Oceania cruise - live from the Riviera Transatlantic

[CruiseAficionado]

Go meet Randall Abrhams, Concierge. He is very helpful and fun.

 

Have met him already. Currently we are supposed to change PH cabins between our B2B and Randall is trying to get us our same cabin for our entire trip. Very nice person.

[CruiseAficionado]

Awoke to another great day on a very calm Atlantic albeit a little cooler. Planned to try out the GDR and the Bistro menu for lunch. Therefore, we had a light breakfast of a single hard boiled egg, berries (strawberry, blackberry, raspberry) and sliced home fry potato’s with tomato slices. Next we headed to the shuffleboard competition which had about 20 competitors. We divided into 2 person teams and competed 4 teams at a time on two shuffleboard lanes. Winners got 3 points and losers got 1 point. I got 3 and DW got 1 because we were on different teams due to assigning them according to how we signed up.

Next we went to the Martini Bar to get briefed on an unusual and very complex scavenger hunt. It consisted of 68 pictures of items found on the ship which were printed on a couple of sheets of paper. The object would be to find as many as fast as you can, write down the location plus artist and name (if any) and then go to reception and log in your submission time. Easy enough we thought but quickly found out that many of the pictures contained only a fraction of a picture, sign, statue, or carpet. This immediately became a very detailed and addictive game for us both but especially for DW. It managed to keep us moving about the ship and kept us from eating. Lol. So much so we almost forgot our planned Bistro lunch. Our lunch consisted of tiger shrimp cocktail, Boston butter lettuce salad, Tuscan bean soup with croutons, and finally linguini with clams. Simply delicious.

Went back to the “hunt” with renewed energy for a few hours more before trivia. We had a few trivia teams disband and members catch on with other teams. The questions seemed to be getting much harder and once again we thought our correct answers would be less than our wrong ones. Once again we lucked out and garnered a third place finish. Today’s trivia example: What was the first song sung in space turned out to be “happy birthday” and not Major Tom.

 

After returning to the hunt DW managed to whittle down our unknowns to a dozen of the pictured objects but we were so tired from walking up and down stairs and around the ship we had to cancel our dinner reservations at Jacques. Instead, being in a PH, we opted for something from a Speciality restaurant delivered by our butler Sydney. However, as this was a last minute decision and we did not notify our butler ahead of time, we were unsure if it would be possible. We called Sydney and he advised “no problem” and told us he only had one other in-suite dining request. l ordered from Jacques and had the Boston butter lettuce salad, herb-crusted black foot free range chicken and mashed potatoes with DW having the same but substituting a pork rack for my chicken. The food came about 15-20 minutes after we ordered but the pork rack proved too rare and pink for DW so she asked Sydney if she could please get the chicken. Once again it was “no problem” and a chicken entree appeared about 7-10 minutes later. Sydney asked if we would like desert and we ordered two cream brûlées that were some of the best we have ever had. I must say the ability to enjoy, as tired as we were, a Speciality restaurant dinner in our suite is proving to be worth the upgrade. We can see using this service a lot more on the next leg of our b2b which will be more port intensive than the TA.

[CruiseAficionado]

I’m enjoying your live blog! We did this crossing on the Riviera 2 years ago and absolutely loved it too! Your descriptions take me back and it’s fun to vicariously travel this route again. I have to say, time changes were easier on our November crossing going east to west but I think it’s a great idea that the captain made the changes during the day rather than at midnight. Enjoy every minute of your cruise!

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Thanks we may do the opposite crossing too. Just love this ship.

[british betty]

We did the crossing this time last year and had to miss the Azores because of bad weather and heavy seas. We sailed on the very edge of the storm so the sea was anything but calm ! It made for fascinating wave watching and the ship handled it well.

 

This year we’ll be joining the ship in Barcelona so save some some food for us please 😉

[CruiseAficionado]

Combating the ever increasing waistline.

