Class Distinctions??

[malony33]

I've been getting a great deal of info by reading the questions and answers on this board, and now I am questioning some of Oceania's policies and wondering if we are spending our $$$ unwisely.

For instance:

1. No hot breakfast b/c we're ONLY in a veranda? We have to pay thousands more p/p to get an omelette?

2. We cannot board the ship until 2 hours before it sails, but if we cough up a few more K's, we get lunch and a bit of time to explore?

3. Since we're paying "such a low fare", we only get into our favorite restaurant once?

Etc., etc., yada, yada...

Don't get me wrong and take me out to the woodshed, all you O lovers - I'm neither a princess nor a brat nor a chronic complainer. We cannot wait to board Riviera. Some of the details are a bit of a surprise, and not in a good way. Maybe it's all this election rhetoric about "class warfare" that is burned into my brain.

BTW, do I get a robe in my veranda cabin??? LOL

[LHT28]

Originally Posted by malony33

I've been getting a great deal of info by reading the questions and answers on this board, and now I am questioning some of Oceania's policies and wondering if we are spending our $$$ unwisely.

For instance:

1. No hot breakfast b/c we're ONLY in a veranda? We have to pay thousands more p/p to get an omelette? You can go to the GDR or the Terrace for hot breakfast

2. We cannot board the ship until 2 hours before it sails, but if we cough up a few more K's, we get lunch and a bit of time to explore?
You have to be onboard 90 minute prior to sail away in US embarkation ports so show up by 1pm & you probably will be onboard soon afterwards

3. Since we're paying "such a low fare", we only get into our favorite restaurant once?
Or if you are lucky you can go more than once
Etc., etc., yada, yada...


BTW, do I get a robe in my veranda cabin??? LOL

Of course & slippers too

Life is full of "class distinctions"

Enjoy the cruise

[cruzmaven]

Well, like the "election rhetoric" you're stating exaggerations and half-truths.

1. Hot breakfasts are available to all passengers in the MDR or Terrace. Breakfast in the MDR is lovely including little lamb chops. Terrace has everything you'd want for breakfast, a more limited buffet, including an omelet station is available at Waves Grill. Fantastic coffee and pastries are available at Baristas, the coffee bar one deck up from Waves. You need to be in a Concierge cabin or above to get a hot breakfast via room service. Continental breakfast is available through room service to all other cabins.

2. I've never had to wait to board the ship. One cruise out of Miami on the Regatta I was in a lowly veranda cabin and boarded when we arrived and had lunch in the MDR. I don't tend to show up terribly early though.

3. On the Riviera, all passengers up through Penthouse cabins are guaranteed 1 reservation in each of the 4 specialty restaurants. (I think that's correct I'm sure someone will correct me if not). Additional reservations are supposedly available upon request. Many on here will tell you they've had great success getting additional reservations even when in OV or inside cabins. Not my experience, but I don't challenge their statements.

You'll love the Riviera and will soon be on here cheerleading with the rest of us.

[RetiredFL]

Agree with previous posters. We are about to go on our 11th Oceania cruise and we have done everything from inside cabin to Penthouse.
While Oceania has to throw some benefits to those paying more, in reality you will never notice it. No one will force you to wear a button stating "STEERAGE"
We have always been able to board earlier than our stated time except for one time the port authorities would not allow it. I believe Terrace is open until 4pm for lunch on sail away.
Even when allowed more than one reservations in specialty restaurants we have rarely used them as the food is great in the GDR. However there are those that like to brag they ate every night in a specialty restaurants and never in the GDR. We feel sorry for them as they missed some great meals. They remind us of those on other lines thay brag they had lobster tail every night for 14 days, how boring.
Even without a hot breakfast in the cabin the "cold" one is great. We usually eat in the Terrace and the breakfast there is great, especially the croissants.
By the way the robe is only for your use on board, the slippers are yours to keep.
Go planning to have a great time and you will.

