The Happy Wanderer wandered to Oceania---a report

[serendipity1499]

I would strongly echo this advise. Crystal can be expensive but not necessarily prohibitive, particularly for solos. I'll mention just one example:

I'm booked for a Crystal Symphony 38 day 2016 Antarctica cruise BA to Miami for $16,755(restricted OV). When I priced the 37-day first half of the Prinsendam's Grand South America cruise (same basic itinerary in reverse) HAL's website quoted me $14,121 for the cheapest inside cabin. For that price I'll spend the extra money on Crystal in a heartbeat.

 

I think the biggest hurdle you would face with Crystal is the baths. The standard bathroom, except for a few accessible cabins, is a tub-shower combination. If you can live with that or get an accessible room I think you would love Crystal.

 

 

 

After just coming off the Prinsendam Amazon Explorer and planning the last leg of the Amsterdam World Cruise I hope to have an opinion on that soon.

 

Roy

 

Roy , I'm amazed that the prices on the Prinsendam have increased so drastically.. We did a 68 day cruise to South America/Antarctica on the Prinsendam this past January & the total fare for the two of us including taxes was just under $34,000 for our Class "E" (outside cabin, midship) on main deck.. Granted we booked with a Travel Agent who has always given us a big savings & we also received another 2 1/2 % discount from HAL, since we paid in full by May 31 of the previous year, but $14,121 for the cheapest inside for only 37 days is almost double what we paid for 68 days..:eek:

 

You may want to check out some of the Travel Agents which advertise on Cruise Critic for a better fare.. That's where we found our's many years ago & have been very happy with him since then, as he always gives us a better deal than HAL does..

 

Betty

Edited December 30, 2013 by serendipity1499

[silvercruiser]

Many of the passengers on Oceania's REGATTA cruise to Bermuda last spring were there because it was the only cruise of any line that was round trip from Florida. That meant lots of first time Oceania cruisers. By the end of the 12 days people were starting to compare notes and it seems as if the general opinion was that it didn't offer any more than HAL and not worth the extra cost.

[HeatherInFlorida]

As you know, I never post on HAL boards since I no longer cruise HAL; so have nothing to offer. However, I knew Ruth was going to cruise Oceania and meant to check earlier for her report … knowing how much she loves HAL I was anxious to know how she compared the two. A friend told me this review was here so I hurried to read. I thank you, Ruth, for your detailed, fair and positive review.

 

Last January, after being so disappointed in recent HAL cruises and also Celebrity, we bit the bullet and booked a Penthouse suite on Oceania Riviera. I wrote a review at the time that I posted here on HAL.

 

We cruised Oceania Riviera again this month and our experience was the same as our last. We loved it even though I became ill halfway through and came home to identity theft. While we have a Celebrity cruise booked in 2015, it's doubtful we'll keep that booking; we're more likely to be back on Oceania.

 

Someone mentioned comparing Riviera to Prinsendam which you cannot do since it is a much larger ship. Better to compare Prinsendam with Regatta which we'll be on at the end of this year.

 

I did feel Ruth would really miss the piano bar as would so many others who enjoy that on HAL. There is little nightlife on Oceania which is not an issue for us, but would be for many. Unlike some, I love the entertainment onboard and the timing of the show always works perfectly for us since we linger so long at dinner.

 

While there is no promenade deck on Riviera, there are many areas to sit where you can enjoy looking out to sea. I especially enjoyed the sanctuary area and of course the upper decks above the pool.

 

The food on Oceania is what won us over even if nothing else had. In our category we were able to reserve all 4 specialty restaurants ahead of time so every other night we ate in the Grand Dining Room. First and last nights we ate in the Terrace Grill which we loved and on a longer cruise we would eat there more. I'd skip Red Ginger next time; I really dislike it. The service on the entire ship cannot be beat.

 

It seems to come down to a price comparison; does the value of an Oceania cruise override the high cost. No question it costs a whole lot more to cruise on Oceania even in a comparable cabin and even if you price in the cost of Specialty restaurants, soft drinks, specialty coffees, etc (all included on Oceania). It's expensive.

