Stay Away from Oceania

[Oscark]

If you've booked it, cancel it. If you are thinking about taking it, don't. We just got back from a 2 week Panama Canal cruise on the Regatta. We're so glad to be off the ship! The reasons:

1. Ship handles poorly in open waters. Half the ship was seasick and it wasn't that rough out.

2. Tour Excursions are the worst. A passenger died on a rafting trip. Description of the tour was inappropriate. The prior day, several passengers were injured. Instead of warning passengers or cancelling the excursion the next day, it proceeded with passengers who were to old for the trip. As a result, a passenger drowned.

3. The food was inconsistent. Very little variety. Desserts were a disappointment. Bread and rolls were never warm. Meals were improperly cooked and cold.

4. They nickel and dime you to death on the ship with charges.

5. Entertainment was terrible. Absolutely nothing to do most of the time. Sea days seemed like they would never end.

6. Casino was a joke.

7. Cabins were small. No mini bars or refrigerators. Television channels were limited. With nothing else to do on the ship, at least their could be something on tv to make the days go faster.

Bottom line, don't waste your money.

[Andee]

I'm sorry you had such a miserable time. We were on the Insignia for two weeks in October, and liked it so much, we can't wait to book again. We've only been on a few cruises (Princess, Celebrity, Orient), but this was by far our favorite.

1. We were in the Med, felt significant movement a couple of times, but even my seasick prone husband didn't get ill.

2. We never go on shore excursions, as we don't like travelling in a crowd, but enjoyed the ports very much. I thought it was wonderful that someone from the Tourist Information office of the port got on every morning with maps and information.

3. We found the food to be very good, and always presented like a work of art. One time the soup wasn't hot enough, but every thing else was served at the right temperature.

4. We spent very little, so didn't feel nickel and dimed: bought two pictures, went to a wine tasting, had a few drinks. I liked that they let you bring your own wine on board. We bought several bottles in different ports, and enjoyed having a glass in our cabin after a tiring day in port.

5. We thought the entertainers were quite good--all four singers had very good voices, and lots of personality. Maybe we're just easily amused, but we liked the Team Trivia, Name That Tune, the Art Auction, political lecturer, wine tasting, wandering the ship, sitting by the pool, getting to know other passengers, dancing, reading a book by the window, cooking demo, etc.

6. We didn't do any gambling, but liked watching others in the Casino; they seemed to be having fun.

7. We thought our cabin was a decent size--liked having a love seat and table. Didn't expect a mini-bar or frig, so didn't miss it. We rarely watched TV, but enjoyed CSI.

[john2003]

Thanks for posting this view.

We are booked on the Insignia in March and have been contemplating the Transatlantic as a back to back. Your version of expectations is a pretty good fit with ours. I will have a think about transatlantic on a small cruise ship, although we are both reasonably good sailors. It is a good point to consider.

It is unfortunate that the original poster had such a bad time. It may well have not been the right "fit" and other things went wrong as well. This will happen.

[Zimmy]

We were on the Regatta in the Baltics this past August. There were four of us, and none of us was seasick for a moment. We commented that we did not even feel like we were on a ship. I had been on this ship previously in Greece, when it was Renaissance, and thought it was smooth sailing then, also. All of us loved our Regatta cruise; we booked another while on board. The food was fantastic, well presented, and well served. I agree with the original poster about the entertainment, but I've never been thrilled with the entertainment on any ship I've been on. The one shore excursion from the ship which we took was not up to our standards, but we generally book our own excursions with a private guide. We've found that to be better and cheaper, with the advantage of not being in a herd, or on a bus.
My uncle was on the same cruise as the original poster. The story about the rafting death is horrifying. My uncle said that the excursion was described as having Class 2 rapids, when in fact it was more like Class 4. But the victim was not "too old" for the trip, at least in my view. I was told that he was in his fifties.

[goeurope]

If you've booked it, cancel it. If you are thinking about taking it, don't. [etc.]

Was it necessary to post the same message twice, at different times and with different message headers? It's hard not to get the impression that you're someone with a grudge and an axe to grind--especially when some of your statements (the comment about the ship handling poorly in open waters, for example) are at odds with the experiences of other cruisers.

It would be interesting to hear comments from other passengers who were on the same cruise.

[ClaudiaF]

Was it necessary to post the same message twice, at different times and with different message headers? It's hard not to get the impression that you're someone with a grudge and an axe to grind--especially when some of your statements (the comment about the ship handling poorly in open waters, for example) are at odds with the experiences of other cruisers. It would be interesting to hear comments from other passengers who were on the same cruise.

Would certainly be interesting to hear from others who were on that cruise. That is awful about the rafting disaster.
Interesting that , that was his/her first post............

[Choocom]

Thanks for posting this view.

We are booked on the Insignia in March and have been contemplating the Transatlantic as a back to back. Your version of expectations is a pretty good fit with ours. I will have a think about transatlantic on a small cruise ship, although we are both reasonably good sailors. It is a good point to consider.

It is unfortunate that the original poster had such a bad time. It may well have not been the right "fit" and other things went wrong as well. This will happen. We have just returned from the Transatlantic crossing on Insignia and couldn't recomend it highly enough. It was our first cruise and I had worried about being in a restricted enviornment with so many others. I needn't have worried at all. There was plenty to do and people were wonderfully friendly but not at all pushy. The food was divine. The only thing I complained about was the tea (but I'm British so that's traditional !!) The staff and crew were cheerful, helpfull and superbly well trained.
The sea was like a mill pond most of the time so I can't comment on that aspect but I would have no fears. I'm sure you will have a marvelous time.

[NewCruiseFan]

On my very first cruise (Jan 2004) we had 2 people airlifted off the ship due to serious illness/injury and two passengers died - one in the elevator the other on the dance floor. Both gentlemen who passed were well under 40. Sadly, accidents, injury and illness happen.

There were some on board who posited that the overwhelming delight of being away from the office led to too much care free giddiness.

