Semi-Live Review of Oceania Riviera November 9-19, 2023 from a New Oceania Guest

[Gracie115]

2 hours ago, Harry Lake said:

An interesting history.

Yes, very.

[emd138]

Thanks for your review!  I usually lose weight on an Oceania cruise because I am more active and there are so many healthy options to eat.  Have fun!

 

[Harry Lake]

51 minutes ago, emd138 said:

there are so many healthy options to eat.

I love the many ingredients I can put in a salad...and I'm not even a big salad eater 🙂

[Sthrngary]

6 hours ago, mauibabes said:

Not Laurence, she is definitely French. Late 2021 or early 2022 two ladies were promoted to GM’s and have been great successes so you have Laurence’s colleague but I have not met her yet. 
Any additional insights for O and Riviera, shoot me an email. gerryesker@gmail.com

Enjoy,

Mauibabes

This will help I hope.

 

[mauibabes]

@Sthrngary

You have just received the First Timers invitation to the O Club party. They will host a couple more for those guests at varying levels in the Club loyalty program and Platinum members and above normaly are invited to all the O Club parties. I am sure the four you will enjoy your party. Wine, Champagne, Punch and appetizers will flow. If you want to call your own specialty drink, alcoholic or non, just ask one of the waiters and it will be delivered 😇👍 

Continue with your welcome to the Oceania family. 
Enjoy,

Mauibabes

[Sthrngary]

So I woke up early today and figured I would share a few things:

 

Food: Good to excellent.  No issue with meat cooked incorrectly. Even the steak in the Grand Dining Room was good. The specialty restaurants are all excellent for different reasons. 

Cookies:  They were just fine.  With everything else you can have, they are not my priority but I did taste them.

Pizza:  The Pizza at the buffet is just ok.  The Pizza at Waves is very good.  We are going to Italy so I just had a taste.  You cannot compare Ship Pizza to Italian Pizza. 

On and Off the Ship:  Super smooth but remember, we are not doing any Excursions so we go and come when we want.  

Best Bar: Martini's and my favorite drink is the "Big O" martini.  

Vista Suite: Outstanding, huge, and love the two bathrooms.  I cooling in the bedroom is really cold and hard to control.  The Bluetooth is easy to set on your phone.  The deck chairs are tied up at night but as I have said, not an issue for us.  The Jacuzzi in the Master Bath is huge.  The Soap are top tier. 

Butler: He can't do enough for us and has done EVERYTHING we asked of him.  

 

Second day in Istanbul and I hope I can go to an Turkish Bath House.  We will see. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

 

[dock]

@Sthrngaryenjoying your report. 
Do you recall the store or area where your wife purchased the leather jacket? 
 

Did you use the tram system in Ist. I’m thinking of doing a private tour but with public transport to avoid the gridlock. 
Thanks. 

[cruisemom42]

Good luck in Istanbul. It was packed when I was there in mid-October on Azamara. About 500 people lined up to get into the Blue Mosque.

[Sthrngary]

2 hours ago, dock said:

@Sthrngaryenjoying your report. 
Do you recall the store or area where your wife purchased the leather jacket? 
 

Did you use the tram system in Ist. I’m thinking of doing a private tour but with public transport to avoid the gridlock. 
Thanks. 

We hired a taxi for the day who stayed with us and he took us to the leather place. It was $60 for the taxi back-and-forth and he stayed with us. We paid him $100. Punts leather

[Sthrngary]

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

Good luck in Istanbul. It was packed when I was there in mid-October on Azamara. About 500 people lined up to get into the Blue Mosque.

Today, it took 5 min to get in. Easy.

 

 

[GeorginaSpica]

@Sthrngaryam so glad to hear that you are having a similar first O cruise experience to mine on the riviera. 😊

[Iamthesea]

10 hours ago, Harry Lake said:

I love the many ingredients I can put in a salad...and I'm not even a big salad eater 🙂

 

Glad to hear this!  Loved the salad bars on Celebrity, but HAL's is so disappointing.

Edited November 12, 2023 by Iamthesea

[Sthrngary]

November 12, 2023: Second Day in Istanbul

 

We took the same Taxi we did yesterday and did the Blue Mosque.  Lovely.  We asked the Taxi driver to take us for a ride around town and he did.  To our surprise, he took us with the cab on a ferry, to the other side.  It was amazing.  

 

1. I was expecting the entertainment to be average on the ship.  What I found was somewhat of a surprise.  Especially the singer from Brazil. Really good especially on the pool deck for sail away.  
2. Tonight we go to Red Ginger for the first time.  I will let you know how it is.  
3. Emma the Hotel Manager was wonderful and we had a good laugh at the sail away today.
4. The grand dinning room staff new both my guest and my name on day TWO.  A world record.  
5. Several folks came up to me to say hello.  My wife said, how do they all know you.  I said, I have no idea.  She does not read any of my post so keep it a secret, please. LOL

 

This is a lovely ship, great crew and a lovely time. Look, not cruise is perfect, however they are all what you make of them.  Have realistic expectations, be flexibly and every one has a great time. One thing though, you might of to detox from adult beverages when one goes home. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[roberts2005]

Does being in a Vista suite allow unlimited specialty restaurants ?

