Live from the Vista - March 27 (Miami) to May 1 (Trieste)

[Hlitner]

33 minutes ago, ronrick1943 said:

Sorry, I thought you meant all announcements came in the cabin/suite.

On the Vista the announcements are not coming in the cabin, but are still somewhat audible from the corridor speakers.  It is loud enough to wake light sleepers.

 

By the way, we have heard a rumor (from a pretty reliable source) that some soundproofing will be added to parts of the Vista, this summer.  It will be in the form of injected foam.  If true, it might help alleviate some of the complaints about noise bleed between cabins.  
 

Hank

[pinotlover]

As an update, we all got a letter in our cabins giving us notice of today’s immigration check and procedures. The CD has made announcements on this several times. The CD just made the announcement inside all cabins. We are just 5 minutes from “ all aboard “ and the Oblivious are still not responding. Search teams are now going around to the cabins and escorting the Oblivious off the ship to the immigration center! So the question is: Would the Oblivious reacted earlier if the announcements had been made earlier directly into the cabins ( and interrupted some poor soul’s tv show), or would the Oblivious just ignore those announcements also? I’m guessing the facial recognition system is also scanning the public areas for the wanton souls.

[pinotlover]

The Captain just came on the intercom over the entire ship and personally read out the names of the Oblivious and ordered them to Reception! This is pass the request stage! 😳. The ship can’t leave dock until they go through the immigration checkpoint. We need to get them off the ship, then leave them here! 

[Croooser]

5 hours ago, Hlitner said:

On the Vista the announcements are not coming in the cabin, but are still somewhat audible from the corridor speakers.  It is loud enough to wake light sleepers.

 

By the way, we have heard a rumor (from a pretty reliable source) that some soundproofing will be added to parts of the Vista, this summer.  It will be in the form of injected foam.  If true, it might help alleviate some of the complaints about noise bleed between cabins.  
 

Hank

One can only hope! Wonder if steps have been taken to avoid this issue on Allura?

[edgee]

7 hours ago, Hlitner said:

By the way, we have heard a rumor (from a pretty reliable source) that some soundproofing will be added to parts of the Vista, this summer.  It will be in the form of injected foam.  If true, it might help alleviate some of the complaints about noise bleed between cabins.  

Great news! They could also address part of the issue by adding a sound bar facing toward the viewer on the TVs. Part of the reason the TVs are so audible in adjacent cabins is that speakers are in the back on flat-screens pointing right at adjacent cabin walls.

[edgee]

2 hours ago, Croooser said:

One can only hope! Wonder if steps have been taken to avoid this issue on Allura?

Agree! Seems that if they have to go through this on Vista, they would take same or similar measures proactively on Allura.

[Hlitner]

Here we go again, live from the North Atlantic between Madeira and Cadiz.  Today, we cruise on a course of 62 degrees at 17 knots in overcast skies.  It is a bit chilly on deck (low-mid 60s), so we spent some of the day reading our Kindles in Horizons.

 

Last night we ate in the GDR (shared a table with a delightful couple) and I asked our waiter whether to get the Dover Sole or the Duck Breast in a Green Peppercorn Sauce.  The waiter suggested the duck since it was a relatively new recipe here on O.  I thought the duck a little tough (others said it was too fatty) but managed to eat every morsal.  

 

A few words about the lovely Vista.  This ship does have some design deficiences.  One of the most talked about is the layout of the Vista Lounge (Theater) which has been discussed in other CC threads.  It appears that the goal of the design was to cram as many seats as possible into the single level room.  This causes some bad sight lines.  But even worse, there are many rows with only an entrance/exit on one side which means folks may have to crawl over more than a dozen folks to get in/out.   Last evening, a drinking buddy mentioned another design problem which is the quite beautiful Horizons Lounge.  The stage is located on the Starboard side aft.  We would estimate that at least half the seats in the Lounge do not have a view of the stage (blocked by dividers, oversized pillars. the bar, walls, etc.  While it is great as a place to relax on a sea day, it is a problem if somebody is speaking (such as the Captain) or entertaining from the stage.  

