Activities on Transatlantic Cruise

[Croooser]

We have been on several Celebrity TAs. IIRC, they all had at least 3 different lecturers on each sailing who were well qualified in their respective subject matter. Each lecturer usually gave a series of maybe 3 lectures. 

 

We are booked on the March '22 Riviera TA but it is definitely not the activities and entertainment that we are attracted to on O. IMHO Orator would be wise to look elsewhere based on what he is looking for.

[luvsmickey]

12 hours ago, ToxM said:

I am looking forward to being able to enjoy the freedom of 6 sea days during our TA next year - having never done a TA this has been on my list of wanting to do for some time. 

 

I don’t want to have a schedule, I don’t want to be organised. I want to read a few good books, play some poker (hopefully) enjoy some good food and just decompress. This is a tombola birthday trip for me so I plan to revel in every second. 

 

I would like tips for the ship building competition however. 

We were on a TA on Regatta several years ago. My husband and the other 2 guys in our party decided to build a boat for the competition. They started with the foot stool on the balcony, got some supples from cabin crew/butler, like tin foil etc. they really got into it and won!  Good entertainment for some retired engineers. 

[CintiPam]

On 6/11/2021 at 9:03 AM, LHT28 said:

That was  our 3rd attempt at the  TA  

not always 3rd time lucky LOL

Besides the snow  we had very rough seas

you made the right choice  no matter what the reason 😉

 

Rough seas concerns are the reason I happily pass on any and all TA’s. 

[cotto22]

On 6/11/2021 at 4:20 PM, luvsmickey said:

We were on a TA on Regatta several years ago. My husband and the other 2 guys in our party decided to build a boat for the competition. They started with the foot stool on the balcony, got some supples from cabin crew/butler, like tin foil etc. they really got into it and won!  Good entertainment for some retired engineers. 

We enjoyed watching the boat competition, it was a lot of fun as a spectator sport. We enjoy trivia nights in the lounges occasionally. I think there are enough activities for those who want to participate, like the golf, cards, cooking , wine tasting, etc. And sometimes there are even two activities that you want to do that happen at the same time! One of our favorites (beside a tour of the galley), was a backstage tour given by the entertainment ensemble. They were very gracious, informative, and actually pleased to speak with us. I think the only disappointment I have had was in the are of enrichment lectures. I don't think they really invest in that area!

[mauibabes]

Wow, we have never been able to do either of those tours, always told NO to the Galley. We have done one TA on Marina and it was great and looking forward to our Riviera TA leaving from Rome  November 17 👍🙏🚢🍷

[luvsmickey]

14 hours ago, mauibabes said:

Wow, we have never been able to do either of those tours, always told NO to the Galley. We have done one TA on Marina and it was great and looking forward to our Riviera TA leaving from Rome  November 17 👍🙏🚢🍷

See you onboard!!! FP due 6/20. It will be an awesome TA as we’re all so excited to be cruising at all!!  

[PhD-iva]

5 minutes ago, luvsmickey said:

See you onboard!!! FP due 6/20. It will be an awesome TA as we’re all so excited to be cruising at all!!  

+1!

[cotto22]

4 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

+1!

We are on that cruise as well! 

[LGW59]

On 6/11/2021 at 12:11 PM, Croooser said:

We have been on several Celebrity TAs. IIRC, they all had at least 3 different lecturers on each sailing who were well qualified in their respective subject matter. Each lecturer usually gave a series of maybe 3 lectures. 

 

We are booked on the March '22 Riviera TA but it is definitely not the activities and entertainment that we are attracted to on O. IMHO Orator would be wise to look elsewhere based on what he is looking for.

Never sailed Oceania but that is going to change in May 2023, 12 days (mostly Alaska). Have sailed Summit 2x and Edge 1x, loved all 3!  I’m not into big crowds so I don’t go to the theater shows.  Much rather find small nook near the piano player, various small musical ensembles around the ship and on sea days I’m mostly on my balcony for breakfast and lunch.  After chatting for many months here On various CC threads, I felt compelled to give a smaller ship a try.  Entertainment on Oceania seems to be so much my style, and the food reviews seem to be very very positive.  I looked for a 2022 but the rooms that appeal to me are all wait list.  Now I have wait listed myself patiently until May 2023.  Happy sailing all!!!

 

Edited June 13, 2021 by LGW59

[mauibabes]

Don’t let Waitlists put you off, book a 2022 trip as well, just takes a refundable deposit. If it doesn’t work next year, just roll the $$ forward. You can get waitlisted in multiple categories so there would be a good chance to catch a 2022 sailing. We have done a couple Alaska trips on Regatta and you will love her.  684 passengers makes for a very enjoyable trip and the Oceania superlatives you have heard are well earned. Lots of wonderful tours too.

