loum140

We too have learned much from CC's travel forums and met so many people to share tours and good times with through the roll calls.

So to all our friends - old, new and the ones we've yet to meet - Happy New Year and safe travels!

Marsha and Lou

If people come in late they should be on their own to play catch up

or just observe

The instructors should not stop the class

 

Lecturers do not stop & start at the beginning for late comers ;)

 

Lyn

Sorry Lyn: I meant to say that my statement was regarding the art classes, not the lectures, etc. :o Marsha

Classes, like bridge lessons, lectures and other activities are open to all - but especially to those who make a point to be on time (or a little early). I have seen people wander in 15 minutes to half an hour after the stated starting time which means the instructor has to interrupt the lesson to "catch them up" to the rest of the class.

The original intent of the Artist Loft was that it be a free instructional venue. Now that the space is also home to the art auctions, I believe it is critical to remind Oceania how important this program is to its passengers, while also ensuring that the materials provided are of top quality. On our last Marina cruise the watercolor paper was too thin to paint on without serious buckling (90 lb. rather than 140 lb) which meant we had to glue two pieces together in order to work. IMHO the paper was also much too large which meant that fewer people could work at each table and fewer people could be accomodated in the class.

I really look forward to voyages on Marina/Riviera because of the Artist Loft and would really welcome an arts and crafts person on cruises on Retatta/Nautica/Insignia.

I agree

I loved the $10 tables on the R ships but skip the gold by the inch crap LOL

 

I would be happy with some non designer clothes at a reasonable prices

Some of us do not have LARGE OBC to use up or oodles of $$ to spend

but still like to shop ;)

 

Do not need anymore expensive jewelry to sit in the safe

 

DH saw a nice watch but $8000. that was not happening :eek:

That is another cruise for us

He bought a $300 one on the flight home from the airline boutique onboard

 

Do not need any more logo T-shirts unless they are very unusual

 

Anyone listening :)

 

Lyn

Lyn: Tell Mike that I also bought a watch from the airline Duty Free boutique flying home from Stockholm in July. :D We'll have to compare purchases when we see you in May! Marsha

PS: Only once did I buy "silver" by the inch, on our very first O cruise because I forgot to pack a silver chain. I've worn it exactly twice in 9 years. Guess it's time to regift it. LOL

Re: clothing -- On several recent cruises on the O class ships the boutique was stocked only with Ralph Lauren, Joseph Ribkoff and a few bathing suits and cover-ups. I asked about other brands (Cutter and Buck) and eventually a few styles in broken sizes were brought out. Even using sbc, the prices in general were outrageous, assuming you could find something that fit.

Remember the days of embellished T-shirts and end-of-season sales???? Or $10 days from Bijoux Turner for the pashmina or sunhat you forgot to pack or to replace the watch you broke or for last minute gift purchases?

Just sayin'

Last January on Riviera, art classes were held in the a.m. with a repeat in the afternoon. Though this was a port intensive, classes were full and everyone who wanted to participate was able to. The course covered acrylic painting, collage and a painted/decorated picture frame.

Our cruise last May on Marina was a totally different story. The artist in residence was an Artist -- not an instructor. Guests were advised as to the location of supplies and were expected to work independently using their own photos, etc. as inspiration as the Artist spent most days working on his own painting. Though standing room only on the first day, I only attended 3 times and on my last visit there were only 10 other guests.

Our November cruise on Marina was even more unsettling. Yes, we had a real artist/instructor, however, the room was encumbered by free-standing easels and auction pieces. Also, and most disturbingly, because the artist had other duties related to the art auctions/lectures, all classes were scheduled for 4 p.m. (To really get "into" a project you need time to work as well as time for clean up - usually an hour and a half to two hours.) This meant choosing between art, trivia and tea. It also cut down on time to dress for dinner, the Captain's party, sabbath services, Hanukkah candle lighting, etc. In addition, the storage cubbies for still-wet art were completely blocked by the aforementioned easels.

I for one was both frustrated and disappointed. We will be back on Marina in May and I'm hoping the situation in the Artist Loft will be revisited by the powers that be.

