Considering a 1st TA with O

[AlexCherie]

Cherie and I are fairly seasoned and we've been through some rough seas - including Katrina. But always on a ship that I think would have been bigger than even the largest Oceanic vessels. 

We are considering the Marina, leaving Barcelona in the fall and arriving in Rio for our first try. We just loved the Silhouette on a Rome/Fort Lauderdale run in 2017 - really, a perfect vacation. It was like three vacations - three days in Rome in a land-based, self directed trip, then five ports in 7 days in the Mediterranean, and seven really sunny nice days in consecutive sailing. 

Obviously weather is weather. We got lucky. I'm just wondering about a smaller ship in the open seas.

[Mura]

We've done several TAs, both on Marina (Barcelona-Rio in 2013, NY to Southampton in 2014) as well as several from Miami to southern Europe (mostly Barcelona I think) on Regatta and Insignia and then on Sirena (Barcelona-NY in 2017).

 

Frankly, while there may have been some days where weather was problematic we were just as comfortable in general on the smaller ships as on the larger ships.  On the Sirena cruise we were approaching Bermuda as they were having a hurricane, so we had one day of some rough weather ... by the time we got to Bermuda everything was fine.

 

But there are NO PROMISES.  As you seem to be aware ...

 

I seem to recall that Marina's inaugural cruise ran into some horrendous weather -- we weren't on board, I just read reports here.  And I don't think that was a TA ... Jim will correct me, I'm sure, because I believe he WAS on board.

 

Mura

[AlexCherie]

assuring enough. thank you.

[warburg]

34 minutes ago, Mura said:

We've done several TAs, both on Marina (Barcelona-Rio in 2013, NY to Southampton in 2014) as well as several from Miami to southern Europe (mostly Barcelona I think) on Regatta and Insignia and then on Sirena (Barcelona-NY in 2017).

 

Frankly, while there may have been some days where weather was problematic we were just as comfortable in general on the smaller ships as on the larger ships.  On the Sirena cruise we were approaching Bermuda as they were having a hurricane, so we had one day of some rough weather ... by the time we got to Bermuda everything was fine.

 

But there are NO PROMISES.  As you seem to be aware ...

 

I seem to recall that Marina's inaugural cruise ran into some horrendous weather -- we weren't on board, I just read reports here.  And I don't think that was a TA ... Jim will correct me, I'm sure, because I believe he WAS on board.

 

Mura

 Greetings. Mura, from South Beach. We were on Marina's maiden TA from Rome to Miami in 2011. It was wonderful. We were in a Ph and I don't remember any problems. It was Marina;s first time in POM, so everything was slow. We were no longer snowbird, so it was fine with us that we  disembarked  after 10:00am. That was our second O cruise, and there have been four since. On March 6th, we take our seventh. We also sail Regent and other lines. We have not planned anything yet after this one. Itinerary and date are our benchmarks. Since we live in a resort, cruises do compete a bit with what is going on here. What a life! Even my Chihuahuas like it.

Mary

[Mura]

Give the doggies scritches from me!

 

Given my husband's vision problems and his decision not to travel anymore, I'm not sure what I will be able to do in the future.  Not because I won't travel alone but because I'm not sure I can LEAVE him alone.  I had to cancel Marina's April 5th NYC-Southampton which I'd booked precisely because of that problem.

 

Still crossing my fingers ...

 

Mura

[KatieBelle]

AlexCherie, we did our first TA last spring on Marina.  I had to "lightly persuade/encourage" DH to go on a TA.  I think he would tell you he surprised himself!  Our first day in open Atlantic we did "rock" a bit, but the rest of the crossing was blissful sailing.   I was loaded with candied ginger, etc. and didn't use any of it.  So far one of my top 2 cruises.  

 

As for the R ships, we have not sailed them in open ocean.  However, Oceania sails the R ships exclusively on Round The World cruises.  Maybe some experienced RTW people could comment on their adventures here. (Our roughest sailing was on Insignia between Sicily and Malta.  You just never know)

 

You all  realistic to be pragmaic with weather.  That said, you all should enjoy a TA and seem like you know how to roll with the punches and make the best of the hiccups which can always occur when traveling.  Our advice: Go For It!

 

-Katie

 

 

[Shawnino]

Our experience here from November on Riviera (Marina's twin; BCN--Miami).

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2610742-riviera-ta-missed-ports-odd-situation/

 

Not interested in re-litigating that voyage here.

Just using it to point out that if you're worried about rough seas, Head Office did instruct Captain to fight to the hilt to avoid them. So that might assuage your concerns.

 

Something else to consider is that the further South you go, everything else equal, the better the seas should be. (Within reason! Drake Passage emphatically not included in this generalisation!) So BCN--Rio should be less rough than BCN--Miami, say.

