Riviera cruise from Rome to Barcelona

Hello all.

We are currently sailing on the Riviera from Rome to Barcelona and I wanted to share some experience in real time.

Some background: we ar a couple in our early fifties from Canada. We sailed previously on Celebrity, RCI, Princess, HAL, Cunard, Costa and Carnival. This is our first Oceania cruise.

Things we liked so far:

Embarkation was very smooth and quick. Literally few minutes we wee on board.

The size of the ship is perfect. Not too big and not too small. No lines, not crowded.

Food is outstanding. Definitely few levels above Celebrity or Princess.

Service is excellent. Very efficient and quick. Room is cleaned very fast. When we go for breakfast and come back after half an hour, it is already clean.

No formal nights which is perfect for us. At the same time people dress up nicely, you won't see short on dinner or evening show. Very relaxed atmosphere.

Open seating at dinner. You can select if you want separate table or share with someone (perfect for those who want to meet new people).

No lines at all. Never an issue to find a table at buffet or at the pool.

Free soft drinks, soda, water and specialty coffee and tea.

Free internet (more about it later).

Things we didn't like (or liked less than Princess or Celebrity):

Entertainment is good but not as good as on most big ships.

No activities at all during the day (maybe related to the fact that there ar no sea days).

Basic free internet is very slow, almost useless. If you want to be able to do anything, you need to upgrade. Upgrade is $10/day which is reasonable, but the speed is still pretty low. Not the worst I experienced at sea, but one of the worst.

The inside stateroom that we booked is very small. Which is not a big deal, but the shower is ridiculous. Really uncomfortable. This the biggest issue on this cruise so far.

So far we visited Florence, Pisa and La Spezia. Florence was amazing, the rest very nice as well. We asked to change coup,e tours, no issues, even after we missed the deadline today for tomorrow tour. I like the flexibility. Also booked three speciality restaurants, asked to change all three reservations. No problem. Really like the customer service so far.

Today Calvi was cancelled due to safety. Sailing to Monte Carlo now.

I will continue to update the post as we have new impressions. Feel free to ask questions.

Happy to hear how much you are enjoying Oceania’s high points. As for your negatives, these are all items well known on CC that you could have read here many many times.

Continue to enjoy your cruise!:)

.

.

OP: there is no "speed" difference between the basic and "paid" internet. Rather, the paid one removes the block on streaming video et al.

Also, folks should know that, if you have the right service provider at home (e.g., AT&T), "wifi calling" (to/from the US at no cost) can be done with the basic internet service.

is the internet just bad in your cabin location?

I have not noticed it was that slow but do not expect the same speed as at home

OP: there is no "speed" difference between the basic and "paid" internet. Rather, the paid one removes the block on streaming video et al.

Also, folks should know that, if you have the right service provider at home (e.g., AT&T), "wifi calling" (to/from the US at no cost) can be done with the basic internet service.

You might be right. I was trying to launch a stock trading platform and it it won't launch with the basic package, but did launch with the upgraded one.

The speed is the same in the cabin and outside. It is not terrible, but not great either, especially on pick hours. I obviously did not expect it to be like at home, but on our previous cruise with Regal Princess it was much much better.

Happy to hear how much you are enjoying Oceania’s high points. As for your negatives, these are all items well known on CC that you could have read here many many times.

 

Continue to enjoy your cruise!:)

.

.

Thank you.

Is lack of daily activities typical fro Oceania cruises or is it because there are no sea days? In other words, would Carribian cruise be similar?

Also, a question to veteran Oceania cruisers: why they charge Italian tax of 18% on this cruise on all purchases and services like spa? We were never charged any tax on any purchase on previous cruises.

If it is port intensive how many people are still on the ship ?

Usually there is something to do

The Italian tax thing is something new

if you search CC you will find other threads on it plus one on the Spanish VAT

Also, a question to veteran Oceania cruisers: why they charge Italian tax of 18% on this cruise on all purchases and services like spa? We were never charged any tax on any purchase on previous cruises

To be clear, Oceania does not charge any taxes; they collect them.

Governments make the rules about how those taxes should be applied.

I believe that the rules governing the Value Added Tax which you are referencing, changed recently for some countries within the European Union.

Cruises which either left the EU or stopped at a Free Port were exempt from some portion or all of the tax, previously, now they are not.

If it is port intensive how many people are still on the ship ?

Usually there is something to do

 

 

 

The Italian tax thing is something new

 

if you search CC you will find other threads on it plus one on the Spanish VAT

So it's supposed to be better on Caribbean cruises?

So you are saying the tax is specific to this region and is applied on other cruise lines now as well? We did Baltic cruise this June and there was no tax.

