Just Off Marina. Will Answer Any Questions

Hi all. We are just back from the Baltic Cruise on Marina. A couple of things I think might be helpful if you are sailing on her. We were in concierge level cabin for the purpose of this thread. There are both U.S plugs and European plugs in the cabin. I had brought my own multi charger battery so that helped. There is one set of outlets U.S. at the desk (2 individual plugs) one useable plug at the tv and one in the bathroom if you take out the nite light. Apparently if you want another type of diet drink other than just Diet Coke, like Sprite Zero or diet gingerale in your refrigerator you have to request this well in advance of your sailing. They do have soy milk on board but would not provide coffeemate for me even when requested in advance. We were not able to add any extra dinner reservations for the specialty restaurants for more than once. We were on waiting lists but never able to get one. We even requested to add 2 people to an existing reservation and they couldn't do that. We were able to add the 4th reservation to the one restaurant that I did not book in advance. There is a self laundry on every cabin deck. The cost is $2 per machine. So $4 to wash and dry a load. The detergent is included and is located where the machines are. You purchase coins but be careful where you put them in on the machines as where you put them in on the washer and dryer are right next to each other. The dryer I used didn't quite dry everything. I used the tub shower all the time because the regular shower is way to small. Think put bar of soap on wall and rotate to clean. No way or room to shave legs unless you are a contortionist. The bath shower was perfect. There is a hidden drawer in the bathroom right next to where they hang the hand towels. Baristas closes at 6 no exceptions. Disembarkation in Southampton was a nightmare as British immigration insisted on face to face passport inspection on the ship in the Marina lounge. The line weeny out The door and into the reception area. It was mostly due to the fact that the passengers did not listen to be called down for their inspection and instead got in line out of turn. So it's important to not get in line until your color code and number or call. If you fly out of Heathrow be aware that they will not let you check your luggage until two hours before your flight. So if you get to the airport early you essentially have to sit around with your baggage. These are just a few of my thoughts. If you have any particular questions please ask them and I will be very glad to answer any of them that I can. All in all we had a wonderful cruise, great weather, great ports of call. We also met quite a few very nice people, one couple we even hope to stay in touch with. Moral of this story is to share tables whenever possible when dining. They were also quite a few older people on this cruise as well. One gentleman we dined with was in World War II. One more thing, one of my friends on board went to get her hair washed and blow dried. The hairstylist did a wonderful job however at the end when she went to pay he pressured her for an additional Gratuity in addition to the standard 18% standard add on as he said this did not include a tip for him. Even though she questioned him about the 18% add-on. She felt embarrassed and left an additional tip. So a wash and blow dry ended up being around $80. When she thought about it she went down to the reception desk and inquired about whether indeed the 18% included the gratuity and was told it did. She explained what happened and they told her to take it up with spa Canyon Ranch as they had nothing to do with them. She told them that she was a passenger on their ship and that they should advocate for her but they refused to do so. She called the manager at the salon and was told that the 18% plus any additional gratuity is all the salary that the stylist get. So please be aware when using the spa Canyon Ranch of these concerns. Wow this turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it was going to be so I'll and here.

I can't believe I forgot one more thing. The Wi-Fi on the ship is horribly slow. Make sure that you had up to the computer lab as soon as you get on board to have the gentleman who works with the computers help you logon. It is quite complicated to get on. we had one free Wi-Fi account. It allowed any of our devices to be on but one at a time. Please note that you do not have to log off as when you log in with another device it will ask you to end the session of the other device that is currently online. If I had had to buy the account for Wi-Fi I think I would've been terribly upset and had requested my money back. It was that's slow to nonexistent at times.

Do you think you could use paragraphs to make your post easier to read??

Yes you should log off the wifi when you are done with your session ..maybe that contributes to the slowness if people just leave their devices logged in

I agree some of the spa staff whinge for extra tips ..when they do they get nothing more than the 18% from me

Glad you enjoyed your trip

Thank you for the report.

Could you say more about the specialty dining? I think you are saying you only were able to visit each specialty one time? How were they and where else did you dine?

How would you rate your overall experience? Good value? Would you do O again?

Thank you for taking the time to write your review. We board in Southampton on August 13 and will be doing a similar route.

Do you think you could use paragraphs to make your post easier to read??

 

Yes you should log off the wifi when you are done with your session ..maybe that contributes to the slowness if people just leave their devices logged in

 

I agree some of the spa staff whinge for extra tips ..when they do they get nothing more than the 18% from me

 

Glad you enjoyed your trip

Sorry about not using paragraphs. The post just seem to grow. I didn't mean to make it that long but I just kept thinking of things to add.

Thank you for the report.

 

Could you say more about the specialty dining? I think you are saying you only were able to visit each specialty one time? How were they and where else did you dine?

 

How would you rate your overall experience? Good value? Would you do O again?