Marsha

Actually, there is an "open house" - meet the artist in residence - usually in the early evening of the day we board. I rather like Lyn's suggestion of a sign-up sheet for specific classes, though depending on how popular they are, a spillover or repeat class schedule would be nice.

Artist Loft activities should still be free, but I for one wouldn't mind paying a nominal registration fee to be assured of a seat at the table for the length of the cruise as Dan suggests.

PS: Has anyone noticed statements in the new O brochures that the Artist Loft is now the venue for needlepoint? IMHO - If they ever open the shutters there the light would actually be great for needlepoint rather than in Horizons and the larger tables would work better for groups to sit at. Though it would certainly curtail the "coffee/needlepoint chat" element of this very popular morning activity. Marsha

On our last Riveria trip my wife went most days. There was no connection with the art auction program, no selling anything.

Things have changed.

We are considering the Hotel Continental Palace in Barcelona, near Plaza Cataluna. Can any recent visitors advise if there are toiletries in the bathroom, or do I have to pack shower cap, shampoo, bath gel, etc. Thanks.

To clarify, we have twice had recent hotel stays where no shower cap was provided and in reading some reviews of this hotel, one guest complained there were no toiletries. All the other reviews were satisfactory, but no one else mentioned the above. Just want to be prepared. Thanks.

We are considering the Hotel Continental Palace in Barcelona, near Plaza Cataluna. Can any recent visitors advise if there are toiletries in the bathroom, or do I have to pack shower cap, shampoo, bath gel, etc. Thanks.

Just guessing here, but I'm interpreting this new policy as follows: if your T/A provides prepaid and there is an Oceania ppg due to club level or offer, you will get full value on each. However, if you get ppg because of your Oceania club status and there's a ppg special offer from Oceania on a new cruise booking, that is where the $250 sbc is substituted. Maybe. :confused:

We just usually set a time and place on the Roll call & show up

In my experience it all works out in the end

 

We usually meet in Horizons after Muster drill or if the 2 nd day is a sea day we pick a time to meet that day

 

If you have a large group I would give the Concierge a heads up so he can alert someone to have the extra staff available there

Well said, Lyn.

Though we've done a couple on Princess and Celebrity in the distant past, we're now Gold level on Oceania and have traveled quite a few times on Viking for River Cruises.

The Viking Star looks wonderful and we have booked two segments. We love the design of the ship, the itineraries and Viking's policy of included city tours. The hard part is waiting until 2015 to actually experience it!

Penny and I will be hooking up with you then :-) What cabin did you`go for? We're a DV1 on Deck 8, 8013...

We're in a DV2, don't recall the stateroom # offhand.

Added 6 new cruisers: JJean, Emmasoma, sitraveler, svnseas, Ottawa traveler, kathy9. A couple of them are from the roll calls under other lines. This brings the total to 32.

Just to let you know, I am the other half of sitraveler. We are Lou and Marsha Meyer, booked on 4/11/15 first two legs, Istanbul to Barcelona. Thanks

Just booked a cruise starting in Lima and looking for information on what to do and see in Salaverry, Peru and Quito, Ecuador. Thanks in advance to our CC family!

We loved our Ukraine River Cruise with Viking. The tours (included and optional) were wonderful, the food was exceptional, the ship spotless, bright and airy,the staff knowledgeable and attentive.

If anyone from Viking is reading this, I would like to suggest that the enrichment lectures be broadcast on the stateroom TV and rerun for 24 hours. It is not always possible to attend a talk in person and this would provide an opportunity to everyone to listen/watch at his/her leisure. I made this suggestion on my comment card but I'm sure it takes a while for them to be processed.

Thank you Viking for a fabulous cruise. I wish it had been a longer trip (3 days more) as we were so busy with tours in most of the port cities that we did not have enough time to explore on our own.

China next.

just a note: We loved the Fleet Band -- it was very energetic and totally entertaining. Viking reserved the whole theater for the performance so good seating was not a problem. The Panorama Museum and Submarine Tunnel excursion was very interesting (take a sweater) and we were pleasantly surprised by Chersonesus (thanks Andrea). It was much larger and more to see than we were expecting and the Cathedral of Vladimir was just breathtaking. Great stuff yet to come!!!

