2010-2011 Winter Collection

[newcruisers04]

good question for sure....i was told it might have been a pre-selected cruise for a special group booking, but then i questioned why the website for this TA was also advertising

the inside cabins and giving a nice OBC if they couldnt get the cabins?? booking thru the O site doesnt get that OBC credit.

[KIWP]

xxx

[dino2067]

good question for sure....i was told it might have been a pre-selected cruise for a special group booking, but then i questioned why the website for this TA was also advertising

the inside cabins and giving a nice OBC if they couldnt get the cabins?? booking thru the O site doesnt get that OBC credit.

 

One suggestion...book directly with O and select your stateroom(if location is important to you)...shop for a reputable TA that offers the price point/perks you are comfortable with(sounds like you have plenty of time to do this)...transfer the res to the TA that you have chosen.

 

Kathleen

[KIWP]

Thank you and I look forward to meeting next year. We are Karin and Bill Pollak in Cabin 8054. I'm delighted to know that there will be others going for the 65 days. We have been to some parts of Africa but not all the ones on this itin, and I'm thrilled that "O" is doing this.

 

We totally agree that "O" is one of the best and I'm happy to say that the African cruises will be our 23rd and 24th with them. Other companies just don't measure up the same way. At some point I will share our recent experice (we returned last week) on the HAL Maasdam for the 42 day cruise to Greenland and Iceland.

 

You will love the Nautica itinerary. We did it last year from IST to SIN for 44 days, and it was great. Even if this included being shot at by the Somali Pirates. Hopefully you won't have this little aspect.

[Leonid]

That may be, but the problem is that now, quite often, Oceania is substantially more expensive than Silversea. Another example, Panama Canal, 16 days on the Regatta, in April, 2011, $6,899 for PH3 and $7,399 for PH1. Compare also 16 days on Silver Shadow in January, 2010, $6,438 for Verandah and $6,738 for midship Verandah, minus a further 5% for Venetian members (anyone who sailed with them before). Both include airfares, Silversea includes tips and drinks, Oceania does not.

 

Yes, they are a year apart, but Oceania premium is subtantial, again worth 2x$1,000 including tips and average drinks, or $2,000 per couple. We are using Silversea as an example only because we are familiar with it (we have to study Seabourn and RSSC rules, such as what is included and what is not before we can make similar comparisons).

 

As we have said before, Silversea prices are more geographically dependent, and the same is not true for Europe for example. But Oceania prices for the Caribbean are often far higher than Silversea these days, and not just on par for comparison. It is up to individual consumers to choose whatever he/she likes, but hopefully, they do so based on full knowledge and preference, and not due to lack of awareness. We believe we are providing a public service in posting what we see. On the other hand, Oceania prices in Europe are usually better than Silverseas. So for those who are thrift, study both ways, and do accordingly.

 

P.S. As we ourselves did. We took the Silver Shadow for Panama Canal in December, 2007, and we took the Nautica for Eastern Mediterranean in October last year. Both voyages were nice and enjoyable.

 

Past the point where I care to compare cruise line itineraries and tariffs. For those who can put up with smoking & formal nights, please enjoy! O provides what DW & I want and like. Would try Regent to Alaska if they did longer than 7 day sailings in the summer months.

[Leonid]

Take heart, Leonid, the Vlasov family (they who sold Sitmar to P&O) is not totally out of the cruising business.

 

Even before the sale of Sitmar, the Vlasov family established a ship management company called VShips.

http://www.vships.com/portal/site/shipman/

In 1995, VShips "organized, founded, made the market strategy and designed the ships of" Silversea.

http://www.silversea.com/default.aspx

 

As to who was first in the cruising game, it was Sitmar. They claim their first "true cruise" to have been in Australian waters in 1964., but they really did not take it up full time until they lost the Australian migrant contract to Chandris in 1971 (at which time Carnival founder Ted Arison was still a disgruntled NCL employee).

 

As Don says, however, it was Carnival, that introduced what we think of as mass market cruising to the American market in 1972.

 

Although Sitmar had been an immigrant carrier when providing Ocean liner transportation, when they turned to cruising, the company became considerably more up-market than Carnival ever aspired to be.

