Advice on cruise line

[Lorio337]

We are wanting to do a Mediterranean cruise -10-12 day.   Considering either Sun Princess, Sanctuary mini suite.   Or, Oceania, new Allura ship.   We’ve never cruised before and are in our mid fifties and active.  Looking forward to port excursions to see the sites and experience each destination.   We are looking for an upgraded experience with less kids around.  That’s why we narrowed down to Sanctuary on Dun Princess.  We want access to the special restaurants on our experience.  Oceania caught my attention as I know it’s a smaller ship but seems to have a more “foodie” vibe which is also appealing.   I also like some of ports that a smaller ship can get to.  Thought and opinions on either company for this first timer that want a nice state room with balcony, elevated virtue de and nice dining when on ship and not in a port?

 

thank you!!!!!!

[Flatbush Flyer]

41 minutes ago, Lorio337 said:

We are wanting to do a Mediterranean cruise -10-12 day.   Considering either Sun Princess, Sanctuary mini suite.   Or, Oceania, new Allura ship.   We’ve never cruised before and are in our mid fifties and active.  Looking forward to port excursions to see the sites and experience each destination.   We are looking for an upgraded experience with less kids around.  That’s why we narrowed down to Sanctuary on Dun Princess.  We want access to the special restaurants on our experience.  Oceania caught my attention as I know it’s a smaller ship but seems to have a more “foodie” vibe which is also appealing.   I also like some of ports that a smaller ship can get to.  Thought and opinions on either company for this first timer that want a nice state room with balcony, elevated virtue de and nice dining when on ship and not in a port?

 

thank you!!!!!!

There is a significant world of difference between Princess and Oceania. On all sorts of quantitative/qualitative measures (including crew and space ratios, food $/passenger, service, sleep/cabin amenities and experiences…), you will find O to be a far superior cruise. And, if (instead of just cabin fare) you compare “net daily rate” of all required and optionally available costs (e.g. WiFi, beverages, specialty restaurants, some booze/excursions, airfare or air credit, et al.), you’ll find that O’s fare inclusions mean not much difference in bottom line cost of comparable cruise itineraries.

 

FYI: one of O’s four smaller Regatta Class ships,”Sirena,” was purchased from Princess (the former Ocean Princess) several years prior to the Covid startup. It took a $40 million renovation to bring the ship up to O standards.

[MBP&O2/O]

I would agree ... I have just priced a Celebrity 8d and an Oceania 14 day. Minimal difference at the end of the day when I factored in gratuities, decent-ish wi-fi and a couple of speciality resteraunts.  Also 1200 or 3000 pax ... bad enough but on a sea day? 😄

[Flatbush Flyer]

10 minutes ago, MBP&O2/O said:

I would agree ... I have just priced a Celebrity 8d and an Oceania 14 day. Minimal difference at the end of the day when I factored in gratuities, decent-ish wi-fi and a couple of speciality resteraunts.  Also 1200 or 3000 pax ... bad enough but on a sea day? 😄

Isn’t it amazing what a little basic math demonstrates?😎

[CDNPolar]

18 hours ago, Lorio337 said:

We are wanting to do a Mediterranean cruise -10-12 day.   Considering either Sun Princess, Sanctuary mini suite.   Or, Oceania, new Allura ship.   We’ve never cruised before and are in our mid fifties and active.  Looking forward to port excursions to see the sites and experience each destination.   We are looking for an upgraded experience with less kids around.  That’s why we narrowed down to Sanctuary on Dun Princess.  We want access to the special restaurants on our experience.  Oceania caught my attention as I know it’s a smaller ship but seems to have a more “foodie” vibe which is also appealing.   I also like some of ports that a smaller ship can get to.  Thought and opinions on either company for this first timer that want a nice state room with balcony, elevated virtue de and nice dining when on ship and not in a port?

 

thank you!!!!!!

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Welcome to Cruising!

 

I agree with the above, and I personally don't put Princess and Oceania in the same class, therefore not comparable in my world.  To me Oceania is in the luxury group and Princess is just emerging into the premium group.  Just emerging.

 

Oceania have packages that are much more inclusive in their pricing and on Princess you have to add.

 

Both lines allow kids, but you will find more kids on Princess than you will on Oceania.

 

The difference between larger ships - Princess - vs. Oceania, there is much to consider too.  

 

Although Princess is not known as a "party ship" they are still going to be much more crowded and loud vs. Oceania.

