Pre-Cruise comparison of Oceania Regatta - Vista Suite to Celebrity Millennium Royal Suite

[Harters]

2 hours ago, flviking said:

I am looking forward to the lamb options

I don't know from which country they source the lamb. It is mild in flavour, so possibly New Zealand. It's certainly not as full flavoured as most British lamb (or Colorado lamb). 

[Jim_Iain]

21 hours ago, babysteps said:

Me too!

You probably already know this from your research, but for all of us who enjoy lamb:

The rack of lamb at RG is lovely (for your Vista cruise next year).

The lambchops on the GDR breakfast menu are small (both around and thickness) but tasty.

Terrace grill usually offers lamb chops (thick) every night.

 

Believe me I'm still learning as we go on.   It will be fun to look back at my anticipation and compare to my first experience on Oceania. 

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

On 8/14/2024 at 3:38 PM, cruisingxpert said:

Going to be following with interest.  Regarding Duck and Watermelon salad, it is very nice except  for one thing.  They usually cook the duck so long that I feel that it tastes like a wood  shard. I love the watermelon in it.

In Polo I have always found the French Onion Soup to be the best appetizer- some people really love the beet salad.

Toscana has the best bread basket in my opinion.

 

If the weather cooperates, I recommend trying the Terrace Buffet one night.  I wouldn't say that about any other cruise line.

 

 

One of the very few foods I detest are BEETS... Yuck...   I think my distaste comes from my mother forcing me to eat them as a child.    Definitely won't be ordering that on.

 

I have a feeling that we may be able Try out Terrace Grill at some point.    Being an Alaska and Coastal cruise it may be too cool but will play it by ear.    When on Ponant they had a similar setup and served the same menu as the MDR but in a much more relaxed setting.  They did a mixed service with self service for salads and deserts but the al la carte dinner was waiter served.

[Jim_Iain]

On 8/15/2024 at 8:49 AM, lorimay said:

While I am not a big fan of the buffet on Celebrity ships (very much quantity over quality), the buffet on the three larger Oceania ships I have sailed is in a whole different league. The quality and freshness of the food is very good. 

 

I've heard that and have to agree.    We try not to do the Buffet on Celebrity but sometimes there isn't much choice.   

[Jim_Iain]

19 hours ago, cruisingxpert said:

Unless they dropped it, the GDR serves baby lamb chops for breakfast.

 

That will be interesting to see if we make breakfast.   In 24 years of sailing we have only had breakfast in the dining room once.   The only reason we did that was the waiter insisted we had to try it once.     We have often had room service breakfast when we have an early excursion.

 

Normally breakfast is Toast and Tea or Coffee.

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, flviking said:

I am looking forward to the lamb options.  One trip to New Zealand I ate some form of lamb every day for 23 days.  Even had lamb on pizza!

 

I would think the New Zealand lamb would have been great.  Even Celebrity locally sourced the lamb on our recent Australia and Asian cruises.   

[Jim_Iain]

28 minutes ago, Harters said:

I don't know from which country they source the lamb. It is mild in flavour, so possibly New Zealand. It's certainly not as full flavoured as most British lamb (or Colorado lamb). 

 

Iain is from Scotland and we lived in Ireland for 3 years so had plenty of lamb.   Actually when we lived there the EC had a glut of Lamb and it was our least expensive meat.   I did notice that both the Beef and Lamb were much more full flavored almost on the edge of gamy.

[Jim_Iain]

Thought I would next look at menus.    I've heard so many good things about Oceania Cruises and looking forward to experience it.     I will have to admit I've read a number of reviews that like all other cruise lines the quality and selection has diminished post Covid.

 

First I will post a sample Oceania Menu and will compare it to a Luminae Menu.   I will try not to be negative about Luminae as after 24 years their menu has only slightly changed after all these years.

 

First Up Oceania

 

I also dropped a PDF if it is hard to read.  

Grand-Dining-Room-Dinner-Menu.pdf

[Harters]

3 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

both the Beef and Lamb were much more full flavored almost on the edge of gamy.

