Oceania vs. Regent

[Carol From California]

I cruise on both lines. On Oceania I like the Marina and the Riviera, and I just booked a cruise on the new Vista. On Regent I like the Explorer and the Splendor and will probably book a cruise on the new Grandeur. Regent includes everything, although we always take the credit for the air and do our own air. We usually have miles for booking the air.  With Oceania you have to pay for the liquor and for gratuities. You also have to pay for the excursions.  We never take the pre-cruise hotel with Regent. We don't drink a lot. If we go on Oceania we buy some bottles of wine and may have a few cocktails. On Regent of course you can drink as much as you want. Regent includes excursions, although many of them carry a surcharge. With Oceania if you do the OLife package you can get some of the excursions included. I have compared the pricing on some of the itineraries and believe it or not sometimes Regent turns out to be a better value when you factor in everything. I think the age of the crowd on the ships is dependant on the itinerary and length of the cruise. Retired people may take longer cruises for example. Cruises to the Caribbean and to Alaska may attract younger cruisers. The Oceania ships I mentioned above have more passengers than the Regent ships I mentioned above. That is also something to consider. I think the dress code is the same on both lines.  

[ronrick1943]

34 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

Which line in your opinion has a better cuisine?

Not sure, it depends on the Chef that night, but for us we’ve a to many mishaps on “O”.  It’s just an opinion—what one likes the other doesn’t.  We’ve had more really good meals on Regent (and a few not so good).  It also depends on your waiter that night-they can break a great meal.

[Carol From California]

1 hour ago, ronrick1943 said:

Not sure, it depends on the Chef that night, but for us we’ve a to many mishaps on “O”.  It’s just an opinion—what one likes the other doesn’t.  We’ve had more really good meals on Regent (and a few not so good).  It also depends on your waiter that night-they can break a great meal.

In my opinion the cuisine on Oceania is better than on Regent. Last cruise we were on (Regent) met the food manager who said she worked on both ships and she agreed that Oceania was better. The new restaurant on Vista looks interesting too....replacing the French Restaurant Jacques. 

[don731]

We did 21 nights on the Riviera in February 2020, and have a Med cruise booked on her for August 2022.  We sailed on the SS Navigator about 14 years ago on a short cruise to Bermuda.  The service on the Navigator remains our exemplar for all our cruises.  Every crew member warmly greeted us by name (we were a family party of six, including folks in their 80s), and really made the cruise magical.  We reconnected with two top flight managers who had come over from the QE2 (many cruises on Cunard, back in the day), who felt that Raddison really gave them the tools and authority to do their best work.  The only downside to the cruise was being on a flat bottom small ship following a small hurricane north towards Norfolk…a bumpy ride! 😀 The ship’s officers were present and engaged with the passengers, something we did not observe on the Riviera.  Senior officers would walk right by you without so much as a nod of the head.  

[clo]

On 9/18/2021 at 9:58 AM, Flatbush Flyer said:

So, perhaps a similar experience but no balcony? Makes zero sense to me.

On Marina in '19 we barely stepped onto our veranda. So makes total sense to us.

[LGW59]

On 9/18/2021 at 2:25 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

Yes. How anyone could ever suggest that Celebrity is anything other than an expensive “wannabe” escapes me.

Thus far for us, it’s the most “premium “ line we have sailed and we enjoy very much.  That said change is good, so moving to O to see what “the best cuisine at sea” is all about!!

[LGW59]

45 minutes ago, don731 said:

We did 21 nights on the Riviera in February 2020, and have a Med cruise booked on her for August 2022.  We sailed on the SS Navigator about 14 years ago on a short cruise to Bermuda.  The service on the Navigator remains our exemplar for all our cruises.  Every crew member warmly greeted us by name (we were a family party of six, including folks in their 80s), and really made the cruise magical.  We reconnected with two top flight managers who had come over from the QE2 (many cruises on Cunard, back in the day), who felt that Raddison really gave them the tools and authority to do their best work.  The only downside to the cruise was being on a flat bottom small ship following a small hurricane north towards Norfolk…a bumpy ride! 😀 The ship’s officers were present and engaged with the passengers, something we did not observe on the Riviera.  Senior officers would walk right by you without so much as a nod of the head.  

Many folks really seem to enjoy any interaction with captain and senior officers, never had any appeal to me.  Awesome server’s, butlers, stewards, fun bartenders, now you are talking!

[ronrick1943]

1 hour ago, Carol From California said:

In my opinion the cuisine on Oceania is better than on Regent. Last cruise we were on (Regent) met the food manager who said she worked on both ships and she agreed that Oceania was better. The new restaurant on Vista looks interesting too....replacing the French Restaurant Jacques. 

That’s why we have different cruise lines—-everyone like what they like.  I think taking away Jacques is a big mistake, but that;’s me.  I think Oceania has better suites than Regent—but food no.

[Paulchili]

18 hours ago, Carol From California said:

In my opinion the cuisine on Oceania is better than on Regent. Last cruise we were on (Regent) met the food manager who said she worked on both ships and she agreed that Oceania was better.

Agree completely. This is not to say that food on Regent is bad - I just prefer O's cuisine.

I will miss Jacques really badly.

[Mura]

 I don't know that we will be sailing in the future, but if we do it will be on O.

 

And I will terribly miss Jacques when that happens.  I am looking in to 2003 sailings at this point.

