"O" Fans Please do your thing and comment!

[Hlitner]

We are looking at a couple of "O" cruises (Marina and/or Vista) and happened to look at the more recent Marina reviews posted here on CC for the Marina.  We read every review from Dec to April and it was somewhat shocking.  What is in those reviews is a lot different than the always positive posts we see from "O" fans such as Flatbush Flyer.  DW and I have been around the cruise world for a few years (50+), and I must admit that the fact that so many folks took the time to post somewhat negative reviews of the Marina..causes me a lot of concern.  I read a few of these reviews to DW and her immediate reaction was "why on earth would we want to book on that ship?"

 

So as one who has no O experience (positive or negative) here is what I take away from all those Marina reviews.  The ship is tired/dated and needs a major refurbishing.  The food (always touted as the strong point of "O") was underwhelming.  In fact, in more than 18 reviews we saw very little positive about the food, which surprises me after seeing years of comments about the wonderful O cuisine.  There was also too many negative comments about the onboard staff, much of might be related to a high number of new staff with minimal training.

 

As one who has spent several years on cruise ships (as a passenger) we like to think we can read the tea leaves, and what I see in these recent reviews is not good.  If "O" were a budget or even lower tier mass market line, these reviews would not even raise my eyebrows.  But we are talking about "O" which many here like to call a "Premium" cruise line with the best food at sea.  We are also talking about a cruise line that can cost significantly more than Princess or HAL (a line that disappointed us on a recent 42 day cruise).  In fact, after reading these reviews I want to go running to MSC's Yacht Club, where we have always been happy and at a cost (when considering perks) that is less expensive than "O."

 

So folks, where am I going wrong?

 

Hank

[shepherd really]

I last sailed on her in April 2019.  At the time I would say she was pristine.

 

I can't imagine the amount of wear since, given the mothballing during covid, would be significant.

 

That said the consistent food and service complaints are concerning, but since I'm not scheduled to be on her for another 9 months, I would hope the service and food issues are addressed.  If not, I'll vote with my wallet.   

 

 

[bob brown]

I haven’t read any of those reviews, but I can comment on my own personal experience on my current, second ATW cruise aboard the Insignia…

First of all, I am not a “foodie”, by any means, so perhaps not the best person to comment, but I find plenty of delicious food on board, in all of the venues.  And to my perception, no degradation since my last Oceania cruise in 2019.

As far as service…I think it is superb, rendered by a generally very happy and friendly crew.

Yes, there are a few new crew members, but they seem” to quickly learn, and assimilate into the on board culture.

The crew to passenger   ratio is much better than what you’ll experience on a “mainstream” line…400 to 680, enabling more personal service.

[CardowMD]

Seems to be the issue on the other luxury cruise lines. Regent, seaborne and Silversea really getting terrible reviews lately about general state of cabins and food.. crew was always complimented, but rest terrible.

[pinotlover]

We were on the Marina 2/27-3/19, so 20 days. We stayed in a PH2, and found the condition of the ship to be mostly fine. Most notable needed repairs were to the AC/heating system. Cruise before ours likewise complained of problems. Hopefully they invest and fix those issues before the retrofit.

 

Food. We had some great meals and some poor to mediocre meals. Inconsistency is an issue. As a positive, the food on the Marina was overall better than on the Sirena last October.

 

Destination Services is a disaster. They’ll look you in the face and lie like dogs. Book private tours and avoid as much as possible.

 

The rest of the staff do a fairly good job and try to keep you happy. Communications from senior staff to the passengers are very poor. Probably one of Oceania’s greatest weaknesses. Always has been.

 

I believe you’ll enjoy your cruise. Haven’t yet sailed the Yacht Club but plan to someday. Be careful to taper your expectations and I think things will go fine.

 

Things have definitely changed on the New Oceania. Give it a try for the experience.

[copperpenny]

We have booked our first "O" cruise in September on Vista. This will be our first "O" experience. We have cruised Celebrity, Cunard, RCCL, Costa, NCL  Celebrity has been our favorite. We wanted to try something a little different. We are 59/60 active, love to travel and can make the best of any situation!

[cruiserchuck]

I have a hold on a cruise on Riviera for later this year, and have read all recent reviews of Riviera and Marina.  I am also concerned about the many negative recent reviews on both ships.  Some of the negative reviews for Riviera were due to the ship missing the stop in Bermuda.  However, many reviews rated the food as not so good, which is a concern to me, especially since Oceania claims to have the finest cuisine at sea.  