Before boarding Riviera I envisioned many days waking up and going to the gym and either using the treadmill or rowing machine as it is the one I have at home. Also, after learning a fitness instructor would be onboard, I planned to get some exercises on the various machines to rehab an old rotator cuff injury. But best laid plans often go astray as I soon learned that the instructor had a last minute emergency and would not be sailing with us. So l haven’t set foot in the gym except to weigh myself the first day. Lol

As a cautionary measure to try to avoid gaining anymore weight DW and I decided to skip even a “light” breakfast. This was due in part to waking up late and the clock moving from 11:30 am to 12:30 this morning and having a big meal the night before. Looking forward to eating we perused the GDR lunch menu which had a rather abundant Asian flair. Once we went to the Terrace and saw a similar menu we opted to eat there as we like to order food, especially food we are not familiar with, when we can see what it is. I had a “light” lunch, discovered some Asian delights and two fantastic deserts one which appeared to be a yummy round chocolate brownie. Unfortunately, DW went back for seconds which she later regretted as she forgot we had asked Sydney to see if he could make us reservations in Red Ginger that night. As usual his reply was no problem. Lol

 

The overall service on board the Riviera, which I can only describe as “cheerful” because of the constant smiles, has been wonderful. In fact it may have reached its zenith at Red Ginger. We went down at exactly 6:30 and found a line of about twenty people who all appeared to have 6:30pm reservations. However, once the doors opened the line moved fairly rapidly until we found our way to the hostess who happened to be the Maitre de Susan. She was able to send us on our way to our table for two in seconds and we were seated next to a wall that I thought only gave the illusion it was falling water but was it or not I am now not sure. DW was very impressed with the decor as was I because it felt like we had been immediately transported to the orient. As an added touch we got to choose what color chop sticks we wanted from a very ornate box. We were then introduced to the amazing expanding wet towel after being served edamame and used it to clean our fingers. I then ordered a traditional carafe of Sake that had a hint of anise which IMHO was a bit pricey at $30. Our waiter Khanchai from Thailand was kind enough to point out that my initial salad choice of lobster and avocado contained some raw tuna (and hamachi?) and it convinced me to switch. He then suggested caramelized tiger prawns but cautioned they were fairly spicy hot but undeterred I found them to be perfectly prepared and a mix of sweet, spicy and hot. They went well with my very hot “white” tea that came in what seemed like cast iron tea pots that I immediately wanted to take home because it kept the tea so hot. I passed on the very popular Spicy Duck and Watermelon Salad due to my previous encounter with my Beijing “crispy duck”. Lol. Next, I ordered Vietnamese Banh Trang Summer Rolls which Khanchai offered were better eaten and less messy with hands rather than a fork which I appreciated. Finally we both ordered the acclaimed Miso Seabass which did not disappoint and was probably the best seabass I have ever tasted. Also it comes with a tiny clothespin that holds the leaves together which is removed on presentation and used to push the hoba leaf back. It seems people collect the pins to show how many of this entree they have enjoyed. So I attached mine to my shirt pocket, forgot about it and when meeting Corey in the elevator he noticed and said “ I see you had your Miso tonight?” Retired for the night with a Dalwhinnie nightcap. Life is good and now thanks to O is bordering on exceptional. Future cruisers on Riviera you are in for a wonderful time.

[pinotlover]

For the OP currently aboard the Rivera;

 

Another poster claimed that Oceania had recently changed the opening time of the Specialties Restaurants from 6:30 pm to 6:00 pm. Is that the case on your ship? Thanks!

[CruiseAficionado]

For the OP currently aboard the Rivera;

 

Another poster claimed that Oceania had recently changed the opening time of the Specialties Restaurants from 6:30 pm to 6:00 pm. Is that the case on your ship? Thanks!

 

According to today’s Currents all Specialties are opening at 6:30 pm. As posted we were there for opening last night at 6:30 and not 6:00.

[CruiseAficionado]

We did the crossing this time last year and had to miss the Azores because of bad weather and heavy seas. We sailed on the very edge of the storm so the sea was anything but calm ! It made for fascinating wave watching and the ship handled it well.

 

This year we’ll be joining the ship in Barcelona so save some some food for us please 😉

 

When are you joining ... April 11?

[pinotlover]

Thank you. I had assumed that prior poster was giving bogus information, just needed it confirmed.

[airtana]

Thank you. I had assumed that prior poster was giving bogus information, just needed it confirmed.

