First impressions of our first Oceania cruise

[DCGuy64]

5 minutes ago, Harters said:

With our Nautica cruise only a few weeks away, I'm really looking forward to reading it. Are you intending to post it here on the forum, or in CC's review section? If the latter, may I ask that you post a heads-up to it on this thread.

Likely the review section, but I'll link it here as well.

[Harters]

Thanks.

 

By the by, I visited your home area a few years back. I have an interest in military history, including the American civil war. We stayed near Arlington and visited Manassas and Fairfax, before following the war south over a three week trip.

[DCGuy64]

3 minutes ago, Harters said:

Thanks.

 

By the by, I visited your home area a few years back. I have an interest in military history, including the American civil war. We stayed near Arlington and visited Manassas and Fairfax, before following the war south over a three week trip.

Ah, very nice. I hope you enjoyed your stay. I told the nice British couple we met on the cruise last week that we hope to visit them some day. They live in Leicestershire, and that's a part of England I've not seen before.

[Harters]

I did indeed enjoy that trip. It was the first of my four "war" holidays in VA, twice meeting up in real life with an American e-friend from a military history forum, who worked for the FBI in Washington.

 

Hope you get to visit your new friends at some point

[jonthomas]

Since getting off  a Viking ship, I have become very protective of O. 

Every day of the 13 days on the Viking Star, we said, we wished we were on an O ship. 

Others that had not done O, found Viking just fine, although many did say the food was not up to standards. 

 

Very hard not to compare when we are now cruising every few months and have fresh memories of each experience. 

 

 

[LHT28]

15 hours ago, jonthomas said:

Yes they did not pick O apart.

Can't even think of what else you can  criticize. 

I sure have changed my tune after the Viking experience. Not even complaining about so much seafood or gourmet soups...lol

Well I seem to recall  a post  back in Jan  where someone  complained about  the food  🙄

how there were too many strange foods

No plain salads  too much fish

Yada yada yada

[jonthomas]

yes that was definitely me...you are right...

 

I still think O is too gourmet for my liking...too much shellfish, too many international dishes...too many seasonings I dont like...and someone did say , just stick to mcds...

 

but unlike Viking, I always find something on O that pleases me...that was not the case with V...the good news, is weight loss...they do have an amazing wrap around walking deck, so not eating, walking the big track was good for the weight....

 

weight is not a big deal tho....once I come home it all comes off...no prob....

 

the desserts alone on O, did me in on part of a cruise in November, then the pastry chef changed and I didnt touch them again...

 

the Ice cream on V, is made with ice water...NO cream...vile stuff....powdered orange juice..you can get the real stuff but from bar only....

 

guess it is good once in a while to try a line that you know it not to your liking, to appreciate what you have with others...

[mauibabes]

JT, what a transformation. I recall back in another life you were not satisfied at all with your Oceania experience and definitely “had you knickers in a twist “ as a buddy would say, over some different understandings, expectations and policies by O. We have had similar experiences and have tested the waters with other lines with friends but ALWAYS return to Oceania. So much so we achieved Platinum level a couple years ago despite Covid.  Even so called all inclusive,  fine dining lines. We all learn our lessons and never know how well we have it until we have tasted that so called greener grass.

 

I remember a long time ago returning from an overseas deployment with my unit and as we exited the stairs and reached the tarmac, the SSgt. in front of me got down on her knees and kissed the ground, so happy to be “Home”. You my good lady are like we and that SSgt, SOOO happy to be home when we get back to an Oceania ship.  My DW does not do gourmet, does not do fish, and is not big on Asian fusion foods but will NEVER leave Oceania. We have found our niche and our family. 
 

Welcome to “our” home all.

