My Oceania Insignia review is posted

[cruisemom42]

Several members on this forum asked me to give a heads up if I did a review of my first Oceania cruise. I have done one, and you can find it here.  It's pretty comprehensive and includes a few comparisons to HAL and Celebrity.

 

My intent isn't to start a discussion over "value" versus "price", so no need to post a reply letting me know you're perfectly happy with what HAL currently offers -- I get it, many of you are.

 

There are just a couple of additional things I didn't put into the main review but that have more of a bearing for this HAL audience:

 

First, the library isn't a major factor for me but Insignia's is truly is a show-stopping space and I know library facilities are near and dear to HAL cruisers' hearts.

 

 

 

Second, there is no wrap-around promenade deck. For those of who you live and die by this amenity, you probably won't be happy on Oceania. But if you can contemplate its absence in return for other amenities that once graced HAL cruises, it might be worth considering.

 

Third, Oceania has a string quartet that plays daily in two locations. They were not as talented as the LCS musicians previously aboard HAL, a sad loss. But I'd rather hear these competent players daily than have no classical music at all. (And just so I'm clear, a pianist and cellist playing an instrumental version of "Girl from Ipanema" in a bar does not constitute classical music for me.)

 

Finally -- and I only bring this up because it was mentioned by someone else in a different post -- HAL ships really are showing some wear and tear due to lack of upkeep compared to both Oceania and Celebrity ships. Someone posted they were happy with HAL's beautiful interior spaces. Just for comparison, I am posting below pictures from two similar spaces on both HAL Westerdam and Oceania Insignia (a ship that is older, btw) -- the area is the sort of "lobby" space on the floor where the main desk is located for each line. Viva la differénce:

 

Westerdam:

 

 

Insignia:

[HappyInVan]

Thanks. Much appreciated. Beautiful pics of a still elegant Insignia.

 

I was recently on the Volendam, after 4 trips on the Pinnacle ships. It still had flashes of the old Holland America. Inlaid tables in the library. Artworks scattered along the walls. However, the Volendam felt like there had been several rounds of refurbishment without coherence. 

 

For me, the revelation was that the older ships had comfortable seats scattered about the ship; whilst the new ships tended to concentrate the seats in a few venues. That's why I've booked the older ships for the next two cruises. Enjoy.

 

[*Miss G*]

Thank you for the link and for posting your review!  The public spaces on the ship look beautiful.  If you have pics of your room and bathroom, I would love to see them.

 

Based on your descriptions and pics, I don’t think I would care for the food on “O” but that was my first time on that board so take that for what it’s worth.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for sharing. 

[cruisemom42]

22 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

Thank you for the link and for posting your review!  The public spaces on the ship look beautiful.  If you have pics of your room and bathroom, I would love to see them.

 

Based on your descriptions and pics, I don’t think I would care for the food on “O” but that was my first time on that board so take that for what it’s worth.

 

Well, as if to prove how little I think about my cabin, I didn't take any pics of it!

 

This is a generic photo of an inside cabin with the re-done interior very similar to mine except that I had a window about where the painting is hanging (and no love seat):

 

 

USB points as well as US and EU outlets located at desk and by bed. I found the bed extremely comfortable.

 

Edited to add:  The bathrooms are truly tiny unless you move up to a higher balcony or suite category. There is a small shower with glass doors (no tub); single sink, and toilet.

 

Edited September 1, 2023 by cruisemom42

[lcand1923]

Thank you so much for your post.  I sailed on the Insignia many, many years ago and found the ship beautiful.  I haven’t returned to O for various reasons that really irritated me (primarily tied to the Front Office and Shore Excursions staff).  I am currently booked on an O cruise and your comments have me looking forward to the experience.

[kazu]

thanks for letting us know about the review and the added commentary and pics here.  the Insignia’s library is really nice - much nicer than on the bigger O ship (Riviera) we were on.  It looks like their smaller ships may be the key….

 

Much appreciated and welcome home.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Insignia was our first cruise post-children.  Glad to see the Library still looks as beautiful as it did back in 2011.  All the other R-ships have similar libraries [4 on Oceania, and 4 on Azamara – except Azamara Onward which had been neglected so badly by Princess before the turnover that the library ceiling couldn't be saved.]

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

except Azamara Onward which had been neglected so badly by Princess before the turnover that the library ceiling couldn't be saved.]

 

That's a shame. 

 

I'll be on Onward for BTB cruises in October in the Med. First look at her Azamara re-do.

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

The Library on Onward is now a Craft Cocktail bar.  Get the Ultimate Beverage Package if you want to indulge!

[ski ww]

Thanks for posting do miss the library. 

[LouChamp]

Aloha. Thank you for your review. We sailed in the Tahitian Princess years ago from Hawaii to Tahiti and had a wonderful time. The ship, as is the sister Insignia is very special and the smaller size reminds me of cruising decades ago. It is wishful dreaming that maybe smaller ships may be built in the future. As we are getting older, we are migrating to the higher end lines with smaller ships. Your review was certainly refreshing and a great big Mahalo. All the best!

[Turtles06]

@cruisemom42 thanks for posting your objective review and letting folks here know about it. It was very helpful for those of us who are unfamiliar with Oceania. 

 

(FWIW, I thought you were given needless grief for posting your observation about the guest demographics.)

[REOVA]

Thanks for the great review. We enjoy small ships, longer itineraries and (real) enrichment programs. Sounds like the food and entertainment is comparable to HAL and HAL staff may have the upper hand over O. 

