Hambagahle

Here is what I think is different following the pandemic based on the tourists I see in my own country, Switzerland - because there was a three year period where people could really not travel there was a "cooped up" feeling AND a lot of spare cash floating around. Now people who were very happy with Princess or HAL are moving up to Oceania and Azamara. And some who loved Oceania have moved up to Regent. So you get, if you like, people coming from another culture. With different expectations and ways of doing things. Here in Switzerland we are seeing already (and June is only the start of the summer season for tourism) the "mix" of tourists is different and - sadly for the tourists - they seem to be more of the "tick the box and move on" sort...the ones who visit the CLOY sites for example. Get your selfie, don't bother with the mountains unless they are your backdrop, and go to the next place. No thought whatsoever of hiking or even just sitting and soaking up the view. Hopefully for my country this "wave" will pass. And we will go back to "normal" tourism (whatever that is!). Very likely the cruising industry is going through a similar "wave". Just a thought!

I have taken quite a few of the cooking classes. There is a demonstration kitchen - each participant has his/her own work station. On the older ships with the Culinary Centre (Riviera and Marina) the cooker is shared and you work as a team with the person next to you. On Vista the station is your own. Room for 24 people on Vista and there is a dining room to eat what you cooked afterwards. Quality of the class depends on the instructor. They are all pretty good but being humans, vary in approach etc. I can highly recommend them. For dining - if you don't have a butler then just go to the restaurant you want to eat in (for a second time, first you will have booked already) and ask at the podium when they can take you...usually this works. Most people get to dine in a place more than once (if they want to). The only restaurant I find below par is Toscana. I do not like the portion size there nor the fact that it is basically Italian/American cuisine. That is a matter of taste but living 45mns from the Italian border I suppose I am spoilt.

Good analysis...and great to see you have booked Oceania. Can I ask which Vista cruise you have chosen? I seem to remember that the 21 April from Malta to Trieste was on your "list" - and if you are on that, so are we. At the opposite end of the ship though.

Might also depend on how far forward the O. suite is ...

I can't say whether the Vista Suite on 12 has to have a dark balcony at night but I have been in a Vista suite (on Riviera) and am booked in one (On Vista). I love the suites. using the balcony when the ship is underway though is not automatic. A slight wind combined with the forward movement of the ship means you cannot. For that reason I only ever book forward suites on port-intensive cruises. Otherwise we prefer the Owners Suite or even an Oceania suite (but the one we had on Riviera had the same light restrictions as the Vista at night.) I agree that the Vista on 12 looks like it has no balcony. Suggest you have your TA check this out before booking. And if things are like they were on Riviera for us you won't be able to have light on the side balcony either.

Tips are added to your onboard account automatically at a rate reflecting your room or suite. (I think we have something like $25/day per person added). In addition you can make a donation to the Crew Fund at the end of your voyage. If someone really goes out of their way to help then I see nothing wrong with tipping but I would not do it as a routine on a daily basis... Mind you I am not American and my country has a somewhat different attitude to tipping from the "mega tipping" culture in the US.

Restaurant management is not a police force. And they really cannot tell people to quiet down unless they are clearly drunk. Resolving the problem by moving the person who complains makes sense to me, if a move is possible. (And it is also possible that these people were slightly deaf. We have friends who are they speak very loudly. We like them and have known them for years but it is hard for us!!)

In both our Owners and Vista suites on Riviera our butler brought the daily menu for the GDR in the morning. The menus for Polo, Red Ginger, Jacques and Toscana were already in the suites when we boarded. We could order anything we liked from any of the restaurants BUT our butler did say that if possible we should concentrate on one restaurant per evening or it made getting the food complicated. (Different kitchens etc). We thoroughly enjoyed this and plan to do it again. Not from Toscana though (don't like Toscana) and sadly not from Jacques...but Embers will be there.

Seems like a great trade off to me. We got the towels etc too but there was no way I could take them home. Still it was a nice gesture. Can't say I remember the sweets. but the Bulgari Gift set was fabulous.

Hiltner - would be very nice to meet you if you take the cruise we are booked on (21 April from Malta to Trieste). Luggage - I am not fussed about it. We are Swiss and only coming from Switzerland. While we will fly to Malta we will take the train home from Venice so we have to have luggage that we can handle ourselves. Which means one medium size wheelie each and one small backpack each. No more. However I just found out that our Venice Hotel (Hyatt Centric on Murano) has its own shuttle boat to/from the airport so likely we will take that. Even if we have to wait a little at the airport. (And before you tell me that Murano is not "Venice" I will say I have been to Venice many many times (both as a tourist and on business) and "Venice" is what I want to avoid. Our main aim is to have lunch at the Locanda Cipriani on Torcello. And Murano is just fine for that! we are only spending two nights and the only time we will technically be in Venice is at Sta Lucia to catch our train home. Let me know if you are indeed on our cruise! (Did I tell you that our friends who were on it said on return - never again HAL?)

