Cruise Critic headed out on Marina on Aug. 7 -- any questions?

[LHT28]

Could be  a supply issue 

Lots of things here are are to come by  so I can imagine the cruise ships  have a worse problem

JMO

[ORV]

There's no doubt the picture posted of the Red Ginger menu is a very abbreviated version of the regular menu. Whether the Sea Bass will be swapped out for Black Cod permanently is above my pay grade. I guess we'll have to wait and see. 

[Gee & Gee]

Hello Chris! I disembarked Marina in CPH the day you boarded. I was just down a few doors, in 11028. Jude was our butler — I can’t tell if that’s him in your photo but he was a very pleasant guy. 
 

Last week we had very good dinners in Red Ginger and Polo Grill. However, we had dreadful food and service in Toscana and the main dining room (just 1 night apiece in those venues). Service in both seemed totally disorganized and hot dishes weren’t even warm. My ‘shrimp cocktail’ in the main dining room were the 3 tiniest, limpest, room temperature shrimp I’ve ever been served. All I’ve heard is that food is top notch on Oceania so we were pretty surprised to have such slow, poor meals. I’m curious to hear if you have similar experiences. We were also unimpressed by the same dry, bland goodies day after day in the floor 11 Executive Lounge. (As you know, right by our room and yours so we kept going back but found it lacking). 
 

We are still considering giving Vista a try next year because it looks lovely. But our 2 cruises prior to this were on Seabourn and we found those to be much better in terms of food and personal attention. I was expecting Oceania to be comparable but it just wasn’t. With the bigwigs and press on your cruise, I will be curious to hear whether Marina steps it up from one week to the next. 

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, Gee & Gee said:

But our 2 cruises prior to this were on Seabourn and we found those to be much better in terms of food and personal attention. I was expecting Oceania to be comparable but it just wasn’t

Not to excuse many of the shortcomings you experienced on your recent O cruise, but why would you expect O to be comparable to Seabourn? Seabourn is a luxury line, Oceania isn't. Seabourn's market cohorts are the likes of Regent Seven Seas, Silversea, and the late but soon to be resurrected Crystal. Oceania is a notch below in the cruise marketplace and more appropriately comparable to Azamara and Viking. 

Unrealistic expectations are a sure path to disappointment.

[bbtondo]

4 hours ago, laurietope said:

We were in Red Ginger last night (not media) and it looks like it’s a permanent change from Seabass to Black Cod.  I don’t really like fish so I can’t tell you if it’s any good.

Oh oh!  I'll find out next week!  And yes, I understand that there are worse problems in this world.  🤣

[WESTEAST]

Thank you for your posts which we are following.  You indicated that Oceania President and CEO Howard Sherman and Senior VP Franco Semeraro are onboard.  As most O members have recently either received emails from Mr. Sherman or read online the updated SailSafe protocols as of September 3rd, it is timely to bring up this subject. We along with many other loyal Oceania club members were taken aback that O has made the decision to permit non-vaccinated guests (with negative test) onboard as of September 3. Removing pre-cruise testing is understood however, it is totally perplexing why O would risk the health of their guests (and crew) being in close proximity onboard for an extended time with the unvaccinated?  If you have an opportunity, it would be greatly appreciated if you could identify to Mr. Sherman and Semeraro that many O members are very disappointed in this decision. Thank you for this consideration.

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, WESTEAST said:

Thank you for your posts which we are following.  You indicated that Oceania President and CEO Howard Sherman and Senior VP Franco Semeraro are onboard.  As most O members have recently either received emails from Mr. Sherman or read online the updated SailSafe protocols as of September 3rd, it is timely to bring up this subject. We along with many other loyal Oceania club members were taken aback that O has made the decision to permit non-vaccinated guests (with negative test) onboard as of September 3. Removing pre-cruise testing is understood however, it is totally perplexing why O would risk the health of their guests (and crew) being in close proximity onboard for an extended time with the unvaccinated?  If you have an opportunity, it would be greatly appreciated if you could identify to Mr. Sherman and Semeraro that many O members are very disappointed in this decision. Thank you for this consideration.

