Princess R Ships vs Oceania

I am looking to expand my options since I greatly prefer the R ships. I will book the Nautica or Regatta when the itinerary suits (bring back the Insignia!), then look at Azamara and then, perhaps, look at the two Princess ships. If any veteran O cruisers have also sailed the Princess R ships and can give me some information on how the experience compares, I would appreciate it.

I am less concerned about food (I can always find something good to eat) than ambiance and demographic and overall "feel" of the experience.

Check your post on the Princess board. ~Doris~

I have not sailed on Princes R-ships but I did look into sailing with them

they do have set dining, formal nights & I think a charge for the specialty restaurants

I would check with Princess website for the deck plans to see how deck 8 compares with O ships

I know Azamara added the PH suites to deck 8 when they took over the ships

Lyn

Check your post on the Princess board. ~Doris~

Thanks for the heads up - I am getting more responses over there.

I am looking to expand my options since I greatly prefer the R ships. I will book the Nautica or Regatta when the itinerary suits (bring back the Insignia!), then look at Azamara and then, perhaps, look at the two Princess ships. If any veteran O cruisers have also sailed the Princess R ships and can give me some information on how the experience compares, I would appreciate it.

 

I am less concerned about food (I can always find something good to eat) than ambiance and demographic and overall "feel" of the experience.

We have sailed both multiple times (O over 10 and we are Elite with Princess).

Princess is what it is - we will take it for the itinerary. Like we circumnavigated Australia or are cruising Vancouver to Beijing - itineraries that O or other cruise lines do not offer. We have sailed all of their R ships in the past. The R ships are not as well maintained as O or A but not run down either. The food and demographics are different but going in knowing these facts we have no problems because we are there to see things and not to "enjoy" the ship.

R ships do not have anytime dining :mad:

There are always enough amiable people to make the cruise fun; we just lower our expectations a little bit (and saved a lot of money in the process :D). The cruise is what you make it - attitude is all important. :)

There are a few pluses as well (for us, anyway):

As Elites we get lots of free internet

We get free laundry and priority tendering

Shore excursions are much more reasonable.

Give it a try for the right itinerary and go with open mind (not comparing everything to O or A).

We have sailed both multiple times (O over 10 and we are Elite with Princess).

Princess is what it is - we will take it for the itinerary. Like we circumnavigated Australia or are cruising Vancouver to Beijing - itineraries that O or other cruise lines do not offer. We have sailed all of their R ships in the past. The R ships are not as well maintained as O or A but not run down either. The food and demographics are different but going in knowing these facts we have no problems because we are there to see things and not to "enjoy" the ship.

R ships do not have anytime dining :mad:

There are always enough amiable people to make the cruise fun; we just lower our expectations a little bit (and saved a lot of money in the process :D). The cruise is what you make it - attitude is all important. :)

There are a few pluses as well (for us, anyway):

As Elites we get lots of free internet

We get free laundry and priority tendering

Shore excursions are much more reasonable.

Give it a try for the right itinerary and go with open mind (not comparing everything to O or A).

Very helpful. I have noticed some fabulous itineraries. Given that I sail Celebrity and enjoy it, I am guessing Princess won't be that different from Celebrity but the R class ship will be more intimate.

Funny, but I like fixed dining. I love having the same waiter and getting to know my table mates well. Internet and laundry are incidentals and I do my own excursions. I think I am going to look more closely at those itineraries now.

I am guessing Princess won't be that different from Celebrity

You just said a mouthful, Sister :D

You just said a mouthful, Sister :D

Is that so bad? I guess for those of us who are not cruise line snobs can happily sail any line if the itinerary calls.

We have been on the Princess R ships and completely agree with Paulchili. In our opinion, Princess is not as good as Oceania but it is not terrible and we would go again if the itinerary was what we wanted. We are not elite on Princess so we do not get free laundry or free internet. The internet is not why we travel and besides, it is not that good on either Princess or Oceania.

Is that so bad? I guess for those of us who are not cruise line snobs can happily sail any line if the itinerary calls.

I must be one of the "cruise line snobs" then for I choose not to sail on some cruise lines because of bad experiences. I have always believed that "you get what you pay for" and will happily wait until my cruise line of choice has the itinerary I want.

Laraine, have sailed on both. Princess has destroyed the 5th deck areas with shops. The 2 Rclass on Princess were really showing their age. There was a snobbishness on P--we do not do formal nites and were frowned upon walking in country club casual to the buffet area and elsewhere on ship. P pax on our trips really take their "level" to heart and act with entitlement--never encountered this on O. The library is still the library--so lovely. Am not a fan of fixed seating, so didn't enjoy that part. The itineraries we took were wonderful--Monteal-New York and Dover-Dover (up the Norwegian Coast). We did one ship's tour in Murmansk--just to be able to get off the boat. All in all, I'd take O any day unless the itinerary on P was part of my bucket listand not offered by anyone else. Pat

I must be one of the "cruise line snobs" then for I choose not to sail on some cruise lines because of bad experiences. I have always believed that "you get what you pay for" and will happily wait until my cruise line of choice has the itinerary I want.

