gardenbunny

Thanks for the info.  I appreciate it.

I was trying to figure out why it changed…guess just Covid.

I know why St Barts was removed for Sirena itinerary moved to Marina - ship is too large - only small passenger ships like Sirena allowed.

So I will try again next year….

Twiga - Yes.  I just this minute saw it!!  My booking had finally been transferred this morning so I have been reserving my dining.  Then went to excursions and that is when I saw it.  Soooooo bummed.  I have been to St Martin and St. Maarten several times

But so it goes in Covid time - just good to be back on a ship….and first time on Oceania - yea - and got upgraded to this beautiful ship and a veranda cabin!!

Life is pretty good 😁

30 minutes ago, gbits said:

+1 for 2/7 cruise

30 minutes ago, gbits said:

We will be waiting anxiously to see how your itinerary gets revised. I was feeling so optimistic about our 28/1 sailing but now I must say i’m a bit worried. 

I have been following this topic and I am also wondering how the ports on my Feb 11 now on Marina transferred from Sirena will be changed.  I booked the cruise to try Oceania and to have a first visit to St Vincent and St Barts.  So excited about the change to Marina and keeping fingers crossed for those 2 ports.

This will never happen, but I wish Princess would publish the data collected from surveys on what people think of Medallion.  Curious to see if it would lean more to approve or disapprove!!

Princess has been promoting this system for years - the initial roll out was awful and the schedule to add to all the ships was woefully behind schedule.  You would have thought during the Covid pause they could have had the time to make it right.  

They have too much invested to quit - so I have no idea how they move forward.  Only thing good so far is the wifi.

Totally agree on ain’t broke don’t fix it…just look at what has happened with Disney and their new system - the negative reviews keep pouring in.

All I used the Medallion for was cabin entry!

Technology is a tool like any other invention and/or  innovation that has evolved over my 7 decades.  Some I use, some I don’t.  Some you have to learn on a basic level, some you don’t.  Do I use every function it can do, nope.  Do I use Google a lot to show me the steps I need to do certain things I would like, yep.

My TA gave me a tutorial aide for using the Medallion App.  Step by step with pictures.  Not sure how she got it but it was great.  I had been stumbling my way through on my own.  Used that and sailed right through…other than the software glitches beyond our control. That is on Princess to resolve!

Princess should include that aide with every booking confirmation!

Making progress - My TA called today and our cabin is 7087.  

However, Oceania person told my TA they are having issues causing delays in adding booking to the My Account.  Said it could be available for check in and reservations Friday  but should be open Monday.

Been watching all the 360 videos - stunningly beautiful ship.  

Need to read about all the dining options - so many …..

This is going to be fun experiencing on board amenities regardless of where ship goes. LOL

Now fingers crossed all the testing goes well.

I think people in that situation probably have Covid when they board  and testing  at pier is negative because viral load is too low to capture on rapid test. And IF they have no sysmptoms they could very well be unknowingly spreading.  And if they don’t have another test lets say before 5 days, next test could be negative again because viral load has passed!

Testing has to be just the right timing.

My question - didn’t CDC change quarantine to 5 days if you test negative at that time?

Articles said they would be processed by USPS - my thought process was maybe I bypassed a middle man..  LOL

Even though I have a newer phone - I hated entering the info into the phone. Ifind it far easier to enter it into the computer.

I don't think they should be telling people they need a new phone. They need to accommodate those who don't want to upgrade their phone or who don't have phones. They need to have a reality check. Not everyone is the same.

Coral - so right!  I put that on my recent Enchanted cruise survey - Princess should offer the option - App or Website.  Many other business offer that option. Sure they want you to download their app - but I don’t want to clutter my phone with apps I might only use a few times.

So did I. But you also had option to order from USPS. I chose that.  

Correct - and Oceania said just wait.  See you on board 🤞🏻

Thanks for info - Our trip is Waves of Wanderlust Feb 11 - 23. Miami to Miami

Will there only be 300 from Sirena on Feb 11?  Were they combining other ships? 

Is there a possibility they will move us to another date?

