LIVE REPORT from Riviera - NEVER AGAIN!

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, KimKM said:

I have to be honest. At this point, I'm really over being told how unreasonable I am. I won't make this mistake again.

you need a thick skin to post on CC 😃🍷

[KimKM]

17 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

you need a thick skin to post on CC 😃🍷

It really shouldn't be required, but apparently, it is. Too bad.

[Jmoondance]

20 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

you need a thick skin to post on CC 😃🍷

Thanks, I learned that from Viking  CC.🙂

[1985rz1]

9 minutes ago, KimKM said:

It really shouldn't be required, but apparently, it is. Too bad.

It's not unique to Oceania.

[LHT28]

20 minutes ago, KimKM said:

It really shouldn't be required, but apparently, it is. Too bad.

agree but the nature of the beast  ...human nature

 I use the ignore feature   it works wonders 😉

 

[Jmoondance]

Perception to reality is two different things.

I  gathers. 

[KimKM]

11 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

agree but the nature of the beast  ...human nature

 I use the ignore feature   it works wonders 😉

 

Thanks:)

[brobin111]

5 hours ago, MEFIowa said:

Just don't complain or get upset if people comment about unrealistic or unreasonable expectations. Or point out that you're whining about things unique to you upon which others may not only disagree with but have a completely opposite reaction to. That's the difference between objective (your toilet flooded) versus subjective (I thought the singers were horrible in the show).

I neither complain nor get upset about other people's comments although I do find them interesting and sometimes amusing. This is a forum to provide critical and/or positive feedback about cruises. I posted my experience with O on this cruise. Being one of many cruises we've taken both on O, as well as many other lines over the last two decades, I reported - not whined about - the inadequacies  that my group and I experienced.  You can classify those experiences and give credence to them as you see fit. 

Perhaps, for everyone's benefit, you could post a full set of rules for what you deem to be correct and appropriate reporting criteria and what objective/subjective topics we should all adhere to.

BTW, the tuna tataki and rack of lamb at Red Ginger were excellent and John Joseph is the funniest man on the high seas! (I know, too subjective right?)  

[WayneLaR]

11 hours ago, jonthomas said:

Can't wait to be on an O ship again....we were on the Riviera in Jan....

 

Now on a Viking,TA....and never again....horrible food, nothing to do, roof over the pool does not open up due to technical issues,  so it's unbelievably hot....

Yup, using up a covid credit, but never again.

Sorry to hear that, Jon.  How disappointing especially for a line with the reputation they enjoy.  Hope things turn around for you. 

[jonthomas]

I don't understand how V can get the number one rating...there is very little entertainment, the food, after one taste, is enough...

 

The people we have talked to, have never sailed any other line, I think that is why they are still there, or maybe since wine is included with every meal, everything tastes better, once you have had a few.

 

I don't know of anyone that has sailed on O and preferred V.

One more week to go.

[Sthrngary]

8 hours ago, brobin111 said:

I neither complain nor get upset about other people's comments although I do find them interesting and sometimes amusing. This is a forum to provide critical and/or positive feedback about cruises. I posted my experience with O on this cruise. Being one of many cruises we've taken both on O, as well as many other lines over the last two decades, I reported - not whined about - the inadequacies  that my group and I experienced.  You can classify those experiences and give credence to them as you see fit. 

Perhaps, for everyone's benefit, you could post a full set of rules for what you deem to be correct and appropriate reporting criteria and what objective/subjective topics we should all adhere to.

BTW, the tuna tataki and rack of lamb at Red Ginger were excellent and John Joseph is the funniest man on the high seas! (I know, too subjective right?)  

@brobin111 What is happening here on this thread is human nature.  You expressed your personal experience and how it made you feel.  You would have never done that unless it really bothered you.  You used an OP-ED on a cruising social media site as your vehicle.  The logic is if all a social media site is for is the good stuff, it becomes a marketing site that does not inform past, current or future clients on what is the current potential treads. 

 

You had to know that some brand loyalist would take issue with you.  You are potentially rocking their option of a brand they really like. They feel their friend, in this case the brand, is being attacked in an area they believe is NOT accurate based on personal experience.  Your opinion is in direct contrast to their opinion. As been stated, human nature and a reaction will happen as did here.

 

Well, much feedback has been given from lots of sources.  Some that supports your opinions and others that challenge it.  The same thing happens on EVERY cruise brand site I read.  It can and should be expected especially when the title says in all CAPS, "NEVER AGAIN". That clearly indicated contrary opinions would be given because it was a direct challenge. Take the feedback positive and negative in stride.  If it gets personal, hit the ignore button on the poster.  In most cases, other have done the same on some folks.  

