Does Oceania have Trivia games?

[Charliesmom]

Does Oceania have Trivia games?

 

One of the shipboard activities that we have enjoyed the most on Princess and on Holland America are the trivia games. I have seen no mention of them on this board. Does the line generally have them on their cruises?

 

Also, since there are no production shows, what does one do for entertainment other than eat, drink and have conversation?

 

Roberta

[LHT28]

They do have trivia games.

The do have shows at night but not the big flashy vegas style that you get on Princess etc...

[Jancruz]

They have trivia at between 4 and 5 each day depending on the schedule and we take our trivia VERY seriously!!

LOL

Jan

*****

[tgg]

On a recent Insignia cruise, there were 7 teams of about 6-8 people almost every day. Points are given for the teams finishing first, second, and third each round. The team that wins the most rounds gets a BIG bonus number of points (equal to winning for 5 days). Prizes are all Oceania-logoed merchandise, things like t-shirts, caps, and visors.

 

The competitions are spirited. Some questions are impossible and others (but not many) are easy. We loved playing, and getting to know our fellow team members.

 

Rob Wheatly, the cruise director, was particularly good, and maintained a sense of humor even when one team kept disagreeing with his answers. He finally said to them "Look, the prizes aren't that good." Everyone roared.

[hondorner]

...Also, since there are no production shows, what does one do for entertainment other than eat, drink and have conversation?

On our recent Regatta cruise, over the 26 day period we had a comedian (2 nights), a baritone who was Australia's "Phantom" (2 nights), an impressionist/comedian (2 nights), a virtuoso clarinetist and his mezzo soprano wife (3 nights), a cabaret group from Austrailia consisting of 2 brothers and their wives, for 2 nights, then the same but with their 4 children for another night, a senior citizen comedian (2 nights), the ship's string quartet in a formal concert (twice), the ship's pianist in a show featuring his mallet talents on xylophone (once), the ship's entertainment crew with a revue-type show (twice), a local dance and singing troupe from Brazil (1 night), the first-ever crew talent night on an Oceania trip (1 night), at least 3 nights where the ship's orchestra played for dancing (at least one of them a 60's night), one night where the orchestra played on the pool deck for a deck dance party, and probably something I've forgotten -- oh, yes, one of the 14 lectures by Dr. Donald Klein was at night, a special lecture on a trip he took from Africa to Capetown in a Land Rover.

 

Every bit of it was great in it's own way, even the crew members who sang off-key were special in their effort. We missed a couple of nights because we aren't dancers, but we were at every one of the rest of them and most of them, we'd really like to see again. It was my impression that the entertainment staff really made an effort to obtain the best talent they could, given the limitations. The entertainers came and went several times during the trip, always keeping the shows fresh. The lighting was excellent, but the sound was a bit loud for my taste.

 

The showroom is a single deck, the stage is barely large enough for the 12-piece orchestra, and the dance floor/performance area in front of the stage is about 25 feet in diameter. These are intimate performances, and you've not going to be able to fit in the Cirque du Soleil. If we wanted that, we'd have to put up with 5 times more passengers, and we shudder at the thought.

[drwong]

We really loved the the daily Team Trivia contests. On a ship that size, it's one of the few ways to meet people and to get to know them on a regular basis. As a matter of fact, we're still in touch with our trivia partners from four cruises ago!

 

And there's also the Daily Cruise Trivia sheets that are distributed every morning near the Destination Services desk that contain cruise-themed questions (e.g., in Barcelona and there was a question on how Gaudi met his untimely death, in Marseilles there was a question on the volume of a typical bottle of wine). They're due back by 4:30 pm, so if you signed up for an all-day shore excursion, fill in the blanks before you get off the ship. Anyone getting all the right answers (or at least the highest number) wins, so don't be afraid to share or compare answers with friends - we had no idea the shipmates in the competing cabin that had all the right answers (the cabin numbers of the winners are posted daily) were also our vaunted rivals in Team Trivia as well!

[drwong]

Also, since there are no production shows, what does one do for entertainment other than eat, drink and have conversation?

 

Roberta

 

Oceania also held an "Oceania Idol" contest looking for talent among the passengers, with a free cruise for the winner.

[tgg]

sorry

[tgg]

Before people get too excited about the possibility of winning a free cruise, they need to know that the winner of each ship's contest is entered into a drawing (I think) for that free cruise. Just winning the Oceania Idol contest on a particular cruise does not reward you with the free cruise. I don't know whether the contest runs for a year's worth of cruises or how it works. But I'm sure when a knowledgable person reads this, they will add to this thread.

 

That said, watching people compete was fun. The woman who won on our most recent cruise was a voice teacher and soloist. She was terrific.

[jimgib]

Of course we have trivia,

and guess what our teem always wins !!!!!

 

Regards

JimGib

[Napi's Mom]

They have trivia at between 4 and 5 each day depending on the schedule and we take our trivia VERY seriously!!