 

And for us …. worth it. We don't feel there's any comparison between the two lines. Oceania (with the exception of nightlife) wins hands down for us.

 

I am so glad you enjoyed the crossing Ruth! And thank you for your review which I really enjoyed reading. Not sure I would have dared tackle such a long cruise having never sailed on Oceania. And I also think I would want more activities going on during the day with all those sea days.

[LindaM]

As you know, I never post on HAL boards since I no longer cruise HAL; so have nothing to offer. However, I knew Ruth was going to cruise Oceania and meant to check earlier for her report … knowing how much she loves HAL I was anxious to know how she compared the two. A friend told me this review was here so I hurried to read. I thank you, Ruth, for your detailed, fair and positive review.

 

Last January, after being so disappointed in recent HAL cruises and also Celebrity, we bit the bullet and booked a Penthouse suite on Oceania Riviera. I wrote a review at the time that I posted here on HAL.

 

We cruised Oceania Riviera again this month and our experience was the same as our last. We loved it even though I became ill halfway through and came home to identity theft. While we have a Celebrity cruise booked in 2015, it's doubtful we'll keep that booking; we're more likely to be back on Oceania.

 

Someone mentioned comparing Riviera to Prinsendam which you cannot do since it is a much larger ship. Better to compare Prinsendam with Regatta which we'll be on at the end of this year.

 

I did feel Ruth would really miss the piano bar as would so many others who enjoy that on HAL. There is little nightlife on Oceania which is not an issue for us, but would be for many. Unlike some, I love the entertainment onboard and the timing of the show always works perfectly for us since we linger so long at dinner.

 

While there is no promenade deck on Riviera, there are many areas to sit where you can enjoy looking out to sea. I especially enjoyed the sanctuary area and of course the upper decks above the pool.

 

The food on Oceania is what won us over even if nothing else had. In our category we were able to reserve all 4 specialty restaurants ahead of time so every other night we ate in the Grand Dining Room. First and last nights we ate in the Terrace Grill which we loved and on a longer cruise we would eat there more. I'd skip Red Ginger next time; I really dislike it. The service on the entire ship cannot be beat.

 

It seems to come down to a price comparison; does the value of an Oceania cruise override the high cost. No question it costs a whole lot more to cruise on Oceania even in a comparable cabin and even if you price in the cost of Specialty restaurants, soft drinks, specialty coffees, etc (all included on Oceania). It's expensive.

 

And for us …. worth it. We don't feel there's any comparison between the two lines. Oceania (with the exception of nightlife) wins hands down for us.

 

I am so glad you enjoyed the crossing Ruth! And thank you for your review which I really enjoyed reading. Not sure I would have dared tackle such a long cruise having never sailed on Oceania. And I also think I would want more activities going on during the day with all those sea days.

 

Please come back and compare Regatta with Prinsendam, as they are closer in size. I do not like the ships that came from the Renaissance line. The design and layout are very poor in comparison with Prinsendam, which was designed as a luxury ship. You will see what I mean after your cruise. I am stuck with HAL's smoking and wine policy for now, as I would not be happy on any former Renaissance ship.

[Riverpig]

Hi Ruth. It was a pleasure to meet you on the Riviera, although our meeting was brief. Like you, I was a frequent HAL cruiser trying Oceania for the first time.

 

We always book a Neptune suite on HAL, and had a similar Penthouse Suite on the Riviera. Here are the notes I took comparing the two lines:

 

The public spaces on Riviera are lovely and inviting and are nicer than the corresponding spaces on HAL. In particular, the MDR on Riviera is stunning, and Horizons (the Crows Nest equivalent) is gorgeous and better furnished.

On the other hand, the artwork on Riviera is atrocious, while HAL's artwork is generally far more pleasing.

 

The food on Oceania is noticeably better than on HAL. Our seven-course dinner in La Reserve with wine pairings was spectacular, and many of the dishes in the specialty restaurants stand out, like the foie gras in puff pastry in Polo, the breaded veal chop in Toscana, and the miso sea bass in Red Ginger.