In fact I have done it every time I have been on Riviera (aside from the first time when I didn't know...) and I have always been in one of those suites. Been in all three as a matter of fact.

That was very helpful doghouse2 - thanks! We are docking in Trieste on Vista 1 May. Which is a major public holiday and trains are not on weekday schedules. We are staying at the Hyatt Centric on Murano (Museo stop). I had asked my TA to book us a private transfer to the Piazzale Roma and was planning to get the Hyatt to collect us from there. Perhaps I will change that to an Oceania "mass" transfer to VCE and take Alilaguna to the hotel stop. I know Venice very very well. And have no desire at all to visit the main island. But I do want to have lunch on Torcello - hence the Hyatt! For those who don't know Venice Alilaguna has several lines. So you need to get the map of the lines and pick the right one to be nearest to your hotel. I think the fare is €8 but that is to Murano..

I discovered that if you are in an Oceania Suite, Vista Suite or Owners Suite you do not need tender tickets. You just show your key card to the people running the tender...

We have never had the Deck 11 Oceania suites on Riviera. But the verandah does look great. Better in fact than the Owners Suite which we have had...

We have cruised several times on Riviera and never once saw any shortage of deck space. A lot of people (us included) use the 18 hole putting course. It is fun (and besides we are golfers...like many others on board). There is a jogging track too and if you want to walk around on that it is OK to do so. "Promenade Deck" reminds me of the old trans-atlantic steamers like the Queen Mary where we had Beef Broth at 1100... Nice memories but those days are over I think.

We are arriving at Trieste on Vista next May and need to get to Murano. I would like to get a private Oceania transfer to the Piazzale Roma in Venice but I didn't see anything like that listed on their info sheet posted above... I know I can take the Alilaguna line from the airport to Murano Museo but would rather have the hotel get us in Venice (so I don't have to deal with the bags!). Has anyone had any experience of an oceania transfer to Venice itself ??

We have a Vista suite so access to the lounge - which I never found particularly handy before. However I don't quite see myself walking around the ship with two double espressos !! Hopefully the waiters at the Terrace and GDR will be able to get us our espressos.

There are ATMs in almost all countries I have ever been to...IF one allows deposit (the OP would have to check) then s/he could use it. Here in Switzerland those ATMs are at the bank(s) concerned.

I remember on Riviera there was a large serve yourself Espresso machine on the Pool Deck not far from the Terrace restaurant. We didn't like the coffee served in the restaurant and used to go and make double espressos outside and bring them in. Do these machines exist on Vista? We are Swiss, loathe what is called "american coffee" or brewed coffee and at home only drink Nespresso. Hopefully they are there... if not what do we do? Aside from going to Barrista's and getting the coffee from them ??

Maybe ask Steamboats - she was on the inaugural cruise and she tool scads of photos. She might have something.

I asked the same question yesterday and some kind person posted the drinks and wine lists with prices. Perhaps you can refer to my post ? but right now I will go looking for it myself and copy it if I can.

Use an ATM for this. Deposit the cash to your home account. Provided that the ATM takes EUR. Then withdraw cash as needed during the trip also from ATMs and bring down the lovely credit balance you were given. We live in Switzerland but have a USD account both here and in the US. (Reasons to do with a prior existence!). We keep the money in the bank and use ATM to get some when needed. Never carry a lot of cash about. It isn't safe. Even in Switzerland.

We have been in both. We had the Oceania suite on our first Riviera cruise and were very very impressed. We then had the Owners Suite (opposite end of the ship) and while we liked it OK we found the balcony (like the Oceania Suite) a bit narrow. The last cruise we were in a Vista suite with a much larger balcony and we loved that (and have booked a similar one on Vista for next year). We are golfers (which means here in Europe we walk a lot) so the distances don't bother us. I called the walk from the Vista Suite to the Terrace Café a "par 4"... I suppose it took us all of 5 minutes. Oceania Suite could take a bit longer IF you want to walk indoors instead of out on the deck. Plus it is good to walk when you are cruising!

Thank you so much Steamboats for these great photos. Do you, by any chance, have some photos of the Vista suite (we are in 9000 on 21/4/24 Valetta to Trieste...). I really appreciated the time you spent taking photos of all the menus!

Thank you again!! I think it will be the USD 69 one…!! Not that we drink that much but just don’t want to have to think about the cost. At least not ON the cruise. If ever you need info on Switzerland - let me know!