Ms Chris

 

To the list of regular O passengers who are extremely disappointed with the NCLH decision to all but eliminate Covid restrictions on Oceania ships, add this O Club Platinum couple with multiple future cruises (totaling more than 100 nights) booked  (all done with the understanding that O would remain the vigilant leader in Covid restrictions designed to protect passengers and crew alike).

My displeasure extends to concern for all passengers and crew as well as for the public health in the ports visited by O ships. And it comes as more than a personal opinion.
 

Now retired from a decades long career as a university executive overseeing a broad continuum of disciplines serving Heath and Human Services as well as Maritime Education, I have discussed this O Covid vax requirement elimination with many colleagues whose professional interests touch or cross both public health and the maritime industry.  Every individual, including me, consider this vax elimination to be nothing less than irresponsible.

 

I’d appreciate your bringing this to the attention of O execs with whom you are now interacting. Should you wish to discuss this in greater detail, you have access to my ID and contact info via my CC account. Want to verify my expertise? Feel free to Google me with my CC account info.

 

[Gee & Gee]

3 hours ago, njhorseman said:

Not to excuse many of the shortcomings you experienced on your recent O cruise, but why would you expect O to be comparable to Seabourn? Seabourn is a luxury line, Oceania isn't. Seabourn's market cohorts are the likes of Regent Seven Seas, Silversea, and the late but soon to be resurrected Crystal. Oceania is a notch below in the cruise marketplace and more appropriately comparable to Azamara and Viking. 

Unrealistic expectations are a sure path to disappointment.

Oh I was waiting for this kind of hall monitor comment. Not only were the poor meals we got on Marina (not all the meals we had, but the bad ones) below the level of Seabourn, but also worse than what we’ve gotten on Celebrity, HAL and RCCL in the past. Draw your distinctions if you must, but I’d read enough direct comparisons of Seabourn and Oceania to expect  at least in the same ballpark in the area of food service. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

Just now, Gee & Gee said:

Oh I was waiting for this kind of hall monitor comment. Not only were the poor meals we got on Marina (not all the meals we had, but the bad ones) below the level of Seabourn, but also worse than what we’ve gotten on Celebrity, HAL and RCCL in the past. Draw your distinctions if you must, but I’d read enough direct comparisons of Seabourn and Oceania to expect  at least in the same ballpark in the area of food service. 

For the most part, the only real difference between premium and luxury is the inclusiveness of amenities. That said, some folks who frequent both segments may prefer one or the other solely because of amenity choice convenience (total vs partial). In the case of Oceania and Regent, it appears that CC post often lean to a preference for O’s food.

[LHT28]

6 hours ago, Gee & Gee said:

We are still considering giving Vista a try next year because it looks lovely. But our 2 cruises prior to this were on Seabourn and we found those to be much better in terms of food and personal attention. I was expecting Oceania to be comparable but it just wasn’t. With the bigwigs and press on your cruise, I will be curious to hear whether Marina steps it up from one week to the next. 

Just curious  were your Seabourn cruises recent or pre covid?

 

 Oceania  (in spite of what some post) is not perfect  ..we have had some bad meals  some good meals  etc

I have not sailed since 2019  so have no idea how they are  at present

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, Gee & Gee said:

Oh I was waiting for this kind of hall monitor comment. Not only were the poor meals we got on Marina (not all the meals we had, but the bad ones) below the level of Seabourn, but also worse than what we’ve gotten on Celebrity, HAL and RCCL in the past. Draw your distinctions if you must, but I’d read enough direct comparisons of Seabourn and Oceania to expect  at least in the same ballpark in the area of food service. 

I've had bad meals on Oceania and every other of the dozen or so cruise lines I've been on. Nothing I've said excuses Oceania for not serving food at the proper temperature . It shouldn't happen.

 

But...

 

If I'm buying a steak for dinner I don't expect a USDA Choice steak to be as good as a USDA Prime steak.

 

If I'm buying an automobile I don't expect the manufacturer's mid market model to be as good as their luxury market model.