 

We sailed on the Marina about 9 years ago, and thought the food was generally good.  However, we did not believe it was worth the premium over Celebrity and HAL.  However, with the Extraordinary Savings fares now being offered, Oceania prices are comparable to Celebrity and HAL for similar sailing we looked at.  As such, we are thinking about going with Oceania for our next cruise.    

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

We are looking at a couple of "O" cruises (Marina and/or Vista) and happened to look at the more recent Marina reviews posted here on CC for the Marina.  We read every review from Dec to April and it was somewhat shocking.  What is in those reviews is a lot different than the always positive posts we see from "O" fans such as Flatbush Flyer.  DW and I have been around the cruise world for a few years (50+), and I must admit that the fact that so many folks took the time to post somewhat negative reviews of the Marina..causes me a lot of concern.  I read a few of these reviews to DW and her immediate reaction was "why on earth would we want to book on that ship?"

 

So as one who has no O experience (positive or negative) here is what I take away from all those Marina reviews.  The ship is tired/dated and needs a major refurbishing.  The food (always touted as the strong point of "O") was underwhelming.  In fact, in more than 18 reviews we saw very little positive about the food, which surprises me after seeing years of comments about the wonderful O cuisine.  There was also too many negative comments about the onboard staff, much of might be related to a high number of new staff with minimal training.

 

As one who has spent several years on cruise ships (as a passenger) we like to think we can read the tea leaves, and what I see in these recent reviews is not good.  If "O" were a budget or even lower tier mass market line, these reviews would not even raise my eyebrows.  But we are talking about "O" which many here like to call a "Premium" cruise line with the best food at sea.  We are also talking about a cruise line that can cost significantly more than Princess or HAL (a line that disappointed us on a recent 42 day cruise).  In fact, after reading these reviews I want to go running to MSC's Yacht Club, where we have always been happy and at a cost (when considering perks) that is less expensive than "O."

 

So folks, where am I going wrong?

 

Hank

 

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

We are looking at a couple of "O" cruises (Marina and/or Vista) and happened to look at the more recent Marina reviews posted here on CC for the Marina.  We read every review from Dec to April and it was somewhat shocking.  What is in those reviews is a lot different than the always positive posts we see from "O" fans such as Flatbush Flyer.  DW and I have been around the cruise world for a few years (50+), and I must admit that the fact that so many folks took the time to post somewhat negative reviews of the Marina..causes me a lot of concern.  I read a few of these reviews to DW and her immediate reaction was "why on earth would we want to book on that ship?"

 

So as one who has no O experience (positive or negative) here is what I take away from all those Marina reviews.  The ship is tired/dated and needs a major refurbishing.  The food (always touted as the strong point of "O") was underwhelming.  In fact, in more than 18 reviews we saw very little positive about the food, which surprises me after seeing years of comments about the wonderful O cuisine.  There was also too many negative comments about the onboard staff, much of might be related to a high number of new staff with minimal training.

 

As one who has spent several years on cruise ships (as a passenger) we like to think we can read the tea leaves, and what I see in these recent reviews is not good.  If "O" were a budget or even lower tier mass market line, these reviews would not even raise my eyebrows.  But we are talking about "O" which many here like to call a "Premium" cruise line with the best food at sea.  We are also talking about a cruise line that can cost significantly more than Princess or HAL (a line that disappointed us on a recent 42 day cruise).  In fact, after reading these reviews I want to go running to MSC's Yacht Club, where we have always been happy and at a cost (when considering perks) that is less expensive than "O."

 

So folks, where am I going wrong?

 

Hank

We were in Marina for 7 weeks this past autumn. She looked fine. Her major zillion dollar NEXT makeover (last ship in the fleet to get it), which was scheduled to happen during the height of the Pandemic has been moved to spring 2024 (April?)

 

The food was the usual food albeit with an occasional hiccup (due primarily to supply chain issues and, like all cruise lines right now, many new staff. That said, we have NY and SF standards and O always fits the bill.

The biggest problem with Destination Services is there’s a lot of new staff. But, if you know the system for O Life and YWYW, they won’t give you a hassle. And, by now, they should be adequately schooled.

But, if you have concerns based solely on chat room reviews and disregard the reality that more than 70% of passengers on any O ship are repeaters, you probably should stick with mass market ships.

[ORV]

I believe you already have a negative outlook on Oceania due to your previous experience and will look for anything to pick apart. Save yourself some grief and book on another line you know you like. 

