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

[ak1004]

2 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

I am surprised you are sailing on SS again. I was under the impression from your posts that you don’t feel very enamored with them in the first two. I hope you have a great trip. 

 

We sail based on itinerary and pricing. This is a great itinerary at unbelievable price (around $400 USD per night). We enjoyed cruising on SS very much (except for the crazy dress code which is now more relaxed), I just didn't feel that they are in a different league compared to O (the whole luxury vs. premium discussion). But at that price plus fantastic itinerary, with one overnight and 4 late stays, it was a no brainer.

[Steelydad2021]

6 hours ago, edgee said:

Problem is pervasive. We'll respected cruise reviewer Gary Bembridge recently did a YouTube review on Vista...see below. Says he loves Oceania but will not sail Vista again due to noise between cabin issue.

 

https://youtu.be/5aOXEYQXQW0?si=Kx-4RmEZA3bo3DB9

 

Abutting cabin noise may give the Simply More pricing scheme a run as the biggest pain point. 

 

Got very lucky with super quiet neighbors on same Vista cruise as Sir Gary except for one afternoon when it sounded like they were in our room and speaking on a PA system. 

 

Also lucky to catch a few random chats w/ Sir GB in his wanderings about the ship and given his massive audience and influence O might pay attention and correct although his video indicates that is not likely. 

 

Still quietest most sedate crowd on a full ship ever which is not a complaint at all.  Fun to have the run of the place. 😀  

[Hlitner]

On 4/30/2024 at 6:19 PM, clo said:

I understand that cooking/eating in Rome (considered Northern Italy) is more apt to have cream.

While I seldom disagree with you, I do not think that Rome is Northern Italy by definition or mores.  Rome is in Lazio, which is considered part of Central Italy (there are 4 statistical regions in Italy).  The cuisine of Rome (and central Italy) is quite different from much of Northern Italy is among my favorites and makes me quickly think of Osso Bucco and Risotto alla Milanese.  My "personal chef" insists that while cream does show-up is some Italian recipes, much of the classic dishes do not use cream.  Even pasta dishes like Carbonara and Alfredo do not use cream (if made classically).  

 

But what do I know?  I just eat what I am served, always love it, etc :).  

 

Hank

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, edgee said:

Problem is pervasive. We'll respected cruise reviewer Gary Bembridge recently did a YouTube review on Vista...see below. Says he loves Oceania but will not sail Vista again due to noise between cabin issue.

 

https://youtu.be/5aOXEYQXQW0?si=Kx-4RmEZA3bo3DB9

 

Thanks... will take a look.   Iain follows Gary -- loves his reviews.

 

[clo]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

While I seldom disagree with you, I do not think that Rome is Northern Italy by definition or mores.  Rome is in Lazio, which is considered part of Central Italy (there are 4 statistical regions in Italy).  The cuisine of Rome (and central Italy) is quite different from much of Northern Italy is among my favorites and makes me quickly think of Osso Bucco and Risotto alla Milanese.  My "personal chef" insists that while cream does show-up is some Italian recipes, much of the classic dishes do not use cream.  Even pasta dishes like Carbonara and Alfredo do not use cream (if made clasesically).  

 

But what do I know?  I just eat what I am served, always love it, etc :).  

 

Hank

In the cooking world I was taught that Rome leaned more to the North than the South. Based on agriculture.

 

I can't imagine ANY milk product in carbonara. There are a gazillion variations but I've never seen cream.

 

[Harters]

1 hour ago, clo said:

I can't imagine ANY milk product in carbonara

So, no pecorino for you?

[clo]

8 minutes ago, Harters said:

So, no pecorino for you?

That's funny. I realized that and had intended to come back. Thanks, Harters.

[Jim_Iain]

4 hours ago, Steelydad2021 said:

Abutting cabin noise may give the Simply More pricing scheme a run as the biggest pain point. 

 

Got very lucky with super quiet neighbors on same Vista cruise as Sir Gary except for one afternoon when it sounded like they were in our room and speaking on a PA system. 

 

Also lucky to catch a few random chats w/ Sir GB in his wanderings about the ship and given his massive audience and influence O might pay attention and correct although his video indicates that is not likely. 

 

Still quietest most sedate crowd on a full ship ever which is not a complaint at all.  Fun to have the run of the place. 😀  

 

Looking forward to our first two Oceania cruises.    We are probably another Celebrity refugee looking for a new home.    After 23 years of sailing exclusively on Celebrity in upper suites we finally jumped ship earlier this month and took our first non-celebrity cruise on Ponant.

 

Vista from Istanbul to Lisbon in Nov 2025 was our first booking but decided we had to try the product earlier so booked Regatta for September.   I know she is older and not the same experience as the larger ships ....but... we are so ready for a change.

 

Going forward we will also be booking Price/Itinerary and will no longer be concerned with loyalty. 

