GeorgiaPeach Sails the Oceania Marina

[A Tucson Guy]

1 hour ago, asnaleah said:

Thanks for your excellent review Joanie! We love Regent, but sometimes the price is more than we want to spend. So, we are looking forward to trying Oceania on the Vista for a January 2025 Panama Canal cruise. If that goes well, we will again sail on a Vista TA. One more Celebrity cruise next month, and Regent to Iceland in July. Oh, and we’re moving. This week.

You might compare Regent prices to SS prices. I have found SS prices to be lower many times, even when you add business air. We finally found two Regent cruises that was what I consider a good price for two cruises in 2025. On Regent I will only go on the Splendor or Grandeur and on SS I will only go on the Moon, Dawn, Nova and soon the Ray. I just like the newer ships. 

[bebop bonnie]

Again, thank you Joanie, for taking us with you!  Your comments, descriptions, photos and Humor are fantastic.  Except, I’m not certain I’ll ever look at a zip lock bag the same again!!

[LHT28]

5 hours ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

today is a sea day so everyone was in Terraces or Waves Grill (outside area near the pool).  And it was super crowded.  I cannot imagine how they handle it with 500 additional people on board!  There are no other lunch options, so if it is too cool or too blazing hot to be outside, it reminds me of being on Celebrity and struggling to find a table, and just walking round and round in circles.  They do put tablecloths after breakfast, BTW.

 

We ate two evenings in the Terraces and enjoyed setting our own pace.  The food was hit and miss,  it had the same items you would order in the MDR, so if you tried the special that night and didn’t like it you could easily just go get something else.  Both nights there were lots of people, so lots of folks opt out of the set times of the MDR and perhaps longer pace of the specialties.

 

 

Usually the GDR is open for lunch on Sea days   is this not the case on your cruise??

 

Also  the TERRACE  is usually open the same hours as the GDR for dinner  is this also different on your sailing?

 They usually have the  opening hours liste on the back of the  CURRENTS

[GeorgiaPeach51]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

Usually the GDR is open for lunch on Sea days   is this not the case on your cruise??

 

Also  the TERRACE  is usually open the same hours as the GDR for dinner  is this also different on your sailing?

 They usually have the  opening hours liste on the back of the  CURRENTS

@LHT28 you are exactly right.  I stand corrected on the lunch.  Thanks for the correction.

 

And yes, we ate in the Terraces for dinner several times and liked the pace of it, if not always the food.   It it was nice to be able to pick what you wanted if A or B didn’t work. 

 

I will post the times so I don’t confuse anyone,  

[GeorgiaPeach51]

Disembarking was easy.  It is easier if your alarm goes off as it should.  We leapt out of bed at 7:30 and ran circles around each other to get out of the room by the requested 8 a.m.  We were pleased to find the Terraces about 1/4 full so it was no issue to find a table and eat quickly.  Kudos to all the passengers who vacated the area as soon as they ate so new people and staff could do what they needed to do.  On Celebrity I remember lots of people just parking themselves in the Lido area and staying there rather than finding seats in the bars, etc.  So this was very easy.

 

Our tag color was called pretty quickly and off we went.  We did not have an arranged transfer and rolled the dice with a taxi, which was 30 Euros with tip, cheaper than any of the cruise line arranged vehicles.  There were plenty of taxis so it was very easy.  We went to El Avenida Palace hotel, which is nice.  I’m sitting in the lobby waiting for my other half to finish some work before we head out to walk around.  If I remember anything else I’ll be back, otherwise, thanks for reading!

 

Joanie

[mnocket]

10 hours ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

Disembarking was easy.  It is easier if your alarm goes off as it should.  We leapt out of bed at 7:30 and ran circles around each other to get out of the room by the requested 8 a.m.  We were pleased to find the Terraces about 1/4 full so it was no issue to find a table and eat quickly.  Kudos to all the passengers who vacated the area as soon as they ate so new people and staff could do what they needed to do.  On Celebrity I remember lots of people just parking themselves in the Lido area and staying there rather than finding seats in the bars, etc.  So this was very easy.

