Live from Vista—Montreal to Miami

[Azulann]

In pre-pandemic days, I always was on robust rolls calls. There you could  find folks who wanted to hire a private guide for excursions as a option. We always booked direct with the guide not through a third party . Recently it is harder to find these guides online and bypassing the Viator etc.

Thanks for the info on Dan the Man. What a wonderful day you and your party had with him. 

[kjbacon]

@DrKoob or those of you that might know about the views from Red Ginger on Vista please. From the pictures on the website, it looks like there’s lots of windows in Polo Grill and Toscana but maybe not so in Red Ginger … yes, no? Thank you!

[DrKoob]

5 minutes ago, kjbacon said:

@DrKoob or those of you that might know about the views from Red Ginger on Vista please. From the pictures on the website, it looks like there’s lots of windows in Polo Grill and Toscana but maybe not so in Red Ginger … yes, no? Thank you!

You are correct. Don’t remember there being any windows at all. Polo Grille was surrounded by windows. Beautiful space. 
 

We are doing Toscana tonight. 

[basor]

1 hour ago, kjbacon said:

@DrKoob or those of you that might know about the views from Red Ginger on Vista please. From the pictures on the website, it looks like there’s lots of windows in Polo Grill and Toscana but maybe not so in Red Ginger … yes, no? Thank you!

Red Ginger indeed does have a whole bank of windows down one side of the restaurant, the same as Embers on the same floor opposite side.  Polo and Toscana are on a high floor and at the back of the ship so have windows down the side of the restaurant and around the back..

Red Ginger on Marina and Riviera also have windows but they are covered with black curtains so never knew there were windows.

[gentlemancruiser]

9 minutes ago, basor said:

Red Ginger indeed does have a whole bank of windows down one side of the restaurant, the same as Embers on the same floor opposite side.  Polo and Toscana are on a high floor and at the back of the ship so have windows down the side of the restaurant and around the back..

Red Ginger on Marina and Riviera also have windows but they are covered with black curtains so never knew there were windows.

I was in Red Ginger and Ember.  Yes there are windows along one side.  The larger interior sections of each restaurant, past the diviers do not have windows.   

[Vineyard View]

Why would they not open those windows rather than cover them in black drapes?  I get that may be a more ‘elegant’ vibe for some, but viewing the ocean while on ship is a bonus for many while dining and sailing. 

[mauibabes]

@Vineyard View

Yes it is a more of the vibe of the restaurant, you will see that when you sail on your upcoming trip. Besides, the view of water from Deck 5 is hardly worth opening the drapes. You see it from the GDR but it is thru the sheers and drapes. If you really see waves, it means the seas are rough and  some may be uncomfortable seeing waves at the window level. 
Mauibabes

[Gracie115]

5 hours ago, DrKoob said:

Pizza Night on Vista

Last night (after our Shelburne adventure), we decided to have a pizza party. In the evening, Vista's Wave's Grille (where you can get burgers, paninis and hot dogs during the day) turns into a pizzeria. So we decided to grab our usual table in the back of the buffet and have a pizza night. It was awesome. We started with salads from the buffet. Then we headed to the pizzeria to order. They make eight different pizzas and will customize those for you. So we ordered seven of them, plus a BBQ beef flatbread (that was amazing), some Chianti, and a beer for Mike, and we had a great meal. I have never tried so many different kinds of pizza and I have never been so stuffed. But everyone agreed it was a superb way to do dinner. It's just something to think about doing on Vista.

 

This looks like great fun!!!  

[DOJO466]

16 hours ago, WayneLaR said:

And I'm glad you enjoyed Cape Breton.  Cape Bretoners or Capers, are some of the nicest and most entertaining people you will ever meet.  Right along with Newfoundlanders.

I was born there and yes, I am pretty nice....cute and fluffy too

[ak1004]

@DrKoob thank you for a very interesting topic!

 

You keep comparing O to Viking, but isn't Viking much more expensive? I just checked a typical European sailing of 10-12 nights - Viking prices start around $550-600 USD per night. Oceania is around $450 for the entry level balcony, and even cheaper if you don't need the balcony. For Viking prices I can book SB or SS (in fact many SB sailings are under $500).

[Vineyard View]

1 hour ago, ak1004 said:

@DrKoob thank you for a very interesting topic!