[WESTEAST]

We've been sailing Oceania since 2012 and have been onboard Marina a few times though not since Covid.  Appreciate that she may be in need of a refresh as has been done with the other ships. We did sail Regatta last year to see how service was post-Covid and must say the cruise continued to tick all of our boxes: itinerary, service and food.  We sail Riviera again in August and are looking forward to both the renovations, itinerary, service and food.  We do book a combination of O Shore Excursions and independent tours and have never experienced any significant problem with Destination Services - did have to cancel and rebook an excursion once while onboard and the Concierge took care of it to our satisfaction. That said, nothing is always perfect and we do bring forward to staff should we find food not up to par etc. and it is typically adjusted with apology. We've had to ask maitre d's to move us when seated beside very noisy tables and again never had a problem. Realize these are not major issues but thought to include from our perspective and how resolved. If the reviews you read give you doubt perhaps it is best to keep to cruise lines you are comfortable with.

[LHT28]

Book the Vista   then

Of course if people are unhappy  more will post about their negative experience  & not so much the positives

 

You are an experienced cruiser ...right?

 

 

[1985rz1]

Personally, I think we need to look at the macro picture, not the micro picture.

 

First, I would note that folks tend to post negative experiences rather than positive experiences on social media.  I leave it to you all to decide why.

 

Second, all cruise lines are still experiencing the impact of Covid's impact on cruising.  I follow several premium lines because I'm booked on them, and none are exempt from complaints.  

 

Third, marketing is marketing, and (to be specific), if O claims "the best cuisine at sea," one needs to have a real time comparison, because all premium lines are suffering from both staffing issues and supply chain issues. A one time experience is not sufficient to judge in this environment.

 

Finally, If one is not willing to accept the current issues that cruise lines are experiencing...which are impacting the cruise broadly...then one may need to wait until the situation stabilizes.

 

We can no longer compare cruises now to what we experienced before.

 

And for the record, we cruised Oceania around Ireland this past summer and it was great.

 

But this is just my opinion and experience.   As is often said, Your Experience May Vary.

Edited May 22, 2023 by 1985rz1

[CurlerRob]

4 hours ago, Hlitner said:

So folks, where am I going wrong?

 

You'll be the judge of whether you are "going wrong", but this may be of some assistance. It's not relevant to Marina specifically (Insignia), but comes from the perspective of a long-time HAL and more recent Viking cruiser. 🍺🥌

 

 

[Hambagahle]

Hank - I have to confess that I was a lurker on your recent thread on HAL about your Westerdam cruise.  And enjoyed reading what you had to say very much!  Thank you.  Interestingly some old friends of ours who were on the two segments around Japan with you just returned and said "Never again" to HAL.  They said the food was terrible, inedible at times and certainly not suited to European tastes.   They are also now looking at Oceania and the Vista.

We have sailed several times on Oceania but not following Covid.  However the reviews I am reading on CC from people who have been on Oceania recently are very positive.  My TA was on Vista for the Christening cruise and she (with many years of experience of "high end" cruising) loved every bit of it. 

Any ship that has not been renovated for some time (Marina for example) is bound to be showing wear and tear.  And I think all the lines have had food/supply problems following Covid.  But it isn't the fact that these problems exist that bother me.  It is how they are dealt with.  HAL was obviously lacking in that but it seems that Oceania is managing quite well.   

We are now booked on Vista for a Mediterranean cruise next April and very much looking forward to it.

Thank you again for all the very interesting posts, photos etc from your recent Japan/Alaska cruise!!

[Ride-The-Waves]

Recently cruised Oceania Marina (Transatlantic) and HAL Zaandam (Panama Canal), ships about the same passenger capacity.  No comparison.  The Zaandam cuisine was better, cabin nicer, public spaces more inviting, ship more spacious, the crew more inviting, especially the officers.  Remember, "the best cuisine at sea" is a trade mark, not a factual statement.  My experience?  First cruise as a youngster was 1949 and in the 1950s on SS United States, SS America, America Lines ships, and a host of HAL ships.  More recently Celebrity, Hurtigruten, Princess, Azamara (a favorite) and Royal.

 

We will not sail on Oceania again.  Over priced, snooty fellow passengers and crew.

[MEFIowa]

Sailed on the pre-renovated Riviera 12/2021 (A4) and thoroughly enjoyed a magnificent cruise. Loved the ship, the crew, the food, the customer service. And from the photographs I've seen of the updates, I prefer the prior look to what I'd call something akin to Scandinavian modern minimalism.

