Currently on Riviera Lisbon to Rome

[clairol]

Boarded Riviera today. Just left Lisbon. On our way to Cadiz. In a penthouse. tYhis is our 6th Oceania Cruise. And our 2nd post pandemic shutdown. Happy to try to answer any questions as internet service and time allows. We have a very port intensive itinerary with no days at sea.
 

A few quick immediate observations. Embarking was quick and easy. Checking in was on board in the Riviera lounge. That was a new experience for us. Don’t know if that is port dependent or a new process.

 

We boarded relatively late at 2 PM, by choice. And our room was available immediately. I did hear many cheers when they made the announcement that all rooms are available, so perhaps that wasn’t everyone’s experience.
 

Ship seems very full. Huge difference from last October. Tons already enjoying pool. And masses of people on deck as we sailed away. Still trying to read the crowd… have already encountered some very boisterous, I hate to say, slightly rude folks. Some, perhaps, a little off brand from what we have experienced in the past but no reason to pass harsh judgement straight out of gate… and a few don’t make the whole.

 

First Terrace lunch did not disappoint. Yum! Already seeing effects of supply chain issues. No pens or blue bags in room. Slippers and robes are generic - not branded O. I have seen people comment on these things before, not make or break. Definitely quite a bit of new staff who are trying to figure things out. But they are doing it in a friendly way with a can do attitude.

 

Our Butler seems very nice with 12 years of experience on board. And our room steward and her assistant seem absolutely lovely. Hopefully we will prove not too demanding.

 

Riviera IS ready for her “makeover” but is still a beauty that makes me shed a tear of joy upon boarding. 
 

Jacques tonight. A first night tradition!

 

Edited October 13, 2022 by clairol

[Topspin4854]

Bon Voyage!  Sounds like a great trip.

[ORV]

3 hours ago, clairol said:

No pens or blue bags in room.

The new pens, when you find one, is much better quality than the old ones. Heavier and better constructed. There wasn't one in our room, but we got one from someone while onboard Regatta last month. 

[mauibabes]

Clairol,

Quick question, last October were you on Riviera or Marina?  We boarded Riviera in Athens and sailed her back to Miami.  
Have a great cruise and enjoy Jacques tonight.  
We are back on board Marina in January in Buenos Aires, need our Oceania fix.  
 

Ciao,

Mauibabes
 

[clairol]

9 hours ago, mauibabes said:

Quick question, last October were you on Riviera or Marina?  
 

We were with you for a portion on Riviera - Athens to Trieste. 

[clairol]

Dinner last night at Jacques was exquisite. Service friendly and attentive. Table by the window. Food delicious! Three quick shots of our amuse bouche, my stater and my main. The dessert was gone before I had a chance! (for some reason, shown in reverse of how I posted)
 

One “supply issue” or cutting corners thing I forgot to mention - surprising because I was shocked - is the classic faux leather card holders are gone and in their place a flimsy, super cheap, plastic folder over. So if you have a trip ahead and happened to have saved an old wallet, I encourage you to bring it. 
 

[tigerfan75]

Clairol, THANKS for taking the time to post your observations.  We are departing tomorrow for a sailing, and will take a pair of old card wallets.  Looking forward to reading more!

[ORV]

Interestingly enough Regatta had the grey wallets last month. My wife takes one of the old brown ones as the pocket is a nylon mesh and the cards or whatever you put in will slide in and out easier. Unfortunately we only have two of those, and a box full of the grey ones. 

[clairol]

As always, housekeeping goes above above and beyond beyond. Everything in place and replaced, neatened and cleaned. They work so hard that it makes me work harder at staying tidy and organized as a sign of respect. Wish they would come home with me - and with it my attitude! 
 

And our fabulous butler was able to wrangle up canapés even though we put our card out too late. He’s a magic man. We just talked about our preferences and he swapped out a few things from our fridge. Very accommodating! We lucked out this time.  
 