 

A few differences we have are we thoroughly enjoy the wide, around the ship, prominade decks on the older HAL ships (not Pinnacle Class) and we use them regularly for exercise, scenic viewing and visiting/meeting others on the loungers. We also enjoy a good balcony cabin and probably spend more time than others in the cabin/balcony (unless there is a gym class,  talk, trivia, show that we are interested in). We are not big drinkers so bars are not where you find us. We enjoy the old HAL shows after dinner and not the canned production repeats they started in 2019, but we aren't affected by the loss of LCS. We enjoyed VoV (small ship/small port) but last year HALs enrichment program talks left something to be desired. We don't have a problem paying higher prices for a better cruise line experience (Suites, MSC Yacht Club, Celebrity Retreat, etc) but the cost must be worth what we are looking to get in return. HAL still has a good return for many things we look for, albeit we hope it's enrichment and entertainment programs improve. 

 

Your review allows us to know what might appeal to us on O (if anything) even if we have different "likes" about cruising. We appreciate taking the time to share. 

[RuthC]

4 hours ago, REOVA said:

Sounds like the food and entertainment is comparable to HAL and HAL staff may have the upper hand over O. 

Based on my experience on O, I would say the staff on HAL far exceeds that on Oceania. Entertainment was lacking; far behind what HAL offered at the time I sailed O. Food in most of the dining rooms was meh. Jacques was excellent, and the private, extra charge restaurant was fabulous. Service there was perfect, but for $250 for up to 10 people it should be. 

[oceanbill457]

An excellent review. My wife and I have sailed twice on Marina, twice on Riviera, and once on Nautica.

All of the cruise were excellent, Marina and Riviera have four specialty restaurants included in the fares. The art displayed on Marina is striking. We had a trip scheduled to Cuba on Insignia which was cancelled when John Bolton broke relations with Cuba. Very sad and disappointing.

 

 

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, RuthC said:

Based on my experience on O, I would say the staff on HAL far exceeds that on Oceania. Entertainment was lacking; far behind what HAL offered at the time I sailed O. Food in most of the dining rooms was meh. Jacques was excellent, and the private, extra charge restaurant was fabulous. Service there was perfect, but for $250 for up to 10 people it should be. 

 

I think HAL has dropped behind in terms of food since then, perhaps. The food in the Oceania MDR was just TOO good, IMO. But then I really like the fancier food and preparations that were previously more to be found on HAL than they are today. O gave me caviar, foie gras, lobster galore, and all of my favorite Continental entrees. Not to mention a daily souffle for dessert and delicious fresh baked bread basket with unlimited proper-temperature butter.

 

There was nary a "rustic lasagna" to be found...

 

The fact that the MDR was also open on a number of port days was also a plus.

 

[kazu]

10 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I think HAL has dropped behind in terms of food since then, perhaps. The food in the Oceania MDR was just TOO good, IMO. But then I really like the fancier food and preparations that were previously more to be found on HAL than they are today. O gave me caviar, foie gras, lobster galore, and all of my favorite Continental entrees. Not to mention a daily souffle for dessert and delicious fresh baked bread basket with unlimited proper-temperature butter.

 

There was nary a "rustic lasagna" to be found...

 

The fact that the MDR was also open on a number of port days was also a plus.

 

 

I think your experience was very different than Ruth’s and mine (and no, we didn’t cruise at the same time).  MDR service on my cruise was painfully slow (and I am all for a relaxing dinner), chipped coffee cups and borderline food at best.  Seriously.

 

No caviar or foie grams on my cruise except when I did the very expensive meal for 10.  Lobster was in the Terrace Grill and I am not a fan of Caribbean lobster.  

 

I am just glad that you had an enjoyable experience and if I do go back to O, thinking their smaller ships may provide a better experience than I had even though the specialty restaurants are more limited.  Thanks again for sharing and I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[cruisemom42]

38 minutes ago, kazu said:

Lobster was in the Terrace Grill and I am not a fan of Caribbean lobster.  

 

On Insignia lobster was everywhere -- offered at least 3x in MDR in various preparations for entree plus lobster bisque (I wasn't a fan of their preparation of it, but it was offered nightly), lobster salad, etc.

 

And they were all Maine lobster except once (where it was specifically noted on the menu that they were not).

 

[kazu]

1 minute ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

On Insignia lobster was everywhere -- offered at least 3x in MDR in various preparations for entree plus lobster bisque (I wasn't a fan of their preparation of it, but it was offered nightly), lobster salad, etc.

 

And they were all Maine lobster except once (where it was specifically noted on the menu that they were not).

 

 

Excellent.  Glad to hear it.  Looks like O has stepped their game back up 👍 

thanks 🙂 

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

I think HAL has dropped behind in terms of food since then, perhaps.

No 'perhaps' about it; HAL has definitely gone downhill at dinners since my O cruise. I've had several HAL cruises since that one, including one since the covid shutdown. 
I also read all the review and 'live from' threads that show dinner menus, and wonder what on earth I would want for dinner too many times. 

But for me, O was a 'one & done' experience. I am glad others find it to their taste, however. 

[cruisemom42]

Sorry -- one other thing I forgot to mention that may be of interest to HAL cruisers:  Oceania still offers in-room breakfast on disembarkation day, something HAL once offered but no longer does. They do ask that you vacate your cabin at a certain time, but the ability to stay in my cabin, eat breakfast in a calm, no-fuss way and stay there until about half an hour before I had to leave the ship was a big plus.