Are all of the R-class Ships like this?

[JanR]

DW and I are currently on the Oceania Regatta.  Before we sailed, we knew it was a ship that was built in 1999 and expected that the architecture of the ship to be dated and but we love the layout of the ship.  It apparently went through a refurbishment last year in 2022 and the decor (especially in our cabin) seems to be light and contemporary.

 

However. . .we boarded in Singapore and have been in Indonesian waters for 4 days and were frustrated to find that the air conditioning on the ship was not working.  Our cabin became nearly unsleepable at night and we found ourselves sweating in Martinis while we were getting a pre-dinner cocktail.  As of yesterday, the A/C seems to be working better.  As such, normally this would be a hiccup that we would understand as sometimes things break.  That's life.  However, there are other things that we see on the ship that either indicates maintenance of the ship is woefully deficient or the ship is so old that the best of intentions by the maintenance crew just can't keep up.  

 

As we walk around the ship, it is easy to see rust pretty much throughout the ship.  Mainly this tends to be at the base of metal support structures.  Likewise, multiple areas around the ship the railings are bleached and worn--much like what happens to teak patio furniture if you don't continuously provide loving care to them.  In the main dining room by the windows we noticed that the copper fitting surrounding the windows are oxidized.  Then there is deck 11.

 

Deck 11 is the sun deck where the deck plan shows a putting green, shuffleboard and other common sports.  While the putting green is up there, everything else...to include the AstroTurf (it is conveniently rolled up and sits on the deck), has been ripped out.  While there are the bench-like containers that still contains the shuffle cues and discs, the actual shuffle board has been likewise ripped out.  The other parts for the shuffleboard and what looks like what might have been cornhole are still up on the deck, now crammed into the ship structure found at the center of the deck.  In place of where these sporting activities may have been are now two 20-foot refrigerated cargo containers.  When you are up there, it looks like Oceania has taken their small luxury ship and replaced it with a cargo container vessel.  

 

I've written and rewritten this post four times now trying to make sure I have the right tone.  We are enjoying our cruise.  The crew are great (although short handed) and we love the itinerary (with really good ship excursions).  But since August 2022, DW and I have sailed on about a dozen cruises on six cruiselines from MSC to Regent and none of those ships--including the Oceania Marina and the NCL Sky which was built the same year as the Regatta--have we commented on the apparent neglect of the ship.  To be clear, we don't care that there is no more shuffleboard on the ship.  Nor would any one of the other issues really have come to a level of comment on their own (OK, maybe the A/C).  But the combination of these issues makes us wonder about Oceania as a line, or at least the viability of these R-class ships.

 

My two cents...your mileage may vary.  

[AMHuntFerry]

Hi @JanR, it sounds like somethings are a bit wonky at the moment. We were last on Regatta in September and the sports areas were fully functioning. We didn't notice any issues with HVAC but we were in Alaska (to CA). I believe Regatta was refurbished in 2019 (Riviera was in 2022). We didn't notice neglect but I'm not too picky (especially about rust near salt water as it can be persistent). There may be some cost cutting for aesthetic maintenance due to fiscal need, but hopefully it remains minor (note - HVAC is not minor and should be addressed). Cargo containers (refrig) are weird and may indicate a major problem with refrigeration; at least the cruise wasn't cancelled 🙂

[zalusky]

The R ships will be going away in a few years.  Some people love them and some people don't.  I am in the don't category.  Lounge bathrooms/Theater/laundry are some of my big peeves in the design.  Oceania recognizes there are limitations and it was not a ship designed from Oceania scratch like the O and V class ships.  Riviera will be doing the Pacific/Asia in 2024.  We will probably have to wait awhile for an O class ship in Australia.

[Flatbush Flyer]

13 minutes ago, JanR said:

DW and I are currently on the Oceania Regatta.  Before we sailed, we knew it was a ship that was built in 1999 and expected that the architecture of the ship to be dated and but we love the layout of the ship.  It apparently went through a refurbishment last year in 2022 and the decor (especially in our cabin) seems to be light and contemporary.