 

Here “LIVE” on the Riviera we call bogus information “FAKE NEWS” !!! LOL

[airtana]

Oceania Riviera Transatlantic Live

DW taking over the blog here with a few more comments and tips after being aboard Riviera for over a week. Hubby can’t have all the fun!!!

When we got onboard there were 4 cards in the room (2 for each of us) stating how much SBC we were receiving. The ones we received from the OLife promotion were tagged as complimentary (non-refundable)while the ones from our TA were listed as refundable. Since we are on back to back cruises we did inquire with the Executive Concierge if any non used SBC would be transferred to the next segment and he assured us it would.

As posted before, the baby lamb chops in the Terrace Grill and the GDR are an Oceania breakfast institution and are truly tender and melt in your mouth. And we can say with true delight the Miso seabass in Red Ginger lives up to its reputation as does the ambiance and attentive service. And one of my very favorite dishes was a ground lamb burger grilled to order in the Terrace Cafe during lunch one day served with lettuce, tomato, red onion slices and a dollop of cucumber sauce. To die for if you are a lamb aficionado.

If a sail-away is anytime during dinner hours it’s lovely to be sitting on the outside aft deck of the Terrace Grill as you leave port and watch the scenery pass by while dining on the delicious assortment of tasty temptations. Also anytime you get up to get more items from the buffet just put your napkin over the back of your chair and this indicates to the servers you are coming back to the table.

The clock next to you bed will light up if you pick it up so you can see the time without turning on any other lights. There is a retractable clothes line over the bathtub which is very useful for wet towels, bathing suits, etc. In our Penthouse suite there is a pull up lighted vanity under the mirror in the cabinet across from the bed which has a very large round magnified make up mirror in it.

If you can’t figure out which way to go when you step off the elevator to get to your room, you will notice a black house phone located on the port side of the ship which has the even numbered rooms. So if you have an odd numbered one you would go to the opposite aisle.

If for any reason you want some small bills to take ashore or get tokens for the washing and drying machines (which cost $2 for each load per machine) and the reception desk runs out, you can usually get some from the Casino when it is open.

There is a fresh fruit station next to the grill in the Waves Cafe that makes excellent smoothies. And at the ice cream station if you ask them for an extra thick milk shake your straw will stand up on its own in the glass. YUMMY

We did bring aboard a bottle of Grey Goose to enjoy in our suite and the butler upon request brought us lots of limes and a bottle of Mr. & Mrs. T’s Bloody Mary mix.

The daily GDR dinner menus are now previewed on your TV on channel 40. Speaking of the TV system, as far as in room entertainment goes, Oceania does not have an on demand system which we have previously enjoyed on several other cruise lines. (It provided us with a vast array of current movies, TV series which we could stop and start whenever we wanted, and also had numerous much more diverse music channels). In contrast, Riviera has 4 dedicated movies channels that run current and oldies movies all day long but you have to watch them at a specific hour and cannot pause them. IMO, their music channels are also lacking in depth and variety, not a spa or relaxation channel to be found. They also do have a vast DVD library and you will find a rundown of them printed in your room. However, it is by title only and has no description or what actors are in them, thereby, making it a bit more difficult to know how to choose if you are not familiar with the title.

We did provide ourselves with an alternative doing a little research before we got onboard. A week prior to leaving we purchased from Amazon Video prime the entire season 5 of one of our favorite history channel series, Vikings. We then downloaded all the episodes on the app to our IPad Pro. With an Apple lightning digital AV adapter, an HDMI cord and usb FireWire cord we have managed to hook up the IPad to the Insignia TV in the room and mirror what is playing on the IPad. So now we can watch all 10 episodes on our large TV screen in the comfort of our room with our Bloody Marys in hand.

Oceania also does not yet have the technology to pull up your room statements on the TV which again, is a nice amenity we have enjoyed on quite a few other cruise lines. It keeps schlepping down to Reception to stay abreast of your charges to a minimum. Hope they are looking into that for the future.

