O cruiser on first R ship

[the more ports the better]

Off Nautica a week ago, 14 days in the Med.  First time on an R ship.  Have sailed many times on Marina and Riveria.  Overall impressions are that O ships are just a step up in most every department.  Also, the space to passenger ratio seemed much lower on the Nautica.  O ships have 400 more passengers but much more space and they seem less crowded.  Everything on Nautica was a little tight.

 

We stayed precruise at the Grand Bretagne which we booked on our own.  It was also the O precruise hotel.  It was lovely.  Many passengers on our sailing stayed there.

 

We met some great new friends so that makes up for a lot of the downside to the R ships.  The roll call was almost non existent but our fellow passengers were very social and we all had a great time.
 

Obviously, we missed Jacques and Red Ginger, but also Baristas, Trivia in Piano Bar, Terrace was much more crowded, pool much much more crowded.  Crew was a bit surly compared to O ships although stateroom attendant was fantastic as usual.

 

The rooms cannot compare.  We had a PH and the room was small and the bathroom was tiny.  We had about a third less space for the same cost as the PH on O ships.  Night and day although, I did like the full wall of floor to ceiling windows in the room.  
 

Tendering was hectic as usual but in Mykonos, all O excursions were in the afternoon so we went down to the lounge get tender tickets and upon asking when the next tender would be she said maybe 5 minutes or maybe an hour.  Crazy!  I want down to the tender area and asked, she said 5 minute which it was.  
 

Santorini was a nightmare, no fault of O’s.  We went out on a Catamaran in the morning returning to the tender dock.  We went up into town after that as we had four hours until the last tender.  Big mistake.  The line to come down on the cable car was 2 hours and hundreds of people walked the donkey trail.  There were people slipping and falling constantly.  Unfortunately, there is no way to get back to the old port except for the cable car or the donkey trail which is treacherous.  I would recommend doing a water activity and avoiding going into town altogether if there are more than two ships in port.  The infrastructure just cannot handle that many people.  We even tried to find a boat from Oia but they are not permitted to drop off at the old port where the ships tender.  You can only take land transportation back to Firá then down on the cable car or donkey trail.  

 

All in all, it was an enjoyable sailing but unless there is an absolute cannot miss itinerary on an R ship, I doubt I will sail on one again.  The value is just not there compared to the O ships.

[Flatbush Flyer]

20 minutes ago, the more ports the better said:

….All in all, it was an enjoyable sailing but unless there is an absolute cannot miss itinerary on an R ship, I doubt I will sail on one again.  The value is just not there compared to the O ships.

Glad you found your preference. It means mor cabin choices for us R ship devotees!

[LHT28]

They do not have Barristas on the Nautica?? 😲

[Vineyard View]

30 minutes ago, the more ports the better said:

 

Santorini was a nightmare, no fault of O’s.  We went out on a Catamaran in the morning returning to the tender dock.  We went up into town after that as we had four hours until the last tender.  Big mistake.  The line to come down on the cable car was 2 hours and hundreds of people walked the donkey trail.  There were people slipping and falling constantly.  Unfortunately, there is no way to get back to the old port except for the cable car or the donkey trail which is treacherous.  I would recommend doing a water activity and avoiding going into town altogether if there are more than two ships in port.  The infrastructure just cannot handle that many people.  We even tried to find a boat from Oia but they are not permitted to drop off at the old port where the ships tender.  You can only take land transportation back to Firá then down on the cable car or donkey trail.  

 

Thank you for your review. We have Santorini on our schedule. Have sailed the Greek islands before but not here. 10k cruise ship pax the day we are there. No thank you. We booked an excursion described as a “yacht” for this port. Not planning on going to Firá afterwards based on everything we read, including this. Was your excursion described as a catamaran or a yacht?  I am fine either way, and actually prefer cat sailing, but curious?  And how did you enjoy that excursion?  Thanks!

[basor]

56 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

They do not have Barristas on the Nautica?? 😲

They do, just the same as the other R ships - off the GDR  as part of the bar/waiting area.  I think they were missing the larger dedicated Barristas space as on the O ships

[FeliciaLee]

11 hours ago, the more ports the better said:

The value is just not there compared to the O ships.

Thank you for your great review. We were on a slightly bigger ship once with only 400 people, so yeah, O ships definitely feelsmore crowded. Like you, we still had a great time and loved Oceania.

