lborne

If you are flexible on dates and ports, it is always good to check what other ships will be in port with you.  Having 12,000 people at the same destination is not something I enjoy. 

I've done a search and see only 1 mention of guruwalk.  Has anyone had experience with them?

Posted in Roll Call, but thought I'd share here too.  Just noticed our tour booked through Oceania in Izmir - Ancient Sardis - ends at 8:15pm but the ship is scheduled to depart at 7:00pm.  I know if you book excursions through the cruise line, they make sure you get back before the ship leaves, but something is not right here.  I called Oceania and they said yes, 7 is the departure time, not the all-on-board time and said they don’t know how to explain the discrepancy but that I should call back Monday when the tour department is open. I’m sure there is a simple explanation, but I’ve never seen this before.

This is what shows up on their Italian website.

I compared cruise fare only - no airfare.  But it does seem that the Italian website does not show the O-life ultimate that is valid on certain categories, and when factored in, it is about the difference.  

I'd read on my rollcall board that people were finding the cruise fares much cheaper for those in Europe where their website shows prices in Euros.  So I asked a travel agent friend in Italy to look up my cruise just going to the Oceania web site.  For my cruise (cruise fare only), the B3 category is $1989 Euros, or about $2200 USD.  On the US website, it is showing $3249 USD.  Surely this has something to do with VAT or other taxes.  Anyone know why the $1000 difference?

We've called several times and once held for more than 2 hours.  No estimated hold time is mentioned, nor is there a callback option.  Maybe we should go through a TA instead of calling Oceania directly?

46 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

Three most important things I learned from our 1st cruise ever, on Riviera 12/2021, was:

 

1) You can bring alcohol on board at embarkation and in ports (not just wine, but also beer and hard liquor), but you can only drink your wine outside your cabin and only in a restaurant after paying the $25 corking fee.

 

2) For men, the dress code in the specialty restaurants means a shirt with a collar, pants, socks, and shoes. (No suit, tie or jacket required.)

 

3) Do NOT overpack. O provides an umbrella and a hairdryer. There are laundry facilities on board.

Thank you.  We are getting the beverage package as part of the O-life Ultimate deal, so are set for lunch and dinner.  Good that we can bring wine and alcohol on board to have in our room.  We will be in Milan and Venice several days before so will have time to shop for it.  I suppose if I want a beer by the pool, I would just pay for it as it would probably be cheaper than upgrading the beverage package.   Good tip on not overpacking.  

On 4/9/2023 at 11:02 AM, MEFIowa said:

Though may help to say (1) SHIP, (2) DATES, and (3) LOCATIONS.

Ironically, the same cruise as you.  Oct 30 - Nov 9, Riviera.

14 hours ago, the mice said:

I think what they are looking for is a list of tips for first timers on Oceania.   There is a very active thread for this type of info on the Azamara forum where cruisers post things they find useful and one person actively updates a Google doc.  However, I have not seen anything like it on the Oceania forum.  Lots of good info and advice posted here and answers to a lot of questions, but not organized in one thread or document. 

(and sorry, I'm not volunteering 😁). 

Yes, that is exactly what I was talking about.  Usually it is contained in a sticky post, but sometimes it is elsewhere, which is why I asked.  Thanks.

3 hours ago, MEFIowa said:

Though may help to say (1) SHIP, (2) DATES, and (3) LOCATIONS.

Yes, when I have specific questions, I will be posting here with ship, dates, etc., and plan to also post in the Roll Call section.  I've uses Cruise Critic for planning many times, but it has been several years since I've been on a cruise, and this is a new line.  

Our first time on Oceania and I was looking for a tip sheet or thread or document.  Something along the lines of a FAQ, but more details.  I know the Disney forum has one, but don't see one here.  Thanks.

Well, just off the Connie last week and we could only watch the Monday night game in our room - they could not get it to work in the bar. For Thanksgiving games, it was working in the one bar and they had a TV set up in another lounge.

My wife's a Tiger on Saturday and a Saint on Sunday.

I just posted these the other day. It is from the Thanksgiving, so things may be a bit different for your cruise. Our formal night was the first At-Sea day - NOT Thanksgiving night.

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B7cI_Qda7iqsVUtwT2E4QVVIN2s&usp=sharing

I just got off the Connie last Saturday. I went to guest services and asked for a list of all drinks on the Classic Package. Here it is:

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B7cI_Qda7iqsVUtwT2E4QVVIN2s&usp=sharing

Notice at the bottom it says all cocktails up to a value of $8.00.

We upgraded to the premium package mostly because we could not find any wines we liked under the classic package, and because we just did not want to have to think about it.

