Late sailing out of LA question(s)

[NHcruisers]

Hi all--

We're booked on the LA to Miami Panama Canal (Regatta) Jan 28th, 07 cruise which is scheduled to depart LA at 11:59PM.

Anybody know when we will be able to board? Will dining options be any different on this night, i.e., "standard" dining in main dining room as well as alternative restaurants? Will entertainment options be the same as on any other night?

The reason for the questions is to help us plan the arriving flight. While we have always flown in the day before because of potentially bad weather in the northeast, this late a departure tempts us to fly in the same day. But if departure night is "full" service with reasonably early check-in times then we would fly in the day prior.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Best regards,
Bill (and Nancy)

RSSC 5X
Crystal 2X
Celebrity 8X
Princess 4X
RCCL 4X
HAL 1X

[Jancruz]

Sounds like that is a question for your TA..
Jan
*************

[shoshona2]

Hi,

First of all, I live in LA and we are short a runway -- which just closed to make room for the new giant jets next year. Do yourself a favor and fly in the day before and stay at a hotel in LA and do the town!!! Beverly Hills is beautiful at night with all the Xmas lights. It is holiday time and besides late flights due to weather -- anything can happen. We almost missed our first Oceania cruise due to the blackout of 2003 and we allowed an extra day.

As for the questions about boarding and the dining rooms, why don't you have you TA ask Oceania. If you didn't use a TA, just call Oceania.

Have a great cruise.

Sheila

[LHT28]

Hi all--

We're booked on the LA to Miami Panama Canal (Regatta) Jan 28th, 07 cruise which is scheduled to depart LA at 11:59PM.

Anybody know when we will be able to board? Will dining options be any different on this night, i.e., "standard" dining in main dining room as well as alternative restaurants? Will entertainment options be the same as on any other night?


Best regards,
Bill (and Nancy)


I would think boarding time will be as usual and dinner service as any other night.
Not sure on the entertainment but I would think there would be something for those that just want to stay on the ship after dinner.
I do hope so because we are on the cruise.

I would also fly in the day before if you can.

[NHcruisers]

My original post was a well intentioned request for information from anyone that had experience with Oceania late sailings and what dining venues would be available on that night. Yes, the boarding time question could have been directed to my TA but the real question was regarding which dining venues would be open the first night.

I know from experience with Crystal (Prego and Kyoto) alternative venues are not always open/available the first night. I also know that its similar with RSSC (Signatures and Lattitudes). There does not appear to be any rhyme or reason to whether they are open/available or not. However, if you call customer service prior to the cruise at either of these lines as I've done in the past, the response is the same, "yes, of course, they are open the first night" which has not turned out to be accurate information.

Maybe I was incorrectly assuming that this type of information would be as inaccurate as I have received previously on RSSC or Crystal. But first hand experiences may be more accurate than TA or line provided information in this regard since available alternative dining venues on the first night on other lines appears so arbitrary at best.

Best regards--
Bill

[ClaudiaF]

I would assume that boarding time and dining times would be no different then any other cruises on Oceania just because the ship is departing later.

[nparmelee]

Our cruise this last June left Civitavecchia port at 11:00 pm. Boarding for concierge and suites started at 11:00, we got there around 2:45 amd were onboard and escorted to our cabin within 15 minutes. Lifeboat drill was at 4:30 or 5:00. Dinner was at the same times as the rest of the cruise, I believe most of the dining rooms opened at 6:00 pm. Don't remember about entertainment though, but I think there was some that night. Casino and shops won't be able to open that night since you'll still be in port.

[larablair]

All of the restaurants were open. In fact we ate in the Polo Grill the 1st night. Wonderful service, not busy because most people did not reserve for the first night. We boarded at 11a.m.(concierge)had a lovely buffet luncheon then went off to see the local sights. Our ship departed at 10p.m.FYI there was entertainment the first night. General boarding was at 3p.m.

[NHcruisers]

Thank you very much for responding.

Bill