Waves is clearly better than the Terrace Grill on HAL. On the other hand, the wait staff on HAL is more accessible and competent than on Oceania, where we found our orders were routinely screwed up in a minor way.

 

The pool/lounge chairs on Oceania are more plentiful, available and comfortable than on HAL. The main pool which is not enclosed is more inviting than the roofed ones on HAL.

 

Our veranda was smaller and less well furnished than HAL's suite verandas, but the cabin itself was better decorated and more appealing.

 

We appreciate that Oceania provides free bottled water and soft drinks.

 

Here are some things that HAL does better:

1. The Neptune lounge in both staffing and food offerings is far superior to the Executive lounge on Oceania.

2. The shore excursions are much more sensibly priced.

3. The Casino rules and minimums on HAL are more user-friendly. The casino on Riviera was always dead because the minimum bet ($10) is too much for those used to a $5 minimum.

4. The baggage direct program on HAL, where you leave your luggage outside your cabin on the last night of the cruise and don't see it again till it appears on the carousel of your home airport, is a wonderful amenity.

5. Half Moon Cay

 

In conclusion, we liked Oceania every bit as much as HAL, and while we have two future cruises booked on HAL, we have also booked an undetermined future cruise on Oceania.

[aliaschief]

Ruth thanks for your comparison posts. We were at sea when you posted and finally caught up on our reading. Happy New Year.

[PirateShark]

Thanks to Ruth, Heather, Piggy (and everyone else I may have neglected) for giving me your insight and comments. We have loved our HAL cruises but this trip, both the timing and the price, were too good to pass up. I expect to be a happy girl no matter what :)

[RuthC]

We have loved our HAL cruises but this trip, both the timing and the price, were too good to pass up. I expect to be a happy girl no matter what :)

Wishing you the best of times.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Thanks to Ruth, Heather, Piggy (and everyone else I may have neglected) for giving me your insight and comments. We have loved our HAL cruises but this trip, both the timing and the price, were too good to pass up. I expect to be a happy girl no matter what :)

 

I will really look forward to you report when you return! I love to read what people think when they have both lines. Obviously, anyone who has not tried Oceania can't possibly compare the two. That's a given. I can't agree with those who say HAL offers more for less $$$. HAL is definitely less expensive and that cannot be argued, but Oceania is just a far more special experience … at least for me. It would NOT be so if you're looking for a lot of activities and/or nightlife. DH does not like the Casino on Oceania except for the nights he wins:).

 

On our recent 10-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary we stopped at Princess Cays (Eleuthera) which I found to be as good, if not far better, than Half Moon Cay. It helped that we were the only ship there and only about half the passengers got off because we sailed at 1:00 pm.

 

But I do love HAL's itineraries and I often think we should consider booking a Neptune category suite so we could compare apples with apples. But then food comes to mind and HAL just doesn't cut it. So we would need to eat in Specialty restaurants. Still, even with that cost added on it would be less expensive than Oceania and a good way to truly compare.

[RuthC]

While there is no promenade deck on Riviera, there are many areas to sit where you can enjoy looking out to sea. I especially enjoyed the sanctuary area and of course the upper decks above the pool.

There are? I sure didn't find them, and I spent a lot of time one day looking for a place.

The very comfy deck chairs by the pool and one deck up are all facing inward, not toward the sea. Even if one were to turn a lounger around, there's a glass barrier; not exactly the same as being outside enjoying the sea.

 

If the Sanctuary area you're referring to is the place I'm thinking of, it's more like a nice sun room than a place to sit and enjoy the sea.

[cruz chic]

I will really look forward to you report when you return! I love to read what people think when they have both lines. Obviously, anyone who has not tried Oceania can't possibly compare the two. That's a given. I can't agree with those who say HAL offers more for less $$$. HAL is definitely less expensive and that cannot be argued, but Oceania is just a far more special experience … at least for me. It would NOT be so if you're looking for a lot of activities and/or nightlife. DH does not like the Casino on Oceania except for the nights he wins:).

