Almost Live from Riviera

[Sthrngary]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

My eggs Benedict were great the day I had them in the GDR, but maybe I don’t know any better. Actually all of my food has been excellent. 

@ORV You are killing me.  Excellent food and Eggs Benedict for breakfast.  I am having dry toast with a black coffee trying to lose enough weight to go on my cruise, LOL.  Embrace being treated like a rock star.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

[ORV]

Second port. 

[MEFIowa]

Having been to St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Savannah, and Charleston, too bad you didn't get to go to Savannah instead of Jacksonville. So much more to see and do there. History, culture, food, and more. All those historic squares. 

[Tea Snob]

We had dinner at the Pizzaria in Waves, right outside the Terrace on Deck 12.  Mama Mia, the pizzas and salads were so delicious!  We had the pizza with burrata infused with truffle and pepperoni.  The shared salad had the truffle infused burrata, fresh tomatoes and arugula and pita bread.  

The setting was very romantic with blue checked tablecloths and tea lights on the tables.  Add a glass of red wine, we were very happy cruisers even though we have been circling around the Atlantic for awhile!

[ORV]

My time in JAX downtown. 

[ORV]

Looks like pastrami to me

[SSFrance69]

ORV thank you for sharing all the photos and comments. We were on the sailing right before yours and your pictures make me feel like I'm back on the ship (how I wish I was). Our food and service was also excellent. During trivia, before they decided to change the next sailing's itinerary, the assistant cruise director mentioned that they were expecting 20+ foot seas on the crossing to Bermuda on the next sailing. That would not have been fun! I'm glad you are having a nice time despite the change. 

[ORV]

44 minutes ago, ORV said:

Looks like pastrami to me

Or maybe I should have said corned beef. An appropriate day for it. 

[BWV]

We’re enjoying the cruise, although we’re disappointed with the missing of Bermuda. We are on Deck 9 but just walked around Deck 10. Has anyone else noticed the wrinkled (badly installed) and torn wallpaper?

[Acrusa]

4 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

@ORV You are killing me.  Excellent food and Eggs Benedict for breakfast.  I am having dry toast with a black coffee trying to lose enough weight to go on my cruise, LOL.  Embrace being treated like a rock star.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

My wife has her LEO prepared to order at Waves. And other omelets 

[ORV]

Free drinks tonight between 6-8. 

[GregoryPaul]

6 hours ago, BWV said:

We’re enjoying the cruise, although we’re disappointed with the missing of Bermuda. We are on Deck 9 but just walked around Deck 10. Has anyone else noticed the wrinkled (badly installed) and torn wallpaper?

Funny you mention that. For how beautiful the ship is and how immaculately maintained she is, I also thought that detail stood out - and it isn’t just deck 10.

 

Maybe all the good wallpaper hangers were busy that year?

[BWV]

8 minutes ago, GregoryPaul said:

Funny you mention that. For how beautiful the ship is and how immaculately maintained she is, I also thought that detail stood out - and it isn’t just deck 10.

 

Maybe all the good wallpaper hangers were busy that year?

Ha! Exactly-the ship is beautiful, and the maintenance is superb.

[ORV]

18 hours ago, BWV said:

We’re enjoying the cruise, although we’re disappointed with the missing of Bermuda. We are on Deck 9 but just walked around Deck 10. Has anyone else noticed the wrinkled (badly installed) and torn wallpaper?

We just took a stroll around 8 and then 7, and saw what you are talking about. I don’t know who signed off on that, but it’s kind of sad. We haven’t been on 8, 9,10 or 11, but assume they are all the same. It’s only the inner walls I noticed. 

[ORV]

We were told by a first time Oceania cruiser that they had a party for first timers a couple of nights ago. I don’t know if this is new or not, but it’s the first I’ve heard of one. She said there were 370 something first timers on this cruise. Still not sure how many total are on board, but it doesn’t seem crowded. 
 

Anyone have anything in particular they want to see a picture of or know about let me know. I don’t really do food pictures, I eat it. 

[LHT28]

31 minutes ago, ORV said:

We just took a stroll around 8 and then 7, and saw what you are talking about. I don’t know who signed off on that, but it’s kind of sad. We haven’t been on 8, 9,10 or 11, but assume they are all the same. It’s only the inner walls I noticed. 

That is  not good

Is it new wallpaper?

[LHT28]

13 minutes ago, ORV said:

We were told by a first time Oceania cruiser that they had a party for first timers a couple of nights ago. I don’t know if this is new or not, but it’s the first I’ve heard of one. She said there were 370 something first timers on this cruise. Still not sure how many total are on board, but it doesn’t seem crowded. 
 