 

You keep comparing O to Viking, but isn't Viking much more expensive? I just checked a typical European sailing of 10-12 nights - Viking prices start around $550-600 USD per night. Oceania is around $450 for the entry level balcony, and even cheaper if you don't need the balcony. For Viking prices I can book SB or SS (in fact many SB sailings are under $500).

THE Main reason we started looking elsewhere. Their new pricing. We enjoyed sailing on them for several years, but post Covid prices are through the roof, whereas prior they were much more competitive with Azamara and Oceania. Their prices are that with SB for sure. Haven’t really looked at SS, but when we sailed SB we were glad that we did. We don’t believe the product justifies the price after SB. Looking forward to experiencing Oceania. 

[DrKoob]

16 hours ago, ak1004 said:

@DrKoob thank you for a very interesting topic!

 

You keep comparing O to Viking, but isn't Viking much more expensive? I just checked a typical European sailing of 10-12 nights - Viking prices start around $550-600 USD per night. Oceania is around $450 for the entry level balcony, and even cheaper if you don't need the balcony. For Viking prices I can book SB or SS (in fact many SB sailings are under $500).

If you have read my posts from the start, the reason I am making this comparison is that we are trying to find a new cruise line. We like being loyal customers. We like knowing where things are on a ship—it makes us feel like we are home when we cruise. We have boiled our choice down to O and VO. 

 

So comparing the cost depends on what kind of cruiser you are. If you are what I call a "bare-bones" cruiser, you are right. O will be cheaper, but if you want or need the extras, it's about even. With V, I get all the internet I want as many devices as I can bring. With V, I get a FREE shore excursion in every port. I agree that you can get inside staterooms cheaper, but V has no insides—every stateroom has a verandah.

 

If you don't drink, O wins every time, but we do, and with V, I get free wine or beer at lunch and dinner. V's cocktail package and the price of individual cocktails are about half of what O has charged me on this trip. And if I want to have a cocktail or glass of wine in my stateroom before dinner, in PV class and above, V gives me free spirits in my mini-bar. Plus, they treat me as an adult and allow me to bring as much wine or hard liquor on board as I want. And there is never a corkage fee in any of the dining rooms. 

 

We did 21 days in the Med last year, and so far, the cost for us has been about even for 14 of those days with all the V perks.

 

Not saying I like V better. But I liked my stateroom on V a LOT better. In comparison to my Concierge Veranda, it was huge. So you would need to compare a PV on V with a suite on O to get the same size and the same perks. And so far, the food on O is about a mile and a half ahead of V. 

Edited October 7, 2023 by DrKoob

[Kentishincanada]

6 minutes ago, DrKoob said:

If you have read my posts from the start, the reason I am making this comparison is that we are trying to find a new cruise line. We like being loyal customers. We like knowing where things are on a ship—it makes us feel like we are home when we cruise. We have boiled our choice down to O and VO. 

 

So comparing the cost depends on what kind of cruiser you are. If you are what I call a "bare-bones" cruiser, you are right. O will be cheaper, but if you want or need the extras, it's about even. With V, I get all the internet I want as many devices as I can bring. With V, I get a FREE shore excursion in every port. I agree that you can get inside staterooms cheaper, but V has no insides—every stateroom has a verandah.

 

If you don't drink, O wins every time, but we do, and with V, I get free wine or beer at lunch and dinner. V's cocktail package and the price of individual cocktails are about half of what O has charged me on this trip. And if I want to have a cocktail or glass of wine in my stateroom before dinner, in PV class and above, V gives me free spirits in my mini-bar. Plus, they treat me as an adult and allow me to bring as much wine or hard liquor on board as I want. And there is never a corkage fee in any of the dining rooms. 

 

We did 21 days in the Med last year, and so far, the cost for us has been about even for 14 of those days with all the V perks.

 

Not saying I like V better. But I liked my stateroom on V a LOT better. In comparison to my Concierge Veranda, it was huge. So you would need to compare a PV on V with a suite on O to get the same size and the same perks. And so far, the food on O is about a mile and a half ahead of V. 