 

We are doing another TA this November--Azamara, as it turns out, whose R-ships are smaller than Marina again.

[AlexCherie]

thanks to all!

Very reassuring and wonderful that so many of you responded. Speaks well of the clientele the ship line attracts. 

Looking forward to my first experience with Oceanic - I am especially impressed with the Ocean View staterooms. Really nothing like it on the high seas and the bump in price from an interior is so slight. 

I do have some reservations ... about reservations. But my wife and I can manage being part of a larger table now and again. Since I seem to have some attention from seasoned O cruisers ... is it functionally possible to almost never dine in the GDR, or at least to repeat several of the specialty spots?

[LHT28]

11 minutes ago, AlexCherie said:

I do have some reservations ... about reservations. But my wife and I can manage being part of a larger table now and again. Since I seem to have some attention from seasoned O cruisers ... is it functionally possible to almost never dine in the GDR, or at least to repeat several of the specialty spots?

Not  sure  why you would  not want to dine in the GDR  but that said

you could eat  in the Terrace  or you can always try for extra  seatings in the specialties

No cruise experience will be the same sometimes you can get extra  Specialty reservations often

sometimes  just your allotted reservations..all depends on your fellow shipmates

If you do not want eat with others  you do not have to

 

[AlexCherie]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

not  sure  why you would  not want to dine in the GDR ...

The menu's blew me away. Just as a for instance, I would want to be in Polo to see that Veal Oscar presentation, and the Lobster dish. 

[StanandJim]

32 minutes ago, AlexCherie said:

The menu's blew me away. Just as a for instance, I would want to be in Polo to see that Veal Oscar presentation, and the Lobster dish. 

If extra visits to the Specialty Restaurants are your aim, then a Transatlantic may not be the best way to go.

 

As LHT says, every cruise is different but in general there is more demand for the specialties on sea days when nobody returns tuckered out from a long day in port.  

[AlexCherie]

1 minute ago, StanandJim said:

If extra visits to the Specialty Restaurants are your aim, then a Transatlantic may not be the best way to go.

 

As LHT says, every cruise is different but in general there is more demand for the specialties on sea days when nobody returns tuckered out from a long day in port.  

Surprises the heck out of me!!! But I guess that makes a whole lot of sense. For instance, I have no desire (like, none) to get off a cruise ship in most Caribbean ports Those might be days we could have the specialty dining rooms a bit more available. 

Thanks, that's a good tip.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, AlexCherie said:

For instance, I have no desire (like, none) to get off a cruise ship in most Caribbean ports Those might be days we could have the specialty dining rooms a bit more available. 
 

or  not !!

Others may not get off either  & be rested for their Specialty restaurant  reservation also

 Good luck  🤞

maybe something on the GDR menu will blow you away

 

[Mura]

Well, the Caribbean isn't a TA!  Some TAs do have stops in the Caribbean but I don't think I've ever been on one that did!  Even when we did the Barcelona-Rio TA in 2013.

 

As to the restaurants ...

 

DH and I have always liked the GDR.  We also like Terrace.  Going back to Renaissance days (1999-2001) we somewhat dissed the specialty restaurants (these of course were on the "R" ships so only Polo and Toscana were available).  Renaissance staff sometimes called to beg us to use our available reservations ...

 

The point is well taken about there perhaps being less possibility to get extra specialty reservations on a TA.  Not that you won't get SOME.

 

For me the real point is:  are most of the passengers like us -- people who don't feel the need to eat frequently in the specialties?  Or will they be people who want a specialty every night.  We traveled in 2012 with a couple who because of a bad experience in the GDR (which seemed like an outlier to me) would ONLY eat in the specialties or Terrace.  If they'd had several bad experiences in the GDR, I could have understood their point.  But they had one lousy waiter and condemned the restaurant for ever after. Despite this, they were excellent travel companions!

 

We've tended to be in suites in recent years (originally in PH but once we had the opportunity to be in a VS for the cost of a PH on Marina we got awfully spoiled).  You get more reservations when you are in a suite, of course.  We had one butler a few years ago who on his own booked us into specialties every night.  We cancelled at least half of them.

 

Give the GDR a try if it's your first Oceania cruise.  I have complained about the menu "improvements" on the "O" ships (I assume they are in force on the "R" ships as well) but that doesn't mean the restaurant isn't worth a visit.  My complaints were more along the lines of reduced choices in the various categories -- not that there weren't any choices!  Just fewer than they used to have.  (By that I mean there are more repetitions on a daily basis than there used to be.)

