Live from the Vista - March 27 (Miami) to May 1 (Trieste)

[Carnevale]

3 hours ago, edgee said:

Yes. Food is served by staff. Of course there are a few examples of locations where guests touch shared  food surfaces, like coffee machines and self service cookie trays in lounges, but O is for the most part a staff served group of ships. I personally have a 180 degree different viewpoint. I am currently on Regent Splendor which has fewer guests on the ship and buffet area is all self served and very efficient. No crowding around areas waiting for staff to make salads etc. Is O any more sanitary due to staff served food? I personally do not believe it is..in fact out of 45 cruises the ONLY experience I have had with a noro virus outbreak was on an Oceania ship. However, many folks feel better with O staff served model..we all have choices in cruising!

Thx @edgee for taking the time to provide this useful info. You are right about the challenges with crowding. Our situation on the Azamara ship was it had guest self service plus heavy crowding (small space that we could hardly move in and sometimes no seating). We have heard such good things about the Terrace Grill, Waves, etc. and are delighted to hear it’s all staff served. We are looking forward to trying them.

[Carnevale]

3 hours ago, edgee said:

Yes. Food is served by staff. Of course there are a few examples of locations where guests touch shared  food surfaces, like coffee machines and self service cookie trays in lounges, but O is for the most part a staff served group of ships. I personally have a 180 degree different viewpoint. I am currently on Regent Splendor which has fewer guests on the ship and buffet area is all self served and very efficient. No crowding around areas waiting for staff to make salads etc. Is O any more sanitary due to staff served food? I personally do not believe it is..in fact out of 45 cruises the ONLY experience I have had with a noro virus outbreak was on an Oceania ship. However, many folks feel better with O staff served model..we all have choices in cruising!

Thx @edgee for taking the time to provide this useful info. You are right about the challenges with crowding. Our situation on the Azamara ship was it had guest self service plus heavy crowding (small space that we could hardly move in and sometimes no seating). We have heard such good things about the Terrace Grill, Waves, etc. and are delighted to hear it’s all staff served. We are looking forward to trying them.

[EJL2023]

11 hours ago, clo said:

Did I read it here or somewhere else that this is going to be a major project.

Maybe??……see post 276. 

[edgee]

8 hours ago, chloemonkey said:

+2....no noise in 10001.......3/9 thru 3/27.

10001 is a large suite with zero neighbor's TVs against your walls. Very very few cabins have that advantage.

[FetaCheese]

On 4/6/2024 at 8:32 AM, Hlitner said:

Yesterday, in Madeira, I decided to get a few hundred Euros from a major bank ATM.  The DCC exchange rate was about $1.225 US for 1 Euro.  By declining that rate, I paid $1.088 (found by checking my own bank account) which means I saved about 12%. 

@Hlitner

 

I had learned from a different CC member about DCC, prior to a Spain cruise in 2022, so I used a Caixa Bank ATM to w/d €.  At that time, by declining the DCC, I received, a nearly official rate, however, they added on a flat €7 fee for the transaction.  I did this at their BCN location, so perhaps that's why an extra fee was charged.

 

Thanks for sharing this information.  I was also in Funchal Madeira just recently, and w/d € from a Santander Bank ATM, downtown, declining the DCC, and was pleasantly surprised to receive the nearly official rate of about USD $1.08 and no extra fee was charged.  Suspect that each bank sets its own ATM fee policy.

 

Thanks for taking your vacation time to share your cruise impressions with us.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

 

 

Edited April 8 by FetaCheese

[redraider1966]

13 hours ago, edgee said:

Yes. Food is served by staff. Of course there are a few examples of locations where guests touch shared  food surfaces, like coffee machines and self service cookie trays in lounges, but O is for the most part a staff served group of ships. I personally have a 180 degree different viewpoint. I am currently on Regent Splendor which has fewer guests on the ship and buffet area is all self served and very efficient. No crowding around areas waiting for staff to make salads etc. Is O any more sanitary due to staff served food? I personally do not believe it is..in fact out of 45 cruises the ONLY experience I have had with a noro virus outbreak was on an Oceania ship. However, many folks feel better with O staff served model..we all have choices in cruising!

Returning 180 degrees, our only personal GI experience on 35+ voyages across four different cruise lines was on Azamara with its self-service TC-equivalent buffet, where the outbreak was so widespread that non-kitchen crew, including entertainers, were drafted to serve pax for several days.  On our 2/28-3/9/24 Vista cruise (our 18th on O), save for the nights we dined in the specialties, we ate all our meals in the Terrace or Waves.  We never found the Terrace crowded and welcomed the always accommodating servers who asked how much or how little we wanted of a particular dish or salad or dessert or whatever.  If given a choice, we continue to prefer a buffet setting where you are being served with glove-wearing servers.  

