Marina questions for a newbie

[poinsettiaplate]

Although I have been on Oceania cruises years ago, it was not the Marina nor post-covid. Now I have booked 30 days on the Marina from Copenhagen to Reykjavik.  Here are my questions:  What the heck is country club casual in real life?  What are the antes on the casino table games and are there many tables?  Are there solo traveller meetings and are they staff hosted?  Are there sharing tables at dinner?  How often are the menus repeated in the main dining room?  Is there a show in the theater every night?  How many other music venues are there?  Do the entertainers change or do the same ones stay on for multiple cruises?  Is this a ship that invites selected guests to eat with an officer at dinner at least once during each cruise?

 

Thanks in advance for all your accumulated knowledge.

[AMHuntFerry]

2 minutes ago, poinsettiaplate said:

1) What the heck is country club casual in real life?  2) What are the antes on the casino table games and are there many tables?  3) Are there solo traveller meetings and are they staff hosted?  4) Are there sharing tables at dinner?  5) How often are the menus repeated in the main dining room?  6) Is there a show in the theater every night?  7) How many other music venues are there? 😎 Do the entertainers change or do the same ones stay on for multiple cruises? 9)  Is this a ship that invites selected guests to eat with an officer at dinner at least once during each cruise?

I numbered your questions to make answering easier. Here goes...

[AMHuntFerry]

3) yes

4) yes

6) yes

[AMHuntFerry]

1) During the day wear what you want although pool-side attire (suits/coverups/robes) are limited to pool/spa areas.

In the evening, in all dining venues (except Terrace) men wear at least chinos and polos with non-sneaker/sandal shoes. Women wear the same (slacks/skirts with blouse or dress). Recently jeans have been added but they are highly controversial, so I'd avoid them to avoid upsetting traditionalists, but super nice non-ripped/distressed jeans are technically allowed.

In Terrace "dressy shorts" (e.g., chino-shorts) are allowed at dinner.

(P.S. the dress code usually leads to passionate responses)

[AMHuntFerry]

5) In the past there have been 14 days of GDR menus.

[AMHuntFerry]

7) There is music at various times in Horizons, Martinis, and either by the Grand Staircase (R-ships) or the Grand Bar (O-ships), plus occasionally in the theater. I feel like I'm forgetting somewhere...

[AMHuntFerry]

😎 8...hehe...this keeps getting converted to an appropriate emoji...the main entertainment crew (singers, dancers) stay for multiple cruises and also have jobs during the day leading the social/game activities.
There are usually other entertainers (e.g., comics, singers, magicians) that may come and go.

[AMHuntFerry]

9) I'll leave this mostly to the super-experienced since I have not noticed. However, one of the benefits of the highest level O-Club is dinner with officers. If you want to chat with officers, hand out at Baristas.

[AMHuntFerry]

I don't know #2, but I'm sure someone will chime in and add to my brief answers. Please feel free to ask for clarification as I'm avoiding tackling my overgrown yard.

[LHT28]

The dress code will  be the same as years ago on Oceania

AFAIK  it has always been Country Club casual

 

for dinner  other than The Terrace  think of smart casual wear like  Chicos

no fancy dress unless you want to dress up

JMO

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, AMHuntFerry said:

5) In the past there have been 14 days of GDR menus.

That can vary- particularly on long single segment cruises of 3 weeks +\- where there is far less repeating (same goes for the ATW cruise).

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, poinsettiaplate said:

…..Do the entertainers change or do the same ones stay on for multiple cruises?  Is this a ship that invites selected guests to eat with an officer at dinner at least once during each cruise?…..

“In house” company show ensemble mostly changes every contract.  Other entertainers come and go.

There are officer invited dinners, at least, for elite O Club members. But, depending on the nature of your interactions, you may find yourself invited more than once and/or even if you’re not at an elite O Club level (e.g., Platinum).

[MEFIowa]

18 hours ago, poinsettiaplate said:

 What the heck is country club casual in real life?

For MEN in the Restaurants (not the Terrace Cafe): Pants, collared shirt, socks, shoes. Simple as that. NO jacket or tie is required.

[pinotlover]

Massive numbers of Oceania dress code threads. Why start another one?

[Flatbush Flyer]

18 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Massive numbers of Oceania dress code threads. Why start another one?

