A view from Vista

[Steelydad2021]

2 hours ago, LuAnn said:

Same here. The evening crowd was REALLY into the music. Horizons is big enough that during tea time there are plenty of places to sit away from the quartet if you want to chat. At least that is what we found. 

Like that

 

It is definitely big enough LuAnn with lots of sea view seats and a fantastic vibe.  

 

And yet talkers plant right up front, no tears and no hearts breaking, no regrets.

 

The quartet is so gracious, taking the talking in stride without missing a beat.  

 

Pros

[Steelydad2021]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

Hmmm you think anyone talks at a Steely Dan concert?  LOL.  I have a close friend who is not a classical music lover, and she thinks classical music lovers are pretentious when it comes to keeping quiet in the presence of live classical music.  But put many of those folks in a Jazz Club/bar (such as Take 5 on Princess ships) and they will talk loudly without any consideration for the jazz lovers.   And how about in a piano bar?  Should folks have conversations when an entertainer is playing/singing?  

 

While I think most agree that it is proper to be quiet when in a theater setting, it is very open to debate about doing so in a bar/lounge where there is some entertainment.  

 

Speaking about classical music lovers, on some HAL ships they used to have classical (often chamber music or perhaps a violin/piano duo) that would play in a room that had an adjacent main corridor.  Folks would come walking along (it was a main route after leaving the MDR) that wide corridor chatting away and "disturb" the classical music lovers sitting in the adjacent lounge (which was completely opened to the corridor).  Some of the music lovers would try to "shush" the masses coming from dinner, and it was almost amusing.  While many of us would show respect for the audience and not make much noise, there were others that could care less that some folks (the audience might be 100) want everyone to be quiet.

 

So what is the proper decorum?  You will likely get all kinds of answers.

 

Hank

This and LMAO - might have to turn up the Eagles, the neighbors are listening.

 

HAL has the best music at sea IMHO in the House of Blues but those cats can blow and no conversation will be had, heard and probably should not be attempted because your going to turn and stop, start to finger pop.   

 

Talking in movies, in concerts or on cruise recitals or Dan concerts ... do you get what you pay for?

 

Maybe it depends on how much it costs to hear the entertainment in question? 

[pinotlover]

The worst yet are those at the Repeater’s Party that try to drown out the OCA while they are trying to talk. The main offenders are often lead by the Platinums that come to every one just for the free booze. 

[Sailnsurf]

On 3/15/2024 at 3:57 AM, Steelydad2021 said:

GF- decent enough job accommodating dietary needs

Thanks for your objective comments.

 

I have a first time Oceana cruise booked and have already been informed on this forum about almost all I need to know about how to best ensure my GF needs are met (I am coeliac). I know from cruising on HAL that those needs were well met when it came to dining arrangements as seems to be the case with O, but it was the all day options which fell short and it is in this area that I have little information.It is sometimes hard when those in your group are tucking into delightful looking pastries and suchlike if  there are very limited or no GF options.

 

It would be very helpful if you ( and others) could give information about those all day snack options e.g. is there a good choice of GF confectionaries available, are there GF ice creams ? Are there GF High Tea options?

 

 

[Waltershipman]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Hmmm you think anyone talks at a Steely Dan concert?  LOL.  I have a close friend who is not a classical music lover, and she thinks classical music lovers are pretentious when it comes to keeping quiet in the presence of live classical music.  But put many of those folks in a Jazz Club/bar (such as Take 5 on Princess ships) and they will talk loudly without any consideration for the jazz lovers.   And how about in a piano bar?  Should folks have conversations when an entertainer is playing/singing?  

 

While I think most agree that it is proper to be quiet when in a theater setting, it is very open to debate about doing so in a bar/lounge where there is some entertainment.  

 

Speaking about classical music lovers, on some HAL ships they used to have classical (often chamber music or perhaps a violin/piano duo) that would play in a room that had an adjacent main corridor.  Folks would come walking along (it was a main route after leaving the MDR) that wide corridor chatting away and "disturb" the classical music lovers sitting in the adjacent lounge (which was completely opened to the corridor).  Some of the music lovers would try to "shush" the masses coming from dinner, and it was almost amusing.  While many of us would show respect for the audience and not make much noise, there were others that could care less that some folks (the audience might be 100) want everyone to be quiet.