[dundeene]

Every inch of Marina (the sister ship to Riviera) is beautiful, and clean. All of the cabins from insides . . . to Owners Suite are nicer than most cruise lines. The food is delicious throughout the ship.The service was great. I am confident you will find this to be true on Riviera.
When we boarded about 12:30 as PH; there were 4 women with us in line who were in inside-cabins. They were not treated differently and arrived on-board within 5 minutes of our group. There were lines for concierge, PH and regular cabins. All of the lines moved quickly and efficiently. Boarding was a breeze and I did not see lesser service given to anyone!
The specialty restaurants were all tops. I did see the "restaurant desk" attendant trying to arrange extra reservations for everyone throughout the cruise. I actually had better luck there than in the executive lounge.
It did seem courtesy, and flexibility helped. If you demand Polo at 7:30 tonight, probably not. If you ask if there are any openings available for a specialty reservation?
Could they just buzz your room if something opens up,
maybe?
Willing to eat early or late? an even better chance.
Make your guaranteed 4 before you board. Most lines charge more for specialty restaurants. On Oceania they are included at every cabin level.
You will love your cruise, you will feel like you are treated well throughout the voyage.
If you want to live like a millionaire for the cruise; ask about an upgrade to PH . . . get the butler and the extra-pampered experience.
But there is no "steerage" on Oceania.

There is NO restaurant only open to certain levels
There is NO pool open to certain cabins
There is NO reserved seating in the shows for suites etc
There is NO priority boarding on tenders for, concierge, PH etc
If you are concerned that you will not be treated wonderfully on-board because you did not get a 2nd mortgage to pay for your cabin, I think you may be in for a pleasant surprise.
Good luck and safe travel

[Carnevale]

I think Malony 33 raised some excellent points...And now I'm probably in the dog house too with those who are very loyal to OCL.

It was such a surprise to find out all of the things that Malony 33 raised as they were not what I expected having read all of the general marketing stuff you get when you first look into a cruise line. I understand the need for perks for those who pay the most and things like room service from the special restaurants, butler, etc. all make sense. But I'm really struggling to understand the deal with the hot versus cold breakfast. Others have noted here that you can get a full hot breakfast elsewhere on the ship but that isn't the same as getting it via room service. I'm also rather put off by the delayed boarding time and the differences in the number of alternative dining reservations we'll get since like Malony 33 we too are only in a veranda cabin (contrast this with Crystal we could dine as often as we wanted at the alternative venues without additional charge).

I realize it is just my opinion, but it seems to me that OCL has gone too far in the direction of Cunard and its class system (we've sailed on that line and won't go back for that reason). I apologize to those who may be offended by my reaction. I'm still looking forward to our first OCL cruise this summer, but the bloom is off the rose a little given all that I have learned about the details since the time we made our booking.

[Scottygirl1]

I do think that hot v cold breakfast is crazy!! All rooms on Oceania should get a hot breakfast. On Celebrity you could at least get eggs and bacon etc in any room.

We do not eat wheat, bread, croissants, bagels, muffins, cereal. Imagine finding out that we then could not then eat breakfast unless we went to a mininum of concierge class? That is kind of crazy on a cruise line like Oceania. Perhaps do what Celebrity does and have a more restricted cooked menu for under a certain cabin level but I would think that a cooked breakfast should be available in EVERY cabin!!

[Kissing Seahorses]

I think it is very much like the airlines. Those paying for first class air will wait in shorter lines to check-in, be able to bring more suitcases, wait in shorter lines for security, board the plane before everyone else,sit in larger seats, possibly be served a pre-takeoff beverage, nibble warm mixed nuts, drink alcohol without additional outlay, often have a warm meal, depart the plane first,and supposedly get their bags first at baggage claim.

Excepting for frequent flier upgrades, etc. people purchasing first class air will pay at least double what the majority will pay and often many times more than the average coach fare. I don't think that coach passengers get anything less than what they pay for but they don't pay for the amenities that the first class passenger get.

On Oceania, If any of the amenities that go with a certain category of room are essential or a deal breaker if you do not have them, buy up to that category, otherwise consider them amenities that you haven't paid for as you would the amenities of first class air. As some previous posters have pointed out, some lines (Celebrity, Cunard) have restaurants and pool areas,etc. that are off limits to all but a certain catagory and above, this is not the case on Oceania.

[Scottygirl1]

Originally Posted by Kissing Seahorses

I think it is very much like the airlines. Those paying for first class air will wait in shorter lines to check-in, be able to bring more suitcases, wait in shorter lines for security, board the plane before everyone else,sit in larger seats, possibly be served a pre-takeoff beverage, nibble warm mixed nuts, drink alcohol without additional outlay, often have a warm meal, depart the plane first,and supposedly get their bags first at baggage claim.