 

Now I am going to talk about a pet peeve which is called "Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)."  IMHO, DCC is nothing more than legalized theft and it's done by most banks, credit card companies, etc.  This impacts most travelers to Europe/Asia or elsewhere that use major credit cards or ATM/Debit cards.  The screens will usually offer you a specific exchange rate and tell you it is in your home currency.  The screens are carefully designed to entice you to accept these outrageous exchange rates but there is always an option (not always easy to find) to "Decline" this exchange rate.  You should always decline.  Why?  By saying no, you will actually get a much better exchange rate (the wholesale rate of exchange).  Yesterday, in Madeira, I decided to get a few hundred Euros from a major bank ATM.  The DCC exchange rate was about $1.225 US for 1 Euro.  By declining that rate, I paid $1.088 (found by checking my own bank account) which means I saved about 12%.    All travelers, not familiar with this legalized theft (my words) can find numerous online articles including a pretty good piece on Wikipedia.  Just Google "DCC" or "Dynamic Currency Exchange."  Just a reminder that you may not only see these DCC screens on ATM machines, but you can also have it pop up on charge card terminals.  

 

Hank

[thebsinmiss]

There is also another currency game covered in a youtube video.  When you go to withdraw money from some ATM's in europe the screen is carefully presented and worded along the lines of "check account balance and withdraw funds" .

 

You have to decline this option as by checking your account balance you are allowing them to charge an outrageous fee for the "service". You only want to withdraw money which is an option shown only on another screen. 

 

Car rental firms are also a major user of DCC. Usually its at the airport and you are in a rush to get your bags and check in and they just present the machine to you to confirm payment. READ everything before making a selection

[Hlitner]

By the way, while we are the subject of currency conversion we should mention that the O Vista does sell Euros onboard.  There current price is $1.16 + 5% or about $1.22.  This is almost identical to the ridiculous DCC rate I quoted above means folks are paying about 12% more than if they simply used a European bank ATM.  Speaking of ATMs, keep in mind that they are not all the same.  Folks are well advised to stick to major bank ATMs.  There are also other privately owned ATMs (such as Travelex) which may also charge ridiculous prices.  While paying more for one's money is not a big issue for folks who do not use a lot of cash, an extra 10 - 15% can really add-up for frequent travelers and those of us who do a lot of independent traveling.

 

Hank

[Kay S]

7 hours ago, Hlitner said:

 While paying more for one's money is not a big issue for folks who do not use a lot of cash, an extra 10 - 15% can really add-up for frequent travelers and those of us who do a lot of independent traveling.

 

My husband was just waxing nostalgic about travellers checks the other day.  I had to remind him about the hassles, and then he returned to his senses.  The ATM is a blessing, imo.  

[clo]

17 hours ago, mexicobob said:

I completely agree. I am 71 and most my age would agree this behavior shows the people to be complete total, pathetic morons. Really do not understand why Oceania would cater to such low class people. Sure hope I never cruise with them.

I was confused about this to begin with. That sandwich seemingly bore NO resemblance to a Philly Steak Sandwich so in that case I'd send it back also.

[clo]

33 minutes ago, Kay S said:

My husband was just waxing nostalgic about travellers checks the other day.  I had to remind him about the hassles, and then he returned to his senses.  The ATM is a blessing, imo.  

I will clways remember 25 or 30 years ago we were in Santiago, Chile, watching the changing of the card or some such. I noticed a bank across the square and wondered aloud if they would have an ATM. My darling husband, who worked ALL over the world, probably laughed. Well, sure enough they did. I seem to remember that some countries 'came to the party' before the US.

[Snaefell3]

Sometimes it was a kludge.  Once upon a time in Bermuda (1990s?), I needed US$. 