So you are saying the tax is specific to this region and is applied on other cruise lines now as well? We did Baltic cruise this June and there was no tax.

yes if you are in Spanish waters Italian & Brazil there is the VAT of those countries charged to purchases onboard

So far none added to Baltic or Norway cruises AFAIK

Some research should get the info you are looking for

is the internet just bad in your cabin location?

 

 

I have not noticed it was that slow but do not expect the same speed as at home

1.5M download speed as measured by Speedtest on the pool deck. This is pretty misarable I would say.

Sometimes it gets to 2M+ which is still pretty poor. For the rates Oceania charge they could spend some money on extra bandwidth.

Hello all.

 

We are currently sailing on the Riviera from Rome to Barcelona and I wanted to share some experience in real time.

 

Some background: we ar a couple in our early fifties from Canada. We sailed previously on Celebrity, RCI, Princess, HAL, Cunard, Costa and Carnival. This is our first Oceania cruise.

 

Things we liked so far:

 

Embarkation was very smooth and quick. Literally few minutes we wee on board.

 

The size of the ship is perfect. Not too big and not too small. No lines, not crowded.

 

Food is outstanding. Definitely few levels above Celebrity or Princess.

 

Service is excellent. Very efficient and quick. Room is cleaned very fast. When we go for breakfast and come back after half an hour, it is already clean.

 

No formal nights which is perfect for us. At the same time people dress up nicely, you won't see short on dinner or evening show. Very relaxed atmosphere.

 

Open seating at dinner. You can select if you want separate table or share with someone (perfect for those who want to meet new people).

 

No lines at all. Never an issue to find a table at buffet or at the pool.

 

Free soft drinks, soda, water and specialty coffee and tea.

 

Free internet (more about it later).

 

 

Things we didn't like (or liked less than Princess or Celebrity):

 

Entertainment is good but not as good as on most big ships.

 

No activities at all during the day (maybe related to the fact that there ar no sea days).

 

Basic free internet is very slow, almost useless. If you want to be able to do anything, you need to upgrade. Upgrade is $10/day which is reasonable, but the speed is still pretty low. Not the worst I experienced at sea, but one of the worst.

 

The inside stateroom that we booked is very small. Which is not a big deal, but the shower is ridiculous. Really uncomfortable. This the biggest issue on this cruise so far.

 

 

So far we visited Florence, Pisa and La Spezia. Florence was amazing, the rest very nice as well. We asked to change coup,e tours, no issues, even after we missed the deadline today for tomorrow tour. I like the flexibility. Also booked three speciality restaurants, asked to change all three reservations. No problem. Really like the customer service so far.

 

Today Calvi was cancelled due to safety. Sailing to Monte Carlo now.

 

I will continue to update the post as we have new impressions. Feel free to ask questions.

Well, count yourself lucky that your cabin gets cleaned so early! I got the impression when we were on Riviera in August for 18 days, that the cabin stewardess had far too many cabins to clean. We left the cabin early every day and most days came back on board about 12.30-1 for lunch, to find her still servicing our cabin, which was obviously a bit of a nuisance. The same thing in the evening. When we came back between dinner and the show, there she was again! Not a problem we have encountered on the mainstream lines, so can only assume Oceania gives their crew more cabins to deal with. And we always left the card out to show we were gone. Didn’t like to complain in case we got her in trouble and she was a lovely lady.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

VAT (value added tax) is Europe wide for those countries in the EEC . European Economic Community

Norway and most Baltic countries are not in the EEC

Not sure about Brazil, it's almost certainly not in Europe!

It is a tax charged by the country not Oceania.

Josie x

VAT (value added tax) is Europe wide for those countries in the EEC . European Economic Community

 

Norway and most Baltic countries are not in the EEC

 

Not sure about Brazil, it's almost certainly not in Europe!

 

It is a tax charged by the country not Oceania.

 

Josie x

Our Baltic cruise included Tallin which is EU. I assume they didn't charge VAT because it included some countries which are not EU?

Also, how they decide to charge Italian VAT during the whole cruise while most of the cruise is France and Spain?

VAT (value added tax) is Europe wide for those countries in the EEC . European Economic Community

 

Norway and most Baltic countries are not in the EEC

 

Not sure about Brazil, it's almost certainly not in Europe!

 

It is a tax charged by the country not Oceania.

 

Josie x

This is a little oversimplified. Basically it's Spain & Italy that charge this tax. It's a bit complicated.

Our Baltic cruise included Tallin which is EU. I assume they didn't charge VAT because it included some countries which are not EU?

 

Also, how they decide to charge Italian VAT during the whole cruise while most of the cruise is France and Spain?

