Steelydad2021

Tre helpful and useful info Harters b/c after our Vista sail last month we are sort of on the fence on an O go again. It would help a lot if they fixed the noise issue although it was rare to hear the next doors, when we did, it sounded like they were in our room. Your review of the restaurants is spot on. If we do it again, kick off our high heel sneakers and spend that last piaster for O, it will because of the vibe, the feel, the mood, the formula. O tries. The restaurants are the draw and fun, even had a great meal in the main dinning room with a memorable pear dessert (the smell of prickly pear mmmm). Not expecting perfection - only a fool would say that but O's got the right rhythm, not too tony a tone and a fine feel.

Thank you AmatuerGo Insightful comments, useful info and well written ... plus nice pics in the link. At least WS had a fall back of sorts so you saw some unique areas that makes this island a draw. Booked WS Iceland for this August and hoping for puffins (we know northern lights in summer is not realistic) and smooth sailing but suspect anything can happen and for that matter anywhere. We have been bounced in to seasickness and missed ports in the Caribbean on a pre-stretch WS yacht. Just off the much bigger Oceania Vista in the Carib a few weeks ago and springtime high winds canceled one port. Suspect many wished another one was canceled too given the tender smashing against the ship during loading. Even a stretched Star Pride is not real big. Big WS fans for same reasons as you but have to wonder if bigger cruise ships fair better around Iceland?

Certainly MarkWiltonM Children we have it right here Go concierge (IMHO worth it just for best dine times), then online at midnight sharp when reserves open up (60 day b/f if memory service) and times are there for the taking. Then show up just a few min early at appointed hour and we were seated by a window w/ an sea view at sunset w/o even having to ask or sit outside at Terrace Cafe ... stare at Biscayne Bay, where the Cuban gentlemen sleep all day as the song goes

Yep, also on Vista then w/ missed last port but so it goes and so it goes and so it goes, the way its going no one knows ... when that will happen. Tendering on an earlier day was a rocky adventure and the ensuing catamaran a rock n roller coaster which O might have regretted not canceling. Still ... have to question this Simply More scheme which seems to leave many missing out and feeling badly just built in. Food experiences were overall a solid A. Ember - thanks to CC advice, sitting on the side so no noise issue ... its the lightest themed ... as a pub apparently ... no issues w/ quality but service seemed confused. Also thanks to CC advice on snagging early times for 2 top worked well and earned window seats for sunsets over the ocean, which makes even a slightly overcooked steak at Polo no static at all.

and that is the ultimate question, innit ORV? Wheel turning round and round did they change the water to cherry wine, turn the silver to gold? They did or did a good job of trying even if not always perfectly executed. O is in tune. Four lightly themed restaurants included, (Ember theme is ... a pub? alrighty then if you say so, very lightly themed but DW had her favorite meal there) emphasis on food, right properly behaved crowd, civilized tea time and coffee bar. Little worried about so many complaints of room noise but ... Yep we would do it again. now we dolly back, now we fade to black...

Mixed drinks = mixed results Its tough to please all members of the audience - the listeners and the socializers, someone is gonna be unhappy. Another Tanquaray, I’ll wait for 20 past. But the thin walls on the Vista does seem a common refrain for many even tho we got lucky. Once had a neighbor on a river cruise who blasted Barbara Streisand starting at dawn … No offense to Babs (or Clean Willy) but too much of anything… Thins walls you cannot get away from and could reasonably be a deal breaker. Understand may be such a dealbreaker for our vlogger critic extraordinaire Mr. Gary B. And that major dude has mondo influence. Wonder if that is fixable …if they wanted to.