I know this is listed in “Currents”, but I just discovered on day 5 of our cruise they have a Coffee Corner setup starting at 6:30 am in the Horizons Lounge with a coffee machine, pastries and fresh fruit for those who want to enjoy the peace and quiet and views afforded from this lovely room. Speaking of coffee, if you get your java at Baristas in a go cup, it is so hot you can hardly hold it and since they did not have the cardboard sleeves (ala Starbucks, etc.) they give you a folded up napkin to put around it. Not quite as convenient since it can easily blow away when you are out on deck and it’s windy. I now just tell them to give me a double cup which works fine as well.

Unfortunately we have not been able to participate in any fitness classes except for one morning stretch as the fitness expert had an emergency and had to disembark in Miami before we left last Wednesday. Have no clue whether a replacement is being brought in or not. Kind of disappointed as I was so looking forward to some yoga and pilates sessions.

Our stewardess surprised us one night when we got back to our room with an adorable rabbit towel animal she had made. I guess in honor of Easter. She told me today she used to work for Carnival where they did that all the time. Very nice touch and has given our little stuffed Tiger trivia mascot a buddy.

Another tip I have found very useful is bringing with you some magnetic hooks which can be bought in two sizes at any Home Depot. They will stick to the walls almost anywhere in your cabin, and are useful for tossing clothes on to you don’t feel like hanging. Our suite does have 3 hooks in the hallway and 4 additional ones in the walk in closet, but if you are like me, I love lots of additional ones. I also bring a couple of refigerator magnets to put the latest addition of Currents at eye view.

For those of you who, like myself, enjoy getting your exercise by walking the decks, there are actually 3 separates areas you can go around. First, the sun deck directly above the pool, then there is the aft fitness area one deck above that (and 10 laps around it equals 1 mile) and finally one more above that is the forward sports deck where you can go around the putting greens and paddle tennis courts. If you like a little stair climbing on your workout you can actually circle the entire ship by in one continuous loop by going up and down the stairs that connect them all. One last tip, there is a cooler on the fitness track deck at the very back which contains iced bottles of water when you need some extra hydration.

 

Anything else I observe I will be glad to pass on. Happy sailing!

[Go9ersjrh]

Airtana - Thank you for all the suggestions. We will be joining you on April 11. Reading the blog is just getting me more excited.

[LHT28]

FYI

You can get laundry tokens at reception & use your OBC

 

When I went to book specialties for our Dec cruise there was a time slot for 6pm but did not book it as it was just a bit too early for us

 

could have been a glitch or they did not get many takers ???

[edgee]

Thank you. I had assumed that prior poster was giving bogus information, just needed it confirmed.

 

Whoaa.... You are free to "assume bogus information" if you wish..but DID happen. I was the "other poster" and the information was not :"bogus.: The Specialties really did open at 6 p.m. on my late February/early March 10 day cruise on Riviera. Perhaps it was a failed experiment that was not continued...but it did happen. It was officially posted in Currents and when we arrived for our 6:30 reservations there were tables of folks who were well into their 2nd and 3rd meal courses. Wait staff said it was done to allow for more reservations...NOT FAKE NEWS...I promise..I am an honest guy:halo:

Edited April 4, 2018 by edgee

[ToxM]

Love Vikings, what a great idea re downloading the eps! You are doing a great job with this blog, thanks for doing it. If I may suggest splurging one morning and having the sticky bun for breakfast ;)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[Suelantro]

Oceania Riviera Transatlantic Live

 

 

 

DW taking over the blog here with a few more comments and tips after being aboard Riviera for over a week. Hubby can’t have all the fun!!!

 

 

 

When we got onboard there were 4 cards in the room (2 for each of us) stating how much SBC we were receiving. The ones we received from the OLife promotion were tagged as complimentary (non-refundable)while the ones from our TA were listed as refundable. Since we are on back to back cruises we did inquire with the Executive Concierge if any non used SBC would be transferred to the next segment and he assured us it would.

 

 

 

As posted before, the baby lamb chops in the Terrace Grill and the GDR are an Oceania breakfast institution and are truly tender and melt in your mouth. And we can say with true delight the Miso seabass in Red Ginger lives up to its reputation as does the ambiance and attentive service. And one of my very favorite dishes was a ground lamb burger grilled to order in the Terrace Cafe during lunch one day served with lettuce, tomato, red onion slices and a dollop of cucumber sauce. To die for if you are a lamb aficionado.

