californiacruiseluvrs

Edie: We enjoyed our first 2 Crystal cruises in 2016 and will definitely be returning. My wife and I are in our 40's and enjoy luxury cruise travel. Crystal was a good fit. However, the Symphony and Serenity are old and very dated buckets -despite being well maintained. These ships are not relevant in 2017 and don't stand a chance against the Regent, Oceania, Silversea and Seabourn ships. I understand the new Crystal ocean ships are now years away for Crystal. What plan does Crystal have to remain competitive in the hotel department (i.e. ships) to compete with the likes of the competition? I've got to tell you Regent and Oceania have gorgeous ships and dining that blows Crystal out of the water. Crystal has an advantage when it comes to profiling guests and service. Lastly, high speed internet IS available and now being used by RCCL, Celebrity, Azamara, NCL, Regent, and Oceania. In fact other luxury lines don't nickel and dime guests for their high speed internet. High speed internet on a ship is fantastic! Certainly, I would prefer not having to send emails and be on the internet while on vacation, but the reality of life in 2017 is that communications is essential and expected. Why has Crystal been so slow to adopt new onboard wifi technology? Isn't it silly and against the all-inclusive concept for Crystal to charge it's guests for wifi when competing lines now include unlimited wifi? Thanks in advance for your reply.

Apparently, the Silver Wind is out of it's dry dock as of November 8th, but I don't see any information regarding this refurbishment from a photo standpoint. Does anybody know a link to photos on the newly refurbished suites on the Wind? I wonder if they will look the same as the Cloud. Thanks in advance for reply. Sailing Silversea for first time in February. We usually like Regent, Oceania and Crystal. Interested to know if Silversea is as slick and luxurious as these other lines.

Apparently, the Silver Wind is out of it's dry dock as of November 8th, but I don't see any information regarding this refurbishment from a photo standpoint. Does anybody know a link to photos on the newly refurbished suites on the Wind? I wonder if they will look the same as the Cloud. Thanks in advance for reply. Sailing Silversea for first time in February. We usually like Regent, Oceania and Crystal. Interested to know if Silversea is as slick and luxurious as these other lines.

Great news! We are going on the this ship next July. I booked my Air France flights from Los Angeles to learn their 777-200 aircraft have been reconfigured for 2017 with the new cabins. That means amazing pods with lay flat seats (not angled as they currently are) in business and economy plus which is like domestic first. Great news as previously there were no true lay flat seats to Tahiti. Air Tahiti Nui has a business class cabin with angled seats which are just okay.

I'm glad to report with just a few nights left service has definitely improved overall. Amazing how some CC posters get so upset at the suggestion that crew members are "nasty". It's an observation and experience and my wife and I are overly polite and kind all the time/anywhere we are. Some of the robotic and fearful behavior (like a kicked dog) is still evident with crew. A previous poster mentioned supervisors riding the staff and perhaps that is the issue. Please note I indicated the cruise is outstanding and stand by that. The critical observation of this post probably would not be as relevant on a Princess or Holland America posting as that type of crew interaction in the mass market is to be expected. However, when Regent sets the bar so high as branding Explorer as the most luxurious ship in the world it also sets certain expectations amongst guests coming for that experience at a minimum of $1000 per person per night. I have a great deal of faith and confidence that in 3 to 6 months most of these service kinks will be worked out. I'm not going to focus on specific examples of nastiness, but will give a few examples of other very minor issues. The cabin steward cannot seem to keep simple requests like ensuring there is always bottled water in the refrigerator. Dirty dishes not automatically removed from stateroom on several occasions and we came from excursions to find empty and dirty coffee cups despite the cabin being made up. I'm sorry if that offends anyone, but I certainly expect more as a paying passenger. I'm sure somebody will comment that this is petty and these poor people work so hard. Another example, on 4 occasions my wife and I have gone to the buffet for breakfast and dined outside early when it was rather chilly. There are beautiful and expensive built in heaters in the ceiling. We asked if they could be turned on all 4 occasions and nobody knows how to do it and they have yet to figure it out or follow-up that there is an effort being made. Again, a few months and I'm sure kinks will work out. Nonetheless, let me stress again - and reassure those sailing or thinking of sailing on Explorer - that this ship IS the most luxurious in the world. Once the customer service experience is ironed out it will be perfect. I still would give this ship a 9.5/10 at this time so my observations have really not had any negative impact. I wanted to give those anxious to hear about Explorer a brief overview. Overall, I think given that Explorer is only 2 months into her infancy Regent has done a fabulous job and Explorer has been a massive and incredible accomplishment.