LOL

Jan

*****

We had ,on our Nautica Cruise 11/15, at least 6-7 teams, and we never paid any attention to "maximum number on a team", our team won a few times, almost always got some points. The questions are NOT easy, especially the ones dreamed up by Leslie Jon, our cruiseTour director (HE WAS the best!) some VERY obscure questions...and our team daily had 2 physicists, as well as other professsional people. ( But I and another team-mate were the only ones to have the nerve to answer "The Kama Sutra", for one answer...and WE WERE RIGHT!) We had loads of fun, make sure you get folks from other countries on your team, as they know many answers you don't. We had a daily question asked by Leslie on his morning report, first person to answer got points for prizes, but didn't know about any trivia sheet.:D

[drwong]

The questions are NOT easy' date=' especially the ones dreamed up by Leslie Jon, our cruiseTour director (HE WAS the best!) some VERY obscure questions...and our team daily had 2 physicists, as well as other professsional people.[/quote']

 

No kidding! Oceania attracts a fairly well-educated clientele, and I can't tell you how many times we all heard Leslie say, "FOR FUTURE REFERENCE . . . ." The saying was still ringing in my ears months after we disembarked, and even now when we get together with former fellow cruisers, we use the phrase on one another. Along with inane questions like, "What do you call a group of psychiatrists?" "What do you call a group of librarians?" :D

 

We had a daily question asked by Leslie on his morning report' date=' first person to answer got points for prizes, but didn't know about any trivia sheet.[/quote']

 

There should have been a Daily Trivia Sheet in a box near the Destination Services desk every morning - it was usually one of the first activities mentioned in the Oceania Currents daily newsletter. One of the assistant cruise directors is usually responsible for tallying up the scores - on our last cruise, the Asst CD came by our stateroom so many times to drop off our points, we ended up inviting her out to dinner in the Grand Dining Room -- our treat! :p And she was kind enough to reciprocate by buying us a bottle of wine!

[Napi's Mom]

Oh wow does that bring back memories...."For FUTURE REFERANCE", we had SOOO much fun on those afternoons, and thought we were SOOO smart until we heard those 3 words! Yes we had the the "what do you call"...questions, almost never got them right! We had 2 ladies from Canada, which stood us in good stead as several questions were about holidays in Canada, Younger and older folk, all with different expertise that added to our answers. Probably the best "On board" memories, as this cruise was all for the touring. The food was great (Excepting Thanksgiving...real american stuff is hard for Cruise Chefs...on 2 occasions I was offered "Corn on The Cob" at bar b que party on deck on 2 other lines, which was boiled in MILK???) service etc. but the fun we had at trivia topped it all.

[hondorner]

On Regatta in December, the daily trivia sheet had 10 questions and was available in the library, along with the daily crossword and the daily Sudoku, 4 puzzles on one sheet. After a week of watching me sit on the balcony and work the Sudoku, Betsy succumbed to curiosity and asked me to show her some tips -- she was soon "hooked" and got nearly as fast as I am. :rolleyes:

 

We tried the daily trivia once, and it seemed too much like work for a vacation (interpretation -- I was not smart enough).

[JonconOH]

Yes, they do have trivia games. You play for "O" points which you can redeem at the end of the cruise for hats, t-shirts etc. Guests form teams which meet daily for about an hour. Have been on 4 teams on 4 separate "O" cruises. Have FUN!

[RetiredFL]

Note to Napi's Mum.

Lots of chefs boil corn on the cob in a combination of water and milk. My mother in New Jersey used to do so. Don't know the origin of the idea. (She was Pennsylvania German)

[drwong]

Note to Napi's Mum.

Lots of chefs boil corn on the cob in a combination of water and milk. My mother in New Jersey used to do so. Don't know the origin of the idea. (She was Pennsylvania German)

 

We did the same, and my mom was Chinese!!! :D

[Napi's Mom]

We did the same, and my mom was Chinese!!! :D

Guess we're just midwesterners (you know-- where they grow the stuff?) and we all know there are 2 ways to do corn, (besides the easy way which is boiling it) both involve leaving it in the husk...either the Microwave (easy especially in the winter months) or grilled (MY preferred method) again in the husk...and no soaking needed,( an old wives tale). Just do it in Micro and see how your interior is awash with moisture, to know there is plenty of moisture in the ear itself and no need to soak. Try it you'll love it!

[Napi's Mom]

We did the same, and my mom was Chinese!!! :D

Guess we're just midwesterners (you know-- where they grow the stuff?) and we all know there are 2 ways to do corn, (besides the easy way which is boiling it) both involve leaving it in the husk...either the Microwave (easy especially in the winter months) or grilled (MY preferred method) again in the husk...and no soaking needed,( an old wives tale). Just do it in Micro and see how your interior is awash with moisture, to know there is plenty of moisture in the ear itself and no need to soak. Try it you'll love it!