Terrace breakfast is always a treat. There are some noticeable changes since last year… The sausages are completely different, which is kind of a shame because we really loved the previous ones. Croissants still delicious. No more cling film/saran wrapped fronts to the buffet. They had that up last October, but in the “before times” they only had it up when it was a “norovirus cruise”. I keep reaching up and they keep handing out below. But I’ll figure out the choreography in time, I’m sure. Other than, that the selections were plentiful, fresh and yummy. Table service for drinks was attentive and quick. All in all - no complaints only full and thankful tummies readied for the day ahead.  

Barista coffees are delicious. Espresso after serious touring is very welcome. 

Captain’s welcome party tonight is replaced by complimentary cocktails from 6 to 8 PM in Horizons, the Grand Bar and Martinis.

 

Interestingly, both Riviera and Marina were in Cadiz today. So everywhere you looked were little groups of Oceana folks roaming about. It’s a beautiful city full of lush parks, monuments and statues plus gigantic, fully utilized beaches. We took in the sites on our own. First on the hop on hop off bus and then just wandering the streets, heading to Mercado Central, hitting the Museo de Cadiz, walking the city walls with a final stop and your ancient tree in a small little park enjoying some tortilla Espanola and a cervecza. We were welcome back to the boat with cool towels, which was very nice in a hot day.
 

Speaking of a hot day… The metal water bottles were new to us. We used one and another one we brought from home. Filled up with water from our cabin and from the dispensers. Couldn’t have been easier!

 

 

[LHT28]

I never use the card holders   & have a bunch  like Orv has his tote bags 😉

 

 Too bad about the cling wrap  I hate the fact that  are reaching  in over the food  ..dead skin/hairs falling into the food 🤑

Wish they would just put the glass down to the counter  & be safe

JMO

[clairol]

@tigerfan75 You are most welcome. Bon voyage! I hope you have a wonderful adventures. Enjoy!

[clairol]

45 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

have a bunch  like Orv has his tote bags 😉

You might be able to make some money on the black market…😉

[DrHemlock]

Departed Casablanca eight hours late last night due to "some alarm in our propulsion system" (per the Captain) so today's port call at Gibraltar is now in the rubbish bin.  C'est damage, but stuff happens.

[clairol]

Yesterday stop was Casablanca. If you have images of exotic morocco, you may be disappointed. As one new friend on board summed up “it made me appreciate where I live”.
 

Casablanca is very urban and a mixture of new buildings, new construction and structures that you can’t tell whether are being built or have stopped being built. You will see an apartment building with laundry, and obvious signs of occupancy in a building that otherwise, let’s completely abandon. There’s a lot of garbage.

 

Our wonderful tour guide told us that about 5 million people live in Casablanca. it was most definitely eye-opening. The port was incredibly industrial, and the only signs of life were the many officials and police. Other than that it was derelict and almost appeared abandoned. Suffice to say, they definitely don’t put a show on for incoming tourists.

If you are going to be stopping at Casablanca, I definitely recommend you join an excursion or a tour. Also be forewarned, but it’s a very long walk from the ship to where you load onto the buses. I felt bad for some people with mobility issues or for whom long walk like that is a bit of a struggle. At one point my husband and I helped someone in a wheelchair get over obstructing curbs. ADA is not a thing here.
 

Once again, Marina and Riviera were in port at the same time. But it wasn’t as noticeable as it was in Cadiz - except at our lunch spot - everyone scattered to different places. We chose an excursion through the boat to tour Hassan II mosque, then drive drive to El Jadida to tour the old town and the cisterns with a final stop back in Casablanca to visit a bazaar. Lunch included.
 

The mosque was exquisite. We really lucked out with our tour guide as he was knowledgeable, easy to understand, very funny and made everything incredible accessible. He was a delight!
 

The drive to El Jadida was interesting. A real insight to the true Morocco of this area. Prosperity next to poverty, seemingly drought affected yet fully functioning farmland, spots of lush greenery and stretches of beach or rocky landscape.  
 

