Impressions on our 1st O trip in post Pandemic world

[mexicobob]

On 1/16/2022 at 3:40 PM, mauibabes said:

AlexCherie,

Welcome again to the O Family. We knew you would enjoy the experience. You mentioned not booking on board, we all make mistakes but you will get a bit of a “Do Over” as you will be receiving a $200 or so discount offer from Oceania in the mail. Oceania SOP. When it comes time for cruise #2, Book on Board! The $250 deposit, the $100 or more SBC gift and the On Board Booking Discount should never be passed up. Perhaps you did not sit thru the O Club Ambassadors presentation but we recently sat thru 4 and each time we found exciting itineraries to consider booking. We always book a trip or two and they are all as far out as possible, 18-24 months. Since Oceania allows you to make one “swap” of your booked itinerary, book something and move it as you desire but don’t leave discounts on the table. 
 

We agree with your wife on the Big O points. It is just fun meeting other guests and making new friends. In the end I picked up a couple of great O polo shirts and a wind/rain hooded jacket that are excellent quality, especially for Free. 
 

We have spoken to many Princess, HAL and Celebrity cruisers and to a one, after that first Oceania cruise, they adopt a new family. And yes, the staff/crew are really fantastic. 
 

Again, welcome.😷🙏🤪👍

Mauibabes

If you book onboard as you suggest, can you transfer that  booking to your travel agent?

[KS&JW]

15 minutes ago, mexicobob said:

If you book onboard as you suggest, can you transfer that  booking to your travel agent?

Yes.  Actually last time we booked on board no transferring was required.  It was booked to our TA (Who we used for the cruise we were on) from the beginning.

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 hours ago, KS&JW said:

Yes.  Actually last time we booked on board no transferring was required.  It was booked to our TA (Who we used for the cruise we were on) from the beginning.

Yes. If you used a TA for the current cruise, a new “book onboard” will initially be assigned to that TA. However, you can choose assignment to yourself (signing a form) and then you have a 30 day window during which you can transfer the booking to any TA you choose. 

[mauibabes]

Yes it is automatically assigned to the TA who assisted you on your previous trip. Should you want to select a NEW Travel Agent, you have 30 days to transfer your booking to the new TA.  
Hopefully you also received a notification from Oceania giving you some $$ for booking a new cruise.

 

By not booking on board, you missed the opportunity to only pay $250 pp for the deposit And the Club Ambassador would have also given you $100 in SBC to spend on the trip or apply to the future cruise. 
 

Glad you enjoyed your cruise and looking for another Oceania cruise. While there are several hundred cruises to select from, we and a bunch of people on our recent Riviera cruise booked a very exciting itinerary.  Riviera, November 2023, Istanbul thru the Holy Land thru the Suez Canal, Saudi Arabia and ends in Dubai. It is a 20 day cruise and it is currently the last possible Riviera Cruise available to be booked. The Club Ambassador said this was the first time this itinerary was to be sailed by Riviera. IMHO,  THIS IS AN AMAZING cruise Itinerary. In April when the new 2024/25 itineraries are released, we will see where Riviera is going next, either to Capetown OR to Singapore and possibly on to more Asia ports.  For people who like longer cruises, it could lend itself to a wonderful but somewhat expensive Grand Voyage. 
Also, if you are still looking for cruise options, definitely consider one of the Inaugural Sailings for Vista, she will be VERY SPECIAL.  

Have fun and welcome to the Oceania family. 
Mauibabes

[PhD-iva]

2 hours ago, mauibabes said:

Yes it is automatically assigned to the TA who assisted you on your previous trip. Should you want to select a NEW Travel Agent, you have 30 days to transfer your booking to the new TA.  
Hopefully you also received a notification from Oceania giving you some $$ for booking a new cruise.

 

By not booking on board, you missed the opportunity to only pay $250 pp for the deposit And the Club Ambassador would have also given you $100 in SBC to spend on the trip or apply to the future cruise. 
 

