Flatbush Flyer

FWIW: Fincantieri is also in Brazil and is supposed to be building a new facility somewhere at/near the Gulf of Mexico.

There’s no “speed” difference. The paid version unblocks streaming.

Country Fair - always a hoot. But no “whack-a-waiter!” (Which the wait staff loves to do). Forgot that there was no brunch day (with all those sea days).

We too just got off Marina on 12/4/22 having originally embarked on October 18 at BCN. I’ll add my comments after I first address Marina NEXT makeover. Yes, it has been delayed due to supply chain and logistics issues as well as to make room for another of the recently reintroduced “Grand Voyages” (in the last quarter of 2023). One only needs to look at the O online scheduler to see that the new NEXT gap for Marina is January 11 to February 14, 2024. And, IMO, she doesn’t look “tired.” She just looks like she has looked for years - classic decor that is well maintained. Some of the tech updates are already there including the newer Samsung TVs with “on demand” movies. But the USB charging ports have not yet been added. As for internet, the good news is that more “repeaters” have been added in the cabin areas which means stronger wifi network connectivity. However, the bad news is that internet service for most of the journey was probably the worst we’ve experienced over many O cruises. In particular, from FCO to MIA, it appeared that email retrieved through native IMAP clients (iPhone MAIL) or mail apps (e.g., Yahoo, GMail) we’re being throttled somewhere along the route back to the O servers in the US. On some days, I was getting a latency ping of multi-thousands before Speed Test gave up. I’m no computer whiz, but that suggests to me that it was satellite issues. (Maybe a techie could comment). As for the Marina food, IMO, it was overall what we usually have experienced - very good quality of ingredients and preparation along with great variety across multiple cuisines (yes, including the soup). FWIW, our frame of reference is the entire spectrum of “mom and pop” to Michelin starred restaurants in places like SF, NYC and LA. Of course, there were the normal occasional hiccups and a few head scratchers like the Reubens in Waves being made with plain Brisket rather than corned beef or pastrami. Sorry folks - NOT a Reuben. As for the specialty restaurants, Polo has never excited us - stuff easily done at home. Jacques, Toscana and Red Ginger were all delightful. Having done La Reserve on multiple previous occasions, we finally busted open the piggie bank and did the Dom Perignon experience. IMO: The black truffled Risotto made you want to ask for extra in a take out container. But, save your money: the Dom Perignon champagne was IMO mediocre when compared to the sparklers we can get at home in NorCal from Roederer, Sharffenberger et al. We also dined twice with GM Marck Warmenhoven and the special menus were excellent. It’s not unreasonable to have some port changes/cancellations (weather, logistics, etc) when your total cruise length is 47 days. But, when they happen, the performance of some O departments becomes a critical issue. Let’s start with Destination Services (DS). Because we do mostly longer cruises (several per year), we tend to mix ship and private tours - always making the most of the combo of O Life and YWYW - thus providing great convenience at a bottom line premium cost that is reasonable. But, that judgement relies on the expectation that the DS folks onboard know what they’re doing. Marina’s current DS department is poorly organized and operated (worst we’ve ever experienced). For example, A two day stay a Haifa had one of our day 1 tours cancelled by tour company. DS auto-rebooked us on day 2 - AT THE SAME TIME AS ANOTHER OF OUR PREBOOKED TOURS! When I brought it to their attention and wanted a similar tour on day 2, their most obnoxious agent said I’d have to go on a “wait list.” See my screen name: I stood there and “brow beat” him into overbooking the tour for me. Another example was an announcement that busses would be held for us due to long CBP lines in PR. That was a lie and there wasn’t even an apology. In any case, the usually competent onboard DS training seemed to have skipped this group. I even had to explain to some of them how O Life and YWYW interplay - particularly for port changes. O folks in Miami will be hearing from me. (Of course, there could’ve been issues had I used private tours for the problem ports.But, the poor performance of O’s DS was just soooo bad. Speaking of “bad”: while the bulk of the cruise was O’s usual excellence (including great GM in Marck W and Exec Concierge Juan Carlos Cortes) plus outstanding Guest Services Desk and cabin Stewards, there was one other noteworthy terrible item. During the bulk of the cruise we saw a change in CDs from the very affable/newer Peter Roberts to John (unknown last name - really - never written or said anywhere), also relatively new. With the understanding that CD styles can differ and have their followers, suffice to say that he was, IMO, an embarassment to O whose traditional CDs (Dottie Kalusa, Leslie John, Ray Carr - each with their own style) at least convinced you that they loved O and it’s regulars. This John, however, was perceived by quite a number of O regulars (including us) to be disingenuous and interested in only doing the minimum to get through the day. Trivia lover? John’s not for you. Reduced normal day time trivia from 20 to 15 questions, insisted on holding trivia in Martini’s despite a full passenger load. Passenger outcry finally got him to move to Marina Lounge to avoid the Covid Petri Dish he created in SRO Martinis Bar. No special sea day Trivia like Men vs Women after lunch. Just sooo bad Hopefully, all those who shared our concern will have done the end-of-cruise review. And I hope that O takes note of the reported onboard Covid cases and concerns of public health conscious folks who will have remarked about the staggering increase in respiratory issues over those four segments (even crew had mandatory masking for the two middle of four segments). O really needs to go back to Covid vax/booster requirement, testing and restrictions. Australia has figured that out. So how about O? But, even despite a bad DS staff and terrible CD on this recent trip, we’ll be back in February on Regatta SYD-SYD-PPT and then Insignia this coming summer SFO-NYC.