 

Have you checked out some of the good deals on the O ships? Our first cruise cost us each only $142 per person/per day and we also had a $500 rebate due to a pre-covid cancellation.

 

Our upcoming cruise only cost $133 per person/per day with $100 obc. Obviously both cruises were the lowest category and with no perks.

 

But all-in-all we feel that the value is definitely worth those prices and we would be happy to cram ourselves into the small bathrooms.

[FeliciaLee]

10 hours ago, basor said:

They do, just the same as the other R ships - off the GDR  as part of the bar/waiting area.  I think they were missing the larger dedicated Barristas space as on the O ships

It is a great location if someone likes to swing by for a quick espresso on their way to breakfast, lunch and dinner. But does tend to get crowded.

[ToxM]

14 hours ago, LHT28 said:

They do not have Barristas on the Nautica?? 😲

They do and I happen to like the location more than on O class ships - you can get to it far easier than on the O class ships and apart from missing a view and the chance to sit outside if you wish to it’s a more sociable space. Also the actual serving area is less of a tight squeeze. 

 

Whilst I like the O class ships, I love the R class, it’s just a more comfy ship. I will admit I don’t know how I would feel about missing out on Red Ginger on anything but Sirena, it’s not a huge loss, I would forego it to be on an R class. 

 

 

 

 

[LHT28]

1 minute ago, ToxM said:

They do and I happen to like the location more than on O class ships - you can get to it far easier than on the O class ships and apart from missing a view and the chance to sit outside if you wish to it’s a more sociable space. Also the actual serving area is less of a tight squeeze. 

 

We just take our coffee outside  on deck 5  just a short walk & more comfy loungers  😉

 

The OP sounded like there was NO Barristas in his statement  

I have not been on the Nautica  or Sirena 

 

[ToxM]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

We just take our coffee outside  on deck 5  just a short walk & more comfy loungers  😉

 

The OP sounded like there was NO Barristas in his statement  

I have not been on the Nautica  or Sirena 

 

Agreed it did sound like that! 

 

 

[tvmovielover]

I was on Nautica earlier this year.  Baristas is next to the GDR like other R ships.  Like ToXM, I find this a nice sociable or not if you wish location to start my coffee day early in the morning.  Trivia is in the theater and still a good time.  I do miss having the 4 specialty restaurants to chose from at night especially since one of the two was not good on my recent voyage-too many new inexperienced servers etc.  I still love the R ships though.

[bradpole]

15 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Glad you found your preference. It means more cabin choices for us R ship devotees!

That's exactly what I was thinking!  We have enjoyed our cruises on the O class ships, but stepping back on the R class just feels more like home!  I know many complain about the bathrooms being tiny but they are well laid out and functional!

[Barbara60]

We are about to sail on R ship late this fall for our first experience with Oceania. It is nice to read so many comments about the small bathrooms so that we will be well prepared for that. Overall does the cabin itself feel a suitable size.? We booked late and only took an ocean view as I do better with lower midship cabins. We plan on staying on the ship for some of the port days. How do you enjoy a day on board an R class ship? PS. my bathroom at home is very small so I don't think it will bother me.

 

[osandomir]

1 hour ago, ToxM said:

They do and I happen to like the location more than on O class ships - you can get to it far easier than on the O class ships and apart from missing a view and the chance to sit outside if you wish to it’s a more sociable space. Also the actual serving area is less of a tight squeeze. 

 

Whilst I like the O class ships, I love the R class, it’s just a more comfy ship. I will admit I don’t know how I would feel about missing out on Red Ginger on anything but Sirena, it’s not a huge loss, I would forego it to be on an R class. 

 

 

 

 

We also like Baristas location on the R ships, especially for breakfast in the GDR. It’s very easy for the servers to get us coffee or cappuccino from Baristas - the best coffee on the ship. Also, Deck 5  is an easy access from any other passengers decks.

[LHT28]

45 minutes ago, Barbara60 said:

We are about to sail on R ship late this fall for our first experience with Oceania. It is nice to read so many comments about the small bathrooms so that we will be well prepared for that. Overall does the cabin itself feel a suitable size.? We booked late and only took an ocean view as I do better with lower midship cabins. We plan on staying on the ship for some of the port days. How do you enjoy a day on board an R class ship? PS. my bathroom at home is very small so I don't think it will bother me.

