Onboard Marina now. Observations from a newbie.

So we are 6 days into our cruise. Currently in Split. Marital Unit is ashore and I am am catching up on some studying (degree in ancient History and classical Archaeology - this cruise is spot on for my studies). Embarkation was amazingly fast and well organised. We were sitting in Waves within 10 minutes of getting to the port. All staff are amazing with the exception of a rather dour dealer in the casino.

Food has been excellent with the exception of Red Ginger where it was just good (watermelon and duck salad was fantastic however), Polo Grill was sublime.

I cannot praise the staff highly enough, courteous and friendly, and they seem as a whole to be a happy ship.

We haven’t really done any of the activities apart from a well attended bingo game and a couple of poker tournaments - they need to change the structure of the tournaments, but I think that is down to the casino company rather than the cruise line. We don’t go to shows as they doesn’t interest us.

The ship truly is beautiful, I don’t think this sailing is full, but even if it were I don’t think it would seem crowded. This would appear to be optimum size for us.

Fellow passengers are lovely, 2 children on board, well behaved. Age demographic is slightly under what I understand to be the norm for Oceania.

We are very happy with Oceania. It’s a million miles above our previous line Celebrity.

I may cry when I have to leave next week. I am not sure it’s going to be as much of a battle to get workaholic Marital Unit to book another cruise as it usually is. He is quietly enjoying every second, and that’s a huge compliment from him.

Thank you to everyone on this board for their combined wisdom, you have helped make this easily my best cruise.

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Thanks for your posting. We will also be newbies when we go on Sirena (not 'til 2019). Appreciate your insights.

Thanks so much for this positive review! We will be on Marina in a few weeks so please be kind and leave some booze for us!haha

Cheers!

So glad to hear that you are enjoying Oceania. We will be sailing on Marina in December. Our first cruise on Oceania after many years of cruising with Celebrity. So glad you are liking the experience :)

ToxM,

Glad to hear you are enjoying one of our favorite ships. We'll be on board again in December. Could I ask if you would tell me please who the Assistant Cruise Director is on your cruise?

Thanks in advance.

Sure seems to be a lot of Celebrity people trying Oceania. I like both, but for different things.

Thanks for your review. Hope you were able to get out and enjoy Split some.

Is that where the water organ is? Or is that Zadar? They run together for me.

Water organ is in Zadar

Water organ is in Zadar

OK, I got them straight now. Split is the one where all the college kids from all over come to backpack. There is an old castle and a old town there. I think Zadar was more modern.

Thank-you for your review. We will be on Marina in December. This will be our first Oceania cruise. After 14 cruises on Celebrity, it's time to step up. A million miles above Celebrity is a huge step up. :D

Great food, great beds, wonderful service. O is for outstanding!

ToxM,

 

 

 

Glad to hear you are enjoying one of our favorite ships. We'll be on board again in December. Could I ask if you would tell me please who the Assistant Cruise Director is on your cruise?

 

 

 

Thanks in advance.

Edward (didn’t catch his second name) is ass cruise director. Youngish Australian. Nice chap!

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Edward (didn’t catch his second name) is ass cruise director. Youngish Australian. Nice chap!

 

 

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Haven't run across any of those, but perhaps you could describe some of them that way.

Thank you OP for your post - so glad you are enjoying yourself on Oceania.

We took our first voyage on Oceania on the Marina in September 2017 - this after 1992 to 2015 exclusively on Celebrity. We do not anticipate returning to Celebrity.

Yes ORV, there were very many first time passengers on the Marina, most from Celebrity like us. Our TA in Toronto advised us that many of their former Celebrity guests are moving to Oceania and Viking.

Oceania and Celebrity are different planets - not designed to be the same. Oceania is alot what Celebrity used to be - outstanding food, top notch service, product offering for everyone on the ship (not just suites), Celebrity management has chosen to pursue a younger guest and they now focus on the superficial physical aspects of ships (Garden of Edens) and nickle and diming for many items. On Celebrity only suites matter, everyone else is 2nd and 3rd class.

Fortunately, there are many cruise lines out there, so if consumers would open their minds, they can see there is a broader world of cruising options out there.

It is truly amazing that so many cruisers keep sailing with the same cruise line and accepting of the never ending downgrading of the product - which in the end keeps costing them more. The illusion of the "free" beverage packages seems to be a winning scam for the cruise lines.

Cruising today reinforces the "bell curve" with Obedient Consumers constantly purchasing cruises on the same line over and over in the face of declining value. Got to love it.

OMG, I am so glad you are having a wonderful time. Our two kids are on board now. They love it, but we just took them on Riviera in March, so they feel well at home. Have a wonderful time.

We generally sail Celebrity and RCI. We're considering a 10-day sailing on the Regatta this April. As a newbie, what do you like better about Oceania when compared to Celebrity? We were recently on the Equinox and had an Aqua class cabin and loved the experience in Blu. But, overall, Celebrity is not that much different than RCI. Thanks for your opinions!