When you head out on a nature driven excursion you need to always remember who the boss is and pay very close attention.

[wayfarer]

Could not agree more with Oscark. We were on Regatta Miami-Barcelona (26 days) last March. Perhaps things have improved, but we could not wait to get off. We found the ship beautiful, but officers were indifferent and had learned to say "no" even to the most minor and logical request; shore excursion desk were most rude, even though prices were highest we had ever experienced; service was generally spotty & crew inexperienced - ie tables were not reset properly most times cutlery, side plates, napkins, etc were missing; line ups for dinner (45 min) at popular 6:30-8pm hours; very few activities and lectures were beyond poor, consequently we were bored stiff; constantly nickled and dimed. We cruise 3 to 4 times a year and are partial to long cruises with many sea days. We have never been in a position before where we posted the itinerary on our cabin wall stroking off the days, so anxious we were to get off. There is much more we could share of our negative experiences, but this will give the reader an brief overview, other than to say each day brought another disquieting experience of one sort or another. We continue to cruise constantly, have never complained, go with the flow, and understand that this might have been a unique situation, but there were a lot of people on this particular cruise who shared our sentiments fully.

[FlyFishermanADK]

Could not agree more with Oscark. We were on Regatta Miami-Barcelona (26 days) last March. Perhaps things have improved, but we could not wait to get off. Very few activities and lectures were beyond poor, consequently we were bored stiff; constantly nickled and dimed. We cruise 3 to 4 times a year and are partial to long cruises with many sea days. We have never been in a position before where we posted the itinerary on our cabin wall stroking off the days, so anxious we were to get off.

I'm hoping it really isn't this bad...going to be booking on 12 day cruise out of Miami...I know it's not going to be Mardi Gras...but please don't tell me I will be attending a funeral!

[Zimmy]

Flyfisherman, I have seen reviews of this March, 2004 transatlantic cruise on this board, and I have no doubt that what the posters describe was true. However, we were on the Regatta this past August, and it was wonderful. Oceania is a relatively new cruise line, perhaps they had growing pains, I really don't know. But I can tell you that by August they had their act together. We loved our cruise. You will have a great time.

[Rickey 88]

I'm hoping it really isn't this bad...going to be booking on 12 day cruise out of Miami...I know it's not going to be Mardi Gras...but please don't tell me I will be attending a funeral!

You should not be disappointed - 99% of posters in this and other boards have previously expressed their postive experiences on both Regatta and Insignia.

However, I believe that "Wayfarer" has previously placed a number of negative reports in this and some other sources under verious member names. To many of us, she appears to have a definite grudge against Oceania for whatever reason - and will never be satisfied.

Some believe that she will continue on this mission of hers until such times as Oceania gives her a full refund and "Free" cruise. Hope that NEVER happens...

[joan24]

We were on the Regatta in June for Stockholm to Dover. We absolutely loved our cruise and booked another one for May. We found the crew to be friendly and helpful and never encountered any rudeness at all. I hope no one is turned away from Oceania because of a couple of postings. The people who sail on Oceania and love the cruise line far outnumber the ones who don't. Have a wonderful cruise.
Joan

[chazaroo]

I just looked up Wayfarer's posts. Strange, since joining, Wayfarer has posted only four times...all of them attacking Oceania. I wonder if Wayfarer is related to Merriem. Actually, I wonder if Wayfarer is Merriem. Anyway, no matter, we're taking Regatta for a 12 day spin starting next Thursday and really looking forward to it. We'll post a report when we return.

[kuzo1]

Everything that Oscark has posted regarding the Regatta trip Nov. 15-27 is true. I have been on this ship when it was REN, and the ship was still fine, but the food, service, and concern for the safety of the passengers were all seriously lacking.
I am an experienced cruiser. This year I have been on six different cruise lines for a period of 115 days; so I feel I can recognize good and bad when it comes to most aspects of cruising.

The gentleman who lost his life on the white water rafting trip was in his middle sixties, had trouble walking, and was very large. There were some other people in their sixties, and one in the 70's on that particular 8 man raft. At least one half of the 21 paying passengers that day had never seen a raft before, let alone a white water raft, where all passengers must paddle, with one guide on the back of the raft. I am an experienced rafter and kayaker, and I was on one of the three rafts that Sunday, Nov. 20th. I feel that the age and physical condition of some of the passengers should have been an issue, to preclude their participation, or at least advise them of the difficulty, and inherent danger of this particular white water rafting trip.

The trip was totally misrepresented by the Destinations Services personnel aboard the Regatta, both verbally and in print. It was listed as moderate difficulty, with rapids from class1-3. The trip was to start with the least difficult water, and work up to the most difficult. There was no mention of the mile walk from the road to the put in site on the river.
I feel strongly that the trip should have been cancelled on Sunday. This is because the same trip the day before, on Saturday, had serious problems. All the people in one boat were thrown into the rapids at one time or another. Some others from a second boat were also thrown into the rapids. This resulted in injuries from cuts and bruises, to a broken finger, and a shoulder injury.

The saddest commentary was at 5:00pm on Saturday when I spoke with the director of Destinations Services, and her assistant. I asked if Sunday's trip was going to be cancelled. Shy asked, why I would think so? My reply was that because the danger of the Saturday trip, and the resulting injuries should merit cancellation. Her answer was there is no reason to consider cancellation because only two people fell of one raft, and there were no injuries. She was aware of the dangers and injuries, because her assistant was on the trip. His comment was that his boat was the only one that had not had a passenger thrown from the boat.

When we started our trip on Sunday, we put on life jackets and a helmet, and grabbed a paddle. We then had a rafting and safety instruction talk by each guide, as we sat in the boats. This covered safety and how to paddle. It was impossible to practice the paddle procedures because we were pulled up partly on shore, and the water was less than a foot deep for most people in the boats. When we took off from the riverbank, we were in a class 3 rapid within 2 minutes. There was no time for inexperienced passengers to even learn to paddle forward in sync. Time also did not allow practice for left forward-right back, right forward-left back, stop, and all down.