 

It all depends on what you are used  to

 

The lower cabins categories are fine for us   & the  w/c works  that all that matters to us

 I like to sit outside on the deck weather permitting  read or people watch  so never an issue  staying onboard

we may get off & have a wander in the port   if we have been there before  just to get some walking in

 

Enjoy

[sunlover12]

16 hours ago, the more ports the better said:

 

Obviously, we missed Jacques and Red Ginger, but also Baristas, Trivia in Piano Bar, Terrace was much more crowded, pool much much more crowded.  Crew was a bit surly compared to O ships although stateroom attendant was fantastic as usual.

 

I'm curious about the pool being much more crowded.  I'll be on Nautica soon for the first time.  I've been on other R ships (Regatta and Sirena) and always found plenty of seating around the pool. This will be a port intensive cruise with no sea days so I'm not expecting crowds at the pool.  But I understand it does depend on the itinerary. The one thing I will miss as you do is Red Ginger.  It is my favorite specialty restaurant but I am sure I will enjoy all of the wonderful meals onboard.

Thank you for your review. 

[susiesan]

I've sailed on R ships 8 times, 3 with Rennaissance, 2 with Azamara, and 3 with O. My 4th Oceania R ship cruise is in 2 weeks, Sept. 2 Sirena from Barcelona. I have another R ship cruise with Azamara booked for Sept. 2024. I seek out cruises on these ships, they are my favorites. I've only sailed in an outside or veranda on them, plenty of storage. The cabins are just as comfortable as on the larger O ships. The small bathrooms are fine since I am a small person. 

Looking forward to another good meal from Red Ginger in a few weeks.

[FeliciaLee]

5 hours ago, Barbara60 said:

Overall does the cabin itself feel a suitable size.? We booked late and only took an ocean view as I do better with lower midship cabins. We plan on staying on the ship for some of the port days. How do you enjoy a day on board an R class ship? PS. my bathroom at home is very small so I don't think it will bother me.

We had an oceanview, too. It seemed pretty small, but doable (like the bathroom itself).

 

The number one reason we love Oceania is the activities, which are plentiful on port days. There were almost as many sports/trivia type activities as on sea days. Save up those points and buy something really good!

[the more ports the better]

23 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

Thank you for your review. We have Santorini on our schedule. Have sailed the Greek islands before but not here. 10k cruise ship pax the day we are there. No thank you. We booked an excursion described as a “yacht” for this port. Not planning on going to Firá afterwards based on everything we read, including this. Was your excursion described as a catamaran or a yacht?  I am fine either way, and actually prefer cat sailing, but curious?  And how did you enjoy that excursion?  Thanks!

The tour was described as “Santorini by private boat”.  It was a catamaran.  Very nice.  Large inside plus outside seating area and deck area.  Both a men’s and women’s bathroom which were as clean as the bathrooms on the ship.  Soft drinks plus beer and wine included.  I believe we had five or six couples on board.  We sailed around the caldera and stopped at a few scenic areas for pictures.  Then we stopped for a swim and the crew prepared an excellent lunch.  The O description did not say anything about lunch so that was a bonus.  The entire excursion was lovely.

 

Regarding Firá and Oia, there is an art gallery about a 10 minute walk down the caldera path from Firá which we love but we will not be going back until they get their transportation figured out.  We also love Oia but again not worth the frustration of getting back to the ship.  The path from Firá to Oia along the caldera is our favorite hike in Greece but again, not worth the chaos of figuring out how to get back to the port.

 

Santorini has the ability to allow tenders to return from the ferry port where people can take a taxi to but they refuse to allow tenders to return anywhere but the cruise port tender docks.  Tenders drop off at the ferry port in the mornings for land tours but they refuse to allow tenders to pick up to return to the ship.  Makes no sense!

 

 

[the more ports the better]

7 hours ago, sunlover12 said:

I'm curious about the pool being much more crowded.  I'll be on Nautica soon for the first time.  I've been on other R ships (Regatta and Sirena) and always found plenty of seating around the pool. This will be a port intensive cruise with no sea days so I'm not expecting crowds at the pool.  But I understand it does depend on the itinerary. The one thing I will miss as you do is Red Ginger.  It is my favorite specialty restaurant but I am sure I will enjoy all of the wonderful meals onboard.

Thank you for your review. 

It was very very hot so people were returning early and sitting by the pool.  We were talking to another group by the pool for 20 minutes or so and someone removed our towels and bags from our chairs.  Getting a chair was not easy.  Also, the actual pool is quite small and it was very crowded.  Again, it was very hot so quite a few people were cooling off in the pool. 