Although they are not supposed to, they were pouring us double and triple the amount for scotch straight up because it took so long to get served.

I did not ask specifics about the engine, but all seemed fine to me. It could not have been too bad as she made it across the Atlantic just before. The ship did seem very clean to me. I was expecting dust in our room in the hidden locations - such as on top of picture frames, etc., but I did not see any.

Crew provided a free vacation at a nice hotel? HA HA HA HA HA HA :D

 

I bet most had some serious maintenance and cleaning assignments for little or no additional pay.

Yes, I asked some of the crew if they had a break and they laughed too. They cleaned every square inch of the ship - one told me.

Hi all,

 

I'm going on Reflection this coming Saturday, and we have the promotional beverage package, but I'm seeing a lot of reviews saying bar service is TERRIBLE... what's the point of "free" drinks if there's nobody at the bar to serve them? Is this common with Celebrity, or only because of this promotion?

 

My wife and I are not heavy drinkers, maybe a glass or two of wine with dinner is about it, maybe a beer or two while watching a football game, but it's concerning to think that it will be more of a chore to get served because we got this supposedly unlimited package.

 

Comments?

Just got off the Connie and yes, the bar service was slow. It was most frustrating at the pool bar. They set up a temporary bar by the grill that served beer, soda and limited wines which helped, but sometimes there was no one behind it and you'd have to find someone to ask to get the bar tender. Wine with dinner was not a problem at the main dining room.

Reviews are always so subjective, and everyone has differing opinions. For me, crowded areas, waiting in long lines, not being able to find chairs either at the buffet, bars, public areas, or the pool is always frustrating, whereas others don’t mind that, but hate not having a new bar of soap in their bathroom each day. So take all I say here with a grain of salt.

First off, we had a wonderful time. Overall, the staff, food, entertainment, cabins, pools and other publics places were great. The ship seemed in very good condition and we never noticed any bad odors, trash, stains, etc. The only portion of the cruise that gets a B, as opposed to an A, would be service.

Embarkation:

We were sent the email that said to arrive between 1:00 and 1:30 for our deck 8. Our friends were deck 6, so were not supposed to check in until 2 or 2:30. They arrived at 11:30 and had no long lines and were on board by noon. We parked off site at Park n Go which proved to be quicker arriving and leaving than our friends who parked at the port. We arrived about 1:00 and the line was not bad and moved fast. We were all happy that our cabins were ready – presumably because the previous cruise had been cancelled. Our only issue checking in was that even though we had signed the form to allow our kids to charge to their cards, and they said it was all set – it was not and we had to spend time at Customer Service to get it fixed.

Cabins:

We were in Cabin 8006 with a balcony and just ahead were our kids in Cabin 8002 with an ocean view (porthole), but with more square feet. Essentially, their balcony was enclosed. The rooms were clean, beds comfortable and balcony adequate. A slightly larger bathroom would have been nice, but overall, everything was excellent and everything worked just as it should – A/C, water temp, etc. The shades were very good at blocking the morning sun and we found the cabin had plenty of drawer and closet space for a 5 night cruise.

Cabin Steward:

Our stateroom attendant was quick and thorough. We requested the snacks be removed and the minibar in the kids room locked and it was taken care of instantly. Never did he forget soap, shampoo, towels, etc. We’d always come back from breakfast or dinner to find our room clean or bed turned down. He remembered our names when he saw us in the hallway and always asked if there was anything we needed. Not sure if he had help or not – if so, we never saw anyone else.

Pool and Public Areas:

Public areas with the exception of walking through the casino and the photo area some nights, never felt crowded. One of the major gripes about past cruises is not being able to find pool chairs unless you wake early and reserve one with a book or towel. On this cruise, we could always find a pool chair, even on at-sea days after 11 am. The staff were excellent in removing used towels, bottles, cups, etc. from on and around chairs and placing new folded towels on empty chairs. Even at the Therapy pool, where there were fewer places to sit, we always could find a spot. And that pool is amazing with the built in pipe lounge areas with the bubbles coming up. To be fair, I should point out a few negatives that we and our friends noticed. First, they could use more pool attendants to take drink orders. We seldom had anyone come up to us by the pool and ask if we wanted a drink. Most often, we had to get it ourselves. Second, there is a smoking area next to the pool bar and we found that entire corner of the pool too smoky for us.

