If we love the Riviera, how would the Insignia compare?

We had a wonderful time on the Riviera on our first Oceania cruise. We really liked the layout of the ship, and that there was plenty of space to have some room to yourself wherever you went.

We are now looking at a summer cruise out of NY on the Insignia, and I am wondering how that would compare. I understand that there is no Red Ginger there :(

Is there an Artist's Loft or a Culinary Center there? We really enjoyed both of those, too.

Aside from that though, anyone who has been on both ships before be able to give a quick pros and cons of being on the Insignia? Thanks.

We actually like the smaller ships.

So first to your specifics.

No Red Ginger. But GDR will have one entree daily from both Red Ginger and Jacques. Specialties are Polo and Toscana on Insignia.

No Artist Loft or Culinary Center. No La Reserve either.

There are lots of places to hide. You will not feel crowded.

R ships are best for port intensive cruises. Bigger ship with more things to do for more sea days. IMHO

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One Pro: On Insignia Baristas coffee bar is on lower deck next to Grand Dining Room. Very convenient near gangway to get coffee and have conversation when returning from a tour...more convenient than having to go to top of ship on Riviera.

One Con: Very small bathrooms/space to shower unless you are in Penthouse category cabin.

Overall both ships offer great Oceania experience.

The decor is completely different Insignia is (allegedly) English country House so a lot darker than the O class ships.

Whilst we like the smaller ships we don't like the decor at all, but it is all personal choice.

Lots of videos on YouTube to check out what the ship looks like.

Insignia does have an area in Horizons, starboard side, used as the Artist’s Loft.

From what I’ve read, the library on the R ships, (Insignia, Regatta, Nautica, Sirena), is nicer than the O ships libraries.

We started out our Oceania cruises on the R ships and our last five cruises were on the Rivera. Happy with both and will go again this July on the Insignia. We may miss the executive lounge and larger spa on the Rivera as well as Jacques but will enjoy the large library on the Insignia. We did love our Oceania Suite on the Riviera but will get an Owners Suite on the Insignia, almost as good.

We have sailed many times on the 'R' class ships and love the small, intimate feel. The ships are easy to navigate around and you can quickly feel comfortable anywhere. They are beautiful ships and the crews are typical, attentive 'O' crews. However, as mentioned above, the staterooms and showers are small in comparison to the Riviera and Marina.

The differences are massive like comparing high school basketball to Div 1 College Basketball. Which one prefers is a personal thing, but the differences are extensive. Personally, I prefer the O ships by magnitudes, while still cruising the R ships because of specific itineraries not available on the O ships.

Unfortunately husband has not wanted to return to the R ships since we sailed on Marina its first summer (2011). Other than the lovely library, the one thing I prefer about the R ships is the more comfortable furniture in its public spaces. The seating on both Marina and Riviera in Horizons, the Grand Bar and Martinis is so low to the floor that it is very uncomfortable after awhile, and also when getting up. I remember we joked that FDR, who is short, must have personally chosen all this uncomfortable seating. Seven years and one more O ship later, and I still think the seating in the public areas is extremely uncomfortable. And just try moving any of the chairs in Martinis for nighttime trivia; they are not light!

This question always gets lots of responses. Many regulars prefer the "R" ships, others prefer the "O" ships. For us -- we like them both for different reasons.

I agree that my favorite space on the "R" ships is the library. The library on the "O" ships is not satisfactory for us. I looked in once and never returned, whereas when I'm on an "R" ship I spend a lot of time in the library when there is "free time".

I see criticisms about decor which I don't understand at all! I think all of the ships are beautiful and very well maintained.

If you want more on-board activities, you have more options on the larger ships. That's not to say there are none of the smaller ships!

Of course, I'm not the first to say that there are more dining options on the larger ships ... and Terrace Buffet is far superior on the larger ships. Not that it's terrible on the older ships, but there is just less room.

We're happy on whichever ship we find ourselves ...

Mura

 

I see criticisms about decor which I don't understand at all! I think all of the ships are beautiful and very well maintained.

 

 

Mura

I wasn't criticising the maintenance of the decor, indeed we were pleasantly surprised doing a ship's visit to Nautica how fresh and clean she was. It is just that the decor is not to my taste, I find it dark and old fashioned and much prefer the light bright decor on the O ships.

As the saying goes "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"!