Really interested in your posts Dr.Koob as we are in the same space having completed our last three cruises on Viking.  I do love the ships but we felt on the last cruise that the food wasn’t quite up the the previous standard.  The thing I enjoy on Viking is the spa area, open to all with that beautiful pool and always space around the other swimming pools to relax.  Have you tried the spa pool on Vista and is it of a similar size and ambiance?  I think I would very much miss the Nespresso machine - is the coffee as good as Viking’s living room and readily available?

[DrKoob]

We made it into Bar Harbor and got to see it all!

 

The headline says it all for our group. When we did a New England cruise in 2018, we could not get into Bar Harbor due to sea conditions. The winds and the waves were really blowing. And when our buddy Mike went earlier than that, it was in the middle of the last government shutdown, so he was not able to get into Acadia National Park. But this time...calm seas and a fully-funded federal government (at least for now). Starting next year, Bar Harbor is limiting the number of cruise ship passengers that will be allowed to disembark all vessels to 1,000 per day. Many cruise lines have taken Bar Harbor off their itineraries. Can you imagine being on a LARGE ship (like Caribbean Princess with more than 3,000 passengers who was in port with us yesterday) and being told you couldn't get off the ship until someone from the first 1,000 came back on board? So, yes, we were thrilled to be able to visit Bar Harbor.

 

Our day started with an immigration line. We had been informed the day before that Customs and Immigration agents would board the ship at 8:30 am when we arrived in Bar Harbor (Our first US port) and that everyone on board would need to come up to the Horizons Lounge on deck 14 forward and meet with them face-to-face. We had to bring our keycards and our passports. We had a tour of Acadia National Park with Oli's Trolley booked at 10:30, and rather than be late or miss it entirely, Mike called and rebooked us for the 12:30 tour. From past experience, we knew this could be a long slog. The letter about the inspection stated that we would be called in deck by deck but that Oceania shore excursions would go first. We imagined long lines in the hallways when they announced a deck could go, followed by long lines at the elevators.

 

Happily, that is not what happened. First, we got into Bar Harbor early and they were ready to start the inspection at 8:00, so we gained half an hour then. Then we went to eat breakfast at Baristas, which is also on deck 14. They started with the lower decks first, so Jocelyn, being on deck eight, was the first one of our group to be called. My brother walked her over to the line and texted us back that there was no one there (Decks 7 and 8 were just about over) and that the young crew member supervising the line said that we could come right through.

 

So we jumped up from breakfast and walked over, expecting at least a small line. And there was a small line for some of the people on board—the US citizens. In fact, there was NO line for us. We were in and out of the entire thing in less than five minutes. It was amazingly organized and totally efficient. The Immigration office had sent a number of people, and they just looked at our passport, looked at us, we got a green dot on our keycard, and we were good to go. I should add that there was about a 15-20 minute wait if you were a non-US citizen.

 

Now we were done and ready to go, and we realized that we could have easily made that 10:30 tour. But that was OK. Mike, Cathy, Steve and Jamie headed into the village on the first tender, and Kathleen, Jocelyn and I waited about an hour and then took the tender in.

 

One major rant about some of our fellow passengers—when a cruise line tells you that there is a MANDATORY immigration interview that you MUST DO before you can get off the ship in any port on the rest of the cruise—BELIEVE THEM! Do the interview. As usually happens, right around 10:30, when everyone else had gone through the interview process, the cruise director started making announcements asking those who had not come up (about 30) to please come immediately so that the Immigration officers could get off the ship. They not only had to make this announcement three times, they had to call out individuals who had not shown up. I heard people talking later that they thought because they weren't going to get off in Bar Harbor, they didn't have to do the interview. But this interview cleared them not only for Bar Harbor but for Portland, Martha's Vineyard, NYC, Charleston and finally, Miami. People, please—get with the program.

 

We met the early tenderers (is that a word 😁) for lunch at a really great place right at the end of the pier—West Street Cafe. I need to say a word here about this place. The food was great, the service superb, it was clean as a whistle, and we had a great time at a big round spot on the end of the bar, just about a perfect port lunch. We all highly recommend it. Mike and Cathy had the clam chowder and blueberry pie and said it was a great New England culinary experience.

 

I should also mention the tender ride into the harbor. Being the first of three ships to anchor and be ready to start tendering meant we got the prime landing spot right at the base of the village. It also meant Vista got the prime anchoring spot. The other two ships that were anchored were much further out, and while our tender trip was under 10 minutes, theirs was at least 20 or more. And because the Immigration inspection was faster than most thought it would be, it was easy just to walk down and get on a tender.