 

On our recent 10-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary we stopped at Princess Cays (Eleuthera) which I found to be as good, if not far better, than Half Moon Cay. It helped that we were the only ship there and only about half the passengers got off because we sailed at 1:00 pm.

 

But I do love HAL's itineraries and I often think we should consider booking a Neptune category suite so we could compare apples with apples. But then food comes to mind and HAL just doesn't cut it. So we would need to eat in Specialty restaurants. Still, even with that cost added on it would be less expensive than Oceania and a good way to truly compare.

 

Surprised to hear that you like Princess cays better. I think it's pretty inferior to HMC. I love to walk and walk on the beach at HMC. You can't do that on Princess cays. What is it that you enjoy more?

[G&G]

Surprised to hear that you like Princess cays better. I think it's pretty inferior to HMC. I love to walk and walk on the beach at HMC. You can't do that on Princess cays. What is it that you enjoy more?

 

I agree that HMC is much better than PC. But we do like Oceania much more than HAL.

[LindaM]

I will really look forward to you report when you return! I love to read what people think when they have both lines. Obviously, anyone who has not tried Oceania can't possibly compare the two. That's a given. I can't agree with those who say HAL offers more for less $$$. HAL is definitely less expensive and that cannot be argued, but Oceania is just a far more special experience … at least for me. It would NOT be so if you're looking for a lot of activities and/or nightlife. DH does not like the Casino on Oceania except for the nights he wins:).

 

On our recent 10-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary we stopped at Princess Cays (Eleuthera) which I found to be as good, if not far better, than Half Moon Cay. It helped that we were the only ship there and only about half the passengers got off because we sailed at 1:00 pm.

 

But I do love HAL's itineraries and I often think we should consider booking a Neptune category suite so we could compare apples with apples. But then food comes to mind and HAL just doesn't cut it. So we would need to eat in Specialty restaurants. Still, even with that cost added on it would be less expensive than Oceania and a good way to truly compare.

 

I've not been on Oceania, but I've sailed Regent twice. I think because of that I am qualified to compare a luxury ship with HAL. I found our second sailing on Regent to be lacking in service and food to Prinsendam. Mind you, I am only comparing Prinsendam, which is HAL's supposed luxury ship. If you sail HAL, you should sail Maasdam or Ryndam or something similar. Food is subjective. If Ruth says Oceania's wasn't better than Prinsendam, I would believe her. Like I said, Regent is a step above Oceania, and I was not impressed with the food, nor was DH.

[cruz chic]

I agree that HMC is much better than PC. But we do like Oceania much more than HAL.

 

I haven't sailed Oceania so I can't speak to that. I would like to at some point.

[cruisingxpert]

But I do love HAL's itineraries and I often think we should consider booking a Neptune category suite so we could compare apples with apples. But then food comes to mind and HAL just doesn't cut it. So we would need to eat in Specialty restaurants. Still, even with that cost added on it would be less expensive than Oceania and a good way to truly compare.

 

I have gone on 2 Oceania Caribbean cruises in a PH3 and also in Neptune Suites on Maasdam, Veendam, Noordam, Oosterdam and Westerdam.

 

Décor: Oceania hands down - gorgeous

Food: Oceania Terrace Grill - much better than the Lido

MDR - -beautiful but only ate there twice.

Even rating maybe

Specialty Restaurants - nice that they are included but

surprisingly I wasn't that impressed.

 

La Reserve - amazing and wonderful although I really

enjoyed the Chefs Dinner on the Westerdam

 

Neptune Lounge vs Executive Lounge - No comparison - HAL wins by a

country mile

 

Cabins Oceania PH is a bit smaller but being newer, its décor is nicer and

the walk in closet is fabulous. Nothing wrong with HAL - especially love their aft wrap suites

 

Here is the oddest thing though - to me anyway. I have socialized more with people on Oceania than I ever have on HAL. I have stayed in touch with several people I met on board. Although the people on HAL were lovely, I never made those connections. Maybe they are just more reserved?

