Crownimperial

Thanks to all - I will bring my own.

Thanks to all for your responses. I will plan to pack a supply as suggested.

Does O offer Sweet 'n Low on their ships. I know some cruise lines do not. If not I need to pack my own.

Lht28,

Of course I reported to the MD and was quarantined. I kept in quaranteen until they released me.

I quite agree that you should expect to have a good time. I have been on ships with Noro many times. I have gotten it three times. That never spoiled my cruise. Nor did anyone else on the ship even know I was sick. The captain never announced the Noro. There was no Code red. That is only a CDC requirement here in the US ports. Europe and Asia could care less.

Even if Noro is in you ship, you have a better chance of getting a cold or a cough. Heck, I even got H1N1 flu one time but it did not spoil my trip. To be sure I tend to be on longer cruises where a missed day or two isn't much.

We plan to be on the crossing 4/11 no matter what and we plan to enjoy it.

Maybe If O handled Noro the way Crystal historically has there would be less unhappiness. If you are confined to your cabin by Noro, Crystal rebates you the per diem cost in shipboard credits. Maybe if O followed that policy there would be a lot less complaining.

I have been felled by Noro twice on Crystal Cruises, in 48 cruises with them. They do one thing which might lessen the angst of O passengers who get sick with Noro. Crystal refunds the price paid for the cabin for any day you are quarantined. No one wants to be sick, but getting paid for it sure makes you feel positive about the cruise line.

Look this company up on the web, Amazon etc. they make the best high quality charging equipment. I use a four port charger for two iPhones and 2 iPads but you can charge other devices. Auto sensing etc.

Thank you all for the very good input!

On the alcohol issue. We do not drink, used to but not any more, so when Crystal added all-inclusive alcohol and took away "as you wish" credits that was a net negative for us. Paying for drinks we cannot drink.

That makes O even more attractive to us.

We will be on the 4/11 crossing to Barcelona. If any of you will be with us we would love to meet you in person.

Thank you Darcie, just the kind of input we were hopeing for. I suspect our paths have crossed before on all those Crystal cruises. I recognize your cc name from the Crystal board.

My wife and I will be trying out the Riviera this spring. We have been long time Crystal customers. Have any of you made similar choices?

From what we see online we expect to be very pleased.

No I am referring to the open deck that goes all the way around the ship on the Crystal ships.Wonderful for running or walking or after dinner promenading.

As you can guess, we longtime Crystal customers are looking to jump ship. My wife and I are planning an O transatlantic cruise to give O a chance to earn our business.

We look forward to it. But we will miss that wrap-around teak deck on 7.

My wife and I are long time Crystal Serenity customers. We have done many world cruises on her and she has always been our favorite ship.

Service and food have been the top draws. The cabins are small by modern standards, but quite livable nonetheless.

The big drawback has been Crystal's move to port-port-port itineraries. We are interested in long haul cruising, but that may be passé.

So we are trying O on a Riviera crossing.

What is all the complaint about O about? We are tired about the complaining about Crystal among Crystal customers. Maybe this is part of the generalized anger evident in US politics. Hmm...

My wife and I are planning our first Oceania cruise on the Rivera. We have been long time World Cruise customers on Crystal, but want to try a new cruise experience.

This will be the Atlantic crossing in 4/16

We have booked a penthouse.

Hence we have lots of questions:

How do "free excursions" work. Can you pick any, or are only some "free"?

Is it important to make reservations in specialty restaurants before the cruise, or are they easy to get once onboard?

Outside of spa treatments and alcohol, is there anything else you have to plan to sign for?

We will think of more, but this is a starter.

Thanks