Our boat with 8 passengers made it down this first class 3 rapid on the left side.
We than went downstream along the shore to see and wait for the other two boats, and rescue if necessary.
The second boat also took the left, but had two people thrown off the back part of the raft. They were luckey to grab the safety line that surrounds the boat, and were pulled back into the boat.

Passengers in the 3rd boat flipped within the first two minutes in this first rapid which is called "Oh My God" They were apparently told by their guide that he was going to the right side, which he said was a class 4 rapid. No raft with 8 inexperienced white water rafters and one guide, should ever knowingly enter such a rapid, with only 2 minutes of experience on the river.
I watched as the raft flipped, and watched the rescue efforts for about 45 minutes.
There were people that were cut, bruised, and in shock. On man had his bathing suit ripped off in the current. Shoes were torn off, and a ring was lost. Two or three people were trapped under the boat, and at least one other person almost drown. We pulled one woman passenger into our boat with the help of the rescue kayaker. She had beed trapped under the boat, and then against a rock in the current for at least 30 minutes.
I will be back in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica next week, not on the Regatta, and I will not raft.
There are no grudges or sour grapes on my part. Just total sadness. This incident could have, and should have been prevented by Oceania cruises. However, their personnel failed to guarantee the most important aspect of cruising, customer safety.

[peggyann]

wow!!! What a sad story. I am anxiously waiting for some posting from Oceania about this episode. I have not checked into it to see if this was the first time Regatta was in this port using this excursion. But certainly anytime a passenger is thrown from a raft, having had no immediate practice time should give Destination services serious pause about repeating that tour the next day. Especially if one of the assistants had witnessed passengers in distress. Sounds as if this was misrepresented as moderate and should be challenged.

I'm also sad (on a much less serious vein) to hear that the food and attitudes as reported by the above cruiser were not up to the usual Oceania standard. I hope that the winter cruises in the Caribbean are not becoming the stepchild to the more exotic destinations of South America and Europe.

[Colonel(Ret.)Wes]

Kuzo1; thanks for taking the time to post--this a tragic incident, very sorry to hear
about it but glad you posted.

We will be in Puerto Limon next week (on RSSC) and have scheduled the white
water rafting excursion..Is PL where this incident took place. My wife is a weak
swimmer and I do not want to place her in harm's way. thanks

r/wes

[shoshona2]

sorry to hear that the Destinations Services hasn't improved since we were on the Baltic's cruise in 2003. We organized all our tours ourselves before hand so we didn't have to use them. We are taking the Black Sea Cruise in July of 2004 on the Insignia and I have been researching again. Hopefully, we won't have to use them. I would have thought that someone from Corporate Headquarters would read these posts from time to time to do something to change the problems. When the Insignia was launched last Spring, they moved everyone who was good from the Regatta to the Insignia. There were many posts about how bad the service was. That was probably the time of the Transatlantic crossing. The next cruises seemed to be okay.

[new_cruiser]

We will be in Puerto Limon next week (on RSSC) and have scheduled the white
water rafting excursion..Is PL where this incident took place. My wife is a weak
swimmer and I do not want to place her in harm's way. thanks

r/wes
It is hard to know what you mean by "a weak swimmer". This could cover a lot of ground. There will be a life vest and one will not have to swim long distances but one should be able to orient oneself in the water. Is she comfortable in the water? Would she be likely to panic?The description of the trip does say " -For those who enjoy the vigorous outdoor activities, like to feel adrenaline causing through their veins, relish adventure . . . and don't mind water, this tour is for you!!" Does this describe your wife?

It says the rapids are Class III - there can be times when it feels like a lot is happening at once and it can be scary - that's what makes the adrenaline flow.

I've been on Class III trips on the Kings River and South Fork of the American River a number of times. These were half day or all day trips and I can't remember any trip where everyone stayed in the boat through all of the rapids. It sounds like the excursion is shorter, but going over class III one must be prepared for the possiblilty of ending up in the water. You have a life vest on so it isn't exactly swimming. You will normally stay afloat because of the vest. Because there can be foam - that's what makes it white water - if you end up in the water in a rapid there can be times when it is difficult to breath even though the vest is keeping your head above the water. You have to keep your head and follow the instructions you were given for this circumstance during the briefing.

This can be a lot of fun, but it isn't a totally controlable situation.

Definition of a Class III rapid: Large, continuous series or sets of waves, some in excess of 6 feet. "Holes" or "hydraulics" may be present, and can be run or avoided. Small drops, ledges or waterfalls may be present. Scouting the rapids is suggested for all but the most experienced of river persons.

[umcerjudy]

Wow! reading some of these posts makes me wonder if we booked the best cruiseline for our destinations. We are changing from Radisson:( to Oceania because of scheduling. We LOVE Radisson but thought we would give Oceania a try. Since we live in Las Vegas; we don't go for the entertainment. Altho, we did enjoy Radisson wonderful lecturers. We re going because we realy want to see Istanbul. Been on 3 Med cruises and 1 Baltics (fantastic) in the last few years. 2 Radisson, l RCCI and 1 Orient. All very very nice. I hope that Oceanioa gets it act together for 2005 because they seem to gathering a following. Time will tell if we will be one of them.:confused:

[Jancruz]

Oceania has its act together and is an excellent cruise line..many cruise lines have had accidents happen on their tours..it is so sad..
and I feel so bad for the family..that said.... I am sure no one from the line will be posting here due to liability..
I am sorry the first poster had such a terrible trip..the reason there are so many ships is for so many different tastes..I personally would never go on any cruise lines but Oceania and Radisson..but that is just me..
Jan
*************

[Jane110]

I'm a fan of Oceania Cruise lines and will be sailing with them again this winter.