You are not a snob. A bad experience is a good reason to avoid a cruise line. The cruise line snobs I refer to are those who think the mass market lines are "beneath them." If it's not Regent, Seabourn, Crystal or Oceania, it is to be avoided at all costs.

I have had great experiences on Celebrity. The day I do not is the day I will stop sailing Celebrity.

I do not agree, however, that "you get what you pay for" always applies.

Fortunately there are many likeminded O cruisers out there and on these boards who sail a variety of lines, including mass market lines, and enjoy themselves.

Laraine, have sailed on both. Princess has destroyed the 5th deck areas with shops. The 2 Rclass on Princess were really showing their age. There was a snobbishness on P--we do not do formal nites and were frowned upon walking in country club casual to the buffet area and elsewhere on ship. P pax on our trips really take their "level" to heart and act with entitlement--never encountered this on O. The library is still the library--so lovely. Am not a fan of fixed seating, so didn't enjoy that part. The itineraries we took were wonderful--Monteal-New York and Dover-Dover (up the Norwegian Coast). We did one ship's tour in Murmansk--just to be able to get off the boat. All in all, I'd take O any day unless the itinerary on P was part of my bucket listand not offered by anyone else. Pat

Helpful. Thanks. The "'attitude/status" thing would be a big turnoff for me. I hate formal nights but we have found a way to handle them (as we do on Celebrity). Great itineraries are the problem. I've been to a lot of places (a lot on land) and my bucket list has lots of checkmarks. Other than sailing the Amazon on Regatta, there is not that much left for me to see on the Oceania R ships unless some new itineraries come out. I am really hoping since O would be my first choice!! Azamara has some unique itineraries for its 2 R ships but I am not sure those itineraries really interest me. That's why I thought of looking at the Princess R ships.

We have been taking 3 major trips a year and I want to fill my the rest of my dance card for 2014. I have 3 cruises booked for 2013 so maybe I should look at another land trip for 2014 (we did two this year and only 1 cruise). Or maybe I will finally look at a river cruise.

We are fortunate to have the time and resources to travel now while we are healthy -- you never know what can happen so we are making sure we get it all in. I am sure many of you can relate to that

Helpful. Thanks. The "'attitude/status" thing would be a big turnoff for me. I hate formal nights but we have found a way to handle them (as we do on Celebrity). Great itineraries are the problem. I've been to a lot of places (a lot on land) and my bucket list has lots of checkmarks. Other than sailing the Amazon on Regatta, there is not that much left for me to see on the Oceania R ships unless some new itineraries come out. I am really hoping since O would be my first choice!! Azamara has some unique itineraries for its 2 R ships but I am not sure those itineraries really interest me. That's why I thought of looking at the Princess R ships.

 

We have been taking 3 major trips a year and I want to fill my the rest of my dance card for 2014. I have 3 cruises booked for 2013 so maybe I should look at another land trip for 2014 (we did two this year and only 1 cruise). Or maybe I will finally look at a river cruise.

 

We are fortunate to have the time and resources to travel now while we are healthy -- you never know what can happen so we are making sure we get it all in. I am sure many of you can relate to that

Speaking of "bucket lists" - this is on mine :D :

http://www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com/expeditions/exploringafricaswesterncoast/detail

Unfortunately, it's not on my budget :eek:

I did a Rome-to-Capetown cruise by way of Segegal, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Namibia on the Ocean Princess (an R ship) in 2010. I stayed in what Oceania would call a B2 verandah room, although Princess has far more gradations of room categories and prices than Oceania does. The room itself was the same as any room I had on Regatta, Nautica, and Insignia (before the re-do's), although the sheets were certainly not 750-thread count, the towels and bath products were not as nice, and my room was certainly not stocked every day with free perriers and sodas.

One thing that struck me about Ocean Princess that I could never get adjusted to was the outdoor terrace behind the Panarama Buffet (Terrace Cafe on Oceania): rather than the beautiful teak tables with umbrellas that you find on Oceania, Princess has beat-up old white plastic tables and chairs like you would find at Wal-Mart, or more truthfully like you would find at somebody's garage sale because they were all scruffed up. It was a most uninviting place to eat breakfast or lunch. And on Princess no one EVER offered to bring or offered to refill a coffee cup or juice glass. That said, I paid less than half the price that O charged for a similiar itinerary and same room category during a month I couldn't go.