There will be several reasons - breed, how it's raised, age at slaughter, how its aged, etc. I play on a food forum and have read Americans say they often find lamb "gamey". Never really made that comparison - but then I eat a fair amount of game - venison, rabbit, pigeon, pheasant - and find some can be very mild. Rabbit is the prime example. I always need to cook it in a way that really adds flavour, otherwise its much blander than a free range chicken. 

[ORV]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

One of the very few foods I detest are BEETS... Yuck...   I think my distaste comes from my mother forcing me to eat them as a child.    Definitely won't be ordering that on.

 

I have a feeling that we may be able Try out Terrace Grill at some point.    Being an Alaska and Coastal cruise it may be too cool but will play it by ear.    When on Ponant they had a similar setup and served the same menu as the MDR but in a much more relaxed setting.  They did a mixed service with self service for salads and deserts but the al la carte dinner was waiter served.

They have an inside for when it’s cold. 

[LuAnn]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

One of the very few foods I detest are BEETS... Yuck...   I think my distaste comes from my mother forcing me to eat them as a child.    Definitely won't be ordering that on.

 

I have a feeling that we may be able Try out Terrace Grill at some point.    Being an Alaska and Coastal cruise it may be too cool but will play it by ear.    When on Ponant they had a similar setup and served the same menu as the MDR but in a much more relaxed setting.  They did a mixed service with self service for salads and deserts but the al la carte dinner was waiter served.

BEETS!!! I'm with you! Mom made me eat those out of a can..and they tasted like tin!! 🙂 🙂

[babysteps]

5 hours ago, Harters said:

There will be several reasons - breed, how it's raised, age at slaughter, how its aged, etc. I play on a food forum and have read Americans say they often find lamb "gamey". Never really made that comparison - but then I eat a fair amount of game - venison, rabbit, pigeon, pheasant - and find some can be very mild. Rabbit is the prime example. I always need to cook it in a way that really adds flavour, otherwise its much blander than a free range chicken. 

I sometimes say that lamb is the pinot noir of meat. As in, entrancing when it's just right, and sometimes meh even when you get the best priciest cut. 

 

Most of us 'mericans aren't seeking gaminess or (I sometimes think) even flavor in their protein. So their 'gamey' might be my 'mmm lamb-y' 

 

[DaKahuna]

6 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

One of the very few foods I detest are BEETS... Yuck...   I think my distaste comes from my mother forcing me to eat them as a child.    Definitely won't be ordering that on.

 

I agree 100% on beets.  Taste like dirt. 

Just remember to ask for extra okra.  It's good for the soul  and so delicious. 

 

 

[iowananny]

DaKahuna, I agree with you, beets taste like dirt.  Although on our last trip home we had a salad on the plane with shredded beets on top.  I started to clear them all away and then discovered they taste pretty good when they are raw.  

 

But as for lamb.  I love lamb but here in the Midwest US it's lost all its taste, at least at the grocery stores I frequent although I bought a boneless leg of lamb at Aldis and it did taste like lamb.  

 

The same goes for pork but at least it's cheap here.  More pigs than people in Iowa.  But they have breed it to be so lean that it's dry and tasteless.  If cooked with a good sauce it's a decent meal that we enjoy.

 

Right now we've got sweet corn, tomatoes fresh from the garden and plenty of other things my husband picks every day.  We really are eating like a king and queen but the older we get the harder it gets to have a garden but we do love the fresh veggies.

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

I agree 100% on beets.  Taste like dirt. 

Just remember to ask for extra okra.  It's good for the soul  and so delicious. 

 

 

LOL.. ok got me.   Okra is my second no go - Veg.

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, iowananny said:

 

Right now we've got sweet corn, tomatoes fresh from the garden and plenty of other things my husband picks every day

 

I'lll be right over.     Nothing is better than Sweet Corn fresh from the Garden ...  I really miss growing Tomatoes... Maybe next year I will put some in again.  

[Harters]

20 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

One of the very few foods I detest are BEETS

Love beetroot in its various forms. Grated into a mixed salad. Pickled beetroot on a corned beef sandwich or with a beef stew. Or, as served in a local restaurant only last week - chunks of cooked beetroot, served with very tangy goats cheese curds. 

[Vallesan]

Pickled with chilli are my favourite!