 

Once done with lunch, it was on to Oli's Trolley (using that word in a singular fashion makes you think there is just one trolley—don't worry, there's more) for our tour of Acadia National Park. We had chosen the 2.5-hour tour. They also did an early morning tour that lasts 4 hours, but it is basically the same tour with longer stops. Ours had 15-minute stops, theirs 30. To be honest, 15 minutes sounds like a long time, but it isn't. I just about had to really run at every stop to get the pictures I wanted. The stop where I also used the restroom was a mad dash.

 

Our guide was a very nice man named Fred, who got us on board and off right on time. The roads were PACKED, but he kept us moving, and we did the entire tour and returned only 10 minutes late. I would detail the tour for you, but my photos will do a better job. I think I did OK with them, considering two things. First, we had fog yesterday, and it was a bit cold. That meant that instead of using the open-air trolley, they used one that had windows. By the time we got there and the fact that almost everyone had a jacket or coat (that they quickly shed on the hot trolley), they could have used the open-air variety. Which, for me as a photographer, would have made for a lot more photo opportunities. Shooting through glass is not fun. Your biggest enemy is reflections from the glass. Or if the glass is dirty at all, the camera focuses on the glass window and not on the subject that is far beyond it.

The windows on this trolley did open a little bit (just enough for me to stick my lens out), but I couldn't get low enough to see what I was shooting through my viewfinder. So when we stopped for just a minute or two so our guide could point something out, I got very few shots. But I am happy with what I did get. My best fall foliage photo was shot while the bus was going around 35 miles an hour, and I just pointed at the scene I was seeing and clicked the shutter a bunch of times, hoping that one of the shots would turn out to be a good one. I call that photography by pure luck. You will have to judge for yourself by my photos if you stop by my blog at www.jimbellomo.com.

 

That was just about the end of our day. After the Trolley ride, everyone except Mike and I went back to the ship. Mike went to take a photo of the ship, and I went to roam the streets of the village. I got a few shots, as you saw above. Our day finished up with an amazing meal in Toscana, Vista's Italian specialty restaurant. More about that in an entire food post coming later.

One last note: while I was coming back on the tender, I got a call from our tour company in Portland, our next stop. We were supposed to do a small boat tour around the islands off Portland. They informed me that because Hurricane Phillipe was headed to Portland, they were canceling all tours. That made me both sad and apprehensive until I got back to the ship and looked at the National Weather Service website, and then I was just perplexed. Here's the map from this morning. 

As you can see, the hurricane (now a tropical storm) is not scheduled to be near Portland until 8:00 a.m. on Sunday. We are currently in Portland Harbor, and we have had no bad weather as of yet (it is supposed to rain). Oh well, they gave us a full refund, but now we have to find something to do in Portland today. I guess I better get on that—more tomorrow.

 

[DrKoob]

1 hour ago, Kentishincanada said:

Really interested in your posts Dr.Koob as we are in the same space having completed our last three cruises on Viking.  I do love the ships but we felt on the last cruise that the food wasn’t quite up the the previous standard.  The thing I enjoy on Viking is the spa area, open to all with that beautiful pool and always space around the other swimming pools to relax.  Have you tried the spa pool on Vista and is it of a similar size and ambiance?  I think I would very much miss the Nespresso machine - is the coffee as good as Viking’s living room and readily available?

I have not tried the O spa. Not really a spa guy but one thing to note is that much of the Vista's therapy pools and hot tubs are outdoors as opposed to the indoor ones on Viking ships. And we didn't miss the Nespresso...not our cup of tea 😜. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

[SeaWatch12]

@DrKoob I have been following you with interest as we are booked on the Vista in 3 months. 
Can you please check out the Artist Loft? 
I was wondering if there is an artist in residence and if so, do they offer a class each day. 
When we were on the Riviera 10 years ago, my spouse went to almost all the classes while I went to afternoon tea.

Thanks and enjoy!

[DrKoob]

1 minute ago, SeaWatch12 said:

@DrKoob I have been following you with interest as we are booked on the Vista in 3 months. 
Can you please check out the Artist Loft? 
I was wondering if there is an artist in residence and if so, do they offer a class each day. 
When we were on the Riviera 10 years ago, my spouse went to almost all the classes while I went to afternoon tea.

