First Time on Oceania...3 weeks away!

[bdmagee]

As my first cruise on Oceania is quickly approaching, would love to hear some suggestions of "can't miss" things to do.

 

Does anyone have a favorite location to have a pre-dinner drink or read a book?

 

Perhaps a spa treatment?

 

Anythiing would be much appreciated.

[dbh62ark]

Oh, you've picked a very good cruise line (we sailed Oceania for the first time last year). :) The library on the Oceania ships is really great with a lot of good books and is a nice place to read. The lounge outside the main dining room is a nice place to have a drink while waiting for dinner companions.

 

Have a great trip,

Donna

[PA Nana]

Unless you are on a fastastic excursion, try to be back onboard for

"High Tea on the High Sea". YUMMY! All new (good) magazines in the Library, too. Eat breakfast at least one morning out on the deck...Terrace Cafe. Choose a wonderful seat on Deck 5 in the evening, listen to the string quartet and people watch...with drink in hand. There are so many wonderful "places" and things to do and see, it's hard to remember them all. I'm jealous...I have to wait a while until my next cruise. It's booked, but still a long way off. Have a great time.

[potterhill]

I really enjoy the continental breakfast in Horizons. On our first cruise we never knew it existed until the last day when we were encouraged to go up to watch the sailin to Venice. At the time I thought it was special for that day.

 

On our last cruise in Nov I often got up before my husband and would take a book, walk on the deck and enjoy a coffee and sometimes a croissant up there. You tend to see the same people everyday. Then when he came to find me, we would go to the terrace for breakfast on the patio. My favourite. Love those infamous berries! Hubby's favourite is The Grand Dining Room because he loves the Eggs Benedict.

 

High Tea is nice, especially after a busy day ashore.

 

We don't really do predinner drinks, so I can't help you there. I like to save the calories for wine with dinner.

 

Wish I were coming with you. Our next cruise is over a year away.

 

Mo

[Sweeterpea]

Our first cruise is in exactly one month :D

 

Definitely looking forward to High Tea and avidly reading the suggestions here too.

[Liv4cruzin]

I am currently on my 2nd sailing onboard Regatta. I have some suggestions for consideration....

 

Places to read: The library is a gorgeous room. It's quiet & comfortable; but it tends to get very cold in there. There are 2 laptops in the room which are quieter & less busy than at Compt@Sea. But I've stopped using them because I get cold. On this trip I've stretched out on the sofa in front of Destination Svcs. It's usually quiet enough; & it's a good people watching spot. The other place is outdoors on Deck 9 starboard side where they have the sofas & daybeds in the shade. If the weather is nice, it's a comfortable but not necessarily quiet place to read.

 

Pre dinner drinks: In addition to Donna's suggestion, Martini's is also a nice place to gather before dinner.

 

FYI: I've not had dinner in the Grand Dining Room yet this cruise. I've opted to stay a little more casual & chosen Terrace Cafe/Tapas on the Terrace in the evenings. Quite a few selections from the D.R. menu are served (all be it) buffet style in the Cafe. Service is extremely good; & it's faster to get in & out of.

 

And in case you haven't read these tips from my previous posts....some of my favorite menu choices in Tapas (& elsewhere) are all sorbets (exotic & delicious); create your own pasta station (I have my own "recipe" & if they don't have red pepper flakes or red sauce out, they've been nice enough to go in the back & get it for me); chocolate croissants are heavenly (super flaky, if only they were warm) & the creamed soups are to die for.

 

We have 56 C.C. posters on this sailing; & we've had a small get together & continued to socialize at dinner, team trivia & Olympics. Go & have a wonderful cruise.

[tak2]

We have 56 C.C. posters on this sailing; & we've had a small get together & continued to socialize at dinner, team trivia & Olympics. Go & have a wonderful cruise.

 

Say Hi to Gil for me, thanks.

I'll be on my first O cruise in Nov ( Gil started that Roll Call ) and is learning from the alumnei. Can't wait.... already booked a second one Nov 08 TA.

 

bdmagee, have you checked whether there's a roll call for your cruise? It usually adds to your cruise experience to meet CC friends as soon as you're onboard. On a previous cruise, I met with 12 people for dinner before we even got onto the ship. We sat together( not all 14, the largest table was for 10 ) through the entire cruise. It was fun.