[ORV]

6 minutes ago, roberts2005 said:

Does being in a Vista suite allow unlimited specialty restaurants ?

no, but you can get in suite dining from them every night if you choose. But a good butler can certainly get you extra reservations. 

[Sthrngary]

2 hours ago, roberts2005 said:

Does being in a Vista suite allow unlimited specialty restaurants ?

Every stateroom has unlimited Specialty Restaurants.  Oceania, Vista, and Owners Suites get 8 guaranteed reservation pre-Cruise. 

[LHT28]

3 hours ago, roberts2005 said:

Does being in a Vista suite allow unlimited specialty restaurants ?

At one time the top suites could dine in the specialties  anytime space was available   not sure if that still is the case

 

[jw_406]

I’m also on this cruise. Since other threads/posts have asked about/commented on dress code, I thought I would share that I’ve noticed the evening dress code in the Grand Dining Room and specialty restaurants to be much more lax since we last cruised Oceania pre pandemic (2018 and 2016). Last night I saw a gentleman wearing jeans, flip flops and t-shirt in the GDR and many wearing sneakers. In Toscana a few younger people with  sweatshirts and sneakers. I was surprised, but to each their own. 😊 Of course a lot of country club casual and some men in jackets. 

[Sthrngary]

November 13, 2023:  Entertainment

 

Like food, subjective.  I have been pleasantly surprised.  Consider if I was on an NCL ship, their would be lots of big production shows.  Here on Oceania, it is like a small venue cabana show. We saw the singer last night and she was excellent.  The small production show as very good.  How do I know, I did not leave as I would normally do if it was awful.  The Piano Player at the Lounge (Martini's) if very good also which is where I spend most of my time.  NCL obviously is better on all categories of entertainment however Oceania has nothing to be ashamed about. I will say, the crowds are older and subdue.  Not insanely crazy on other ships.  I kind of miss that energy form the crowd but this is a different cruise experience on many levels.  The band by the pool, and in the lounge at nice was really fun and that is where I saw outstanding dancers who are guests.  

 

Everyone seems to not be late night people which suits me because I do like to go to bed a bit early.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[jazznruby]

10 minutes ago, jw_406 said:

Last night I saw a gentleman wearing jeans, flip flops and t-shirt in the GDR and many wearing sneakers. In Toscana a few younger people with  sweatshirts and sneakers.

Disappointing, to say the least. And this is in Europe. I can only imagine what we'll see next year in the Caribbean. 🙄

[jw_406]

31 minutes ago, jazznruby said:

Disappointing, to say the least. And this is in Europe. I can only imagine what we'll see next year in the Caribbean. 🙄

I too find it disappointing. 

[Sthrngary]

As it relates to the way people dress, this is a much more refined, cruising experience that I’ve had in the past. Unlike some of the passengers, I took the time to study what was acceptable and unacceptable dress. This is just what most people do. Yet it is true that some folks Choose to dress below casual. I say to each his own and enjoy my steak. how they dressed does not affect my cruise one little bit. That’s just me, everybody’s different. Just my two cents being on the cruise. 

[Pandazoo]

Why didn’t the Toscana restaurant stop them (dress code ignored) at the door? When I go to the trouble of planning, packing and carrying appropriate clothing that the cruise line specifically requests the least they can do is enforce compliance.  

[Sthrngary]

2 hours ago, Pandazoo said:

Why didn’t the Toscana restaurant stop them (dress code ignored) at the door? When I go to the trouble of planning, packing and carrying appropriate clothing that the cruise line specifically requests the least they can do is enforce compliance.  

Of course you are right.  Folks should be more considerate.  The issue they are not, simply cannot effect our over all enjoyment.  Kind of like getting a bad meal.  It happens.  Make it like water off a duck.  As it relates to the staff.  They are a product of what happens when a person complains about them.  It affects them in a negatives way even when the guest is wrong. If anyone is uncomfortable with this or any other situation, complain in a quite way to the leadership.  I seriously doubt anything will change.  But it is all of our rights to express dissatisfaction with a rule not being enforced.  

 

My observations is this type of situation has been observed, but I have not seen it much.  I did see a many, from a country outside of the USA, in Red Ginger almost have a fist fight with his table of 10.  I am not kidding.  He was yelling at the top of his lungs until he grabbed his jacket and walked out.  

 

I love Dinner and a show.  What a great meal and a memorable experience including this low class individual.  I thought I was on Carnaval Cruise Line for a second. I looked at our guest, with a big smile on my face and said, "You wanted a memorable cruise and you got it."  We all had a nice green tea and had a laugh.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[shepherd really]

21 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

  He was yelling at the top of his lungs until he grabbed his jacket and walked out.  

 

 

But he was wearing a jacket, so the fashion police will give him a pass.