Excepting for frequent flier upgrades, etc. people purchasing first class air will pay at least double what the majority will pay and often many times more than the average coach fare. I don't think that coach passengers get anything less than what they pay for but they don't pay for the amenities that the first class passenger get.

On Oceania, If any of the amenities that go with a certain category of room are essential or a deal breaker if you do not have them, buy up to that category, otherwise consider them amenities that you haven't paid for as you would the amenities of first class air. As some previous posters have pointed out, some lines (Celebrity, Cunard) have restaurants and pool areas,etc. that are off limits to all but a certain catagory and above, this is not the case on Oceania.

Well said, I hadn't thought of it like that

[pacheco18]

We usually book a Deluxe Outside. We had PH once. We were not treated any differently aboard ship. Any cruise on O in any cabin is a good cruise.

If a hot breakfast in your cabin is such a critical factor affecting the enjoyment of your cruise line then O is not for you (unless you want to be in C class).

[orchestrapal]

Originally Posted by pacheco18

We usually book a Deluxe Outside. We had PH once. We were not treated any differently aboard ship. Any cruise on O in any cabin is a good cruise.

If a hot breakfast in your cabin is such a critical factor affecting the enjoyment of your cruise line then O is not for you (unless you want to be in C class).

The main additional perks for the top cabins are only once you have entered them and no one has to!

[markshale]

Here's a tip for you if some of the perks are something you would really like but really don't want to shell out too much more money for. Ask your TA within the last ninety days before sailing to see what an upgrade would cost you. You may be pleasantly surprised at how little you will have to pay to get to Concierge level or even higher. It just depends on how full the cruise is. Patience can pay off.

[BillPizzaiolo]

We've cruised Verandah level on Marina a number of times and on Regatta twice. We were able to eat breakfast in our cabin early on days that we went out touring. That was a benefit. We never had problems getting extra reservations in the specialty restaurants when we wanted. The most important part of the atmosphere on board was it did not matter where your cabin was all passengers were very friendly and did not put on airs that they were elite. We met doctors, lawyers, farmers, bankers, professors, librarians, teachers, non-professionals, business people and retirees on board. We had a great time with each other and hardly ever found out what we did for a living, besides touring and cruising. It rarely came up unless someone accidentally blurted it out in conversation. We were all there to enjoy each others' company and have a good time. I didn't notice if anyone felt put down or better than.

The Cruise Critic cruisers were among the best travelers and most knowledgeable on board. We learned much from their experiences and were able to connect for exquisite private tours with them. Our professional interests varied but our quest to see new places in comfortable surroundings were similar.

If you are the type to strut your stuff and show off what you do or what you have then stick with some of the other lines.

[ORV]

Originally Posted by BillPizzaiolo

We've cruised Verandah level on Marina a number of times and on Regatta twice. We were able to eat breakfast in our cabin early on days that we went out touring. That was a benefit. We never had problems getting extra reservations in the specialty restaurants when we wanted. The most important part of the atmosphere on board was it did not matter where your cabin was all passengers were very friendly and did not put on airs that they were elite. We met doctors, lawyers, farmers, bankers, professors, librarians, teachers, non-professionals, business people and retirees on board. We had a great time with each other and hardly ever found out what we did for a living, besides touring and cruising. It rarely came up unless someone accidentally blurted it out in conversation. We were all there to enjoy each others' company and have a good time. I didn't notice if anyone felt put down or better than.

The Cruise Critic cruisers were among the best travelers and most knowledgeable on board. We learned much from their experiences and were able to connect for exquisite private tours with them. Our professional interests varied but our quest to see new places in comfortable surroundings were similar.

If you are the type to strut your stuff and show off what you do or what you have then stick with some of the other lines.

Well said Bill.


Personally I don't understand the whole room service thing. 10 cruises and we've yet to eat anything in our rooms other than the chocolates left on the pillow. We like to go to the restaurants and have the food nice and fresh. To each their own though.

[bbwex]

I have to agree with BillPizzaiolo. We were in a B-1 and boarded early with no problem. We had our two specialty reservations, which we made beforehand, but had no trouble eating in one or the other (we were on Regatta) as many times as we wanted. The GDR is pretty good, don't get me wrong, but the specialty restaurants are even better.

We were on an R class ship (somewhat smaller passenger load) and you get to know almost every single person by the time the cruise is over, some only by sight, others that you have talked to more extensively. I never once heard a single word about what type of cabin anyone had. It could well be that passengers in some of the big suites eat in their cabins more often, and you don't see them as much, but just like anywhere else, if they are not putting on airs about their lives, they won't do it about their cabins either. People are people. We never noticed such a thing though. We were right next to a Vista suite, and the couple was lovely and friendly.

