Snaefell3

1 minute ago, Tranquility Base said:

I know Princess, for example, give current & ex military of at least 5 countries some OBC.

It is sometimes a topic of discussion onboard to make sure military people are aware of that perk.

Princess marketing is moving toward "modern families" demographics. 

Just recently P tried to make Military OBC and Shareholder OBC non-combinable.  They found they aren't there …yet.

9 minutes ago, halfapair said:

If you're doing the Panama Canal … the best views are from the Spa Terrace.

5 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

But can't you just purchase a day pass for $25?  

AIUI, O's new ships go through the big 2016 locks, and only the 'R'-class ships (which have had their cardreader locks to the Spa Terrace removed) go through the "interesting" 1914 canal locks. 

Either way, keep the $25.

26 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

That's why I said, "for me", YMMV.

Me, too (check post #5), but let's give the OP the full story.

17 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

Nope, not enough value added for me.  

O keeps filling them, so it seems enough added value for enough people, though.

> Expanded lunch and dinner room service menu from The Grand Dining Room.

You can order room service from that day's GDR (lunch and?) dinner menu during GDR hours, but AIUI as a single delivery, not course-by-course.  The other problem when in Concierge is finding a suitable place for 2 to eat at the same time.

> Complimentary laundry service – up to 3 bags per stateroom

The kicker is the 3-day turnaround.

> Exclusive card-only access to private Concierge Lounge

But only on Riviera, Marina, Vista, and eventually Allura.  The 'R'-class ships don't have one.

> Complimentary welcome bottle of Champagne

$1.98 stuff

> Priority online specialty restaurant reservations

If you *must* have 2top, 6:30pm slots rather than 8top 8:30pm, this can give you better chance -- more important on 7-day voyages than 14 (more days = more slots = less competition)

> Unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace

AIUI, the cardkey access on the 'R'-class ships has been removed.  Open to all

3 hours ago, pinotlover said:

People continue to quote 1-800-dial a Clerk at Oceania help desk. 😂

 

Sad, but often ill trained.

A snark from back when we sailed Princess Cruises:

"Call three times and average the answers, especially the yes/no ones"

2 hours ago, Torquer said:

When they process your request for OBC, is it normal to get an email back from them to confirm the credit has been issued?  I submitted our request for credit 14 days ago.  Other than an initial confirmation email that they received the email request, I have heard nothing from them.  On the other hand, when I go to the booking for our upcoming cruise, I do see a $250 credit.  But I can't be sure that this is from owning NCL stock, or a credit from our travel agency.

It appears the description of Shareholder Shipboard Credit on your "Manage My Cruise" webpage depends upon what some clerk happened to type in when they entered your SSBC credit into O's computers.

Try process of elimination: ask your TA if they've arraigned that $250 SBC.

Oh!  More process of elimination: if your cruise isn't 15+ days, the $250 isn't SSBC.  😉 

On 1/16/2024 at 12:36 PM, sunlover12 said:

I disagree.  My community just opened a beautiful new public library last week that is twice the size of the old library.  Libraries are equipped with so much more than books nowadays. They will always be needed and welcomed. 

Is this a fair rephrase?  We call it a "library", but it's valuable because of it's ancillary services rather than its book-lending function or its reference section stuffed with sometimes decade-old material.

In any event, more and more pax treat shipboard libraries as book-decorated lounges rather than places to borrow books, and use internet-at-sea for better and fresher port-of-call information.

1 hour ago, basor said:

I understood that the library is being moved up to the conference/media room between the Linc (internet) room and the smoking room on Deck 14 but nothing concrete

Glad to hear if true.  A lot of folks still like fiction in dead-tree format and reference material from last year.

My 2¢:

Libraries, ashore and afloat, are getting a lot less vital because of internet, browsers, and ebooks, so IMNSHO can go the way of buggy whips, encyclopedias, and landlines.

My first ebooks were in 1999, when I stopped defining "disembarkation day" as "2 chapters before my borrowed whodunit's reveal".  🤔

30 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

Did your cruise have a specific Veterans get together?

