An example of luxury vs premium

[rim2rimhiker]

10 hours ago, OC Cruisers said:

Generally, we’re Regent loyalists and just saw an O itinerary that intrigued us, so reading this thread has been both funny and informative. Wondered if the onboard environment is friendly? Are there tables for two in the dining room (husband is pretty deaf so conversing is hard for him). And are there lots of announcements and sales pushes? Thanks a bunch!!

Absolutely.  We always get a table for two in the dining room and have never had to wait for one to open up.

[Aloha 1]

We have 10 O cruises and 5 R cruises under our belt with one more O and two more R cruises booked. There are pluses and minuses on both. As we travel with our adult autistic son, we book a PH on both lines. The R PH features a King bed and a separate living area from the bedroom. The O PH is about the same size with a Queen bed but is one large room with no divider. The Terrace on O is a great venue when you just don't feel like dressing for dinner. R does not offer the equivalent. Alcohol is the same on both in terms of brands and the food is excellent on both with Compass Rose on R significantly better than the GDR on O in terms of selection variety.

 

In our opinion, you can't go wrong with either line and both are heads and tails above the mass market lines.

[1985rz1]

10 hours ago, Vallesan said:

I think that may have partly been due to the cabin size. Choose carefully if you decide to sail on Oceania’s small ships.

This is important enought to repost.  Folks should carefully read the stateroom specs.

[mnocket]

On 5/11/2024 at 6:12 PM, OC Cruisers said:

Are there tables for two in the dining room (husband is pretty deaf so conversing is hard for him)

If he wears hearing aids, he may want to look into getting an accessory (names vary by manufacturer) that is a clip-on microphone that you would wear.  It really helps with hearing what your partner is saying - especially in environments with background noise.  He may want to ask his audiologist about this. Mine is a Phonak hearing aid. They have a device called a PartnerMic.  They want hundreds for them, but I found they are available on Ebay for $25-$50.

[ak1004]

We are currently on Silver Spirit, our third SS cruise. 
 

I would say that service is probably a step up compared to O, but service on O is good enough for us most of the time, and food on O is definitely better than SS. Considering the price difference, O is much better value for us at this point, but this applies to the newer O ships only, not the R class ships with the small cabins, tiny bathrooms and limited dining options.

[WESTEAST]

On 5/12/2024 at 3:22 AM, rim2rimhiker said:

Absolutely.  We always get a table for two in the dining room and have never had to wait for one to open up.

Agree with @rim2rimhiker tables for two in the GDR are available and usually the wait is not long and if so, they will ask you to take a seat to be called rather than standing (might be lucky and offered a reservation in one of the Specialities which has happened to us). For Speciality reservations, we book as soon as we can (see your invoice for date).  The one hint to offer is if you prefer a table by the window in any of the venues, you may want to arrive early as they are often taken first.  Same as in the Terrace, often the tables for two by the window are taken first (other two tops are by the aisles and not our preference). Regarding announcements, it does depend upon the Cruise Director - some we have found talk too much and basically read the Currents daily events.  Infrequent sales pitches other than what is included in the Currents. 

[FlyerTalker]

24 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

I would say that service is probably a step up compared to O, but service on O is good enough for us most of the time

 

And that pretty much sums it up.  If you are happy with "good enough", there's an option for you.  And if you want better than "good enough", there are other options.  All depends on YOUR wishes and expectations.

 

 

[EJL2023]

14 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

And that pretty much sums it up.  If you are happy with "good enough", there's an option for you.  And if you want better than "good enough", there are other options.  All depends on YOUR wishes and expectations.

 

 

Or perhaps the O food is definitely better part of the post outweighs the service part.  Personally, I know it would for me. 

[FlyerTalker]

20 minutes ago, EJL2023 said:

Or perhaps the O food is definitely better part of the post outweighs the service part.  Personally, I know it would for me. 

 

IMO, and it's nothing more, too many have been seduced by the whole "THE FINEST CUISINE AT SEA®" marketing.  I've consistently found SS dining to overall surpass O, except for the grill to order in the Terrace.

 

The O MDR is nothing to write home about.  Specialties may well excel, but do we judge on the totality or on just our favorites?

 

 

[pinotlover]

18 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

IMO, and it's nothing more, too many have been seduced by the whole "THE FINEST CUISINE AT SEA®" marketing.  I've consistently found SS dining to overall surpass O, except for the grill to order in the Terrace.

 

The O MDR is nothing to write home about.  Specialties may well excel, but do we judge on the totality or on just our favorites?

 

 

Oceania’s major issue derives from from its huge swings of inconsistency. 
 