Use the “search” feature here for O Life and related optional purchase strategies. Your questions have been asked and answers many times- often with detailed tutorials that will lay everything out for you.

Actually it can. My daughter once misplaced her wallet at the airport on her way to fly out on a domestic flight (SFO-LIH). TSA interviewed her and cleared her to leave. She also had to go through the same process on her return. A bit less hassle in that direction since the SFPD had her wallet and could verify her too.

Every exception means more work. Each person who travels w/o a passport and then needs one while abroad is unnecessary time that could be spent reducing manpower elsewhere. And passports aren’t going away.

You may want to reread your posts and give them a little thought. “Already on the payroll” is not a reason to disregard cutting down workload by doing things more efficaciously. The fees don’t cover but a part of the associated costs.

The NEXT cosmetic/tech retrofitting is not something new. It’s already been done to the four R ships over the past two years. And, though you won’t be geezers, you’ll see others at 40 +\- as well as some kids. FWIW, we just finished 47 days on Marina and a few families with young kids plus some college alumni groups did some of the individual segments.

In reality, the “odds” are 50/50 in each distinct situation. Either you have an issue or you don’t. Odds mean nothing to the person who has an issue. In any case, US travelers have way too many separate options for IDs (all costing me and you unnecessary taxation). You’d think that a single chipped federal passport card that could have your state driver’s license, CBP global entry, foreign visas/ETAs, et al appended would solve the issue. But, without a world standard for records format, digital reading capability, etc., we’re stuck with the paper passport books.

The salaries of the State Dept folks who then need to help them straighten out their issues is on taxpayers and that means me. A little stretch of the concept of “in loco parentis” sometimes is a good government thing.

“Bottom Feeder” is a bit harsh. Perhaps a better term would be “pennywise and pound foolish” - applied to anyone who does vacation travel outside the U.S. to any country where an emergency flight home home in most cases would require a valid passport (and they were too cheap to get one). Of course, that might not be an issue for someone who also chose not to have the travel insurance AND high limit credit cards that would handle the cost of medical emergencies (cash is king in many foreign hospitals and credit cards with less than $50-75k limits [individually or collectively] are essential protection). They’ll have to satisfy the hospital before an airport comes into the picture. Finally, none of this is an issue for those folks who show up at a US airport without satisfying the newest ID reqts for even just domestic travel (whenever that finally starts up). They won’t have to risk anything else on the trip since their trip will never start.