Aboard ship, I've found the food to be fabulous and the service excellent. I agree that the cabins are a tad small (we take a standard w/ balcony), however, we knew that before going aboard. On the other hand, they compensate for it by having plenty of drawer space and lots of bathroom shelf space and IMHO, they're prettier than most cabins on other lines. If size is a concern people should look at deck plans before booking - same thing about having a refrigerator in the room. It disappoints me that Oceania doesn't have them, but I knew it before booking. I've read that Oceania is now adding refrigerators to the standard balcony cabins on the 7th deck, but not the 6th deck. Honestly, I'm a bit annoyed that Oceania feels those of us in balcony cabins on 6 aren't deserving of them as well, but again, I'm booking with open eyes and weigh all factors.

Entertainment on the ship can vary widely from cruise to cruise. However, since Oceania is a destination oriented ship, after a long day in port and a lovely dinner, we really don't care too much about the entertainer. We have found the singers, comedians, etc to be just fine. We find that there are usually such interesting fellow passengers on Oceania and the open seating allows for wonderful interaction that we often wind up spending the evening talking to others and forgetting to go to the show. I don't know why the the initial poster said the casino was "a joke". They have the usual blackjack tables and slot machines, though unfortunately, not a craps table, which my husband enjoys.

I agree that Oceania is lacking in their tours. They're too expensive and not all that well thought out, IMHO. This recent rafting experience is extremely a horrible one. They should have cancelled the next day's tour. Clearly, they weren't clued in on how potentially dangerous it was and didn't accurately convey the level of difficulty of the excursion and that's not good.

[wayfarer]

Zimmy what you say about Oceania being a new cruise line at the time we took our cruise is probably the reason we had a bad experience. Apolo were in the process of staffing two ships (Regatta & Insignia) in a very short period, and that was a big order even for them. I have not been on this post for some time and am glad to hear so many people are pleased with the line now. The ships are really beautiful so it makes me feel good that they appear have their act together, maybe we should give them another try . We have posted positive comments on Crystal, Radisson & HAM pages but our experience on Regatta, although it would appear uncommon, was so upsetting for my wife and I that we had to pass it on.

[Jancruz]

Wayfarer..it is so refreshing to see someone actually admit they may have had an unusual experience ( bad) on Oceania..I am sure if you give it another try..with an open mind you will love it..I have had a few really bad cruises myself on other cruise lines over the years..(we have cruised over 50 times) but have always gone back and had a great time..Interestingly enough Oceania has been spectacular each time we have been on!!!

Jan Fishbein
*************

[peterwen]

We were also on the Panama Canal cruise. Everything written about the rafting incident and the shore excursions is true. It was a very unfortunate accident that should not have happened, especially because of the incidents occurring on the prior day, which should have given Oceania notice about the dangers and misdescription of the tour in their excursion materials. At least a warning would have been nice.

As far as the other comments, in general, we were also disappointed with the food. We found the food in the specialty Italian restaurant to be quite good, and the service to be exceptional. However, the food in the other restaurants was fair to good at best. Surely not as good as advertised. The bakery items (desserts, bread etc. was a real disappointment). The outside grill (hamburger, hotdogs) was bad. The hamburgers were pre-made and dry.

The cabins on the ship are small. We had an outside balcony on the top deck. No refrigerator. Our bathroom door handle broke off and it took 2 days for them to fix it. Our a/c did not work properly for 5 days. Finally, they came and fixed it.

I also agree about lack of things to do on ship. We had several sea days there was not much to do during the day. Very few activities, unless you love art auctions and shuffleboard.

We also had a problem with Oceania not honoring a room credit we were supposed to receive. The travel agent, who contacted us after we completed some info on Oceania's web site asking for info on future cruises, told us that we would receive a $200 shipboard credit. All of our paperwork and tickets showed the credit. However, we never received it. When we asked, we were told that it was a mistake for the promo credit to have been offered to us based on the fare that we paid. All I know is that we were quoted a fare and told we would get a room credit. We were not aware of any promo before this. Although the mistake was make by an Oceania reservation agent (assuming it was a mistake), the ship refused to honor it.

The best we can say for the cruise is that the room stewards and dining room staff was superior. They really go out of there way to please and work hard.

Bottom line, this is our 12th or so cruise we have been on and our 6th cruise line. This is the first cruise we've taken where we were counting the days for it to end. We would not cruise with Oceania again.

[phlewt]

Maybe I'm a bit of a skeptic, but something seems amiss about this thread. Let me start with a few observations of the three posters who claim to have been on this sailing:

Oscark, 1 post
Kuzol, 2 posts, 6 cruises this year
Peterwen, 1 post, 12 cruises on 6 cruise lines

With all this cruising experience it seems strange that there are so few posts.

[peterwen]

phlewt,

You are a skeptic. We were on this sailing and I'm pretty sure the other two were on it because of their knowledge of the rafting accident. In addition, I'm pretty sure I know who Kuzol is from his comments. I can't imagine oscark was not since he/she started the thread and discussed the rafting accident with details.

As far as not posting before, I only learned of this forum about 6 months ago. I probably would have not commented on this thread other than the fact that others requested comments from passengers on this sailing.

I'm also pretty sure that if other passengers on the cruise was familiar with the forum, or more likely, used the internet (the average passenger was probably over 70), they would post similar comments. I say this because I heard complaints from many passengers throughout the cruise.

To me what is more interesting is that no passengers who were on this sailing have posted positive comments.

[chazaroo]

You know what I wonder? I wonder why there was no mention of this incident in the news here in Florida. Recently a Carnival passenger went missing during a cruise and that made the news. MMMmmm. Curious don't you think?

[goeurope]

The incident did happen; it's covered in the FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM at:

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/local/10330315.htm?1c

The story quotes Oceania's Web site's description of the rafting trip as "'an absolutely adventurous experience' in which the rafters first encounter 'a relatively easy series of rapids, providing an opportunity to gain confidence as you approach several challenging rapids.'" (Italics are mine.)