If you are feeling a class distinction, it is more in your mind than anywhere else.

[pacheco18]

Originally Posted by ORV

Well said Bill.


Personally I don't understand the whole room service thing. 10 cruises and we've yet to eat anything in our rooms other than the chocolates left on the pillow. We like to go to the restaurants and have the food nice and fresh. To each their own though.

I am on the same page. We ordered hot breakfast once from room service on our first cruise -- it arrived cold -- and that was the first and LAST time we ordered room service.

The great thing about eating breakfast in the GDR or buffet is that you really don't have to "choose" -- you have a little of everything you might want to try. Also, we prefer meeting people and the dining room and buffet can be excellent opportunities to meet and chat with fellow cruisers.

[LHT28]

Originally Posted by Kissing Seahorses

I think it is very much like the airlines. Those paying for first class air will wait in shorter lines to check-in, be able to bring more suitcases, wait in shorter lines for security, board the plane before everyone else,sit in larger seats, possibly be served a pre-takeoff beverage, nibble warm mixed nuts, drink alcohol without additional outlay, often have a warm meal, depart the plane first,and supposedly get their bags first at baggage claim.

Excepting for frequent flier upgrades, etc. people purchasing first class air will pay at least double what the majority will pay and often many times more than the average coach fare. I don't think that coach passengers get anything less than what they pay for but they don't pay for the amenities that the first class passenger get.

On Oceania, If any of the amenities that go with a certain category of room are essential or a deal breaker if you do not have them, buy up to that category, otherwise consider them amenities that you haven't paid for as you would the amenities of first class air. As some previous posters have pointed out, some lines (Celebrity, Cunard) have restaurants and pool areas,etc. that are off limits to all but a certain catagory and above, this is not the case on Oceania.

Finally the voice of reason

[LHT28]

Originally Posted by ORV

Personally I don't understand the whole room service thing. 10 cruises and we've yet to eat anything in our rooms other than the chocolates left on the pillow. We like to go to the restaurants and have the food nice and fresh. To each their own though.

I am with you
The only time we had room service was on our 8th cruise with O
once when we went though the Panama canal 1st morning & 1 other day because I was sick

It is a personal choice but as stated above if have hot breakfast in your cabin is a priority then book the CAT needed for this perk

JMO

Lyn

[Mary Ellen]

On the web sites of the various airlines they make it perfectly clear that those who fly in Business and First receive better meals - or if Coach even receives a meal. Oceania has the exact same information about the availability of room service of all categories of cabins:

Complimentary and Extensive 24-Hour Room Service

We're booked on our first Oceania cruise. We've been sailing on HAL for over 30 years now. We've been able to receive hot breakfasts from room service, no matter the category we've booked. We've also had the same experience being able to order off the MDR menu at dinner. In this aspect Oceania will be a big step down from HAL. We're looking forward to the smaller ship and the smoking situation on Oceania is greatly appealing, but Carnevale summed it up:

Originally Posted by Carnevale

I'm still looking forward to our first OCL cruise this summer, but the bloom is off the rose a little given all that I have learned about the details since the time we made our booking.

[pacheco18]

Originally Posted by Mary Ellen

On the web sites of the various airlines they make it perfectly clear that those who fly in Business and First receive better meals - or if Coach even receives a meal. Oceania has the exact same information about the availability of room service of all categories of cabins:
We're booked on our first Oceania cruise. We've been sailing on HAL for over 30 years now. We've been able to receive hot breakfasts from room service, no matter the category we've booked. We've also had the same experience being able to order off the MDR menu at dinner. In this aspect Oceania will be a big step down from HAL. We're looking forward to the smaller ship and the smoking situation on Oceania is greatly appealing, but Carnevale summed it up:

Sorry you are disappointed but had you asked these questions before you made the booking (like many others do) you would not have been disappointed. You would either have known the score or not booked. This information is well publicized and CC members are happy to inform. I think you made assumptions that because HAL offers something, O does the same. Given the differences (even small ones) among all the cruise lines, such assumptions are dangerous.

I am sorry you are disappointed. Do not let the lack of the level of room service spoil your cruise -- it is only a small part of the experience. From what I have heard, O will NOT be a step down from HAL in any other way.