 

That said, it is with some trepidation that our next cruise is on Regent's Voyager in late May '24 for a Med cruise.  Since the beginning of the year, this ship has had at least two cruises with outbreaks of noro and prolonged Code Red, as reported by CC (and Regent) faithful.  Prior to booking, we had not known about Regent's self-service buffet system and the reports of noro came after the dreaded final payment due date.  We are continuing to monitor the Regent boards as Voyager makes its way into the Med this month and will take what precautions we can . . . .

[Hlitner]

Hola from Malaga,

Docked in Malaga, today, which is another favorite port of ours.  The weather was relatively clear and breezy with temps in the low to mid 70s.  O did provide a free shuttle bus (every 30 minutes) to get folks to the Plaza de la Marina, which is a good location for folks who want to get into the center of town and the major shopping area.  DW and I decided to skip the shuttle and walk into town, but then deviated to visit the Alcazabra.

 

Malaga gives cruisers access to a wonderful part of Spain that includes places such as Marbella, Ronda, and even Granada (with the amazing Alhambra).  We have previously spent a lot of time in this part of Spain which is why we decided to have an easy day not too far from the ship.  The 4:30 all aboard discouraged us from renting a car and having a DIY driving day.  We managed to walk a little over 5 miles, and stopped for lunch at a local restaurant where we enjoyed paella. 

 

Food (always a big topic on O) has been mostly very good, and last night was no exception.  DW and I managed to get a 2-top with our favorite GDR waiter, and have a very nice dinner.  Based on our waiter's suggestion, I ordered the Pork Chop which was served in a BBQ sauce.  The meat was perfectly cooked, very tender, and the BBQ sauce really worked with the pork. I also tried ordering a side of pasta with the Bolognaise sauce, since a fellow cruiser had told me this sauce was amazing.  I also found the sauce outstanding.

 

Entertainment last night was Duo Esencias, a couple that we have previously seen on a HAL cruise in these same waters.  The male, of that duo, is a world-class violinist and always excellent.  His wife is an excellent Flamenco dancer and she seemed to captivate much of the audience.  The Guest Entertainers on this cruise (we have had 3...so far) have all been quite good.  

 

Hank

[edgee]

12 minutes ago, redraider1966 said:

We are continuing to monitor the Regent boards as Voyager makes its way into the Med this month and will take what precautions we can

Regent is wonderful. Good luck.

[clo]

2 hours ago, EJL2023 said:

Maybe??……see post 276. 

Thank you, dear.

[Gl3nnG4ry]

17 hours ago, edgee said:

Just bring your ear plugs and white noise machine.The noise bleeding issue between cabins is a damn shame on that ship!

We were on Vista end of March. Noise bleed for us was mostly TV.

We thought it was simply that the TV's are situated on the adjoining walls. 

Otherwise, wasn't so bad for us on deck 7.

[edgee]

Just now, Gl3nnG4ry said:

We were on Vista end of March. Noise bleed for us was mostly TV.

We thought it was simply that the TV's are situated on the adjoining walls. 

Otherwise, wasn't so bad for us on deck 7.

Agree tv is biggest issue.The speakers on the flat-screen are in the back, aimed right at the wall of adjoining cabin. We were in 9012 and the neighbor had to keep his volume below 7% or we could hear it. Crazy!

[Vallesan]

“ Vista, Terrace Cafe Flooring”

 

Back in the summer there were reports that the flooring in the Terrace Cafe was very ‘slippy’ and ‘damp’ to the point when towels were put on the floor to make it safe. This could have been something to do with the ship being ‘new’ and  just ‘bedding in’ or possible ‘humidity’ or maybe just a poor choice of flooring.

 

Anyway, we are thinking of booking Vista but I would really like to know if this is still a problem. I have mobility issues so a ‘slippery’ floor and me don’t mix!

[Flatbush Flyer]

22 hours ago, proton-excitement said:

Agreed. I can only assume they haven't been to an Applebee's. By that logic:

 

Ember = Applebee's 

Toscana = Olive Garden

Polo = Outback Steakhouse

Red Ginger = PF Chang's

 

They might be in a similar category, but not at all close to the same level.

 

How was it in no way a Philly cheesesteak? I lived in Philadelphia for several years and have had plenty of real ones. Personally, I always go for white american or provolone, rather than yellow American or cheese wiz. But I'll let the pictures speak for me. One is a Philly cheesesteak from Philly, and the other is one I ordered today on Vista.

 

When I posted my original Cheesesteak comment, I was referring to Waves on Riviera. My discussions with the GM (himself a former O F&B manager), who agreed with my offered correction, resulted in the necessary fix. Perhaps, on Vista, you were an eventual benefactor of that discussion?  

[proton-excitement]

29 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

When I posted my original Cheesesteak comment, I was referring to Waves on Riviera. My discussions with the GM (himself a former O F&B manager), who agreed with my offered correction, resulted in the necessary fix. Perhaps, on Vista, you were an eventual benefactor of that discussion?  

Then thank you for mentioning something to them! I've only been on the Vista with Oceania and have only seen this version of it. If I was served something different than what I posted, I too would have been unhappy.