 

The specialty restaurant menus are pretty much set in stone.  They've rarely changed since Renaissance days ... SOME changes, yes, but not many.

 

Mura

 

[edgee]

We did a northern transatlantic on Marina in 2015...Montreal to London. The crossing was our third and the smoothest. Our other two were on the Queen Mary 2. I think it really is more of a weather issue than a particular ship issue IMHO.

[BenMurphy]

We sailed on Regatta Lisbon/New York several years ago, we didn't experience any problems...........Market Day was great fun .

 

 

Also Lisbon/ Rio De Janeiro no problems...................crosssing the line ceremony again great fun

 

Have a great trip 

[Shawnino]

On 1/27/2019 at 4:46 PM, AlexCherie said:

thanks to all!

Very reassuring and wonderful that so many of you responded. Speaks well of the clientele the ship line attracts. 

Looking forward to my first experience with Oceanic - I am especially impressed with the Ocean View staterooms. Really nothing like it on the high seas and the bump in price from an interior is so slight. 

I do have some reservations ... about reservations. But my wife and I can manage being part of a larger table now and again. Since I seem to have some attention from seasoned O cruisers ... is it functionally possible to almost never dine in the GDR, or at least to repeat several of the specialty spots?

 

On our Riviera TA, extra Specialties reservations were extremely hard to come by for cabin class below PH. 

We were A. We got one extra on about six tries.

One other night the queue for the MDR was long and we were asked by Maître d' if we wanted to go to Red Ginger. Yes we said. Upon presenting ourselves at RG we were initially denied seating until they called MDR to confirm we'd been sent down.

[Go-Bucks!]

On 1/27/2019 at 12:57 PM, LHT28 said:

Not  sure  why you would  not want to dine in the GDR  but that said

you could eat  in the Terrace

 

We prefer not eating in the GDR because it takes longer to finish a meal and it's not as casual and informal as the Terrace.  And the Terrace often has the same food as the GDR. 

[sammiedawg]

We love the GDR and cannot imagine avoiding it.  Love the atmosphere, food, service.  We like being served each course verses eating in the Terrace. 

Sometimes we try for extra specialty reservations on busy port days, assuming some others may cancel.  We have had some luck.  So you are not disappointed, be aware you will not get to choose the time and the openings might be for a late seating.  As others have said, suite or PH accommodations have a better chance.  Also, the suite butler can serve In stateroom  food from a specialty.  

We’ve never done a TA but I’ve read the ship is generally not at full capacity.  Maybe specialties won’t be completely booked.

 

on Marina/Riviera there are two extra fee based eateries- Privee and LaReserve.   We think Privee is a great value.  It is a private dining room. Flat fee of $250 paid by the booking passenger.  Food from Polo and Toscano.  Server will be a managerial person, we’ve had the ship Restaurant manager. Up to ten people can be seated.  Sometimes a roll call person will book and invite others to join them. 

 

OV cabins on Marina/Riviera book up early, or late after final payment,  but being on a TA might help.  We’ve never had one but they look very inviting. 

[AlexCherie]

39 minutes ago, sammiedawg said:

We love the GDR and cannot imagine avoiding it.  Love the atmosphere, food, service.  We like being served each course verses eating in the Terrace. 

Sometimes we try for extra specialty reservations on busy port days, assuming some others may cancel.  We have had some luck.  So you are not disappointed, be aware you will not get to choose the time and the openings might be for a late seating.  As others have said, suite or PH accommodations have a better chance.  Also, the suite butler can serve In stateroom  food from a specialty.  

We’ve never done a TA but I’ve read the ship is generally not at full capacity.  Maybe specialties won’t be completely booked.

 

on Marina/Riviera there are two extra fee based eateries- Privee and LaReserve.   We think Privee is a great value.  It is a private dining room. Flat fee of $250 paid by the booking passenger.  Food from Polo and Toscano.  Server will be a managerial person, we’ve had the ship Restaurant manager. Up to ten people can be seated.  Sometimes a roll call person will book and invite others to join them. 

 

OV cabins on Marina/Riviera book up early, or late after final payment,  but being on a TA might help.  We’ve never had one but they look very inviting. 

Thanks Sammie ... and to posters generally. It's from feedback from people like you that I was able to decide to not use Oceania at this time. 

I don't mean this in a mean way - but spending $350 a night per guest and being denied access to parts of the ship because I didn't spend $450 or $500? That would drive me crazy and especially if I was on a ship for 14 days, with the primary goal being 

 

dining.

I can't see telling my lovely, well, we didn't spend $10,000 to take this trip - we only spent $8200 - so we can't eat there. Those reservations went to the people with bigger pockets. 

