🤔 RSSC advertising Oceania

[Dolebludger]

I get daily ads from Regent, occasionally from Oceana, and once in a while from NCL. These lines are owned by the same company. Personally, we wouldn't go NCL. Just a nickel and diming, lines and crowds, mass market line. And not the best of that lot either (MSC is). We have never taken Oceana, and probably never will. The difference in price is not sufficient for us to tolerate smaller accommodations and being charged for cokes, bottled water, beers, and cocktails. When we can't afford to cruise on a line with Regent-level service, we just opt to stay home.

[Travelcat2]

I get daily ads from Regent, occasionally from Oceana, and once in a while from NCL. These lines are owned by the same company. Personally, we wouldn't go NCL. Just a nickel and diming, lines and crowds, mass market line. And not the best of that lot either (MSC is). We have never taken Oceana, and probably never will. The difference in price is not sufficient for us to tolerate smaller accommodations and being charged for cokes, bottled water, beers, and cocktails. When we can't afford to cruise on a line with Regent-level service, we just opt to stay home.

 

 

I agree with most of what you posted but want to correct one thing. There is no charge for any non-alcoholic beverage (cokes, bottled water, juice, etc.) on Oceania. Also, IMO, the service level is about equal to Regent. Still, it doesn't have the "feel" of a luxury cruise line (which is why FDR does claim that it is). The newer ships are gorgeous and, as I've said, the food in the specialty restaurants is wonderful (not better than Regent's Explorer but similar).

 

Note: I am now comparing food to the Explorer rather than Regent's other ships as it has been the opinion of some cruisers (including ourselves) that the Explorer's food is a step above the other ships. This could be due to the Executive Chef (we had the same Executive Chef on our three Explorer cruises). Over the next year, we will be going back to the Mariner and Voyager and can do a more up to date comparison.

[latsyrc]

While I was researching our next cruise after returning from our time on the Explorer in November, and since at this point in our "cruising careers" my wife and I are more itinerary driven than particularly brand loyal, there was an Oceania cruise that caught my eye. (One of theirs ships, forget which one, was docked next to us in Naples and it looked, to be fair, beautiful.) So I called them for more info. I can tell you that they do indeed say, at least on the phone, that this will be the best food we have ever had on a ship. Not sure they knew we were on their sister line Regent, which in my opinion is probably unbeatable.

I think I might have read on one of these boards---could be wrong---that both lines, to take advantage of economies of scale, buy the same ingredients. But of course have different chefs.

We didn't wind up booking the cruise, but now I'm curious if there is anyone out there who has tried them both.

 

 

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I can's speak to Regent's food since have never sailed them but IMHO Oceana food is far inferior to Crystal. I did 42 days on Marina from Tahiti to NYC. The food in Jacques was outstanding (as good as Crystal MDR) the rest were a disappointment and the crowding in the MDR was a big problem as was the very slow service.

[Travelcat2]

I can's speak to Regent's food since have never sailed them but IMHO Oceana food is far inferior to Crystal. I did 42 days on Marina from Tahiti to NYC. The food in Jacques was outstanding (as good as Crystal MDR) the rest were a disappointment and the crowding in the MDR was a big problem as was the very slow service.

 

Your post shows just how subjective food can be. We also thought that Jacques on Oceania's Marina was excellent but that feeling is not shared by a quite a few Oceania cruisers. I feel that Jacques is better than Chartreuse or Signatures on Regent.

 

By the same token, we did not care for Red Ginger after the second time we dined there and also do not care for Pacific Rim on the Explorer (but do feel that the food on the Explorer is better than on other Regent ships which makes no sense but it is what it is). IMO, Oceania's steak restaurant (Polo) is good and Regent's Prime 7 is good but both are inconsistent. I have no strong feelings about the Italian restaurants on either Oceania or Regent (prefer the Italian food on Silversea).

 

Because of how subjective food it, we look more at suite size (very important to us) and service. Funnily, the Explorer (our favorite ship) has the worst and best suites of the Regent fleet (again, in our opinion - long time Regent cruisers). However, it is easy enough to avoid the suites that we don't care for and still enjoy everything that the Explorer has to offer.

[CarlsbadSally]

Have cruised on both Oceania and Regent and we love both. Oceania' newer ship is lovely and the food is at least as good as Regent. We do find that when all is added up the cost is about the same. Oceania' upcharge for business class is very high.

 

 

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