pinotlover

Just a word of caution on this. Because of the tides, the exit on Deck 4 was not available for use for our disembarkation in Yokohama last week. So when WestEast talks about exiting with your bags, it meant walking down the gang plank with all your luggage. For those with mobility issues that’s not a good plan. In that case, you do the leave your luggage outside your room at 10:00 and exit , when your color and number is called and find your luggage being offloaded in the terminal. As an independent traveler ( no Oceania transfer) that meant an actual 7:45-7:50 exit from the ship.

Purely a matter of schematics. ORV states he has rarely stood in line more than two minutes. Let me otherwise explain the math to you. Oceania typically does about 60 people , or 30 couples, at that 6:30 seating. In ORV’s case that would be 120 seconds for thirty couples or about 4 seconds each per couple. For most of us arriving timely, we aren’t processed in 4 seconds. It takes a bit for entering our room number and waiting for staff to seat the early arrivals and rotate back to pick up the next wave. The process is clean and efficient, but for those of us arriving promptly at 6:30, it’s not a two minute drill. Those arriving at 6:35 or 6:40 may well be seated nearly the same time as those of us arriving promptly. As a case in point for those starving souls sharing tables. Depending upon actual activity for the night, your table mates may well have arrived on time (6:30), but not seated for another 5-10 minutes. One’s decision to arrive early May or may not get tone faster service depending upon seatings for that evening.

Bingo!! Kinda hard for people to claim you’re late at 6:40 when you still have to stand in line to get in. Being a part of a party of eight at a private home is one thing, while being two in a group of 50+ is another. I unfortunately witnessed Boardamania again on my last cruise. I’ll allow others to enjoy the pleasantries of lines. I will add however that one should show up by 6:40, otherwise they’ll be in line behind those with 7:00 reservations that show up early!😂

No necessarily. Going from Horizons to our cabin, we often stroll across the outside walkway on deck 14 and down the aft stairs to our cabin. We are often amazed at the starving souls lined up by 6:15 at the Specialties. The purpose of being so early is what? A two top or sharing is predetermined. The doors open at 6:30. One can arrive at 6:40 and still stand in line. It’s like mini Boardamania . While we do always attempt to arrive at the specified time, it typically means standing in line, especially for the 6:30 dining time. While we have never been hungry, at any time, on an Oceania cruise, all those lining up so early must have different experiences.

O has done one new alteration in aligning cruise segments. That is: 1 + 1 can= 1, or sometimes; 1+1 can = 2, but, they have eliminated; 1 + 1 = 3. In the latter case it can now only be booked as individual segments.

I would have my TA get a definitive answer from Oceania on this issue. With out knowing the accuracy of their comments, passengers on our last cruise with multi segments said SM credits would not roll over to other segments. Now, a tidbit that I will pass along not knowing whether it is a onetime ancedotal occurrence or ordinary. On our recent cruise, we had been waitlisted for a ship’s tour for about six months. Oceania had closed the tour and was no longer adding to the waitlist. As I earlier reported, as a part of Boardamania, the line at Destination Services stretched around 1.5 hours shortly after boarding. Near dinner time, 6:45ish, there was no line so I enquired about our waitlist status. The service rep said “ I know nothing about any waitlist for that tour, but there is plenty of capacity. Would you like to book it?” Talking to other passengers, this seemed to be a common occurrence for multiple tours. Pre bookings showed tours full, but once aboard there was plenty of capacity for most of the tours. We primarily book private tours, but that one tour interested us. My advice, from this one experience, don’t sweat it if O wouldn’t let you prebook tours. Check with Destination Services once aboard for actual availability. Of course, my primary advice is to not book O tours at all. Join your Roll Call and participate in some excellent small group private tours.

So according to certain posters here: when the Marina is on her last seasonal run around South America and you and your room attendant are both getting off in Lima , and she’s going home to the Philippines, giving her the last scraps of your Argentinean pesos and Chilean money ( maybe $30) is a good plan? I’d vote it’s not, but rumored to happen regularly. Might we welcomed on the ski lift line!

Ak1004, we don’t disagree about the air issue. However, don’t forget all those fellow passengers that have Mother Oceania book their flights. They’ll get the same flights booking the cruise 3-4 months out as they would have 1 year out, unless a deviation was possibly paid.

And Viking releases their cruises three years in advance. They are truly after the early birds. Spin the bottle, take your chances. I was fairly amazed at the number of passengers on my just completed cruise that had booked the cruise within the previous 3-4 months! Some had caught some interesting, and perhaps unpublished, sales by doing so. Of course, most of them then complained that all of the ship and private tours were mostly booked full! 😂 As a general policy , except for the ATW Oceania doesn’t release cruises more than two years in advance . As stated in post #35, Oceania didn’t want to divide up a new season of cruises thus stopping when they did.

We docked in Yokohama and in Kobe. There is a large cruise ship terminal in both ports which the ship utilizes.

+1. This is April 2024. With all the current world events I doubt Oceania is willing to commit to much of a schedule in over 2 years from now. Additionally, as a marketing decision, why would they tell you now a certain cruise is going in September 2026 when they want you to book it for 9/25?

That question was asked to the FCS ( Past OCA) on Riviera. She responded that July 26 onwards cruises would be released in September or October.

I don’t believe I said or suggested that jackets are required in the Specialties. I only reported what was being worn on our cruise. My experience is that Carribean cruises, along with other very warm weather cruises, are typically more casual than other cruises. We were definitely not a warm weather cruise! A higher percentage of jackets were worn by the gentlemen on this cruise than other cruises such as to the French Polynesia. Some won’t wear a sports jacket under any conditions and that’s allowed . I always take a sports jacket because sometimes it’s freezing cold in the Specialties . Just like my wife always carries a sweater or shawl. Neither are required by code, but we prefer not to be uncomfortable in any venue. Slipping a jacket off is simple if it’s too warm. Bringing a jacket, sweater, or shawl, even on a warm weather cruise, means one has options and can adjust to the surroundings environment. Not bringing them eliminates options.

We had the same schedule as you. Kyoto was a two hour, one way, bus or train ride from the port. That significantly cut into any sight seeing in Kyoto. So we decided to go back to Kyoto post cruise. We spent our time in port, during the cruise, seeing Osaka and Nara both of which were excellent. the bullet train from Yokohama to Kyoto was excellent and easy.

I’ll conclude this thread with a couple of points: 1. Passports were required in every port. You have to keep them with you at all times. Very different from Europe and other destinations. 2. Lots of walking, lots of steep stairs. Be prepared. 13,000 steps per day is fairly average. 3. Absolutely fantastic food along the way in the various ports, with most showcasing their regional flairs. The best meals on this cruise was definitely in several of the ports. 4. Good cruise overall providing a good glimpse of where one needs to return to when not stymied by a cruise ship schedule. We’re off to Kyoto after disembarking. 5. Lastly when possible, fly into Haneda not Narita airport. Enjoy your travels. Wonderful people and beautiful country.