The cruise continues to be amazing. No disappointment with ship, food, or amenities. However, I still maintain the crew is poorly trained in customer service and interacting with guests. In fact, some crew are downright nasty and miserable when you least expect it. I hope Regent can fix their serious personnel issues. First they need to come down to earth and admit there is a problem. Also, of note the shore excursion staff are excellent and well organized. Entertainment fair at best, but we have no expectations with regards to entertainment. So again, a very luxurious ship which has a broken crew and lack of any personalization. Ultimately, I like most passengers believe this is a failure of management. Too much focus on the tangibles with the "most luxurious ship in the world " by Regent, but the human/people factor seems to have been forgotten in the implementation.

Just a brief update 5 nights into a 10 night Rome to Venice cruise on board the Explorer. Ship is gorgeous with finest furnishings, soft goods, food, and overall materials. Layout is amazing. All the amenities of a large ship without the crowds. Only 750 passengers. Service is very good to excellent. However, many of the staff appear to be zombies and disconnected. Perhaps that's a function of being a new ship with a crew that is not yet cohesive. Rarely do crew members smile. There is a feeling of indifference. Unlike other luxury lines such as Crystal where they clearly profile guests and know and address you by name from day one no such efforts made here. I will agree that this is likely the most luxurious ship in the world. Although the shipyard can build a fabulous ship only excellent management can build an outstanding crew. The only thing this ship is missing is a personality. Like an infant who matures into a child and then an adult I hope a wonderful, welcoming and outgoing personality will evolve as the Explorer grows up. Lastly, our first impression of this trip was an awful disconnect as Regent put us up at the most filthy, awful, outdated and pathetic hotel in Rome. Ambasciotori Palace. If Regent wants respect as a luxury line they must continue that offering across hotels, tours etc. Bottom line is that Regent is amongst the world's best cruise lines and my wife and I will continue to return again and again. If you are looking for a fabulous and luxurious cruise vacation and enjoy opulence without stuffiness you must try Explorer.

Has anyone heard that the Muse may not be ready for it's maiden voyage?

I read it. My read was totally different. I think Frank is proud of the Explorer which he believes (and is likely right) will be the most luxurious ship in the world. Quite the accomplishment. It probably is not for everyone. In my opinion Regent is the premier product in the luxury cruise market. With the introduction of Explorer and refurbishment of the existing fleet coupled with the amazing food, service, passenger to space ratio and crew to guest ratios I doubt any of the competition will come close. Frank Del Rio should be proud and has created a product which is outstanding. Does it come at a cost? Yes! Personally, I'm not so easily offended by words and can't imaging being offended, but rather interpret them as gloating in pride.

Thanks for link. Sometimes I think/know I'm really sick when it comes to obtaining information regarding cruising and my desire to always be cruising. It's nice to have a place to go like Cruise Critic for therapy where I can meet other like minded cruisers :)

I just booked the Eurodam for 3/20/2016. Apparently, the December 2016 2 week dry dock was quite extensive not only including suite upgrades, but changing the color scheme etc. to be in line with Koningsdam's more modern theme. Does anyone have any links to a tour of the refurbished Eurodam? Just curious :). HALs new initiatives for fleet modernization and enhancing the guest experience etc. seems quite impressive.

I recently returned from a Seabourn Sojourn cruise. Being a huge fan of Oceania and Regent I was looking forward to giving Seabourn a try and glad I did. Unfortunately, my wife and I as well as the other couple we were traveling with were disappointed and underwhelmed on so many levels ranging from condition of the ship (for a relatively new ship) to variety of food and some major dining service flaws which were consistent. The stateroom attendants were amazing. One area that really surprised me was the lack of comfort at the pool areas. It may sound silly to some, but as sun worship people we really love and have become accustomed to the posh lounge cushions with terry cloth covers and huge towels on Regent and Oceania. I was really surprised that Seabourn literally has the same lounges as Carnival and Holland America WITHOUT any cushion by the pool. Laying for even short periods was really uncomfortable and there is a support bar that rides into your back. Is this usual and typical for Seabourn or was there something unusual about our cruise? Maybe just an off week? Hmmmmm.....just that for a "luxury" brand with "luxury" prices we expected more.

Thanks for reply regarding history of Navigator. Very interesting bit of cruise ship history. I love that the Navigator (and all of Regent ships) are one of a kind without true "sister ships". Anyway, looking forward to hearing details regarding the Navigator refurbishment and whether as extensive as rumor has it. One crew member from the Purser's Desk told me they would be spending about $30 million. That's one heck of a refurbishment if that is truly the case.