[Vineyard View]

8 hours ago, ak1004 said:

 

We sail based on itinerary and pricing. This is a great itinerary at unbelievable price (around $400 USD per night). We enjoyed cruising on SS very much (except for the crazy dress code which is now more relaxed), I just didn't feel that they are in a different league compared to O (the whole luxury vs. premium discussion). But at that price plus fantastic itinerary, with one overnight and 4 late stays, it was a no brainer.

Sounds like an incredible price….and if itinerary match, bonus round! Hoping you have a great voyage!

[elmsliebev]

On 4/28/2024 at 3:21 PM, Harters said:

My partner would agree with you - particularly enjoying the champagne, almost as an aperitif, which she ordered along with whatever she intended drinking with her main course. On the other hand, I found the zero alcohol Merlot was dismal - very little flavour (in comparison with the alcohol free reds I can easily get at home). I don't think I'd bother with it again and would stick to water. 

have you had the zero alcohol fizz on Oceania? There do seem to be better reds around these days, Zeno is a favourite of mine. Cunard use Natureo wines and their rose is very good. I'm glad to see Oceania have Lyres onboard now as I really like their various AF spirits. 

[Harters]

15 minutes ago, elmsliebev said:

have you had the zero alcohol fizz on Oceania?

No - but then I'm not a fizz drinker. I have it in mind that they do have some Lyres products onboard. Can't recall if I had any on the recent trip. I know they didnt have Seedlip which is my preferred product for an alcohol free gin substitute. 

[Hlitner]

Thought I would keep the thread active, since we are still in Europe (post Vista cruise) following what we preach (cruise + land is great).  We have spent the last week in Austria (Graz, Salzburg, and Innsbruck) and had a fantastic time driving through the country,  After a few days of cloudy (and some rain) weather, today is a beautiful day with temps reaching into the 70s F and the nearby mountains fully in their glory,  This morning we took a local cable car up to the top of the local mountain where we had fantastic views (through a few fluffy low clouds).  We later took a local tram over to a bell foundry/museum that has been in business for hundreds of years.  Since we have debarked from the Vista, all of our driving trip has been to places that cannot possibly be accessed via cruise ship.

 

But I want to talk about swollen ankles.  After 50 years of cruising, we have never solved the mystery of why many get swollen ankles on cruises.  There has been many CC blogs on the topic with many of us tossing out theory's.  By the time we disembarked Vista on May 1, my ankles and feet were pretty bad (tough to even put on my shoes).  Within 36 hours of leaving the Vista, both ankles and feet were back to near normal.  Within 4 days they were 100% normal.  This despite still being in travel mode, eating in restaurants, etc.  For me, the mystery continues.

 

Tomorrow, we drive back to Italy (Milan) where we will finally end this trip with our flight back to the USA.  DW and I have really enjoyed the past week in Austria (a country where we have previously never spent more than a day in Vienna).  Innsbruck is a decent tourist city that is surrounded by beautiful mountains, has a river running through downtown, an old town, etc.  While we were in Salzburg, we did see river cruise tours (from both Viking and AMA), but here in Innsbruck that is not the norm.  Like most trips in Europe, we have had our fill of churches and castles (at least until our next trip) and have climbed more stairs/ramps then expected.  The reality of this kind of European travel is that it is very helpful to be both mobile and in shape.  Walking 4-8 miles a day is our norm, and in this country too much of those miles are up and down.  

 

DW and I are already talking about a future cruise on O, but we will likely stick to either the Vista or new Allura.  We did not book a future cruise (or future cruise credit) on the Vista, because we have our doubts about meeting the time requirements,  Another issue is that trying to speak with one of the future cruise folks (onboard) generally meant a long wait or some careful planning.  More hassle then we want, when on a cruise.  Another Martini Bar friend (who has numerous O cruises) told us that is something he has long disliked about O (i.e. trying to get to speak to the future cruise folks).  A minor complaint, but still worth mentioning.  

 

Hank

[fdnycruiser]

My wife always gets the swollen ankles as you have described. The doctor on Silversea last November said it’s from the excess salt used in meal preparation. However, we were on the crossing with you on the Vista last month. For the first time,she didn’t get the swollen ankles.  Your guess is as good as mine if the food preparation is the culprit.

[Hlitner]

2 minutes ago, fdnycruiser said:

My wife always gets the swollen ankles as you have described. The doctor on Silversea last November said it’s from the excess salt used in meal preparation. However, we were on the crossing with you on the Vista last month. For the first time,she didn’t get the swollen ankles.  Your guess is as good as mine if the food preparation is the culprit.

We have long thought that salt was the culprit.  DW does minimize adding salt when cooking at home.  But since we left the Vista, all of our meals have been in restaurants and most professional chefs routinely use plenty of salt (like on most cruise ships).  And yet, the ankle swelling quickly dissipated once off the Vista.  And this is not just about the Vista, because we cruise on many different lines (within the last year Princess, HAL, Seabourn, Explora Journeys) and the ankle swelling is common on all of those lines.  Can it be that cruise line galleys simply add a lot more salt than land-based restaurants?   At home I never pay much attention to salt and will routinely add it to many of the usual things and yet, do not have any ankle swelling.