Glad you enjoyed your cruise and looking for another Oceania cruise. While there are several hundred cruises to select from, we and a bunch of people on our recent Riviera cruise booked a very exciting itinerary.  Riviera, November 2023, Istanbul thru the Holy Land thru the Suez Canal, Saudi Arabia and ends in Dubai. It is a 20 day cruise and it is currently the last possible Riviera Cruise available to be booked. The Club Ambassador said this was the first time this itinerary was to be sailed by Riviera. IMHO,  THIS IS AN AMAZING cruise Itinerary. In April when the new 2024/25 itineraries are released, we will see where Riviera is going next, either to Capetown OR to Singapore and possibly on to more Asia ports.  For people who like longer cruises, it could lend itself to a wonderful but somewhat expensive Grand Voyage. 
Also, if you are still looking for cruise options, definitely consider one of the Inaugural Sailings for Vista, she will be VERY SPECIAL.  

Have fun and welcome to the Oceania family. 
Mauibabes

Mauibabies, I will see you and everyone on the Nov 2023 Istanbul to Dubai cruise! Really looking forward to it!

[mauibabes]

Yes, Carol and Jen really convinced us that it was a must do trip. We have tried three times to get to Istanbul and always had cancellations so will try it again.  Robin, the ladies sold a lot of staterooms for that cruise when we were on board Riviera together on the TA with Bruce and Marilyn and so many others.  
 

Heading out on Marina March 5 Mia to Mia and hopefully the A B C islands.  We shall see but glad to have been moved from Sirena to Marina. 
Stay well 

Gerry and Bonnie, Mauibabes

[HiFi43]

Gerry, it is a “must do” trip. We did it a number of years ago “. Jordan is special from Wadi Rum made famous in “Lawrence of Arabia” to Petra featured in “Indian Jones and the Last Crusade”. If you overnight in the port of Aruba I recommend you do what we did and that is hire a private guide to drive you to Petra visiting Wadi Rum on the way. Book a hotel in Petra and at dusk walk through the canyon into the Treasury for the very special candlelight show they do. Next day spend the day in ancient Petra before driving back to the ship. In Eqypt the Valley of the Kings and Luxor are special. One of Oceania’s best cruises.
 

Spend a few days before the trip in Istanbul, one of our favorite cities, and at the end stay a few days in Dubai…Bruce

[Hokapontas]

On 1/17/2022 at 5:35 AM, AlexCherie said:

Things you think you know, but you really don’t. This is for people that have never sailed on a luxury/near luxe line. We sailed on the much discussed January 4 sailing of Riviera in to the Caribbean from Miami. I don’t mean to be definitive and everyone has their own truth. These were my observations. 
 

• Size Matters: OK, so ships all over are sailing with less people. But we stepped on to the ship, and knew where we were in relation to every single POI immediately. More important than you think. Until you’ve experienced it, I don’t think you can know it.
  
  It helps ease your mind
• Numbers Matter: We sailed with 690 out of 1250 possible souls. That had to be part of it (and increasingly every ship), but there was no point at which we needed anything or waited in any way. In port, getting on or off. A cooked to order burger at Waves (which, btw, exceeds every dining experience you don’t pay for on Celebrity. And some that you do.) Getting a seat in the theater. Speaking to any staff member, at all. This was confirmed by other veteran guests about more full sailings.
  
  It puts your mind to ease, not having to fight anyone to get your experience.
• EZ to overlook: Check the size of the menus at any restaurant and compare the sheer number of choices. I think this adequately reflects the line’s desire to simply overwhelm you at every turn. Honestly, on HAL or X there is a single night where lobster is offered in the MDR. You can enjoy as much lobster and shrimp as you can eat, every single night, under the stars. It is more than just the quality it is the quantity they successfully deliver.
  
  And it’s all included. Again, your mind rests and enables you to simply consume the good salt air.
• When numbers fail to relate: It is not that the average age is older on this line. If you are familiar with a distribution curve, the tail is long and thickly distributed to the right. I suppose each cruise could be different, but I honestly think this is a fair representation of the truth. Some people consume this well. My best friends do not, and the close proximity of people that are older and not physically beautiful wears them. You need to own this if it is you, and actually look forward to what it means.
  