 

If I were given the choice, I would go Oceania.

 

Have you looked at Viking Ocean?  They would be a line that would compare to Oceania.

[GeezerCouple]

13 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Welcome to Cruising!

 

I agree with the above, and I personally don't put Princess and Oceania in the same class, therefore not comparable in my world.  To me Oceania is in the luxury group and Princess is just emerging into the premium group.  Just emerging.

 

Oceania have packages that are much more inclusive in their pricing and on Princess you have to add.

 

Both lines allow kids, but you will find more kids on Princess than you will on Oceania.

 

The difference between larger ships - Princess - vs. Oceania, there is much to consider too.  

 

Although Princess is not known as a "party ship" they are still going to be much more crowded and loud vs. Oceania.

 

If I were given the choice, I would go Oceania.

 

Have you looked at Viking Ocean?  They would be a line that would compare to Oceania.

 

We are with CDNpolar!
(It seems that's becoming a 'thing' here! 😉 ). 

 

If the price isn't a dealbreaker, then do try Oceania, although we haven't been on them since pre-Covid.  And we have not been on the smaller ships.  Those cabins just seem too, too small, and even the PH... still quite small, especially for the price.

 

We love the Riviera (yes, the coast of France and Italy, too, so you might get double - heh!).  That seems "right sized" to us, including "places to go and sit", restaurants, and even the therapy pool in the Spa (certain cabins/suites have access, others may need to pay a daily fee).  But that's "us"; I cannot stand cold water, so very few regular pools ever appeal.  The T pool isn't large enough for swimming, but it's bigger than a hot tub... and just as warm!

 

We did take a Christmas/NYE cruise in the Caribbean on one cruise on the Riviera, so there were some children there.  O even set off a little area for them.  But we NEVER saw even one of them, except at the NYE festivities, and even then, they were hardly noticeable.  That's not surprising, I suppose.  (Compare that to our ONLY mass-market holiday cruise... NEVER again, and I'll stop there! 😱)

 

Our last cruise, just before Covid was on HAL, and we weren't sure what to expect, and our expectations weren't high.  But DH saw an ad for a NZ/Australia cruise on somewhat short notice at a very nice price, so we got our air tickets (F and business, thanks to awards... no way that distance sitting up anymore, not at our ages) and booked.

 

It may well have been because of the distance AND it not being a holiday time, but I'm not remembering any children at all.  We were very impressed with the ship as well as the itinerary.

Point is, the passenger mix probably reflects the dates, the length, and the region of the cruise.

 

Now, we'd still prefer Oceania's Riviera, but we wouldn't hesitate to sail with HAL again as long as it wasn't a short holiday-time cruise from an "easy to get to" port (e.g., Miami, etc.).

However, we have pretty much decided NOT to travel during major holiday times, regardless of where or how.  (We've found the sweet spot is after Thanksgiving through about a week before Christmas.  DH's birthday is the end of November, so that has worked out nicely.)

Or we go in mid/late May, before the full tourist season (and that gets us close to our anniversary!).

 

Double check and compare the ports of call, as those can certainly be high points of a Med cruise.

ENJOY!!

 

[Do at least consider travel insurance.  We learned about that here on CC before our first "big cruise trip", and... we used that travel insurance instead of losing 100% of everything!  So we "don't leave home/go overseas without it..." 😉  At least make sure you have sufficient medical coverage; that's not particularly expensive if you aren't also insuring a big trip cost.] 

 

GC

 

 

[George C]

Welcome to cruise critic, when we cruise Caribbean I pick the ship I want , since we done more than 60 Caribbean cruises. With European cruise the most important thing is what ports you will visit , normally have long port days with very few sea days so you spend less time on the ship, haven’t sailed Princess recently but there mini suites are nice. Have not sailed Oceania.

[CDNPolar]

19 hours ago, George C said:

Welcome to cruise critic, when we cruise Caribbean I pick the ship I want , since we done more than 60 Caribbean cruises. With European cruise the most important thing is what ports you will visit , normally have long port days with very few sea days so you spend less time on the ship, haven’t sailed Princess recently but there mini suites are nice. Have not sailed Oceania.

 

Very curious after 60 Caribbean cruises, what is it about Caribbean cruises that you find so appealing?

 

I am not being facetious in any way by asking, I am just honestly curious.  I have done two cruises in the Caribbean and unless dragged onboard, I don't think I would ever do another.

 

That is just me and my husband... and everyone has different tastes.