Yep - its pretty well organized and the things you think are precious I understand. pre-order dinners from a menu by 10pm the night before, at the buffet just ask what is GF, (GF toast at breakfast takes a few min since it seems to come from another floor(?) but is delish) usually some ice cream/gelato options are ok and some not, high tea has GF interesting sandwiches and treats on request (its not on the same cart but seems somewhere close by b/c they come right quick), did not do room service so cannot say, Barristers has GF muffins and sometimes other snacks on request but also takes a few minutes as the servers run and get although based on the number of others ordering GF there one has to wonder why they just don't keep more on hand. Generally, the GF bread, especially the warm dinner rolls, are quite tasty, the snacks less so. Have to add whatever the past complaints here, the fruit variety and quality was excellent. You won't starve. Time to grab a piece of something that I think is gonna last.

This and LMAO - might have to turn up the Eagles, the neighbors are listening. HAL has the best music at sea IMHO in the House of Blues but those cats can blow and no conversation will be had, heard and probably should not be attempted because your going to turn and stop, start to finger pop. Talking in movies, in concerts or on cruise recitals or Dan concerts ... do you get what you pay for? Maybe it depends on how much it costs to hear the entertainment in question?

Like that It is definitely big enough LuAnn with lots of sea view seats and a fantastic vibe. And yet talkers plant right up front, no tears and no hearts breaking, no regrets. The quartet is so gracious, taking the talking in stride without missing a beat. Pros

... or playing a loud video on a cell phone at lunch, geezer geez Listeners v. socializers, who is right? Or does it depend on the time and place? Ya know who would know the right balance? One Sir Gary Bembridge, knower of all things cruising and who was at tea today and whose advises is second only to CC opinions or maybe it's a tie. Should have asked him what is proper.... dang... or a teenage rocker or the girls in France Yes we all are partners in this cosmic dance but that's another tune

Not so loud anywhere, never had to ask for example "are you with me Dr. Wu? can you hear me doctor?" But riddle me this Dr. Koob -- at say afternoon tea where there is live music w/ a string quartet but also food being served, is that a proper setting for chatting or would that disturb the listeners? Because looks like daggers flew around the room at talkers there. Where does it stop? Where do you draw the line, where one can't go for that? ... but then again, that's another 70's band.

Like that Now your trading fours

Right? A lil yacht rock for the kids is all nothing wrong w/ crooning but a tad more toe tapping grovessential

We got grunts, noises, pecking and whatevahhhh In all my travels as the facts unravel, I have found this to be true JK - passengers superfine here on the Vista Hurry the bottle pinolover

Yes, indeed the staff do serve from the buffet Techno123. And yes, that removes the horror of the great unwashed reaching, leaning, breathing, coughing, maybe putting items back ... yechhhh. And they serve quickly, can answer dietary questions, its generally service w/ a smile and maybe they help over doing it at the ice cream bar so we don't lose that number ... on the ole scale.

All good Mareblu Sounds like you are a big Oceania fan. Glad to hear you like the line enough to ...do it again.

Waves rocks and so does the Ocean so much so we missed port in Mexico today pool water going nuts Rock n roll but steady goes the Vista

Yikes Very sorry No crowds in Terrace or elevators this sailing Maybe they figured out some things out? Or maybe just dumb luck for us my friend? Or maybe O is on best behavior since there is a celebrity critic on board? One Mr Gary Bembridge Spotted him drinking a Zombie from a coco shell

