Hambagahle

We plan to take the water taxi anyway. It is a great experience. We will have one medium suitcase each and 1 small backpack each... Which we can manage. However I think the Hyatt offers a free transfer from the airport to the hotel so I am going to look into that!

We had the Vista suite (Riviera) on Deck 9 for a Mediterranen cruise some years ago. It was lovely. Sort of wasted space in what was planned as a gym but which was used to stow the cushions from the terrace furniture. We enjoyed the suite so much we have booked another on (also on 9) on Vista for next April. Drawbacks - and I think this would apply to the one on 12 too - you cannot have the curtains open at night because the light affects the visibility from the bridge. When the ship is docking or sailing the bow thrusters cause vibration (but that doesn't last long). We have also had the Owners Suite and an Oceania Suite on Riviera. And we really preferred the Vista suite as long as we are on a port intensive cruise... balcony is really not an option on a sea day because of wind.

Stonehenge these days is jammed with people and you can no longer walk amongst the stones. Really not worth your time. Winchester is a lovely town with a splendid cathedral. And the little café at the cathedral is pretty good too.

Dave - we have booked a car transfer Trieste/Venice. (Probably to the Piazzale Roma so the Hyatt can pick us up in their boat.). Did the booking via my TA and it is close to $300. However I did see an ad for a transfer service for roughly half that. But if you rent a car in Trieste you can drop it either at the VCE airport or Piazzale Roma (Hertz has an office there...I know that for sure). Problem is we dock 1 May which is a major holiday and trains are affected as a result. (whoever planned the cruise should have looked at the calendar!). My sole intention in Venice is to go to Torcello. Love that place! It would be very very kind of you to leave some wine available for us...Maybe some other drinks too!!

First time we sailed on Oceania we had an Oceania Suite on Riviera. (Prior to that we had sailed in a Seven Seas Aft and PH A suites on Regent). We were overjoyed with the Oceania Suite. We were on deck 12 - it was absolutely fabulous. The only negative I have is that the balcony is "tight" - hard to move around the end of the chaise longue. Subsequently we have been in the Owners Suite and Vista suite both on Riviera. Owners Suite is huge but the balconies are not...too much heavy furniture in too little space. Vista suite was perfection for us. You do need to be on a port-intensive cruise because the balcony is not always usable when at sea. Nor can you have any light out on the balcony when the ship is underway because it affects visibility from the Bridge. Port intensive is therefore perfect. Use the balcony any time until you sail and next morning - back out on the balcony. It also has a huge bathroom and a smaller one. Very useful. We are now booked on Vista in the Mediterranean in a Vista suite and can't wait. But the Oceania Suite, though smaller is really lovely...

We used carriers from "Bottle wise" which were phenomenal to bring wine from Switzerland to friends in the USA. My parents in law once learnt to their horror that bottles just put into suitcases break. They went to a "dry" resort in Maine a long time ago... bottle of bourbon broke and their clothes stank of booze. Got lots of strange looks in that resort as a result!

I disagree. I have been on both lines and in suites on Regent (Seven Seas Aft was my favourite). But I find the suites on Oceania to be better looked after (though hopefully Regent has caught up with that) and we loved the ones we have had - on Riviera the Owners Suite, Vista suite and Oceania suites. All top notch. Food is great and since as a rule we don't take excursions (though we are happy to drink!) Oceania's current pricing suits us. But it is to change in two days time...we have to see what they offer.

I am beginning to wonder (out loud apparently!) if this is a move to upgrade Oceania to Regent's offerings and then to merge the two lines ???

what did you receive and from whom ? Oceania is only supposed to announce the new "deal" on 1 July.

Just take a lot of $1 notes. And some €5 and €10 Use the $1 for the bathroom tips. And the others for guides and drivers (if they do a good job). Don't get involved with coins or EGP...

Are you on Vista now ?? If so - could you ask at the Terrace if they can make espresso?? it is almost a "deal breaker" for me not to have a double espresso at breakfast!!

Have to say the sunsets from our suite on the TA. We had an Owners suite which is the entire stern of the ship on Riviera. sunsets and particularly the wake with the sun setting were incredible. Same views can be had from the Terrace Café.