 

In my humble opinion, any brand blog should allow all past, current and future guests to have that ability to make "Realistic Expectations" of their next cruise experience on the brand.  Things like better than average crew personalized service or below average entertainment options.  If for example a new client, such as myself, cruises the brand knowing this information, we reduce feeling disappointed.  If a post focus on mainly on a horrible cruise or a cruise that everything was GREAT; it does not represent reality for everyone even on that cruise.  All experiences are blended.  

 

Why I wrote this response?  To kindly ask a favor to all involved.  I have had some horrible experiences on social media.  Expressing an opinion in a classy way is wonderful and appreciated even if we don't agree.  Making comments personal or challenging a persons credibility is yet another.  If you don't like the approach people take, hit ignore.  Please attempt not to make a post away to attack.  Say your piece with class and clarity, move on. It makes this and other blogs a kinder and gentler place to hangout.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

 

 

[MEFIowa]

9 hours ago, brobin111 said:

I neither complain nor get upset about other people's comments although I do find them interesting and sometimes amusing. This is a forum to provide critical and/or positive feedback about cruises. I posted my experience with O on this cruise. Being one of many cruises we've taken both on O, as well as many other lines over the last two decades, I reported - not whined about - the inadequacies that my group and I experienced.  You can classify those experiences and give credence to them as you see fit.  

What is fascinating recently is how people on O Facebook groups are reacting to what they see here on CC. So many recent comments on O FB groups about all the bad reviews and comments here, on these threads. Sadly, really "scaring" people there. They're afraid in relation to bookings they've made. Notice how the title of this Thread is "NEVER AGAIN!"? So, on those other groups people have to discuss the negativity and subjectivity expressed here, often by only a few very vocal complainers, who aren't bringing up objective issues that we can all understand. Thus, just as for "inadequacies", there is a huge difference between vague subjective complaints and serious objective issues.

[PaulMCO]

15 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

I don't understand how V can get the number one rating...there is very little entertainment, the food, after one taste, is enough...

 

The people we have talked to, have never sailed any other line, I think that is why they are still there, or maybe since wine is included with every meal, everything tastes better, once you have had a few.

 

I don't know of anyone that has sailed on O and preferred V.

One more week to go.

Great marketing to get cruisers to vote for them...

 

I remember on my early sailings on Crystal when Conde Nest were doing the best of voting, Crystal offered free internet for voting.  This was in the day when internet was $20/per day. 

 

So on embarkation (and throughout the cruise), people would go to the internet center.  Of course they did not have control of who you were voting for.  So being the wise guy I am, I voted for Oceania  🙂

Back then it was our favorite line... 

 

We were later Crystalized... (but it was not on that voyage).  It took a bad experience with a medical emergency to make us a Crystal loyalist.

 

Back to the post's topic is REALLY about customer service.  It starts at the ship.   You should not have to send an email to FDR or in our case have a TA intervene for you.  Had the OPs concerns been met, with an apology letter or some token - like free booze or whatever, it might have change the headline to RIVIERA -- Will Sail Again...

 

That is what we loved about old Crystal (no clue on the new)

Edited March 26, 2023 by PaulMCO

[terrydtx]

I learned last year after a terrible experience on a HAL cruise of Greece, to never say never again on CC. After the cruise I went on a CC rant about how after 10 years of cruising with HAL, I would never cruise with them again.  After my rants, our travel insurance made us whole with a generous cash settlement.  Then in January we were surprised by HAL when they sent us a very generous FCC. The FCC was enough to cover a 7 day California Coastal cruise in November for my wife and I on the Koingsdam in a top level verandah cabin.  After the HAL cruise we both said to ourselves that other than the bad experience the cruise overall was a very good one. After I was called out on CC about booking another HAL cruise after I said I was done with them, I made a CC apology and ate some crow. We have also booked a cruise with HAL for next August of NE/Canada.

[ak1004]

19 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

@brobin111 

 

You had to know that some brand loyalist would take issue with you.  You are potentially rocking their option of a brand they really like. They feel their friend, in this case the brand, is being attacked in an area they believe is NOT accurate based on personal experience.  Your opinion is in direct contrast to their opinion. As been stated, human nature and a reaction will happen as did here.

 

Well, much feedback has been given from lots of sources.  Some that supports your opinions and others that challenge it.  The same thing happens on EVERY cruise brand site I read.  It can and should be expected especially when the title says in all CAPS, "NEVER AGAIN". That clearly indicated contrary opinions would be given because it was a direct challenge. Take the feedback positive and negative in stride.  If it gets personal, hit the ignore button on the poster.  In most cases, other have done the same on some folks.  

 

 

 

Well, I can talk for myself - I'm NOT a brand loyalist. We sailed on 11 different lines, and currently are booked on 4 different lines for the next 2 years.