 

 

 

If a sail-away is anytime during dinner hours it’s lovely to be sitting on the outside aft deck of the Terrace Grill as you leave port and watch the scenery pass by while dining on the delicious assortment of tasty temptations. Also anytime you get up to get more items from the buffet just put your napkin over the back of your chair and this indicates to the servers you are coming back to the table.

 

 

 

The clock next to you bed will light up if you pick it up so you can see the time without turning on any other lights. There is a retractable clothes line over the bathtub which is very useful for wet towels, bathing suits, etc. In our Penthouse suite there is a pull up lighted vanity under the mirror in the cabinet across from the bed which has a very large round magnified make up mirror in it.

 

 

 

If you can’t figure out which way to go when you step off the elevator to get to your room, you will notice a black house phone located on the port side of the ship which has the even numbered rooms. So if you have an odd numbered one you would go to the opposite aisle.

 

 

 

If for any reason you want some small bills to take ashore or get tokens for the washing and drying machines (which cost $2 for each load per machine) and the reception desk runs out, you can usually get some from the Casino when it is open.

 

 

 

There is a fresh fruit station next to the grill in the Waves Cafe that makes excellent smoothies. And at the ice cream station if you ask them for an extra thick milk shake your straw will stand up on its own in the glass. YUMMY

 

 

 

We did bring aboard a bottle of Grey Goose to enjoy in our suite and the butler upon request brought us lots of limes and a bottle of Mr. & Mrs. T’s Bloody Mary mix.

 

 

 

The daily GDR dinner menus are now previewed on your TV on channel 40. Speaking of the TV system, as far as in room entertainment goes, Oceania does not have an on demand system which we have previously enjoyed on several other cruise lines. (It provided us with a vast array of current movies, TV series which we could stop and start whenever we wanted, and also had numerous much more diverse music channels). In contrast, Riviera has 4 dedicated movies channels that run current and oldies movies all day long but you have to watch them at a specific hour and cannot pause them. IMO, their music channels are also lacking in depth and variety, not a spa or relaxation channel to be found. They also do have a vast DVD library and you will find a rundown of them printed in your room. However, it is by title only and has no description or what actors are in them, thereby, making it a bit more difficult to know how to choose if you are not familiar with the title.

 

 

 

We did provide ourselves with an alternative doing a little research before we got onboard. A week prior to leaving we purchased from Amazon Video prime the entire season 5 of one of our favorite history channel series, Vikings. We then downloaded all the episodes on the app to our IPad Pro. With an Apple lightning digital AV adapter, an HDMI cord and usb FireWire cord we have managed to hook up the IPad to the Insignia TV in the room and mirror what is playing on the IPad. So now we can watch all 10 episodes on our large TV screen in the comfort of our room with our Bloody Marys in hand.

 

 

 

Oceania also does not yet have the technology to pull up your room statements on the TV which again, is a nice amenity we have enjoyed on quite a few other cruise lines. It keeps schlepping down to Reception to stay abreast of your charges to a minimum. Hope they are looking into that for the future.

 

 

 

I know this is listed in “Currents”, but I just discovered on day 5 of our cruise they have a Coffee Corner setup starting at 6:30 am in the Horizons Lounge with a coffee machine, pastries and fresh fruit for those who want to enjoy the peace and quiet and views afforded from this lovely room. Speaking of coffee, if you get your java at Baristas in a go cup, it is so hot you can hardly hold it and since they did not have the cardboard sleeves (ala Starbucks, etc.) they give you a folded up napkin to put around it. Not quite as convenient since it can easily blow away when you are out on deck and it’s windy. I now just tell them to give me a double cup which works fine as well.

 

 

 

Unfortunately we have not been able to participate in any fitness classes except for one morning stretch as the fitness expert had an emergency and had to disembark in Miami before we left last Wednesday. Have no clue whether a replacement is being brought in or not. Kind of disappointed as I was so looking forward to some yoga and pilates sessions.

 

 

 

Our stewardess surprised us one night when we got back to our room with an adorable rabbit towel animal she had made. I guess in honor of Easter. She told me today she used to work for Carnival where they did that all the time. Very nice touch and has given our little stuffed Tiger trivia mascot a buddy.

