Just Off Sirena 12 day Barbados to Miami Dec 30th to Jan 11th.

[flyers]

Thank you all for your comments both positive and negative.Now to answer some of your questions.

Firstly my review was to describe what we found not to complain!....We were well aware of the vibration issue as well as the Non all inclusive feature of Oceania but the itinerary suited us to go from St.Lucia to our home in Florida so we accepted the differences from the lines we normally cruise on.

1. We were in OS 6088 and yes the vibration at times was very bad but generally was always present to some degree.....We expected that there would be some vibration from other reviews on CC.

 

2. We have been embarking and disembarking in St.Lucia on Silverseas,Seabourn,Regent and even Princess for years and yes they have all been prorated.....The previous Sirena cruise was apparently fairly empty when we applied (after it had sailed) and surely it would benefit the cruise line to take on additional passengers and make the added revenue when possible.We were talking of embarking for the last three days and this was approved but what was not was prorating for those three days not insisting on payment for a 10 day cruise that was already almost finished.

 

3. Regarding the drinks and all inclusive feature. I think that my comments may have been misunderstood by some... For those who have cruised on both all and non will appreciate that there is a different vibe on board for example we found that most of  the  tables in the GD were for two with just a few tables for four .....We are not big drinkers but have found that people are more inclined to socialize and share tables when drinks are on the house and not individually purchased. In fact we did not even drink all the 6 bottles assigned to our OS suite. 

 

4. It is not a condemnation of Oceania as quite obviously there are many passengers who prefer to not have drinks included and not subsidize those who do .....these were simply our observations and yes we were perfectly aware of all that before we boarded as we do substantial research before we board any ship or proceed on any vacation.

For that reason we set out to enjoy any cruise or trip that we make despite the pros and cons which are always present in life today.

I hope that this answers some of your questions and possibly provides some insight for those considering Oceania for a future cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LHT28]

24 minutes ago, flyers said:

 

3. Regarding the drinks and all inclusive feature. I think that my comments may have been misunderstood by some... For those who have cruised on both all and non will appreciate that there is a different vibe on board for example we found that most of  the  tables in the GD were for two with just a few tables for four .....We are not big drinkers but have found that people are more inclined to socialize and share tables when drinks are on the house and not individually purchased. In fact we did not even drink all the 6 bottles assigned to our OS suite. 

 

 

This  could be due to the recent pandemic  & people not wanting to share a table  now

 There have always been  more 6 tops than 2 & 4 tops

 

I am surprised that other lines that you mentioned would prorate a cruise mid way

But if it can work for you  it never hurts to ask

JMO

[MEFIowa]

39 minutes ago, flyers said:

Thank you all for your comments both positive and negative. Now to answer some of your questions. ... 2. We have been embarking and disembarking in St. Lucia on Silverseas, Seabourn, Regent and even Princess for years and yes they have all been prorated.....

Did those other lines have a written policy in place, publicly available for any customer to see, about their "proration policy"? O doesn't, so I'd always assumed you can't prorate. And I'd be seriously upset if they have some "secret proration" policy that only a chosen few or the high roller types can access. (I'd love to "prorate" an Indian Ocean cruise to see places I want and avoid some places I don't.) 

[ToxM]

Interesting to see your reply, thank you. I am still interested in how the CD tried to nickel and dime you. 

[LHT28]

11 minutes ago, ToxM said:

Interesting to see your reply, thank you. I am still interested in how the CD tried to nickel and dime you. 

Maybe  they tried to get them to play bingo  where you have to pay for the cards ???🤔

 

The spa  will try to upsell you  but a  simple "no thank you" has worked for me

 

[ToxM]

19 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Maybe  they tried to get them to play bingo  where you have to pay for the cards ???🤔

 

The spa  will try to upsell you  but a  simple "no thank you" has worked for me

 

 

the second post was such a change in tone it was like it was written by a different person almost. 

[pinotlover]

The discussion by the OP does bring up an interesting point, that being the significant portion of Oceania cruisers that either don’t drink alcohol or drink very little. On the Sirena it was often commented on how Horizons might only have 10–15 patrons during Happy Hour, with some being hanger ons from tea. Martinis was rarely full.

 

To run a successful beverage program one must have a sufficient audience to make it viable. My question becomes “ is the current increases in both drinks and drink packages being partially driven by the need to distribute those total costs over a diminished number of cruisers?”

 

A Premium line has to have a premium beverage package to compete imo. There’s a line there of costs versus availability that can be problematic. I’ll take notice on my cruise next month to see how utilized the bars are. Drinking coke or coffee during evening trivia won’t count.

[MEFIowa]

It would be fascinating to see internally how O views its alcohol program. Is it a true "profit center" or a "cost center" or something else? Take MLB and beer sales. Seems insane to charge $10 or more for a beer. If you want to "maximize profit". BUT part of their "program" is to actively discourage some people from drinking at all and discourage others from drinking too much.