Our lunch stop, was anti-climactic. Many other tours descended upon the same venue at the same time. The food was… Not great. and more disappointing, not “Moroccan”.

 

The tour of the old town, and the Ramparts was interesting, but the true highlight, the cisterns, were closed for renovation. This was disappointing and had been communicated, if you read the excursion list that they gave you in your room upon embarking. There was no special notification. But, unfortunately, it came as a surprise to most people who found out once on the tour.
 

This was billed as a 7 1/2 hour tour but, due to traffic, we didn’t get back to the city until 5:30 (ship scheduled to leave at 6 and we were told we would not have time to visit the bazaar. Again, without the incredible tour guide yesterday would not have been a success.

 

I spoke to some others last night and they too were far from overwhelmed with their tours. I did speak to new friends who had chosen the tour to Rabat. It seemed the way to go. 

 

As was previously shared, we have an unexpected sea day. We were supposed to leave Casablanca at 6 PM. We did not leave till 2 PM. This means we have to miss out on Gibraltar today is appointing. But again we have to be prepared for itinerary changes. 
 

I seem unable to upload any of the photos… I’ll try again later. 

[clairol]

 

 

[PhD-iva]

Wow! Great pics. Thx for your post!

[Travel2Learn]

Trying O for the first time and not sure whether to book a B veranda or concierge.  Does the B veranda breakfast room service menu include eggs?  

[pete_coach]

17 minutes ago, Travel2Learn said:

Trying O for the first time and not sure whether to book a B veranda or concierge.  Does the B veranda breakfast room service menu include eggs?  

Includes whatever is on the menu and yes, eggs too. 🙂 

There are other differences too.  Primary difference between concierge and Veranda is perks and location as the cabins are identical.

 

Edited October 16, 2022 by pete_coach

[jonthomas]

10 hours ago, clairol said:

Yesterday stop was Casablanca. If you have images of exotic morocco, you may be disappointed. As one new friend on board summed up “it made me appreciate where I live”.
 

Casablanca is very urban and a mixture of new buildings, new construction and structures that you can’t tell whether are being built or have stopped being built. You will see an apartment building with laundry, and obvious signs of occupancy in a building that otherwise, let’s completely abandon. There’s a lot of garbage.

 

Our wonderful tour guide told us that about 5 million people live in Casablanca. it was most definitely eye-opening. The port was incredibly industrial, and the only signs of life were the many officials and police. Other than that it was derelict and almost appeared abandoned. Suffice to say, they definitely don’t put a show on for incoming tourists.

If you are going to be stopping at Casablanca, I definitely recommend you join an excursion or a tour. Also be forewarned, but it’s a very long walk from the ship to where you load onto the buses. I felt bad for some people with mobility issues or for whom long walk like that is a bit of a struggle. At one point my husband and I helped someone in a wheelchair get over obstructing curbs. ADA is not a thing here.
 

Once again, Marina and Riviera were in port at the same time. But it wasn’t as noticeable as it was in Cadiz - except at our lunch spot - everyone scattered to different places. We chose an excursion through the boat to tour Hassan II mosque, then drive drive to El Jadida to tour the old town and the cisterns with a final stop back in Casablanca to visit a bazaar. Lunch included.
 

The mosque was exquisite. We really lucked out with our tour guide as he was knowledgeable, easy to understand, very funny and made everything incredible accessible. He was a delight!
 

The drive to El Jadida was interesting. A real insight to the true Morocco of this area. Prosperity next to poverty, seemingly drought affected yet fully functioning farmland, spots of lush greenery and stretches of beach or rocky landscape.  
 

Our lunch stop, was anti-climactic. Many other tours descended upon the same venue at the same time. The food was… Not great. and more disappointing, not “Moroccan”.

 

The tour of the old town, and the Ramparts was interesting, but the true highlight, the cisterns, were closed for renovation. This was disappointing and had been communicated, if you read the excursion list that they gave you in your room upon embarking. There was no special notification. But, unfortunately, it came as a surprise to most people who found out once on the tour.
 

