Reporting from Riviera

[ORV]

Well I would if I could get the internet to work long enough. 
 

GDR closed for lunch 4 port days in a row. 
 

All of the meals I’ve had have been very good to delicious. 
 

Announcements of upcoming events about 5 times a day. 
 

There is a port shopping expert on board that gives presentations and passes out coupons and shopping maps. Looking for the photographers next. 
 

Tote bags and hats on milestone cruises only. 

As many of you know the new interactive tv system is in place. Better than the old system. I think the carpets are new and different in staterooms. 
 

We’re on till Dec 5th, enjoying the cruise so far. 

[DeeniEncinitas]

2 minutes ago, ORV said:

Well I would if I could get the internet to work long enough. 
 

GDR closed for lunch 4 port days in a row. 
 

All of the meals I’ve had have been very good to delicious. 
 

Announcements of upcoming events about 5 times a day. 
 

There is a port shopping expert on board that gives presentations and passes out coupons and shopping maps. Looking for the photographers next. 
 

Tote bags and hats on milestone cruises only. 

As many of you know the new interactive tv system is in place. Better than the old system. I think the carpets are new and different in staterooms. 
 

We’re on till Dec 5th, enjoying the cruise so far. 

Hi ORV! 
WOW nice cruise! Where is your cruise itinerary to? May I ask how your stateroom

is? Will be on her in awhile. We do a Panama Cruise on HAL from our home in San Diego and pick up O in Miami for a TA and again in The Med late April! First time with O very disappointed after 10 years with HAL.  So looking forward to your reviews. Will be trying a PH sounds like fun!

Denise😊

Happy Sailings

[Paulchili]

Thanks ORV

Who is the CD?

Are the MDR menus changed significantly from the past?

Is the spa credit back for elites?

Have a great cruise.

 

[clo]

13 minutes ago, ORV said:

Well I would if I could get the internet to work long enough. 
 

GDR closed for lunch 4 port days in a row. 

I've read that's pretty common and it makes sense.  What was open?

 

All of the meals I’ve had have been very good to delicious. 
 

Announcements of upcoming events about 5 times a day. 
That seems like a lot. Yes?

 

There is a port shopping expert on board that gives presentations and passes out coupons and shopping maps. Looking for the photographers next. 

O doesn't have photographers, do they???? 
 

Tote bags and hats on milestone cruises only. 

As many of you know the new interactive tv system is in place. Better than the old system. I think the carpets are new and different in staterooms. 
 

We’re on till Dec 5th, enjoying the cruise so far. 

 

[LHT28]

51 minutes ago, ORV said:

Well I would if I could get the internet to work long enough. 
 

GDR closed for lunch 4 port days in a row. 
 

All of the meals I’ve had have been very good to delicious. 
 

Announcements of upcoming events about 5 times a day. 
 

There is a port shopping expert on board that gives presentations and passes out coupons and shopping maps. Looking for the photographers next. 
 

Tote bags and hats on milestone cruises only. 

 

 

Thanks for the update

Who is the CD  & GM ?

OH NO  not more announcements

 

That is just not right  to have totes/hats just for milestone cruises (not that I want them) but it is the principle

They should clarify that on the Oceania club page

Yeah I do hope no art auctions or photographers are next  to come

that will be the last straw for us

 

Enjoy your cruise

Lyn

[ORV]

8 hours ago, Paulchili said:

Thanks ORV

Who is the CD?

Are the MDR menus changed significantly from the past?

Is the spa credit back for elites?

Have a great cruise.

 

Cd is Dottie, I have no problem with menu, I don’t see it as too different as in the past. Yes spa credit is back. Of course we don’t get it on this cruise. GM is Marck Warmover, but I have no idea what he looks like, he’s like that old H G Welles story.

 

Will answer more later. 

[ORV]

8 hours ago, DeeniEncinitas said:

Hi ORV! 
WOW nice cruise! Where is your cruise itinerary to? May I ask how your stateroom

is? Will be on her in awhile. We do a Panama Cruise on HAL from our home in San Diego and pick up O in Miami for a TA and again in The Med late April! First time with O very disappointed after 10 years with HAL.  So looking forward to your reviews. Will be trying a PH sounds like fun!

Denise😊

Happy Sailings

This is the southern Caribbean St Somewhere cruise. Today St Lucia, yesterday St John Antigua, before that St Marteen, tomorrow st Barts, we also went to San Juan & Cayo Levantado. We are on day 7 out of 10. 
 

Stateroom is just like a B 3 always has been. They could use a little adjustment in the drawers & sliding doors. You’ll love the Ph. 

[bitob]

Very disappointed that I won't be getting my 16th Oceania tote bag on my next (and probably last) Oceania cruise.

 

Lucky for me I have managed never to sail with Dottie and all those annoying announcements.