Food Quality:

Food quality is very subjective, but overall we found it pretty good. We were seldom WOWed, but also never felt the quality was sub-par. We ate at the main dining room every night and I’d say about 75% of the items were enjoyable. If we did not eat much of something, the wait staff noticed and offered to bring an alternative option. The burgers and hot dogs at the pool grill were great. The fries everywhere – even the chips with the fish n chips, were great. You might be wondering why I mention the fries, but I find it a good barometer of many of the other items. The buffet items were very good and there was plenty of variety. The free ice cream and sorbets were excellent. Food did not have much presentation. On past cruises, I found myself taking photos of the food as it arrived to our table because it looked so beautiful. Never did I desire to take a photo of any of the food items – including desserts. They were mostly just plopped on a plate or in a bowl. The first night, my shrimp cocktail came in a soup bowl (The following nights I noticed it being served in something more resembling a cocktail glass).

One negative that sticks in my mind was the Cesar salad – which is my son’s favorite. First night it was excellent. Second night it was absolutely horrible. The Romaine was browned and mushy – not just some of it – all of it, and it had no parm cheese. It was something that should never have been served or even plated. When shown to our server, he agreed and was annoyed with his assistant waiter for serving it.

Main Dining Room:

We decided to skip the specialty restaurants, so had all dinners in the MDR. We had some issues here. Our waiters were excellent and always very friendly, but they have too many tables to wait on. On nights where some of our wait staff’s tables were empty, service was fast and efficient. On other nights when all tables were full, we noticed an increase in wait times between courses – and we were also served the wrong dishes. The tables are a bit close together, but once seated we did not have any problem with waiters or others hitting our chairs.

We booked early seating – a table for 4, so it was just our family together. The first night we arrived at the restaurant to a very long line. After 13 minutes (yes, I timed it), we were brought to our table 215 where someone else was seated and eating their first course. So, the attendant told us to wait as he went back to the entrance podium to sort things out. It was awkward just standing there because there was not much space and we were in the way of the waiters and intruding on the space of those seated. We were finally seated at a different, empty table and things went well from there. Until the next morning for breakfast, when we decided to eat in the MDR. There was a long line at the entrance that did not move for 5 minutes. We were still in the non-moving line trying to decide if we should wait it out or go to the buffet when 2 couples came out and let everyone in line know that once inside, it would be excruciatingly slow service. So we skipped it and did not try for breakfast again. The menu was limited and the buffet quite good anyway. We did have a lunch at the MDR and the wait for a table was only 3-4 minutes, service quick, but still the menu selection was very limited.

I recommend that if you want wine, beer or other bar drink for lunch, get it before you go in. For our lunch, my wine did not arrive until dessert. My wife never did get her mojito because they could not find mint – which happened at the bar also – but unfortunately, they did not tell her they could not find the mint until they brought my wine – during dessert.

Buffet:

We felt this was one of the better buffets on any cruise we’ve been on before. Not only was there a large selection of foods, the quality was a notch above the likes of HAL, NCL, etc. – in our opinion, of course. The hours the buffet was open were good (some lines close them at odd times) and best of all, there were no lines – even at the front of the buffet – even on embarkation, at sea, or dis-embarkation days. I don’t know why, because our cruise was full, but we also never did the “buffet marathon”, where after you get your food and you walk around 3 or 4 times looking for an empty table. Staff were constantly clearing tables here and out by the pool. They could have used a few more waiters to bring bar drinks, but we learned to get ours first and not rely on a waiter because it was hit or miss when or if they showed up to your table.

Pool and Bar Service:

As mentioned earlier, they do not have enough waiters going around the pool. This meant that most of the time we had to go up to the pool bar ourselves. It was almost always very crowded around the pool bar and the other bars in that area (Deck 11 had one overlooking the pool, and one just behind it, but the back one was not always open). The main problem is that there was always a crowd around the understaffed bar and the tenders had no way of knowing who arrived when. It is frustrating to wait 5 minutes and then have someone who just walks up on the other side of the bar be waited on. There were literally times it took 10-15 minutes to get a drink from the pool bar. Others at the bar were equally as frustrated and voiced their opinion, so I know it was just not me. We found it was quicker to run down to a below deck bar. Sometimes the computer system was not working perfectly and it would increase the wait times as your card had to be swiped each time.

They did set up a small bar next to the pool grill that served soda, beer and a few wines. The woman working there was great and quick – although there was no computer so she had to write down your card info.

Once at the pool bar, after waiting for what seemed like a very long time, I ordered a mojito for my wife. The bartender began making it and then said he had to go out and get the mint. After another long time, he came back and said he could not find any mint. No apology, just “I can’t find the mint” and then he went on to the next person without asking if there was maybe something else he could get me. He was not rude about it, and I surely don’t blame him because he at least tried to get mint rather than just saying no at the first request. I definitely blame upper management who works these people too hard and does not keep bars stocked with the supplies needed. It was not just mint, on several occasions they did not have cranberry juice or other mixers. And a few beers showcased above the bar were not being served, or they were out, or they had not been iced down yet.