 

The procedure was to go to the ATM outside the Bermudian bank for BM$ (pegged 1:1 to the US$), bring them into the bank, who exchanged the BM$ bills 1:1 for US$ bills without charging a fee.  There was an ATM fee, but nary a currency conversion fee.

 

::ponders::  Even more amazingly, we bought stamps (postcards were still a thing) at an official Bermudian Post Office with US$ bills and got US$ coins for change.

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, Snaefell3 said:

Sometimes it was a kludge.  Once upon a time in Bermuda (1990s?), I needed US$. 

 

The procedure was to go to the ATM outside the Bermudian bank for BM$ (pegged 1:1 to the US$), bring them into the bank, who exchanged the BM$ bills 1:1 for US$ bills without charging a fee.  There was an ATM fee, but nary a currency conversion fee.

 

::ponders::  Even more amazingly, we bought stamps (postcards were still a thing) at an official Bermudian Post Office with US$ bills and got US$ coins for change.

We've been going to Bermuda for more than 35 years. I'm curious why you needed US dollars while in Bermuda since both US and Bermuda currency are accepted everywhere.

 

And it wasn't amazing that you got US coins in exchange for US bills. You can get change in either currency anywhere as long as your preferred currency is available. Just ask for it.

[Snaefell3]

2 hours ago, njhorseman said:

We've been going to Bermuda for more than 35 years. I'm curious why you needed US dollars while in Bermuda since both US and Bermuda currency are accepted everywhere.

 

And it wasn't amazing that you got US coins in exchange for US bills. You can get change in either currency anywhere as long as your preferred currency is available. Just ask for it.

It was back when cabs didn't take credit cards.  We were planning ahead -- New York cabs don't take BM$ 😉

 

We wouldn't have been surprised by a hotel with US$ coins, but an official agency of the Bermudian government handing out US$ coins made us blink.

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, Snaefell3 said:

It was back when cabs didn't take credit cards.  We were planning ahead -- New York cabs don't take BM$ 😉

 

We wouldn't have been surprised by a hotel with US$ coins, but an official agency of the Bermudian government handing out US$ coins made us blink.

OK. I should have realized that you just wanted to be sure you didn't have any leftover Bermuda currency when you returned .

[Snaefell3]

11 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

OK. I should have realized that you just wanted to be sure you didn't have any leftover Bermuda currency when you returned .

It was worse than that.   We'd spent all our US$ currency and the ATM only dispensed BM$.  I refuse to picture a NYC cabbie at the end of a trip being offered only BM$.  😲  

[Hlitner]

Greetings from Cadiz,

Eleven days after departing Miami, we have finally arrived at our first port on the European continent.  DW and I have always enjoyed Cadiz, which is a fine port for DIYers or tour lovers.  The weather started out somewhat overcast, but gradually cleared into a nice spring day with temps about 68.  DW and I took our first O Excursion (we need to take some excursions because of our Simply More credit) which was a Tapas cooking and eating tour to an old home/hotel in Jerez.  

 

Last evening we had our first dinner in Ember.  To be very blunt, of all the dining venues onboard this is our least favorite.  Some have called it "Applebee's at Sea" and with this we do agree.  No tablecloths, a very unimpressive menu, slow service, etc.  I had the blackened crab cake starter and was really disappointed.  As one who loves good crab cakes, what was presented at Ember was very sad.  Not enough crab (too much filler), so-so flavor, small size.  I followed with the Lobster Mac and Cheese main, and this was somewhat different than I expected, but quite good.  Unlike most Lobster Mac and Cheese this had almost a broth-type sauce.   We sat down about 7:30 (at a 4 top) and did not get our dessert menus until 9:10.  All of us simply walked out (no dessert) since we wanted to see the new O show featuring a hologram and music of Whitney Houston.  The show was full, it was the kind of thing I expect at a Carnival, and we will not return when they do it again later in our cruise.  We are talking about watching a Hologram of Whitney (who looked very white) and listening to her recordings.  