I'm just several weeks off the RSSC Navigator (Alaska). My wife and I went with zero expectations - being an old ship etc. - and were VERY pleasantly surprised. This may be our favorite ship. As an aside to the post topic and to understand our perspective we usually enjoy the likes of Oceania and other lines that offer a more intimate feel with less "hoopla". In fact, for means of comparison the Oceania Riviera is one of our favorite ships. We also have cruises on most major lines including Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Celebrity, Regent (previously on Mariner), Seabourn, Royal (when it was around), NCL, Premier, Chandris, Princess etc. We find Celebrity to be the best mass market experience, but again have really started enjoying ships with smaller passenger capacity and higher attention to detail and service. Regent and Oceania knock the ball out of the park (as the expression goes) every time!

So...we heard that there are 2 weeks in April that the RSSC Navigator will be completely gutted. Some high ranking crew members not only confirmed this, but also dispelled any myths that the Navigator will be transferred or sold. Apparently, this will be the most expensive refurbishment of any RSSC ship just in time to cruise Europe in Summer 2016 with the new Explorer.

I'm really curious if anyone knows what exactly will be done during this "extensive" refurbishment. I will share what I was told. All the cabins and public areas will be completely redone and some type of "padding" or "cushioning" in the engine room will be installed to reduce the vibration at the after of the ship especially, that so many passengers complain about. The hull of the Navigator was originally a Russian Icebreaker and I was told when RSSC acquired the hull everything was made new from Deck 3 up. So the twin screws that drive the propellers are below deck three and are quite long like on ships of days gone by (not just the 16 years gone by - age of Navigator) and as a result the smooth ride that many of us are used to with Azipods is not enjoyed on Navigator. Sure, there was vibration mostly in the aft, but for heaven sake we were on a ship! I expect some noise and vibration. When we were on the outside passage with large swells I was amazed at how well Navigator cut through the seas like a knife through melting butter.

Anyway, thanks in advance for any updates regarding the refurbishment. I usually don't take such interest in a dry dock, but LOVE this ship and likely will sail on her Summer 2016 after the dry dock so very curious. I guess this makes me a cruise fanatic. ;):D

I am young too, but older than you (at least in the cruising world). I am 44 and have cruised in excess of 60 times. I only mention this to validate my opinion to follow. I have cruised on most major lines all the way from Carnival, Holland America, Azamara, Celebrity, Princess, RCCL, Oceania, Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas and on and on etc. As I mature I have come to love the more refined and elegant atmosphere of lines such as Oceania, Azamara, and Regent for a variety of reasons including fewer passengers, better service, better food, and less bothersome hoopla (i.e. photographers and souvenir drink pushers etc.) than the larger more commercial lines. Not to mention that (at the risk of haters coming at me) these lines tend not to attract the "rif raf". The biggest difference with the smaller more luxurious lines is a more refined crowd overall. In fairness to Seabourn, the crowd was quite refined (despite other aspects that I was underwhelmed with as below). Also, as a disclaimer I have only been on one Seabourn cruise and perhaps my experience was tainted by an "off" cruise.

For the last several years I have been obsessed with Oceania and find this line to be incredibly luxurious and on par with a Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons. Last November I took my first Seabourn cruise on the Sojourn for 10 days to the Caribbean. I was so excited to try Seabourn as the reviews and brochure made Seabourn out to be a "luxury" line while Oceania is only "Premium". I was curious to see how much better "luxury" could be than "premium". I was incredibly disappointed with Seabourn on so many levels. I found Seabourn staff to be non-personable, stuffy and arrogant in their attitude with many pretentious elements that were quite humorous. Food was awful. Soft furnishings (i.e. towels, bedding, lounges by the pool) should embarrass Seabourn (they literally use the same cheap lounges as Carnival and HAL). Food choices were limited and poor and quality was lacking. I like to drink too, but didn't find the all-inclusive drinks to be all that great on Seabourn. I don't mind paying for my drinks on Oceania. Bottom line with Seabourn, in my opinion, is too much Carnival DNA which the onboard food and beverage manager was also complaining to me about one night over cocktails. In fact, he went so far as to tell me that "Carnival ruined Seabourn" and he was clearly not a happy camper as a Seabourn employee! Apparently, this employee had been with Seabourn for many years and saw a huge decline when Carnival Corp. acquired the line.

