mauibabes

I hate to say it but IT is not Oceania’s strong point. As FDR shared in his M and G on Vista in May, they just did not have the $$ to invest in the development of a NEW Reservation System so they took one off the shelf. Their priorities have not been in IT but in other aspects of the guests experience, including some new ships. Remember Oceania was and is a small fish in a big sea so let the Mass marketers create bells and whistles and medallions and other cutesy tech stuff to entertain the guests. I am guessing it is a “Round to it” issue and an App has not risen to the top of the investment, To Do list. Perhaps NCLH should invest the $$ for all three lines once they have shed some of their debt load and are more profitable. After all, they have just turned the corner to profitability and we hope they continue to generate the profits needed to sustain their excellence. JMHO. Mauibabes

@lj77346 Ditto, I think some portion sizes have shrunk a bit but there is still far more food than I should be eating at any seating. We did master the Medium Rare Filet in Polo, I explain to the Waiter with two fingers about 2” apart that this is the thickness of the steak they should bring me. In that way, I eat the meat that is perfect and leave the too well or too rare portion and smile because my Cardiologist should be proud of me for limiting my “Red” meat consumption. You are right, I or We are now that persons who are older and I do not appreciate the brashness of some of the “kids” aka 40year olds, who have not learned to respect their elders. We are in the same boat with you. In fact now and then we try to take a 40 or 50 something child along with us so they see we are doing “just fine” spending their inheritance in an appropriate fashion. Besides, Inheritance is defined as what is left after we are done. 🤪🤞P.S. and we are not done yet😇👍❤️🛳️🍷🛫 ENJOY, Mauibabes

Again, OMG FOLKS, variety is the spice of life so there are lots of options, whether on an R or O or an A (Allura) Class ship. We keep trading off between Specialties, 2 or 4, and GDR for DW’s FAVORITE Jacques Chicken and the Terrace Cafe. TC when we want a faster, simpler dining option or Special Menu/Ethnic after a tiring excursion port day, or maybe joining some friends in GDR for a longer, chatty evening. If you are fortunate enough to pick up some “Availability” driven dinner reservations in the Specialties, that could leave you with easily 20-30 Main Entree options for dinner nightly. I don’t know about you but that is more dinner options than I would see in a month at home. 🤪DW Even if I lived in an Independent or Assisted Living Residence 🤪🙏🤙 or Uber Eats delivery, etc. Even Room Service from the GDR or Specialties if necessary, you have delicious options so just ENJOY. 😇👍❤️🍷 Mauibabes

OMG folks, to utter Olive Garden in the same sentence as Toscana, even our California area upscale chain Il Formaio is hardly in the same league. Please do not denigrate the excellence of the Chef’s, menus, and ingredients that Oceania uses to deliver their cuisine. Post Covid, there have been changes but certainly not all for the bad. think of Baristas and the Bakery on Vista, Aquamar Kitchen, etc. We all have different likes and dislikes so I would encourage any refugee from X or other mass market line to head to Oceania with an open mind. It really is an excellent cruise line, Pre and Post Covid. Definitely try a Vista cruise or wait about two weeks for the release of Allura’s 2025 itineraries. Come next Summer, check out the remodeled/reimagined Marina. Make your own decisions and enjoy your cruises. Mauibabes

@Sthrngary MAJOR DITTO, plus 1 and all that. Miracle Worker TA’s are out there and the skills and approach you mentioned go a long way towards success. The “Party Line” prevails UNLESS you know the RIGHT Party!😇 We will look forward to reading about your cruise adventures with your friends in the Fall. Mauibabes

@Sthrngary@jonthomas We wish you both the best of luck on your Stateroom locations and eventual level. Definitely can be a crap shoot. We have booked GTY before but never made it past FP before we had a specific booked room. I think a lot of DIY ers on CC can get hung out on the GTY but in the future, try to find a well connected TA (Connoisseur Club at a min.) because they are normally able to pull that rabbit out of a hat very early in the process and rid you of the anxiety and angst that goes with unknowing. I know Gary has been working with a TA, hence that great move up to the Oceania Suite (we absolutely loved our cruise in one years ago as we had a number of friends cruising with us so we became party central and we ALL enjoyed ourselves). Good luck as you approach your sailing date and make sure you find that amazing TA. I know a lot of folks like to chat about their “Deals” from their TA but a deal on a cruise that is not enjoyable due to accommodations is NOT a deal in my book, JMHO. BUT I do have to say, I have picked a “CLUNKER” of a location 🤬 before but that is on me. Riviera 11065 🤬 NOISY and DW was in tears and we know, “Happy wife, happy life”. . Again, enjoy your cruises. Mauibabes