Being a long term Oceania cruiser, the food in the GDR was once significantly different from that in the buffet (Terrace Grill). Outside of the grill station, Oceania chose to make the evening menu similar for the two. For those wanting to eat a complete meal in 30-40 minutes (or less), they could go to the buffet. For those wanting a more relaxed dinner, served at their table, they could go to the GDR. The food is the same. This degraded ( only imho) the GDR.

[EJL2023]

30 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

IMO, and it's nothing more, too many have been seduced by the whole "THE FINEST CUISINE AT SEA®" marketing.  I've consistently found SS dining to overall surpass O, except for the grill to order in the Terrace.

 

The O MDR is nothing to write home about.  Specialties may well excel, but do we judge on the totality or on just our favorites?

 

 

In your opinion as you noted.  I just found it interesting that you picked the one somewhat negative mention from the post. IMO…..many do that here. The poster felt food and overall value better on Oceania.  Perhaps they felt SS service was superior and Oceania was excellent.  So with Oceania food and value being much better to the poster, to them that meant Oceania service good enough to justify selecting O over SS.  Having seen many of the posters posts I know they will still most likely focus on itinerary and overall value on a pp per day basis.  Perhaps the poster will clarify. But IMO….just seems like a response along the lines of “seems like you have a definite preference after several cruises on both lines”. Again, just my opinion. 

Edited May 13 by EJL2023

[osandomir]

1 hour ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

 

The O MDR is nothing to write home about.  Specialties may well excel, but do we judge on the totality or on just our favorites?

 

 

After cruising on O many times we often prefer to dine in the GDR over the specialties. Even we’ll not “write home about” it we always know what to choose of the menu and find the quality of the food and menu selection well above the average and completely satisfactory to our tastes. Everybody’s taste is different and yours is obviously not the same as ours.

[osandomir]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

Oceania’s major issue derives from from its huge swings of inconsistency. 
 

Being a long term Oceania cruiser, the food in the GDR was once significantly different from that in the buffet (Terrace Grill). Outside of the grill station, Oceania chose to make the evening menu similar for the two. For those wanting to eat a complete meal in 30-40 minutes (or less), they could go to the buffet. For those wanting a more relaxed dinner, served at their table, they could go to the GDR. The food is the same. This degraded ( only imho) the GDR.

Even if the ingredients are similar the presentation and the final product is different when it’s plated and served to you from the kitchen. I believe that this is what matters when we choose to eat in the restaurant.

[pinotlover]

21 minutes ago, osandomir said:

Even if the ingredients are similar the presentation and the final product is different when it’s plated and served to you from the kitchen. I believe that this is what matters when we choose to eat in the restaurant.

I agree wholeheartedly. The only question is how the majority of Oceania cruisers, on any given cruise, differentiates this! 

[clo]

10 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

I agree wholeheartedly. The only question is how the majority of Oceania cruisers, on any given cruise, differentiates this! 

I've not said this previously but our only experience with the GDR was our last. Slow doesn't describe. We didn't get menus for 20 minutes and the rest was similar. So the specialties and the TC were it and great! We'll give it another try in July on Nautica.

[pinotlover]

I believe the TC is obviously best for you. 
 

We’re never into the 39 minute Applebee’s meal. We don’t require 2 tops. Different strokes for different folks. Many of our memorable meals on Oceania have been wonderfully pace meals with new diverse passengers. Something many disdain. 

[clo]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

I believe the TC is obviously best for you. 
 

We’re never into the 39 minute Applebee’s meal. We don’t require 2 tops. Different strokes for different folks. Many of our memorable meals on Oceania have been wonderfully pace meals with new diverse passengers. Something many disdain. 

Are you replying to me?

[osandomir]

For us the choice is the result of the equation of the accommodation, the food, the price/value and most importantly the itineraries. So far Oceania won big.

 

But probably if you look at the other boards the result will be different.

Edited May 14 by osandomir

[ak1004]

11 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

And that pretty much sums it up.  If you are happy with "good enough", there's an option for you.  And if you want better than "good enough", there are other options.  All depends on YOUR wishes and expectations.

 

 

Yes, but SS service is far from consistent. The service on our current cruise is truly outstanding, on our previous two cruises, not so much. Who knows how will it be on the next one?

 

Even if the overall experience is a small step up compared to O, it is simply not enough for us to justify paying 60-80% more.

 

11 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

IMO, and it's nothing more, too many have been seduced by the whole "THE FINEST CUISINE AT SEA®" marketing.  I've consistently found SS dining to overall surpass O, except for the grill to order in the Terrace.

 

The O MDR is nothing to write home about.  Specialties may well excel, but do we judge on the totality or on just our favorites?

 

 

I would say the same about Atlantide. Very slow service, limited choices (the menu is much smaller than previously) and the quality is usually between good and very good, while on O is between very good and excellent.