[ORV]

9 hours ago, clo said:

 

GDR being closed for lunch is starting to be common but historically hasn’t been. It makes sense for the shareholders. Not so much for the guests. Waves & The Terrace are both open. I like a little more serene environment at most meals. 
 

Yes, O has never had photographers, but in the past they haven’t had dedicated shopping port “Experts” either. 
 

Yes, I feel like 5 times a day is a bit much. 
 

My take on the bag & cap. They look nice, have the Oceania club logo on them and what your level is embroidered on them. I can see only getting them one time each level. What I can’t see is not giving them to guests that are one or two cruises over platinum or the next level. We will have to go on almost 20 more cruises to get them, which they probably won’t even have them then. What I think they should do is give you the one for your appropriate level the first time you cruise under the new program, then on your next Milestone. But what do I know?  Lyn nailed it on the head about principle.  
 

The Cyclo Club wine is a fair 5 buck wine, probably not anything most Oceania guests will care for. Not sure how well thought out that one is. 
 

Another thing I guess I’ve missed noticing  in the past is that the jewelry boutique is exclusively Bellari. It seems to us that it’s either a step above costume jewelry or way too expensive for the diamond pieces. 

Edited November 21, 2019 by ORV

[aquidneck1]

Thanks for the updates!  We we will be boarding on December 5.  Have a great cruise. 

[LHT28]

ORV

Back in the beginning  they  did have those annoying photographers as well as the art auctions

They used to have the photo wall on the backside of Martinis  in that hallway  on the R ships

The Shopping expert has been on our cruises for  a few years now

Can you say mass  market  LOL

 

Enjoy the cruise

[pinotlover]

3 hours ago, aquidneck1 said:

Thanks for the updates!  We we will be boarding on December 5.  Have a great cruise. 

Have a great cruise! Wish we could be there with you to tip another glass ( or more) of wine!

[ORV]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

Have a great cruise! Wish we could be there with you to tip another glass ( or more) of wine!

Speaking of that they have added additional servers in Terrace, not sommeliers, but drink servers. It’s an improvement. 
 

Currently a couple of blocks from the ship in St Lucia.

[aquidneck1]

3 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Have a great cruise! Wish we could be there with you to tip another glass ( or more) of wine!

Thanks! Will definitely miss our wonderful wine tasting dinner in Le Privee.  We are trying La Reserve this time but I doubt that the wine will be equal.  

 

Good to know re Terrace.  Thanks  

[susiesan]

What is on fire on St. Lucia? or is someone burning their garbage.

[LHT28]

YIKES  that does not look good

https://www.stlucianewsonline.com/breaking-news-fire-at-voyager-building-in-castries/

[keithm]

I kind of thought that the GDR was pen for suite/concierge guests on port days. I know it was on embarkation days. That's what we like about the Grills on Cunard. They were always open for breakfast/lunch/dinner.

[Mura]

That wasn't our experience.  If it's closed on port days, it's closed for everyone.

 

We did a B2B in May 2018 and on turn-over day they did invite continuing passengers to a lunch in the GDR.  But the invitation wasn't dependent on cabin status.

 

We're usually in a suite and I don't recall the GDR being open for concierge and suite guests on embarkation day -- unless you were continuing on from the previous cruise.  Maybe things have changed more recently.

[Kate-AHF]

On our cruise last year the MDR was open on turnaround days to ALL those pax on B2B's only.  Invitations were issued a few days in advance, and it was RSVP.

[LHT28]

46 minutes ago, keithm said:

I kind of thought that the GDR was pen for suite/concierge guests on port days. I know it was on embarkation days. That's what we like about the Grills on Cunard. They were always open for breakfast/lunch/dinner.

Embarkation day they have a lunch for B2B guests  maybe that is what you saw

[TexEm]

Please let us know how your port day in St. Bart’s is.  We’re on Riviera in late December/early January and haven’t figured out anything to do there on our last port day.  We haven’t been there before.  

[clo]

49 minutes ago, TexEm said:

Please let us know how your port day in St. Bart’s is.  We’re on Riviera in late December/early January and haven’t figured out anything to do there on our last port day.  We haven’t been there before.  

The food is supposed to be world-class.

https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/st-barts/restaurants

[Paulchili]

29 minutes ago, clo said:

The food is supposed to be world-class.

..and priced accordingly (as in Paris + the export fees) 😀

[clo]

28 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

..and priced accordingly (as in Paris + the export fees) 😀

I saw that Jean-Georges is there. We ate at one of his places in Manhattan and it was super. But the place in/on St. Barths ain't cheap. But, hey, you're only young once. 🙂

[Paulchili]

1 hour ago, clo said:

I saw that Jean-Georges is there. We ate at one of his places in Manhattan and it was super. But the place in/on St. Barths ain't cheap. But, hey, you're only young once. 🙂

I agree. As foie gras was not available in CA, I got a few cans of it on our last visit there (as I just recently did again in France + some rillettes. 😀)