 

For the record, I'm in my 60's, single and travel mostly with a childhood girlfriend or by myself with friends.

 

Catherine

[G&G]

I have gone on 2 Oceania Caribbean cruises in a PH3 and also in Neptune Suites on Maasdam, Veendam, Noordam, Oosterdam and Westerdam.

 

Décor: Oceania hands down - gorgeous

Food: Oceania Terrace Grill - much better than the Lido

MDR - -beautiful but only ate there twice.

Even rating maybe

Specialty Restaurants - nice that they are included but

surprisingly I wasn't that impressed.

 

La Reserve - amazing and wonderful although I really

enjoyed the Chefs Dinner on the Westerdam

 

Neptune Lounge vs Executive Lounge - No comparison - HAL wins by a

country mile

 

Cabins Oceania PH is a bit smaller but being newer, its décor is nicer and

the walk in closet is fabulous. Nothing wrong with HAL - especially love their aft wrap suites

 

Here is the oddest thing though - to me anyway. I have socialized more with people on Oceania than I ever have on HAL. I have stayed in touch with several people I met on board. Although the people on HAL were lovely, I never made those connections. Maybe they are just more reserved?

 

For the record, I'm in my 60's, single and travel mostly with a childhood girlfriend or by myself with friends.

 

Catherine

 

Nice comparison and I agree with your comments except I liked the Specialty Restaurants, especially the French Restaurant, Jacques.

 

My problem with HAL is that Any Time Dining is unpredictable. On our recent Maasdam, 42 day cruise, we walked out of the MDR several times and finished dinner in the Lido due to poor service and poor quality food. Some nights it was excellent and some nights very poor. At least on Oceania if I walked out of the MDR to their Lido I know there is lobsters, filets, crab legs, salmon, lamb chops, etc waiting for me every night :).

[ruthnlarry]

Here is the oddest thing though - to me anyway. I have socialized more with people on Oceania than I ever have on HAL. I have stayed in touch with several people I met on board. Although the people on HAL were lovely, I never made those connections. Maybe they are just more reserved?

 

For the record, I'm in my 60's, single and travel mostly with a childhood girlfriend or by myself with friends.

 

Catherine

 

We have had the identical experience, and were talking about this the other day. We stay in touch with many of the friends we made on Oceania, Azamara, and Celebrity. We have even visited with these friends on trips to their countries, or in their home towns here in the U.S.. Even though we have taken twice as many HAL cruises than Oceania, or Azamara, or Celebrity, we "never made those connections" with pax on HAL. Interesting...

[cruisingxpert]

Can't believe I forgot about beds. Beds on both Oceania and Hal are wonderful.

We get the beds separated and the difference is that Oceania beds are Queens and therefore narrower than the HAL King beds separated.

 

To G & G:

 

I think I was a bit disappointed by the specialty restaurants because I had been so hyped about them by a review by Reposado about food on Oceania

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1663063&highlight=food+review+riviera

 

Catherine

[Krazy Kruizers]

As you know, I never post on HAL boards since I no longer cruise HAL; so have nothing to offer. However, I knew Ruth was going to cruise Oceania and meant to check earlier for her report … knowing how much she loves HAL I was anxious to know how she compared the two. A friend told me this review was here so I hurried to read. I thank you, Ruth, for your detailed, fair and positive review.

 

Last January, after being so disappointed in recent HAL cruises and also Celebrity, we bit the bullet and booked a Penthouse suite on Oceania Riviera. I wrote a review at the time that I posted here on HAL.

 

We cruised Oceania Riviera again this month and our experience was the same as our last. We loved it even though I became ill halfway through and came home to identity theft. While we have a Celebrity cruise booked in 2015, it's doubtful we'll keep that booking; we're more likely to be back on Oceania.

 

Someone mentioned comparing Riviera to Prinsendam which you cannot do since it is a much larger ship. Better to compare Prinsendam with Regatta which we'll be on at the end of this year.