 

I suspect that O has a concern that too much alcohol for many passengers isn't a positive at all. And after I watched a young 20-something get way too hammered one night early on the cruise in November on Sirena, HIGH prices discourage consumption. I do NOT want to drink in the late AM or early PM or afternoon, because alcohol at those times doesn't do anything positive for me (e.g., makes me sleepy or I want to keep drinking). Make a drink package inexpensive and people drink too much at times. Even with it expensive, some will over-drink to try to justify the price they've paid. Allowing me to bring my own on and drink it in my cabin can be viewed as a positive for O. I'm not upset at the prices and I don't over-drink in a public area.

 

And just for me, watching the "barflys" drink at/around the pool bar seems about as appealing as watching the smokers so few feet away. As if the year were 1963. Reminds me why I don't smoke or drink earlier than the later evening.

 

So many issues tied to alcohol and alcohol pricing on ships.

[flyers]

I omitted to discuss how we felt that the CD was trying to 'nickel and dime` the passengers. Many times during the day Dottie would come on the Loudspeaker and discuss everything from Spa Treatments to Wine tasting,Cocktail tasting in the various bars,Excursions in various ports.All very in-noxious until you realized that there was a cost to everything for example there were... wine tastings from various regions nearly every day at $95.00 per person. We later found out from one of the Sommeliers that very few persons had purchased the O drink packages...Martinis was always empty  and they were trying to encourage more buying of drinks on board! also few people were using the Spa and apparently she was trying to drum up support for that as well. We used the gym almost everyday and even that area was always empty...

I hope that answers the question as to why we felt a possible pocket intrusion every day!!

[PhD-iva]

Have sailed w CD Dottie, and my trivia-mates felt her PA announcements were too extensive and “irritating “. I get you.

[AMHuntFerry]

@flyers You are not the first to mention Dottie's many sales-type announcements although some people like her overall style (there is a whole topic on CDs). I feel lucky to have been on Riviera with Paul and Regatta with Leslie in 2022. Both kept their PA presence to a minimum.

[ak1004]

8 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

@flyers You are not the first to mention Dottie's many sales-type announcements although some people like her overall style (there is a whole topic on CDs). I feel lucky to have been on Riviera with Paul and Regatta with Leslie in 2022. Both kept their PA presence to a minimum.

Totally agree. Leslie was fantastic. He also actually performed few acts. 

[ToxM]

11 hours ago, flyers said:

I omitted to discuss how we felt that the CD was trying to 'nickel and dime` the passengers. Many times during the day Dottie would come on the Loudspeaker and discuss everything from Spa Treatments to Wine tasting,Cocktail tasting in the various bars,Excursions in various ports.All very in-noxious until you realized that there was a cost to everything for example there were... wine tastings from various regions nearly every day at $95.00 per person. We later found out from one of the Sommeliers that very few persons had purchased the O drink packages...Martinis was always empty  and they were trying to encourage more buying of drinks on board! also few people were using the Spa and apparently she was trying to drum up support for that as well. We used the gym almost everyday and even that area was always empty...

I hope that answers the question as to why we felt a possible pocket intrusion every day!!

Dottie seems to be incapable of doing much apart from reading all the contents of Currents twice a day. The only thing she veered off piste about was Trivia because she ran that. 

 

I have to say that annoying as it is reading about things that cost money isn’t really nickel and diming, O offer very few extra charge activities compared to mainstream lines. I find the act of reading by rote the activities much more egregious. 

[dock]

Thank you for clarifying re “nickel and dimed” comment. 

[MEFIowa]

Have to disagree about Dottie! I sailed with Dottie on Sirena 11/18-28/2022. (Even ran into her at the grocery store in the old town of San Juan where I was looking for inexpensive beer & rum.)

 

I had the pleasure of worshipping with her twice on Sunday mornings as she led the non-denominational Christian prayer service. (I was off the ship on Thanksgiving when she led another one).

 

BUT I had the GREAT PLEASURE of asking her on a sea day, day 3, if I could host a Veterans get-together in Martinis one afternoon, on day 4. She came on the PA system that morning and added this to the list of announcements. We had about 23-25 veterans show up because of her PA announcement.

[sunlover12]

14 hours ago, flyers said:

I omitted to discuss how we felt that the CD was trying to 'nickel and dime` the passengers. Many times during the day Dottie would come on the Loudspeaker and discuss everything from Spa Treatments to Wine tasting,Cocktail tasting in the various bars,Excursions in various ports.All very in-noxious until you realized that there was a cost to everything for example there were... wine tastings from various regions nearly every day at $95.00 per person.

Interesting....