Bonnie and Gerry 

[LGW59]

24 minutes ago, mauibabes said:

Don’t let Waitlists put you off, book a 2022 trip as well, just takes a refundable deposit. If it doesn’t work next year, just roll the $$ forward. You can get waitlisted in multiple categories so there would be a good chance to catch a 2022 sailing. We have done a couple Alaska trips on Regatta and you will love her.  684 passengers makes for a very enjoyable trip and the Oceania superlatives you have heard are well earned. Lots of wonderful tours too.

Bonnie and Gerry 

Again, thanks SO much, mauibabes!  Currently have Scandinavia/Russia booked May 2022 on Celebrity Apex, which I’m keeping as a back-up.  If I can find something similar on Oceania, I’ve already talked myself into making a change.  Professional reviews for Oceania are among the very best I have read.  Though much more important when making my decision are reviews from folks like yourself who have spent time on their ships, they are consistently very highly positive.  So looking forward to this Regatta cruise.  And after 2020 cancellations looks like I’ll now be celebrating my 60th, 61st and then 62nd birthdays on a ship!

 

 

Edited June 13, 2021 by LGW59

[Pizzasteve]

On 6/11/2021 at 9:11 AM, Croooser said:

We have been on several Celebrity TAs. IIRC, they all had at least 3 different lecturers on each sailing who were well qualified in their respective subject matter. Each lecturer usually gave a series of maybe 3 lectures. 

 

We are booked on the March '22 Riviera TA but it is definitely not the activities and entertainment that we are attracted to on O. IMHO Orator would be wise to look elsewhere based on what he is looking for.

My wife and I will be on that same cruise. Excited to explore Portugal for 2-3 weeks, but patient enough to take our time to get there.  I may bring a guitar to practice.

[mauibabes]

LGW59,

I have not looked but there should be a number of Baltic type trips or perhaps a B2B that could cover a lot of the ports you might be interested in. Consider Marina, Riviera and Serena itineraries. Waitlists could be an issue but give it a shot and make sure you deposit so you are on a Priority Waitlist.  No deposit, really no chance. 
October 18 on Riviera will be our 20th on Oceania and we have found our home long ago. Don’t need plastic glitz and glam, just love some class, a bit of elegance and some luxury and Country Club casual dress. Of course The Best Cuisine at Sea”, great service, professional staff and guests. We have done Princess, Oceania and then a Celebrity and then Oceania again and and again and NEVER looked back. It is all about Value and O has that cornered. 

ENJOY!
B and G 

[lj77346]

We had a great time on the December 2017 Marina transatlantic.  The boat building contest was lots of fun.  Originally we were planning on just making a raft like boat, but then we met a few other passengers who wanted to build a boat as well.  One of the men working on the project really got enthused and went dumpster diving in Tenerife and found a milk crate and some chicken wire that were used to form the frame of the boat. Others working on the project got plastic wrap and papers that we decorated and used to design the exterior of the boat.  Using plastic bottles, there were even ballast tanks.

 

On that cruise, Nolan Dean was the cruise director.  So, being complete suck-ups, we named the ship the Nolana.  As there were only two entries in the contest, both teams won and a good time was had by all.

 

 

[ToxM]

7 hours ago, lj77346 said:

We had a great time on the December 2017 Marina transatlantic.  The boat building contest was lots of fun.  Originally we were planning on just making a raft like boat, but then we met a few other passengers who wanted to build a boat as well.  One of the men working on the project really got enthused and went dumpster diving in Tenerife and found a milk crate and some chicken wire that were used to form the frame of the boat. Others working on the project got plastic wrap and papers that we decorated and used to design the exterior of the boat.  Using plastic bottles, there were even ballast tanks.

 

On that cruise, Nolan Dean was the cruise director.  So, being complete suck-ups, we named the ship the Nolana.  As there were only two entries in the contest, both teams won and a good time was had by all.

 

 

 

Ohh she looks very sea worthy! Yeah I think I am going to try and find a team and take part in that .. I like a good scrap heap challenge!

[marieps]

On 6/11/2021 at 10:50 AM, LHT28 said:

How does Aqua class  on X compare to A3 on Oceania ?

 Maybe that is where the price difference comes into play 🤔

 

Enjoy your cruise

Considering he's talking about Marina and not an R class I'd say the room will be nicer on O.  AQ on =X= gets you a dedicated restaurant which we enjoy very much for breakfast and dinner.  You also get unlimited access to their thermal suites (called the Persian Garden), which is an upcharge for everyone else.  The OP mentioned he was Zenith, which means he'd normally have access to the suite-only cocktail lounge, but =X= eliminated that benefit for social distancing.   Z's get unlimited laundry, so the lack of a launderette is not biggie for the OP but would be for me were the journey 15 days.    We get two bags each as Elite +, but we found the laundry room on Regatta for our TP convenient and useful.  The OP is  looking for activities...a laundry gab fest can be a hoot!  We are slowly moving loyalty to O from =X= AQ.   

Edited June 14, 2021 by marieps