Please give me the low down on why you enjoy Oceania

[LHT28]

5 minutes ago, floridatravelersforlife said:

We are Celebrity refugees.  Do you remember the Century or Zenith?  We feel like the R Class ships are like the Century Class.

Looking at the Century they are a lot larger than the R Class ships  almost 3 times the number of PAX

 

She is now Marella Explorer 2

[Lois R]

1 hour ago, floridatravelersforlife said:

We are Celebrity refugees.  Do you remember the Century or Zenith?  We feel like the R Class ships are like the Century Class.  Not so strong on the entertainment, but all the rest is somewhat similar.   Food is better,  crew is great.  You won't be disappointed IMHO

I sailed on Century at least 7 times and Zenith 3 times so yes, I remember them well.

[keithm]

On ‎11‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 7:21 AM, Lois R said:

Good morning, thinking of giving Oceania out for a March cruise

to the Caribbean for a birthday trip.  I was a Celebrity cruise for

many, many years. More recently, I have moved on and my more

current cruises (say since 2016) have been 2 on Silversea,

1 on Azamara and 2 river cruises.  I also have 2 more booked

on Silversea.

 

There is a cruise on Riviera for 10 nights in March that looks

good  and there is a Single Supplement special as well.

 

So, from you Oceania regulars, can give me the low down on

why you enjoy their product and what they can offer me as a

solo cruiser?

 

Thank you!

 

Pricewise Silversea is generally higher priced. Food quality, is said to be good, but the Riviera has some of the best food we've ever had on a ship. We're both in the food industry & my spouse is a CIA trained chef, so let's say I'm plenty spoiled when it comes to food. The entertainment is generally pretty low-key. I think the budget is reflected in the food quality. That's not saying the entertainment is awful, just not what you might find on other lines. I do find the pax to generally be older than Cunard/Celebrity/Princess. As was said, they are more worldly as a whole. We've seen enough pax who are not gay friendly, but this is more from the region that some pax come from. I'll leave it at that.

  The staff will take splendid care of you. & will endeavor to make your cruise as outstanding as possible. I do recommend doing the daily tea service. I think you'll enjoy it. The entertainment staff is quite approachable & we've seen them sitting with pax & chatting quite often. I tend to think this is mostly for suite pax, but we saw it with solo cruisers as well. Let me know the itinerary of the Riviera trip. We might be able to recommend some excursions. This sounds like it might be similar to our 2018 trip, which got us familiar with Oceania.

[LHT28]

Keith I think the entertainment staff  it is part of the job to mingle & make nice with the passengers

Some you meet you actually feel like they are genuinely interested in the conversation with you  other  seem to fidget  until they can find an excuse to leave 😉

We have met both kinds & never been in a suite or PH for that matter

 

[keithm]

On ‎11‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 10:30 AM, Paulchili said:

That and NO FORMAL NIGHTS - unlike those on Silversea 😀

True, but you're still expected to dress decently for dinner. Hence the "Country Club Casual" trademark.

[clo]

4 minutes ago, keithm said:

True, but you're still expected to dress decently for dinner. Hence the "Country Club Casual" trademark.

I ironed Bob's golf shirts today 🙂

[edgee]

On 11/11/2019 at 8:28 AM, Classiccruiser777 said:

Small ships, refined ambiance, great food & service, tasteful decor, wonderful beds, no photographers, no art auctions, very few announcements.

 

 

[edgee]

On 11/11/2019 at 8:28 AM, Classiccruiser777 said:

Small ships, refined ambiance, great food & service, tasteful decor, wonderful beds, no photographers, no art auctions, very few announcements.

Agree except for "very few announcements." Oceania forces its cruise directors to read the entire schedule listed in Currents 2 or 3 times a day. More annoying announcements than Celebrity, Holland America and Crystal combined. This is one reason why we cruise on Oceania less than we used to...still enjoy so much about it, but the Carnavalesque announcements are very irritating.

[Flatbush Flyer]

18 minutes ago, edgee said:

Agree except for "very few announcements." Oceania forces its cruise directors to read the entire schedule listed in Currents 2 or 3 times a day. More annoying announcements than Celebrity, Holland America and Crystal combined. This is one reason why we cruise on Oceania less than we used to...still enjoy so much about it, but the Carnavalesque announcements are very irritating.

