Concierge Level Cabin

[clo]

34 minutes ago, AD607 said:

You also get three 20-items of free laundry (wash and fold), which we find is a very nice perk. We also like having access to the hot tub on the spa deck.

We had a bag of laundry done once. The clothes didn't have any 'brightness." Glad we didn't give them anything important.

[YourWorldWithBill]

15 hours ago, mauibabes said:

I walked into the CL and sat down with the Concierge and she immediately made the call to my Tour Operator, rescheduling the location and time for our pick up and we were done and anxiety squashed.  

Mauibabes

 

That's what we were hoping for when we booked Concierge level, but we found that when we needed to change anything she was not available. When we tried to change dining reservations, no help. I  feel badly posting negative stuff and don't want to discourage anyone, I guess we were just unlucky.

[mauibabes]

Just sharing experiences that have made sailing on Oceania so special for us. We have had negative experiences but tried to turn the negative ones into positives by communicating with the right staff and turning things around. While we had a Concierge to talk to in the Lounge, there is also a Concierge Desk on Deck 5. There is a Reservations Desk for dinner reservations too.  We would recommend getting to know the Food and Beverage Director, Restaurant Manager, and Maitre d’s. They are all highly visible and all the Maitre d’s work shifts in the Terrace Cafe so a little hello and chat may do wonders when you are visiting their Specialty restaurant. Many times we have just dropped by a restaurant after the mad rush when opening to ask about availability and actually gotten a table. 
To be honest, even when we have been in a PH and had a Butler, I have been more successful getting into specific restaurants that our Butler could not arrange. A smile and kind words helped us a lot. One trip with two other couples, we had a negative experience in Polo, dinner was not up to par.  A nice chat with the Maitre d when he dropped by to see how our dinner was, we shared the truth.  His reply, “The restaurant is yours ANY night you would like to dine here, you do not need a reservation” we definitely took him up on his offer and ate there 8 more times, ALL EXCELLENT. It was a Med and TA trip so there were lots of opportunities.

 

Our experience, they do aim to please. 

Mauibabes, on vacation and coming to you from spectacular Maui HI. 

[YourWorldWithBill]

1 hour ago, mauibabes said:

Our experience, they do aim to please. 

Mauibabes, on vacation and coming to you from spectacular Maui HI. 

Really, I have to agree with everything you said. For example, I asked the manager in Toscana for a dish that was not on the menu, and they prepared it, and it was delicious. They will always do that if asked a day in advance. In Red Ginger the cook prepared a dish for me (I'm vegetarian) that I had not requested and was a great dining experience. We had hoped for great food on O, and were certainly happy with it.

And they have a special staff person to work with vegetarians, giving the next day's menu in advance, etc. The Deck 5 reservations desk was extremely helpful, as were the other desks on that deck.

I would have received that treatment even if we were not on the concierge level, however; but might not have gotten the advance dining times we had. I was just trying to compare the concierge level with a different stateroom.

[cjwags]

We were in  concierge cabin on Vista in the Med last June.  Huge balcony near the aft where the balconies are larger.  We appreciated better dining times.  Got our first choice for 6:30 for all reservations. 9Also snagged times on other nights by talking with  Maitre d’.  

 

We are booked on Rivera next month in a B3.  Dining reservations were much harder to get.  In fact, mostly only 8:30 available and I logged in one minute after they opened. 

 

We also loved the spa therapy pool and hot tub.  It was rarely crowded, compared with a packed main pool, with no seating.

 

For these reasons, I think we would do a concierge on the next voyage.    

[mauibabes]

IF you get an opportunity to move up to a PH on a Sale and it is within your budget, grab it. A room 50% larger is always welcomed and your DW will really appreciate you 🤪👍🍷

Like I said, just sharing our Oceania experiences.

Mauibabes

[cruiserchuck]

9 hours ago, ppanyan said:

I see that the Concierge cabins on Vista are listed as being 291 square feet with a 27 square foot veranda.  Do you know if the 291 square feet includes the veranda or excludes the veranda.  Different cruise lines include or exclude the veranda from the cabin square foot size even when they list the veranda size separately.

291 square feet includes the veranda.  

[KiRiMi]

Thank you again for all these great suggestions and comments.  We got some great ideas, especially for making restaurant reservations.  We tend to eat late, around 8pm so from what has been said here, looks like we may have better success at getting the reservation we want since the hard to get ones are early.

[Psoque]

As long as you don't value the ability to book the restaurants sooner, you may not value the extra cost of concierge class to be meaningful.  I would rather spend that extra cost on a nicer dinner before you get on the ship or something like that.

[Redtravel]

If verandas are sold out, I book concierge.  The cabins are same size. Concierge has some perks that may or may not interest you.

[Europe and beyond]

On 2/18/2024 at 2:30 PM, Redtravel said:

If verandas are sold out, I book concierge.  The cabins are same size. Concierge has some perks that may or may not interest you.

We booked a cabin on the same floor as the Concierge room and my husband would walk down the hall to get us coffee. I need coffee before I can start getting ready for the day! 

[Wasasalad]

On 2/16/2024 at 3:50 PM, Cruisedreamer1 said:

You get early booking for your specialty restaurants and early embarkation.A staffed lounge with tv and and snacks.

Lounge only on certain ships 

[Colorado Coasty]

4 hours ago, Europe and beyond said:

We booked a cabin on the same floor as the Concierge room and my husband would walk down the hall to get us coffee. I need coffee before I can start getting ready for the day! 