 

So what is the proper decorum?  You will likely get all kinds of answers.

 

Hank

The strings are lovely and most enjoyable 

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, Steelydad2021 said:

This and LMAO - might have to turn up the Eagles, the neighbors are listening.

 

HAL has the best music at sea IMHO in the House of Blues but those cats can blow and no conversation will be had, heard and probably should not be attempted because your going to turn and stop, start to finger pop.   

 

Talking in movies, in concerts or on cruise recitals or Dan concerts ... do you get what you pay for?

 

Maybe it depends on how much it costs to hear the entertainment in question? 

I think you are referring to the BB King venues on HAL.  Unfortunately, they have now gone the way of many HAL cut-back.  BB King venues have been (and some will soon be) replaced by their new version which is called the Rolling Stone Lounge.  Apparently, HAL did not want to keep paying the BB King estate for use of that name.  HAL has also disbanded their BB King groups (some were better then others) and reformed Rolling Stone Lounge groups (somewhat like the BB King groups but with a different vibe).

 

Even though I am "old as dirt" I would love to hear a "Dan" group on any cruise.  If they also had Pink Floyd and an Eagles group it would also make me happy.  On HAL, we would expect something akin to Glenn Miller :).  Since we have yet to take our first O cruise (coming up in a few days) we cannot comment on O entertainment.

 

Hank

[Steelydad2021]

8 hours ago, Sailnsurf said:

Thanks for your objective comments.

 

I have a first time Oceana cruise booked and have already been informed on this forum about almost all I need to know about how to best ensure my GF needs are met (I am coeliac). I know from cruising on HAL that those needs were well met when it came to dining arrangements as seems to be the case with O, but it was the all day options which fell short and it is in this area that I have little information.It is sometimes hard when those in your group are tucking into delightful looking pastries and suchlike if  there are very limited or no GF options.

 

It would be very helpful if you ( and others) could give information about those all day snack options e.g. is there a good choice of GF confectionaries available, are there GF ice creams ? Are there GF High Tea options?

 

 

Yep - its pretty well organized and the things you think are precious I understand.

 

pre-order dinners from a menu by 10pm the night before,

 

at the buffet just ask what is GF, (GF toast at breakfast takes a few min since it seems to come from another floor(?) but is delish)

 

usually some ice cream/gelato options are ok and some not,

 

high tea has GF interesting sandwiches and treats on request (its not on the same cart but seems somewhere close by b/c they come right quick), did not do room service so cannot say,

 

Barristers has GF muffins and sometimes other snacks on request but also takes a few minutes as the servers run and get although based on the number of others ordering GF there one has to wonder why they just don't keep more on hand.

 

Generally, the GF bread, especially the warm dinner rolls, are quite tasty, the snacks less so. 

 

Have to add whatever the past complaints here, the fruit variety and quality was excellent.

 

You won't starve.

 

Time to grab a piece of something that I think is gonna last.

[LuAnn]

20 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Hmmm you think anyone talks at a Steely Dan concert?  LOL.  I have a close friend who is not a classical music lover, and she thinks classical music lovers are pretentious when it comes to keeping quiet in the presence of live classical music.  But put many of those folks in a Jazz Club/bar (such as Take 5 on Princess ships) and they will talk loudly without any consideration for the jazz lovers.   And how about in a piano bar?  Should folks have conversations when an entertainer is playing/singing?  

 

While I think most agree that it is proper to be quiet when in a theater setting, it is very open to debate about doing so in a bar/lounge where there is some entertainment.  

 

Speaking about classical music lovers, on some HAL ships they used to have classical (often chamber music or perhaps a violin/piano duo) that would play in a room that had an adjacent main corridor.  Folks would come walking along (it was a main route after leaving the MDR) that wide corridor chatting away and "disturb" the classical music lovers sitting in the adjacent lounge (which was completely opened to the corridor).  Some of the music lovers would try to "shush" the masses coming from dinner, and it was almost amusing.  While many of us would show respect for the audience and not make much noise, there were others that could care less that some folks (the audience might be 100) want everyone to be quiet.