Glad your Travel Agency made their offer and it worked out well for you. My other comments still hold true, NCLH is at $18 so getting $250 is a nice ROI and if you really enjoy O and book more cruises, you will gain even more SBC every time you sail. Enjoy your cruise. Mauibabes

Or you might continue to get even better services from your current TA as opposed to the one trying to buy your business. TA’s who specialize in O can often get other benefits and services for you beyond SBC. Want some extra SBC, buy 100 shares of NCLH and if your trip is over 14 days, Oceania will add $250 to your on board account. Now I am not a Stock Broker nor giving investment advice, just a way to get SBC and just maybe be a few bucks ahead down the road. I bought mine at $10 and I’m not selling, just adding my Shareholder SBC onto every Oceania trip I take. One more thought, when on your cruise, visit with the Oceania Club Ambassador and book a future cruise or two or… the discount, deposit and SBC offered is 👍👍💰 and you do not have to tie it to the first TA if they have not given you the level of service you expect. Enjoy your cruise, Mauibabes

Actually it is the same size safe we have had in any veranda up level room. I would go for two Costco chickens but not wide enough for a box of Protein Shakes🤪👍 Mauibabes

@psbhappy All good advice shared with you and have a great time on your first Oceania cruise. I would suggest whichever of the two couples have the highest Booked Category, ie PH 75 days out vs Concierge 60 days, let the person who can book first make all your reservations. Simpler yet, tell your TA to handle it and give them the day and time you desire. No TA, no big deal, just go on line after midnight EST on your prescribed date and book your 2 or 4 reservations. Additional reservations can be booked once aboard depending on the length of your cruise and what you are allocated. You will find a lot of dining menu items discussed on the Board with recommendations. You can also see the menu items on line for each of the Specialty restaurants you should enjoy your dining options. Mauibabes

OMG, this Hubby was able to handle his assigned chores. They worked great and washed and dried in a timely manner. The dryer was good and we did not have to lay clothes out all over the bed to finish drying 😇👍 We we’re glad to see the bucket in place under the soap dispenser because as always, it does leak. With a 16 day trip on our horizon on Vista, we are very happy to have the washer/dryers available in addition to the three bags O provides. Remember, the 20 item bag does not come back pressed, usually somewhat wrinkled so plan to make a trip to the laundry room to “touch up” your shirts and pants. Enjoy, Mauibabes

It may depend on when you are sailing. With Marina scheduled for her remodel in April 24, she will be but not after her return to sailing. In January 23 walls and doors were magnetic. I hear after the remodels in all the other ships, the walls were not. When on Vista in May, her walls were not so we just used our magnets on the entry door. Great place for my O ball cap 😇 We have carried a mini white board that now resides on our front door to leave messages and notes for our Steward or Butler. It has become a great place for conversations, funny drawings and little endearing messages as the staff loved our daily interactions. Actually a great ice breaker. Mauibabes

Absolutely Rome Cabs, used many times 👍 They also have some tours if you check with them. Mauibabes

@seapointer Don’t be concerned, you don’t have to worry about it at all, Oceania does and they stand to lose a lot more than you if it takes even a day longer than is scheduled. Fret naught, just go and enjoy and Marina will be beautiful. I dug out my old paper Thesaurus 🤪👍 Enjoy, Mauibabes

Ditto and a Plus 1 and anything similar. Since I have NO Control over anything written in that contract, I opt not to get excited that it is 100% weighted in favor of the cruise line. “ God grant me … “ is what I live bye in retirement as I only control what I pull my credit card out for and we do love a fabulous Oceania cruise with our Oceania family. ENJOY, Mauibabes

@jnap1210 Easy Peasy, you have already received valuable guidance as far as reservations bookings. On Vista, they opened the Specialty Restaurants at 6:00 on our Founder’s Cruise. If you are dining alone, it would be easy to expedite your dinner, well under 2 hours. Now if dining with 4-6 guests, it will take longer and of course it could depend on how much wine you also consume, 🍷🤪🙏. It should be no problem to make a 9:30 Show Time if dining by 7:00. You have 4 Specialties to book and you will be booking your reservations 75 days before sailing. In addition, as a benefit for booking in a Penthouse, if you would like a Course by Course In Suite dinner served by your Butler, just arrange it with him in advance and savor a nice bottle of “something”. 😇👍 IMHO, just focus on the positive and disregard the negative comments because YOU are the only people who get to decide what you like. The staff aboard will do all they can to ensure you have a memorable special occasion. If you are using a TA, make sure they advise Oceania of any special needs or requirements, be it Food, drink, refrigerator items by brand, special pillows, comforter weight, CPAP water needs if applicable, etc. Your Room Stewards and Butler want you to be pampered so ask for what you want and enjoy becoming a member of their Oceania family, they appreciate us and we definitely appreciate them. Always a smile and they will be calling you by name almost immediately. 👍🤪 All the questions you could imagine to ask have been asked on this Board so”Read On” and don’t hesitate to ask your questions. Forget yesterday’s Pre Covid cruises, no line has escaped unscathed from the effects of 18 months plus being out of business. ENJOY Oceania because it is NOT like any line you have sailed before and Vista is AMAZING. Mauibabes

