zalusky

Which my sister and I did pick up. Enjoying Paxlovid as I type.

How are the in cabin TV movie selections? Old / new / very new? Just a few new releases or a lot? As a side note we just got off a Royal Caribbean Alaskan cruise with siblings. The entertainment was pretty great. They had a harp that extended from the stage to the balcony amongst other cool things. That being said the: Food was insipid First night the buffet had scooped ice cream and then never saw it again. Bacon was almost always gone. Shower amenities were a single combo soap/shampoo/conditioner product Constant upsells - like main dining maitre'd coming by to push specialties Room steward constantly putting out additional tip envelopes Lack of outlets in cabin Spacious ocean view balcony was a misnomer as the front of the ship window sloped into the room so you could not use the extra square footage Bottom line we are looking forward to Viking next year.

Anybody know about the differences besides dimensions and capacities and ECO power.

I have to say I am different from you guys as well as my wife. I like weighted blankets and have enjoyed the European comforter approach. I also stick my feet out from the blankets because I like cold air on them and not heated blankets on my feet.

On Oceania the chefs can only cook using food provided by corporate. What kind of flexibility does the head chef have when they go into town and select products? Is he acting like its spontaneous but is really purchasing preauthorized foods or can he decide on the fly based upon how things look and actually alter recipes because something might not be the quality he likes and choose something else?

Are the chefs more flexible on Regent? On Oceania they can only purchase food through corporate and they have to follow corporate recipes.

I wonder how much they spend on mail flyers. I get at least 2 a week.

Our butler worked with the head chef to get my wife Low Carb / Keto solutions. They initially made almond flour bread which she found too heavy and then she gave them a recipe with cheese and egg that was acceptable. The butler actually searched the ship for us to get us to try out one of the solutions. We had a late night excursion one night and when we returned the butler had a bunch of snacks and low carb desserts in our stateroom.

I would avoid trying to do a $ for $ comparison and compare pampering things. Then decide if the difference for a particular pampering item matters to you. IE: Bedding Booze Excursions Butler Catering to your particular food needs: Diabetic, Gluten, Kosher, ... Etc

Some people just want to go on a vacation and be pampered and not have to think about it.

We did a Sydney to Auckland cruise on Celebrity on 2016. One of the options was an overnight from Milford Sound to Dunedin. We basically got off the ship in Milford sound with an overnight bag. They took us to various sites along the way. We stayed in Queenstown, visited a sheep sheering event, had dinner, stayed in a very nice hotel. The next day towards Dunedin we stopped at a bungy jump place and had the opportunity to do an on your own but passed. I think we also stopped at a winery but don't remember. We arrived in Dunedin, and rejoined the ship. They had an upgrade to the extension where instead of being in a bus you were in a minivan with more intimate experiences. I am glad I did it. I don't know other cruise lines provide that option.

We did a 21 day last year Bali to Sydney. We enjoyed the entertainment provided and did not consider that an issue. I also felt the service was top notch. My wife is diabetic and the butler immediately got us in touch with the head chef within minutes and he would hunt us down in the ship to have us try out something the chef created to accommodate us. That was great. The issue was as previously mentioned they can only do what corporate allows them to do. It seems sad that they are not allowed to purchase something from a local port specifically to deal with individual needs. It's not because it's too much work it is because corporate does not allow it. I can understand there might be lawsuit concerns if something goes wrong because thats our world now. I would just hope for some flexibilities. I am at a loss as to how those follow the chef into town to purchase products for a cooking class works. My wife does low carb to help with her diabetes management and almond flour just does not cut it as it is calorie intensive and very heavy. She recommended some alternatives that were from mainstream products to the chef and were available in local ports but the chef had no ability. We did finally come up with a middle ground. Little ships often do not cater to the individual as much as you think.

It's not our responsibility to play cop here. Whether it be clothing or alcohol or .... It's up to Oceania to decide if it's a problem. This is so minor in the big picture.

Any thoughts on time of year for the train ride? Spring vs summer vs fall vs winter.

Local Kitchens in Cupertino on Stevens Creek carries Humphrey Slocumbe.