 

However. . .we boarded in Singapore and have been in Indonesian waters for 4 days and were frustrated to find that the air conditioning on the ship was not working.  Our cabin became nearly unsleepable at night and we found ourselves sweating in Martinis while we were getting a pre-dinner cocktail.  As of yesterday, the A/C seems to be working better.  As such, normally this would be a hiccup that we would understand as sometimes things break.  That's life.  However, there are other things that we see on the ship that either indicates maintenance of the ship is woefully deficient or the ship is so old that the best of intentions by the maintenance crew just can't keep up.  

 

As we walk around the ship, it is easy to see rust pretty much throughout the ship.  Mainly this tends to be at the base of metal support structures.  Likewise, multiple areas around the ship the railings are bleached and worn--much like what happens to teak patio furniture if you don't continuously provide loving care to them.  In the main dining room by the windows we noticed that the copper fitting surrounding the windows are oxidized.  Then there is deck 11.

 

Deck 11 is the sun deck where the deck plan shows a putting green, shuffleboard and other common sports.  While the putting green is up there, everything else...to include the AstroTurf (it is conveniently rolled up and sits on the deck), has been ripped out.  While there are the bench-like containers that still contains the shuffle cues and discs, the actual shuffle board has been likewise ripped out.  The other parts for the shuffleboard and what looks like what might have been cornhole are still up on the deck, now crammed into the ship structure found at the center of the deck.  In place of where these sporting activities may have been are now two 20-foot refrigerated cargo containers.  When you are up there, it looks like Oceania has taken their small luxury ship and replaced it with a cargo container vessel.  

 

I've written and rewritten this post four times now trying to make sure I have the right tone.  We are enjoying our cruise.  The crew are great (although short handed) and we love the itinerary (with really good ship excursions).  But since August 2022, DW and I have sailed on about a dozen cruises on six cruiselines from MSC to Regent and none of those ships--including the Oceania Marina and the NCL Sky which was built the same year as the Regatta--have we commented on the apparent neglect of the ship.  To be clear, we don't care that there is no more shuffleboard on the ship.  Nor would any one of the other issues really have come to a level of comment on their own (OK, maybe the A/C).  But the combination of these issues makes us wonder about Oceania as a line, or at least the viability of these R-class ships.

 

My two cents...your mileage may vary.  

You are entitled to your opinion. But, those original Renaissance ships were built like a “brick out house.” As each of the four “R” ships  (R for Regatta Class, NOT Renaissance) started the Oceania cruise line [Regatta and then Insignia], they received a multi-million dollar renovation (including Sirena which took $40 million to turn the Ocean Princess into an O ship (which then received a recent NEXT Era makeover.

If a little rust here and there really bothers you, than a classic cruise ship like any of O’s four R ships are definitely not for you. But, don’t worry. The R ships have a very loyal following including us.

All that said, note that, with Vista and Allura joining the fleet, the future of the R ships is a bit uncertain. O knows that, without the “R”s they will lose a significant number of regular passengers. But, then there’s the question of the viability of an 8 ship fleet given an uncertain future of the cruise industry.

 

In any case, if you’re not a big fan of the “R”s, O may not be a good cruise line for you.

[Flatbush Flyer]

15 minutes ago, zalusky said:

The R ships will be going away in a few years.  Some people love them and some people don't.  I am in the don't category.  Lounge bathrooms/Theater/laundry are some of my big peeves in the design.  Oceania recognizes there are limitations and it was not a ship designed from Oceania scratch like the O and V class ships.  Riviera will be doing the Pacific/Asia in 2024.  We will probably have to wait awhile for an O class ship in Australia.

This “R” ships “going away” is a much debated topic. 
One only needs to look at the various Vista (and other “new build” issues across the industry to realize that dumping the “R” ships may not be the best decision. Time will tell.

[Snaefell3]

Back in May (of '23), Deck 11 was in normal operation, so refrigerated containers up there does sound like make-do for ongoing refrigeration problems.  😞

 

The fact that the AstroTurf is rolled up rather than having the containers simply installed over it gives hope that O expects to eventually de-install the containers and re-install the AstroTurf 

Edited December 2, 2023 by Snaefell3
it ain't "24" yet ;)

[LHT28]

most ships  have rust 

Refrigerated container is a new one though

Maybe extra food supplies 😀

[JanR]

9 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

<<SNIP>>If a little rust here and there really bothers you, than a classic cruise ship like any of O’s four R ships are definitely not for you.<<SNIP>>

Truly, if it was just a matter of a "little rust here and there" then it wouldn't bother us.  We do love the small size and layout of the ship.  But, on top of the rust is oxidization of the copper window sealings, neglected hand railings, 4 days at the equator with limited A/C, and the ripping out of items (tossed into an area like you might find in my son's bedroom) on the sports deck to make room for two refer containers (indicating that things down below with refrigeration might be askew). 