 

Our tag color was called pretty quickly and off we went.  We did not have an arranged transfer and rolled the dice with a taxi, which was 30 Euros with tip, cheaper than any of the cruise line arranged vehicles.  There were plenty of taxis so it was very easy.  We went to El Avenida Palace hotel, which is nice.  I’m sitting in the lobby waiting for my other half to finish some work before we head out to walk around.  If I remember anything else I’ll be back, otherwise, thanks for reading!

 

Joanie

We really enjoyed spending a few days at the Avenida Palace hotel.  We will definitely stay there again next time we are in Barcelona. 

[Zqueeze1]

This was certainly a very informative thread.  Thank you for the comparison of both lines, sharing of info, and your great sense of humor.   Your comments have certainly influenced our future cruise planning.  BTW, we certainly do not miss military moves also!

 

Z and TB

[KenzSailing]

On 11/7/2023 at 9:01 AM, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

 

 

I definitely give the ice cream win to O, with their Harry Slocumb ice cream.  Really outstanding and some fun flavors like Toast and Jelly, black sesame, Elvis After School Special (vanilla with chocolate covered potato chips)….crazy good!  The extent to which my husband loves lobster is equaled by my love of ice cream….

 

more to come…

 

Ms Peach,

 

Thank you for your always entertaining and informative posts.  Your entries read like a spring breeze feels(that's supposed to be a compliment.)

 

Living in Maryland, I had never heard of Humphry Slocombe ice cream.  I now have 6 pints on the way.  You should get a % of the transaction!  

[GeorgiaPeach51]

Well, I said I was finished but am not.  We are ending the trip with three days in lovely Barcelona and I wanted to share a few thing for those who have not yet been.  Sagrada Fsmilia and Can Pizza.

 

This is our third visit to Sagrada Familia and as always, it is good for your soul and is such a humbling experience to me.  To think that the vision of one man could create such magnificence.  So here are some photos which do not begin to do it justice. 

[GeorgiaPeach51]

A video just as the music began.  I cannot imagine going to Barcelona and not seeing this magnificent place.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

And, once you see Gaudi’s masterpiece, go a few blocks and enjoy Can pizza.  They are the real deal.  
 

First, the caprese salad.  The burrata!

We split “the Italian job”.

You can thank me later.  😍

 

Edited November 14, 2023 by GeorgiaPeach51

[irishwitchy]

Thanks again for a wonderful review.  Now,  if we could only get pizza like that on a ship! 

[Pcardad]

3 hours ago, irishwitchy said:

Thanks again for a wonderful review.  Now,  if we could only get pizza like that on a ship! 

I was on RCC not too long ago and not only do they have an English pub but they have a pizza parlor with really, really good pizza. All you can eat...and I really love me some good pizza.

[Linda VH]

We were so very impressed, gobsmacked, amazed etc. etc. by Sagrada.  The light shining through the windows!  I would love to be able to go in there very early in the morning to see the blue windows with the light going thru!  It was truly an experience.  Be sure to buy your tickets ahead as you may not be able to get in!

[Yankeeclipper1]

Joanie,  Enjoyed your review of Marina - you confirmed what I have (IMO) been experiencing - a notch down across the entire cruise industry - with lots of excuses and only higher fares.  Oceania was one of our favorites (6 times) and your descriptions (which I trust since we think alike) are not what we previously experienced.  I love the comments about the onion soup and the balance of onion caramelization and bouillon.  Sounds exactly like something I would have said. 😄   

 

FWIW - Crystal cancelled/changed our Panama cruise - replaced it with something not even remotely the same BUT did refund our full fare and offered people future credits or longer cruise for same price - all fair IMO.