After checking Currents from Regatta, March '23:  Nope  😞

Nope.   😞

2 hours ago, clo said:

Plugs? What would an upgrade consist of in that case?

Based upon what was done with Regatta cabins, it might consist of USB (don't remember if 'A' or 'C'), 110v Type 'B', and (I think) 220v Type 'L' sockets each side of the bed.   USB, 110v Type 'B', and 220v Type 'F' sockets by the table.  Keyword: might.

You're on your own for the suites.  😉

2 hours ago, Jancruz said:

where the current library is

::stocks up  on popcorn::   🙄

5 hours ago, canderson said:

I ran across some terminology that was a bit unclear...

My 2¢:

The "reinspiration" ships are O's R-class ships, which entered service with Renaissance Cruises between 1998 and 2001 and likely have a limited future with O.  Fresh paint, carpet, etc, but limited/no steelwork-level changes.

For example, Regatta was a delight last March, but hadn't gotten the promised rainfall showerheads because O wouldn't rework the deckheads when they discovered the required piping wouldn't fit.

3 minutes ago, Tr1v1alCru1ser said:

Just goes to show @Gracie115 depends who’s cooking on the day.  

...and who's dining.

I'll take Lobster Roll and ...even an Ember Cheeseburger over Escargot or anything topped with Foie Gras.

14 minutes ago, canderson said:

Hope they aren't looking forward to any cruise passengers until at least 2030, then.  That's when the first 'zero emission' ship MAY launch.

I'd phrase it as "they *are* looking forward to no cruise pax".  "They" being certain folks-with-an-agenda, not the tourist industry folks in Flåm.   (Which is as close to discussing politics in the GDR or on CC as I'll get)

"It's a feature, not a bug"

26 minutes ago, chocchic said:

We are booked on Oceania Sirena Hamburg to Oslo ... I can't seem to find any real details about the cruise other than just a listing of the ports.

If you go to a cruise's description on O's website

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/northern-fjords-cruises/hamburg-to-oslo-SIR240731/?sr=%2Fnorthern-fjords-cruises

and click on a port name, it will take you to the list of excursions for that port.  "Tour Description ▼" will give some details, and then "More▼" will add more.

7 minutes ago, clo said:

Which one is Japanese food?

Red Ginger is "oriental fusion", for various definitions of "oriental" and "fusion"  😉 

Here's the "sample menu": https://www.oceaniacruises.com/sites/default/files/2023-10/red-ginger.pdf if you want a better idea.

2 minutes ago, oskidunker said:

all the bad reviews of Embers drove me away

My take: It isn't that Ember is bad (the reviews of the ribeye are all "outstanding") it's that the [censored] are indignant that their haute French food is gone.

Just now, Redtravel said:

Once you are onboard, there are more time slots open. 

Normally, yep.  To the point where maître d's are often roaming the ship on Day #1 for 2top customers at 6:30.  If @oskidunker is seeing a new trend on Vista, glad I've got 4x sea-day 6:30 2tops in March.

3 hours ago, oskidunker said:

10 day vista cruise. Feb 28

4top at 6:30 only on the 1st & last days even though your cruise is longer than a week.  That sounds atypical.   And nothing acceptable from Ember or Red Ginger?  Weird.

1 minute ago, oskidunker said:

Got polo grill for 4 at 6:30 the last night. Got the Italian first night same time.  Every other night was 8 pm only. Too late

Interesting data point.   Glad you got your 6:30 4tops, but surprised it had to be 1st & last.

Short voyage (fewer slots)?  If so, don't be surprised if once on board, you find that the specialties will actually open at 6:00pm.

Anyways, bon appétit and bon voyage!

3 hours ago, shepherd really said:

Both people on the left could take off their jackets and still be acceptable at every venue on the ship.  

...but would quickly put them back on to avoid frostbite?   😉

2 minutes ago, oskidunker said:

Keep in a tank with water, no?

::blushes::  So...  The original question stands.

20 minutes ago, oskidunker said:

Thanks.  Is the Maine lobster in the polo fresh?

17 minutes ago, ORV said:

Well, think about that for a little bit. 

Yeah, frozen/thawed but inquiring minds want know what is the shelf life on fresh lobster?