 

Sailed on Sirena (B2, 11/2022) and again thoroughly enjoyed a magnificent cruise. Loved the ship, the crew, the food, the customer service.

 

So wife and I (late 50s) had 2 great O cruises. Our very first ever cruises. We've got 20 nights aboard Riviera booked for 10-11/2023! Can't wait. Then back to Sirena for 10 nights in 9/2024.

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

Recently cruised Oceania Marina (Transatlantic) and HAL Zaandam (Panama Canal), ships about the same passenger capacity.  No comparison.  The Zaandam cuisine was better, cabin nicer, public spaces more inviting, ship more spacious, the crew more inviting, especially the officers.  Remember, "the best cuisine at sea" is a trade mark, not a factual statement.  My experience?  First cruise as a youngster was 1949 and in the 1950s on SS United States, SS America, America Lines ships, and a host of HAL ships.  More recently Celebrity, Hurtigruten, Princess, Azamara (a favorite) and Royal.

 

We will not sail on Oceania again.  Over priced, snooty fellow passengers and crew.

WOW!  Thanks for your post, which gives me a lot to thing about.  We recently completed a 42 day Westerdam Cruise (Japan and North Pacific) which was very disappointing on several levels.  Even though we are 5* Mariners, we have crossed HAL off our list (for future bookngs) until that line gets their act together.  The food on our HAL cruise was generally well prepared, but the cut-backs in both quantity and variety was very obvious.  

 

Reading the other posts, many from long time O fans, just adds to my concern.  I smiled at the post that suggested booking the new Vista (that is under consideration) as if to say, things are not so good on other ships (like the Marina) but they should be better on a new ship?  Another thing missing from many posts is the "value" (a major factor for us) given that "O" is significantly more expensive (overall cost.  

 

Are internal debate seems to be coming down to booking the Regal Princess (a ship we know quite well) and either the Marina or Vista (we are talking a TA plus following cruise in Europe).  We have been on over 35 Princess cruises (all over the world) and are familiar with the pros/cons of that line and the particular ship.  "O" is an unknown product (to us) and we had moved it very high on our list of "lines to try" based on the design of the newer ships and many posts (over the years) about the excellent cuisine.  But, we would be fools to ignore a growing number of negative reviews (under the CC Ships Reviews) which talk about negative issues (maintenance, crew, etc) and seldom mention the cuisine (does this mean it is not worth mentioning?).

 

Another factor that is in Princess's favor is the excellent FlexAir program which allows us to easily book Business Class (from many different European cities) at a big discount and without any extra fees (a big negative when considering O).  The big negative on the Regal Princess is the ridiculous crowding at evening shows (the Royal Class's main theater is simply too small for the number of passengers) and the so-so food (similar to what we get on HAL).  

 

Hank

P.S.  "O" fans please forgive me for thinking outloud.  One of the O cruises under consideration would cost us over $23,000 (cruise only) which puts it into a "major decision" category.

[PhD-iva]

1 hour ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

  …… snooty fellow passengers and crew.

WOW! Not my experience at all. The best thing I like about Oceania and Regent are my fellow pax. For the most part, I find them intelligent, successful and well-traveled.

I’m sorry you had a different experience.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

Recently cruised Oceania Marina (Transatlantic) and HAL Zaandam (Panama Canal), ships about the same passenger capacity.  No comparison.  The Zaandam cuisine was better, cabin nicer, public spaces more inviting, ship more spacious, the crew more inviting, especially the officers.  Remember, "the best cuisine at sea" is a trade mark, not a factual statement.  My experience?  First cruise as a youngster was 1949 and in the 1950s on SS United States, SS America, America Lines ships, and a host of HAL ships.  More recently Celebrity, Hurtigruten, Princess, Azamara (a favorite) and Royal.

 

We will not sail on Oceania again.  Over priced, snooty fellow passengers and crew.

Well at least you know  what line works best for you

 

Enjoy life it has an expiry date

[MEFIowa]

23 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

... One of the O cruises under consideration would cost us over $23,000 (cruise only) which puts it into a "major decision" category.

This points out how fascinating expectations can be in light of the wildly different prices people have or will pay to eat the same food and use the same ship outside their differing cabins.