We only had a real issue with 1 crew member. The lady working at the smoothie bar. All the ingredients are laid out behind glass and I assumed that you could select what you would like in your smoothie. However, I was told I had to order from one of the 7 or 8 different smoothies offered on the menu. So I selected one and asked if she could leave out the chia seeds and I was scolded for asking, when she clearly had just explained to me that she would only make it EXACTLY as listed in the menu. Now I can understand if there was a long line of people, or even if all the ingredients were pre-mixed – but it was neither. And leaving the chai seeds out would actually save her time. Coincidently, we ran into the beverage manager who asked us how our cruise was going and we let him know this was an issue. He was appalled that she would not custom make a smoothie and told us the menu was only a suggestion for those who did not know what they wanted. He said he would talk to her, and evidently he did because the next times were ordered “off” the menu, there was no problem.

Other bars:

I had read that the Martini bar would be the most difficult place to get a drink. Even though it was always crowded, the staff there are remarkably fast and entertaining. The Michaels club bar and the Rendezvous lounge bar were both great. You can get drinks at some bars that are not available at others, so it is worth exploring all bars. The wine bar was excellent and the bar tender there spent a lot of time with us the first day letting us taste various wines – which led us to upgrade our drink package.

Not all wines are available in the restaurants, so we learned to stop by one of the bars to get something we liked to bring to dinner. Special requests for the sommelier were only available by the bottle.

Entertainment and shows:

Overall pretty good. This also is very subjective and I am not going to review every show. Our favorite acts were a barbershop quartets which just happened to be on our cruise and so are not regulars, and the string trio. Unfortunately, the time we got to hear the string trio, the area was very noisy from the music one deck below and from the Martini Bar. I would have liked to hear them in a more intimate setting. The Liar show, which included the Captain, kept us in stiches. The Captain is a very funny guy. The Newlywed game show was a stinker. Same old tired questions they always ask and highly dependent on lively contestants. Usually someone talks to the couples wanting to be on the game and can get a sense for which ones might be more energetic or funny, but this time they were selected at random.

Rich, the cruise director was great, although he could use a few good jokes. He happened to come up to a bar to get a drink and sat down next to me and began asking me what I thought of the cruise and the entertainment. In fact, many senior crew members we met coincidently asked us about our trip.

In conclusion, I’d definitely consider another Celebrity cruise. The two cruise lines we’ve been on and would put ahead of Celebrity would be Disney and Regent – obviously much more expensive lines, so not a 1 to 1 comparison. But compared to HAL, RCCL, and NCL, I would say Celebrity is preferable to us on similar itineraries.

Daily activity sheets, kids age 9-11 activity sheets, and a list of the current drinks offered on the classic package can be downloaded here: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B7cI_Qda7iqsVUtwT2E4QVVIN2s&usp=sharing

Just off the 5 night cruise over Thanksgiving. Here is a link to the Celebrity Today, the current Classic Drink list and a few of the Fun Factory dailies for kids age 9-11.

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B7cI_Qda7iqsVUtwT2E4QVVIN2s&usp=sharing

My e-docs say we can board from 12:00 - 3:30. But what is the unofficial time that they start the boarding process? What is the best time to arrive? Is there usually a large gathering of people at 11:30?

I assume we will get sent to the Ocean Cafe for a buffet lunch after we board. But in my experience, there is usually a nicer sit down option that they don't tell people about. Is this true for the Connie?

Thanks

Did it a few years back and only about 8 people had registered. A few people came in who had not registered and they were accommodated. We had a blast. The guy running the tasting was funny and generous with the pours. He even poured a few extras at the end - most likely because there were so few of us. Its the #1 thing on my "to do" list next time I am on the Wonder.

We need an actual beach where we can lie in the sun, the kids can dig or play in the surf and we won't have to fight over a spot. Ironically, we have this at home, but have been to Cozumel/Cancun/Mexico so often that we have done all the tourist and cultural things and just want to lie on the beach - especially since we will not be going to a private island on this cruise.

The Playa Palancar website does not give a lot of information - no prices or good photos. We don't care to snorkel or dive this trip. I'll google and search this site for more info. Thanks for the suggestion.

We've been to Paradise beach, and while nice, it was crowded. We don't mind spending more $ or more time in a cab for a quieter place. We don't necessarily need chairs or bar service - just a nice public beach would do fine. However, not being near a resort or restaurant could make it more difficult to get a cab back to the ship. Ideas?

Thanks. I did see those posts. I was particularly interested in the wine list, but the ones posted were from May or earlier. I suppose the best thing to do is wait until we get on board - especially since it will be the first Caribbean cruise of the season.