AMEN. Amazing how many folks here on CC forget that all important little detail.

Just common sense alone makes your point. Some low level crew - thankful as all hell for the job - is gonna steal CC numbers that will be useless as soon as they are reported stolen.

You need to have registered the cruise and then selected manage that cruise. If you’ve gotten any emails about that cruise from O directly or via your TA, the same message should be repeated in your O web account “notifications” for that cruise.

On my US O account homepage for any particular booked cruise there is (in the upper right corner) just the “bell symbol” with a number badge for as many messages as have been sent to me regarding that cruise. It doesn’t look at all like your screen shot. FWIW: I’m using the latest Safari iOS browser on an iPhone running iOS 15.7 Note that these messages are the same messages as those you receive by email regarding your cruise.

It does if your doing a month or more.

No. Started on October 18 and will end on December 4.

O has long maintained a prohibition against double dipping. We’re on four consecutive Marina segments right now. Best price (by far) was to book as two “extended journeys.” One segment in each “extended journey” had ultra-O Life. But, we’d have to have booked four separate segments to get that perk. Interestingly (but expectedly), when everything was reduced to $ values (incl O Club perks), the way we did it was still the best “$ wise.”

Use the search feature here on CC. I and others have posted instructions on how to identify a short list of cruise specialist TAs. However you do it, know that it can be very labor intensive. But the payoff is worth the effort.

Your post is unreadable with that font.

This question has been asked and answered a zillion times here on CC. If you use the “search” feature, you’ll find many detailed explanations of the range of pros and cons (all often related to the type of cruise/cruise line you are considering). FWIW: we maintain a fairly direct connection with our preferred cruise line by initially booking direct with a trusted/long-serving phone sales rep or onboard with the ship’s Ambassador (this latter practice nets us extra perks like a price drop match guarantee plus SBC plus fare discount). Within the 30 day transfer window, we move those bookings to one of the world’s top selling TAs handling that line’s cruises. This separate step gets us a valuable champion should any problem arise. AND it gets us a significant cash rebate (most recently, a check for more than $2k thanks to commission sharing). You will often read here that some folks book direct to keep “‘control’ of their booking.” That’s a fantasy! Your booking (like mine) is less than a rounding error in a cruise line’s bottom line over the past hour. The right TA, valued as a “preferred partner” by the cruise line you’re considering, books $ millions per month with them. So, while you are on phone “hold” with the cruise line for an hour, the right TA has the regional sales rep as a speed dial. Who do you think will get your “issue” handled quickly and to your satisfaction??? All that said, it is true that a several day “boat ride” on a mass market line may not get you much added TA perks (in fact, many of the best TAs won’t even handle low cost bookings). But, if you’re looking at a 5 figure cabin fare, not doing the homework to find a good TA, will often mean that you’re throwing what can be substantial refundable SBC (or a rebate check) down the drain.

Missing from your list is a key item that may surprise those who don’t fly regularly: If your flight is cancelled by the airline for whatever reason, rebooking any available seats on the next flight(s) are prioritized by price paid and FF status. Yes, it can be days (not hours) before you fly out.

Agree with the Chief. Hopefully, OP got a copy of the acknowledged complaint to the ship’s security officer. That should satisfy the CC issuer. On a somewhat related item: sure sounds like too many CCs in play.

Not unlike the list of cruises that get OCAPP funding of gratuities or Ultimate O Life or rotating “quiet sales,” it’s ever changing. O Connoisseurs Club and Preferred Partner TAs are informed of these promotions (as are O phone reps). And, while those TA may have an actual “list” (available to view on their own website), I’ve only seen the occasional “specials” in mailings and on the O website usually mixed in with their other stuff. Confounding it all is your location. Different parts of the world have different deals at different times.