  Nobody on these ships is parading around their glorious bodies. There is freedom there.
• What you read here accurately reflects: the fierce loyalty of your fellow guests. Our cruise would have given any group of cruisers a reason to gripe. Out of six ports, we made one original stop and were harassed at every turn about masks. Everyone was pleased as punch, and couldn’t say enough about their experience. And they’ve been on an awful lot of O trips.
  
   
• Nobody cares how much you make or your life circumstance: The democratization of lowered dress standards aides in reducing pretension. We met the most lovely guests, really, from all over the world. I guess that happens on other ships. But I think the entry price (combined with the number of repeat guests) means you all have been successful in some manner. The defining currency that stood out to me was how many O trips you’ve made. 
  
  Wearing khaki’s and a polo everywhere at night just feels so great. Again, something I think you underestimate if you’ve never been on a ship completely without a formal night - put this way: “Is tonight the one where I need to dress? No. That’s tomorrow”. Wipe that out from your memory banks.
• Sedate: You might be bored in the evening if food isn’t at least proximate to the center of your experience. I think this is something you think you know, but if you’ve sailed the Pinnacle experience on HAL, this will feel an awful lot like a high end nursing facility.
  
  Stop the boos, you O life freaks. This is the truth, and it’s something most of you don’t remember or just can’t admit. A single quartet and a piano player do not nightlife make.
  
   

You are going to love it, a lot more than you are going to be able to admit. No matter which line you sail when you exit you miss that morning croissant delivered to your cabin, or great bed/rocking motion/sound of waves. But I’m telling you that Oceania will create sensations that will take you someplace you can’t replicate.

I’ll give you just one restaurant example. I don’t drink tea. Hate it really. But in Red Ginger, the combination of Orchid Vanilla hot tea with the Bounty Cake is going to send your palate reeling. This happens time and again (Crispy Duck with Watermelon salad; Pancetta Wrapped Veal with Lobster, Oscar Style; there was a special on Ravioli where, when you sliced into it a stream of perfect yellow egg yolk streamed out). 

And it today’s world getting a reservation isn’t that hard. 

If you are worried about health there is nothing I can say to take away your fear, but the staff are on you like white on rice. Nobody stirs from their chair lest they have a mask. Frequent reminders from the PA. Besides our own administered test at home, we were tested twice and up to 3 times at the expense of the firm. They just can’t do more. No way of knowing for sure (nobody is saying how many staff got COVID), but I would say the number getting infected onboard wasn’t anything like onboard.

Your ports will change. The likelihood of you hitting smaller locations, where the infrastructure to handle COVID doesn’t exist is going to go down. Too bad. Be flexible or don’t do this vacation. It is entirely possible your entire vacation could get wiped out and you will be put into quarantine. If that threat is too much, don’t go. 

 

You can certainly cruise on a dime and have a good, different experience. Our walls and my wife’s fingers/chest are loaded with great memories of other trips. On the other hand,  the amount we spent on our Concierge level cabin was more than the combined costs of all cabins we’ve sailed, on over 80 nights at sea together. Yet the total cost of every single trip was more than what we spent with Oceania. Good for you; I know you are thinking well, we aren’t that kind of guest. And you can continue to enjoy those lines. They are good, and often it’s as much about itineraries and timing.

I think we’ve sailed our last main-line experience, and the $200 for HAL and the $100 deposit at NCL will go fallow. At least for now. In my mind it will be good after bad, a sunk cost I need to absorb. We will start the saving for the next trip, someplace in the Western Mediterranean or similar, on Oceania. I could have saved some onboard, but I needed the time and the perspective to know what I know now.

Things I’d do differently next time - maybe, be more involved in self-improvement, wellness and the whole life experience. My wife is seriously pissed at us for not making an effort to get O-life points (whatever those are. I’m not a joiner, really.)

Things you might choose do to differently: take a more leisurely approach to boarding initially. Don’t get there at the starting gun, arrive a touch later when you aren’t fighting for attention. We were allowed to board at 11:30 and got to the docks at 12:30 due to circumstances beyond our control and it seemed very empty at that time. It just reduced implied pressure and the whole cattle call feel. We go on quickly, were almost immediately granted access to our room and everything was open (including the buffet). Clothing appeared right after we got a quick bite. 