 

Some of us used to think that the culprit is the water used on ships.  Most ships now make their own water, from sea water, by using flash evaporation and/or reverse osmosis.  But a few CC contributors, several of whom were chief engineers, have assured us that the systems used on modern cruise ships do not result in excessive salt/sodium.  We also have some cruising friends that avoid ship water (they only drink bottled water with limited sodium) and they still have the ankle swelling issue.  

 

 

 

 

[fdnycruiser]

Hank, if you ever solve the mystery, let us know. In the meantime, I hope your wife is doing fine. I know from my wife it isn’t a pleasant experience.

[ORV]

Is your alcohol intake on your land portion as much as it was on the ship?

[fdnycruiser]

I don’t know about Hank’s wife, but mine doesn’t drink 

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Is your alcohol intake on your land portion as much as it was on the ship?

Sometimes :).  The key to alcohol on land is when we are actually spending a few days in a city where I do not need to drive.  But we have wondered if that is a contributing factor.  We do have cruising friends, who do not drink any alcohol, who also have the ankle thing.  

 

Speaking of my wife, her ankle swelling was not nearly as bad as mine on the Vista.  And to be clear, we still love to cruise and would not allow swollen ankles/feet to dissuade us from that form of travel :).  Perhaps we need to spend more time on cruises to further investigate the issue.

 

Hank

[AMHuntFerry]

5 hours ago, Hlitner said:

DW and I are already talking about a future cruise on O, but we will likely stick to either the Vista or new Allura.  We did not book a future cruise (or future cruise credit) on the Vista, because we have our doubts about meeting the time requirements,  Another issue is that trying to speak with one of the future cruise folks (onboard) generally meant a long wait or some careful planning.  More hassle then we want, when on a cruise.  Another Martini Bar friend (who has numerous O cruises) told us that is something he has long disliked about O (i.e. trying to get to speak to the future cruise folks).  A minor complaint, but still worth mentioning. 

I have the same issue with possibly not wanting to commit within the deadline. My solution is to purchase an FCC since they are fully refundable if cancelled within 1 year (after that you lose your deposit...eek!). If a cruise is booked with the FCC, you still get a one-time itinerary change at no cost.

As for lines, just fill out the form to purchase an FCC and drop it off at the desk...no need to wait in line (you can also do this when booking a specific cruise and have no questions). The only reason to stand in line is if you actually want to discuss something.

[Hlitner]

9 hours ago, AMHuntFerry said:

I have the same issue with possibly not wanting to commit within the deadline. My solution is to purchase an FCC since they are fully refundable if cancelled within 1 year (after that you lose your deposit...eek!). If a cruise is booked with the FCC, you still get a one-time itinerary change at no cost.

As for lines, just fill out the form to purchase an FCC and drop it off at the desk...no need to wait in line (you can also do this when booking a specific cruise and have no questions). The only reason to stand in line is if you actually want to discuss something.

Am I missing something here?  You mean if a cruiser does not act within an arbitrary time (1 year) they will lose the deposit?  With most if not all, other lines, any deposit is automatically returned (with no hassle) after a specific time.  

[ak1004]

4 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Am I missing something here?  You mean if a cruiser does not act within an arbitrary time (1 year) they will lose the deposit?  With most if not all, other lines, any deposit is automatically returned (with no hassle) after a specific time.  

With Oceania you need specifically to request it. I don’t know what happens if you don’t. We did it last year, one email to our TA and the refund was in our account within couple of weeks.

[ncgolferette]

Another swollen ankle cruiser here!  Princess, Celebrity, HAL and O - doesn’t matter.  Small or large ship - doesn’t matter either.  I cruise with one group of friends - we drink less and dine early in the evening.  Little to no swollen ankles.  The other group with whom I  cruise  - cocktails before dinner, wine with dinner and late dinning.  Swollen ankles.  I always bring lasix with me now. 

[ORV]

9 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Am I missing something here?  You mean if a cruiser does not act within an arbitrary time (1 year) they will lose the deposit?  With most if not all, other lines, any deposit is automatically returned (with no hassle) after a specific time.  

You can use it to book a cruise later, but if you want to cancel it you only have one year. I'll see if I can find the details.

[ORV]

2 hours ago, ncgolferette said:

Another swollen ankle cruiser here!  Princess, Celebrity, HAL and O - doesn’t matter.  Small or large ship - doesn’t matter either.  I cruise with one group of friends - we drink less and dine early in the evening.  Little to no swollen ankles.  The other group with whom I  cruise  - cocktails before dinner, wine with dinner and late dinning.  Swollen ankles.  I always bring lasix with me now. 

Do you run faster with the Lasix?

[AMHuntFerry]

11 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Am I missing something here?  You mean if a cruiser does not act within an arbitrary time (1 year) they will lose the deposit?  With most if not all, other lines, any deposit is automatically returned (with no hassle) after a specific time.  

Here are the T&Cs from a September FCC. I have not cancelled, but would do as ak100 did and not take the risk. This is the only downside I can see with an FCC.