New ‘Allura’ class ships

[Go-Bucks!]

1 hour ago, Classiccruiser777 said:

 

True, but the gym lacks the ocean breeze, the salt air, the sound of the surf, and the changing view.

 

But in 90 degree heat and blazing sun, I'd opt for the gym....was just offering an alternative to cbb.  

[StanandJim]

1 hour ago, Classiccruiser777 said:

 

True, but the gym lacks the ocean breeze, the salt air, the sound of the surf, and the changing view.

I don't know which gym on the ship YOU patronize, but mine definitely HAS an ever changing view 

Edited January 9, 2019 by StanandJim

[cbb]

thanks, but a treadmill just doesn't do it for me.  I've walked alongside flying fish, porpoise, frigate birds, seagulls, etc.  I can walk a treadmill on land, no thank you while at sea but thank you for the thought. 

 

There have been many evenings after dinner we wished we had a promenade to walk slowly and talk about our day.  Our veranda is ok but somehow not nearly as wonderful.  Deck 10 is where we usually go on R ships.

 

Very first cruise we ever took was HAL in the Inside Passage and ever since I've wanted a teak Promenade on O--just so old school romantic sailing with the sun going down  (without the pearls and trailing chiffon for me and tux w/loosened tie for him!)

[Chris86]

If we were to borrow one idea from celebrity it would be to split up the main MDR into a few smaller venues perhaps with a outdoor section such as Viking or similar to terraces. On our recent marina cruise we found more often than not confusion and argueing among staff on where tables were, what table was what , who would seat us etc. People generally take more pride in smaller, more intimate settings where they feel like it is their restaurant and not just the mdr

[Mura]

I find that surprising.  I've been on quite a few Marina cruises (and all the other ships at various times) and never saw such a scene as you described happened on your cruise. 

 

Sometimes when there's a big turnover in cruise at the start of a cruise, such things happen.

 

In our experience the maitre d' recognizes us and greets us by name.  He or she (or a designated waiter) takes us to our table.

 

Mura

Edited January 10, 2019 by Mura
completed a message that posted too early

[Chris86]

25 minutes ago, Mura said:

I find that surprising.  I've been on quite a few Marina cruises (and all the other ships at various times) and never saw such a scene as you described happened on your cruise. 

 

Sometimes when there's a big turnover in cruise at the start of a cruise, such things happen.

 

In our experience the maitre d' recognizes us and greets us by name.  He or she (or a designated waiter) takes us to our table.

 

Mura

Perhaps it was a fresh team. First time we had to wait a prolonged period for the table. which is fine on the first night. Other nights we noticed table seaters coming back and arguing that they were sent to the wrong table with the previous guest the maitre d' responding "if you see a table with empty seats just put them on it". Other times they would be pointing to the screen this table should be here or there. Always a fuss amongst them on entry. One night the table seater told us quite politely that it was his first night and he wasn't sure which table he was taking us to. He asked for assistance along the way. I could forgive the last guy but the others arguing amongst each other infront of guests was rather poor to see.

[Paulchili]

41 minutes ago, Mura said:

I find that surprising.  I've been on quite a few Marina cruises (and all the other ships at various times) and never saw such a scene as you described happened on your cruise. 

 

Sometimes when there's a big turnover in cruise at the start of a cruise, such things happen.

 

In our experience the maitre d' recognizes us and greets us by name.  He or she (or a designated waiter) takes us to our table.

 

Mura

That has been our experience as well.

If you had an outdoor section to the MDR as Chris86 suggested then that would make it more like the Terrace Cafe and raise questions about dress code in MDR vs Terrace,  etc.

Edited January 10, 2019 by Paulchili

[KS&JW]

10 hours ago, Chris86 said:

 I could forgive the last guy but the others arguing amongst each other infront of guests was rather poor to see.

 

I agree.  It is one thing to be confused and another to argue in front of guests.  

