jawlaw

On 10/30/2023 at 4:24 AM, Mr Luxury said:

I stay in 1124 often and I like the location.

No noise in that area.

The most alarming thing about your post is the "Group"

How many of you will there be,as a "Group"

Ruined an Encore trip this August for most of the other guests that were not from the "Group"

Happy to hear that this is a nice area of the ship to have a cabin, but sad to hear that your trip in August was ruined by a “Group”.  Why was that?

My wife and I are in our 60s, and fairly fit and active.  I have been a big fan of Andrew Weil for years, so I am intrigued by Seabourn’s Mindful Living Tours (all of which seem to have some aspect of enjoying nature/the outdoors, which we love).  Can anyone shed any light on how these tours may differ from a regular excursion?  Thank you!

I was able to grab a spot in The Retreat on our one sea day during a 7 night cruise, at a cost of $249.00.  
 

We will be sailing in the Med from Bodrum, Turkey to Limassol, Cyprus.

Worth it?  
Pros?  

Cons?

Thanks in advance!

Hello. My wife and I will be on Encore in the Mediterranean next year as part of a group.  We’ve been on dozens of cruises, everything from Carnival when our kids were young, to Oceania more recently with other couples (we are in our 60s), but this is our first on Seabourn.  We were just assigned Stateroom 1117.  I have a few questions for anyone who may have stayed in this Stateroom, or nearby:

Is it too high?

is it too close to the front of the ship?

Is it too far from the areas of the ship where the activities are?

Will we experience noise from the nearby Observation Bar?

Will we experience noise from The Retreat directly above us?

Thanks in advance for any insight here!

I started this thread because, when I was thinking about booking my first Oceania cruise, and then after I actually booked it (on Marina to go to the Baltics this past August), I was looking for this kind of discussion, but I could not find it.  
 

First, I wanted real, current information from recent passengers.  
 

And then I wanted validation that my ten (twelve?) grand was a wise vacation investment.
 

Others out there must be looking for the same type of information; there have been lots of posts in the thread, and over 10,000 views.  
 

Sadly, if I had read this thread back when I was first considering Oceania, I would have gone in a different direction.  

This thread sort of got hijacked for a bit by some discussions that were focused first on some special food requirements, and then on the abysmal internet, but those discussions actually led to many broader and honest comments from longtime Oceania fans that indicate that this cruise line is simply not the same cruise line that it was when it built its reputation.  
 

It appears that Oceania is resting on its laurels, having substantially cut back on its quality of food and its level of service.  
 

Having sampled the product, I now feel that Oceania’s (incessant) glossy brochures promise an elegant experience of days gone by that it no longer delivers. 

My wife and I just did this itinerary with another couple.  I think you will enjoy the ports.  We thought Berlin was too far to go just for the day, so we took a tour called Friends of Dave and saw, among other things, Schwerin Castle, which was a highlight.  If I had it to do over again, I would look for an itinerary that had 2 overnights in St. Petersburg.  It was by far the best port with the most to do.  

9 minutes ago, Go-Bucks! said:

. . . as well as keep up with other tasks related to life at home (bills, ordering online, etc). 

Serious question to someone who cruised for seven months from a jealous admirer:  will Amazon deliver to the ship? 

Interesting that the internet is a hot button issue.  I supposed generally people don’t go on vacation to work, but the reality is that we live in a society where folks expect to have the ability to make instant contact all the time.  I agree with other posters that, if Oceania is going to offer internet access, then they should offer a level

of service that will not create frustration to their customers.  

3 hours ago, LHT28 said:

I would  disagree

 but it is your choice

So will comment no further

 

My wife had some dietary issues (not life and death stuff), and I felt that Oceania tried very hard to accommodate her.  They provided menus in advance, etc., and tried to match them in time for our scheduled specialty restaurants.  However, it’s a big operation, and sometimes the info did not trickle down to our service staff.  When that happened, they did their best to fix it.  

13 hours ago, clo said:

I would have gone the management route.

Yeah, I think sometimes management does not know what’s happening on the front lines.  There was a general attitude among the staff that if a passenger had a problem, it wasn’t their problem, and the rank-and-file were not empowered to fix it.  Our group had housekeeping, dining and excursion issues, and our concerns were universally met with blank stares and shrugs.  In my view, this falls on management, and comes from the top down.  I mentioned this in a mid-cruise survey, and received a call from the head Concierge,  expressing agreement, and her surprise (and displeasure) that the staff had been unresponsive.  At least it was noted and acknowledged.  

1 hour ago, edgee said:

...don't get me started.😒

So interesting.  The food is not what it used to be.  The internet doesn’t meet industry standards.  The gym equipment is outdated.  The entertainment is rubbish. Etc, etc., etc.  But Oceania clearly has a loyal following.  There are some people on these boards who spend literally months at a time on Oceania ships.  This tells me that Oceania is clearly doing something right.  They have created an intangible that makes the experience - and, perhaps more significantly,  the memory of the experience - such that folks want to have that experience over and over again.  I think it’s brilliant.  In fact, that’s what I wanted and, based on the hype, that’s what I expected when I signed up.  I wanted Oceania to become my go to cruise line.  Hard to say why I didn’t “get it”; the fact that I didn’t is probably the biggest reason I’m disappointed.  Cheers to all of you who love it; I will keep looking for my Oceania.  

4 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

How was the unlimited internet service in your respective cabins and on your balcony (if you had one)? 

13 hours ago, Andee said:

Whenever we board an Ocesnia ship, I am immediately happy.