 

The issue is with facts, not opinions. For example:

 

"Oceania knew that March is not a good time to go to Bermuda, they scheduled this cruise as bait and switch, knowing that Bermuda in March will not happen" - this is an opinion.

 

"Other ships did dock in Bermuda in March, and the next Oceania cruise actually docked in Bermuda too" - this is a fact.

 

When many people on SS forums attached SS for cancelling almost half ports on our World Cup, I defended SS. Not because I'm SS loyalist (this was our first SS cruise), but because it's common sense. 

[brobin111]

1 hour ago, PaulMCO said:

Great marketing to get cruisers to vote for them...

 

I remember on my early sailings on Crystal when Conde Nest were doing the best of voting, Crystal offered free internet for voting.  This was in the day when internet was $20/per day. 

 

So on embarkation (and throughout the cruise), people would go to the internet center.  Of course they did not have control of who you were voting for.  So being the wise guy I am, I voted for Oceania  🙂

Back then it was our favorite line... 

 

We were later Crystalized... (but it was not on that voyage).  It took a bad experience with a medical emergency to make us a Crystal loyalist.

 

Back to the post's topic is REALLY about customer service.  It starts at the ship.   You should not have to send an email to FDR or in our case have a TA intervene for you.  Had the OPs concerns been met, with an apology letter or some token - like free booze or whatever, it might have change the headline to RIVIERA -- Will Sail Again...

 

That is what we loved about old Crystal (no clue on the new)

BINGO!

[mauibabes]

@Sthrngary

Major DITTO, Very well said. 
Time to “Drop the MIC”

Mauibabes

[ak1004]

10 hours ago, MEFIowa said:

What is fascinating recently is how people on O Facebook groups are reacting to what they see here on CC. So many recent comments on O FB groups about all the bad reviews and comments here, on these threads. Sadly, really "scaring" people there. They're afraid in relation to bookings they've made. Notice how the title of this Thread is "NEVER AGAIN!"? So, on those other groups people have to discuss the negativity and subjectivity expressed here, often by only a few very vocal complainers, who aren't bringing up objective issues that we can all understand. Thus, just as for "inadequacies", there is a huge difference between vague subjective complaints and serious objective issues.

 

There is a HUGE difference between the overall positivity of Facebook groups and overall negativity of CC topics (this applies to all lines, not only O - just read SS forums).

 

Interestingly enough, there was another "live from Riviera" topic, from the same cruise, where the OP preferred to focus on their overall cruise experience, not just one aspect of it (amount of compensation for missed ports). The other OP mentioned their disappointment from missing Bermuda, but also described the service, the food, the ship (which was recently renovated) etc. including some very nice photos. He didn't describe the cruise as perfect, but provided a very objective and balanced picture.

 

In my opinion, those typed of topics are much more valuable. Personally when I see a title like "NEVER AGAIN", or "AWAFUL", or "CRUISE TO HELL" (yes, most of them are usually all capital to make it more dramatic), to me they lose most of their credibility right away.

 

But that's just me, obviously everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

[DCGuy64]

23 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

What is happening here on this thread is human nature.  You expressed your personal experience and how it made you feel.  You would have never done that unless it really bothered you.  You used an OP-ED on a cruising social media site as your vehicle.  The logic is if all a social media site is for is the good stuff, it becomes a marketing site that does not inform past, current or future clients on what is the current potential treads. 

As usual, @Sthrngary is spot-on in his analysis. Whatever issues humans have with one another outside of social media and the internet, they'll have ON social media and the internet. And, in fact, experience suggests that some people will act even more boldly, and sometimes rudely, in the virtual world than the non-virtual one. Human nature. And he's also right with regard to what happens when a site has to be 100% positive about cruise lines. It becomes indistinguishable from marketing fluff. So there has to be a balance. Those who love a particular line need to be prepared to hear some criticisms of that line. But equally, those with bad experiences on a particular cruise line can't throw a tantrum when others defend that line or point out illogical arguments, inconsistencies or unrealistic expectations. And as @Sthrngary also rightly points out, the ignore button is always there in case people take it a step too far.

[Sthrngary]

2 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

As usual, @Sthrngary is spot-on in his analysis. Whatever issues humans have with one another outside of social media and the internet, they'll have ON social media and the internet. And, in fact, experience suggests that some people will act even more boldly, and sometimes rudely, in the virtual world than the non-virtual one. Human nature. And he's also right with regard to what happens when a site has to be 100% positive about cruise lines. It becomes indistinguishable from marketing fluff. So there has to be a balance. Those who love a particular line need to be prepared to hear some criticisms of that line. But equally, those with bad experiences on a particular cruise line can't throw a tantrum when others defend that line or point out illogical arguments, inconsistencies or unrealistic expectations. And as @Sthrngary also rightly points out, the ignore button is always there in case people take it a step too far.