[Jim_Iain]

How about Entertainment -   Of course I will have to rely upon posting I've read about Oceania.

 

Oceania -   From the schedules I've seen,  Oceania has one nightly show at 9:00 PM.   It appears that there are numerous music sets around the ship in the evening hours. 

 

Celebrity -   Celebrity has a Large two tier theater and have two shows nightly 7PM and 9PM

They usually have at least 2-3 bands playing sets at different venues all evening.

 

Of course Celebrity with a much larger ship has many more activities plan.  For us it really doesn't matter.   We have not been to a show in 8+ years.    They have been pretty much run the same shows over and over again.  

 

We also are not big on Ship's activities like Bingo, Trivia etc.    We enjoy doing our own thing and never get bored with life at sea. 

[Jim_Iain]

Internet -

 

Celebrity -  Celebrity has rolled out Starlink across the fleet in 2022 and have solid connections.    They have however throttled the speed down to 5 MPS download and 2.5 upload.  While it sounds slow, I have no trouble streaming YouTubeTV, Netflix etc.

 

Oceania -   Oceania has begun updating all of their ships to Starlink.   They anticipate to have the full fleet updated by the end of 2024.   As I understand it, Regatta still have the original satellite based internet.

 

Cost ---   All suites on Celebrity receive Free Premium Internet.  Upper Suites (RS & Above) receive 4 accounts.

 

Oceania -  One free basic internet per guest.   Premium upgrade that permits streaming is available as and upgrade.   The price when I Google is 34.98 per day for the upgrade to streaming.  

[ORV]

5 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

It appears that there are numerous music sets around the ship in the evening hours. 

Well, not so much. You got a string quartet around 5-6. You have a piano player in Martinis, during part of happy hour, then a little later at night. You've got a band that plays in Horizons after tea and then later in the night. That's about it, not really any variation other than a few guest performers, but they're at the evening show. 

[MEFIowa]

11 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

How about Entertainment ... For us it really doesn't matter.   We have not been to a show in 8+ years.    They have been pretty much run the same shows over and over again. We also are not big on Ship's activities like Bingo, Trivia etc.    We enjoy doing our own thing and never get bored with life at sea. 

We cruise for ports and excursions, not the life at sea, which is pretty pricey if all you do is mostly stay on board and do little.

 

The POOL on Regatta is very small. More for walking about than swimming. Salt water, unheated. IIRC pool depth is uniformly a bit under 6' and there is no ledge near the bottom along the sides to use to comfortably stand with your head above the water. (I'm 6'2".)

 

Of course, check out the Library and Baristas during the day.

 

I always try to make the guest lecturer's series, any day I can. Usually 5 lectures for a 10-day voyage. (Sometimes there isn't one.)

 

We do try to enjoy the comedians, but don't do the song & dance productions nor could we care about string quartets or piano players in bars.

 

Do read your CURRENTS each night to know what all is happening where and when the next day. I look for things like a lecture on timekeeping by the watch manager in the boutique (he had free scotch during the presentation in Red Ginger) or a Veterans Meet & Greet. Little things like that which pop up periodically. (I've even self-hosted Veterans Meets & Greets in Martinis in the afternoon of a sea day. See the CD if you want to self-host some type of gathering.)

[mhdesno2]

I know that there are cooking and art classes on the bigger Oceania ships. Are there any on the Regatta?

[basor]

2 minutes ago, mhdesno2 said:

I know that there are cooking and art classes on the bigger Oceania ships. Are there any on the Regatta?

There is no culinary center on the smaller ships so no classes.....they do have some cooking demonstrations in the lounge that are put on by the chefs.   Also, there is no art center on the smaller ships.

[Harters]

17 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

the life at sea, which is pretty pricey if all you do is mostly stay on board and do little.

So true. And, as I've mentioned on previous threads, I suspect our time cruising may be drawing to a close, in favour of much cheaper land-based high end resorts. We'll know within the next 12 months, as we have one of each type of holiday booked and will make the decision based after that.

 

As for the main evening show, much depends on the cast. For example, we found Nautica's performers last autumn were very talented and engaging. On the other side of that coin, Vista's earlier this year felt noticeably less good.