My first Oceania and we have been moved to another ship which everyone posting about that has said it’s a good deal!  We got the email notice on 1/10/22 and the new booking number 1/16.

I agree and am excited - we board Feb 11.

However my new booking number is still not in the system.  I also tried on several occasions to manually enter with no success.

So I called customer service and waited about 20 minutes to ask when it would be on My Account so I can check in and reserve dining, etc.

She informed me they are aware of the issue and are working to resolve.  She advised to keep checking the website until it is there.

Testing is a seriously high anxiety moment waiting for that result 😬

It is such a precise alignment of so many factors out of your control for that single moment when you swab your nose…Covid roulette 😁

Curious to know how many people have taken the test feeling 100% normal to find out positive??

Or how many test negative only to get symptoms after they board??

The original Covid and its previous variants were very harmful to vulnerable people because it attacked the lungs.

But for all the data thus far Omicron is primarily like a cold staying in the upper tract and in large part you feel better after a few days.

I truly hope we are close to the point where this  virus is running its course.

2 hours ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

Masking isn't great, but we'll do what we need to do.

What I would like to see go away is the testing. It's such an inconvenience and I'm not convinced it 'proves' whether or not one is infectious when they get on a ship anyway since it occurs 2 days earlier...... 

I second that.  

Absolutely, it only “proves” you tested negative at that preceise time you swabbed your nose.

You need to test every day if you truly want testing to be anywhere close to effective.  

People forget it is “a moment in time” test.    With as fast as Omicron spreads, you could be negative on your 2 days before boarding test -  but by the first couple days on the ship - either having symptoms or not - test positive. So in between that time who knows which particle of virus you let out into the air that gets inhaled by some random person passing by??

If they only allow vaccinated passengers on board and a mask, that is safe enough for me.  I was not concerned at all on the Enchanted on NYE cruise.

I have recently had personal friends (all considered in good health) vaccinated and unvaccinated that got Omicron and said it felt like a bad cold for a few days and then gone.  We tend to forget after 2 years of Covid-mania people can still have issues with the  common cold going into bronchitis and in some cases to pnuemonia and death.

It all comes back to your personal choice and risk factor. If you are not comfortable going, then wait.

My imppression I was not a big fan for different reasons.  Just off Enchanted 1/9 and put this comment in my survey.  I wrote that I am concerned Princess will go too technology oriented and forget the personal relationships with crew that they are known for.  We have had enough social interaction deprivation during Covid.  I am ready for one on one and a smile and conversation with the crew.

We sat on pool deck almost the entire day everyday.  We would get our own food, either from Lido, burger grill or pizza.  But we would order diet cokes when we could flag down a crew member.  I can remember before Covid crew was always walking around asking if they could bring you anything.  It seemed on this cruise they were too busy delivering! (Similar experience in the mornings for drinks in Lido).  They would eventually stop and most times their device could not read our Medallions so we had to give cabin number.  They would hit a lot of buttons and leave.  Quite a bit later a different person would deliver.  Or if it never came, a crew supervisor would stop to ask if we got it.

Just seems very awkward.  I eventually usually brought my own with me and would get a refill if someone at our table stopped someone.  

I also think DMW and no longer a Maitr’d is taking away the personal.

I don’t cruise to have an everyday drive-thru or door dash experience.

Just saying……

14 minutes ago, AlexCherie said:

When I grow up I want to be you.

We get that alot!  It had always been a dream of mine to do one and we  loved it. Our first was Northern Hemisphere…I had to see the Taj Mahal. 

I never intended to do a second.  But itinerary changed that year for Southern Hemisphere and the 3 full days in Capetown So Africa sealed the deal - so we had to go!

We did both on the Pacific Princess small ship 650 passengers.  Love small ships!

Such an economical way to see so many places (even if some are just for 1 day) - unpack once, hotel follows you, all food included, entertainment etc.  And you are traveling with like-minded people who enjoy travel.

8 minutes ago, AlexCherie said:

So here’s the thing: 

You want to be tested before you get to the dock, within the parameters required. Here is why: if you fail at the dock, they’ll test you a second time to get you onboard. You fail the second time, and you can’t substantiate a passing grade at home, they aren’t covering you for the cost of your cruise. Period, full stop.

