NCL vs Oceania

[napper777]

Thinking of trying Oceania (in particular, the Regatta). Would appreciate any thoughts of differences compared to NCL in regard to ship movement (sickness), food, service, and any other general opinions. Thanks!

[Kfamilycruise]

Do you usually do the Haven on NCL? Oceania is like that for the whole ship! Smaller ships, so you will feel more movement, but the food and service are both exceptional. Check out the Oceania board to read more. Most folks love the Oceania experience, but think the Regatta is getting a bid old and in need of refurbishment.

 

I love NCL for the bang for the buck you get. Oceania offers a similar value with O life. Bon Voyage!

[terry&mike]

I have sailed both, and prefer the service, food and experience on Oceania, and prefer the value on NCL.

Oceania is more upscale throughout the entire ship, with a more refined feel, an older crowd. Our evenings on Oceania are slightly more elegant with entertainment generally being a martini in a subdued piano bar, and then a fine dinner.

NCL offers more value for the dollar, but there ships tend to a more active and youth based crowd, certainly more children will be on board, and more entertainment options in the way of shows, upbeat music.

Oceania is a luxury light product, and NCL is a premium product in the cruise industry. I sail both, as I like options and different itineraries.

[napper777]

Do you usually do the Haven on NCL? Oceania is like that for the whole ship! Smaller ships, so you will feel more movement, but the food and service are both exceptional. Check out the Oceania board to read more. Most folks love the Oceania experience, but think the Regatta is getting a bid old and in need of refurbishment.

 

I love NCL for the bang for the buck you get. Oceania offers a similar value with O life. Bon Voyage!

Thanks so much for your thoughts. Really appreciate it as it'll help me make my decision.

[napper777]

I have sailed both, and prefer the service, food and experience on Oceania, and prefer the value on NCL.

Oceania is more upscale throughout the entire ship, with a more refined feel, an older crowd. Our evenings on Oceania are slightly more elegant with entertainment generally being a martini in a subdued piano bar, and then a fine dinner.

NCL offers more value for the dollar, but there ships tend to a more active and youth based crowd, certainly more children will be on board, and more entertainment options in the way of shows, upbeat music.

Oceania is a luxury light product, and NCL is a premium product in the cruise industry. I sail both, as I like options and different itineraries.

Thanks for your thoughts! I'm leaning toward trying Oceania but am a bit nervous to make the leap since it's such a small ship and the likelihood of seasickness.

[terry&mike]

Thanks for your thoughts! I'm leaning toward trying Oceania but am a bit nervous to make the leap since it's such a small ship and the likelihood of seasickness.

I suffer a good bit from seasickness, and I don't recall it being any worse on Oceania then on NCL.

I have a process for every cruise whereby I take a Bonine in the evening of embarkation day, just before sail away. Their effect is about 24 hours worth, and gets me through the initial sick feeling, and beyond that I am usually good, unless there is some sort of out of the norm situation like a storm, or bad crossing. For those more extreme times, I have a watch like device called a ReliefBand that I put on, set on 2 or 3 pulse, which I have had great success with.

[buggins0402]

We love Oceania. It has the same genetics as NCL, so it does freestyle very well. The Terrace Cafe (it’s buffet) is exceptional. Fresh berries and killer croissants in the morning. In the evening, most of the MDR offerings, along with grill items, such as lamb chops, steaks, lobster and grilled fish are available in the buffet. In the buffet, tables are set with tablecloths in the evening and servers will bring your plates to your table and get all drinks (even non alcoholic) for you. The specialties are included in the fare (although if you book a lesser cabin tables for 2 may be scarce at the time you desire).

 

It is quieter than NCL. Entertainment is not a strength. We rarely go to the shows and instead enjoy a drink in a lounge with piano or string quartet. So if big shows are important to you...it might not be a fit. It has very little to offer for kids, so families should think long and hard about booking.

 

 

Bathrooms are small unless you are in a PH or above.

 

 

We recently returned from a rather rough ride on Insignia when it came back from Bermuda in some rough seas. We probably felt it more because we were very forward and higher up. Book something midship if sea sickness is an issue.

 

 

Regatta will go through an extensive renovation in Fall 2019, after its Alaska season. Bathtubs will be removed from PH cabins and be replaced with larger showers. Below PH, the shower curtains will be history. If the cruise you are looking at is after the drydock, have a peek at the redesigns of the Oceania R ships on the O website. The two large O ships (Marina and Riviera) do not have the small bathroom issues. That said, there is something special about the intimate atmosphere of the little R ships.