Truly possible that GDR > Jacques, or Red Ginger, or Polo. In fact I'm not sure I'd ever even go to Polo. I mean, I get it. And I understand the Marina cannot give open access to 1200 guests into a fine, French restaurant.

It makes sense to circle back to O when I can afford a better class of suite, probably on a shorter trip to the Caribbean. I won't be getting off the ship in those situations (love the weather, hate the ports) and get the opportunity to truly take advantage of what Oceania offers. 

Thanks again to the wonderful people posting here. I look forward to a chance to meet with you on one of these fine ships.

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, AlexCherie said:

Thanks Sammie ... and to posters generally. It's from feedback from people like you that I was able to decide to not use Oceania at this time. 

I don't mean this in a mean way - but spending $350 a night per guest and being denied access to parts of the ship because I didn't spend $450 or $500? That would drive me crazy and especially if I was on a ship for 14 days, with the primary goal being 

 

dining.

I can't see telling my lovely, well, we didn't spend $10,000 to take this trip - we only spent $8200 - so we can't eat there. Those reservations went to the people with bigger pockets. 

 

 

well all I can say  is I am not sure what you are reading here

we book the lower end cabins  & have no problem getting into most places  on the ship exception would be the Concierge/Executive lounges  but frankly  there is  not a lot  in them to worry about

 We do not need to eat in the Specialties nightly so maybe that is a big deal to  you  but again the GDR food is just as good...  just a different menu

 

enjoy whatever cruise you choose

 

[Paulchili]

4 hours ago, sammiedawg said:

We love the GDR and cannot imagine avoiding it.  Love the atmosphere, food, service.  We like being served each course verses eating in the Terrace. 

Finally I found something that we don’t fully agree on .

We like the Terrace and seldom eat in the MDR except for leisurely breakfasts. Even then, I love mixed berries for breakfast and I can get a far better and more personalized selection of them in the Terrace than in the MDR. Ditto for chocolate/almond croissants that I have never seen in the MDR.

[ORV]

I get those chocolate/almond croissants in the MDR for breakfast, just not everyday. They rotate them. My wife says sticky buns are better in the Terrace. 

 

Personally I mix it up between all the restaurants, but our preference is breakfast in MDR, lunch in MDR and dinner wherever we feel like depending on reservations, invitations, and how busy our day has been, plus what's on the menu. I always try to eat in the MDR if there is a soufflé for dessert. 

[sammiedawg]

1 hour ago, Paulchili said:

Finally I found something that we don’t fully agree on .

We like the Terrace and seldom eat in the MDR except for leisurely breakfasts. Even then, I love mixed berries for breakfast and I can get a far better and more personalized selection of them in the Terrace than in the MDR. Ditto for chocolate/almond croissants that I have never seen in the MDR.

 

Haha.  

My frame of reference was for dinner.  We also enjoy Terrace or Waves for lunch, love Terrace in the morning.  

[sammiedawg]

4 hours ago, AlexCherie said:

Thanks Sammie ... and to posters generally. It's from feedback from people like you that I was able to decide to not use Oceania at this time. 

I don't mean this in a mean way - but spending $350 a night per guest and being denied access to parts of the ship because I didn't spend $450 or $500? That would drive me crazy and especially if I was on a ship for 14 days, with the primary goal being 

 

dining.

I can't see telling my lovely, well, we didn't spend $10,000 to take this trip - we only spent $8200 - so we can't eat there. Those reservations went to the people with bigger pockets. 

Truly possible that GDR > Jacques, or Red Ginger, or Polo. In fact I'm not sure I'd ever even go to Polo. I mean, I get it. And I understand the Marina cannot give open access to 1200 guests into a fine, French restaurant.

It makes sense to circle back to O when I can afford a better class of suite, probably on a shorter trip to the Caribbean. I won't be getting off the ship in those situations (love the weather, hate the ports) and get the opportunity to truly take advantage of what Oceania offers. 

Thanks again to the wonderful people posting here. I look forward to a chance to meet with you on one of these fine ships.

 

Gosh, I don’t know what to say. I don’t think I was negative on Oceania dining options.  We love Oceania and the dining options but did not  want you to think you could eat in a specialty every night.  They are capacity limited.   

And I don’t feel I am being discriminated if a suite passenger gets an extra reservation.   We’ve gotten a fair number of extra ones and we’ve declined a few because we don’t like to eat late. 

  Oceania is not a stuffy line, which is why we love it.  We’ve shared tables and tours with a federal judge, a retired four?  star general and a newly retired US congressman.  Their occupations were not known to us until the end of a twenty day cruise.  The congressman won the jackpot bingo and we were happy for him. 

 

Good luck with with whatever you do. 

 

Edited February 1, 2019 by sammiedawg