Oceania may or may not be for you

[gbits]

What a question! We know absolutely zero about your personal likes and dislikes. What you highly regard in cruise lines and don't g-a-s about. So how could we possibly answer the question.

 

 

 

Based on the breath of your post, I would say the resounding answer is NO.

 

 

 

You can also do a quick search and see where people have started a similar thread.

 

 

 

What a question! We know absolutely zero about your personal likes and dislikes. What you highly regard in cruise lines and don't g-a-s about. So how could we possibly answer the question.

 

 

 

Based on the breath of your post, I would say the resounding answer is NO.

 

 

 

You can also do a quick search and see where people have started a similar thread.

 

 

While I agree with Pinot that no one can tell you if you will like it, what the appropriate response would be is to tell you why we like it. I have only cruised Oceania once, along with Celebrity, HAL & Seabourn (each once) and will be taking our 2d cruise with O this September. The fact that we are going back for a second time pretty much tells you that we enjoyed our experience. While we loved Seabourn, liked Celebrity & tolerated HAL, I would classify O as our cruise line of choice for the following reasons: 1) excellent food, mainly in the specialty restaurants (we found MDR good, not as good as Seabourn) 2) smaller number of passengers (we have only done Marina and although concerned because Seabourn is only 450, found 1250 not to be too large), 3) itineraries & pricing - O stays in port a good amount of time - I find mass market lines have much shorter stays & thus you don't get to see as much. The pricing is also much more affordable than Seabourn 4) We fit better into the O demographic (we are 53 & 51) and found many fellow passengers to hang around with/tour with that we had things in common with. We are looking forward to our 2d cruise on Marina & hoping it will be a good as the first. Hopefully this post will give you some insight as to whether O is for you.

 

 

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[tiptwo2]

In addition to the items mentioned above, we enjoy the relaxed, low-key atmosphere. We enjoy not being bombarded with coke, water, coffee, picture, art, jewelry sales. We do enjoy our fellow passengers!

Pam

 

 

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[Irie]

I am appreciating the responses.

 

For what it's worth being entertained isn't an issue.

 

Only reason I haven't been on Oceania is cost.

 

Keep the info coming.

 

I really don't get the couple of resounding no's

 

Some of us are flexible and like big and small, busy and quiet.

 

Have also been on HAL and Princess.

 

Just considering something different

 

Even did And enjoyed several scuba diving vessels for a week with 20 passengers.

 

Even got shipwrecked off St. Kitts once!

[Noxequifans]

I would try a short cruise before committing to a 25 day cruise

Oceania may or may not be for you

 

Agree. If you don't like O early in your 25 day cruise you might be fairly miserable the remainder of your trip.

[pinotlover]

Why can't you tell us what your top 2or 3 most important factors, from the cruise lines, are, and then we can respond. Telling us you've sailed HAL means nothing.

 

Here's an example. Oceania has the best food on the seas. They are known for it. I have a friend that would rather eat fried chicken than chicken Marsala or Picatta. He could care less about lobster, and prefers just plain food. If he ever went on the ship, he'd only eat in the Terrace because he likes to eat his full three courses in 20-25 minutes and be gone. Setting through an 1 1/2 -2 hr meal in the GDR or Specialties would be Agony for him. He's bright enough to realize that the cost of all that exceptional food and preparation costs money. Money he has no desire to pay a differential in food costs for. Overall O is not a good choice for him. But you continue tell us nothing of what YOU value and don't!

[Irie]

Okay.....so my wife and I talked about what we like about cruising.

 

First, we love being on the ocean, period.

 

We enjoy balconies.

 

We like good food...a good meal..but are not foodies. Not all that picky.

 

We enjoy seeing places...we've done our own tours...ship's tours and private tours...have enjoyed them all.

 

We enjoy entertainment...but we've done without..and we're fine.

 

We really just enjoy cruising.

We like reading on the balcony.

 

We don't like smoking, particularly ones on balconies who don't care who doesn't like their smoke.

We don't enjoy having to smell smoke from legal or illegal substances.

 

We don't like when others play their music loud like nobody else can hear it...turn it down.

 

I'm over people slamming balcony doors and dragging furniture on balconies..but if you have cruised with a balcony more than once you should know better.

 

We would not enjoy a new cruse line if we found out we had to wash dishes or help row the ship!

 

A comment I have made a hundred times is the only true downside to cruising we have found on any vessel is they make you get off at the end of the trip!

[Paulchili]

Try a short Oceania cruise and see if it's for you. In reality, nobody else can decide whether you will like it or not.

Period.

[aquidneck1]

We cruise for the destination and then the cruise ship. Unless you are interested in very active day and/or evening activities on board the ship, you cannot beat Oceania. If it had the right itinerary, Oceania would be my number 1 choice.

[Irie]

Oh, and we are not dress up people.

 

We've stayed off Cunard because apparently they expect a jacket every night.:p

[Irie]

And from the good I am hearing...what's not to like on Oceania?

[Jay23]

Nothing!!!

[Caroldoll]

It sounds as if this couple would like Oceania. I think it would be very expensive to just try a cruise to see! They would love the décor, I am sure. I have found the people to be quite engaging. I could not tolerate some of the other lines these people have been on, but I am a spoiled brat, I like a butler. At home I do all the duties and love someone to help or do for me.