@DCGuy64 Wow, thank you.  If any of us cruise enough we will have situation that will be less then perfect.  The nature of the beast.  I have had some of those situations.  If I fell wronged, I took it up patiently with the cruise brand.  I never gave up, I was always transparent and never ever did I threaten anything.  In my online reviews I stated the blended the reviews comments with all aspects of the cruising experience. 

 

In each and every case, sooner or later my situation was resolved by the cruise brand.  I will not go into details however in life, it is always best to deal directly and relentlessly with the party you feel has injured you.  Not the world of public opinions.  More importantly, it get much better results. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[njhorseman]

On 3/24/2023 at 10:33 PM, CurlerRob said:

 

You correctly ascertained that this was some time ago - my point was that FCC over 10% was not unheard of.

 

Clearly, times are much tougher for the lines - but if they do believe that customers are disposable, that is a quicker road to an unwanted end. Recognition of issues and problems doesn't have to be expensive - good communications and even a token gesture go a long way to instilling loyalty. That was the point of my final sentence. 🍺🥌

The key word in your first sentence above is "was". What was possible or even fairly commonplace when cruise lines were awash in profits many years ago may be uncommon or near impossible today when cruise lines are awash in red ink .

I question whether loyalty is all that important to a cruise line like Oceania with its age demographic currently being heavily weighted toward senior citizens. Realistically, how much more cruising is on the horizon for many of Oceania's regulars? On the other hand I see see post after post here by those who are frequent passengers on other lines of lower ranking on the luxury scale such as Celebrity who immediately see how superior Oceania's product is in comparison to their previous preferred cruise line. That's where Oceania's passengers will be coming from to an increasing extent in the future. The mass market lines carry huge numbers of passengers. Oceania, with its small fleet of small capacity ships doesn't have to lure a huge percentage of current mass market passengers to step up in order to fill its berths and be profitable. 

[MEFIowa]

27 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

... On the other hand I see see post after post here by those who are frequent passengers on other lines of lower ranking on the luxury scale such as Celebrity who immediately see how superior Oceania's product is in comparison to their previous preferred cruise line. That's where Oceania's passengers will be coming from to an increasing extent in the future....

Marketing is intended to reach various target audiences and potential new future customers, who may have no history of cruising.

 

Wife and I (in our late 50s) had never cruised before nor even thought about it. Yet the last Saturday in Jan. 2021 an O brochure fell out of my WSJ (I subscribe) and into my lap. I was going to recycle it but opened it up. Before I know it I've found a cruise I'm interested in (12/2021, when I hoped COVID concerns would be lessened), my wife concurs, and I call O on Monday to book it. We book our 2nd O cruise while on Riviera (for Sirena). And a couple months after we're back from Riviera we've booked a Med B2B in 2023 (Riviera) and another 10 nights (Sirena) in the Baltic in 2024! And we went from A4 Concierge (Riviera) to B2 Veranda (Sirena) with an F & a B4 for our two B2B segments and the big C1 (7006) on Sirena.

[jonthomas]

Yup, I hear you, we have 6 booked, all the way to May, 2025, a 22 day on the Vista in a French balcony.

[Orator]

On 3/26/2023 at 9:09 AM, jonthomas said:

I don't understand how V can get the number one rating...there is very little entertainment, the food, after one taste, is enough...

 

The people we have talked to, have never sailed any other line, I think that is why they are still there, or maybe since wine is included with every meal, everything tastes better, once you have had a few.

 

I don't know of anyone that has sailed on O and preferred V.

One more week to go.

I did!

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, MEFIowa said:

Marketing is intended to reach various target audiences and potential new future customers, who may have no history of cruising.

 

Wife and I (in our late 50s) had never cruised before nor even thought about it. Yet the last Saturday in Jan. 2021 an O brochure fell out of my WSJ (I subscribe) and into my lap. I was going to recycle it but opened it up. Before I know it I've found a cruise I'm interested in (12/2021, when I hoped COVID concerns would be lessened), my wife concurs, and I call O on Monday to book it. We book our 2nd O cruise while on Riviera (for Sirena). And a couple months after we're back from Riviera we've booked a Med B2B in 2023 (Riviera) and another 10 nights (Sirena) in the Baltic in 2024! And we went from A4 Concierge (Riviera) to B2 Veranda (Sirena) with an F & a B4 for our two B2B segments and the big C1 (7006) on Sirena.

Right...and in my first reply to that poster I wrote:  "If they lose some customers as a result they believe the lost customers will be replaced by new ones, and I suspect they're right as only a minority of people have ever cruised."

There's a huge market of both new cruisers and cruisers who want a product better than their current cruise line.

Edited March 27, 2023 by njhorseman