 

 

 

Another tip I have found very useful is bringing with you some magnetic hooks which can be bought in two sizes at any Home Depot. They will stick to the walls almost anywhere in your cabin, and are useful for tossing clothes on to you don’t feel like hanging. Our suite does have 3 hooks in the hallway and 4 additional ones in the walk in closet, but if you are like me, I love lots of additional ones. I also bring a couple of refigerator magnets to put the latest addition of Currents at eye view.

 

 

 

For those of you who, like myself, enjoy getting your exercise by walking the decks, there are actually 3 separates areas you can go around. First, the sun deck directly above the pool, then there is the aft fitness area one deck above that (and 10 laps around it equals 1 mile) and finally one more above that is the forward sports deck where you can go around the putting greens and paddle tennis courts. If you like a little stair climbing on your workout you can actually circle the entire ship by in one continuous loop by going up and down the stairs that connect them all. One last tip, there is a cooler on the fitness track deck at the very back which contains iced bottles of water when you need some extra hydration.

 

 

 

 

 

Anything else I observe I will be glad to pass on. Happy sailing!

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you so much for amazing info. I also will be on the April 11 sailing. As this is my first time on oceania it sounds so good. Can t wait.

Susan.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[british betty]

When are you joining ... April 11?

Yes and it can’t come soon enough !

[sdbart]

FYI

When I went to book specialties for our Dec cruise there was a time slot for 6pm but did not book it as it was just a bit too early for us

could have been a glitch or they did not get many takers ???

 

Whoaa.... You are free to "assume bogus information" if you wish..but DID happen. I was the "other poster" and the information was not :"bogus.: The Specialties really did open at 6 p.m. on my late February/early March 10 day cruise on Riviera. Perhaps it was a failed experiment that was not continued...but it did happen. It was officially posted in Currents and when we arrived for our 6:30 reservations there were tables of folks who were well into their 2nd and 3rd meal courses. Wait staff said it was done to allow for more reservations...NOT FAKE NEWS...I promise..I am an honest guy:halo:

 

According to the main CC review, you all are correct:

All four of Oceania's alternative restaurants are fee-free and are open from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on longer cruises and 6 to 9:30 p.m. on weeklong cruises.

Am I correct in assuming that both LHT28 and edgee were both on 7-day cruises?

[edgee]

According to the main CC review, you all are correct:

 

Am I correct in assuming that both LHT28 and edgee were both on 7-day cruises?

 

Our cruise, as well the majority of Riviera's other Caribbean itineraries was a 10 day cruise.

Edited April 4, 2018 by edgee
Clarity

[LHT28]

According to the main CC review, you all are correct:

 

Am I correct in assuming that both LHT28 and edgee were both on 7-day cruises?

our was 10 days

[airtana]

We did the crossing this time last year and had to miss the Azores because of bad weather and heavy seas. We sailed on the very edge of the storm so the sea was anything but calm ! It made for fascinating wave watching and the ship handled it well.

 

This year we’ll be joining the ship in Barcelona so save some some food for us please 😉

 

Greetings British Betty,

 

So glad to hear you will be joining us on the 11th in Barcelona. And I am here to inform you that today in rough seas and high winds our tenacious CaptIn tried in vain three times to dock at Ponta Delgado and was not successful. We gave him three cheers for his valiant effort, though. One can be disappointed at not seeing a desired port, but we certainly understand that safety is the Crews’ main responsibility. But as you stated, this ship is very steady in not so perfect conditions. And in the end, another pleasant and peaceful day at sea is not such a bad thing after all on this luxurious ship.

 

 

And as for saving you some food, Betty, no promises can be made in that department. LOL. Right now we are off to lunch to once again delight in some culinary treasures!!!!

[airtana]

For the OP currently aboard the Rivera;

 

Another poster claimed that Oceania had recently changed the opening time of the Specialties Restaurants from 6:30 pm to 6:00 pm. Is that the case on your ship? Thanks!

 

Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa. My humble apologies to the poster who mentioned the restaurants on their cruise opening at 6:00pm. I had incorrectly thought they were on this current voyage. I do believe you are an honest guy and would greatly appreciate you disregarding my reference to Fake News. A poor attempt at humor on my part. Now you have aroused our curiosity and we will seek out the Restaurant Manager, Boris, get first hand, up to date information on how the operating hours may differ from cruise to cruise and update in a later post.