We liked all of the specialty restaurants but our favorite was Polo Grille. I also liked Red Ginger but we had to wait 45 minutes that night just for our appetizers. We think there was a problem in the kitchen. They did apologize.

Otherwise we ate dinners in the grand dining room, lunches at terraces or waves and room service for breakfast.

We very much like Silver Sea cruise line but chose Oceania because it had the itinerary that we wanted. We missed all the little extra touches that Silver Sea offers. But if the itinerary is better we would do Oceania again.

Mylisa your post about the salon was especially helpful; I've read numerous comments on multiple boards about the tips and I suspect that most operators utilize this same system of making their workers essentially beg to collect a decent salary. On HAL posts people complain about the stylists pushing to sell products; I suspect they get a commission on those.

18 % is already close to a decent tip and the salon services are generally moderately or significantly overpriced in a cruise but if you get good service an additional tip will be greatly appreciated, the same as with any ship employee.

Mylisa your post about the salon was especially helpful; I've read numerous comments on multiple boards about the tips and I suspect that most operators utilize this same system of making their workers essentially beg to collect a decent salary. On HAL posts people complain about the stylists pushing to sell products; I suspect they get a commission on those.

18 % is already close to a decent tip and the salon services are generally moderately or significantly overpriced in a cruise but if you get good service an additional tip will be greatly appreciated, the same as with any ship employee.

The only problem was that the manager in charge of the salon said that the operators are not paid and that the tips are all they get. And my friend felt pressured by the stylist to give more. $80 for a wash and blow dry is quite high in any ones book. My friend had planned to go back one more time for the same service but chose not to because of the pressure and the high prices. I know that people will say that all services on the ship are higher than normal but that was just plain out of sight.

Thanks for the updates Mylisa. I did have one question on the plugs. On Riveria we had plugs on each side of the bed too above the nightstands. I thought I had seen pictures of this on Marina. Are there plugs by the bed and if so, are they US usable? Julia

We encountered the exact same drill on the Nautica. I do not believe any of it is the fault of British immigrations. They have every right to conduct a face to face check.

The problems were all O related. All passengers filled out a disembarkment form and received color coded tags for their luggage and for exiting the ship. Cruisers started lining up to disembark not only long before their color was called but before the ship even docked! Because on aisle is blocked off for security this made the affair a cluster with the other aisle blocked with passengers and baggage.

The ship was not scheduled to dock until 8a.m. But did so around 7. Immigrations started clearing people around 7:15. We avoided the circus, came down when our color was called, which was still before 8 and exited.

Many of the people were waiting around because since the ship was not to dock until 8, their private transfers didn't arrive until after 8. So they created a mob scene on the ship, to basically wait around in the terminal.

Zero of any of this can be attributed to British immigrations! We came out of the GDR for breakfast at 6:45ish and it was already a mob scene and we hadn't docked! We went to hide in our cabin until called! Exited an our car was there within a few minutes.

I think people start lining up as soon as they can even though they will not get off early they block the route for others

We have found this on all our O cruises

it is worse on the O class ships because people get off the elevator then just stand along the railing by the staircase block those that have been called to disembark

One lady came pushing through the line because her colour had been call 30 mins prior

Instead of just following the line she decided she was special ...hey we were all waiting to swipe out

Thanks for the updates Mylisa. I did have one question on the plugs. On Riveria we had plugs on each side of the bed too above the nightstands. I thought I had seen pictures of this on Marina. Are there plugs by the bed and if so, are they US usable? Julia

Keeping in mind that we were in a concierge cabin there were no plugs on either side of the bed. Just light switches. I brought my own multi charger battery that I used. But if you have an adapter plug that would be helpful too.

The lines had nothing to do with British Emigration except now that I think about it, they only had 2 passport inspectors. Those 2 people had to talk to every single person on the ship before they could disembark.

Having said that, I hold the passengers responsible for not listening to the instructions of not hanging around the reception area where the line was located.

Several times the cruise director had to make an announcement to tell people to get out of line if their color had not been called. You should have seen the number of people that had to step out of line. It was probably 1/2 the line.

There's a reason they do it this way so that people with early flights or transportation arrangements can get off in a timely manner.

I did hear the cruise director say that the cruise line is a 5 star cruise line and that they expected to have 5 star passengers who listened.

We are first time Oceania cruisers and we're wondering about the beverage packages. We are deciding if we should purchase a package and if so which one. We are wine drinkers and wondering about the quality of the wines offered in these packages.

I know my opinion is a minority, but if you are wine drinkers I would recommend against either package. You are limited to a selection of wines by the glass. Yes, you can have more than one glass!

But if you are sophisticated wine drinkers (I admit I am not although I draw the line at cheap wines) I think you'd be better off buying off the more extensive wine list by the bottle OR bringing your own wine on board, which you can do. That can depend on convenience, of course. Not everyone wants to ship a case of wine by air!

I have NOT taken advantage of either package, but from what I have heard people in general are pleased with the wines that are offered. It's hard to answer this without knowing what you like ...