[ORV]

I think the jury might not be in yet on Celebrity splitting up their main dining area. The only ship that they've done this on is the Edge which is brand new. On the older ships yes, they do have an area for fixed dining, an area for anytime, a dining room for suites, as well as a dining room for Aqua Class. Of course unless you're in a suite or in AQ your options are limited. If you pick Anytime dining that's what you've got for the duration of the cruise, the same for fixed dining. Otherwise your options are paid specialty restaurants. 

 

I do remember a few years ago Royal Caribbean trying to do the multiple MDR's and it didn't fly. Wasn't the CEO of Royal at that time the same one at Celebrity now? Hmm. 

 

I don't think it would work very well to have separate ones,  but I do have to say I have witnessed the bickering between supervisors and waiters in the MDR. I think it's more about people being supervisors that don't really understand how to do it. 

Edited January 10, 2019 by ORV

[Mura]

11 hours ago, Chris86 said:

Perhaps it was a fresh team. First time we had to wait a prolonged period for the table. which is fine on the first night. Other nights we noticed table seaters coming back and arguing that they were sent to the wrong table with the previous guest the maitre d' responding "if you see a table with empty seats just put them on it". Other times they would be pointing to the screen this table should be here or there. Always a fuss amongst them on entry. One night the table seater told us quite politely that it was his first night and he wasn't sure which table he was taking us to. He asked for assistance along the way. I could forgive the last guy but the others arguing amongst each other infront of guests was rather poor to see.

It does sound like inexperienced crew members.  Agree with you and others -- arguing in front of passengers is never a good idea.  On our first Oceania cruise way back when we were on a B2B:  LA to Costa Rica/Costa Rica to Miami (through the Canal).  There was a big crew change-over in Costa Rica and the drop in efficiency was immediately evident.  It DID clear up pretty quickly, however (within a few days as I recall).  Unfortunately for us, our favorite waiter (all of 7' tall) was among the crew who left the ship ...

[MVPinBoynton]

44 minutes ago, ORV said:

I think the jury might not be in yet on Celebrity splitting up their main dining area. The only ship that they've done this on is the Edge which is brand new. On the older ships yes, they do have an area for fixed dining, an area for anytime, a dining room for suites, as well as a dining room for Aqua Class. Of course unless you're in a suite or in AQ your options are limited. If you pick Anytime dining that's what you've got for the duration of the cruise, the same for fixed dining. Otherwise your options are paid specialty restaurants. 

 

I do remember a few years ago Royal Caribbean trying to do the multiple MDR's and it didn't fly. Wasn't the CEO of Royal at that time the same one at Celebrity now? Hmm. 

 

I don't think it would work very well to have separate ones,  but I do have to say I have witnessed the bickering between supervisors and waiters in the MDR. I think it's more about people being supervisors that don't really understand how to do it. 

 

I did like the separate dining rooms on the Edge and how they have a few unique items that are the same every day, but unique to the particular restaurant.  Everything else in the menus are the same for each restaurant and change like they used to with just one MDR.  I have to agree that with the smaller size of the Oceania ships, it really isn't needed.

[Seapoint]

They need to rethink the main lobby. On Viking, they have turned this area into a vibrant, bright, useful Living Room space. While the Lalique stair case in R class is stunning, the lobby area is very enclosed and dead most of the time. On many other ships, the decks above the lobby have balconies with bars and restaurants which give life and light to the lobby area.

Edited January 11, 2019 by Seapoint
more info added

[StanandJim]

On 1/9/2019 at 1:33 PM, Classiccruiser777 said:

 

A person can't properly swing a dead cat around in here without hitting an amatuer marine architecht.

Edited January 11, 2019 by StanandJim

[RJB]

26 minutes ago, StanandJim said:

A person can't properly swing a dead cat around in here without hitting an amatuer marine architecht.

Everyone is expressing their opinions. What's wrong with that?  Never know when a good idea will appear. 

[G&G]

On January 9, 2019 at 2:40 PM, RedneckBob said:

Since NCL has input maybe they will had one of those water sides from the top of the Polo Grill over the Library and drop into the pool .