The newspaper story also says that the people in charge of the expedition had been "caught off guard" by the severity of the water's roughness the previous day, which would imply that conditions usually weren't that extreme. In any case, if there was any negligence, it most likely was on the part of the rafting company, not Oceania, and it does seem a bit irresponsible to say "Stay away from Oceania." That would be like saying "Stay away from Cruise Company X" if the bus driver on a conventional shore excursion used bad judgment on the highway and a passenger got killed in a traffic accident.

Side note: Some might argue that Destination Services should be harder-nosed about letting passengers go on excusions that may be beyond their abilities, or that it shouldn't offer excursions that may not be appropriate for older, weaker, or handicapped passengers. Unfortunately, it isn't that easy: Most customers are likely to feel that they should be the ones to determine what they're capable of handling, and younger or stronger passengers obviously aren't going to be happy if all excursions are geared to the lowest common denominator. Maybe Destination Services should require waivers of liability from passengers who want to book potentially risky shore excursions, if it's not already doing so. The waivers might or might not hold up in court, but at least they'd draw further attention to the risk of riding in a whitewater raft, going on a rugged cliff walk with a cane, climbing a Mayan pyramid if you're in the heart-attack age bracket, etc.

[phlewt]

phlewt,
You are a skeptic. We were on this sailing and I'm pretty sure the other two were on it because of their knowledge of the rafting accident. In addition, I'm pretty sure I know who Kuzol is from his comments. I can't imagine oscark was not since he/she started the thread and discussed the rafting accident with details.
<snip>
To me what is more interesting is that no passengers who were on this sailing have posted positive comments.As for the rafting incident, it appears that it did happen, and as such it is certainly a tragedy.

What I am troubled about, however, is the totally negative post by Oscark and then the followup post kuzol indicating that he is in full agreement with Oscark. Although your post is critical of Oceania for their management of shore excursions, at least you found a **few** things you could enjoy on the cruise. Now I haven't been on as many cruises as some others have, but I find it difficult to imagine that one could find absolutely everything to be negative (such as Oscark and kuzol have done) about the cruise.

So who are Oscark and kuzol? Let's hear more from them. I would like to have some dialog to find out more about where they are coming from. If they felt it was important to post to this board, I think they should be willing to followup and answer questions. If they have disappeared out of sight, then I will remain skeptical.

[cruiseyguy]

There seem to be a number of "newby" posts popping up on these boards-Celebrity, Crystal, etc.-with unhappy stories-bad food, bad entertainment,whatever. Not sure if all of these cruiselines have taken a sudden downturn or if it's just the time of year

[nanheath]

Having been on 4 Renaissance cruises it is interesting to read the comments about Oceania. You can almost interchange the names and be reading the same things about both lines. There were compliments and criticisms almost identical about Ren as for Oceania. Many of us mourned the demise of Ren and although I have not cruised on Oceania I do plan on doing so. The prices are higher, but then maybe this will keep Oceania afloat! I have heard so many happy memories of the cruises on Ren. Those were the times!

[Oscark]

I have not been back to this site since my original posting but I am surprised at the reaction of some.

This was my first cruise on Oceania but I have been on 10 other cruises including Radisson, Celebrity, Holland America, Princess and Crystal. I absolutely loved all of my prior cruises. Sure, there may have been some negative aspects about each, but the positives far outweighed the negatives. This is the first cruise I have taken where the negatives outweighed the positives.

Of course everyone has their own opinion, but I surely cannot recommend Oceania and would never sail with them again. Believe me, I wanted to enjoy my cruise. I would also love to hear from others on this cruise. The comments I heard while on the ship were all negative. Complaints were coming left and right.

Believe me, I have nothing against Oceania. I am not in the travel business and have no biases. I just felt it was important to post my views. Oceania cruised are not inexpensive and I feel before anyone spends their hard earned money, they should here the comments of others.

I look forward to my next cruise, which will probably be on Radisson again. Maybe if I took another chance on Oceania, it would be a better sailing, but I'm not willing to risk my money and vacation time on it.

[phlewt]

. . . I have been on 10 other cruises including Radisson, Celebrity, Holland America, Princess and Crystal. I absolutely loved all of my prior cruises. . . . . The comments I heard while on the ship <Oceania Regatta> were all negative. Complaints were coming left and right.Every single comment you heard during your whole cruise was negative? In your previous post you said that half of the ship was seasick, all meals were improperly cooked and cold, the entertainment was terrible, the casino was a joke, and the television channels were limited. I'm confused (and perhaps skeptical) because very few others have heard all these negative comments, found only improperly cooked and cold food and got seasick as just about everybody on your cruise did.

Oceania cruised are not inexpensive and I feel before anyone spends their hard earned money, they should here <sic> the comments of others.Agreed. Many people who have submitted comments to this board have reported many good experiences. I think some have even had properly cooked and hot food on Oceania! Hard to believe afer reading your post.

I look forward to my next cruise, which will probably be on Radisson again. Maybe if I took another chance on Oceania, it would be a better sailing, but I'm not willing to risk my money and vacation time on it. Agreed. Your negativism towards Oceania would probably not result in a good experience for either yourself or Oceania if you were to take another cruise with them. Hope you enjoy your Radisson experience.

[twine]

If this cruise was as bad as a few are making it out to be the board would be flooded with complainers. I have been on Oceania and Yes there were people on the cruise that did not find it up to their expectations. I have been on many other Cruise Lines and have found many more people on the cruises I have taken complaining about thier cruise. In fact I have found that many people on cruises like to complaine about everything. I seems to the the topic of conversation when you meet people. This is why my wife and I eat at a table for two everynight.
Again--- if this cruise was as bad as it was made out to be this place would be filled with complainers.
Tom and Mary
Las Vegas

[Jancruz]

I agree..there are some cruises that have a lot of complainers on board..I remember one of my first cruises on Oceania. I had lunch with a lady that HATED Oceania..it wasnt Crystal..I agreed with her it wasn't Crystal and I hoped she would go back and cruise on Crystal so she would enjoy herself..
I do feel that Oceania is the very best deal for the price..and an excellent cruise experience..Stu and I have been on 52 cruises, all cruise lines, going back to Sitmar..and love Oceania the best for the service, the food and the ports..no cruise is ever perfect..but IMHO this cruise line comes closest to perfection than any other. We will be going back for a month in January to South America..and am looking forward to renewing friendships with passengers and staff !!!
Jan Fishbein
*************

[douganswerphone]

I've mostly been lurking lately, but felt the need to speak up on this thread. We've been on 4 Oceania cruises, including the Regatta and Insignia Inaugurals. We're about to sign up for several more in 2005 and 2006; we've been waiting for "new" itineraries that interest us.