[redraider1966]

56 minutes ago, Vallesan said:

“ Vista, Terrace Cafe Flooring”

 

Back in the summer there were reports that the flooring in the Terrace Cafe was very ‘slippy’ and ‘damp’ to the point when towels were put on the floor to make it safe. This could have been something to do with the ship being ‘new’ and  just ‘bedding in’ or possible ‘humidity’ or maybe just a poor choice of flooring.

 

Anyway, we are thinking of booking Vista but I would really like to know if this is still a problem. I have mobility issues so a ‘slippery’ floor and me don’t mix!

As I posted earlier, on our 2/28-3/9/24 cruise on Vista, we ate frequently in the TC and noted the presence of large textured mats covering the walkways from the two entrances to the serving areas and some signage.  As it was a Caribbean voyage, we were prepared to ascribe the coverings to the warmer, more humid clime, but did find the uncovered areas to be a tad slick in spots.  On the morning of debarkation, the mats were curiously removed and predictably we witnessed at least one passenger take a nasty fall.  

[Vallesan]

3 minutes ago, redraider1966 said:

As I posted earlier, on our 2/28-3/9/24 cruise on Vista, we ate frequently in the TC and noted the presence of large textured mats covering the walkways from the two entrances to the serving areas and some signage.  As it was a Caribbean voyage, we were prepared to ascribe the coverings to the warmer, more humid clime, but did find the uncovered areas to be a tad slick in spots.  On the morning of debarkation, the mats were curiously removed and predictably we witnessed at least one passenger take a nasty fall.  

Thank you so much for your reply. Looks like the Terrace Cafe may be a no-go area for anybody who has walking issues. We’ve sailed on Oceania three times in the Caribbean on the smaller ships  and never had an issue. So this is  obviously a cause for concern for us.
 

We would hate to sail Vista and not be able to use the Terrace!

 

 

[tropicalkerry2002]

RE TV noise: Oceania TVs should have closed captioning turned on at all times. If this seems like will cause problems, perhaps a small sticker on the TV, suggesting people be considerate, and use CC, with instruction for how to turn it on.

Due to my HVAC system,I have CC on all the time, rather than turn volume up and down. I love it!

 

[clo]

1 hour ago, Vallesan said:

Thank you so much for your reply. Looks like the Terrace Cafe may be a no-go area for anybody who has walking issues. We’ve sailed on Oceania three times in the Caribbean on the smaller ships  and never had an issue. So this is  obviously a cause for concern for us.
 

We would hate to sail Vista and not be able to use the Terrace!

 

 

If you wear rubber soles shoes would they slip on the floors?

[Vallesan]

6 minutes ago, clo said:

If you wear rubber soles shoes would they slip on the floors?

Probably not. I use crutches, that would!

[clo]

17 minutes ago, Vallesan said:

Probably not. I use crutches, that would!

Oh wow. I wouldn't want to take the risk. And we ate more at the Terrace Cafe than anywhere else on the Marina.

 

[redraider1966]

49 minutes ago, clo said:

Oh wow. I wouldn't want to take the risk. And we ate more at the Terrace Cafe than anywhere else on the Marina.

 

Having now sailed on all ships in Oceania's fleet in the course of our 18 voyages, I believe the slick flooring issue is confined to Vista, where regrettably form dominates over function in several areas as those who have cruised on her have reported on this forum and elsewhere.

[fdnycruiser]

That pork chop was definitely delicious the other night . I’m not usually a pork chop fan, but that was delicious.

[Iamthesea]

My DH had a BBQ pork chop at the recommendation of our waiter one night in the GDR.  It was so out-of-character for him that I did a double take when he ordered. He said it was very good.

 

I did not find the Vista Terrace Cafe or the back deck floors slippery.  My be a different story if something was spilled on the floors or the back deck had a recent rain.  With crunches, I would also stay clear.  Maybe a wheelchair, or sit in Aquamara and have someone bring you a tray. 

[edgee]

58 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

My DH had a BBQ pork chop at the recommendation of our waiter one night in the GDR.  It was so out-of-character for him that I did a double take when he ordered. He said it was very good.

 

I did not find the Vista Terrace Cafe or the back deck floors slippery.  My be a different story if something was spilled on the floors or the back deck had a recent rain.  With crunches, I would also stay clear.  Maybe a wheelchair, or sit in Aquamara and have someone bring you a tray. 

I cruised Vista twice in a 3 month period. Floors in Terrace were terribly slick. Almost fell a couple of times during first cruise. Second cruise they had placed ugly long floor mats which help to alleviate the problem. Not sure they are permanent but OMG are they unattractive.

[thebsinmiss]

Perhaps close the area one day and put down an epoxy coating with silica applied to it while its wet just like they do for concrete around pools. I recall Home Depot redoing the floors in a store a few years ago. Polished them and they were amazing looking. Only problem is they were so slick everyone was ending up on their bums.  Got fixed really fast before the lawyers got involved 🙂