[airtana]

Here’s a couple more small insights. You seasoned Oceania cruisers are all probably aware of this, but it took me a week and my DH pointing this out to me. The Bulgari toiletries in the cabins actually have a flip top. All this time I was unscrewing the top to squeeze out the contents. DUH!!! I am not a blond for nothing!! LOL

 

One other thing, we asked our butler on day one to provide us with some candied ginger which, again, Sydney happily provided with his standard, “NO PROBLEM” reply. It’s useful not only for enhanced digestion but also good to treat any feelings of sea sickness. We just may be needing some of that today as the Atlantic is really rocking and rolling. WAHOO!!

[Toranut97]

Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa. My humble apologies to the poster who mentioned the restaurants on their cruise opening at 6:00pm. I had incorrectly thought they were on this current voyage. I do believe you are an honest guy and would greatly appreciate you disregarding my reference to Fake News. A poor attempt at humor on my part. Now you have aroused our curiosity and we will seek out the Restaurant Manager, Boris, get first hand, up to date information on how the operating hours may differ from cruise to cruise and update in a later post.

 

Oh - Boris! What an absolutely marvelous guy!I would send greetings but he would never in a hundred years remember us -- Boris took special care assisting my DH when he had troubles getting around and they enjoyed wonderful conversations. What a wonderful representative of Oceania!

 

Donna

[CruiseAficionado]

Lamb burger - my first!

While DW was on the Oceania@sea computer handling some work items I was having some scrambled eggs and home style potatoes at the waves grill. The pool area was devoid of its usual lounges and initially I though it was because it rained the previous night. Instead it was because we were having a Country Fair which included games like “ring toss” and prizes like free drinks. Once again the competitors were out in full force and the fair was well attended. Seems like this is a very competitive ship in that almost all activities attract an abundance of folks.

When the 11:30-12:30 time change occurred we headed for the Terrace and upon checking the grill found a great looking sandwich that I call lamb burger. It was ground lamb and not the gyro type but more like a hamburger patty. It was placed in a pita pocket on a bed of lettuce with a slice of tomato and red onion. It was then topped off with a dollop of tzatziki sauce and simply delicious. Of course I had to have the steak fries too. Unfortunately DW had already made herself a plate of other items and was half done with it when I finally arrived on the aft patio having had to wait a few minutes in line before ordering my lamb burger. Suffice to say, after trying a bite of mine, she got a smaller version to enjoy.

 

Last night we dined in Jacques and were met by the maitre de Yelena who had us seated at a window table. Since Jacques is located on deck 5 we were able to see the whitecaps and foamy waves breaking off the ship as it was still daylight. Our waiter greeted us with a tiny plate of two bite sized cheese balls and two other somethings topped with a black olive slice. DW had an appetizer portion of the Sautéed Jumbo Shrimp and the Boston lettuce salad followed by the Dover sole with table side deboning. I had the Maryland Lump Crab which was a little too creamy for my taste and very filling as I would later find out. Next had the Baked Onion soup and loved the Gruyere Cheese Crust but had to leave most of the soup to save room for my overly ambitious entree. I mentioned the John Dory to our waiter with fond memories of last having it in a Sydney restaurant next to the opera house 20 years ago. He advised that some thought it too fishy so (remembering my Beijing Duck) I passed and mentioned the Sea Bass filet in puff pastry for two which was my downfall. Expecting a reduced portion what I got instead was a pastry in the shape of a fish the size of almost an American football for two! Duh. They cut the nose and tail off and take them away and the rest is yours to enjoy and enjoy I did. Cutting through the top of the pastry shell revealed a surprisingly very moist large sea bass that once again melted in my mouth. I managed to also enjoy the upper and lower pastry shell but had to leave the crusty sides. Needless to say I skipped dessert. A word to the wise in that while I found the food at Jacques very good it is also very filling so you may want to choose your food judiciously. Also, once again, the service could not have been better as we were constantly checked on to see if our dinner was to our liking. Our waiter even sang a solo after the traditional happy birthday at an adjacent table.