 

I did feel Ruth would really miss the piano bar as would so many others who enjoy that on HAL. There is little nightlife on Oceania which is not an issue for us, but would be for many. Unlike some, I love the entertainment onboard and the timing of the show always works perfectly for us since we linger so long at dinner.

 

While there is no promenade deck on Riviera, there are many areas to sit where you can enjoy looking out to sea. I especially enjoyed the sanctuary area and of course the upper decks above the pool.

 

The food on Oceania is what won us over even if nothing else had. In our category we were able to reserve all 4 specialty restaurants ahead of time so every other night we ate in the Grand Dining Room. First and last nights we ate in the Terrace Grill which we loved and on a longer cruise we would eat there more. I'd skip Red Ginger next time; I really dislike it. The service on the entire ship cannot be beat.

 

It seems to come down to a price comparison; does the value of an Oceania cruise override the high cost. No question it costs a whole lot more to cruise on Oceania even in a comparable cabin and even if you price in the cost of Specialty restaurants, soft drinks, specialty coffees, etc (all included on Oceania). It's expensive.

 

And for us …. worth it. We don't feel there's any comparison between the two lines. Oceania (with the exception of nightlife) wins hands down for us.

 

I am so glad you enjoyed the crossing Ruth! And thank you for your review which I really enjoyed reading. Not sure I would have dared tackle such a long cruise having never sailed on Oceania. And I also think I would want more activities going on during the day with all those sea days.

 

 

I am so sorry to hear that you became ill on your cruise. I hope that you are better now.

I can't imagine what you are dealing with concerning the identity theft. That must be awful.

[HeatherInFlorida]

I've not been on Oceania, but I've sailed Regent twice. I think because of that I am qualified to compare a luxury ship with HAL. I found our second sailing on Regent to be lacking in service and food to Prinsendam. Mind you, I am only comparing Prinsendam, which is HAL's supposed luxury ship. If you sail HAL, you should sail Maasdam or Ryndam or something similar. Food is subjective. If Ruth says Oceania's wasn't better than Prinsendam, I would believe her. Like I said, Regent is a step above Oceania, and I was not impressed with the food, nor was DH.

 

Never sailed Regent so can't comment. It's considered a "step up" by some and not by others. It costs more and includes more and is owned by the same company. But I do agree Prinsendam is a very different experience than other HAL ships. We loved our Prinsendam cruise! I have sailed Maasdam, Veendam, Oosterdam, Westerdam and Prinsendam. And we LOVED our early cruises on HAL (I think our first was 2003 or 2004). But as the years went by I became more and more disappointed until we finally stopped.

 

Oceania's food is far better than Prinsendam's. However that's my opinion just as Ruth's is her opinion. Unless I'd actually eaten with someone and we had agreed on a specific dish or two or three, I wouldn't believe or disbelieve no matter how much I might trust them. I love and trust my husband, but we often disagree on what's good and what isn't.

 

There are? I sure didn't find them, and I spent a lot of time one day looking for a place.

The very comfy deck chairs by the pool and one deck up are all facing inward, not toward the sea. Even if one were to turn a lounger around, there's a glass barrier; not exactly the same as being outside enjoying the sea.

 

If the Sanctuary area you're referring to is the place I'm thinking of, it's more like a nice sun room than a place to sit and enjoy the sea.

 

I thought Sanctuary was a wonderful place to enjoy the sea, but whenever I was there all the windows were open. There were other decks above the pool area to sit facing the sea such as outside the Library … very comfortable and lovely. Again, I prefer to sit on my balcony and read …. I never was a Promenade Deck lounger :)

 

Sorry I couldn't quote everyone's points. I'll do the best I can to respond. Catherine, I agree with your points for the most part except I really love Polo and Jacques over HAL specialty restaurants. But to be fair, I haven't cruised HAL in awhile. I didn't care for Red Ginger and didn't see the fuss over the Miso Glazed Sea Bass. Toscana was not a favorite for me. But I love the GDR and Terrace for dinner as well as Waves for lunch. I just believe that on average I can count on loving what I'm served on Oceania whereas on HAL it was rare I enjoyed a meal (not counting the desserts, soups and appetizers … always loved those on HAL for the most part).