Thanks and enjoy!

 I do need to get around to my ship tour which would have answered your question. Yes, there is an Artist's Loft and yes, there are classes pretty much every day with an artist-in-residence.

[ak1004]

3 hours ago, DrKoob said:

If you have read my posts from the start, the reason I am making this comparison is that we are trying to find a new cruise line. We like being loyal customers. We like knowing where things are on a ship—it makes us feel like we are home when we cruise. We have boiled our choice down to O and VO. 

 

So comparing the cost depends on what kind of cruiser you are. If you are what I call a "bare-bones" cruiser, you are right. O will be cheaper, but if you want or need the extras, it's about even. With V, I get all the internet I want as many devices as I can bring. With V, I get a FREE shore excursion in every port. I agree that you can get inside staterooms cheaper, but V has no insides—every stateroom has a verandah.

 

If you don't drink, O wins every time, but we do, and with V, I get free wine or beer at lunch and dinner. V's cocktail package and the price of individual cocktails are about half of what O has charged me on this trip. And if I want to have a cocktail or glass of wine in my stateroom before dinner, in PV class and above, V gives me free spirits in my mini-bar. Plus, they treat me as an adult and allow me to bring as much wine or hard liquor on board as I want. And there is never a corkage fee in any of the dining rooms. 

 

We did 21 days in the Med last year, and so far, the cost for us has been about even for 14 of those days with all the V perks.

 

Not saying I like V better. But I liked my stateroom on V a LOT better. In comparison to my Concierge Veranda, it was huge. So you would need to compare a PV on V with a suite on O to get the same size and the same perks. And so far, the food on O is about a mile and a half ahead of V. 

 

Yes, agree, we all have different priorities and preferences.

 

Personally I never had any issues with one device for the internet - it takes exactly 10 seconds to switch. But they now include 2 devices which should be more than sufficient.

 

I don't know what people do in their cabins that they need more than 240 sqft, but we don't come to a cruise to spend time in our cabins. For us, it's more than sufficient, the bathrooms and the showers on the newer O ships are very spacious and there is plenty of storage.

 

We just booked FV on 2 cruises on Vista for 2025 at $320-350 USD per night. This is before any perks and rebates. If you drink, it will be $40 to upgrade to the drink package. The cheapest I have seen on Viking is $500-550. And O prices now include drinks at meals (same as V) and shore credit. Honestly, if I wanted to spend $500-550, I would book SB or SS, not V.

 

But as many say, to each their own.

 

Thank you again for your reports, highly appreciated.

Edited October 7, 2023 by ak1004

[Woofa]

@DrKoob

Thank you for bringing us along and giving your review and thoughts.  I don't think you are in any way overly negative.  As you stated above, you are a certain type of cruiser (very tech savvy, need a higher level of internet, don't care so much about spa, room size preference, etc, etc.). And you would be most comfortable finding a single line which you can be loyal to getting what you want in return.  We hope you find your niche.  We are glad you tried O and assume you will need to try most other lines to find your perfect fit.  Maybe it will be O under simply more, maybe you will find a better fit. It is your money and we feel you have the right to spend it anyway you want.  

There is no perfect line for everyone.  In today's world even more so people will have to make certain choices and most likely not get everything on their wish list (even if they spend alot more.). 

We have only taken one cruise.  We chose O and enjoyed it.  We have another booked but who knows what the future will bring?  We feel no loyalty to O and would be happy to try another line in the future if the right situation appears.  For us all of the loyalty perks short of the free cruise, while nice, are not a big deal and we have no reason to think we will never get to cruise #20 so that is basically meaningless as well.

Enjoy the rest of your cruise and all your future cruises.

[ak1004]

51 minutes ago, Woofa said:

@DrKoob

Thank you for bringing us along and giving your review and thoughts.  I don't think you are in any way overly negative.  As you stated above, you are a certain type of cruiser (very tech savvy, need a higher level of internet, don't care so much about spa, room size preference, etc, etc.). And you would be most comfortable finding a single line which you can be loyal to getting what you want in return.  We hope you find your niche.  We are glad you tried O and assume you will need to try most other lines to find your perfect fit.  Maybe it will be O under simply more, maybe you will find a better fit. It is your money and we feel you have the right to spend it anyway you want.  

