Oceana Rivera

[CosmicVoyager]

Planning a cuise to Italy for 10 days on the Rivera. We are new to Oceana so a few questions:

 

• We are traveiling with 2 couples (PH 2) with adjacent rooms
  • How many Specialty Restaurants reservations can we make pre-boarding?
• If we decline the Olife option, what would be the cost of a Premium Beverage Package, Excursions, or other perks?
• We have read muliple reviews on both this site and others. More negative then positive. We are very confused. Reviews on food poisning, quality of food, poor service, and embarking / disembarking issues.

 

Any comments before we click the Book button would be greatly appreciated.

[Cruseforme]

2 hours ago, CosmicVoyager said:

Planning a cuise to Italy for 10 days on the Rivera. We are new to Oceana so a few questions:

 

• We are traveiling with 2 couples (PH 2) with adjacent rooms
  • How many Specialty Restaurants reservations can we make pre-boarding?
• If we decline the Olife option, what would be the cost of a Premium Beverage Package, Excursions, or other perks?
• We have read muliple reviews on both this site and others. More negative then positive. We are very confused. Reviews on food poisning, quality of food, poor service, and embarking / disembarking issues.

 

Any comments before we click the Book button would be greatly appreciated.

Right after you push the “book” button, I would find yourself a good TA to assist you in obtaining perks, OBC, and assist in the process.   Now, to your questions:

1)Per the FAQ here 

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005477653-How-many-dining-reservations-am-I-allowed-in-each-specialty-restaurant-

Marina and Riviera 
Owner’s Suite, Vista Suite and Oceania Suite 
Cruises 7 days or less: 1 reservation at each restaurant 
Cruises 8-17 days: 2 reservations at each restaurant 
Cruises 18 days or more: 3 reservations at each restaurant 
Penthouse Suite 
Cruises 17 days or less: 1 reservations at each restaurant 
Cruises 18 days or more: 2 reservations at each restaurant 
 

2)I believe the cost is $59 per day for the Prestige pkg.  Excursions are listed in the website, per cost, and at a lower cost if you purchase a set amount - someone will chime in with payments and name of program.  

 

3). These are strictly opinions.   After 13 cruises on Oceania, we have noticed a slight decrease in food quality, but it’s been 7 years, and during that timeframe, I believe on every single cruiseline, you will see the same complaints.   It’s great food for a premium plus cruise, and to be honest we just got off of Regent‘s Explorer, and had several poor quality meals, so it can happen even on Luxury lines, also check Lyn’s review of Crystal below in this forum....meals can vary person to person and ship to ship.  It’s expectations and your experience.   Are you coming from a mainstream cruiseline?   Then Oceania’s food is a step up.   YMMV, and others will chime in with their opinions.    

 

 

[ak1004]

6 minutes ago, Cruseforme said:

 

3). These are strictly opinions.   After 13 cruises on Oceania, we have noticed a slight decrease in food quality, but it’s been 7 years, and during that timeframe, I believe on every single cruiseline, you will see the same complaints.   It’s great food for a premium plus cruise, and to be honest we just got off of Regent‘s Explorer, and had several poor quality meals, so it can happen even on Luxury lines, also check Lyn’s review of Crystal below in this forum....meals can vary person to person and ship to ship.  It’s expectations and your experience.   Are you coming from a mainstream cruiseline?   Then Oceania’s food is a step up.   YMMV, and others will chime in with their opinions.    

 

 

 

We sailed on the Riviera in Sep.2018 and found the food outstanding, similar quality to Crystal.

 

In your opinion, there was no significant change since then? We are back on the Marina in December, and I was also a bit worried reading the reviews, Sure, it's only opinions, there are just too many of them are negative lately..

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, CosmicVoyager said:

Planning a cuise to Italy for 10 days on the Rivera. We are new to Oceana so a few questions:

 

• We are traveiling with 2 couples (PH 2) with adjacent rooms
  • How many Specialty Restaurants reservations can we make pre-boarding?
• If we decline the Olife option, what would be the cost of a Premium Beverage Package, Excursions, or other perks?
• We have read muliple reviews on both this site and others. More negative then positive. We are very confused. Reviews on food poisning, quality of food, poor service, and embarking / disembarking issues.

 

Any comments before we click the Book button would be greatly appreciated.

Mistake #1: DIY

The right top selling Oceania TA will share their commissions.

Mistake #2: Worrying about a handful of disgruntled CC posters vs the thousands of repeat customers who flock to Oceania (spelled with an "i") in large part because of the food. Are magazines like Saveur and Bon Appetit wrong about Oceania being the "finest cuisine at sea"™?

 

Prestige booze package is $60/person including 18% tip for unlimited booze (except for a few high end cognacs and single malts, etc) and wines by the glass. 

 

Excursions vary in price and some are "better than others" we mix them with private tours. Consider taking the O Life with excursions and pick from the most expensive of the allowable ones (<$200 and not OE, OS, etc). Prebuy enough added ones (along with your O Life ones) to qualify for 25% discount on the paid ones. (Minimum number of tours varies per cruise length).

 

BTW, if you are a FF and/or want to do land visit pre/post cruise, take the air credit and DIY.

[Cruseforme]

24 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

We sailed on the Riviera in Sep.2018 and found the food outstanding, similar quality to Crystal.

 

In your opinion, there was no significant change since then? We are back on the Marina in December, and I was also a bit worried reading the reviews, Sure, it's only opinions, there are just too many of them are negative lately..

We last sailed on Oceania last Year,  just prior to the menu change, and it was about the same as it was in 2018.   We split our cruises up now between other lines, but I think folks are negative because “it’s not what it used to be”, or they drank the koolaid of some prolific posters or advertisements, believing it was a luxury 6 star experience, and were let down.  Nothing now-a-days is the same as it was years ago, and expectations are hard to reset once believed,  so I take opinions with a grain of salt.   Folks on our Regent Seven Seas Explorer Cruise (we took a b2b), moaned and groaned about the service and food, and to be honest, most was superb for us because we hadn’t cruised on the Explorer before, and it was miles above what we had on Regent Mariner.  So mileage does vary.   

Edited January 4, 2020 by Cruseforme

[ORV]

I'd like to buy an I Pat. 

[Cruseforme]

9 minutes ago, ORV said:

I'd like to buy an I Pat. 

LOL, took me a moment!