This was billed as a 7 1/2 hour tour but, due to traffic, we didn’t get back to the city until 5:30 (ship scheduled to leave at 6 and we were told we would not have time to visit the bazaar. Again, without the incredible tour guide yesterday would not have been a success.

 

I spoke to some others last night and they too were far from overwhelmed with their tours. I did speak to new friends who had chosen the tour to Rabat. It seemed the way to go. 

 

As was previously shared, we have an unexpected sea day. We were supposed to leave Casablanca at 6 PM. We did not leave till 2 PM. This means we have to miss out on Gibraltar today is appointing. But again we have to be prepared for itinerary changes. 
 

I seem unable to upload any of the photos… I’ll try again later. 

 

 

Thats very disappointing that you didnt get to go to the market. 

 

We have done a private tour of Casablanca, 6  years ago. It was wonderful. But now I am not sure I would want to risk it. You were late getting back but because it is a ships tour, there was no issue with being late. I organized the private tour. There were only 20 of us, with a retired college professor as the guide. It only cost $25 pp. incredible. Still tempted to go private, but perhaps not wise. 

[clairol]

I must admit we were pretty much oblivious to our surroundings as we sat in the industrial port in Casablanca, moving from dock to dock, waiting for the mechanical issue to be resolved so we could leave… why? Because we were enjoying our first La Reserve wine dinner experience. Let me just say… it will not be our last!
 

From food to wine, from company to waitstaff, the ENTIRE experience was, in one word, exquisite. We could not have asked for better. It far exceeded our expectations and they were already high. 
 

If you are even considering a dinner at La Reserve… Don’t hesitate - book it immediately! It helped that we were fortuitously seated with two lovely couples.

 

Couple of things to think about if you take the plunge… Go early, they seat you outside and serve you a champagne cocktail with canapés. It’s a great opportunity to meet some of your dining companions. If you’re in a penthouse or above, your butler will happily escort you down. We didn’t realize that and he was searching all over for us. I think it’s a lovely touch. No need for a big lunch and or pregame cocktails as it’s a lot of food and a lot of wine. Pace yourself. You don’t necessarily need to eat and drink everything… But then again, you’re on holiday might as well! They were very liberal with follow up pours. Also, we all took pictures throughout. They will line up all of the bottles for you to take a picture at the end, which I found very helpful! In addition to appreciating the food and the wine you can’t help but appreciate the staff - waitstaff and chefs. They’re hard-working, fun, talented, knowledgeable, accommodating and incredibly personable - they really make you feel like a VIP. 

If you have any questions about the experience, and have not done it before, feel free to ask! As a newbie, I had a few... 

 

 

[WESTEAST]

 

48 minutes ago, clairol said:

I must admit we were pretty much oblivious to our surroundings as we sat in the industrial port in Casablanca, moving from dock to dock, waiting for the mechanical issue to be resolved so we could leave… why? Because we were enjoying our first La Reserve wine dinner experience. Let me just say… it will not be our last!
 

From food to wine, from company to waitstaff, the ENTIRE experience was, in one word, exquisite. We could not have asked for better. It far exceeded our expectations and they were already high. 
 

If you are even considering a dinner at La Reserve… Don’t hesitate - book it immediately! It helped that we were fortuitously seated with two lovely couples.

 

Couple of things to think about if you take the plunge… Go early, they seat you outside and serve you a champagne cocktail with canapés. It’s a great opportunity to meet some of your dining companions. If you’re in a penthouse or above, your butler will happily escort you down. We didn’t realize that and he was searching all over for us. I think it’s a lovely touch. No need for a big lunch and or pregame cocktails as it’s a lot of food and a lot of wine. Pace yourself. You don’t necessarily need to eat and drink everything… But then again, you’re on holiday might as well! They were very liberal with follow up pours. Also, we all took pictures throughout. They will line up all of the bottles for you to take a picture at the end, which I found very helpful! In addition to appreciating the food and the wine you can’t help but appreciate the staff - waitstaff and chefs. They’re hard-working, fun, talented, knowledgeable, accommodating and incredibly personable - they really make you feel like a VIP. 