Cheers, and remember - be a potter, not a steelworker.
 

 

AlexCherie, I loved this post. You are a convert. I was lucky to have started (and continued) cruising life with O, and now know I should not feel the need to stray...thanks.

 

Anita

[mountain grandma]

Gerry—We also booked this Riviera itinerary for November, 2023 when we were sailing on the Riviera a couple of months ago.  It will be our 5th attempt to do it over the years due to political issues or Covid cancellations.  Needless to say, it is very high on our bucket list!  It will be good to see you again and hopefully, we can get together for dinner this time.   
 

Alex—Great post and we also welcome you to the Oceania family.   I ditto the previous comments/suggestions to always book on board even if you don’t know where or when you want to sail!  Its a win-win situation and you can’t lose.  
 

Billie

[mauibabes]

Mountain G/Billie, great to hear from you again. When November 2023 rolls around it will be like Old Home Week on Riviera. Of course that happens quite regularly since there is that loyal O following, but just from the people I know who were on board and booked the trip, there should be at least 10 returnees on this trip. While the ladies “pimped” it pretty hard, it is an absolutely amazing itinerary. We had dinner one evening with Graham and Shuna Denison (Artist in Residence) and they were due to end their contract in Barcelona in November 2023 but were convinced to stay on to Dubai with us as guests. Actually we have a bet going on where Riviera will sail after Dubai and the loser gets to pay for dinner reservations in Prive. Now that is a bet even a loser comes away a winner. 
 

Stay well MG and we will see you soon.

Bonnie and Gerry, Mauibabes 

[AlexCherie]

12 hours ago, HiFi43 said:

Gerry, it is a “must do” trip. We did it a number of years ago “. Jordan is special from Wadi Rum made famous in “Lawrence of Arabia” to Petra featured in “Indian Jones and the Last Crusade”. If you overnight in the port of Aruba I recommend you do what we did and that is hire a private guide to drive you to Petra visiting Wadi Rum on the way. Book a hotel in Petra and at dusk walk through the canyon into the Treasury for the very special candlelight show they do. Next day spend the day in ancient Petra before driving back to the ship. In Eqypt the Valley of the Kings and Luxor are special. One of Oceania’s best cruises.
 

Spend a few days before the trip in Istanbul, one of our favorite cities, and at the end stay a few days in Dubai…Bruce

Interesting to hear that you love Istanbul so much.

We are a little reticent to go there - fears of Anti-Americanism - so we've been mostly looking at Western European stops. Will reconsider. Thanks.

[Host Jazzbeau]

6 minutes ago, AlexCherie said:

Interesting to hear that you love Istanbul so much.

We are a little reticent to go there - fears of Anti-Americanism - so we've been mostly looking at Western European stops. Will reconsider. Thanks.

I share your reticence about Istanbul [having been there and still remembering the pushy carpet salesmen who accost you outside every major tourist site offering 'free tours' in exchange for visiting their shops] – but if you haven't been you should go soon, before they convert Hagia Sophia to a mosque and hide all its Christian mosaics.

[osandomir]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I share your reticence about Istanbul [having been there and still remembering the pushy carpet salesmen who accost you outside every major tourist site offering 'free tours' in exchange for visiting their shops] – but if you haven't been you should go soon, before they convert Hagia Sophia to a mosque and hide all its Christian mosaics.

Too late - all that have already happened.

[mountain grandma]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I share your reticence about Istanbul [having been there and still remembering the pushy carpet salesmen who accost you outside every major tourist site offering 'free tours' in exchange for visiting their shops] – but if you haven't been you should go soon, before they convert Hagia Sophia to a mosque and hide all its Christian mosaics.

+1 We have been to Istanbul several times and feel exactly as you do!