[Liv4cruzin]

I have to correct info in yest.'s post. That shady area on deck 9 w/ the sunbeds & sofas is on the PORT side, not starboard.

 

Tak2: I'll pass your hello on to Gil right now. He & Cathy are sitting 2 rows in front of me in a Photoshop Class.

[leonardray]

Check Oceania web site, they have changed a port and added several Jacque Pepin cooking excursions.

[mike35]

Unless you are on a fastastic excursion, try to be back onboard for

"High Tea on the High Sea". YUMMY!

 

DW and I love the Afternoon Tea served aboard Oceania's wonderful ships, but the term High Tea is a misnomer. High tea is a British tradition, and it takes the place of an evening meal, with at least one meat course. What we get on Oceania is Afternoon Tea, with wonderful scones, clotted cream, preserves, finger sandwiches, etc.

 

An excellent reference that explains the difference between afternoon tea and high tea can be found at

http://coffeetea.about.com/cs/culture/a/aftervshigh.htm

 

Mike

[Sweeterpea]

Becky, how are you finding the internet connection?

[Sweeterpea]

Thanks for pointing out the difference. But whatever it may be, high or afternoon, still looking forward to it :)

[PA Nana]

Thank you Mike for clearing that up....however, I put it in quotes hoping to point out that I was simply taking writer's liberty with the phrase.

I wanted to make a sing-song rhyme, and I'd say.... it shan't happen again, but I know full well it probably will.

 

I also know how to spell fantastic, just let my fingers get ahead of my brain sometimes...or vice-versa.

 

Glad to have a real writer catch my goof and give us the full meal time/tea time scoop. When I say there is a 'wealth of knowledge' on this Board, people will see that I really mean it.

 

TA-TA....Gotta go to tea now. ;) (The wink is sincere.) It's always good to read your posts.

[Liv4cruzin]

Becky, how are you finding the internet connection?

 

I'm so used to Comcast high speed internet that it seems a slow to me. But compared to the days of dial up, it's a lot faster than that. I did not bring my own laptop so am using the ones in the library & in the compt. ctr (which all appear to be Dell Latitude D510's). I surf a lot of sites w/ tons of graphics which slows things down some. I use IE to surf; but then go to AOL to check mail. AOL (as it was on last year's cruise) seems a little slower than using IE.

[Sweeterpea]

Thanks! that's good to know. I don't really want to surf but to send a message back home now and then to tell everyone we're still alive.

 

BTW, to all those interested, the afternoon tea is called "High Tea" in the Oceana website, so they're partly to blame for the confusion :D

[PA Nana]

We got the Oceania DVD and had friends who will travel with us on our next cruise over to watch it last evening. Oceania also refers to "High Tea" on the video. Matters not what we call it....we just love it, and many other things about Oceania, as well.

[Maxsboubie]

Thank you , all, for the great info about Oceania. This will be our 12th cruise, but the first "O" one. All info is greatly appreciated. We are going on June 20,2007--Istanbul to Athens. Thanks, in advance.

[Sweeterpea]

Pa Nana, I know what you mean! I have watched it twice this past weekend, we are getting pretty excited.

[Imagineer]

...hey there Sweeterpea, is the anticipation driving you nuts yet? We have the DVD as well and have a pretty good idea of what to expect, and now we have to wait a whole year!! Oh well. Please be sure to let us know how the trip went, as we'll be on the same cruise one year later, although there are a few changes Oceania made to the itinerary and we'll be on the Regatta.

 

cheers,

 

the Imagineers

NCL cruise to Alaska on the Norwegian Wind - Aug 27/06, it was great, I'll miss the Wind.

Mediterranean cruise on the Insignia - Apr 28/07 (cancelled, by us)

upcoming Oceania cruise Rome to Venice onboard the Regatta - Apr 13/08.

[RTLS]

Hi bdmagee!

 

Don't think you mentioned which cruise you're on but, as you said 3 weeks to go, I'm wondering if it's the Athens to Venice cruise departing April 27th.

 

That's the one we're on and my husband and I are also first time cruisers so we've been eagerly reading the tips sent to you.

 

If you are on this cruise, it would be nice to hear from you. We have a very small group on the "roll call" and would love to see your name there.

[RTLS]

PS>

 

Meant to say 1st time OCEANIA cruisers!

[Sweeterpea]

Hi Imagineer, haven't quite forgiven you for abandoning us ;)

 

For sure I will write a trip report when we return.