Live from Insignia - Montreal to Boston, Oct 8-19, 2023

[tigerfan75]

2 hours ago, PinonNoir said:

I don't know if this was the CD's fault or just Oceania policy. He would announce all of the days activities that were listed in Currents, so there was no need for him to repeat those. At the end of every announcement he would spend about 30 seconds advising people to stay in their staterooms if they felt sick and to call 00, and then a reminder to always use the hand sanitizer while walking around the ship. It got quite tedious.  I would say there were at least 3-4 announcements a day, but then we were ashore in each port, so there might have been more.

I remember Mr. Clelford as CD only because IMO he is the worst CD I've encountered on O.  His style is much different than other CDs, so I am led to believe it is not corporate policy...

[ORV]

21 hours ago, tigerfan75 said:

I remember Mr. Clelford as CD only because IMO he is the worst CD I've encountered on O.  His style is much different than other CDs, so I am led to believe it is not corporate policy...

Perhaps, but he's not the only one that goes on with the unnecessary announcements. 

 

It used to not be that way. 

[julia]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Perhaps, but he's not the only one that goes on with the unnecessary announcements. 

 

It used to not be that way. 

Agree....  recently on the Regatta, and had a yakkity CD who ended his many announcements with "and remember... always be kind to one another" (like we weren't?! 😲)  Most annoying.

[Vineyard View]

Great thread. Thank you PinonNoir. I enjoyed following along. 
 

Love that the food overall was mostly at your expectations, crew exceeded it, and you thoroughly enjoyed your trip. 
 

Loud announcement and a CD who talks too much was a flashback from decades ago on Carnival. No thank you. Hopefully that will be addressed as it really should gem an easy fix. 
 

The coffee difference between ships baffles me. If Oceania cannot bring on wines in different ports, as I have been told, and corporate drives that, why would coffee be different between ships….

 

Being told that the ship was being held for me when I was 25 min prior to last boarding….wwll, I agree completely with your response. Interesting that you were early on so many ports, but I guess better than late. Safe travels 

[ORV]

14 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

Hopefully that will be addressed as it really should gem an easy f

Good luck with that

[Vineyard View]

8 hours ago, ORV said:

Good luck with that

Well, I guess I was in a positive state of mind when I posted that!
It seriously does give one pause as to why Oceania would think that this piped in music and loud frequent announcements everywhere elevates the experience

Edited October 22, 2023 by Vineyard View

[deck chair]

I was on the Sirena this past January for 20 days.  It was my first Oceania cruise.  Out cruise director was Dottie who made many annoying, incessant and mostly unnecessary announcements.  It was especially bothersome when I was trying to enjoy a quiet breakfast in the GDR.   It was a shame because otherwise she is an excellent CD.  I just hope I don't have to endure this while I am on the Insignia for 40 days on the trans-pacific to Australia.   I typically sail on Cunard Line where there are no announcements unless necessary.  Announcements are limited to the captain's noon report.  

 

Deck Chair.

[Vineyard View]

16 minutes ago, deck chair said:

I was on the Sirena this past January for 20 days.  It was my first Oceania cruise.  Out cruise director was Dottie who made many annoying, incessant and mostly unnecessary announcements.  It was especially bothersome when I was trying to enjoy a quiet breakfast in the GDR.   It was a shame because otherwise she is an excellent CD.  I just hope I don't have to endure this while I am on the Insignia for 40 days on the trans-pacific to Australia.   I typically sail on Cunard Line where there are no announcements unless necessary.  Announcements are limited to the captain's noon report.  

 

Deck Chair.

Noon reports work. Incessant unnecessary broadcasts don’t. I guess the real question is, why? Is this a new trend with Oceania?

[pinotlover]

2 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

Noon reports work. Incessant unnecessary broadcasts don’t. I guess the real question is, why? Is this a new trend with Oceania?

Some CDs are more yaky than others.

 

Do the announcements work? Having a large percentage of passengers ignore all announcements doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t helpful.

 

A simple example. Standing in line to deboard for a tour or catch a tender. How many times should the staff have to announce: “ Please have your room key out, in your hand, to expedite de boarding.” They can say it every thirty seconds and someone will still wait until they get to the stand and start digging in their purse, or start walking against the line because they just discovered at the stand they left it in their cabin. So should the announcement be made once, ten times hoping people will pay attention, or fewer? 
 

How many times should a CD have to announce daily in New Zealand not to take any fruits or food items ashore. The Oceania passengers that ignore all announcements will do as they please, the rest of use heard it on Day 1 and understood. Should the CD make that announcement 5 times every day? We had a fellow passenger arrested at the port in Wellington. The dogs were on him immediately. He was carrying fruit ashore! Those continuing announcements went ignored as so many do.

 

I don’t know the answer. I just go with the flow.

[Vineyard View]

You made really good points. You are correct in that many people have difficulty in, shall I say, adulting?  Other terms apply but how I feel about it won’t change a chatty CD. When I hear piped in music and chatty CD’s, it just reminds me of prior early days main stream lines.  It was irritating even then! Ha! 

[ORV]

5 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

You made really good points. You are correct in that many people have difficulty in, shall I say, adulting?  Other terms apply but how I feel about it won’t change a chatty CD. When I hear piped in music and chatty CD’s, it just reminds me of prior early days main stream lines.  It was irritating even then! Ha! 

Unless there has been a recent change this concept of piped in music is a bit overblown. I've heard music on the pool deck and in the restaurants during the day, but never very loud nor that annoying. But I like music.  I find worrying about it a non issue, the CD announcements on the other hand............