Mauibabes

[rbtan]

For those who feel O is too gourmet. That is a big reason we love this line. Yes, not every dish is a homerun(as I said earlier)but most certainly are. I hate saying it but if you are "Meat & Potatoes" kind of person, then O may not be the line for you. Each line has it's Schtick as they say. O's is the "finest cuisine at sea". Is it? NO I leave that to the 2 Europa ships. They that honor. Then again they are among the priciest ships at sea. We'll sea how that goes as Hapag-Lloyd is trying to sell it's cruise division & stick to shipping.Perhaps O should try & buy it should it actually go on the market. I see some have tried to compare O to it's parent NCL. This is NOT a good comparison unless you're comparing to the Haven. The food on NCL (except Haven & specialties) is generally pretty unmemorable. The ship sizes & entertainment are also not the same. NCL is standard big ship marketing. Even Regent is not a good comparison as it's true high luxury with a much higher price overall. Reading blogs from Regents site, I'd say the food on O is somewhat better. O does in fact spend more on food per pax than any other line.

[DCGuy64]

The only thing I'll say in regards to cuisine is that, like most things in life, it isn't black and white. I know it's tempting to lump people into 2 groups: the haute cuisine folk and the "meat and potatoes" crowd. There are many dishes that are fancier than McD's and yet not on a Michelin 5-star restaurant menu, either. You can have tasty food that isn't molecular gastronomy. We've had wonderful meals on MSC and NCL, but they weren't ultra high-end like we saw last week on Oceania. So we should be careful not to assume it has to be one extreme or the other.

[jonthomas]

Yup big transformation for us. All it took is a cruise with Viking to have us running back to O. This time to stay.and build loyalty.

[Sthrngary]

13 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

The only thing I'll say in regards to cuisine is that, like most things in life, it isn't black and white. I know it's tempting to lump people into 2 groups: the haute cuisine folk and the "meat and potatoes" crowd. There are many dishes that are fancier than McD's and yet not on a Michelin 5-star restaurant menu, either. You can have tasty food that isn't molecular gastronomy. We've had wonderful meals on MSC and NCL, but they weren't ultra high-end like we saw last week on Oceania. So we should be careful not to assume it has to be one extreme or the other.

@DCGuy64 Again, I understand what you are saying.  This is why, spending some time on a specific brands blog allows all of us to establish realistic expectations.  For me, I read about the food on "O" in blogs.  I note what I hear that I like and what to avoid.  I know I must have a piece of Pizza, crazy named ice cream and great coffee every morning.  I learned careful what temp you order your steak at the Polo.  The king cut of prime rib is like Flintstone's cut. A good call, have the sea bass in the fusion restaurant. 

 

So many other hints i have on a separate document.  It has been a gas to learn from everyone.  Allows you to know things that you would never had known without reading others comments.  My only problem is my cruise is in November 2023.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[LHT28]

44 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

The only thing I'll say in regards to cuisine is that, like most things in life, it isn't black and white. I know it's tempting to lump people into 2 groups: the haute cuisine folk and the "meat and potatoes" crowd. There are many dishes that are fancier than McD's and yet not on a Michelin 5-star restaurant menu, either. You can have tasty food that isn't molecular gastronomy. We've had wonderful meals on MSC and NCL, but they weren't ultra high-end like we saw last week on Oceania. So we should be careful not to assume it has to be one extreme or the other.

I agree

I have Mr Picky  to live with 

He has never gone hungry on Oceania 

He may not order the fancier foods  but he always finds something  he will eat

I choose things I do not get at home  like lamb  DH does not eat it so I never buy it

 

 There is something for everyone  you just need to choose  what you like  to eat

No cruise line is perfect  IMO

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, rbtan said:

I see some have tried to compare O to it's parent NCL.

For accuracy's sake, NCL isn't O's parent.  NCL, Oceania and Regent Seven Seas are subsidiaries of NCLH. The three cruise lines are "siblings" if you feel the need to use family tree lingo.

 

 

[ak1004]

@DCGuy64 thank you for sharing your experience. I find your post very balanced and objective. We are all different and have different priorities.