We generally sail Celebrity and RCI. We're considering a 10-day sailing on the Regatta this April. As a newbie, what do you like better about Oceania when compared to Celebrity? We were recently on the Equinox and had an Aqua class cabin and loved the experience in Blu. But, overall, Celebrity is not that much different than RCI. Thanks for your opinions!

There are quite a few extensive threads on that subject here. For some good reading do a search on them. It will answer a lot of your questions.

A few more facts about this current cruise. Go Next has brought aboard ~380 cruisers from 19 different universities; and Food and Wine Trails has a contingency of 52 with Davis Family Vineyards. Therefore, around 430 of the cruisers , out of ~1100 are from Group Booking. Last night at the O Club Reception we’re told only 37% of the cruisers are repeat O Club members. This compares with 76 and 82% repeaters on my last two O cruises. In line with this, the median age of this cruise is probably 20 years plus younger than my past cruises. The energy on board far exceeds other O cruises. This has been a huge welcomed change from my more recent O cruises! Horizons is seeing much more dancing at late night Happy Hour and the numbers grumbling about never seeing 9:00 pm is greatly diminished. Simple stuff stands out such as the vast numbers taking the stairs as opposed to the elevators to go 1 or 2 + decks! I also heard that early on in the cruise, on an O shore tour , some of the new to O cruisers got the in face of a couple of their fellow cruisers that had signed up for tours they were physically unfit for and were negatively affecting the tour. This cruise has a pleasantly different vibe from many of the other O cruises.

Service has been very good. A few discombobulations due to a huge turnout in Athens, followed by another one in Kotor. But the crews spirits are high and I believe those issues will get worked out.

Internet service has been horrible on this cruise, even the O Club Ambassadors were complaining about it today. Hopefully, this will get fixed likewise.

It’s been a great cruise so far and most things have gone smoothly and efficiently.

So what you are saying is to book an O cruise with large groups onboard if you want a lot of activity ;)

So what you are saying is to book an O cruise with large groups onboard if you want a lot of activity ;)

We have been getting enough activity with the regular O cruisers. In the past it has not been fun with big groups aboard. Too noisy and not too well behaved for the most part. Happy with the normal crowd. Just me I guess. Or maybe others feel the same way. Tell me either way.

So what you are saying is to book an O cruise with large groups onboard if you want a lot of activity ;)

No, thank you - not what I am looking for :D

I’ll take the more sedate crowd that goes to bed early.

There are other lines where one can party late into the night.

I also heard that early on in the cruise, on an O shore tour , some of the new to O cruisers got the in face of a couple of their fellow cruisers that had signed up for tours they were physically unfit for and were negatively affecting the tour.

You say that like it's a good thing? Pet peeve, a good tour guide deals with these things. IMHO, that's one of the things they are there for. I know it's annoying to have someone who has overestimated their ability/stamina and it can affect everyone on the tour. Until all tours require notes from their family doctor on fitness levels, it's going to happen. But a good tour guide sees the problem and finds a solution, even if it's escorting the pax back to the bus, or seating them in a park until that segment is finished. But having other pax get "in their face" ? No bueno.

You say that like it's a good thing? Pet peeve, a good tour guide deals with these things. IMHO, that's one of the things they are there for. I know it's annoying to have someone who has overestimated their ability/stamina and it can affect everyone on the tour. Until all tours require notes from their family doctor on fitness levels, it's going to happen. But a good tour guide sees the problem and finds a solution, even if it's escorting the pax back to the bus, or seating them in a park until that segment is finished. But having other pax get "in their face" ? No bueno.

I believe that O gives the stamina ability level for each of their tours so if people do not read what it takes for each of these tours including how much walking it takes than someone should get in their face if only the guide. It affects everyone if someone is holding the rest of the group from doing all that is supposed to be done on the tour.

I believe that O gives the stamina ability level for each of their tours so if people do not read what it takes for each of these tours including how much walking it takes than someone should get in their face if only the guide. It affects everyone if someone is holding the rest of the group from doing all that is supposed to be done on the tour.

Yeah. I get that. As a matter of fact i said I understood the consequences. I don't know of a cruise line that doesn't list the activity "level" on each tour. I also know that on a ship with 1200 pax, someone if going to suffer from over-optimism. But I can't come up with a scenario where I think it's okay for other passengers to get in anyone's face. The guide needs to deal with it. Ship's tours are not Lord of the Flies.

No, thank you - not what I am looking for :D

I’ll take the more sedate crowd that goes to bed early.

There are other lines where one can party late into the night.

Me too

I go to bed about 11pm sometimes OMG I do stay up a bit later but my party days are well behind me :evilsmile:

But I can't come up with a scenario where I think it's okay for other passengers to get in anyone's face. The guide needs to deal with it. Ship's tours are not Lord of the Flies.

Kate - I am definitely with you on this one.

It is unacceptable behavior on the part of one passenger towards a fellow passenger.