 

PS - I sent you guys an email 10/26 - let me know if you got it - I still use wonky Hotmail that does strange things.  Ray

[GeorgiaPeach51]

10 hours ago, Yankeeclipper1 said:

Joanie,  Enjoyed your review of Marina - you confirmed what I have (IMO) been experiencing - a notch down across the entire cruise industry - with lots of excuses and only higher fares.  Oceania was one of our favorites (6 times) and your descriptions (which I trust since we think alike) are not what we previously experienced.  I love the comments about the onion soup and the balance of onion caramelization and bouillon.  Sounds exactly like something I would have said. 😄   

 

FWIW - Crystal cancelled/changed our Panama cruise - replaced it with something not even remotely the same BUT did refund our full fare and offered people future credits or longer cruise for same price - all fair IMO.

 

PS - I sent you guys an email 10/26 - let me know if you got it - I still use wonky Hotmail that does strange things.  Ray

Ray!  So happy to see your post!  We did get your mail, which arrived shortly before we left on this trip, on the 27th, so I apologize for not replying, but will do so shortly.  Now, there you go…Crystal responded appropriately, while O just put their hands over their ears.  Shows that it is possible. 
 

two follow up notes…my sister and her husband, who had been told they would get their $11,000 in airfare applied to their next cruise, are still fighting with O over that issue.

 

Regarding the El Avenida Palace hotel…we were there three nights post-cruise.  The weather was unseasonably hot, up to 78-80.  We had specifically checked that they had ac, having had a few miserably hot experiences before we learned that lesson.  Turns out that they hav ac…until they don’t.  They refused to turn it on, and there were no fans.  However, there WAS ac in the breakfast room.  Hmmm.  We had a corner room with no hope of a breeze and boy, it was really uncomfortable.  Every day we would leave the room with the windows open and come back to it locked up tight and sweltering even after leaving requests to the contrary at the front desk.

 

So, we had to sleep with the windows open at night.  The first night I ended up with FOUR mosquito bites on my face!  After that I tried to sleep with the sheet over my head.  So, be warned!  We will not stay there again.  

 

 

[NCCruzQueen]

1 hour ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

Ray!  So happy to see your post!  We did get your mail, which arrived shortly before we left on this trip, on the 27th, so I apologize for not replying, but will do so shortly.  Now, there you go…Crystal responded appropriately, while O just put their hands over their ears.  Shows that it is possible. 
 

two follow up notes…my sister and her husband, who had been told they would get their $11,000 in airfare applied to their next cruise, are still fighting with O over that issue.

 

Regarding the El Avenida Palace hotel…we were there three nights post-cruise.  The weather was unseasonably hot, up to 78-80.  We had specifically checked that they had ac, having had a few miserably hot experiences before we learned that lesson.  Turns out that they hav ac…until they don’t.  They refused to turn it on, and there were no fans.  However, there WAS ac in the breakfast room.  Hmmm.  We had a corner room with no hope of a breeze and boy, it was really uncomfortable.  Every day we would leave the room with the windows open and come back to it locked up tight and sweltering even after leaving requests to the contrary at the front desk.

 

So, we had to sleep with the windows open at night.  The first night I ended up with FOUR mosquito bites on my face!  After that I tried to sleep with the sheet over my head.  So, be warned!  We will not stay there again.  

 

 

Hi Joanie,

 

We had a similar experience in our 2018 Barcelona post cruise.  Apparently when the city turns off the air conditioning, it’s good for the season.  I remember the heat at night and we left the window open.  Not sure if it is still happening but Barcelona was working on their metro which they worked on at night.  
 

Between the heat and metro noise, it was a very unpleasant night.  I guess we were fortunate to only spend one night.

 

Beth

 

[Whinenowine]

2 hours ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

Regarding the El Avenida Palace hotel…we were there three nights post-cruise.  The weather was unseasonably hot, up to 78-80.  We had specifically checked that they had ac, having had a few miserably hot experiences before we learned that lesson.  Turns out that they hav ac…until they don’t.  They refused to turn it on, and there were no fans.  However, there WAS ac in the breakfast room.  Hmmm.  We had a corner room with no hope of a breeze and boy, it was really uncomfortable.    