You tested at home, you fail twice at the dock my understanding is that O will cover you. Also, you fail at home you can just save yourself the entire PITA trip. 

You couldn’t have it any worse than us - we were getting tested on a holiday weekend, on a Saturday (January 1!!!) for a flight on January 3. Which, btw, never left town and forced us to drive 22 hours to get to Miami, but that’s another story. 

 

Good advice to pre test at home.  Thanks. Maybe I will try that new .gov site opening 1/19 to order free tests and see how that works!!!  

You definitely had a really really bad pre-cruise experience - the perfect storm all came together.  You couldn’t see it at the time, but it will be a great memory to look back on and you will never forget that trip!  And bonus, you had a great ship to recover on 😁

We had 4 flights canceled on us in January 2020 trying to get to Rio from Atlanta.  We were delayed in Atlanta, finally got to Miami - where the fun began -  had to spend the night in the airport (after 30 years of travel our first time!) and finally got to Rio 2 days late to join our tour to Iguazu Falls!  But if you travel you have to be  flexible and go with the flow.  I took a picture of the pile of unused boarding passes we were given for those 4 flights that never took off….

But your question would seem to be this: would I risk a lot of sea days? That particular cruise is so port intensive, I’d run that risk. Enjoying a couple of days at sea would be really, really enjoyable on that ship. And I really, really liked the crew.

Having done 2 World Cruises (2017,2019) 100 days each - sea days are  very very welcome!  We had one stretch of 7 ports in a row, and we were all counting down the days to sea days.

To take a quote from another ..a great time to do nothing and only get half of it done 😄

Thanks for your review.  Very well written.

We are doing our first Oceania Feb 11 from Miami to Caribbean.  We primarily sail Cunard and Princess.

We were to be on small ship Sirena, but got a pleasant surprise, to the unfortunate disappointment of cruisers on Marina, after So America closed down - to be changed to Marina.

And Oceania is putting all passengers in staterooms and Suites with verandas.

We had booked interior (we are not balcony people) so we are excited.

We have friends who travel on Oceania and really love it.  And since we decided to pause our foreign overseas crusies until April of 2023, it has given us time to try some other cruise lines to Caribbean from US ports.

Quick question - I read the O health protocols but still a but confused on pre-testing before boarding.  We did Enchanted Princess over New Years Eve and they required we provide a negative test taken 2 days prior to boarding. It was a 10 day cruise and never tested us again.

Does Oceania require our own test, or do they test us before boarding? I read they will provide testing on board for certain ports.

Thanks 

I solved that problem in Oct/Nov on the Grand Princess by using a little"eyeglass keeper" with clips. Mine looked like a beaded necklace and kept my mask "around my neck" if I took it off to eat. I tossed it over my shoulder to keep it from filling with crumbs.  

I saw people doing that early in the serious masking days back in 2020…..Great idea.  May have to try that 😊

Thanks for info.  I have not gotten a notification yet, but your cruise is much sooner than mine.  

Would like to hear how your cruise was and any other info you can share.  Having sailed only Cunard and Princess I am excited to try a new line.

Thanks and enjoy.

We were on the NYE cruise that ended on 9th.  We rarely had anyone on the elevators.  And actually we didn’t feel like we had to wear a mask very much except for walking in the common areas on 5,6,7, into and out of DR and Lido, or on excursion bus, and sitting in the theatre if you went to a show or presentation.  

We stayed on pool deck everyday so outdoor no mask, and once you sat down in DR or Lido you could take it off. With the low capacity you rarely came upon a large number of people.

Always felt safe.

We were asked by our room steward if we wanted turn down service and we said yes.

Funny thing was in Lido you would get up and start walking to go get something and then the ooops moment - turn around and go back to table to get your mask. HaHa

I am new to Oceania, first cruise will be Feb 11.  It was to be on Sirena but was just moved to Marina.

I was on the website Wednesday.  I just opened again now to see if cruise has been reassigned but everything is blank showing I have no cruises.

I was thinking it might be because of the change.

Could that be?