daydreamer62

We have been to Ephesus and amazing as it was I don't feel the need to go again. What other excursions has anyone done that they recommend from The Port of Kusadasi?

Full refund not cruise credit

But if you fall to mention the eight good meals and only mention the two mediocre meals you are telling a different story altogether. That's what many on this board do.

My cruise that was a segment of the ATW was cancelled and I can't complain one iota about the communication. Email was received stating full moneys would be refunded automatically and costs associated with flight changes/cancellations would be available up to$300US per passenger. Im rebooking on another cruise that ends up being a bit cheaper so we should get a decent refund as well .

Yes I thought perhaps they would start going south after Mumbai in order to get around and back up to Barcelona - but then that was solely thinking from my selfish point of view. Oh well - hopefully that itinerary will turn up again another year

I dont muck around either I must say - Ive rebooked ourselves already - Trieste to Athens - its a shorter cruise but has some nice ports ( Croatia and Bari have been on my list for some time)- Ive been to Venice multiple times so might stop somewhere else on the way in - maybe Verona for a day or so. Oceania are covering the airfare change fees and the cruise is on a good discount and cheaper than the original so Im going to keep the return flight from London on the date we were due to fly out and go somewhere in between Athens and there ( Maybe Bordeaux, and or maybe a Greek Island at the end of the cruise for a couple of days )

so sad that this cruise just today got cancelled but i wont take Portugal off my must visit list - maybe next year..... We have just rebooked Trieste to Athens on Vista instead - this cruise also has a few great sights to see ( some we have been to before but warrant a second visit)

I was also pretty impressed how fast the cancellation letter came with the offer of credit toward airfares already booked . I'm contemplating another cruise at a similar time so all is not lost.

Yes unfortunately they don't even get to Spain until after we were supposed to have disembarked in London. So sad. It was such a perfect itinerary for me! I guess it's back to the drawing board or resort to a road/rail trip

Better to be safe but Oh dear that's sad for those like us who were booked on the Barcelona to London segment. I guess that will be cancelled.

I will certainly report back. But I'm a pretty positive person. I choose not to let any negatives affect me unless of course they are really terrible, and in 4+ decades of travelling that has only happened so rarely that I can't even remember the last time. If something is inadequate I'll always give the supplier a chance to remedy it before I complain to the world about it. The fact we have to fly 27 + hours from New Zealand every time we go to Europe means you need to enjoy it or what a waste that effort is!

But it does seem from a brief view that they are as noted in a previous post on this subject. The posts on this board area overwhelmingly negative on all subjects and though you can blame it on social media habits that doesn't account for the fact that they other boards on this site are much more positive and helpful with a smattering of negativity while Oceanias is almost the exact opposite. Why. I have no idea. I still have just under 4 months till I sail with them for the first time so im no judge. Frankly it's quite off-putting as a prospective customer.

Yes I was just reading similar complaints in the viking boards. With similar theories behind why they ports are being missed or port times shortened

Some home cooks can definitely produce a great meal that is better than many singular restaurant meals in many establishments but it's a different skill set altogether to produce multiple meals for multiple people to a schedule.

There's very little in the world that hasn't changed since 2008 . Id be surprising to find something that's the same as it was 16 years ago. The changes are greater since the pandemic especially in the service industry.. everywhere in the world.... I think though that the responses to this post and for that matter your previous one on exactly the same subject from last year show that Oceanias changes and or deteriorations aren't as noticeable to some as others. I can't comment, having not yet sailed but it would be unreasonable of me to not expect changes on any line that I have sailed with before should I go again. It seems to me though based on responses here and in your previous post on the same subject thar many aren't experiencing as many deteriorations as you are at thats good news for those of us looking forward to our first experience.

Thanks @Brentwood Bay . That's confirmed the excursion to Lagos and Caevoiero (which also takes in Algar Seco) is the right choice for us. And yes I definately want to take in a Port house in Porto

Yes it does. I've booked an excursion to Lagos and Carvoiera on that day but I have plenty of time to change. Currently I'm leaning to renting a tuktuk in Lisbon ( we are there in st Anthonys day public holiday/festival so it might be harder to get around than normal. Porto probably just DYI wandering but if there is a great excursion I'm open to it as it time in port there is more limited as we leave quite early at 4pm

Less so from New Zealand which was my point. What's available in the US is not necessarily available to customers outside the US. Viking used to though especially with river cruises. Now it seems not so much but it may be changing. They are offering a partial credit now for some Ocean cruises.Prices are only just starting to come down after the pandemic. For our trip to France we had to pay more than double regards it would have cost us in 2020 had our trip to Europe not been cancelled. Our trip later this year is essentially the same price as last year but forward prices look better

Yes especially as there's no cheap option from here to many places but I see Viking have been offering a $3000 airfare credit per cabin lately. They used to include air periodically before the pandemic

Not where I live. In NZ and Australia they don't even offer any airfare options, included or not.

I spotted this in our news and on the TV news yesterday https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/508377/whangarei-celebrates-first-cruise-ship-visit-this-season?fbclid=IwAR2sfvxrS7i2ITqC9R9pyDNHe6_VqYQjddVz870ftt3sWY8iQyjkBF8Anuw

We've done northern Italy a few times independently and loved it but I loathe lugging cases into trains!! The worst was 3 in one day at the beginning of the last trip until we picked up our car in France

Currently I haven't booked excursions in Lisbon or Porto and I may not as I'm very experienced with independent travel but I'm interested in any Oceania excursions that you really loved in either if those cites. I'm not interested in being told to go to Viator or local tours with locals or other booking agent type sites like that. I just want to know about any Oceania excursions you have loved

And likewise with us though we spent nearly as much last year on a 5 week driving trip through France that was absolutely the most amazing trip . On the couple of cruises we have done though we did appreciate the ease of it in comparison. so I certainly hope it also lives up to our hopes. I won't be done with independent travel but it's nice to intersperse with something where you are a bit more taken care of

Yes I've seen positive comments about Oceania in the Viking boards where I would think it would be less likely to see them than here!! . I'm sure I will have an excellent trip. After all we are going to Spain Portugal and France with many bubbly list items to tick off and we don't have to drive, pack and unpack, and search for a bar and restaurant after a long day of sightseeing. What's there to complain about!! (And I didn't complain about that either when I've done this types of trips