The Regatta Inaugural had some severe challenges, which 90% of the [realistic] passengers were expecting, and most of us cut Oceania a generous amount of slack. The general attitude at debarkation was "We had a good time, but there was a lot of room for improvement. Sure hope they get it fixed before our next [Oceania] cruise!"

Our second Regatta cruise, 6 months later, had just about all the rough spots ironed out. As with the first cruise, we turned in comment cards overflowing with suggestions.

On the Insignia Inaugural, it appeared that they'd incorporated darn near every suggestion we'd ever made. (I'm sure they heard the same remarks from plenty of others, but it really made us feel like Oceania was listening closely.)

We did hear from others that the Regatta had a few rough spots at that time; apparently Oceania had pulled off over half the Regatta crew to make sure the Insignia Inaugural didn't repeat any of the issues theyhad on the Regatta Inaugural. That strategy worked for us, but it sounded like Regatta cruisers felt a bit shorted for several cruises right after that.

There are a still a few things I'd like to see added;
(1) TV monitors in the fitness room like most other new cruise ships have;
(2) a "crew show" on each cruise. Ren used to have these, and they were always a hoot. It changes your perspective to see a mild-mannered steward by day turn into a hot nightclub act at night, or the Chief Purser crack up everybody with his lines on Liars Club. I'll always remember the Chief Engineer on R7 doing his comedy act that had a full lounge rolling in the aisles.
(3) hot food at the Terrace buffet line, which may be what prompted the "cold food" complaints on this thread. This has been a perennial problem on these ships since the Ren days, and must have something to do with how the buffet counters are equipped.

To be fair to Oceania, they heard those complaints about Ren, and had clear plastic covers on the buffet serving trays at the Regatta Inaugural. They did keep the food warmer, the only problem was they steamed up so you couldn't see what was inside, and after a few cruises they were abandoned inresponse to passenger and crew frustration.

We love the ships, felt the crew was fantastic on our last 3 cruises, and the food the best we've had at sea. We have and will cruise other lines, but Oceania remains our favorite. Give us interesting itineraries and per-diem pricing on balcony cabins in the $200 range, and we'll cruise Oceania many more times.

Still trying to figure out how to take off a month for the Nautica Inaugural.

[Oscark]

phlewt, are you sure you don't work for Oceania. You defend it as if you were the CEO or a major stockholder. You have only taken one cruise in the last 3 years and it seems you have never been on an Oceania trip, although it looks like you are taking one this month. Don't be so defensive. Are you just upset b/c you paid a lot of money for a cruise and now are reading negative comments?

You really should not get upset. I really thought this forum was for posting of opinions. It seems to me that others agree and others don't. Maybe it was just the sailing I was on, but if you look at the postings from those that were on my sailing (11/13), they seem pretty consistent.

I really hope you enjoy your future cruise. Hopefully, the problems we had on our our sailing was an exception and you have none of the same problems.

Please let us know your comments when you return.

[DrummerDaveB]

Does anyone know what tour company it was with that the rafter died?
I realize it was bought thru Oceana, but Im interested to know which company, as Im looking to go rafting in CR on our cruise next month, and I would like to avoid that company.
Thx!

[goeurope]

phlewt, are you sure you don't work for Oceania. You defend it as if you were the CEO or a major stockholder.

One could just as easily ask if you aren't the CEO or a major stockholder of a competitor. :-)

I suspect that, like many of us, phlewt just takes hyperbole with a large grain of salt.

[Jancruz]

I understand that tour company has been in business over 50 years and has never had a problem before..but than again, it doesnt matter what tour company if it is an accident it can happen to anyone.....Do you fly United, American, Delta etc..they have all had accidents..
Jan
*************

[twine]

Jan. Did you ever sail on the Fairwind or Fairsea? These older Sitmar ships were some of the best times I have had cruising . I had sailed on both of them a few times with Sitmar and once when they truned into P&O. In thoes days Sitmar bent over backwards to make all of the passengers happy. I remember on my first cruise there was a cruise director named "cant remember his first name" Jim Rodgers? on the fairwind. We cruised on princess a few years after and his X wife Jill Rodgers was a cruise director, probably still is. These guys wrote the book on being cruise directors.
Boy" have times changed. Oceania is the closest line my wife and I have found that brings back the classic times with Sitmar. From what I have heard the founders of Sitmar went on to start Silversea after the buyout from P&O.

I find it pretty strange to hear the complaining about the Oceania cruises. My wife and I sailed last Jan on Regetta and found it to be the just about like Sitmar...Only thing missing were thoes great pizzas in the little red and white pizzaria in the port rear of the Fairsea and Fairwind and a little better intertainment. I Never will forget the smell of the ovens when they first fired up about 10:30 in the mornings with people excited to get in and have a hand tossed fresh pie about 11:30. Always a line there.
Great memories.
Thoes Were The Days.
Unless Oceania has changed a bunch since last January. People should be very happy with the product Oceania is providing for the price they pay.
Just try and find it on another line.
Tom and Mary
Las Vegas

[joan24]

Tom and Mary,
My husband and I sailed on both the Fairsea and Fairwind. We loved those ships. We started cruising on Home Lines. Anyone remember that cruise line?
Joan

[English Voyager]

Why do some people appear reluctant to accept a negative report as being genuine?
To resort to calling people Trolls,Stirrers,employees of rival cruise lines,is merely being derogatory ,and adds nothing to the discussion.
Absence of additional negative reports could be due to a lack of knowledge of the CC website,or people being computer illiterate.
The cruising world does not revolve this website!