Indeed it is. But I wasn't specifically referring to you! I've seen the comment from others as well. I wouldn't say from a majority of passengers, just some.

Mura

Although we prefer the cabins and the theater on the O clsss ships, we prefer the size snd most public spaces (Baristas, library, card room, Waves, shops) on the R class ships.

Our recent cruise on Marina was our 1st on an O class ship (after 4 on R class), and there were lots of service issues. We hope that was an aberration because we booked another cruise on Marina for December.

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...I find it dark and old fashioned...

Or classic! The R class were modeled on a English country home by British Designer John McNeece.

Or classic! The R class were modeled on a English country home by British Designer John McNeece.

Hhhmm, :( "modelled on" equates to me in this instance as a theme park version of English Country House, the last straw when they were Princess ships was the pasted on "wallpaper" of leather bound books and Chinese vases on the inside of bookcase doors!! :o:o

It's really a matter of taste, I like the R ships--but the suite are so much nicer on the bigger ships. Also more places to eat which we like because after a week, we just don't like going back to the same place all the time.

It's really a matter of taste, I like the R ships--but the suite are so much nicer on the bigger ships. Also more places to eat which we like because after a week, we just don't like going back to the same place all the time.

The R ships don't compare at all to the O ships. O ship are so much better in almost every way for us. The cabins, dining and all around space are so much nicer on the larger ships. That said we will still sail on the R ships when the ports are right. Or until they take away the amenities which we have earned. Supposed to be Nov. 2019. Then we might not sail on O at all.

We actually like the smaller ships.

So first to your specifics.

No Red Ginger. But GDR will have one entree daily from both Red Ginger and Jacques. Specialties are Polo and Toscana on Insignia.

 

No Artist Loft or Culinary Center. No La Reserve either.

 

There are lots of places to hide. You will not feel crowded.

 

R ships are best for port intensive cruises. Bigger ship with more things to do for more sea days. IMHO

 

 

 

 

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Plus 1

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Plus 1

I’ll second that,

+2

Hhhmm, :( "modelled on" equates to me in this instance as a theme park version of English Country House, the last straw when they were Princess ships was the pasted on "wallpaper" of leather bound books and Chinese vases on the inside of bookcase doors!! :o:o

Yes, but...

They were Renaissance when designed originally before several of them became Princess and now several are Oceania. They DID look differently under Princess, I agree, but they are not Princess now :)

We had a wonderful time on the Riviera on our first Oceania cruise. We really liked the layout of the ship, and that there was plenty of space to have some room to yourself wherever you went.

 

We are now looking at a summer cruise out of NY on the Insignia, and I am wondering how that would compare. I understand that there is no Red Ginger there :(

Is there an Artist's Loft or a Culinary Center there? We really enjoyed both of those, too.

Aside from that though, anyone who has been on both ships before be able to give a quick pros and cons of being on the Insignia? Thanks.

No comparison for me. I only like Riviera and Marina.

No one can answer this question for you. Caroldoll prefers the "O" ships. She's not alone. But many long timers prefer the "R" ships. They aren't alone. DH and I like both the "O" and "R" ships for different reasons. We won't refuse a cruise because of the ship. We are happy on any of them.

It also depends on your cabin category, I think. We tend to sail in suites, so the difference in cabins isn't that vast for us. (Caroldoll likes Owner's Suites which puts her in a different category from most of us! Wish I could be with her! I'm working on it ...)

If you are in a less than suite category on the "R" ships, the rooms are definitely smaller. The bathrooms extremely so.

Then again, my favorite space on ANY of the ships is the library on the "R" ships.

So it is very hard to give you a definitive answer.

The "R" ships are an older design with fewer passengers in mind. When Oceania ordered Marina and Riviera they had changes in mind for a somewhat larger ship, and it does indeed have more public spaces and larger cabins.

If you liked Riviera you may well like Insignia ... then again ...

We started out on the "R" ships and we still love them. But yes, there are many ways in which Marina/Riviera are more comfortable.

I hope this helps although in looking back at what I wrote ... maybe it won't!

Mura

Thanks so much to everyone for their feedback. I also talked to an Oceania rep about the differences between the two ships. Interestingly enough, he says that at lunch in the GDR on the Insignia, they now have a bistro menu where an item from Jacques is offered everyday. I asked if there is also a Red Ginger item offered, too, and he said "no"..

Mura is right that everyone will like something different from either ship. I think the only way for us to find out is to try!