 

While I don't know the duration of your potential cruise, the sum of our 50 nights on O for five 10-night cruises between 12/2021 (Riviera) by 9/2024 (Sirena) for both of us will be LESS than $23,000 (actually $21,000), and we only do "cruise only" and book nearly all of ours off cabin-upgrade sales. These will be 20 nights in A cabins, 20 nights in B cabins, and 10 nights in a C1 cabin. (Already did 10 nights A4 on Riviera and B2 on Sirena.)

 

I can only imagine the expectations of cruisers who are paying 3 to 10 times as much per day as I am to eat the same food. What I might think is fantastic, you might think is mediocre. Our expectations do impact our impressions and experiences.

[Flatbush Flyer]

28 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

….P.S.  "O" fans please forgive me for thinking outloud.  One of the O cruises under consideration would cost us over $23,000 (cruise only) which puts it into a "major decision" category…..

OK - you’re forgiven for thinking out loud.

Now, make a decision and, if you decide to finally go on an O cruise, come back and report about your experience.

 

[luvnz]

Hank,

We just booked our first O cruise as well and are really looking forward to it.  We haven't cruised for a while so looked at all of our old favorites, but decided to give O a try.  I just wanted to thank you for all of your informative posts, especially about European ports.  You have helped many of us for a long time.  If you decide to take the O cruise, I know your review will be fair and informative.  In fact, I was hoping to see a review from you when we were looking into Oceania.  🙂

[Hlitner]

4 minutes ago, luvnz said:

Hank,

We just booked our first O cruise as well and are really looking forward to it.  We haven't cruised for a while so looked at all of our old favorites, but decided to give O a try.  I just wanted to thank you for all of your informative posts, especially about European ports.  You have helped many of us for a long time.  If you decide to take the O cruise, I know your review will be fair and informative.  In fact, I was hoping to see a review from you when we were looking into Oceania.  🙂

Perhaps I am being a bit anal about my concerns/critiques, but the entire travel/cruise industry has changed...post Covid.  In fact, we now ignore most reviews/comments from folks who base their posts upon pre-COVID trips/cruises.  Post COVID we have done a significant amount of cruising on Seabourn, MSC (Yacht Club), Princess and HAL (with upcoming cruises on the new Explora Journeys and Princess).  With the exception of Seabourn (which we found was quite similar to what we experienced pre-Covid) the other lines have changed....and not in a positive way.   My reading of "O" reviews and posts give me a lot of concern that "O" has also changed (in a negative way).

 

We think that the huge amount of debt accumulated by CCL, NCLH, and RCI are like a huge weight bringing down the quality of these 3 huge companies.  They must somehow generate enough revenue to make huge debt-service payments while also dealing with high fuel prices, ridiculous food prices, etc.  The reality is that MSC, and its new Explora Journeys luxury spin off, are the only major cruise line companies not being dragged down by debt service issues.  Perhaps the revamped Crystal Cruises (now owned by the A&K folks) is also in a good position (time will tell).  Lots of tough planning decisions for we frequent cruisers/travelers.

 

Hank

[LHT28]

20 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

We think that the huge amount of debt accumulated by CCL, NCLH, and RCI are like a huge weight bringing down the quality of these 3 huge companies.  They must somehow generate enough revenue to make huge debt-service payments while also dealing with high fuel prices, ridiculous food prices, etc.  The reality is that MSC, and its new Explora Journeys luxury spin off, are the only major cruise line companies not being dragged down by debt service issues.  Perhaps the revamped Crystal Cruises (now owned by the A&K folks) is also in a good position (time will tell).  Lots of tough planning decisions for we frequent cruisers/travelers.

 

Hank

If you are  worried about the lines being dragged down by debt  then I think you have your answer

 

Go with  MSC  or one with private financing until the debts of the  other lines are paid off  & things either improve or go further down hill

 

No one can say what the ship/service/food will be like on any given sailing

you have travelled enough to know this 

JMO

 

PS I think this whole exercise is just a wind up 🤔

[Snaefell3]

52 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

⋮

We think that the huge amount of debt accumulated by CCL, NCLH, and RCI are like a huge weight bringing down the quality of these 3 huge companies.  They must somehow generate enough revenue to make huge debt-service payments while also dealing with high fuel prices, ridiculous food prices, etc.

⋮

With the big 3 sailing at 90% occupancy or better, their projected earnings for '23 are telling: CCL?  29¢/share *loss*.  NCLH?  75¢/share profit.   RCI? $4.72/share profit.   Grim for CCL.

 

A much bigger issue for Oceania is crew training.  With two years without any chance of a contract, many (most?) of the folks that knew what they were doing are now doing something else and Oceania's training curve is higher than most.