Absolutely NOT true. A very few of O's CDs are guilty of regurgitating the Currents. Chief among them is D.... who also "sells" stuff ad nauseum  and then blames the lack of creativity on Miami. 

 

Still other CDs will do the early AM "run down" in an entertaining way on their CD show on the TV while referring you to Currents for details. At lunch/dinner you might get a couple of upcoming highlight mentions but not the script reading so many of us loathe.

 

IMO: The Oceania CD least apt to bore you to death? Ray Carr.

[Lois R]

8 hours ago, LHT28 said:

the link only list International Countries    am I missing something??

 

Hi, the list that comes up for me shows Florida choices. You have to put your zip code in the field and then a list

pops up.

[Lois R]

8 hours ago, Classiccruiser777 said:

Agree 100%. A good TA will add perks and provide a rebate. Here’s a link to O’s website that may be helpful to find an Oceania “connoisseur club” agent (these are the agents that book lots of O cruises): https://www.oceaniacruises.com/find-agent/

 

Thank you.

[1985rz1]

3 hours ago, keithm said:

my spouse is a CIA trained chef

Wow,  a spook chef! What counties were your spouse assigned to.  Undercover?  (OK, I know CIA...in this case... is Culinary Institute of America, but I couldn't resist.)

[LHT28]

23 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Hi, the list that comes up for me shows Florida choices. You have to put your zip code in the field and then a list

pops up.

Thank probably defaulted to international   site  

Usually  I get things in CAD   so it knows where I live 😀

[edgee]

10 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Absolutely NOT true. A very few of O's CDs are guilty of regurgitating the Currents. Chief among them is D.... who also "sells" stuff ad nauseum  and then blames the lack of creativity on Miami. 

 

Still other CDs will do the early AM "run down" in an entertaining way on their CD show on the TV while referring you to Currents for details. At lunch/dinner you might get a couple of upcoming highlight mentions but not the script reading so many of us loathe.

 

IMO: The Oceania CD least apt to bore you to death? Ray Carr.

I guess you have had better/ more experience with Oceania CDs, so I take you at your word. I have cruised Oceania eight times. Have had D twice and agree with you about her. Of the other six only Julie James was a delight and accepted my complement about limited microphone use by telling me that passengers are not stupid and there is no sense reading the schedule which they can see for themselves in Currents. I have not had the good fortune of experiencing other Oceania CDs who feel similarly.

[Flatbush Flyer]

12 minutes ago, edgee said:

I guess you have had better/ more experience with Oceania CDs, so I take you at your word. I have cruised Oceania eight times. Have had D twice and agree with you about her. Of the other six only Julie James was a delight and accepted my complement about limited microphone use by telling me that passengers are not stupid and there is no sense reading the schedule which they can see for themselves in Currents. I have not had the good fortune of experiencing other Oceania CDs who feel similarly.

IMO, the best of the current CDs are Ray Carr, John Egan and Leslie John (with Ray and Leslie being at opposite ends of the personality spectrum). I've heard good things about Julie but have yet to encounter her. There's also three newer fellows - two of which are so lackluster that I've renamed them "the English guy" and the "wannabe Broadway performer (who's often off key)."

 

I hate to be so harsh on the poor performing newer CDs - maybe they'll get their Oceania sea legs sooner than later. But Dotty should really know better that her constant barkering is obtrusive and so unnecessary.

[petcoke]

33 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

IMO, the best of the current CDs are Ray Carr, John Egan and Leslie John (with Ray and Leslie being at opposite ends of the personality spectrum). I've heard good things about Julie but have yet to encounter her. There's also three newer fellows - two of which are so lackluster that I've renamed them "the English guy" and the "wannabe Broadway performer (who's often off key)."

 

I hate to be so harsh on the poor performing newer CDs - maybe they'll get their Oceania sea legs sooner than later. But Dotty should really know better that her constant barkering is obtrusive and so unnecessary.

And thats all it is your opinion

[Andee]

17 hours ago, floridatravelersforlife said:

We are Celebrity refugees.  Do you remember the Century or Zenith?  We feel like the R Class ships are like the Century Class.  Not so strong on the entertainment, but all the rest is somewhat similar.   Food is better,  crew is great.  You won't be disappointed IMHO

Our 1st ever cruise was for my parents 50th anniversary on 1996 on the Century during her inaugural sailing year.