[Vineyard View]

1 hour ago, the more ports the better said:

The tour was described as “Santorini by private boat”.  It was a catamaran.  Very nice.  Large inside plus outside seating area and deck area.  Both a men’s and women’s bathroom which were as clean as the bathrooms on the ship.  Soft drinks plus beer and wine included.  I believe we had five or six couples on board.  We sailed around the caldera and stopped at a few scenic areas for pictures.  Then we stopped for a swim and the crew prepared an excellent lunch.  The O description did not say anything about lunch so that was a bonus.  The entire excursion was lovely.

 

Regarding Firá and Oia, there is an art gallery about a 10 minute walk down the caldera path from Firá which we love but we will not be going back until they get their transportation figured out.  We also love Oia but again not worth the frustration of getting back to the ship.  The path from Firá to Oia along the caldera is our favorite hike in Greece but again, not worth the chaos of figuring out how to get back to the port.

 

Santorini has the ability to allow tenders to return from the ferry port where people can take a taxi to but they refuse to allow tenders to return anywhere but the cruise port tender docks.  Tenders drop off at the ferry port in the mornings for land tours but they refuse to allow tenders to pick up to return to the ship.  Makes no sense!

 

 

Thank you so much for these further details. This is everything I have been reading. As much as I want to see Firá and Oia, what you describe and what I read is not worth it. Not sure if it’s port authority or local govt who controls this, but maybe someday they will figure out it is a huge negative on multiple levels including local. 
Our excursion says “private yacht”. Personally, I hope it’s a catamaran!  Either way, it sounds like a great day! So thank you 

[osandomir]

1 hour ago, Vineyard View said:

Thank you so much for these further details. This is everything I have been reading. As much as I want to see Firá and Oia, what you describe and what I read is not worth it. Not sure if it’s port authority or local govt who controls this, but maybe someday they will figure out it is a huge negative on multiple levels including local. 
Our excursion says “private yacht”. Personally, I hope it’s a catamaran!  Either way, it sounds like a great day! So thank you 

It all depends on how many ships are in port the day you’ll be there. On our last visit to Santorini it was much more manageable that the other poster described. We were able to get up to Fira of cause with some waiting in line. From there we actually walked seven miles or so all the way to Oia, very crowded, and got a taxi to return back. It was also a line to go down, don’t remember how long it was but we made it without much of complain. Altogether, I remember it was an enjoyable day.

[PaulMCO]

The key is to avoid Santorini in the summer.  We were there in May and we were the only ship in port and we had no lines at the cable car, in fact both times we were the only one in the car.  The Greek isles are more civilized in the spring and fall as these are the best times to visit.

[Vineyard View]

10 hours ago, osandomir said:

It all depends on how many ships are in port the day you’ll be there. On our last visit to Santorini it was much more manageable that the other poster described. We were able to get up to Fira of cause with some waiting in line. From there we actually walked seven miles or so all the way to Oia, very crowded, and got a taxi to return back. It was also a line to go down, don’t remember how long it was but we made it without much of complain. Altogether, I remember it was an enjoyable day.

We will be there in May. 4 ships. 10k pax. I really wish it was a different story on our day, but wishing can’t change that. 

Edited August 18, 2023 by Vineyard View

[Sebbiesgrammy]

On 8/17/2023 at 1:35 PM, Barbara60 said:

We are about to sail on R ship late this fall for our first experience with Oceania. It is nice to read so many comments about the small bathrooms so that we will be well prepared for that. Overall does the cabin itself feel a suitable size.? We booked late and only took an ocean view as I do better with lower midship cabins. We plan on staying on the ship for some of the port days. How do you enjoy a day on board an R class ship? PS. my bathroom at home is very small so I don't think it will bother me.

 

We spent 32 days on Nautica early this year in concierge level cabin and, yes, the biggest surprise was the tiny bathroom. Otherwise, we were comfortable and, being honest, we are not tiny people. The best thing I brought with me was a 12 large pocket hanging shoe bag and 2 magnetic hooks. The wall above the toilet is about the only magnetic place in the cabin except for a few small spaces around mirror and the back of the main door.  That shoe bag was a lifesaver and held all my cosmetics, lotions, potions, book, sunglasses, you name it. Won't ever cruise without it although it is getting difficult to find magnetic wall space on refurbished or new ships. HTH