That wasn't my experience when I was on Sirena in October.  I did not hear Dottie promoting or trying to sell spa treatments, wine tasting, or excursions. She did make announcements over the PA but I never got the impression she was trying to sell anything.  We did go to the wine tasting.  We learned about it by reading it in Currents, not by anything that Dottie or anyone else said.  We were on a 10-day cruise and had one wine tasting. I believe it was $70/person. Interesting that your cruise had one nearly every day.

 

Something worth mentioning about the spa is that they have become much more low-key about selling their products. They don't push product-selling at all. Seems to have changed since Aquamar took over.

Just my observation. 

[zoncom]

 Just off 32 days on Sirena Caribbean. Food and service, in my opinion, better than last years Marina. Staff better trained. I preferred the MDR and buffet to alternatives.

[PhD-iva]

8 hours ago, MEFIowa said:

BUT I had the GREAT PLEASURE of asking her on a sea day, day 3, if I could host a Veterans get-together in Martinis one afternoon, on day 4. She came on the PA system that morning and added this to the list of announcements. We had about 23-25 veterans show up because of her PA announcement.

I’m very pleased that Dottie helped to make your veterans get together happen. However, it’s a little bit of a different situation because she was providing information not available in Currents. I think the complaint here is that she is reading out loud over the PA system information that everyone has at their fingertips.
Again, so pleased Dottie helped to facilitate your get together. 

[MEFIowa]

6 minutes ago, PhD-iva said:

I’m very pleased that Dottie helped to make your veterans get together happen. However, it’s a little bit of a different situation because she was providing information not available in Currents. I think the complaint here is that she is reading out loud over the PA system information that everyone has at their fingertips. Again, so pleased Dottie helped to facilitate your get together. 

I'm pointing out HOW she actually used the PA system.

 

I'm not sure what the actual complaint is here about Dottie and the PA system or "nickel and diming". I didn't hear it or have any issues with her PA announcements on Sirena 11/22. I'm filing those complaints under, "You can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but...."

[LHT28]

most CD's  will organize  a time & place  for special meetings  if you give them some notice   & are flexible  with the times

[ToxM]

11 hours ago, MEFIowa said:

I'm pointing out HOW she actually used the PA system.

 

I'm not sure what the actual complaint is here about Dottie and the PA system or "nickel and diming". I didn't hear it or have any issues with her PA announcements on Sirena 11/22. I'm filing those complaints under, "You can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but...."

File them where you want, I still found her to be really rather annoying - I am glad she was able to help you get an event together, however.

[pinotlover]

Part of our routine, is that nightly, either after the show or dinner, upon returning to our cabin we read the Currents and the  news extracts left on our beds. Therefore, Dottie’s reading of such is repetitive. However, to hear any of the CDs one must open their cabin door. Only the Captain’s announcements come into the cabin now.

 

The far larger issue is that a significant number of passengers never read the Currents, never listen to the CD announcements, and are totally oblivious to anything reps from Destination Services or their tour guides say. 
 

A perfect example of this issue occurs when Destination Services is setting up the table to give out passes for the tours. A lady announces over and over and over again to please take a seat and they will call you up when ready. In walks Mr Oblivious, with everyone else seated, that goes to the table and hands out their coupon slip! This , of course, just after the rep has finished telling them to take a seat. 
 

I believe the other CDs realize nothing they do will ever reach the Oblivious, so therefore keep their sermons shorter. Dottie drones on.

[ssawjo]

2 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Part of our routine, is that nightly, either after the show or dinner, upon returning to our cabin we read the Currents and the  news extracts left on our beds. Therefore, Dottie’s reading of such is repetitive. However, to hear any of the CDs one must open their cabin door. Only the Captain’s announcements come into the cabin now.

 

The far larger issue is that a significant number of passengers never read the Currents, never listen to the CD announcements, and are totally oblivious to anything reps from Destination Services or their tour guides say. 
 

A perfect example of this issue occurs when Destination Services is setting up the table to give out passes for the tours. A lady announces over and over and over again to please take a seat and they will call you up when ready. In walks Mr Oblivious, with everyone else seated, that goes to the table and hands out their coupon slip! This , of course, just after the rep has finished telling them to take a seat. 
 

I believe the other CDs realize nothing they do will ever reach the Oblivious, so therefore keep their sermons shorter. Dottie drones on.

If you turn your TV to the bridge cam channel you can hear all of the announcements from the CD or captain.  There is a few second lage between the hall and the TV.

[ToxM]

I’m not usually in my cabin at 5, either in Horizons for tea or by the pool. Maybe I should retreat there at 4:55 to save myself the onslaught. 

[AMHuntFerry]

2 hours ago, ssawjo said:

If you turn your TV to the bridge cam channel you can hear all of the announcements from the CD or captain.  There is a few second lage between the hall and the TV.

...and to continue this thought...according to my last Currents, "Regatta Today" was available all day long on channel 1. The shore excursions info was also available all day on channel 22. No need for the PA to be used except for unplanned (i.e., not in Currents) events.