[Rob the Cruiser]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

IMO, the best of the current CDs are Ray Carr, John Egan and Leslie John (with Ray and Leslie being at opposite ends of the personality spectrum). I've heard good things about Julie but have yet to encounter her. There's also three newer fellows - two of which are so lackluster that I've renamed them "the English guy" and the "wannabe Broadway performer (who's often off key)."

 

I hate to be so harsh on the poor performing newer CDs - maybe they'll get their Oceania sea legs sooner than later. But Dotty should really know better that her constant barkering is obtrusive and so unnecessary.

 

You're not being harsh. 10 - 15 minutes for the CD and Captain's announcements in the morning is more than enough time. Any additional information will most likely be detailed in Currents.

[Flatbush Flyer]

25 minutes ago, petcoke said:

And thats all it is your opinion

Of course, that's my opinion. 

Assuming that you may be a big Dotty fan, rest assured that she has a very loyal following. And, when it comes to her friendliness, Trivia oversight skill and several other aspects of the CD job, she is a stellar performer. However, one only needs to search the CC Oceania forums/threads to find the numerous complaints about her incessant and repetitive hard sell of shipboard services.

[LHT28]

for the most part the CD's  we have  had  they were not too chatty on the tannoy

Usually they do the morning announcement /noon with the Captain & one in the evening to remind people about the show or whatever  but  they are short no more than 10 min as I  seem to remember

some will put  out  a call for trivia or bingo mid afternoon but not  a long chat

 

I have not sailed with Dottie  but that might be a good thing 😉

Julie James is great

Leslie Jon is great but could find a new song to sing at the shows 😎

Peter Roberts  is fine  we seem to have him more lately on our cruises

A few  I cannot remember their names  they were that good 😉

 

Not  a lot you can do about it other than make your comments known to management

JMO

 

[petcoke]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Of course, that's my opinion. 

Assuming that you may be a big Dotty fan, rest assured that she has a very loyal following. And, when it comes to her friendliness, Trivia oversight skill and several other aspects of the CD job, she is a stellar performer. However, one only needs to search the CC Oceania forums/threads to find the numerous complaints about her incessant and repetitive hard sell of shipboard services.

Not a big Dotty fan at all, but dont  knock the new CD because they are not to your taste, every person is different

[bob brown]

Hi Lois... I’m confident you will enjoy Oceania.

As for solo traveler’s....all I can say is, I boarded the 180 day world cruise as a solo, but disembarked as a happily married man.  I met the love of my life at a solo party on the second day, and had our wedding on board two days before the cruise ended.

While I realize, that may not be what you are looking for, but to me, it just doesn’t get any better than that.😉🙂

[floridatravelersforlife]

23 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Looking at the Century they are a lot larger than the R Class ships  almost 3 times the number of PAX

 

She is now Marella Explorer 2

 

I was thinking of the experience  and feeling  of the shipboard life,rather than the stark numbers.  Some ships IMHO feel less crowded than others.  And the pax are more congenial and friendly.  We found that to be the case on the Century then and some R Class Oceania ships now  

[canyonwren]

5 hours ago, bob brown said:

Hi Lois... I’m confident you will enjoy Oceania.

As for solo traveler’s....all I can say is, I boarded the 180 day world cruise as a solo, but disembarked as a happily married man.  I met the love of my life at a solo party on the second day, and had our wedding on board two days before the cruise ended.

While I realize, that may not be what you are looking for, but to me, it just doesn’t get any better than that.😉🙂

Wow, congratulations. That's so cool! I wish you both the very best!  ❤️

[Lois R]

6 hours ago, bob brown said:

Hi Lois... I’m confident you will enjoy Oceania.

As for solo traveler’s....all I can say is, I boarded the 180 day world cruise as a solo, but disembarked as a happily married man.  I met the love of my life at a solo party on the second day, and had our wedding on board two days before the cruise ended.

While I realize, that may not be what you are looking for, but to me, it just doesn’t get any better than that.😉🙂

Yes, congratulations to you....and no, that is not what I am looking for...……..

 

I looked at the drink package and it is very pricey (in my opinion). I would probably be better off just paying as I go.