HAL Groupie Tries Oceania

[arzz]

We are real HAL cheerleaders who recently sailed Oceania. Many folks on this board have tried to compare HAL with Oceania -- We just got back from 12 days on Oceania sailing from Athens to Istanbul which we chose because they offered an itinerary that fit our desires exactly but is not offered by HAL.

I have written a review of our experiences which I posted on the Oceania boards along with my daily journals -- they can be found at the following link for those who are interested

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1094177

Bottom line -- how do the lines compare? I do not think that you can make a direct comparison as they are different products, and both products have their good points. Oceania fits well on a port intensive itinerary like ours was -- would we spend 20, 30 or 65 consecutive days on Oceania? A resounding NO. HAL wins hands down in that department. The ships on Oceania are so "petite" that DH and I are convinced that were we to try to spend an extended time aboard Oceania the crew might have to hide all sharp implements by the end of the cruise.

How does the food compare? My answer is "it is different". Both lines have really good food. No question that Oceania does better with their desserts but then again HAL never served me anything as wrong as the crunchy risotto that I was served on Oceania. Food is subjective -- both lines win in the food department in my opinion.

We would do Oceania again were there to be another short itinerary that we could not find on HAL. For the longer cruises that we love, HAL definitely wins.

I will be glad to answer your questions.

[Druke I]

We've also been on Oceania, three times, longest being 25 nights on Nautica, Istanbul to Singaore via the Suez.

We thought it fine for a longer voyage - but then we do appreciate the quiet. Bigger ships often "too busy".

We particularly like Oceania's dress code - it certainly simplifies packing.

[arzz]

Druke 1

Definitely agree with you on the dress code -- though it is fun to dress up it is not fun on a port intensive cruise when there is a port every day -- dressing for dinner was simple and comfortable on Oceania -- so was the packing as we had two transatlantic flights and had no need to take that tuxedo or the fancy dresses

We have found that both the Prinsendam on our 27 days around South America/Antarctica and our 65 days aboard the Amsterdam last year that HAL provided a very quiet environment as we, too, seek the quiet rather than the intense. On the longer cruises it is different (no announcements for activites, no pressure to party) so we feel that the quiet thing is not an issue on an extended HAL cruise.

Our biggest impediment (besides price) for extended days on Oceania would the petite stateroom size -- we were concierge class but the cabin size is still the same standard size as on the lower decks -- those extra square feet (and the much larger bathroom) aboard HAL ships does a lot for us to meet our comfort needs on an extended cruise.

[SwissMyst]

We have a 42 day cruise coming up on another small ship, the MV Discovery. 130 sq ft cabins - the old sister ship of the Princess 'Love Boat". It is about a 600 passenger ship and we too are taking it because of its unique itinerary, which is Discovery's special niche. So I am intrigued with your experience living with these smaller ships for extended periods and the smaller cabin sizes as well.

What tips do you have if you were to take a similarly sized ship for a far longer duration .... and keep your sanity the same time. The Discovery itinerary we are taking has many sea days and seems nicely paced between ports and sea days from Hong Kong to Capetown. But still, a long time on a small ship is going to be an interesting new adventure in its own right.

PS. We too have found a lot to like about HAL.

[arzz]

I would suggest that you find some favorite public spaces and become comfortable there with a book, a crossword puzzle, whatever. Too much time in a small cabin can cause one to begin to bounce off of the bulkheads.

Don't just stay in the cabin. If your ship has a daily activity like trivia, commit to do that every day. Similar commitments made to lecture series or other offerings can also help to fill your day and keep things from getting monotonous. It also helps to make friends and do something with them daily.

On consecutive sea days try to get outside and walk the promenade -- assuming your ship has one. Another method to get a good walk is to start at the top or bottom of the ship, walk the length of the ship inside, do the stairs one flight and walk the length of the ship in the other direction. By the time you have done every deck you have had a fairly good workout and feel less confined. Depending on the size of the ship one or two rounds and you will have walked a couple of miles. This also works well when the weather precludes those outside hikes.

[SwissMyst]

Excellent suggestions. The cabins on the Discovery look pretty grim with only a porthole. I was even thinking about getting some cheap new spreads and a rug while in port just to dress them up a bit for our longer duration.

They do look like just functional places to sleep and change clothes, but certainly not for relaxing and just being. We got too spoiled by HAL's lovely verandah rooms to even think we will enjoy spending any time in this tiry room.