I did a Rome-to-Capetown cruise by way of Segegal, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Namibia on the Ocean Princess (an R ship) in 2010. I stayed in what Oceania would call a B2 verandah room, although Princess has far more gradations of room categories and prices than Oceania does. The room itself was the same as any room I had on Regatta, Nautica, and Insignia (before the re-do's), although the sheets were certainly not 750-thread count, the towels and bath products were not as nice, and my room was certainly not stocked every day with free perriers and sodas.

 

One thing that struck me about Ocean Princess that I could never get adjusted to was the outdoor terrace behind the Panarama Buffet (Terrace Cafe on Oceania): rather than the beautiful teak tables with umbrellas that you find on Oceania, Princess has beat-up old white plastic tables and chairs like you would find at Wal-Mart, or more truthfully like you would find at somebody's garage sale because they were all scruffed up. It was a most uninviting place to eat breakfast or lunch. And on Princess no one EVER offered to bring or offered to refill a coffee cup or juice glass. That said, I paid less than half the price that O charged for a similiar itinerary and same room category during a month I couldn't go.

Very helpful. ONe of the two R ships is going in for drydock so perhaps the plastic furniture will go!

Very helpful. ONe of the two R ships is going in for drydock so perhaps the plastic furniture will go!

One can only hope. :rolleyes:

That said, I paid less than half the price that O charged for a similiar itinerary and same room category during a month I couldn't go.

Yes - there is that to consider as well....:D

Of course, it would be unreasonable to expect the same product for half the price. So one has to consider all these factors and then decide what is important and what is not.

Not surprisingly, this will vary from person to person - to each their own.

Yes - there is that to consider as well....:D

Of course, it would be unreasonable to expect the same product for half the price. So one has to consider all these factors and then decide what is important and what is not.

Not surprisingly, this will vary from person to person - to each their own.

On the other hand, paying twice as much does not always mean an experience that is twice as good!

I spoke to my TA about Princess. I am going to keep an eye on those R ship itineraries and keep an open mind.

(bring back the Insignia!)

Your wish came true, Laraine, Hapag Lloyd announced yesterday that they are not keeping Insignia beyond the original charter (Ending April 2014).

Hapag made some changes while they had her, in fact they put a dance floor for Martinis in place of the old Casino, and of course the old photography/Art Gallery is no more.

It will be interesting to see what Oceania does with that space now.

Your wish came true, Laraine, Hapag Lloyd announced yesterday that they are not keeping Insignia beyond the original charter (Ending April 2014).

 

Hapag made some changes while they had her, in fact they put a dance floor for Martinis in place of the old Casino, and of course the old photography/Art Gallery is no more.

It will be interesting to see what Oceania does with that space now.

Thank you for the good news!! Let's hope O keeps her in the fleet. The more options I have on O the better!!

We are ballroom dancers so having a dance floor in Martini's would be great!

Your wish came true, Laraine, Hapag Lloyd announced yesterday that they are not keeping Insignia beyond the original charter (Ending April 2014).

 

Hapag made some changes while they had her, in fact they put a dance floor for Martinis in place of the old Casino, and of course the old photography/Art Gallery is no more.

It will be interesting to see what Oceania does with that space now.

I have no idea what is going to happen..but IMHO Insignia will be sold..she is getting old and would need a major renovation..time will tell..

Jancruz1

I have no idea what is going to happen..but IMHO Insignia will be sold..she is getting old and would need a major renovation..time will tell..

Jancruz1

That is my fear. I do not think Oceania can sustain bookings for 5 ships given that the two new ships are double the capacity of the R ships.

Paul - your bucket list itin is available on the Ocean Princess. Did it in 2010 from Capetown to Dover. It was an absolutely wonderful trip!!! Probably because of all the CC'ers onboard. In fact the roll call for that sailing is still coming around every once in a while as we all keep in touch.

As much as I like Oceania (still think they can't be beat - IMHO) I would sail on any of the old R ships if the itin is right. Princess's pricing is often quite good but dislike the formal nights and their food does need improvement. Have to try Azamara one of these days to see if they can come close to our experience on O. If the beds make a difference to you, it would be O!! Love their "tranquillity" beds!!

Paul - your bucket list itin is available on the Ocean Princess. Did it in 2010 from Capetown to Dover. It was an absolutely wonderful trip!!! Probably because of all the CC'ers onboard. In fact the roll call for that sailing is still coming around every once in a while as we all keep in touch.

I wish :D

We did an itinerary very similar to that with the old Tahitian Princess (minus Benin).

Take a closer look at the Natl. Geo cruise - it includes MANY other ports(like Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, ST&P, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gambia and West. Sahara) with included tours and knowledgeable guides.

Well worth the money, IMO (if one has it :D)