This kids got the eye call it pirate radar

Great tips and lots of complaints on these here CC boards all of which helped prep for the much needed vaca on the Vista now To compare various threads w/ the actual current on-board experience & naturally YMMV, its all IMHO ... Thin walls/loud neighbors – for the 1st time in 5 days, we heard a bit of the TV next door last night and only for a short time, DW & I are on the sound sensitive side so brought a travel noise machine which did the trick but she actually said it was “too quiet” at night a few days ago, hah Chair hogs/pool crowds – well yeah but knew it would be like that and has been said around here, I tend to go to the pool to be in the water which is cooler than expected so keeps the masses away nicely Full ship/crowded – you’d never know we are at capacity, staff say the guest demographic (read older) means many stay in their rooms or do not more around the ship much so it almost eerily empty, reminds of when we sailed the X Apex just after Covid w/ only 25% but the Vista is full up Older clientele – sure but very well behaved, so who cares? We are all getting there Small gym – it is small for the ship size but O knew the demographic they serve apparently and I have never had to wait for the equipment even on sea day AM's Slow internet – N/P, enough to keep up w/ the necessaries work-wise Smokers – N/P w/ wafting odors Odd flavor drinking after – nope, only if you let it sit too long GF- decent enough job accommodating dietary needs Loud or lousy sound track – now this is important – volume is appropriate, tunes heavy on crooners from all decades and this just me but more by a certain yacht rock band would be welcome … what was that group’s name? Nothing is perfect but “you’ve go to learn to live w/ what you can rise above” … so this really into the nits Aquamar - hot tub tiny tiles are coming off, odd since its a new ship Room was not vacuumed when we arrived, quickly fixed Surprisingly no emphasis on hand washing … like less than pre Covid? filet was medium not medium rare in Polo Overall, the formula is solid - 4 included lightly themed specialty restaurants, emphasis on food sensations, libations, call it on par w/ say a Luminae & WS, way above a Holland A We booked well b/f “Simply More” so jury’s out on whether its “Simply More Money” … you say it’s a crazy scheme, I already bought the dream

Good questions CNSJ and good point terrydtx Service - generally a push, a wash, a tie and you might say serviceable - no real standouts good or bad just variations within the usual bell curve ... but will say this ... on both ships it became clear very early to go with the waiters' nightly dish recommendation otherwise there were some real stinkers. For example, the Club Orange prepared choice was consistently solid particularly the Peruvian chicken but recurring options on the menu were lukewarm and/or tasteless or both. Forewarned = forearmed...the waiters know how to guide w/o actually being overtly critical of what is not good so its best to put your trust and let them choose IMHO. Found following waiter recommendations on the preferred dish to be even more important on river cruises. Seems most lines want to have menu choices just to have choices but it's not a good sign when the waiter says "oh we have not had anyone order that for a while." Not a fan of sending food back and less so of having to do so. Cabins - it was Vista v. Sky Suite but not sure how fair cabin comparisons are since guests have some control over the selection, location, size, price etc. In any case sunsets and sunsets over infinite horizons look good from most balconies - this bright familiar sun - and high up on the ocean cruise value prop but yeah, seems many unhappy comments on the infinite verandahs. Sometimes change for change sake is not needed.

Allow myself to introduce myself as Austin Powers said. DW & I are late 50's, offspring sprung and just off the NS Carribee run from 3.4.23 to 3.11.23 which makes for the 9th cruise. Watched the Apex pulled out and into Port Everglades min apart and since Apex was our last ocean voyage, the ships are roughly similar in size, age, passenger demographics & price point, just for smiles and giggles, some comparisons. Naturally, YMMV Entertainment - NS for the live music category w/ the sweet Music Walk concept, though as noted on these boards, it feels a tad close, dark and crowded. Nonetheless, BB King All Star band is note perfect and can those cats play. But whatever your taste in tunes - angular banjos sound good to me - Lincoln Center, Billboard & Rolling Stone are all fun w/ hard working entertainers. So, if tunes be your thang, then let's all meet at the end of the street, take me where the music is and this is your ship. More the big stage extravaganza on the Apex. Food & drink - libations, sensations and usually high in the value prop - Buffets: Apex Oceanview over Lido for variety, quality and layout with the 2 story window views - Cafes: Cafe al Bacio over Dutch by more than an edge in all ways - Luminae beats Club Orange in vittles, service, ambiance and menu - Specialty: Apex again s/a/a Common space: similar layouts but the NS pool cover might be better in colder climes otherwise Apex has a lighter, brighter look & feel but only the natural plantings keep the vibe from crossing into glitz Close call and would not rule out the NS again especially for that Glacier Bay itinerary Again YMMV so just saying