 

If I'm taking a cruise I don't expect a mid market line to be as good as a luxury line. If you were to cruise on Holland America or Princess would you expect their food and service to be as good as Seabourn's ? (I'm not suggesting that HAL or Princess are in the same market niche as Oceania, but they are a step up from Carnival, just as Oceania is a step up from NCL but a step below Regent)

Edited August 9, 2022 by njhorseman

[SombraDeLuna]

Chris -- I'd be interested in knowing more about how "O" is training and monitoring the performance of new staff and supervisors, especially given labor issues so many are now experiencing.  We were recently on Sirena and had some unexpected and surprising service and dining experiences well below the normal "O" service level.  Several supervisors we spoke with, in an effort to be helpful and in a kind manner, honestly didn't seem to care and made excuses.  Unfortunately we heard many first timers say they would never take another "O" cruise.  While we were disappointed in some of our experiences, we had other great ones and are hopeful that our experience on Insignia in the fall will be more similar to our previous "O" experiences.  We understand the current challenges and would just be interested in what "O" is doing to help support and coach the new staff and supervisors.  Thank you for the information and insights you are sharing!  

[emd138]

53 minutes ago, SombraDeLuna said:

Chris -- I'd be interested in knowing more about how "O" is training and monitoring the performance of new staff and supervisors, especially given labor issues so many are now experiencing.  We were recently on Sirena and had some unexpected and surprising service and dining experiences well below the normal "O" service level.  Several supervisors we spoke with, in an effort to be helpful and in a kind manner, honestly didn't seem to care and made excuses.  Unfortunately we heard many first timers say they would never take another "O" cruise.  While we were disappointed in some of our experiences, we had other great ones and are hopeful that our experience on Insignia in the fall will be more similar to our previous "O" experiences.  We understand the current challenges and would just be interested in what "O" is doing to help support and coach the new staff and supervisors.  Thank you for the information and insights you are sharing!  

We saw the same thing on our cruise less than a month ago.  SOOO many new people that didn't know what they were doing.  I get it, I deal with the same thing in the manufacturing plant that I manage, but it definitely had an impact.  First world problems, but my favorite dessert is Creme Brulee, and I kept getting it with no sugar on top.  When I questioned it, they told me they weren't allowed to use kitchen torches anymore due to an incident. With that said, the entire industry was shut down so long, they lost a lot of good people, and we still had a great time and booked another trip.

[Cruise Critic Chris]

Hi all, good questions and feedback. 

 

For today's Town Hall, they have told us that there will be no Q and A. Instead, we were asked to submit questions ahead of time. I put in a question about NCLH's covid policy but who knows if it will be answered. In the earnings call yesterday, Frank Del Rio indicated that the company had its third largest booking day since the pandemic when the change was announced. He did not break that down by line, however. FWIW, Cruise Critic's own surveying of our readers has continuously noted that people prefer vaccine requirements. 

 

Frank is no longer coming to today's Town Hall. We'll see if Howard Sherman or anyone else answers the question. 

[Cruise Critic Chris]

Some Vista preview items were around the ship yesterday. First up: some new pastries that will be part of the Bakery near Baristas. Pretty tasty. 

 

You might not be able to read the names in the photo so here they are: Pink Praline Choquette; French Apple Chausson; Choquette; Nutella Beignet; Cranberry Twist; Apple Beignet. 

 

 

[Cruise Critic Chris]

Later in the afternoon; they had a cocktail preview. Vista is debuting a lot of new cocktails, as well as new zero-proof cocktails. 

 

I couldn't drink because of a bike accident on my excursion and I had just taken a Xanax (more on that later). But everyone, including my husband, said the cocktails were great (albeit some a little strong). A media colleague who doesn't drink was particularly impressed by the zero-proof cocktails. 

 

This kind of cocktail program was much needed by Oceania, in my opinion. Azamara has a new cocktail bar on Onward, and all larger ships now have impressive cocktails. Pictures/menus below. 

 

 

 

[Cruise Critic Chris]

One of the things I'm loving about this trip are the smaller stops. We stopped in Bornholm, a small Danish island, and it quickly became one of my favorite ports! 