[goeurope]

Why do some people appear reluctant to accept a negative report as being genuine?...

I think the person who started this thread invited skepticism with statements like "Stay away from Oceania," "If you've booked it, cancel it," "Half the ship was seasick and it wasn't even that rough out," and "Entertainment was terrible. Absolutely nothing to do most of the time." That kind of hyperbolic, over-the-top language is hard to take seriously, especially among those who have cruised on Oceania's ships. It's on a par with "(Insert name of product, service, or company) suckz!"

[English Voyager]

goeurope,
if this thread was the only example then I would agree with you.
However,a derogatory response is quite common on numerous forums.
In fact my very first posting on the CC website which contained a mild criticism of the cruise line in question produced some amazingly insulting reponses.

[phlewt]

Engilsh Voyager -- these forums are a very good place for constructive criticism. It would not be good to prohibit negative comments.

Oscark's post is vastly lacking in "constructive" criticism, and therefore is most worthy of being ignored. The fact that others (were they really others?) jumped in and said that they were in agreement with everything said by Oscark made me somewhat skeptical.

Let's just get back to constructive comments, whether they be negative or positive. That is what helps others in making the most of their cruising experience.

[digby]

Of course, one didn't have to open the thread after reading the title. I think one could assume the type of post it would be.

[ClaudiaF]

Yes, and it amazes me that some folks have to comment on all the cruise boards.
So without naming names... you know who you are... which ones have you cruised on ( on water) ..?
Thank you

[Jancruz]

Twine, I am going to assume you asked me about Sitmar..Our very first cruise in 1970 was on Fairwind and our second was on Fairsea..we cruised on Sitmar exclusively until they were bought..I remember we had a waiter that every time he saw Stu for years he would bring a pizza no matter where we were..we had the absolutely best time on those ships..our first cabin was inside..and we had such a wonderful dinner table..a policeman and his Italian family from LA..we saw them for years afterwards..you are right..this is the closest to the family feeling we have ever gotten to that experience..although we have been on 11 Princess cruises and 10 Holland American, the lines and ships are so big it was rarely that someone remembered us..but when we get on Oceania it is like coming home with all the hugs and kisses..
Thanks for reminding me of our young years..
Regards,
Jan
*************

[SeaCCruiser]

I, for one, appreciate that you took your time to post your honest evaluations. I have been reading CC for years, and am sorry when someone is personally attacked for their comments, because I know the goal is to hinder any other dissenting opinions from being expressed.
Everyone is aware that cruise experiences differ from person to person, based on expectations and past cruise experiences, and surely take that into consideration when reading these posts, but people rarely doubt someone's veracity when they highly praise a cruise line. It's a shame everyone can't be treated with the same respect.
Oscark, thanks to your observations, my family & friends who are bothered by motion sickness, will now be more prepared for the expected rough waters on our upcoming sail to South America.

[smj]

Different people like different cruises but as for me I really like Oceania. The only line I have ever liked more was Rennaisance which no longer exists. I like the food, service and just the ship itself. It is true that there is no much to do at night.
Steve

[Colonel(Ret.)Wes]

Drummer Dave B and New Cruiser

We were in Costa Rica with RSSC last week and took Rios Tropicales
White Water Rafting..Good Safety Briefing and Thrilling ride...This may
or may not have been the same excurision outfit that Oceania used
last month..you can check their website out at

http://www.riostropicales.com/pages/home.html

New Cruiser.

Pulling my wife (the weak swimmer) off this excursion was precisely the
correct action..the conditions of the river (fast/Class III) were too much
for her..(in fact before we entered the river, a guide flipped his boat right
in front of us)...If the excursion company and the tour director on Regatta
were paying careful attention to the feedback they got, maybe "Joe" would
still be alive...IMO there was negligence here.

However, I would recommend this excursion for experienced swimmers and
fit persons.

r/wes

[pjpilot]

My wife and I, with 9 criuses, 2 with REN, were really looking forward to this cruise. It was the worst we ever suffered through. Obviously the weather and the sea state is up to God. I felt the ship was quite acceptable.
The crew and the food were ridiculous. It was like a training exercise. The whole crew seemed to be working on an On the Job training program. I left the Main Dining Room one evening in disgust, having waited, in vain, for the entre for forty five minutes. Even the waiters were apologizing.
My poor wife took some pills around 6 AM one morning, in our balcony stateroom bathroom. Having already drank the water, without feeling the need to look at it first, she then shrieked...the water was BLACK!!!! When I complained bitterly to everybody, up to and including the Captain, the response was, Oh well, sometimes we shut down the water pumps. NOBODY...NOBODY said, Oh My, how unfortunate. Nobody showed the slightest sympathy or empathy for my poor wife who drank that dreadful
SLUDGE.
Our toilet stopped operating...TWICE.
We like to cruise. However, if OCEANIA offered us a FREE CRUISE to any where, any time, in response to our travails, we would not have anything to do with them ever again. There is NO OFFER that would induce us to have any truck with them in this lifetime. B E W A R E! ! ! !

[aaannnthony]

Thirteen days later, another first poster!

[srpilo]

Actually he's not a 1st time poster ...

He's been registered since 2001 , but apparently hasn't posted since last June when evryone lost there "previous posts" history's, and had to start over at zero posts.



Lets not rush to judgement about every single poster.. Winter is the time when many occasional posters here on C C return to the boards to check on or enquire about next years up coming cruise's.

Srpilo

[ARTGRL]

We Were Just On Insignia (barcelona-lisbon) This Past November---we Were Pleasantly Surprised.......everything Was First Rate, With The Exception Of A Snooty Tour Director- Everything Else Was Quite Good. Will Go Again.

[Jancruz]

Just wondered who the tour director was...

