china addict

I'm not going to let the possibility of encountering one tone-deaf singer put me off an entire cruise line with seven ships cruising all over the world. I'll be on the Regatta on May 1st and was just dismayed to find out he is currently on board. When he starts warbling, I'll move to another bar. Never occurred to me six months ago when I made my reservation to inquire if I would meet my nemesis again. Something new to worry about.

We groan when we find this tone-deaf singer on board and can't understand how he keeps his job. Have sailed with him at least four times, and it's painful. Nothing to do with his accent, in fact many accents are delightful. But he is so off key, it hurts to listen.

My husband and I sailed out of Trieste on October 30th this year, booked our own air from LAX to VCE via Frankfurt and opted to spent two pre-cruise nights at the Savoia Excelsior Hotel in Trieste. The hotel helped us book a private Mercedes transfer from VCE to the hotel for a whopping 330 Euros, but we felt it was worth it. After a long connecting flight from the West Coast, it felt great to have a driver take our luggage and whisk us to the hotel. Last half of the 90 minute drive was very scenic, and we enjoyed our two days in Trieste. We have stayed in Venice several times so didn't feel cheated about missing it. We are not scared of trains in Europe, they are efficient and cheap, just too much to tackle after a very long day. An alternative might be to get a good night's sleep near to VCE, then tackle the train to Trieste the next morning. We seldom use O's air because of the additional fee to fly in a day or two early. One of my pet peeves as the chance of missing the ship because of an air delay is pretty significant.

My husband and I will be boarding in Trieste as you disembark. Please keep these helpful posts coming. Your input is appreciated. Interested to know who the cruise director, captain and GM are. Thank you, and I hope your weather improves.

Does anyone know if Oceania offers a bus transfer to the airport (for a fee of course) that includes a bit of sightseeing before the airport, for those of us on a late flight? A few years ago in Miami we were wondering what to do with our luggage after getting off the ship at 9:00 AM and having lots of time to kill before our flight home. When the disembarkation questionnaire was distributed on board, we were pleased to find Oceania offered a basic bus tour of Miami which included safekeeping of our luggage before finally taking us to MIA. Is there a similar program in Piraeus, and of not, can anyone suggest how to plan on our own? Thanks in advance.

You can use the spa credit for two blow dries, not three. Prices have skyrocketed. Spa credits pretty much useless now.

This is one of the best cruise reviews I've ever read, detailed, thoughtful, and objective. I have 15 Oceania cruises under my belt, some dating back to the early years before the launch of Riviera and Marina. I always used to be impressed with the food and level of service, but my three post-Covid cruises have revealed a notable decline in food selection and quality. Although always smiling, the staff are now clearly overworked. Oceania built a solid niche for itself over the past twenty years by offering "the finest cuisine at sea", but it appears Mark Kempa is a bean-counter and his sole priority is profitability. I suspect many Oceania loyalists will be considering moving up a level. We will be boarding Riviera on October 30th and will keep an open mind, but unless the dining experience improves it's doubtful we'll reach that coveted free 20th cruise. That would help Mr. Kempa's bottom line!

I think it's a valid point that fine wine is best served in fine stemware. A cup of tea tastes better in fine china than a styrofoam cup. I enjoy prime steak more on a china plate than a paper plate with plastic utensils and a paper napkin. Of course, some people eat their tuna straight from the can standing at the kitchen sink. To each his own. We all have different priorities, and that's fine. The world is big enough to accommodate us all.

The food in Red Ginger is prepared to appeal to a wide swath of diners, many of whom prefer their food bland. After a few initial disappointments we have learned to specify that we are not afraid of spicy. I actually believe that when the chefs are advised upfront, they enjoy making their dishes as authentic as possible. Don't leave it to chance, specify your heat preference when ordering.

I grew up in England and had never heard of English Muffins until I moved to California. I love them, but the UK can't claim to have invented them. I grew up on crumpets, those toasted things with bubble holes all over the top to soak up the butter. Google crumpets. You can buy them at Trader Joe's.

I am affected by the Venice/Trieste switch. Like to original poster, I am annoyed at Oceania for ending last year's policy of free transfer between ship and airport when using O air. Have noticed a wave of cost cutting this year since a change in top management in Miami. One example was Regatta this June with dramatically reduced menu options, mostly elimination of higher end entrees such as Veal Oscar, and lower quality meats. Seafood offerings in Alaska were ho-hum. Never saw a crab claw. This is what happens when bean-counters mess around in the premium hospitality business. Affluent consumers will consider moving up to better lines. IMO, Oceania should think very very carefully about losing its "Best Cuisine at Sea" reputation.

I notice you are a Brit. I am too. Americans are unfamiliar with the concept of taking turns "buying a round". Each guest fully expects to pay for their own drinks, either through the package or not. Nobody at a shared table will expect you to offer to buy them a drink, in fact they would be puzzled if you did. If you and your partner buy a bottle of wine at a shared table the server will only serve it to you, not diners you've just met. I don't like the American habit of over-tipping, but when it comes to buying drinks for strangers the Americans have it right! Hope this helps.

In January of 2022 our cruise was like a ghost ship because of Covid. We paid a very modest fee to upgrade from a balcony to a penthouse shortly after boarding. It was an upsell rather than an upgrade, but a bargain. I made the same request a few months later, but the second time nothing was available. Don't count on upgrades or upsells. It's important to book a stateroom you will actually be satisfied with. We leave tomorrow on another Oceania cruise and I know already that no switching on board will be available. We actually received a large offer to downgrade from our balcony, but turned it down.

Sailing on Regatta on Saturday. Who is the cruise director? TIA