 

Every cruise ship (including the Marina) on every other cruise line we've been on does not have this combination of indicators that demonstrates neglect of the vessel we are sailing on.

[Snaefell3]

10 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

But, then there’s the question of the viability of an 8 ship fleet given an uncertain future of the cruise industry.

Oceania is part of the quite viable NCLH (32 ships if I counted correctly), but an Oceania with 7 ships is better than with only 3 (not counting unhatched chickens), so the 'R's are likely to be around for a while.

 

BTW, Regatta was launched as M/V R Two, the second ship in the 'R' (for Renaissance Cruise Line) class.

[ak1004]

We were on the Regatta last September and found it in a great shape. No air conditioning issues, and everything was spotless.

 

We prefer the O ships, mostly due to larger cabins, more dining options etc. But the overall condition of the Regatta was very good.

[Flatbush Flyer]

27 minutes ago, JanR said:

Truly, if it was just a matter of a "little rust here and there" then it wouldn't bother us.  We do love the small size and layout of the ship.  But, on top of the rust is oxidization of the copper window sealings, neglected hand railings, 4 days at the equator with limited A/C, and the ripping out of items (tossed into an area like you might find in my son's bedroom) on the sports deck to make room for two refer containers (indicating that things down below with refrigeration might be askew). 

 

Every cruise ship (including the Marina) on every other cruise line we've been on does not have this combination of indicators that demonstrates neglect of the vessel we are sailing on.

I’ll bet my almost 500 nights on O ships against your total experience on other cruise ships of equivalent vintage. Relatively speaking, Regatta is what we sailors refer to as “Bristol.”

[Flatbush Flyer]

23 minutes ago, Snaefell3 said:

Oceania is part of the quite viable NCLH (32 ships if I counted correctly), but an Oceania with 7 ships is better than with only 3 (not counting unhatched chickens), so the 'R's are likely to be around for a while.

 

BTW, Regatta was launched as M/V R Two, the second ship in the 'R' (for Renaissance Cruise Line) class.

Ask any officer on an O ship: O’s “R” class is designated as such in recognition of its rechristening of it’s first acquisition as  “Regatta.” 
(It’s an often asked O Trivia question).

[JanR]

7 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

I’ll bet my almost 500 nights on O ships against your total experience on other cruise ships of equivalent vintage. Relatively speaking, Regatta is what we sailors refer to as “Bristol.”

Just reporting on what we see right now.  It currently doesn't resemble anything that would ordinarily be considered Bristol Fashion.

[babysteps]

Was it Regatta that was recently delayed departing Vancouver for refrigeration issues? If so that could explain the cargo containers on deck 11. 

[bob brown]

2 hours ago, Snaefell3 said:

 

 

BTW, Regatta was launched as M/V R Two, the second ship in the 'R' (for Renaissance Cruise Line) class.

 

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Ask any officer on an O ship: O’s “R” class is designated as such in recognition of its rechristening of it’s first acquisition as  “Regatta.” 
(It’s an often asked O Trivia question).

Renaissance Cruises bought eight ships they called, R One thru R Eight. When they went defunct, Oceania acquired three of them, and later a fourth from Princess.  The first one they bought was the R Two, which Oceania renamed Regatta.  Later,  they bought R One, which they  renamed Insignia.  Even though the Regatta wasn't the first one built, since they acquired it first, they named all four of the type, as the Regatta or 'R' class.  The other two are the Nautica, and the Sirena...

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 minutes ago, bob brown said:

 

Renaissance Cruises bought eight ships they called, R One thru R Eight. When they went defunct, Oceania acquired three of them, and later a fourth from Princess.  The first one they bought was the R Two, which Oceania renamed Regatta.  Later,  they bought R One, which they  renamed Insignia.  Even though the Regatta wasn't the first one built, since they acquired it first, they named all four of the type, as the Regatta or 'R' class.  The other two are the Nautica, and the Sirena...