It will be interesting to find those small private places on our ship because they all have them. One thing I liked about this ship is the casino was taken out (for lack of use) and replaced with a larger library, which gets rave reviews from other passengers. And it also gets high marks for its enrichment lectures so we know that will be on our daily agenda.

Combining the stairs and the decks for a formal work out is a great idea - to create it as a ritual rather that just a way to get from point to point. One thing about smaller ships is it is easy to soon get to know all its public places, be that good or bad.

Are there any items that you think you would have wished you had brought to make the trip go smoothly or is taking what one normally takes for a shorter cruise good enough? In room laundry, particularly without a balcony will be one challenge I see because ship laundry for that length of time looks expensive and a bit of a bother. I almost think I will look for a drying rack in port to stow in the room.

Do you use an over the door shoe pocket hanger for extra storage items? Don't know if I need to bring one or not. Since HAL added the under the sink storage shelf, I no longer need one for HAL.

Thanks for anything else that comes to mind.

[IRL_Joanie]

I want to say thank you for the beautiful and very detailed review of your cruise on Nautica!!

And thank you for the link to it.

I almost felt like I was in Athens once again!!

By the way, if you thought the marble steps were dangerous when wet, you should try driving on the streets when they are wet!! LOL, an experience NOT for the faint of heart. They are made of marble dust and no drainage, so...... Ice rink and swimming pool at the same time:D

Thanks once again for the review!!

Joanie

[arzz]

SwissMyst

Our cruises of longer duration (20 plus days) have been on HAL ships (Prinsendam with its walk in closet and Amsterdam's basic ocean view cabins) -- as you know HAL has lots of storage space and generous cabin sizes. When we did 65 days we brought along things like a small stapler, stationery, lots of books (HAL did ship two extra suitcases for us -- one was full of books which we stored on the window sill) and other small comforts. In a tiny cabin without extra baggage allowance many extra things will not really work.

Laundry is an issue on a long cruise. We usually used a combination of HAL's "stuff as much as you can into the laundry bag service for $12" and the self service laundry on board the ship. Since we had plenty of sea days we could always organize the laundry without impacting our touring and the laundry bag service offered by HAL was thrifty and our clothes were returned ironed and either folded or on hangers -- our choice. Paying for laundry by the piece does get pricey but there is truly little space in any cruise ship cabin to hang hand washable out to dry --the smaller the cabin the more difficult that could be.

However you work it out try not to let the laundry drive your trip or interfere with your ability to do your ports of call. Good luck and have a great time!

[MrsMuir]

Swissmyst, you should have a wonderful time on the beautiful Discovery. She was docked near the Rotterdam in Istanbul, and I instantly recognized her as the beloved Island Princess. I served aboard her for one memorable week in the ship's boutique. She still has that pretty sunbeam on her prow, and she appeared to be in great condition. Try not to worry about the stateroom size. Arzz has some great suggestions. I would like to add that you can pretend it's 1977, and that your stateroom is state-of-the-art. I would book your cruise in a heartbeat. Enjoy that ship! She still LOOKS like one, and your itinerary sounds fabulous.

Mrs M

[happy cruzer]

One point worth mentioning. Inside cabins on O are the same square feet as on HAL. I believe the difference in cabin sizes are the higher categories.

We are happy in inside cabins and Os are up there at 160 square feet.

We loved the specialty restaurants at no extra charge. The O smoking policies. and the no childrens programs.

You will miss the HAL room service.

Both are great experiences. Usually HAL is the best value for us. but O does run specials that make them comparable on itenaries such at the transatlantic.

I loved getting to read arzz's review. Thank you so much.

[garydm]

Have not been on Oceania but had one inside on HAL and I thought it was more than 180 square feet.

Gary

[bra1nchild]

Interestingly, my sister and BIL, who sailed on HAL for years, cruised from Hong Kong to Athens on the Nautuca last year and loved it. In fact, they enjoyed it so much that next month they are going from Singapore to Aukland on back-to-back cruises totalling about 32 days. I don't know about the upcoming trip, but he said they never had more than 4 consecutive sea days last year. That could still be a lot on a tiny, understaffed ship.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for taking the time to write your review and give us an incite to the cabins on Oceania.

[TCF]

Thanks so much for all the information from everyone on Oceania, From time to time we have considered them as an option to Hal, but having read this thread and all the great ideas about getting around the smaller cabins I don't think I'd make it on a long cruise.

We did 35 days on the Veendam last year in a 292 sq.ft and by the last five days I was stir crazy!! I guess we just need a lot of room to hang out and relax in our own space.