Jan:)
*************

[pamwham]

We Were Just On Insignia (barcelona-lisbon) This Past November---we Were Pleasantly Surprised.......everything Was First Rate, With The Exception Of A Snooty Tour Director- Everything Else Was Quite Good. Will Go Again.

I have been reading all these pros and cons on this line and it will be our first time on Oceania..We are going the same trip Barcelona -lisbon aug 13-25 Insigna, and I hoped that you could give us some insights, patterns to get the best out of the ship.. To take a trip of this financial commitment and not to have a wonderful time is so scary to me..should we cancel and go on Celebrity? Please advise for this new traveler.. thanks Pam:confused:

[shoshona2]

Hi Pam,

We have been on the Celebrity twice (both times in S.A.) and on the Oceania Regatta once to the Baltics in 2003. First of all, what do you want in a cruise? The Celebrity is glitzy with dazzling shows, big ships and good food and service. The Celebrity also has at least two formal nights. The Oceania is smaller with about 650 passengers, singers and music at night and great service and great food and no formal nights. We are presently booked on the Insignia for the Black Sea cruise in July 2005 and the Nautica for the Beijing to Hong Kong cruise for March 2006.

We had a wonderful time on the Celebrity even though the food wasn't as good the second time around. We heard they changed their sources of meat and it surely showed. I loved the Cirque du Soleil shows and the Broadway shows.

If you like a quieter type of ship and dining at night at a choice of four restaurants with whomever you wish to dine with, then Oceania is a good pick. We loved being aboard the ship and wouldn't hesitate to go back.

Sheila

[HandPJ]

Hi Shoshona,
We are about to embark on our sixth cruise in just five days, all aboard Celebrity. With the exception of the first cruise in category 1A, previous to CC, all have been CC. We have enjoyed Celebrity and the lovely touches of CC very much. As Celebrity is not offering 10+ day Carribbean cruises in 2006, we are very much looking forward to being aboard Regatta in an aft CC cabin on deck 8. Could you please tell me if the CC cabins amidships have the same glass wall that the Celebrity balconies have below the teak railing? We so enjoy the completely unobstructed view from the Celebrity balconies. I am told that our aft cabin offers a larger deck than the same cabin amidships, but that the balcony's outer wall is steel, therefore impeding the openness.

Our cruise next week and again aboard Regatta will be with wonderful friends that we met aboard the Galaxy. This will be our third and fourth cruises together. As we are to be a party of six, will we need reservations for dinner on Regatta? Thank you for any other information that you might share, we are looking forward to next year and taking a cruise that we consider to be "a tick up" from Celebrity, which we have so enjoyed.

[smj]

We just returned from South America. I thought the food and dinning service was wonderful! The food is some of the best I have ever had. I think it is much better than Celebrity. The tours were terrible and way overpriced. Destination services seemed clueless and gave the impression that they really did not care. Entertainment was very minimal. We had very smooth sailing.
Steve

[Andee]

Reservatrions are required in the specialty restaurants (for which there is no extra charge), but not in the main dining room. Just show up as a group, and tell the maitre d' if you want to be at a table for 6 or a larger table.

[spindrift]

You will truly enjoy the specialty restaurants, but I highly suggest that upon boarding the ship you make reservations for the nights and times you want as well as table size. That, of course, not only solidifies your plans but helps the staff also.

You will have a wonderful time. There is so much to enjoy aboard Oceania ships--the officers, staff, crew are all ready to please.

[macbest]

What is the largest table that they can accomodate in the specialty restaurants? We have a large group of us on the 8/3 Insignia sailing and I have heard that they don't accomodate large groups well in these restaurants.

[ClaudiaF]

you just need to talk to maitre 'de
they have many tables that hold 8 and I think a couple that do 10 in the "main"dining room

[shifty]

We just returned from the Insignia & saw tables set up for 12 (large square) in both Toscana & Polo.

Mike S

[micromanager]

Oceania seems to have lost touch with its excursions. As Rennaissance the tours were well thought out and well planned. The Argentina to Brazil cruise Feb 2005 had a very few worthwhile trips but most were just a long day trapped on a bus with destinations of marginal interest. At least they were safe. One highlight was Rio Grande de Sul and the Estancia which was delightful. The tours gave no idea of bus time nor of how much walking would be required so many of the older passengers had a hard time not to mention that they couldn't understand heavily accented English over a moderately disfunctional bus pa system filtered through their hearing aids. They kept clamoring that they couldn't understand when the real problem was they couldn't hear.

We noticed that since Oceania has gone to longer itineraries the passengers were older and grumpier. The fighting over trying to reserve deck chairs while one really was playing canasta or bridge or attending an art auction got totally out of hand.

The food, crew, service and the ship itself were lovely- too bad the tours were a waste and the passengers such pills.(4th cruise- 3 Ren, 1 Oceania)

[merryecho]

One of the other cruise lines had a funny thread about ways to stop lounge chair hogs. My favorite (of course after waiting half an hour or so for the person to return to their chair) was to move their things aside, and when the 'hog' comes back and complains, say, 'gosh, how long have you been gone? the person who was in this chair when I got here said she was finished with it." Or, even simpler, point to the sign saying reserving chairs is not allowed (I hope Oceania has one) and say "The pool staff must have moved your things, because there were no chairs for the people waiting for them."
Would I ever have the courage to confront anyone like that? fraid not.

[drwong]

I guess you've all read the news about Holland America Lines being driven to settle with the families of 14 passengers who died during one of HAL's Mexican shore excursions. Documents uncovered by the plaintiffs' attorneys revealed that although the cruise line knew of problems with the contractor (e.g., doors falling off the aircraft, lack of adequate insurance, use of a Czech-manufactured aircraft that was not certified to fly in the United States, not to mention numerous customer complaints, including one from a cruiser who himself was a professional pilot), HAL believed that the waivers signed by the passengers insulated itself from any liability. The court of public opinion demonstrated they had misjudged. I trust Oceania's Destination Services will take customer concerns about the safety of certain shore excursions even more seriously now.