 

Billie/Mountain Grandma 

[Aloha 1]

20 hours ago, mauibabes said:

Yes it is automatically assigned to the TA who assisted you on your previous trip. Should you want to select a NEW Travel Agent, you have 30 days to transfer your booking to the new TA.  
Hopefully you also received a notification from Oceania giving you some $$ for booking a new cruise.

 

By not booking on board, you missed the opportunity to only pay $250 pp for the deposit And the Club Ambassador would have also given you $100 in SBC to spend on the trip or apply to the future cruise. 
 

Glad you enjoyed your cruise and looking for another Oceania cruise. While there are several hundred cruises to select from, we and a bunch of people on our recent Riviera cruise booked a very exciting itinerary.  Riviera, November 2023, Istanbul thru the Holy Land thru the Suez Canal, Saudi Arabia and ends in Dubai. It is a 20 day cruise and it is currently the last possible Riviera Cruise available to be booked. The Club Ambassador said this was the first time this itinerary was to be sailed by Riviera. IMHO,  THIS IS AN AMAZING cruise Itinerary. In April when the new 2024/25 itineraries are released, we will see where Riviera is going next, either to Capetown OR to Singapore and possibly on to more Asia ports.  For people who like longer cruises, it could lend itself to a wonderful but somewhat expensive Grand Voyage. 
Also, if you are still looking for cruise options, definitely consider one of the Inaugural Sailings for Vista, she will be VERY SPECIAL.  

Have fun and welcome to the Oceania family. 
Mauibabes

Well, we missed out on the 12/21 SA trip but we'll see you on Riviera in 11/23!

[jazznruby]

4 hours ago, AlexCherie said:

Interesting to hear that you love Istanbul so much.

We are a little reticent to go there - fears of Anti-Americanism - so we've been mostly looking at Western European stops. Will reconsider. Thanks.

Spent 5 days there on a land trip several years ago. One of our favorite trips ever! No sign of anti anything when we were there. Very warm and friendly people.

[AlexCherie]

16 hours ago, Hokapontas said:

 

AlexCherie, I loved this post. You are a convert. I was lucky to have started (and continued) cruising life with O, and now know I should not feel the need to stray...thanks.

 

Anita

Thank you so much Anita - I appreciate that comment!!

 

Cheers,AnC

[MEFIowa]

Having only experienced our very first cruise ever on Riviera (12/13-23/21) in the W. Caribbean I'd pretty much 2nd everything said in the OP! Now when I talk to others about their non-Oceania cruises (past, present or future), I appreciate all the little things that make both Oceania and Riviera so special. Of course, we were PAMPERED by about 780 crew for our 719 passengers. COVID was hardly on anyone's mind or conversation then. Everyone on and off just so happy to be or see cruisers. And our itinerary wasn't changed due to COVID (just high waves preventing tendering in the Bahamas private island). I met so many fascinating cruisers from all over the world. Enjoyed outstanding food at every venue you could eat something. And found our A4 Concierge Veranda Stateroom to be so quiet and so comfortable, with so many nice touches. We even thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the Boutique Staff (THX Adele, Dennis & Kassim!). SO OF COURSE...we booked our 2nd cruise while on board to get the discounts: Sirena 11/18/22 for the E. Caribbean. Now counting down the days!

Edited January 22, 2022 by MEFIowa
Added a clarifying comment

[gardenbunny]

Being new to Oceania I have looked on website  FAQ but did not see what times are in the MDR ?  Is their late, early?  Is it assigned on board?  We have made reservations for the specialty on Marina for our 2/11.

Thanks 

[MEFIowa]

16 minutes ago, gardenbunny said:

Being new to Oceania I have looked on website  FAQ but did not see what times are in the MDR ?  Is their late, early?  Is it assigned on board?  We have made reservations for the specialty on Marina for our 2/11.

Thanks 

The GDR opens at 6:30 pm along with the other restaurants, including the 4 specialty restaurants. You do NOT need reservations for the GDR or Terrace Cafe. There are no assigned times by room. You just go. And with capacity as is, no problem with a table, though for the TC you might not be able to get an outside table far aft under the stars. (Waves Grill by the pool closes around 4 pm. Baristas, the coffee bar, also has various food and snacks in the evening, too.)