 

Do you get off at every port?  Do you just love the ship life?  Do you love to stay on the ship during port stops?

 

[George C]

3 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Very curious after 60 Caribbean cruises, what is it about Caribbean cruises that you find so appealing?

 

I am not being facetious in any way by asking, I am just honestly curious.  I have done two cruises in the Caribbean and unless dragged onboard, I don't think I would ever do another.

 

That is just me and my husband... and everyone has different tastes.

 

Do you get off at every port?  Do you just love the ship life?  Do you love to stay on the ship during port stops?

 

We love being on a ship , our Caribbean cruises are almost always on colder weather so we like using the pool , we also do suites which many times has there own pool with there own pool bars. Some out of Galveston are very economical for us since we live in Texas. We love being spoiled with butler free specialty restaurants, suite dining room and lots of entertainment. 
  Also for last 7 years one of our two annual cruise is a music charter filled with great musicians from 1970’s fun talking to artists having them sign albums etc , some of the groups were America, Boz Scaggs, Air Supply, Kansas, Mellisa Manchester, Rita Coolidge, Guess Who, Maria Muldar , B J Thomas etc etc

Edited September 3 by George C

[CDNPolar]

15 minutes ago, George C said:

We love being on a ship , our Caribbean cruises are almost always on colder weather so we like using the pool , we also do suites which many times has there own pool with there own pool bars. Some out of Galveston are very economical for us since we live in Texas. We love being spoiled with butler free specialty restaurants, suite dining room and lots of entertainment. 
  Also for last 7 years one of our two annual cruise is a music charter filled with great musicians from 1970’s fun talking to artists having them sign albums etc , some of the groups were America, Boz Scaggs, Air Supply, Kansas, Mellisa Manchester, Rita Coolidge, Guess Who, Maria Muldar , B J Thomas etc etc

 

Thanks for this.  I was thinking that the cruises that you take are "convenient" based on where you live too.

 

More power to you and I love knowing what motivates different people when it comes to cruising.

 

I have heard of these music themed cruises from a Florida resident that I met last Christmas on a European River cruise.  He was so excited about music cruises, especially Jazz cruises.

 

Thank you for sharing.

[Aquahound]

On 8/31/2024 at 8:28 AM, Lorio337 said:

We are looking for an upgraded experience with less kids around.  

 

Have you considered Viking Ocean?  That's the first line that comes to my mind with this statement.  

[Cruzaholic41]

I would not consider Sun Princess an upgraded experience. She’s a mega ship. That’s good in a lot of ways but not for an upgraded small-ship & sans kids experience.
 

Between the 2, Oceania better meets your wishes. Although I highly recommend looking at Viking and Silver. 

[Airbear232]

On 8/31/2024 at 11:28 AM, Lorio337 said:

We are wanting to do a Mediterranean cruise -10-12 day.   Considering either Sun Princess, Sanctuary mini suite.   Or, Oceania, new Allura ship.   We’ve never cruised before and are in our mid fifties and active.  Looking forward to port excursions to see the sites and experience each destination.   We are looking for an upgraded experience with less kids around.  That’s why we narrowed down to Sanctuary on Dun Princess.  We want access to the special restaurants on our experience.  Oceania caught my attention as I know it’s a smaller ship but seems to have a more “foodie” vibe which is also appealing.   I also like some of ports that a smaller ship can get to.  Thought and opinions on either company for this first timer that want a nice state room with balcony, elevated virtue de and nice dining when on ship and not in a port?

 

thank you!!!!!!

Best wishes for your upcoming trip.  Some suggestions: decide which ports in the Mediterranean you absolutely want to see and limit your choices accordingly.  In terms of your preferences for ship, consider Regency, Viking or Oceania.

[DarrenM]

On 9/3/2024 at 4:47 PM, George C said:

We love being on a ship , our Caribbean cruises are almost always on colder weather so we like using the pool , we also do suites which many times has there own pool with there own pool bars. Some out of Galveston are very economical for us since we live in Texas. We love being spoiled with butler free specialty restaurants, suite dining room and lots of entertainment. 
  Also for last 7 years one of our two annual cruise is a music charter filled with great musicians from 1970’s fun talking to artists having them sign albums etc , some of the groups were America, Boz Scaggs, Air Supply, Kansas, Mellisa Manchester, Rita Coolidge, Guess Who, Maria Muldar , B J Thomas etc etc

I like this post a lot.