Well - fancy meeting you here on CC !!! And I agree. I hate "Americano" coffee". I want an espresso and a double at that. Just like we have at home. I hope there is an espresso machine (at least for the waiters) in the Terrace but if not - I shall get mine at Barristas and take it to breakfast with me.

We haven't been in a PH suite - but we have been in the Owners, Oceania and Vista suites and love the butlers. On Oceania we have never had a bad or even poor one (Did once on Regent though!). One of our butlers - Churchill - was a total gem. He literally forced us off the ship once at Grand Cayman. We weren't planning to go ashore and he sent us anyway - I am glad he did and enjoyed the window shopping very much...but not being particularly smart I left my wallet in the safe onboard and discovered my Oceania key card wasn't much help ashore! Churchill thought that was hysterical (so did I!) and still teased me about it 2 years later. We don't ask butlers to unpack or pack. BUT we do ask for special canapés with our evening drinks, ask them to make additional dining reservations for us (and to "dispose" of reservations we have that we don't want to use...) They get our laundry back same day (at no extra charge). Serve us dinner in the suite, course by course. And remove things like coca cola and beer from the fridge and add mineral water and schweppes. All with a smile. Lovely men and it is fun learning about their families too.

In Europe (I am Swiss and live in Switzerland) masks are history now even in hospitals (of course they are worn during surgery as usual!). I would be astonished to the point of cancelling any cruise or transport that required me to wear a mask. Covid is with us to stay - just like influenza - and we have to get on with our lives. Until about a month ago I did carry a mask in my handbag but when I realised I hadn't put it on for months I chucked it.

Thanks! 2x espresso doppio! Perfetto.

"Regular coffee" ? No Espresso or cappucino?

We are on the Vista arriving at Trieste on 1 May. We have booked a private limo transfer to Venice with Oceania. Normally I would go by train but 1 May is a MAJOR holiday in Italy and many trains are not running (or not presently scheduled to run). We are not staying in Venice itself but out on the island of Murano. We have been to Venice a lot of times (on business and pleasure and for parties) so actual Venice isn't much interest. But we DO want to have lunch at the Locanda Cipriani on Torcello where we have been a number of times. And Murano is more convenient... I plan to have the car drop us at the Piazzale Roma in Venice and the hotel will send a boat to collect us from there... You could do something similar depending on where your hotel in Venice is located. OR go to the airport and take an Allilaguna boat (€8 I think) to Venice. If you do that you are only allowed 1 large-ish suitcase. Ask your TA to set this up.

since the R ships are all the same in design (used to be Renaissance Cruises) no wonder Azamara and Oceania share the "bathroom" problems on those ships!! New pricing structure could be wonderful. We will find out. However I have a suspicion that it is the first step in making Oceania "all inclusive" and the next step once that is done is to merge Oceania and Regent. I don't have a problem with this...I have sailed both. And since the license on the Regent name must be coming to an end one of these days it would make sense...

I suppose they have a reason for this - but we loved the two dinners we had at La Reserve on previous Riviera cruises AND the ease of booking. No need to put a group together. In fact unless you are travelling in a group how on earth would you do that ?

"High end Indian" - you now have my FULL attention. That is seriously great food.

Take a taxi or a car service ... I have one I use which is not bad. And there are others.

They are made not far from Genova - and you can buy them. They ship to the us (I asked if they would ship them here to Switzerland and apparently they can. (Or I could drive down and collect them. it is about 4 hours.

Thanks for the suggestion. Problem is we are used to really northern Italian cuisine. Piedmonte etc. (Near where we live in Switzerland). The tomatos based dishes are mostly from the Mezzogiorno. Southern Italy. However I did see when looking at a Toscana menu that they had some things that interest us - like the fresh octopus carpaccio etc. I think we will give it another try. Reading other reviews I really do not see why they can't scrap Embers and put Jacques back ... Jacques is a sure hit and most of us love it! Embers seems to be missing the mark.

Based on what you and others are saying steamboats I don't think I shall book Ember. So that makes 2 restaurants we don't eat at -- Embers and Toscana. (I hate the portion sizes in Toscana and the preponderance of tomato based sauce. )