[Vineyard View]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Unless there has been a recent change this concept of piped in music is a bit overblown. I've heard music on the pool deck and in the restaurants during the day, but never very loud nor that annoying. But I like music.  I find worrying about it a non issue, the CD announcements on the other hand............

Great to know!  Thank you very much. 

[PinonNoir]

8 hours ago, pinotlover said:

We had a fellow passenger arrested at the port in Wellington. The dogs were on him immediately. He was carrying fruit ashore! Those continuing announcements went ignored as so many do.

That's interesting. If you watch a TV show called To Catch a Smuggler, there are several versions, but one of them focuses on New Zealand. They are HARD CORE when it comes to fruit!  If you come through the airport with undeclared fruit it's an automatic $300 charge!  No warnings, no second chances...pay the fine!  I respect their strictness.

Edited October 23, 2023 by PinonNoir

[PinonNoir]

2 hours ago, ORV said:

Unless there has been a recent change this concept of piped in music is a bit overblown. I've heard music on the pool deck and in the restaurants during the day, but never very loud nor that annoying. But I like music.  I find worrying about it a non issue, the CD announcements on the other hand............

I can confirm I did not hear piped in music in the common spaces. If it was there is was so low as to not be noticed.

[pinotlover]

32 minutes ago, PinonNoir said:

That's interesting. If you watch a TV show called To Catch a Smuggler, there are several versions, but one of them focuses on New Zealand. They are HARD CORE when it comes to fruit!  If you come through the airport with undeclared fruit it's an automatic $300 charge!  No warnings, no second chances...pay the fine!  I respect their strictness.

So isn’t that the question? Should Oceania just print the NZ policy in Currents ( many passengers never or rarely read Currents), make one announcement every day, or the constant reminders? Do constant reminders/announcements affect behavior of the Oblivious? Or, why waste your time on them?

[PinonNoir]

One thing I didn't follow up on, I wore my jeans to every dinner on the ship. That's 4 nights in Toscana, 3 in Polo Grill, 2 in the GDR, and 2 in Terrace Cafe. Are my jeans "casual"?  I have no idea. If Oceania ever decides to define the term I'll let you know.

[PinonNoir]

1 minute ago, pinotlover said:

So isn’t that the question? Should Oceania just print the NZ policy in Currents ( many passengers never or rarely read Currents), make one announcement every day, or the constant reminders? Do constant reminders/announcements affect behavior of the Oblivious? Or, why waste your time on them?

The only way to get that message across is to ask them, very directly, at disembarkation. While the bulk of us read Currents, there are plenty who will always be in the dark. My wife was a middle school teacher, and no matter how many times she reiterated something, there was always that dense 10% who were completely clueless.

 

Let them pay the $300. Money may be the only way to wake them up.

[PinonNoir]

pinotlover, send me a note at pinot dot noir at Comcast dot net. I've gotta chat with you about wine.

 

Chris

[pinotlover]

4 minutes ago, PinonNoir said:

The only way to get that message across is to ask them, very directly, at disembarkation. While the bulk of us read Currents, there are plenty who will always be in the dark. My wife was a middle school teacher, and no matter how many times she reiterated something, there was always that dense 10% who were completely clueless.

 

Let them pay the $300. Money may be the only way to wake them up.

I would have gladly voted for Ray Carr, my otherwise favorite CD, to cease the announcements. Let them learn the hard way.

 

FWIW, as I remember, the moron paid a significant fine, spent the night in Jail, had to pay to get to our next port ( Napier I believe) to recatch the ship. Plus rumor was he was banned from re entering NZ again after the cruise. Oblivious or total disregard of the law had a price.

[pinotlover]

3 minutes ago, PinonNoir said:

pinotlover, send me a note at pinot dot noir at Comcast dot net. I've gotta chat with you about wine.

 

Chris

👍

[julia]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

So isn’t that the question? Should Oceania just print the NZ policy in Currents ( many passengers never or rarely read Currents), make one announcement every day, or the constant reminders? Do constant reminders/announcements affect behavior of the Oblivious? Or, why waste your time on them?

Yes.. print it ONCE.

Announce it ONCE.

Then be DONE.

(So the rest of us responsible adults can enjoy our cruise). 😲😅

[shepherd really]

6 hours ago, pinotlover said:

👍

 

6 hours ago, PinonNoir said:

pinotlover, send me a note at pinot dot noir at Comcast dot net. I've gotta chat with you about wine.

 

Chris

For goodness' sake, could one of you pick another vinifera please?  It's very confusing.  Especially when you are both pinot a grising with each other. 🍇

Edited October 23, 2023 by shepherd really

[pinotlover]

3 hours ago, shepherd really said:

 

For goodness' sake, could one of you pick another vinifera please?  It's very confusing.  Especially when you are both pinot a grising with each other. 🍇

😂. Check the spelling! I believe he is Pinion as in Opinion! 🥂

The Dark Opinion! 🍷

[pinotlover]

9 hours ago, julia said:

Yes.. print it ONCE.

Announce it ONCE.

Then be DONE.

(So the rest of us responsible adults can enjoy our cruise). 😲😅

Julia;

 

While I wholeheartedly agree with your suggestion, I’m sure Oceania would remind you of the multitude of passengers with significant short term memory loss. That, of course, is a different discussion.

[shepherd really]

9 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

😂. Check the spelling! I believe he is Pinion as in Opinion! 🥂

The Dark Opinion! 🍷

Dark opinion or just sour grapes?