 

So what is the proper decorum?  You will likely get all kinds of answers.

 

Hank

I have seen that "setup". There was usually a sign in the corridor asking people to stay quiet. As you say...mixed results for sure!! 🙂

 

[Steelydad2021]

3 hours ago, LuAnn said:

I have seen that "setup". There was usually a sign in the corridor asking people to stay quiet. As you say...mixed results for sure!! 🙂

 

Mixed drinks = mixed results 

 

Its tough to please all members of the audience - the listeners and the socializers, someone is gonna be unhappy.

Another Tanquaray, I’ll wait for 20 past.

 

But the thin walls on the Vista does seem a common refrain for many even tho we got lucky.

 

Once had a neighbor on a river cruise who blasted Barbara Streisand starting at dawn … 

No offense to Babs (or Clean Willy) but too much of anything…

 

Thins walls you cannot get away from and could reasonably be a deal breaker.

 

Understand may be such a dealbreaker for our vlogger critic extraordinaire Mr. Gary B. And that major dude has mondo influence.

 

Wonder if that is fixable …if they wanted to.

 

 

 

 

 

[Sailnsurf]

19 hours ago, Steelydad2021 said:

Yep - its pretty well organized and the things you think are precious I understand.

 

pre-order dinners from a menu by 10pm the night before,

 

at the buffet just ask what is GF, (GF toast at breakfast takes a few min since it seems to come from another floor(?) but is delish)

 

usually some ice cream/gelato options are ok and some not,

 

high tea has GF interesting sandwiches and treats on request (its not on the same cart but seems somewhere close by b/c they come right quick), did not do room service so cannot say,

 

Barristers has GF muffins and sometimes other snacks on request but also takes a few minutes as the servers run and get although based on the number of others ordering GF there one has to wonder why they just don't keep more on hand.

 

Generally, the GF bread, especially the warm dinner rolls, are quite tasty, the snacks less so. 

 

Have to add whatever the past complaints here, the fruit variety and quality was excellent.

 

You won't starve.

 

Time to grab a piece of something that I think is gonna last.

Thanks for this additioal information which is comforting.I appreciate your detailed response and must say I find peopl on this board really helpful. Maybe it says something about Oceania cruisers!

[DENIE]

On 3/15/2024 at 7:46 PM, Waltershipman said:

The strings are lovely and most enjoyable 

Always love the strings and try to catch a few of their sets in the Grand Lounge as well.

[Waltershipman]

3 minutes ago, DENIE said:

Always love the strings and try to catch a few of their sets in the Grand Lounge as well.

Absolutely agree. We saw them often and in the Grand lounge most evenings

[SeaWatch12]

On 3/14/2024 at 4:48 PM, Waltershipman said:

 Dw tested positive for Covid the day we got off ship  

I am wondering if that was the sailing that returned to Miami on 1/19? When we got home that afternoon from the Vista, I tested Covid positive. Thankfully it was a mild case. 
 

Edited March 18 by SeaWatch12

[Waltershipman]

1 hour ago, SeaWatch12 said:

I am wondering if that was the sailing that returned to Miami on 1/19? When we got home that afternoon from the Vista, I tested Covid positive. Thankfully it was a mild case. 
 

We got off ship super bowl sunday February 11

[ORV]

I was enjoying your View from Vista. Just curious if you would Do it Again?

[Steelydad2021]

7 hours ago, ORV said:

I was enjoying your View from Vista. Just curious if you would Do it Again?

and that is the ultimate question, innit ORV?  

Wheel turning round and round

did they change the water to cherry wine, turn the silver to gold?

 

They did or did a good job of trying even if not always perfectly executed.

 

O is in tune.  Four lightly themed restaurants included, (Ember theme is ... a pub? alrighty then if you say so, very lightly themed but DW had her favorite meal there) emphasis on food, right properly behaved crowd, civilized tea time and coffee bar. 

 

Little worried about so many complaints of room noise but ... Yep we would do it again.

 

now we dolly back, now we fade to black...