Anyone have anything in particular they want to see a picture of or know about let me know. I don’t really do food pictures, I eat it. 

Must  be new

Someone mentioned this  earlier in the year

 must be post covid shut down 

[BWV]

8 minutes ago, ORV said:

We were told by a first time Oceania cruiser that they had a party for first timers a couple of nights ago. I don’t know if this is new or not, but it’s the first I’ve heard of one. She said there were 370 something first timers on this cruise. Still not sure how many total are on board, but it doesn’t seem crowded. 
 

Anyone have anything in particular they want to see a picture of or know about let me know. I don’t really do food pictures, I eat it. 

Is there a repeaters gathering sometime?

[LHT28]

Just now, BWV said:

Is there a repeaters gathering sometime?

Yes  usually mid cruise

You will get the invitation in your cabin

[MEFIowa]

12 minutes ago, ORV said:

We were told by a first time Oceania cruiser that they had a party for first timers a couple of nights ago. I don’t know if this is new or not, but it’s the first I’ve heard of one. She said there were 370 something first timers on this cruise.

Didn't read about or hear about any such "1st Timers Party" on Sirena (11/18-28/2022). There was the Repeater Party for 2nd and more timers. So must be real new? Or something the captain did to appease pax on this cruise for some reason?

Edited March 18, 2023 by MEFIowa
Typo

[xinnia317]

On 3/16/2023 at 6:40 PM, chloemonkey said:

If you try to find strawberry jam in the Terrace Cafe or Waves….it has been OUT since Day -3?  We were happy to find it still is available in the dining room.  Now if they could just manage to make a proper eggs Benedict ANYWHERE on the ship!

As I have tried all venues.  Since when do you not toast 5e English muffins OR check the hollandaise for salt, etc?  Seems like even the things that used to be taken for granted are slipping.  Now I fear I sound like those that I hear in the Dinin Room, etc….complaining About everything….which I do not intend to do.  It just makes me a. It sad to find a lot of “little” things go downhill….which I fear will lead to a cntnued downward trend.  Fingers crossed that this is not the case.

We’ve had some great meals so far. A few misses - I agree on the Hollandaise! I had it on my scrambled eggs this morning and it was tasteless! And the lobster bisque tasted like Campbells Tomato Soup! But overall we have been very happy. The heavy unmovable chairs in the Terrace are annoying though. 
 

Heading into Jacksonville today to visit the Cummer Art Museum and MOCA. 

[xinnia317]

18 minutes ago, ORV said:

We were told by a first time Oceania cruiser that they had a party for first timers a couple of nights ago. I don’t know if this is new or not, but it’s the first I’ve heard of one. She said there were 370 something first timers on this cruise. Still not sure how many total are on board, but it doesn’t seem crowded. 
 

Anyone have anything in particular they want to see a picture of or know about let me know. I don’t really do food pictures, I eat it. 

1022 passengers on board! Agree it doesn’t seem crowded. Enjoying that!

[DrHemlock]

There was a first-timers event when we were aboard Riviera in October.  Problem was, they held it in Horizons which is our bar, and closed the room to everyone else.  Well, gosh, we "failed to notice" the signage and "accidentally" got into line with other newbies for the party -- and waltzed right in without being questioned.  (One advantage of not getting too well-acquainted with staff except for bartenders.😎)  

We did, however, get a couple of funny looks from the officers upon entering the repeaters party a few days later, wearing our bronze, silver and gold pins.

Some people (us) will do anything for free drinks.....

Edited March 18, 2023 by DrHemlock

[PhD-iva]

27 minutes ago, ORV said:

We were told by a first time Oceania cruiser that they had a party for first timers a couple of nights ago. I don’t know if this is new or not, but it’s the first I’ve heard of one. She said there were 370 something first timers on this cruise. Still not sure how many total are on board, but it doesn’t seem crowded. 
 

Anyone have anything in particular they want to see a picture of or know about let me know. I don’t really do food pictures, I eat it. 

Back in 2016 when we were first timers, I seem to recall a first timer party. 
Now I’m looking forward to a repeaters party on my Aruba transatlantic cruise, embarking on Monday!

Edited March 18, 2023 by PhD-iva
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[MEFIowa]

5 minutes ago, PhD-iva said:

Back in 2016 when we were first timers, I seem to recall a first timer party. 
Now I’m looking forward to a repeaters party on my Aruba transatlantic cruise, embarking on Monday!

No such "1st Timer's Party" for us on Riviera (12/2021). We could see the Repeater Party and some repeaters told us to expect that when we did our 2nd (Sirena, 11/2022). Of course, there is the Captain's Party for everyone, including 1st and 2nd Timers.