 

Unless HAL has changed their beds, Oceania wins hands down. It is the only time I have ever been away from home and preferred the bed to my own :).

 

We also met many more people on Oceania who we really liked, but I think that depends a lot on timing and luck of the draw.

 

Nothing can compare with the walk-in closet in the PH on Riviera except for the walk-in closet we had in our Prinsendam stateroom (best cabin ever). But they destroyed that cabin since we cruised on her.

 

I may have liked Princess Cays better because there was no one there with us. I just thought it was prettier, but I didn't mean to put down HMC because it's lovely. And we loved when we rented a cabana. But when it's crowded, I hate it. But I'd likely hate Princess Cays crowded either.

 

I think it's fair to say that if you have a strong allegiance to HAL which many CC posters do have, then you're not going to feel as much at home on Oceania. But we don't have that and never did. We've been cruising since 1982 on so many lines. In recent years it was all HAL and Celebrity and I liked Celebrity better until I didn't so much. But that doesn't mean I won't go on either one again. It just means that if I have a choice and can afford Oceania, that would be my first pick right now.

[8pawz]

We sailed on Oceania Marina in a PH on a TA and other than the food we prefer HAL. The food was fantabulous but the Captain, activities and yes even the service left a lot to be desired. We asked very little of our butler and he failed in all points. Left dirty dishes in the suite for example. We had terrible fog and missed 2 ports so were at sea for 8 days with very little to do other than eat. I read 8 books. Because so much space is taken up with restaurants there are few venues for special activities. Nearly every day there was a special scarf tying demonstration. Wow. Did not partake. And, the only area available for comfortable reading was often loud because of art sales. Got to admit that the teas were something special. And the chocolates.... But, we could have eaten just as well in some high end restaurants at home at a much lesser cost. Re the Captain, my DH is retired Navy and was not impressed. The Captain had a lot of trouble backing out of a dock and my DH kept shaking his head on that. Also, never knew what was happening until the last minute. And the special lounge for PH folks - didn't think it was anything special. Bottom line, we would not choose to go Oceania. Told our TA that it would have to be a fantastic itinerary at a fantastic price.

 

We will be on the HAL 14 day Alaska cruise next August and with Ruth! We are also splurging and for the first time going in a Neptune suite so think we will really be able to make an even better comparison with Oceania. We like the extra activities and options - like the piano bar at night. We like rock better than strings. Not the Carnival type but not the Cunard type either. Cant wait to get on a HAL ship with the Blues band.

 

A number of people we met on Oceania said they used to sail on HAL but no longer do cause HAL service has declined so. Our butler must have flunked the service component of his training. HAL is just a better fit for us.

 

Joan

[HeatherInFlorida]

What this says to me is it's just one more reason there are different flavors of ice cream … some love Creme Brûlée and Tiramisu while others would rather cheesecake or chocolate cake.

 

Same is true with cruise lines. I confess … I read these comments and just shake my head in disbelief, but clearly something clicks for some of you on HAL but for many of us it just doesn't.

 

So we could discuss for days and we're never going to agree and why should we? We know what we like so we choose the line that works for us. But I just got a new brochure from HAL and I didn't toss it in recycles …. I have always said I love HAL's itineraries so we may give it a try just one more time. Maybe if we confine ourselves to specialty restaurants, we'll be happier with the food. But I would miss all the people we meet during dinner; that was one of my favorite things on Oceania.

[RuthC]

I thought Sanctuary was a wonderful place to enjoy the sea, but whenever I was there all the windows were open.

Ah, I was picturing the same place as you meant. Precisely, the Sanctuary is like being at home inside your sun room, rather than being outdoors.

 

One of the best areas on the ship to enjoy the outdoors (presuming no balcony) would be the aft deck of the Terrace, but I never had a sense people were welcome to hang out there when they weren't eating.

Edited December 31, 2013 by RuthC