On the contrary to my sentiments about my Seabourn experience, I am hard pressed to come up with negative comments regarding Oceania. Oceania travelers tend to be refined, well traveled, non-pretentious and more inclined to have a good time. I always find a drinking pre-dinner cocktail crowd on Oceania (although this can vary from cruise to cruise of course, but the atmosphere lends itself to such). I'm from Los Angeles and have high standards for food and beverage and probably considered a "foodie" (although I am slim and fit) and Oceania has always exceeded my standards in this area. Cabins including soft furnishings are AMAZING on Oceania as is the non-obtrusive, but outstanding service. I could tell story after story about how Oceania staff has gone out of their way which always makes a trip extra special. I've commented on other posts regarding the "country club casual" atmosphere on Oceania. Most passengers I've spoken to including myself LOVE IT! Frankly, I found people on Oceania to be more chic shi shi and better dressed than on Seabourn. I also have found the Oceania crowd to have a much younger passenger demographic. As far as formal nights go (especially in the 90 plus degree Mediterranean) I think it is silly to have Titanic recreations at sea where suits and tuxedos are required. Just a style and preference thing for me - especially while on vacation.

In conclusion, in my opinion, Oceania IS the LUXURY line and NOT Seabourn. Unfortunately, the luxury rating has a lot to do with the all-inclusive aspect (tips and drinks), but I really don't think that makes a line luxurious anymore than all-inclusive makes a Club Med luxurious so I think this rating system is flawed. If you pick the right Oceania promotion you can get your gratuities included, a $500 shipboard credit AND complimentary unlimited Wi-Fi which essentially makes Oceania almost all inclusive. My strong and opinionated preference is that Oceania is FAR supreme to Seabourn and that Seabourn is an overpriced disappointment that overpromises and under delivers.

Having cruised 16 times with HAL and about to go on my 3rd cruise with Oceania my wife and I (and even our teenage kids!) have decided that we don't prefer Carnival owned product after our New Year's cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam, cruise on the Sapphire Princess in 2013 and a cruise last November on Seabourn. This is certainly just a preference and don't want to get anybody upset or up in arms who loves HAL, Princess etc., but Oceania is simply fantastic! We feel Oceania provides us what we are looking for in a cruise experience. Some will find that Princess, Holland America etc. is their cup of tear which is why there are choices.

We have found our Oceania cruises to be a class act all around. YES - food is amongst the best on the high seas. Oceania tends to attract mindfully youthful and even youthful cruises who enjoy quality, food and service without all the pomp and circumstance. You will never feel crowded on Oceania.

Although Neptune Suites are nice on HAL they are no comparison to the Penthouse Suites on the O class ships. The R class ships have nice Penthouses (especially now after refurbishment I hear). Bedding is simply heavenly as is the quality of the furnishings, bathroom fixtures and service.

Little differences resonate throughout Oceania such as a beautiful pool area where you don't feel packed like sardines and quietly awesome service. Lounges are adorned with cushions AND terry cloth covers and are quite posh and comfortable. I honestly was disappointed with the same sling back lounges on HAL that they use on Seabourn and Carnival - they are identical and frankly very uncomfortable. Again, little thing but makes a difference to the whole picture.

Another Oceania feature we enjoy is the country club casual dress code. You won't find a Titanic recreation formal night on Oceania. Rather you will find refined elegance and in our experience most passengers looked terrific at night and actually much more polished that what you see on HAL (Again, don't want to get anybody excited - just my experience and observation).

Lastly, (although there are many) I will comment on the lack of pushing revenue producing items on Oceania which makes the week very enjoyable. For example, there are no photographers and my family loves that. Nobody will ask you for an annoying snap shot in the middle of dinner etc.

All in all I really enjoy Oceania and we have 2 upcoming cruises on this line. Additionally, we have enjoyed Oceania's sister company Regent, but prefer not to have the all-inclusive shore excursions as we like to go off independently on our own or with small groups and a private guide to avoid the crowds. Nonetheless, Regent is equally excellent in my opinion.

In summary HAL may be a great product and perhaps is a Chevy with option to upgrade to the Corvette (i.e. Neptune Suite) whereas Oceania is more along the likes of Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Lexus etc. Unfortunately, you are comparing apples to oranges. That being said, nothing wrong with a Chevy!

Just decided to do a Google search to see if anybody posted any photos or videos or the Insignia (beyond the initial coming out photos) and can't find any. If anybody else has found some I would be most gracious for a link. Just curious.

I will be sailing on the Oceania Insignia later this year. My wife and I are Riviera fans and looking forward to trying the smaller and more intimate Insignia after its refurbishment.

Does anybody have any links with photos to the Insignia's CURRENT drydock which I believe is happening in France?

From the press releases the three "R" Class ships that Oceania is renovating should be quite impressive and mirror many of the great features of the "O" Class (Riviera/Marina) ships.

We were on the maiden season of the Azamara Journey and I remember being quite impressed other than small cabins.

Any links would be greatly appreciated. I have not been able to find any so far.