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

Sports Shooter, I'm glad we sorted that one out. Many Alaska cruises do leave from Vancouver, and I had visions of you booking a flight to the wrong airport. La Crescenta, huh? We lived at the top of Upper Briggs Canyon for many years and were evacuated during the Station Fire. Lots of smoke damage, then mudslides, but survived. Still have relatives in the area and go back to eat at Taylor's and Dish. See you on board!

I too am booked on Regatta on June 23rd to Alaska, but I am boarding the ship at Pier 66 in Seattle. Are you sure you are starting from Vancouver? Puzzled.

Just looked at my boarding pass for Regatta's Jun 23, 2023 Alaska cruise out of Seattle and it says: Bring your boarding pass, passport, any required visas and proof of Covid-19 vaccination if applicable, plus, IF REQUIRED FOR YOUR SAILING/VACCINATION STATUS, A NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST RESULT. "If required" is the key part. We have not been notified that it is required.

Thanks, Orv, for your great advice. BTW, we once shared a private tour of Ravello with you and another couple who announced they had "done" that beautiful little place in an hour and wanted to hit the souvenir shops! Remember?

Sorry, Jancruz, but there was once a time when Oceania allowed pets. About 5-6 years ago we had a big fluffy white Pekinese on our Oceania cruise whose "Mommy" took it everywhere. Their stateroom was a few doors away from ours and she took the dog to the main dining room and daytime events in the lounge. At the Captain's Q&A she and the dog were seated very close to me and she glared when I asked about the ship's pet policy. Official answer was that she had pre-arranged it with O. I asked the obvious question about bathroom issues and was told she used doggie training pads which I assume the housekeeping staff had the task of removing. There was quite a buzz in the room when I asked my question, some in favor of pets and some not. Perhaps the "support" pet problem has now been solved, but I personally think it's unhygienic to have animals on ships, especially in areas where food is served. It's bad enough on planes where space is even more confined. Glad Oceania has taken a firm stance on this.

I've got a long way to go before my free cruise, taking #15 this summer. How do you know what length of cruise you are eligible for, and what category you will sail in? We've bounced between different veranda categories and the occasional penthouse. Have also cruised for 7-10-12-16 days depending on itinerary. Does O provide a list of available options?

Thanks to all for the valuable feedback. Those blue shore towels are a great idea for sitting on damp veranda chairs, and I will definitely wear layers. Growing up in the north of England, I appreciate the importance of waterproof over water-resistant. Best suggestion of all was to book an aft cabin for the views. Too late for this cruise where we are only waitlisted, but wish I had thought of this sooner. Thanks to the O community for your sound advice.

We are Oceania regulars and have often sailed in a B1 or B2 on Regatta, but have never been to Alaska before. We are hoping to spend lots of time on the veranda with binoculars, but I'm concerned about getting cold and wet. Does O provide outdoor blankets (we are not Concierge level) and how does one keep the chairs dry? Want to avoid over-packing but don't want to be unprepared either. Sailing 10 days in June this year. Hoping for advice.

I do NOT recommend using Oceania's travel insurance. We booked a Caribbean cruise on Riviera this March at the very last minute and took the Oceania travel insurance at 10% of total fare. DH was taken ill on last sea day and spent 10 days in a Miami hospital before being stable enough to fly back to our home in LA. Our regular health insurance reimbursed us in full within two weeks for the shipboard medical expenses. In early April I billed the O travel insurance company for $4-5,000 of hotel, meal and Uber expenses while I sat vigil at DH's bedside. Several weeks later they emailed an acknowledgement of my claim. Since then they have sent two further emails telling me my claim is being processed and they will contact me if they need any further documentation. It is now late July and not one dime of reimbursement has been received. To clarify, I was using one of O's preferred TA's and we were able to fly home on our original airline tickets with no extra fees. Also, our concierge opened the insurance claim for me while we were still on board, a great help because I was very flustered. The Oceania doctor and nurses were brilliant, took excellent care of my husband, and had an ambulance waiting at the dockside in Miami in the pre-dawn hours for our transfer to University of Miami Hospital. The ship's handling of the incident was excellent, the insurance part leaves a lot to be desired. I would NOT recommend O's insurance.

Baristas is fabulous, and I'm also OK with coffee, lattes, etc from the machines located near several dining venues and yes - the Concierge lounges too. The room service coffee is vile and can spoil even the best breakfast. After years of frustration with this, my dear husband came up with a solution. We bring along a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream and spike our room service coffee with it. It's our magic way of waking up when on vacation.