Because you left from Rome. The best thing to do is not go to the Spa or buy anything from the boutique on these cruises. You probably haven't left the EU.

If you spend enough you can usually get it back. As long as you don't live in an EU country.

If you read your invoice page 4 I believe it does state some European Countries will charge a VAT on shipboard purchases

along with Brazil

Also, how they decide to charge Italian VAT during the whole cruise while most of the cruise is France and Spain

It's all the EU, so think of it this way, if you owed a tax in your home State that would be waived if you left the Country, the tax would still apply even if you traveled to several other States.

FYI, Monaco also changed its' tax relationship with the EU, recently,

On our last cruise in the Med where we ran into the tax, we were told that spa services did not apply to the 18 percent tax. Has that changed?

What is the impact of Monaco’s changed tax relationship with the EU?

You might be right. I was trying to launch a stock trading platform and it it won't launch with the basic package, but did launch with the upgraded one.

 

 

 

The speed is the same in the cabin and outside. It is not terrible, but not great either, especially on pick hours. I obviously did not expect it to be like at home, but on our previous cruise with Regal Princess it was much much better.

The Oceania@Sea tech on our last cruise confirmed that they are the same except for the streaming block on "basic."

The food department continues to deliver. Dinner in Grand Dining Room was excellent again. Very consistent performance.

The evening show felt a bit amature, compared to shows on Celebrity and Princess. The venue was half empty. Maybe Oceania cruisers just don't care much about entertainment or daily activities?

The food department continues to deliver. Dinner in Grand Dining Room was excellent again. Very consistent performance.

 

The evening show felt a bit amature, compared to shows on Celebrity and Princess. The venue was half empty. Maybe Oceania cruisers just don't care much about entertainment or daily activities?

I've seen the entire spectrum of performance quality on Oceania ships from a not-so-magical magician to a stunningly unique musical storyteller recounting his personal/professional life on Broadway framed by a lifelong relationship of he and his family with Ethel Merman (I'd go out of my way to see him perform again).

Then there's the ever present young song and dance troupe of Broadway/West End wannabes whose production shows are polished but occasionally lackluster and always somewhat restricted by the size of the venue (particularly on the smaller R ships). Often, if the choice comes down to linger over dinner at Toscana or go to the evening show, we'll stay put and enjoy the cannoli.

IMO, Oceania's in-house musicians (show band, string quartet and Martini's piano player) are generally quite good. My only critical comment in that arena is logistical in that the location of the piano is way too close to the bar in Martini's (on the O but not the R ships) often making conversation at the bar impossible.

More meant to be educational rather than entertaining, the lecturers on O ships are often outstanding. One of the most memorable fellows was a retired Archeologist from Fresno State whose research area was canals. His multi-media approach to the history of Central/South America from the perspective of native canal construction (for agricultural irrigation) broadened our depth of understanding of the human equation in the building of the Panama Canal (yes, it was a Panama Canal cruise. SF to NYC).

As for other day time activities: we particularly enjoy the cooking school on the O ships and often come away with new recipes/short cut techniques useful in dinner party prep at home.

Add Trivia, art and photo classes, "Stitch & Bitch," cooking demos, dance lessons, wine & spirits tastings, fully equipped gym and, on longer cruises with many sea days, the impressive library (videos too) along with special events like "country fair" or the team boat building contest and it becomes hard to understand how anyone could ever be bored on an Oceania cruise.

...Add Trivia, art and photo classes, "Stitch & Bitch"...

I hever heard it referred to as that before. That's really funny -- I'm chuckling while having my morning coffee. ;)

So it's supposed to be better on Caribbean cruises?

 

So you are saying the tax is specific to this region and is applied on other cruise lines now as well? We did Baltic cruise this June and there was no tax.

You prob stop in Russia or Norway - they not part of EU.

AK1004, since you are on the ship currently, why don’t you go down to guest services and inquire about the tax and how it is applied? I’m on hold with Oceania and the agent insists there is no VAT applied on their ships. He has been putting me on and off hold for 30 minutes getting clarification from other departments and supervisors. He comes back online and keeps telling me there is no VAT while on their ships.

The agent just came back on the phone and said he googled this and found out that I was correct—that there is a VAT collected by ships. He said he and his colleagues learned something today. But, he said he does not know if spa services and excursions are included in the VAT tax.

So, AK1004, if you are not busy in “Stitch and Bitch” or shuffleboard or Baggo bean toss, could you please ask if spa services and excursions are included in the VAT tax?

Have a great day! We are doing your same itinerary in a few weeks on Nautica, one of Oceania’s smaller ships.

Hope the weather is good for you and for us!!!