 

I think comparing O with NCL is not exactly apples to apples. Even in Haven on NCL, you are still on a big ship. We are done with crowds and lines of the big ships. We are done with the "party ship" atmosphere. We are in our late 50th, but "older" demographics doesn't bother us at all.

 

To me, O provides an excellent value. yes, it's more expensive than NCL or RCI - but you cannot expect to buy a Mercedes for the price of Honda. I'm willing to pay for a Mercedes while my wife is perfectly happy with her Honda.

 

P.S. Paying for the drinks shouldn't really come as a surprise, especially to CC regular 😊 

[DCGuy64]

49 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

We are all different and have different priorities.

Exactly. Ironically, I found that being on Oceania, I missed NCL. We like the bigger ships and the more lively atmosphere found on NCL. Oceania was a bit too sleepy and, I say this very much tongue-in-cheek, mind you, but "one foot in the grave." 😉

[ak1004]

5 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Exactly. Ironically, I found that being on Oceania, I missed NCL. We like the bigger ships and the more lively atmosphere found on NCL. Oceania was a bit too sleepy and, I say this very much tongue-in-cheek, mind you, but "one foot in the grave." 😉

 

I agree regarding sleepy.. there are always tradeoffs.

 

If we could have Oceania food, Silversea size of the ship and the cabins, NCL/RCI entertainment, Azamara itineraries and Carnival price.. this would be a perfect cruise!

[rbtan]

2 hours ago, njhorseman said:

For accuracy's sake, NCL isn't O's parent.  NCL, Oceania and Regent Seven Seas are subsidiaries of NCLH. The three cruise lines are "siblings" if you feel the need to use family tree lingo.

 

 

It used to be held by Apollo holdings. They then decided to sell off the company. Like it or not NCL is still considered the parent. Just as RCCL is the parent of RCCL & Celebrity( I think Azamara is or will be sold off) Carnival is the big one Think of them like General Motors: Carnival(Chevrolet) HAL(Buick or Oldsmobile)Aida(Volkswagen) P&O(Holden) Princess(Pontiac) Costa cruises(Fiat). Cunard is different as they cover standard(Britannia) to full luxury(Princess & Queens Grill, which still are our favorites) NCL holdings has done a much better job than the other big companies in keeping their divisions much more independent. Carnival has made a lot of accommodations on Princess/HAL/Cunard much more similar than different over the last several years.

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, rbtan said:

It used to be held by Apollo holdings. They then decided to sell off the company. Like it or not NCL is still considered the parent. Just as RCCL is the parent of RCCL & Celebrity( I think Azamara is or will be sold off) Carnival is the big one Think of them like General Motors: Carnival(Chevrolet) HAL(Buick or Oldsmobile)Aida(Volkswagen) P&O(Holden) Princess(Pontiac) Costa cruises(Fiat). Cunard is different as they cover standard(Britannia) to full luxury(Princess & Queens Grill, which still are our favorites) NCL holdings has done a much better job than the other big companies in keeping their divisions much more independent. Carnival has made a lot of accommodations on Princess/HAL/Cunard much more similar than different over the last several years.

You're wrong about the corporate structure of each of the three cruise line holding companies. In none of those cases is the "foundation" cruise line for which the holding company is named the actual corporate parent of all the subsidiaries.

For example Royal Caribbean Cruise Line isn't the parent of Celebrity, the Royal Caribbean Group is the parent of both Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and Celebrity. FYI the sale of Azamara By the Royal Caribbean Group was completed in March 2021, more than two years ago. In July 2020 the Royal Caribbean Group (not Royal Caribbean Cruise Line) assumed 100% ownership of Silversea Cruises after having acquired 67% of Silversea in July 2018.

 

Please think about this: The presidents of NCL, Oceania and Regent Seven Seas each report to the President and CEO of NCLH (Currently FDR and on July 1 with FDR's retirement Harry Sommer, who was president of NCL, and will succeed FDR as President and CEO of NCLH, with David Herrera having succeeded Harry Sommer as President of NCL.) The fact that the presidents of each of the three cruise lines in the group report to a fourth person, the president and CEO of the holding company NCLH, clearly shows that Oceania is not a subsidiary of NCL but rather of NCLH.