Actually the video was about a 37 minute interview and tour of Vista. Reference was made by the Design Team member being interested to “Pages” of notes taken to be included in the Allura build. Absolutely nothing specific but I am sure over the next couple of years the CC posters will come up with LOTS of ideas. When we were on Marina’s Inaugural sailing, it was evident there were many wonderful changes and enhancements made over the R ships and then we were on Riviera and there were lots of enhancements over Marina. Just the nature of the cruise line improvements process. In the mean time we will wait patiently for October and our next trip with friends on Vista. One week was definitely toooo short to get the real flavor for her and enjoy all of her updates and improvements. Enjoy, Mauibabes

Possibly but if you do not get on the WL with a Deposit, it definitely will not happen. The Deposit is Refundable and transferable to another booking. It could also depend on what level of Stateroom you are being WL in. Normally you can book three Stateroom levels and your TA or Oceania can tell you how deep the waitlist is. 60 days out, you better be able to commit on a moments notice. I would hope you do not have to fly long distances at a moments notice because that cost could be prohibitive. Good luck, Mauibabes

IMHO, Go log into the Roll Call for your cruise, that is the Home Page so to speak for the Canaries to Catalonia September 2024 cruise. This Board speaks in Oceania generalities and questions, not specific cruises/dates. You would connect with the actual guests on your cruise which is far more valuable and has more valid input. Enjoy your cruise next Fall. Mauibabes

Since we sailed on Vista two months ago and had Starlink, perhaps this news really isn’t new. Yes it is CONSIDERABLY BETTER, my Tech buddy said about 3 times faster than the existing Wi-Fi on the existing Oceania ships. They can’t roll it out fast enough I am sure in the eyes of other guests. Mauibabes

I am expecting it to be AOK as we are in 11073 October 16. We were in 11019 in May and it was perfect.🙏👍😇🛳️🤙 Enjoy, Mauibabes

Surprised this has not been released already. We just saw that August 23, Allura 2025 Itineraries will open for Booking. Remember in September 2021 it was a ZOO when Vista was released. Guests sailing over the next several months will have a great opportunity to make some Allura reservations at the usual $250 pp rate and earn a Booking Discount and maybe some SBC. 👍🤪💰🛳️ While Vista is AMAZING, I recall seeing a video on You Tube talking about the pages of changes that will be incorporated in Allura as she is being constructed in Genoa. We can hardly wait to see the Allura itineraries next month. Mauibabes

I know, next cruise in Polo with a shared table for 6-8, order one for the table and everyone gets a taste👍🤪🤙 because it is HUGE. We do that with the Rack of Lamb in Red Ginger, not because it is huge but just to provide a lollipop taster for anyone at the table who might like to try the lamb but does not want to miss out on their Miso Glazed Sea Bass which is to die for. That mere 35 Oz. Steak Serving is HUGE TOO. For those with military backgrounds, I never saw K Rations or MRE’s (Meals Ready to Eat) with Tomahawk steaks in them, just a bit short of The Finest Cuisine at Sea 😇 I am sure there will be posts soon from Vista cruisers who try the new Veal Steaks and report back. Enjoy your cruising. Mauibabes

Tartan books? Ask your TA where your documents are being sent, he/she sets that up with Oceania. You should be receiving them momentarily and 21 days out, you should have all the documents you need to sail. Enjoy your cruise, Vista is really special. Mauibabes

IMHO, unless your last name is Del Rio, I do not think absolute statements are credible. From what we have been told, there a future ship building plan in operation and you will see more Allura Class ships added to the fleet and replace the aging R Class ships. With Allura in 2025, you can expect more for Oceania and Regent will also be adding ships. That said, Oceania does an excellent job of maintaining their ships so don’t be surprised if in coming years you hear of some being sold to lower end cruise lines. And for the Azamara lovers, this could impact them as well because the ships have a 30 year life according to Exec’s I have talked to. Again, JMHO and a bit of insight. Mauibabes