Travelling fools: Home two weeks and now we'll relive it all again through your posts. Who is your tour guide? We had Alla on bus 1. We loved the horse show! DH was a "volunteer" -- you'll know what I mean after you've seen it. Isn't the sail-away music wonderful? In Kherson - get ready for the brides! Also a small but wonderful craft market with local handicrafts and small oil paintings. Quite a few people (ourselves included) bought paintings. Prices amazingly inexpensive for framed art. Enjoy. Marsha

PS: Our notebook only worked in the sitting areas, not in our stateroom.

Thanks everyone for your trip reports,photos ,advice and answering all our questions.

34 hours to go and we are on our way .

Let me add our wishes for safe travels and a wonderful voyage.

I also want to comment on Peregrina's recommendation of the shop in the port building in Yalta. We bought quite a number of really unusual items there. The selection was excellent, the prices fair and they even accepted US$ which was a welcome surprise as this was near the end of our voyage. However, they don't open until 9 a.m. :( We purposely left the ship early (before our scheduled tour) so I could shop, but they weren't open yet.

BTW ATM machines are everywhere.

We loved this trip!!!

The public toilet on the Promenade in Yalta charges 2 (local currency). It is clean and very private with running water, soap and paper.

Is there much close to the pier in Odesssa?

Yes. It's a lovely new terminal building and is a bit further to walk to the city proper since my last visit 16 yrs. ago. However, there are souvenir stands, cafes, etc. right on the pier or in the building.

Once you exit the walkway to cross (under) the street to reach the steps, there are more vendors. In the city proper there's lots of shopping including a pedestrian area of high-end shops and at the end of it a crafts market. Also, don't miss the "passage" - it's an architectural wonder (with wonderful small crafty shops) at the end of the shopping street that cuts through at a right angle to the street across from the Church and crafts market. Ask your guide to circle it on your map. The city is very walkable and cabs are cheap by US standards.

No need to dress up. DH wore black slacks and silk print shirt. I wore a pretty print top with a short skirt, but only because I had one. Otherwise I would have worn my black slacks.

Don't stress about what to pack or wear. Dress for comfort - day and evening. When we left Ukraine last Saturday the temperatures outdoors were already summer-like. Although I carried a cardigan on the bus the first few days, I only had to wear it twice (in the submarine base and in the catacombs). I also carried a couple of dressy cardigans for evenings on board ship but never wore them there either as the temperature in the public rooms was comfortable - for me. However, there were women in sweaters and jackets on tours nearly every day while I was wearing tank tops and/or perspiring in my light weight tee-shirts.

Forgot to ask if we go on this trip can you tell us what is playing at the opera in July.

Sorry - don't know the schedule that far in advance. We had Prince Igor first night and Carmen ballet second night, then the following night it was La Traviata. They alternate between opera and ballet.

Be glad to answer any other questions you might have.

Enjoyed all the city tours. Only took a few optionals -- Jewish Kiev (Babia Yar), Chersonesus, Black Sea Fleet Band and Balaklava Panorama Museum. All terrific.

Library has 2 laptop computers which can be used with a special log-in code obtained from the front desk. It allows you 6 hrs of free internet time and you can get another code if you use up your time. Caution - make sure to log yourself out when you're through or other users will deplete your time.

You can meet with the Executive Chef Mattias on the first day and discuss any special food needs. I require salt-free and was give preview menus each day to mark with my selections. Painless.

My only regret was that the cruise was not a few days longer allowing extra time in Kiev, Sevastopol, Yalta and Odessa. We were so busy with included tours and optional excursions that we did not have a lot of time to explore on our own.

We had a wonderful time! Viking does it right!

Name of the local guide in Kiev for the Babi Yar excursion is Natasha.

Today we had a Ukranian Bar-b-q on the sun deck for lunch. Lots of fun, great food and singing and dancing.

We have been able to plug in notebook directly to outlet for recharging with only a plug adaptor, however the converter we brought is not doing a great job on the batteries for our cameras. But since they use AA, we bought some non-rechargeable before we left US and will use them if needed.

And yes, sitraveler is my DH.

No other optionals to report on until Sevastopol.

Weather warm and sunny.