There is no perfect line for everyone.  In today's world even more so people will have to make certain choices and most likely not get everything on their wish list (even if they spend alot more.). 

We have only taken one cruise.  We chose O and enjoyed it.  We have another booked but who knows what the future will bring?  We feel no loyalty to O and would be happy to try another line in the future if the right situation appears.  For us all of the loyalty perks short of the free cruise, while nice, are not a big deal and we have no reason to think we will never get to cruise #20 so that is basically meaningless as well.

Enjoy the rest of your cruise and all your future cruises.

 

We feel exactly the same way. The loyalty perks are nice, but not material in our decisions. Our bookings are based on itinerary and pricing. Yes, we are "bare-bones" cruisers. We always book the lowest category which is at least 200-220 sqft on any ship because we spend very little time in the cabin. We also don't drink so don't need the drinks package.

 

All lines have pros and cons. Comparisons are always good to help to reach an educated decision, but comparisons have to be apples to apples, and not comparing basic veranda on O to a suite on V.

 

We sailed on 12 lines so far and enjoyed most of them. I would gladly sail on any small ship given the right itinerary and price. I never expect a ship to be "home away from home" - to me it's just a floating hotel. No loyalty. 

[LHT28]

just  to add to the immigration F2F  those on private tours could go along at the same time as the ship's tours

if you wanted to go ashore early   then once cleared  you could go to the lounge to get tender tickets

 

 at least they did not hold the ship disembarkation  until all were interviewed

Some people felt the  F2F did not apply to them & still at 11 am they were calling for those  to attend the  F2F

[Elbig]

5 hours ago, DrKoob said:

If you have read my posts from the start, the reason I am making this comparison is that we are trying to find a new cruise line. We like being loyal customers. We like knowing where things are on a ship—it makes us feel like we are home when we cruise. We have boiled our choice down to O and VO. 

 

So comparing the cost depends on what kind of cruiser you are. If you are what I call a "bare-bones" cruiser, you are right. O will be cheaper, but if you want or need the extras, it's about even. With V, I get all the internet I want as many devices as I can bring. With V, I get a FREE shore excursion in every port. I agree that you can get inside staterooms cheaper, but V has no insides—every stateroom has a verandah.

 

If you don't drink, O wins every time, but we do, and with V, I get free wine or beer at lunch and dinner. V's cocktail package and the price of individual cocktails are about half of what O has charged me on this trip. And if I want to have a cocktail or glass of wine in my stateroom before dinner, in PV class and above, V gives me free spirits in my mini-bar. Plus, they treat me as an adult and allow me to bring as much wine or hard liquor on board as I want. And there is never a corkage fee in any of the dining rooms. 

 

We did 21 days in the Med last year, and so far, the cost for us has been about even for 14 of those days with all the V perks.

 

Not saying I like V better. But I liked my stateroom on V a LOT better. In comparison to my Concierge Veranda, it was huge. So you would need to compare a PV on V with a suite on O to get the same size and the same perks. And so far, the food on O is about a mile and a half ahead of V. 

Try Regent

[Harters]

3 hours ago, DrKoob said:

They not only had to make this announcement three times, they had to call out individuals who had not shown up.

Happened to us, years ago, in Israel. We had no intention of getting off but the soldiers (?) required us to show them our passports. 

[njhorseman]

9 hours ago, DrKoob said:

 

If you don't drink, O wins every time, but we do, and with V, I get free wine or beer at lunch and dinner.

Under O's new "simply more" program, which came into effect for bookings made on or after July 1, 2023 for sailings on or after October 1, wine and beer at lunch and dinner are included in your base fare.

 

9 hours ago, DrKoob said:

they treat me as an adult and allow me to bring as much wine or hard liquor on board as I want

So does O. Although their written rule I believe limits you to 6 bottles in reality that limit isn't enforced by all reports.

Edited October 7, 2023 by njhorseman

[SkystheLimit]

Hi Jim.  Enjoying your review.  We got off the Regent Mariner the day you were in YUL.  The Vista and the Mariner pretty much piggybacked each other on our cruise.  We did make it to Saguenay but believe the Vista added a sea day as we did not see them there.  

Hello to Kat.  It's been a few years since the Silhouette but still have great memories of that cruise.  Too bad about Celebrity!

MJ