 

Oddly, Carnival considers that it was their innovative "roll on roll off" ship provisioning system which allowed the mass market concept to flourish, rather than their "Fun Ship" ads.

 

If any of you are interested in reading the whys and wherefores of these convolutions, there are two superb books out there:

 

http://www.rosenbergpub.com.au/handleProduct.asp?id=39&catid=2

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sitmar-Liners-V-Ships/dp/0953429105

 

Thanks for the history lesson. Can always rely on you guys.

[tanny18]

Try to get a CAT F - on deck 7/8. We've sailed on Oceania, Azamara, and way befor that Renaissance being in an inside cabin....and there isn't much movement mid ship and really no noise. We did sail once in 6010 and had some problem but that was crossing the Channel!!

Arlene ;)

Yes I saw there were cabins when i was on Oceania website, I went to check only after a TA told me there were no Cat. F or G cabins available for him to book. We are still trying to decide. Thanks also to those that commented on the location of the cabins and the concerns I might have had regarding the extra motion in a front inside cabin.

 

Lori

[nowornever]

Hi KIWP & plimsol...although we're not doing the 65 day, we'll be joining you in Cape Town. Loved the look of that itinerary & the new ports. We've been twice to Africa but on land only. What a thought that we'll be spending Christmas Day in Mombassa! Zanzibar (we spent 4 days there 6 years ago), Columbo & Phuket will be repeat places but always something new to discover. Maybe we should start a roll call.....

[CintiPam]

good question for sure....i was told it might have been a pre-selected cruise for a special group booking, but then i questioned why the website for this TA was also advertising

the inside cabins and giving a nice OBC if they couldnt get the cabins?? booking thru the O site doesnt get that OBC credit.

 

I am a queasy sailor, and if it were me, I would forget those four Category G cabins, way too forward for anyone with motion sickness issues, and go for one of the Category F cabins on decks 7 or 8, as tanny18 mentioned.

[orchestrapal]

Past the point where I care to compare cruise line itineraries and tariffs. For those who can put up with smoking & formal nights, please enjoy! O provides what DW & I want and like. Would try Regent to Alaska if they did longer than 7 day sailings in the summer months.

 

I could not have said it better myself. We feel the same way even if it costs a few dollars more. By the way our daughter and son-in law just returned from a week in Alaska on Regent and were very disapointed in the food, service and "free excursions" which in many cases they upgraded. Their next cruise will be on Oceania for sure!:)

[Paulchili]

Past the point where I care to compare cruise line itineraries and tariffs. For those who can put up with smoking & formal nights, please enjoy! O provides what DW & I want and like. Would try Regent to Alaska if they did longer than 7 day sailings in the summer months.

 

Is Regent's smoking and formal nights policy different from Silversea's?

Besides, O will go to Alaska soon enough - just be patient a little longer.

[hondorner]

Is Regent's smoking and formal nights policy different from Silversea's?

Besides, O will go to Alaska soon enough - just be patient a little longer.

Smoking is a little more liberal, with a bit more inside smoking and smoking on the stern terrace, but no smoking in the staterooms, balconies, dining rooms or showroom, and restricted smoking on the pool deck, etc. They still have formal nights. They also had "informal" nights until the end of this season -- informal meant jacket, like a blazer or sports coat, and not necessarily a tie. They also "officially" did not allow polo or golf shirts at dinner -- ever -- but it was rarely enforced.

 

For next season, formal nights stay, but informal and country club casual are replaced with "elegant" casual, which is exactly like Oceania. There is a poll on the Regent forum right now, started by Tim rubacky on behalf of FDR, about whether formal nights should be done away with. Elegant casual only is winning 67% to 33%.

[StanandJim]

I am a queasy sailor,

Pam,

 

I wonder why you think that.....

I seem to remember your staying on a tender with me (was it Sicily?), when the sea was so rough that the tender embarkation platform busted right through the wall of the tender :p

 

We laughed about it in Martinis, afterward, but when it was happening, it was a "change your underwear moment". :eek:

 

Yet you were very brave

......and not green at all!