If I were going to buy a liquor package, I'd opt for the more expensive version. The basic package is only during meal times. If you would want to go to a bar for a cocktail, your package wouldn't qualify.

The question comes down to: how much will you actually drink on a day? Many people say given the prices of alcohol on board, it only takes a few glasses (whether of wine or booze) to come up to the $60/day pp fee. For us, it doesn't compute. For you, it might.

Mura

The glass by the wine list was OK, nothing great but I definitely found a few very drinkable vintages when I was in the mood for wine. The Les Salices was a nice crisp, dry and not too sweet Chardonnay and they had a nice red blend from Spain called Rojas I believe.

I was on the premium bev package but my wife wasn't, she usually only drinks at dinner with a cocktail before or after on occasion, so we bought her a bottle of red we've had before in restaurants here that sells for ~$70-80. It was ~$55 on O and it lasted her most of the trip and worked out great. Miraculously, they came up with a system that works that centrally stores your corked bottles that you can have the Sommelier pour from at any of the restaurants....

Just adding to what Mura said,your decision could be cruise length dependant.We can easily drink the cost of the premium package,and more,on a weeks cruise but we are on an 18 nighter soon and don't think we can continue with the first week throughout.

We will have the basic package,few bottles in our cabin and the happy hour cocktails.🍹

Keeping in mind that we were in a concierge cabin there were no plugs on either side of the bed. Just light switches. I brought my own multi charger battery that I used. But if you have an adapter plug that would be helpful too.

Not correct, we are on the Marina now, b1 veranda, European plugs on either side of the bed, the concierge verandah are the same.

We are first time Oceania cruisers and we're wondering about the beverage packages. We are deciding if we should purchase a package and if so which one. We are wine drinkers and wondering about the quality of the wines offered in these packages.

We are on the Marina now and were very surprised over the New by the glass wine list. We normally bring our wines on board at ports and did bring some this time as well. But have been able to find nice whites and reds on this new list... changed about 90 percent since our Nov. 2016 cruise. Still the same price points at retail in the US, $10 - $15 per bottle, but a better quality selection than the previous selection, good basic everyday, but full range, wine by the glass menu. For the special occasion I would still bring your own wine on board.

Not correct, we are on the Marina now, b1 veranda, European plugs on either side of the bed, the concierge verandah are the same.

Your are probably correct about the European plug. I probably overlooked that since they were useless to me.

Sorry about the misinformation.

We are on the Marina now and were very surprised over the New by the glass wine list. We normally bring our wines on board at ports and did bring some this time as well. But have been able to find nice whites and reds on this new list... changed about 90 percent since our Nov. 2016 cruise. Still the same price points at retail in the US, $10 - $15 per bottle, but a better quality selection than the previous selection, good basic everyday, but full range, wine by the glass menu. For the special occasion I would still bring your own wine on board.

We are Brits and will be going Round the British Isles on Nautica in September. How many bottles of wine are we permitted to take on board. Is it only 3 bottles per stateroom, or 3 bottles per guest. Is it OK to take wine on board during the cruise or only at the embarkation port? We have never t taken wine on board before because of the flying restrictions but this time it will be Southampton!!! J

We are Brits and will be going Round the British Isles on Nautica in September. How many bottles of wine are we permitted to take on board. Is it only 3 bottles per stateroom, or 3 bottles per guest. Is it OK to take wine on board during the cruise or only at the embarkation port? We have never t taken wine on board before because of the flying restrictions but this time it will be Southampton!!! J

As many as you wish in any port as long as you observe the regulations - wine is for consumption in your cabin (i.e. not to be poured in cabin and carried around the ship) or in any dining venue with a $25 corkage fee.

Enjoy.

PS Not sure about brining the bottle to a bar (with corkage fee) - people usually bring bottles to restaurants..

As many as you wish in any port as long as you observe the regulations - wine is for consumption in your cabin (i.e. not to be poured in cabin and carried around the ship) or in any dining venue with a $25 corkage fee.

Enjoy.

PS Not sure about brining the bottle to a bar (with corkage fee) - people usually bring bottles to restaurants..

Yes I understand about the corkage and not walking about the ship with a BYO glass in your hand. I can't quite imagine bringing a bottle to a bar, too complicated I think. Thanks for the reply. J

We are on the Marina now and were very surprised over the New by the glass wine list. We normally bring our wines on board at ports and did bring some this time as well. But have been able to find nice whites and reds on this new list... changed about 90 percent since our Nov. 2016 cruise. Still the same price points at retail in the US, $10 - $15 per bottle, but a better quality selection than the previous selection, good basic everyday, but full range, wine by the glass menu. For the special occasion I would still bring your own wine on board.

Hi, if it's not an imposition, would you post pix of the new by the glass list? We're debating whether or not to buy a package and knowing the current btg choices will help us decide. Thank you!