[Hawaiidan]

On 1/21/2022 at 10:41 AM, osandomir said:

Too late - all that have already happened.

Well...there is the bazar...which is BAZZAR....  ( used a compass  to navigate to the ship....what an experience)    One time , however, is enough  for the "Buhl".

[mauibabes]

MEFIowa,

You are progressing well in the life and times of an O traveler. Might I suggest you look outside the Caribbean for cruises 3 and on.  Break out, get to the Mediterranean and Baltic, or Great Britain and on to Iceland and Greenland, perhaps some Fall Colors into Canada.  Maybe even an Alaska cruise that adds the Rocky Mountaineer train trip that is so Spectacular. 
 

Welcome to the family,

Mauibabes

[MEFIowa]

1 hour ago, mauibabes said:

MEFIowa,

... Might I suggest you look outside the Caribbean for cruises 3 and on.  Break out, get to the Mediterranean and Baltic, or Great Britain and on to Iceland and Greenland, perhaps some Fall Colors into Canada.  Maybe even an Alaska cruise that adds the Rocky Mountaineer train trip that is so Spectacular. 
 

Welcome to the family,

Mauibabes

Thanks. You must be sitting in some PRC data intel center reading my web searches! 😉

 

I've got 3 2023 cruises saved on O's web site and am studying them carefully (2 in Med & 1 in Baltic). And I'm dreaming of the 2023 Amazon trip. Even contacted a TA (one that does a ton of O video reviews of ships' cabins and more), so hoping they're that unicorn wholesaler. And I'm going to be watching intently for any sales (Presidents or Memorial). All while I plan my excursions to E. Caribbean for the 11/18 cruise on Sirena.

 

My 12/13-23/2021 Riviera cruise "unofficially" ended today as I received the Belikin (Belize) beer t-shirt I found thru a S Carolina neon beer sign outfit! Bought a Gallo beer t-shirt in Guatemala. Loved drinking Belikin in Belize City. So may collect beer t-shirts from places I visit & drink the local beer. Hope the beer in the E. Caribbean is as enjoyable as in the W. Caribbean.

[PSR]

On 1/16/2022 at 1:20 PM, AlexCherie said:

You want to be tested before you get to the dock, within the parameters required. Here is why: if you fail at the dock, they’ll test you a second time to get you onboard. You fail the second time, and you can’t substantiate a passing grade at home, they aren’t covering you for the cost of your cruise. Period, full stop.

 

Boy, wish HAL had that policy. For a Jan 17th 2022 cruise, I had a negative 48hr PCR test at home. At the dock in San Diego, I got a positive antigen test with no chance for a retest. My husband was negative, and we were both denied boarding. The highlight of this was that on Jan 25th at home, I got an online report from the company that did the pier testing (presumably because I had signed up on their web site prior to the cruise, but not sure) that my test at the pier was NEGATIVE. A second test at the pier (denied) would've possibly allowed us to board. We were very disappointed to miss the cruise unexpectedly.

Edited February 1, 2022 by PSR

[molemaui]

On 1/17/2022 at 9:56 PM, rizello said:

Thanks so much for the wonderful info!  I sailed on Viking last August and found it very delightful. As someone who hasn’t sailed yet on Oceania, how would one compare Oceania and Viking?  I would love to give Oceania a try but also having challenges trying to figure out all the costs and how they compare to Viking.

 

anyone sailed both and can give me a comparison?

Have sailed both.

 

In my opinion, Viking ships are spectacular. Amenities on board are pretty good as well. Service is also very good. Food-that's another story especially when comparing to Oceania. On a 1-10, Oceania food is perhaps a 15. Viking Ocean is a 6 or 7 at best. You notice I said very good when describing Viking's service. Oceania's is outstanding. 

 

Also, Viking's policy of paying in full way in advance bugs me. I've only sailed Viking when booking within 60-90 days of sailing when I would have paid in full anyway. Not to take anything away from Viking-they do what they do well. Oceania just does it all a whole lot better. 

 

Hope this helps. 

Edited February 1, 2022 by molemaui