 

Now that would make a big splash ! 

[orchestrapal]

On 1/9/2019 at 11:31 AM, pinotlover said:

Will the new ships have La Reserve? Is that included in the restaurant count? How about Privee? Would hate to lose either of those dining options.

 

Personally get rid of both. They are a total waste of space and could be better used for something that is available all day and to more cruisers or how about a Suite dinning room??😱

basically our opinions have little to do with what a line will do. O has more competition now than ever. Viking has many less people in the same space, great service and very good food  on their beautiful clean modern ships.👍

[LHT28]

Maybe  they will have a "ship within a ship" concelpt like some of the main stream lines

or  a special deck for  Suite pax  so they do not have to mix with the masses

[pinotlover]

I’ve always considered La Reserve as having the best food, with the best service,  on the ship. I’ve always considered paying the modest fees to dine there as being very reasonable and a far better value than the up charges on other lines for their Specialty Restaurants. The food there is simply superb and even though the offered wines aren’t exceptional ( for the price paid) it’s still a wonderful well choreographed fun evening.

 

I find it interesting that for a line that ( accurately or not) claims to have the best food at sea, some would want to eliminate their ( IMO) best dining venue! 

 

Like Lyn, even though we cruise in PH on R ships, we have no desire for segregation in dining by cabin class. If that’s important to you, other lines do offer that “ perk”.

[MVPinBoynton]

On some lines having separation of those in suites might be desirable.  We have found that it is probably unnecessary with O, due to the clientele the line attracts.  But that doesn't mean that O might not try it if it appears to be a bottom line enhancer.  

[StanandJim]

49 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Maybe  they will have a "ship within a ship" concelpt like some of the main stream lines

or  a special deck for  Suite pax  so they do not have to mix with the masses

I blame the Titanic.

Lifeboats for all is such a slippery slope....

[ORV]

1 hour ago, MVPinBoynton said:

On some lines having separation of those in suites might be desirable.  We have found that it is probably unnecessary with O, due to the clientele the line attracts.  But that doesn't mean that O might not try it if it appears to be a bottom line enhancer.  

Mike, while I agree with you I have experienced a few that like to book the top suites and pretty much stay there. Their money, their cruise, but I do find the anti-social approach odd on Oceania. 

 

I was in one of the Concierge suites on an R ship between the Owner's suites and there was one couple that rarely came out of their room. The one time we happened to be out in the hall at the same time I said hello like I always do with people and they totally ignored me, like they were too good to speak to anyone else. 

[pinotlover]

Agree with ORV. Have often seen those in Suites take all their meals in their suites. I will add that I see no difference between those that only dine en-suite, with either a butler or room service, and those that demand a two top for every meal, having no desire to interact with fellow passengers unless absolutely necessary. Plenty of the latter in non suit cabins .

 

As discussed on other threads, I’ve witnessed some of those above that will take a 4 top in the Terrace, when no 2 tops are available and refuse to share the table.

Edited January 12, 2019 by pinotlover

[LHT28]

25 minutes ago, ORV said:

I was in one of the Concierge suites on an R ship between the Owner's suites and there was one couple that rarely came out of their room. The one time we happened to be out in the hall at the same time I said hello like I always do with people and they totally ignored me, like they were too good to speak to anyone else. 

 

I am shocked ORV 

I have not met  any pax that are too good  to speak to others

Maybe they are in their suites 😉

[StanandJim]

18 minutes ago, ORV said:

The one time we happened to be out in the hall at the same time I said hello like I always do with people and they totally ignored me, like they were too good to speak to anyone else. 

It isn't necessarily bad manners

Everyone is socialized differently.

In the large city where I was raised, for example, speaking to a stranger without provocation  was viewed as peculiar.  

 

[Paulchili]

I find that due to cultural differences sometimes European are a bit more reserved and are not as likely to "greet" strangers in a hallway as Americans who generally do so.

JME.