 

 

For us, Oceania is a perfect fit and we are happy to book a lesser cabin than we would on a mainstream cruise line to make it work within our budget.

[ano]

I've gone on NCL (actually leaving for one tomorrow) and go on Oceania next year.

 

I've compared prices, and Haven on NCL is often more than a balcony on Oceania. I'm not sure why you would do that over Oceania.

 

In Oceania all the specialty dining are included. Oceania, at most ports provides free transportation in town. NCL, nope.

On Oceania, with Olife, you can get several included excursions. We get 8 on our next cruise. We have the excursion "deal" on NCL and you get $50 per port PER Cabin, basically $25 per person. Our completely free Oceania excursions were priced from $99 to $199 and they cost us zero.

 

Our TA gives us free gratuities on Oceania, never got that on NCL.

 

On the other end, the "free" drink package on NCL includes alcoholic drinks anytime, BUT you pay the gratuity on this, so not exactly free. For Oceania, the "free" drink package is only wine or beer at lunch and dinner. You have to upgrade to anytime alcohol.

 

As for sea sickness, this can happen on any ship, but from the people I've heard from, it doesn't seem worse on smaller Oceania ships. I've been on giant RC ships where everyone is sea sick, so don't believe a big ship will protect you. Large ships have stabilizers, smaller ships like the Oceania ones can fill the lower parts with ballast water, but be prepared on both.

 

I can't comment on NCL vs. Oceania food, but have heard Oceania food is better. I can comment that NCL food is nothing special unless you pay extra on specialty restaurants.

[njhorseman]

We've been regular cruisers on NCL for many years, and have been on Oceania for a total of 58 days of cruising in 2017-2018.

 

Food on Oceania is better.

 

Oceania tends to be very quiet, catering to a generally older crowd. We're not youngsters...in our early 70's, but we were well below the median age on our Oceania cruises. In fairness we were on longer cruises that would naturally tend to have older passengers.

 

Entertainment doesn't hold a candle to NCL's, and the Oceania ships tend to get very, very quiet relatively early in the evening.

 

Facilities like the gym and spa on the old "R" ships such as Regatta don't match what you'll find on modern cruise ships.

 

Bathrooms in balcony and lower categories on the R ships are tiny, and in particular currently use an old fashioned shower curtain that constantly clings to you. They're going to be putting in glass shower doors to replace the curtains, but the showers themselves are so small that for bigger people the shower door may be more problematic than the old curtains are.

 

You definitely feel rough seas more on the R ships than you do on larger vessels. We had a stretch of 4 straight days of somewhat rough but not absolutely horrible weather and found the dining rooms to be half empty the entire time.

 

Overall service on Oceania is good, but I found many the senior ship's officers to be haughty and arrogant. I've found NCL's officers to be far more approachable.

 

Right now we have 6 NCL cruises booked...including 4 that are already fully paid, and we have no Oceania cruises booked. That's not to say we might not take Oceania again in the future, but it would have to provided better value for us to book Oceania again.

[cherrypop]

By this time next year all the Oceania ships will have been through dry dock and will be losing those plastic shower curtains. They will be replacing them with glass doors. Another thing to remember is the average age on Oceania is 65.

[buggins0402]

I was hoping Njhorseman would come into this thread, because he has very recent sailings on both lines...my last NCL sailing was in 2012, but we do have a future booking.

 

The only thing I will argue with on his assessment is the gym...we are major gym rats (ex marathon runners, so that is very important to us) and the O ships have gyms that are good relative to the size of the ships. We have never had to worry about a 30 minute time out on aerobic machine due to crowds on O. There are also enough weight machines to get a full body workout. That said, Oceania has stated that many fitness classes will now be free (including spin classes). The fitness center person on our most recent cruise never offered one class of any interest. He just spent his time selling snake oil health regimens.

 

Also note, If one in the couple drinks and one does not, O might work when you push numbers. Particularly, if the spouse only drinks specialty coffees or sparkling water. They will stock your mini bar to your non alcoholic preferences (included). Illy coffee served on the ships.

 

It really comes down to what is important to you.

[napper777]

A BIG thank you to everyone who responded to my query. I really appreciate your time and input. All of your responses have helped me shape my thinking. Very grateful.