 

Getting back to the restaurant service, we had mistakenly assumed that one could dine at 7:30 and still make the 9:30 shows!   However, service in several of the venues has been somewhat slow, so folks wanting to go to the shows (and get a decent seat) should probably consider dining by 7 or perhaps 7:15.  Should it take more than 1 1/2 hours to serve three courses!  You be the judge.  While we like to dine slow in upscale venues, we do not expect to spend over 2 hours in Applebee's....oops, I mean Ember.

 

Hank

[Flatbush Flyer]

17 hours ago, clo said:

I was confused about this to begin with. That sandwich seemingly bore NO resemblance to a Philly Steak Sandwich so in that case I'd send it back also.

Given my original post about the “non-Philly CheeseSteak” and my refusing it, how could it be confusing?

[elmsliebev]

On 4/6/2024 at 2:21 PM, Hlitner said:

By the way, while we are the subject of currency conversion we should mention that the O Vista does sell Euros onboard.  There current price is $1.16 + 5% or about $1.22.  This is almost identical to the ridiculous DCC rate I quoted above means folks are paying about 12% more than if they simply used a European bank ATM.  Speaking of ATMs, keep in mind that they are not all the same.  Folks are well advised to stick to major bank ATMs.  There are also other privately owned ATMs (such as Travelex) which may also charge ridiculous prices.  While paying more for one's money is not a big issue for folks who do not use a lot of cash, an extra 10 - 15% can really add-up for frequent travelers and those of us who do a lot of independent traveling.

 

Hank

We're in the UK and when we were in Malaga, Spain last year we had to try 3 different ATMs before we found one that didnt charge a fee for withdrawing money. It never used to be such a problem but it seems to be more common now. 

[Snaefell3]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

Applebee's....oops, I mean Ember

I've eaten Applebee's (mystery fish) and Ember's (sea bass) Fish & Chips.  Ain't the same dish.

 

Tip: Even more so if you substitute out ordinary Chips for "Potato Dippers" -- kind of midway between a french fry and a potato chip.

[proton-excitement]

1 hour ago, Snaefell3 said:

I've eaten Applebee's (mystery fish) and Ember's (sea bass) Fish & Chips.  Ain't the same dish.

Agreed. I can only assume they haven't been to an Applebee's. By that logic:

 

Ember = Applebee's 

Toscana = Olive Garden

Polo = Outback Steakhouse

Red Ginger = PF Chang's

 

They might be in a similar category, but not at all close to the same level.

 

On 4/5/2024 at 12:23 AM, Flatbush Flyer said:

Because I ordered a Philly CheeseSteak which was, in no possible way (nor interpretation) what was served to me.
Ever had a Philly CheeseSteak? If so, you’d have returned it too.

How was it in no way a Philly cheesesteak? I lived in Philadelphia for several years and have had plenty of real ones. Personally, I always go for white american or provolone, rather than yellow American or cheese wiz. But I'll let the pictures speak for me. One is a Philly cheesesteak from Philly, and the other is one I ordered today on Vista.

 

Edited April 7 by proton-excitement

[Vallesan]

It really amazes me that those ‘passengers’ from the USA assume that the food on Oceania is focused only on them.

 

There are lots of Europeans and Asians and I’m sure others who travel with  Oceania. Personally I would be happier with less USA focused ‘fast food’ offerings and more ‘fresh’ food!

 

Just my opinion!

[Vallesan]

Techno I think we may be in the minority!!!

 

Will say no more !

[Acrusa]

1 hour ago, Snaefell3 said:

I've eaten Applebee's (mystery fish) and Ember's (sea bass) Fish & Chips.  Ain't the same dish.

 

Tip: Even more so if you substitute out ordinary Chips for "Potato Dippers" -- kind of midway between a french fry and a potato chip.

Best fish and chips I have ever eaten 

when I read sea bass I was amazed .The 2nd night I had the rib steak fantastic We went to Ember expected not much but was pleasantly surprised .

Still miss Jacques 

Edited April 7 by Acrusa