wwcruisers

Nope -- I'm one of the 'off the grid' folks. Usually the only thing that we use the internet for is to check in for our flight home.

What a great question! I'll have to go back 20+ years, and count on my fingers & toes, though!😉

Well, as long as Michael Lazaroff is still running all of the Jazz Cruises side, I'm sure to be a happy camper! 😎

LOL -- Thanks, Capriccio! I found that great photo thread, right after I posted on this one. Sounds like they have most of the rooms finished already.

Amen to that! 😎

AHA -- When we were there in '23, the manager said they were starting a total renovation, within a matter of months. It did NOT happen. Glad to see that the local competition finally got Hilton moving on this project!

If you see a picture of him onboard -- you might recognize him, around the ship. Last year, I ran into him (so to speak) at the ice cream station in the buffet (Oceanview Cafe).

Boy, as Rodney Dangerfield used to say "This is a tough room"!😆 I recently went to the Oceania boards, looking for some comparisons to X -- from folks who have cruised both. I'm just glad that I didn't get boo'ed off the stage, there!😉(Actually, they were very gracious and helpful😇). To the OP: Although I have never sailed on Cunard, I would love to sail the QM2 some day.But, if I were to cruise Cunard, I would go in with a totally different set of expectations than those I have for X or RC. I would expect a more formal experience with emphasis on tradition, on Cunard. Whereas X is more comfortable and casual, in its approach to a cruise vacation. And, if you are looking for a 'Goldilocks' ship -- somewhere between the brand-new Edge Class, and the classic M-class ships -- I can't think of a better option than Silhouette. BTW -- Nigel Smyth (if he is still at the helm) is a great Captain!

Thank you SO much for the pictures (and the info)! That's a world apart from the abysmal condition we found the rooms to be in, two years ago! One question -- you said that work is still ongoing in the lower and ground floors. Are all of the rooms above that finished already? I know that they were starting at the top, and working their way down. Wondering if most of the project will be completed by February?🤔

This thread got buried -- so I thought I'd 'bump' it back up to the top, in hopes that anyone who has stayed at this Embassy Suites recently would weigh-in on their experience. I am still trying to decide whether or not to take a chance on spending my 'pre-cruise night' in an ongoing construction zone. I'd really like to hear how the refurbished rooms (top floors) are, now.

Another vote for Cafe Al Bacio. I've found the coffee on X ships to be so inconsistent (great on some ships -- horrible on others) that I've just started going there, for my morning "Cafe Americana".☕

Sounds like a great trip -- and coming home on the QM2 is nothing to sneeze at, either!😎

QuestionEverything: Thank you for that in-depth comparison of X and Oceania -- it was very helpful. I also am not a big fan of the 'ship-within-a-ship' concept, now widely adopted on the mainstream lines (X included). Although, the last time we sailed in a non-suite cabin on X, the cabin service was so abysmal that we swore that we'd always book suites, in the future. Nice to know that won't be necessary on Oceania! Oh, and my DH and I definitely fit in that older, self-entertaining profile, LOL! When we want to be entertained, we book jazz cruise charters. That's pretty much the only reason that we are still sailing on X -- for the music charters on Summit. We are currently waiting for O's '26 Holiday Cruises to be released -- and hoping that Santa will include a Panama Canal transit, in those itineraries! 😎

Thanks Patty! I do remember (and miss) the old Celebrity -- so that just about says it all. LOL on the tiny showers, though. When RC first came out with uber-small round showers, one of the CD's on Navigator of the Seas suggested that 'soaping-up and spinning around' was the quickest way to get clean, in one of those! But, how does the rest of Oceania's cabin space (storage, etc) compare to most X cabins? How are the verandas, generally speaking?

Hi Patty! My DH and I had the great good luck to cruise with you and Eric, a couple of times (pre-Covid) on Celebrity. We are currently considering booking Oceania (among other choices) for a big wedding anniversary, coming up. How do you guys like Oceania -- compared to X?

Never bought any watches or jewelry in X's overpriced shops. (And I'm old enough to remember when you could sometimes snag a deal on that sort of thing, onboard some cruise lines.)

Interesting...

As someone considering Oceania for the first time, I have a question about the possible '26 Holiday cruise itineraries: I noticed that there is a Panama Canal transit cruise featured in '24 & '25. Is that just a coincidence, or a usual Holiday itinerary? I'd love to do a Panama Canal transit for the '26 Holiday Season!

WOW -- what an announcement! Although I don't plan to move my existing (26.2) booking -- as a 'left-coast cruiser' -- I'm beyond thrilled to see Mr. Lazaroff chartering Summit's Pacific Coastal sailings, two years in a row! Fingers crossed that this becomes an annual jazz cruises option!😎🤞

Glad to hear that the couple graciously complied. But my thought is: Given how helpful and accommodating the Luminae staff usually is -- why didn't they just request a table in a quiet corner (or booth), so that they could easily film their own meal -- without intruding on the privacy of other diners?🤔

That's unfortunate to hear. We have good friends who are joining us for the second leg of a Summit B2B out of FtL, next February. I had hoped to order flowers for their cabin, as a 'welcome aboard' gift. Guess we'll stick to chocolate-covered strawberries (assuming they still have those), instead. 🫤

This is something that probably all seasoned HAL cruisers know. So, as a potential HAL 'newbie' -- I appreciate your patience.😇 My question is: When will the December '26 sailings be released? As someone who has done a Holiday Cruise on X (years ago) -- I know that the good cabins can book up quickly. So, I don't want to find myself in that old 'day late and a dollar short' situation, when the time comes to book this one. 😱

Beware the hot soups (not just the onion) -- they tend to over-salt all of them. Having to watch my salt, I try to stick to the cold soups -- when I can find them.

Congrats on booking 26.1! We were in a similar situation, last year. We had a great cabin, but the suites were sold out. Promptly got on the wait-list for a suite -- but nothing opened up that year. We did manage to snag a SkySuite for the SJC's in '25 &'26, though. So -- hang in there. You're on the ship, which is the most important thing!😁

We just bought a set of Riedel 'extreme martini glasses' on Amazon, at a slightly discounted price (and free shipping w/Prime). Summit used them in their Martini Bar, on our last cruise -- and we really liked them. They have a wide base, and up-curving rim -- to add stability and minimize spills.🍸