 

We actually liked La Terraza very much, but no more than Toscana. 
 

4 hours ago, osandomir said:

For us the choice is the result of the equation of the accommodation, the food, the price/value and most importantly the itineraries. So far Oceania won big.

 

But probably if you look at the other boards the result will be different.

 

This pretty much summarizes our sentiment. We would gladly sail on both lines given the right itinerary, but I can book O for around $400 per day for European sailings, sometimes even less, so I won’t pay $600-700 for SS. Value is just not there anymore, at least for me. Btw, many current guests on SS share similar sentiment.

[Hlitner]

9 hours ago, clo said:

I've not said this previously but our only experience with the GDR was our last. Slow doesn't describe. We didn't get menus for 20 minutes and the rest was similar. So the specialties and the TC were it and great! We'll give it another try in July on Nautica.

We like to give complements when it is deserved.  In our case, the GDR on the Vista ticked most of the boxes including excellent service from our wait team and the sommelier.  Our norm was to go to dinner around 7:15 (to miss the initial rush) and always request our favorite waiter (Kadeck) who always treated us like VIPs.  Not only was the service top notch, but Kadeck also guided us through the various menus with suggestions on what to order and what to ignore.  While we also enjoyed most of our time in the alternative restaurants (3 times in each venue) our favorite place was the GDR.

 

As to "slow,"  we normally prefer to dine and not rush.  For the few evenings when we did want to speed it up (to get to a show) we would simply mention it to our waiter.  On most evenings we would say "take your time" since we were generally not in a hurry.  As an observation, when we shared a table with others, dinner always took somewhat longer, since the staff must adjust to the slowest diner at the table.

 

Hank

[ronrick1943]

19 hours ago, ak1004 said:

We are currently on Silver Spirit, our third SS cruise. 
 

I would say that service is probably a step up compared to O, but service on O is good enough for us most of the time, and food on O is definitely better than SS. Considering the price difference, O is much better value for us at this point, but this applies to the newer O ships only, not the R class ships with the small cabins, tiny bathrooms and limited dining options.

WEe had nice service on the Silver Spirit, not so much on the Silver Nova.  I agree with you regarding the food on "O" is much better.  The luncheon buffet on Silversea ships we were on really not so good, believe it or not they run out of lettuces for salad.  Over all I really enjoy the buffets "O" has during lunch.

[ronrick1943]

4 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We like to give complements when it is deserved.  In our case, the GDR on the Vista ticked most of the boxes including excellent service from our wait team and the sommelier.  Our norm was to go to dinner around 7:15 (to miss the initial rush) and always request our favorite waiter (Kadeck) who always treated us like VIPs.  Not only was the service top notch, but Kadeck also guided us through the various menus with suggestions on what to order and what to ignore.  While we also enjoyed most of our time in the alternative restaurants (3 times in each venue) our favorite place was the GDR.

 

As to "slow,"  we normally prefer to dine and not rush.  For the few evenings when we did want to speed it up (to get to a show) we would simply mention it to our waiter.  On most evenings we would say "take your time" since we were generally not in a hurry.  As an observation, when we shared a table with others, dinner always took somewhat longer, since the staff must adjust to the slowest diner at the table.

 

Hank

I couldn't agree more, we enjoy dinner taking are time.  Why hurry it--enjoy your time together over an enjoyable meal.  PS:  Thank you again for writing a great review of your experience on and of the ship.

[clo]

46 minutes ago, ronrick1943 said:

Why hurry it-

I think waiting 20 minutes to get a minute is cause for annoyance. And the rest of the service was similar. And I KNOW what's acceptable and what isn't.

[Woodrowst]

On 4/27/2024 at 5:36 PM, ak1004 said:

 

This is fantastic!

 

Did the tour description indicate that the activities will be exclusive to SS guests? We will be on Silver Spirit next month, and I didn't see any excursions that indicated some exclusive activities.

The exclusive activities were not listed online or in print.  They were announced at the evening briefing for the next day’s activity.  It is possible that SS limits the exclusive activities to expedition voyages since those tend to be more inclusive in terms of activities (zodiac rides, kayaking, and landings/tours).  Perhaps someone who has been on both a SS traditional and expedition ship can chime in as to whether this happens on a SS traditional ship.

Edited May 14 by Woodrowst

[ronrick1943]

59 minutes ago, clo said:

I think waiting 20 minutes to get a minute is cause for annoyance. And the rest of the service was similar. And I KNOW what's acceptable and what isn't.

I wasn't referring to anyone else, just my opinion.  I just don't need a menu as soon as I sit down, In like to give my drink order in and sit back and relax before I even consider a menu.  But that's me..........