[Paulchili]

Smoking is a little more liberal, with a bit more inside smoking and smoking on the stern terrace, but no smoking in the staterooms, balconies, dining rooms or showroom, and restricted smoking on the pool deck, etc. They still have formal nights. They also had "informal" nights until the end of this season -- informal meant jacket, like a blazer or sports coat, and not necessarily a tie. They also "officially" did not allow polo or golf shirts at dinner -- ever -- but it was rarely enforced.

 

For next season, formal nights stay, but informal and country club casual are replaced with "elegant" casual, which is exactly like Oceania. There is a poll on the Regent forum right now, started by Tim rubacky on behalf of FDR, about whether formal nights should be done away with. Elegant casual only is winning 67% to 33%.

 

Don,

Thanks for that info.

I am not surprised about the formal nights not being very popular. I always thought they are a bit of a dinosaur - a leftover from the old days of cruising.

I would imagine most cruise lines will follow that path eventually (save Crystal and Cunard perhaps).

[Paulchili]

Pam,

 

I wonder why you think that.....

I seem to remember your staying on a tender with me (was it Sicily?), when the sea was so rough that the tender embarkation platform busted right through the wall of the tender :p

 

We laughed about it in Martinis, afterward, but when it was happening, it was a "change your underwear moment". :eek:

 

Yet you were very brave

......and not green at all!

 

StanandJim,

Can you point out Pam on that picture?

[StanandJim]

Can you point out Pam on that picture

 

I respectfully decline to do so

because she is a married woman

and what happens in the tender, stays in the tender! :D

[CintiPam]

Pam,

 

I wonder why you think that.....

I seem to remember your staying on a tender with me (was it Sicily?), when the sea was so rough that the tender embarkation platform busted right through the wall of the tender :p

 

We laughed about it in Martinis, afterward, but when it was happening, it was a "change your underwear moment". :eek:

 

Yet you were very brave

......and not green at all!

 

Hey, Jim, you really captured that Kodak moment for me!;)

 

For me, there is a major difference (supported by overweaning pride) between putting up with a few minutes of unhappy tummy reaction and a possible 12 nights of the same reaction!

 

Seriously, when it came to my tender behavior in June, (1) I always, but always, sat just behind or at the open sides (gazing out through those open sides at the horizon) and (2) requested the Oceania tender boarder/port boss person to tell me when we were about to leave the port dock and waited until then before I actually boarded!

[Leonid]

Is Regent's smoking and formal nights policy different from Silversea's?

Besides, O will go to Alaska soon enough - just be patient a little longer.

 

I thought that Regent has a "country club casual" policy in Alaska. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Don't know anything about their smoking policy. If it's anything like Silversea, Seabourn or Crystal, then they would be out for us.

[Paulchili]

I thought that Regent has a "country club casual" policy in Alaska. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Don't know anything about their smoking policy. If it's anything like Silversea, Seabourn or Crystal, then they would be out for us.

 

Sorry Leonid, I have never sailed on Regent and thus do not have the answer - that is why I was asking.

I am a non smoker but I did not experience any inconvenience on my 2 Silversea cruises in that regard.

At the right price for the right itinerary I would gladly sail with them again

[Dreps]

Regent does have a "country club casual" policy in Alaska and on the Baltics cruises (and I think on some Carib. cruises). As of know, this will become "Elegant Casual" next year, with a few formal nights thrown in on longer cruises. Informal will no longer be a category.

 

However, as many are aware, the parent company has recently undertaken a poll (it's still on the CC Regent board among other places), and more than two-thirds of the passengers have voted for elegant casual (alias country club casual) on all cruises. It remains to be seen whether this will change the dress code next year.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Don't know anything about their smoking policy. If it's anything like Silversea, Seabourn or Crystal, then they would be out for us.

 

Regent's smoking policy was tightened up considerably several years ago. No smoking in staterooms or on balconies. No smoking in dining rooms, and in most areas of most lounges. You can smoke out on deck, on one side, and at the pool bar. I think there are one or two other lounges that have a smoking area, not sure since I'm not a smoker.

 

I have never been bothered by smoke on a Regent ship.