 

I took the biking excursion and it was delightful (until the end, which I'll describe in another post). We biked about 18 miles through town and into the country. Along the way, we stopped frequently for commentary. 

 

Just a very cute island and town. 

 

 

[Cruise Critic Chris]

So, the unfortunate end to my excursion. As we were coming into port, I thought I was going up a ramped area to the sidewalk, following the guide. I did not. My bike hit the curb and I fell, landing square on my mouth. 

 

As you can imagine, it created quite a commotion. Luckily, nothing broken. Scrapes on my knee and shoulder. 

 

My face though. When I got up, my nose and mouth were covered in blood. Judging by peoples' reactions, I knew it wasn't good. People gave me disinfectant wipes and I was able to figure out that my nose and jaw were fine. I had, however, chipped my front tooth. Half of my lip was extremely swollen. 

 

Oceania shoreside came and asked if I wanted to go to the hospital. I declined. A local Danish tour operator fixed up my knees and then I went to the medical center - my first time in 9 years of covering cruise. 

 

He continued to work on cleaning me up. The doctor came in and recommended that I get a tetanus shot. They also gave me tylenol and extra duty disinfectant cream. 

 

As soon as I got to my room, I called my dentist back home so I can get the tooth fixed as soon as I return. That's really the worst part. I also have a fat lip and bruises but if I wear a mask, no one can tell (so that's what I've been doing). 

 

People often talk about the high medical center costs so I'll be transparent here. The bill is below. I have very good insurance through TripAdvisor (our parent company) so I should be fine. HR back home has already sent me forms so I can file a claim. 

 

Perhaps the biggest injury here is my ego. I ride bikes a lot at home, both on the road and stationary. I'm a relatively in shape 53 years old. But if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. Get travel insurance!! 

 

 

[Cruise Critic Chris]

We had reservations at Jacques and decided to go ahead with them, despite the injury. I'm glad we did. Really enjoyed the classic French meal here. And the wine list is pretty divine (I am WSET Level 3).

 

My items: a crabmeat salad, which came wrapped in greens; escargot; coquilles St. Jacques and -- not on the menu! - crepe Suzette. I saw an end-of-bin Chablis that I couldn't resist. We didn't finish but you can save your wine for another night. 

 

This end of the day didn't quite recoup the pain and embarrassment of the accident but it was a great start! Also an excellent sunset/moonrise. I really do love this itinerary. The Baltic has been nice and calm. 

 

 

[ToxM]

Gosh you are in the wars! So sorry that happened, and glad that the medical bay got you sorted. Ouchie at the price…! I second the advice about getting travel insurance - especially the unvaccinated who are going to possibly be availing themselves of medical services when covid hits. 

 

New zero cocktails are hugely overdue, whilst the lovely bartenders are happy to make virgin versions of most things, just offering two on the menu is a bit out of touch.

 

New breakfast pastries look good. There is a sublime joy that I cannot adequately describe that involves pastries in Horizons as the ship approaches port during the very early morning. 

 

I will be interested to hear about the Town Hall.

 

Keep taking one for the team with the food and drink, but please don’t have any more accidents! Is Stockholm a stop? If so go tot he Vasa Museum.

 

 

 

[PhD-iva]

I’m so sorry you fell! How awful. Thx for sharing the lovely pics. 
 

[DENIE]

So sorry to hear about your bike accident!  Hope you feel better soon.  Thanks for all the photos!

[jonthomas]

Awful accident but you handled it like a trooper.

 

The little bakery off Baristas is disappointing. Seems very limited... I was hoping for something like Cafe El Bachio on Celebrity. Not that I need all those cakes, muffins, pies, pastries, doughnuts, cookies. 

 

We are on the Vista in 2024, 3 times. Sure hope they can come up to the well known "best food at sea". That is our main reason for sailing O, that and the fact that there is little class distinction, love all the activities and the way they are run

[Cruise Critic Chris]

Here's my wrap-up from the Town Hall, just published. Have a read -- I think it answers some of the questions here. 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=7063

 

[ToxM]

Asian lunch menu! Already very excited!

 

The wood fired pizza offering ….. if they get the pizza genius from Sirena on that bad boy I will be a happy chick!