Because some folks just don’t want to use the far more efficacious Search feature here on CC.

[ORV]

On 5/18/2023 at 9:49 PM, pinotlover said:

Massive numbers of Oceania dress code threads. Why start another one?

Actually that would apply to most of these questions. Perhaps the best thing the OP could do is spend some time reading through old threads here, go back 3 or 4 pages. That's what I always do when I'm checking a different cruise line. 

[mourhaan]

On 5/17/2023 at 3:04 PM, poinsettiaplate said:

Although I have been on Oceania cruises years ago, it was not the Marina nor post-covid. Now I have booked 30 days on the Marina from Copenhagen to Reykjavik.  Here are my questions:  What the heck is country club casual in real life?  What are the antes on the casino table games and are there many tables?  Are there solo traveller meetings and are they staff hosted?  Are there sharing tables at dinner?  How often are the menus repeated in the main dining room?  Is there a show in the theater every night?  How many other music venues are there?  Do the entertainers change or do the same ones stay on for multiple cruises?  Is this a ship that invites selected guests to eat with an officer at dinner at least once during each cruise?

 

Thanks in advance for all your accumulated knowledge.

I'll also be on the ship. First time. Thank you

[poinsettiaplate]

Thanks for all your help for the prior questions.  Here's another:

 

How dark are the restaurants?  Sometimes I like to take a book and read during dinner.  Need to know how many reading lights and batteries to bring.

 

Thanks.

[Sujormik]

7 hours ago, poinsettiaplate said:

Thanks for all your help for the prior questions.  Here's another:

 

How dark are the restaurants?  Sometimes I like to take a book and read during dinner.  Need to know how many reading lights and batteries to bring.

 

Thanks.

Red Ginger is darker, the others have felt well lit.

[pinotlover]

8 hours ago, poinsettiaplate said:

Thanks for all your help for the prior questions.  Here's another:

 

How dark are the restaurants?  Sometimes I like to take a book and read during dinner.  Need to know how many reading lights and batteries to bring.

 

Thanks.

This conjures up visions of horror! 😳

 

People bringing laptops and watching movies, with full sound, in the restaurants! 🤮

 

Are you a single or dislike normal dinner conversation with table mates?

[grifdoglover]

@pinotlover A book is pretty quiet however phones are sometimes quite noisy as are loud voices from group tables.

[ORV]

I'm with Pinot on this. I don't like meals to be a somber occasion. I think the Italians have it right when it comes to mealtime. It's a party. 

[CarrieAP]

3 hours ago, pinotlover said:

This conjures up visions of horror! 😳

 

People bringing laptops and watching movies, with full sound, in the restaurants! 🤮

 

Are you a single or dislike normal dinner conversation with table mates?

Ouch. Hope this is sarcasm? For some of us the thought of dining alone is pretty intimidating. Did it last cruise when my husband was too tired and I prefer dining rooms to buffet. Took my kindle with me as support. Sometimes the delay between courses feels quite awkward. Can only people watch so long before it feels creepy. As does conversing with myself. And if I busy myself sipping from my wineglass to fill the void I'll need an escort back to my cabin lol. 

[halfapair]

On 5/17/2023 at 12:26 PM, AMHuntFerry said:

9) I'll leave this mostly to the super-experienced since I have not noticed. However, one of the benefits of the highest level O-Club is dinner with officers. If you want to chat with officers, hand out at Baristas.

Agree that Baristas is a great place to hang out with the crew. We were in Martinis one evening and the only available seats were with the Captain and his beautiful wife. He was having a Coke, she was have a glass of champagne. Lovely people😊

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 hours ago, CarrieAP said:

Ouch. Hope this is sarcasm? For some of us the thought of dining alone is pretty intimidating. Did it last cruise when my husband was too tired and I prefer dining rooms to buffet. Took my kindle with me as support. Sometimes the delay between courses feels quite awkward. Can only people watch so long before it feels creepy. As does conversing with myself. And if I busy myself sipping from my wineglass to fill the void I'll need an escort back to my cabin lol. 

As long as you don’t “bogart” that table or add a sound track to your space, I see no problem with a single entertaining themselves. 
That said, the dining venues are not the local Starbucks coffee shop. And, most importantly, taking/making a cell phone call in any restaurant is the poster child for RUDE.