 

I'm not going to spend any more of my time nor waste any more of the time of other readers of this board by arguing any further with you about simple well-known facts about the corporate structures of NCLH and the other major cruise line holding companies. You can easily educate yourself if you make an attempt to do so.

[DCGuy64]

Since I created this post, I would appreciate it if we could stay on topic and not veer off into irrelevant issues such as corporate structure. And while we're at it, let's please not be impolite to one another. Thank you.

[Sthrngary]

16 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Since I created this post, I would appreciate it if we could stay on topic and not veer off into irrelevant issues such as corporate structure. And while we're at it, let's please not be impolite to one another. Thank you.

@DCGuy64 I know how you feel and have gotten frustrated in the past.  The nature of Social Media is often about helpful education on topics the poster feels they have a wealth of knowledge about. Sometimes a line in a post catches a response and a small interaction happens.  As frustrating as it might seem, it always comes back to the topic the Author wrote about.  I too hope this topic comes back because it is important to me.  It is also important to all the first time "O" guests.  

 

The more feed back on "First Impressions on Oceania", the more we newbies and adjust and control our realistic expectations.  I do hope we get lost more feed back on First Impressions.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[pinotlover]

SothrnGary’s point is right on. One’s experiences are often shaded by their expectations, and sometimes greatly exaggerated expectations at that. 
 

Oceania overall does a very good job in the food area with some inconsistency. It is definitely not Michelin Star quality and when posters start making claims otherwise those claims need to be called out otherwise expectations can/will become distorted. This then shades experiences.

 

I generally find on these boards when customers board Oceania, with reasonable expectations, they are most often rewarded with an enjoyable experience. However, similar to life, things happen on occasion. To us, Oceania’s greatest area of needed improvement is not the shipboard experience; food, service, etc, but management communications both aboard ship and from Miami. Part of that begins with their woeful website.

[Nashna]

Hi DCGuy64 Neighbor!

 

I get your reaction to your first O cruise. We were there 20 years ago after a rather dull HAL cruise. We enjoyed the cruise but needed just a bit more action. We then found our niche for about six years on Windstar. We tried a few Regent cruises and enjoyed them when their pricing was still doable. Searching for the right fit, we sailed on Princess, Cunard, NCL, and Seabourn. We thought we had found a good option in Celebrity, but two recent cruises have us switching to O.   Based on our ages and interests, we expect O to be a good fit for us. We enjoyed each sailing (even an awful Costa experience). So we don't have unrealistic expectations for O. I look forward to reading your review.  

[YoPhilly]

@DCGuy64, I'm always curious when O is compared to NCL Haven.  Although I've never cruised with NCL, it seems like such a disconnect to me.  Perhaps one can compare the "egalitarian" dining options of O vs the exclusive Haven options, but - for us - the size of the NCL ships is a major factor to consider.  I think our main reason for finding and sticking with O is their smaller ships.  Is that not an issue for you?

[KandK2015]

On 4/27/2023 at 3:37 AM, DCGuy64 said:

Exactly. Ironically, I found that being on Oceania, I missed NCL. We like the bigger ships and the more lively atmosphere found on NCL. Oceania was a bit too sleepy and, I say this very much tongue-in-cheek, mind you, but "one foot in the grave." 😉

 

2 hours ago, YoPhilly said:

@DCGuy64, I'm always curious when O is compared to NCL Haven.  Although I've never cruised with NCL, it seems like such a disconnect to me.  Perhaps one can compare the "egalitarian" dining options of O vs the exclusive Haven options, but - for us - the size of the NCL ships is a major factor to consider.  I think our main reason for finding and sticking with O is their smaller ships.  Is that not an issue for you?