Nice.  That’s the feeling we are all looking for.  

6 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

Deja vu all over again or a CC glitch? 😀

Nope. Just me not being good at posting stuff. And I totally get that people could be in love with this ship and this line.  

Thought I could try to help folks trying to decide.  Peace.  Out. 

53 minutes ago, sunlover12 said:

To the OP, I would be interested to know why you think the Marina is in badly need of refurbishment.  I was on Marina in June of this year and I didn’t see that. I doubt it could have deteriorated that much in 2 months.  There were a couple of little paint chips on the wall of our cabin that you would have to be up close to in order to see it.  I observed the public areas to be in excellent condition and saw nothing that was in bad need of refurbishment.   Interesting........

 

i did not encounter any staff who couldn’t care less if someone had a good time. 

 

As others have mentioned,  Oceania does not bill itself as a luxury line.  It’s a premium line, which as I see it, means it is between the mass market lines and the luxury lines. With that said, I think that the expectations someone has before you set foot on the ship has a lot to do with how much you are going to enjoy your cruise. 

Totally agree regarding expectations, which were set by Oceania before we set foot on the ship.  Right after we booked, I began to receive 2-3 emails per week, and 1-2 printed brochures per week, all touting the elegance of Oceania.  And the experience simply wasn’t elegant.  

As to the refurbishment, I could go to town here.  Stained carpeting in the hallways.  Broken equipment in the Concierge Lounge and fitness center.  Stateroom televisions that are completely outdated.  We had a broken balcony door, a broken mirror in the bathroom, and badly worn bathrobes, sheets and towels.  

I will say that the art collection throughout the ship is lovely.  

6 hours ago, Sny said:

Sorry you were disappointed.  We were on the Marina in the Baltic last summer and had a wonderful experience.  I dislike your implication that those in PH or above are treated better.  Would be interested in specifics.

I think they get a butler.  We had one casual interaction in the hallway with a butler while he was on his way to the suite next door to us, and he was the kindest and most helpful crew member we spoke to.  This led me to believe that we would have had more personalized service and attention if we had booked that level of stateroom. 

4 minutes ago, bigmjh said:

Are you are saying (implying) that 'O fails relative to Carnival and RCCL? THAT will definitely ruffle a few feathers here.

No.  I just answered the question about what other lines I’ve been on.  I’m not comparing Oceania to any other line, but rather measuring my experience on this cruise based on the expectations created by Oceania. 

2 hours ago, Sny said:

Sorry you were disappointed.  We were on the Marina in the Baltic last summer and had a wonderful experience.  I dislike your implication that those in PH or above are treated better.  Would be interested in specifics.

I think they get a butler.  We had one casual interaction in the hallway with a butler while he was on his way to the suite next door to us, and he was the kindest and most helpful crew member we spoke to.  This led me to believe that we would have had more personalized service and attention if we had booked that level of stateroom.   

50 minutes ago, no fuss travel said:

We have found that the food quality is not the same as it used to be on any of the  lines we have sailed on.  We prefer smaller ships, so will stick with Oceania for that reason.  Also we enjoy meeting with the people who travel on Oceania.  We pick our cruises by itinerary and if we have to tender or not and also if it fits into our timetable.

 

Sorry that Oceania did not meet your expectations, but hope there are other lines that do meet your expectations.

We also enjoy meeting other folks.  This cruise had an alumni group of over 200 that we were not part of; maybe this had an impact on the “vibe”. 

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

everyone has different expectations 

Oceania is not a Luxury line  so maybe  that is where your problems started

 

I am a regular on Oceania  but do not think we get extra special service

The  food while still good  is not  the way it used to be a few years back  I would agree on that

 

I would be interested in what lines you have sailed  that you are comparing?

 

 

Disney, Carnival and RCCL for many years when our kids were young. Celebrity more recently in the Mediterranean.  Ponant not too long ago in the Adriatic. 

Oceania certainly holds itself out as luxury, and creates very high expectations (“Finest Cuisine at Sea”) so, of course, our expectations were very high.  

1 hour ago, Sny said:

Sorry you were disappointed.  We were on the Marina in the Baltic last summer and had a wonderful experience.  I dislike your implication that those in PH or above are treated better.  Would be interested in specifics.

I think they get a butler.  We had one casual interaction in the hallway with a butler while he was on his way to the suite next door to us, and he was the kindest and most helpful crew member we spoke to.  This led me to believe that we would have had more personalized service and attention if we had booked that level of stateroom. 

I think this might blow up this board, but I just got back from 10 days on the Marina (Baltic Bliss itinerary), my first Oceania cruise, and I think Oceania cheerleaders may need a reality check.  

We were traveling with another couple.  We spent the night in London before our cruise left from Southampton.  We went to Selfridge’s, which has a world class wine shop.  While our wives were shopping, my buddy and I each picked out 6 bottles of wine, ranging in cost from $20-$35 per bottle.  The store gave us a 10% case discount (which is pretty standard).  For another $6, we each also bought a canvas bag specifically designed to carry wine, and we each carried our six bottles on board, no problem.  Each night, we brought a red, a white - sometimes one of each - to our restaurant of the night, paid the corkage fee, and got to drink what we wanted at an overall reasonable price.  If we didn’t finish a bottle, it was stored and brought to our table at whichever restaurant we went to next.  Worked out great.  (We each also received a gift bottle from our AMEX TA, and they did not charge a corkage fee on that bottle.)

Not really.  One $18 glass of wine is almost $22 with the 18% added.  So two glasses would cost nearly $45.  A bottle of wine has 5 glasses.