What a bummer.  FWIW in August we stayed at the Hotel Majestic right on Passeo de Gracia (about halfway between Casas Mila and Batllo).  Can't recommend that place enough (and I kept it at 68degrees all day, despite it being 95 outside).

 

Thanks so much for your honest thoughts here.  I've not yet cruised O--came close a few times but either went more upscale or downscale, depending on pricing.  If/when I do, it'll only be on one of the 2 new ships and only if the pricing is right.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

1 hour ago, NCCruzQueen said:

Hi Joanie,

 

We had a similar experience in our 2018 Barcelona post cruise.  Apparently when the city turns off the air conditioning, it’s good for the season.  I remember the heat at night and we left the window open.  Not sure if it is still happening but Barcelona was working on their metro which they worked on at night.  
 

Between the heat and metro noise, it was a very unpleasant night.  I guess we were fortunate to only spend one night.

 

Beth

 

Beth!  So happy to see you here!  I hate that you had an even worse experience with the noise.  To me, the fact that the ac was left on in the breakfast room seemed an admission that it was too hot with no ac.  
 

I did post about it on Trip Advisor and on the Spain ports board, so hopefully that will save someone else the aggravation we experienced. 

[cruiserchuck]

We are currently staying at the Casa Camper hotel in Barcelona, and the AC is working.  We are really enjoying the hotel and the City.  

[Yankeeclipper1]

5 hours ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

Regarding the El Avenida Palace hotel

Sounds like misery - we had that happen to us several times throughout Europe. Unseasonal hot weather A/C turned off - explanation always "system turned on for winter, we can't turn it back to summer for a couple of days" - fact or fiction? - we'll never know, - all I know is each time it was misery to sleep.

[forgap]

When we were much younger (and poorer) we were in Gordes, a hilltop town in Province - very chic and pricey.  It was late and we found a hotel above a low key village restaurant.  Looked at the room before committing and it was really nice.  However, as the night progressed, the room got hotter and hotter.  Little did we know that our wall shared the chimney to the restaurant pizza oven.  We opened all the windows, draped cold towels over our sweating bodies until about 3am when the chimney cooled down.  
 

Then the nocturnal soap opera began as a betrayed young woman started screaming at her unfaithful husband/lover.  It was a night to remember and the village was certainly talking bout it the next morning as we blearily sipped coffee in the cafe.  I learned some new colorful vocabulary, too!  

[annmarz]

7 hours ago, forgap said:

When we were much younger (and poorer) we were in Gordes, a hilltop town in Province - very chic and pricey.  It was late and we found a hotel above a low key village restaurant.  Looked at the room before committing and it was really nice.  However, as the night progressed, the room got hotter and hotter.  Little did we know that our wall shared the chimney to the restaurant pizza oven.  We opened all the windows, draped cold towels over our sweating bodies until about 3am when the chimney cooled down.  
 

Then the nocturnal soap opera began as a betrayed young woman started screaming at her unfaithful husband/lover.  It was a night to remember and the village was certainly talking bout it the next morning as we blearily sipped coffee in the cafe.  I learned some new colorful vocabulary, too!  

That is the stuff of which some of the most memorable and funny travel experiences are made, after the fact of course!

[lincslady]

The rooms above a low key bar or restaurant rings some bells with me, trying to sleep with music going on until the small hours, and fights just below  your open bedroom window ( no aircon of course) as the bar finally shut at 2  a.m.  Then coming down for breakfast to find all last night's glasses and plates waiting to be cleared  in the  bar with a bleary eyed owner not really wanting to make you any coffee. It did not cost many francs, though.

You live and learn.

[newlondon]

But forgap, Gordes is a spectacular town. That just made it even more interesting