Do you mean you use the concierge lounge even if you are not in a concierge cabin? I hope that is not what you meant.

[Europe and beyond]

Of course not. I’m giving another reason to pay for Concierge level. 

[cruiserchuck]

 I was on Riviera last November, and never got my coffee in the lounge, since the machine did not have espresso.  The snacks there did not look that good either.  Instead, I would go to Baristas, where I really enjoyed the espresso and snacks.  We did use the computer and printer in the lounge, since we unexpectedly had to print a number of pages.

[AMHuntFerry]

20 hours ago, cruiserchuck said:

 I was on Riviera last November, and never got my coffee in the lounge, since the machine did not have espresso.  The snacks there did not look that good either.  Instead, I would go to Baristas, where I really enjoyed the espresso and snacks.  We did use the computer and printer in the lounge, since we unexpectedly had to print a number of pages.

Did they change out Riviera's lounge machine? I thought the options hot water, espresso (or americano using the hot water), cappucino, and latte (or the decaf version), but maybe I'm remembering a different location/ship. My most recent ship was Regatta and the machine in Horizons had an espresso option (along with the tiny cups)...very popular with crew.

[shepherd really]

13 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

Did they change out Riviera's lounge machine? I thought the options hot water, espresso (or americano using the hot water), cappucino, and latte (or the decaf version), but maybe I'm remembering a different location/ship. My most recent ship was Regatta and the machine in Horizons had an espresso option (along with the tiny cups)...very popular with crew.

As of 1 hour ago, the machine in the concierge lounge on Marina had espresso, Cappuccino, lattes and Americano both caffeinated and decaf, the snacks were just fine.  

 

I suspect this "report" should be taken with a grain of salt.

[cruiserchuck]

25 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

As of 1 hour ago, the machine in the concierge lounge on Marina had espresso, Cappuccino, lattes and Americano both caffeinated and decaf, the snacks were just fine.  

 

I suspect this "report" should be taken with a grain of salt.

 

Here is a picture of the machine that I found online.  It is apparently from 2018, but it looks like the machine that was there last November.  There is no button on the machine for espresso.  If it dispensed espresso, then it was too complicated for me to figure out.  🤔

 

 

[tipsygirl]

On 2/17/2024 at 10:31 PM, mauibabes said:

IF you get an opportunity to move up to a PH on a Sale and it is within your budget, grab it. A room 50% larger is always welcomed and your DW will really appreciate you 🤪👍🍷

Like I said, just sharing our Oceania experiences.

Mauibabes

Once we had a penthouse suite we could never go back to Concierge

[mauibabes]

You know the drill, Happy Wife, Happy Life 😇 every trip has a budget and level of expectation so we go with what works for us. We have had great Cat B Verandas, Cat A Concierge Verandas and Penthouses and a couple of times even got an amazing Upgrade offer for a Oceania Suite and Owners Suite so O does throw out the “Temptation”. I must ad we have also had an absolutely terrible PH due to exterior noise so nothing is PERFECT. 
Just ENJOY, it is your 💰 and your cruise so no one’s option should limit what YOU do. 
Mauibabes

 

[clo]

39 minutes ago, mauibabes said:

Mauibabes

I'm gonna go off topic here and ask if you live on Maui? I think especially the West Coast people have been just devastated by the fire in Lahaina. It seems like we've all been there at least once. Anyway best wishes, Cat.

[Mareblu]

FWIW, the “espresso” and “cappuccino” options on the Executive Lounge machine dispense a watery version of the real thing.  Certainly okay for a wakeup hot drink if you’re near the Lounge and can nip out early in the morning, but it’s definitely Baristas for the genuine article.

Edited February 25 by Mareblu

[mauibabes]

@clo

Cat, 

Actually we do not but we have been on Maui this past few weeks during whale season. We try to come here every whale season just to see the whales. Our “handle” comes from a joke name I gave to my DW’s gang of teacher friends who came over during a Spring Break getaway years ago. It is interesting when we have met other CC and O guests at a Meet and Greet their reaction to me when I have Mauibabes on my name tag 🤪🤙.

The Lahaina devastation is AWFUL and very disheartening. It is a delicate balancing act, the need for visitors and the space for all to reside when it comes to displaced residents, volunteers, workers, and vacationers.  The business owners need the revenues so we have increased our activities and dining opportunities and upped our tips and cash donations and offered many hugs to the many friends we have made here over the past 20 years. Maui is a special place for us and we are so happy to see all the Maui Strong statements all over the island. 

🙏 Mauibabes

[AMHuntFerry]

4 hours ago, cruiserchuck said:

 

Here is a picture of the machine that I found online.  It is apparently from 2018, but it looks like the machine that was there last November.  There is no button on the machine for espresso.  If it dispensed espresso, then it was too complicated for me to figure out.  🤔

 

 

Huh, that's the older model. They have the WMF 1500 S elsewhere (with espresso). So many reasons to be a tea drinker 😉 (my spouse is the espresso guy)

 

So, just wondering...the computers in the internet-services area seem to be gone (maybe just monitors if the photos mean anything). Are there still actual computers on the lounges? I hate carting around a laptop on vacation and using the phone for email/surfing is annoying; real computers in the lounges may make them an appealing option.

Edited February 26 by AMHuntFerry
question

[clo]

2 hours ago, mauibabes said:

The Lahaina devastation

It will never be the same. But hopefully they can get to function again. Good for you for what you're doing.