As I said….  Regatta Class

[pinotlover]

FDR, Sr has already stated that the R ships will see no future refits. The current plan, in the near future is the two “ O” Class ships and three (3) A Class ships. The R Class will be aging out. It may take 5-6 years for all of them to go, but come 2030 ( or earlier) they’ll all be gone.

 

For those R ship lovers Show your Love! Book the r ships. Ever notice how often the R ships need the big SALES to fill?

 

First glimpse. Watch the next cruise release currently scheduled for next March/April and see if all the R ships are included.

Edited December 3, 2023 by pinotlover

[Snaefell3]

20 minutes ago, bob brown said:

 

Renaissance Cruises bought eight ships they called, R One thru R Eight. When they went defunct, Oceania acquired three of them, and later a fourth from Princess.  The first one they bought was the R Two, which Oceania renamed Regatta.  Later,  they bought R One, which they  renamed Insignia.  Even though the Regatta wasn't the first one built, since they acquired it first, they named all four of the type, as the Regatta or 'R' class.  The other two are the Nautica, and the Sirena...

Oh, my!

 

IMO 9156474 was...

Launched as R Two,

Arrested in Gibraltar

Bought by Cruisinvest

Chartered by Oceania and renamed as Insignia   Huh!?!

Sub-chartered by TMR and sailed as Vaisseau Renaissance, still registered as Insignia

(meanwhile, Oceania bought R One, and renamed *it* as Insignia)

Returned to Oceania and renamed from Insignia to Regatta.

 

I'm not smart enough to know which "Insignia" was O's first R-class ship, but it wasn't named Regatta when it was.

 

[Waltershipman]

3 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

You are entitled to your opinion. But, those original Renaissance ships were built like a “brick out house.” As each of the four “R” ships  (R for Regatta Class, NOT Renaissance) started the Oceania cruise line [Regatta and then Insignia], they received a multi-million dollar renovation (including Sirena which took $40 million to turn the Ocean Princess into an O ship (which then received a recent NEXT Era makeover.

If a little rust here and there really bothers you, than a classic cruise ship like any of O’s four R ships are definitely not for you. But, don’t worry. The R ships have a very loyal following including us.

All that said, note that, with Vista and Allura joining the fleet, the future of the R ships is a bit uncertain. O knows that, without the “R”s they will lose a significant number of regular passengers. But, then there’s the question of the viability of an 8 ship fleet given an uncertain future of the cruise industry.

 

In any case, if you’re not a big fan of the “R”s, O may not be a good cruise line for you.

Was on original R ship on Renaissance and a rebooted Sirena in 2020 in a Next PH which was beautiful 

 

[Waltershipman]

Also was on an R ship on Azamara with very small cabins yet loved it and loved the cruise

[osandomir]

33 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

 

First glimpse. Watch the next cruise release currently scheduled for next March/April and see if all the R ships are included.

Is there any confirmation on March/April winter 2025/26 new release? Our next cruise is in late April and we’re looking forward for these cruises being available to book onboard. We like to cruise to the new faraway places so we’ll gladly book on any of the R, O or A  (big?) ship.

[Astro Flyer]

4 hours ago, babysteps said:

Was it Regatta that was recently delayed departing Vancouver for refrigeration issues? If so that could explain the cargo containers on deck 11. 

That’s what I read which was after we disembarked in LA before Regatta sailed up the West Coast before heading East. Our a/c was good on that late September & early October cruise & didn’t notice any troubling issues and greatly enjoyed our first O cruise.

 

Edited December 3, 2023 by Astro Flyer

[DrHemlock]

11 hours ago, pinotlover said:

For those R ship lovers Show your Love! Book the r ships.

We do; we do!! 

Edited December 3, 2023 by DrHemlock

[bradpole]

15 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

If a little rust here and there really bothers you, than a classic cruise ship like any of O’s four R ships are definitely not for you.

Or any ship, regardless of age. 

[EJL2023]

15 hours ago, babysteps said:

Was it Regatta that was recently delayed departing Vancouver for refrigeration issues? If so that could explain the cargo containers on deck 11. 

Correct, it was delayed leaving Vancouver on 10/9 due to refrigeration issues.  They were fixed so they could finally get the cruise moving, but most likely was a temporary fix.  It would appear now they are working on the permanent fix thus the issues on Deck 11. There was a thread on that particular cruise and can be found on the Regatta category.