 

We too go for the ports. If the itinerary is great, go for it!

 

How can a person give a resounding No! Try it, you will be spoiled and will want more is my opinion!

[sunlover12]

This is an interesting topic for me because the only two cruise lines we've sailed on are Royal Caribbean and Oceania. Very different, but we like them both. We were just on a 7-day cruise on Harmony of the Seas with 5400 passengers. We like diversity, trying different things and not limiting ourselves. There were a couple times on Harmony when it felt crowded, for the most part, it was a very enjoyable cruise. If you are in a Grand Suite or above on RCI's Oasis class ships, you have access to quieter parts of the ship such as the Suite Lounge, Coastal Kitchen and Suites sun deck. The food was actually quite good and the selection of all the restaurants on the ship is fabulous. The only restaurant we avoided was the Windjammer. It's true that there are photographers, jewelry sales and art auctions but we just avoided all of that.

 

On Oceania we enjoy the smaller ships, great food and itineraries. Big production shows are only mildly important to us so not having them is fine. We have enjoyed the entertainment on Oceania as well.

 

I think you can enjoy both the mass market lines and the smaller cruise lines. We have met some very nice people on both. So I say "go for it"!

[Cruseforme]

While I usually refrain from these kind of questions...the main thing is, if you can be content with little entertainment, and enjoy the company of others, vs constant bla bla and whooping, and enjoy a smaller ship, with better food, but older average age (think average 65+), you may enjoy O. Not sure which ship (Marina?), or if it an R ship (Smaller, Regatta, Nautica, Insignia...), as on the R's the cabins and bathrooms are smaller than on Marina or Riviera....you also didn't say if you will be looking at PH, Concierge...etc...that also makes a difference. Also do you like late nights with activities, or relaxing with new friends? Quite a difference (very large) between Carnival and O, so you may want to review some of the threads thus far on this board to get a feel of the ships, and clientele.

 

Only you can make that decision....sometimes it's like asking since you like chocolate, will you like a Hershey bar vs a Dove bar....some like one, some,like the other and some like both. I highly recommend you discuss with your TA and review this forum for ideas and answers and information...any time you go from a mainstream cruise line to a more boutique/smaller line, you are taking a chance, and only you know if you are a fit....anyone on this board will not be able to tell you.

[kitty9]

Do you think the food on lines like Carnival is good? If so, you will be in food heaven on Oceania. Personally, I cruise only on the larger Oceania ships, Riviera and Marina, so there's more options for dining than on the R Class Oceania ships. And as someone who is permanently disabled, the larger ships accommodate me and my scooter much better than the smaller ships. We don't need numerous activities on ships, so Oceania works for us.

[caymancouple]

Well, I came here to try and figure out the answer to the same question. We are in our 60's retired. I have always avoided Oceania because of the cost. We are not opposed to paying, we did the Galapagos, and that's not cheap, but we would rather take 3 cruises instead of one. We love good food, I hate shows, husband will sit in the back the first 5 minutes and then decide if he is staying or not. Like to look nice, but formal, not so much. I happy out sightseeing, or with a good book and the view of water. From what I have read, I think we will like Oceania... the only thing really bothering me, is we really do not care for NCL. and they own Oceania. We don't like NCL food, how they do the going to eat timing, and the specialty restaurants were just not that special. The ports for the cruise we are considering knocks the number 1 and 4 off my bucket list... can't pass that up.

[LHT28]

From what I have read, I think we will like Oceania... the only thing really bothering me, is we really do not care for NCL. and they own Oceania. We don't like NCL food, how they do the going to eat timing, and the specialty restaurants were just not that special.

They may be owned by NCLH but they operate independently

 

Oceania does have open seating show up anytime when restaurants are open & they seat you

 

You can share a table with others or just yourselves

 

Depends on the likes as far as the Specialties go ...food is subjective

 

Buffet is not self serve & some items are cooked to order on the grill like shrimp, lobster, steaks etc...

You can check out the sample menus on O website or some websites have menus posted from fellow passengers

 

I would give them a try you may like Oceania

[tiptwo2]

Steaks, lobster, prawns, lamb cooked to order every night at the buffet. [emoji104] yum

 

 

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[Mura]

It sounds as if this couple would like Oceania. I think it would be very expensive to just try a cruise to see! They would love the décor, I am sure. I have found the people to be quite engaging. I could not tolerate some of the other lines these people have been on, but I am a spoiled brat, I like a butler. At home I do all the duties and love someone to help or do for me.

 

We too go for the ports. If the itinerary is great, go for it!

 

How can a person give a resounding No! Try it, you will be spoiled and will want more is my opinion!

 

I rather agree with Caroldoll (although I haven't seen the posts after hers). It does sound like the OP is/are open for the experience and I can understand not having tried O before because of the cost. We might not have tried it either except that we were big fans of Renaissance, so gravitated to Oceania because the ships were the same as was the management. And while we've done a very few cruises elsewhere, O remains our fave.

 

 

It's easy to assume that people who have been on the mass market lines all want super entertainment and bingo and all the rest, but that isn't always the case. So I say welcome and best wishes that you enjoy your cruise. Starting out with 25 days on your first cruise is quite brave! (I can't get DH to do that long even though he knows he loves O.)