If you have any questions about the experience, and have not done it before, feel free to ask! As a newbie, I had a few... 

 

 

Thank you for your posts and great photos.  Question regarding dinner at La Reserve - do you know if the Chef is flexible with the stated menu for anyone with allergies e.g. to cheese or, who prefers white over red wine? Sounds like a wonderful experience!

[GeezerCouple]

26 minutes ago, WESTEAST said:

 

Thank you for your posts and great photos.  Question regarding dinner at La Reserve - do you know if the Chef is flexible with the stated menu for anyone with allergies e.g. to cheese or, who prefers white over red wine? Sounds like a wonderful experience!

 

Yes, all food preparation on an Oceania ship will take into account any food allergies IF they know about them.  So make sure you notify Special Needs well before the cruise date, and then again when you board, just to be sure.

They'll either have a separate presentation of the same thing but without the offending ingredient, or they'll substitute something else.  We had no problem with that, including at La Reserve.

 

And although the food was wonderful, we were quite disappointed with some of the wines served.  Amex had included a wine tasting with our fare.  Those were *cheap* wines (not ultra cheap, but nothing at all to write home about).  And two of the wines served at La Reserve were from that same group.

We had signed up for all 3 La Reserve menus, and we cancelled the other two.

 

However, it was a lovely evening in every other way.  Very nice dinner companions (which isn't always the case when there is assigned seating, etc.).

 

We'd much rather spend that money ordering *nice* bottles of wine at a Specialty restaurant.  Or even the MDR.  (Or drink one of our own if we were able to bring some aboard, which depends upon our travel plans pre-cruise, and the departure port.)

 

GC

 

[WESTEAST]

36 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

Yes, all food preparation on an Oceania ship will take into account any food allergies IF they know about them.  So make sure you notify Special Needs well before the cruise date, and then again when you board, just to be sure.

They'll either have a separate presentation of the same thing but without the offending ingredient, or they'll substitute something else.  We had no problem with that, including at La Reserve.

 

And although the food was wonderful, we were quite disappointed with some of the wines served.  Amex had included a wine tasting with our fare.  Those were *cheap* wines (not ultra cheap, but nothing at all to write home about).  And two of the wines served at La Reserve were from that same group.

We had signed up for all 3 La Reserve menus, and we cancelled the other two.

 

However, it was a lovely evening in every other way.  Very nice dinner companions (which isn't always the case when there is assigned seating, etc.).

 

We'd much rather spend that money ordering *nice* bottles of wine at a Specialty restaurant.  Or even the MDR.  (Or drink one of our own if we were able to bring some aboard, which depends upon our travel plans pre-cruise, and the departure port.)

 

GC

 

Thank you for your feedback and should we consider we will definitely advise O in advance. We too enjoy bringing onboard our purchased wines and pay the corkage fee. 

[LHT28]

11 minutes ago, WESTEAST said:

Thank you for your feedback and should we consider we will definitely advise O in advance. We too enjoy bringing onboard our purchased wines and pay the corkage fee. 

Do you not advise them  in advance for the regular dining of any allergies ??

[clairol]

@WESTEAST As has already been shared, if disclosed they will definitely take into consideration any of your allergies or restrictions. In fact, we have none however, they called our suite two days in advance of the dinner to triple confirm. I’m sure if you share restrictions, preferences, and/or allergies, they will be more than accommodating. They aim to please. 

 

I definitely encourage you to go in with an open mind. We typically bring wine on board, but we do love to experience wines that we may find in port or they are recommended on board. Yes, there’s always some hit and  misses but, for us, it’s part of the adventure. Plus for $114 or whatever we paid for the dinner,  you get to try some wines and some extraordinary food pairings. Seems pretty good deal to us… especially as one bottle of “nice” wine ordered off the menu is at least that. But that’s us. Choose your own adventure!