 

[clo]

On 9/19/2021 at 4:48 PM, LGW59 said:

Many folks really seem to enjoy any interaction with captain and senior officers, never had any appeal to me.

Nor us. Except on the 100 pax Hurtigruten's Lofoten. They were so relaxed and we saw them at breakfast every morning. Nothing hoity-toity 🙂

[clo]

1 hour ago, Mura said:

 I don't know that we will be sailing in the future, but if we do it will be on O.

 

And I will terribly miss Jacques when that happens.  I am looking in to 2003 sailings at this point.

 

So is that going away from all the ships or just Vista? I don't know. The escargots at Jacques were the best I've ever had.

[mexicobob]

I will not book a cruise on a ship that suggests formal dress at dinner. Much less requires it. That is what attracted me to Oceania. To be honest have never looked at an Regent cruise as expected I would have to wear at least a coat and tie or a tux at dinner.

[cotto22]

10 hours ago, mexicobob said:

I will not book a cruise on a ship that suggests formal dress at dinner. Much less requires it. That is what attracted me to Oceania. To be honest have never looked at an Regent cruise as expected I would have to wear at least a coat and tie or a tux at dinner.

We have sailed on Regent several times, and have not noticed any difference in dress between Regent and Oceania. Now Silversea is another story!

[jagoffee]

11 hours ago, mexicobob said:

I will not book a cruise on a ship that suggests formal dress at dinner. Much less requires it. That is what attracted me to Oceania. To be honest have never looked at an Regent cruise as expected I would have to wear at least a coat and tie or a tux at dinner.

No coat and tie or tux required on Regent when I cruised in January 2020.  

[JRIH]

1 hour ago, jagoffee said:

No coat and tie or tux required on Regent when I cruised in January 2020.  

Not required in September 2019 when we sailed Regent last.

[clo]

13 hours ago, mexicobob said:

I will not book a cruise on a ship that suggests formal dress at dinner. Much less requires it. That is what attracted me to Oceania. To be honest have never looked at an Regent cruise as expected I would have to wear at least a coat and tie or a tux at dinner.

I'm curious. Do you wear Docker-style pant and either collared golf-type shirt or a dress shirt? That seems to be what most consider "country club casual."

[shipshape62]

Hi one of our thoughts for the Amazon cruise is that we didn't think that a balcony was needed due to all the flies etc while sailing, even outdoor evening dining was not always possible due to mosquito. 

We prefer the dining concept on Oceania, don't be mistaken we thoroughly enjoyed the Regent dining just the Oceania  concept suits us better. I'm sure which ever decision you make will provide you with an amazing cruise. 

👍

B

[Tutuma]

On 9/14/2021 at 12:43 PM, 1985rz1 said:

We've enjoyed the piano bar in Martini's on both R and O ships, but we've never experienced a sing-a-long.  I don't remember any singer on our voyages, but that's not to say they don't exist.   For the most part, folks seem to be interested more in conversation with old or new friends and or simple quite relaxation with background music.  

Well then...you probably haven't been on O  voyages and experienced Martinis when my husband arrives.  He is a Red Sox diehard fan!  Every evening, everybody, joins in a rollicking "Sweet Caroline".  It's a tradition!!

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 minutes ago, Tutuma said:

Well then...you probably haven't been on O  voyages and experienced Martinis when my husband arrives.  He is a Red Sox diehard fan!  Every evening, everybody, joins in a rollicking "Sweet Caroline".  It's a tradition!!

 

Some of the Martini’s piano players are excellent at remembering songs associated with particular passengers. There’s one fellow who’s usually on R ships (sorry, name escapes me) who, almost every time we showed up, would play “I left my heart in San Francisco.”

[LGW59]

12 minutes ago, Tutuma said:

Well then...you probably haven't been on O  voyages and experienced Martinis when my husband arrives.  He is a Red Sox diehard fan!  Every evening, everybody, joins in a rollicking "Sweet Caroline".  It's a tradition!!

 

Please sign me up for your next O cruise!  Die hard Sox fan here too, nothing like Sweet Caroline at Fenway!!!

[ORV]

The problem with singalongs, you've always got some clown who wants to hear Lucille or Margaritaville and throws all those extra lyrics in that are not exactly the Oceania vibe. 

[sunlover12]

1 hour ago, Tutuma said:

Well then...you probably haven't been on O  voyages and experienced Martinis when my husband arrives.  He is a Red Sox diehard fan!  Every evening, everybody, joins in a rollicking "Sweet Caroline".  It's a tradition!!

 

"Sweet Caroline" is also played at every U of Wisconsin home football game. It's been a tradition for many years.  I'd love to be on an Oceania ship and join in the fun with that song. 

[Hlitner]

I find the discussion interesting because it primarily seems to focus on food (and we also love food).  But there is more to a cruise the cuisine although that is certainly a major component.  So if I look at the typical Regent ship the space ratio (tons per passenger) is among the highest in the cruise industry at more then 70.   "O" even on their newer ships has a much lower space ratio.  Space ratios are important because they are a good indicator of how crowded a ship might feel.  So while Regent would put 750 on a ship "O" would put 1250 on similar size ship.  

 

By the way, Sweet Caroline is played in many college football stadiums.  

 

Hank

[LGW59]

43 minutes ago, ORV said:

The problem with singalongs, you've always got some clown who wants to hear Lucille or Margaritaville and throws all those extra lyrics in that are not exactly the Oceania vibe. 

To paraphrase Cyndi Lauper: Clowns just wanna have fun, they just a wanna…