St Paul Girl

You can do it in advance as well and use your OBCs.

Okay, I booked the Ultimate beverage package last week for $26.95 for our Sept 11, 2024 departure. The agent explained that she has had numerous calls about an increase and NO, the package has not increased. I was able to pay for it with OBCs as well.

Okay, booked the Ultimate Beverage package for $26.95 per day and paid for with my OBCs for our Cruise in September, 2024. The agent who was very helpful told me that there is no talk about increasing the cost, it was almost before I asked, it seemed like she had got a few inquiries concerning that.

What is the number to contact them at? I have 4 different numbers for North America. Suggestions on which number to call tomorrow as they are not open on Sundays. Thanks

Okay, sounds like we use our OBCs to buy the Ultimate package now and still get the lower rate. So, how do I do this? Obviously, login to my account, and then do I find the packages and put them into the cart and then call them to pay with OBCs? What is the number as I booked with a TA and would prefer to call Azamara directly. Thanks

Okay, I require some assistance. Can I buy the Ultimate Beverage Package with our OBCs? If I can great, and I would BUT if I can't and have to wait until on board, will go a la acrte on higher end alcohol and wine.Thanks for the assistance.

18 hours ago, pinotlover said:

For us the remedy was simple. The Terrace is for Teatotallers, the ship has other excellent options, avoid the Terrace. Quite a few fellow guests weren’t happy with that remedy. Our mid cruise review was explicit with examples on this issue and the onboard staff opted not to respond . I believe staffing levels are determined in Miami and this issue is a result of decisions made there with the ship’s crew unable to respond to the consequences.

We spent 21 days last year cruising South America and never had dinner in The Terrace. The drink service for lunch was almost non existent but if I wanted a beer, I had no problem getting some ones attention. Anyway, we will sail with Oceania again as we like what it offers, not for everyone, BUT it's right with us.

First, knock off with the quoting Oceania can do no wrong! They screwed up!

It was Oceania's responsibility to give us back our passports with the TAM card.

This is not the first time they screwed this up.

Anyway, all of us who had Brown luggage tags are in the same boat! Many buses.

Will continue to update on how this is resolved.

We disembarked in Lima with bus loads of passengers who did NOT book extra after cruise arrangements. What was missing was everyones Peru TAM blue immigration card!

What this means is that All of us are not recognized in the immigration Bata base that is used to exempt us from paying the 18% VAT on hotel rooms and other meals bought at the hotel.

More importantly, immigration has no record of us entering Peru.

The same data base is used for clearing us before we all fly home.

Thanks Oceania, my bill for those costs will be coming.

If you handle our passports, you are responsible for the screw up.

This will have a major impact on our sailing again with Oceania.

Thanks for the update.

Do you know if they actually confirmed influenza in the affected staff and passengers?

I ask because influenza infection is very different from what is caused by various cold viruses and people often use the word "flu" to describe a cold or other upper respiratory tract infection.

For what it's worth, cleaning the ship is good for optics but not particularly helpful for preventing these kinds of infections.

Yes, there were enough confirmed infuenza cases for them to HAVE to contact CDC.

We are in Lima now and passengers joining the last leg to San Diego, are having to wait until at least 4:30PM for the sanitation process to be completed.

There are a number of joining guests at the Swissotel where we are staying.

Quick update, there is coughing and hacking everywhere. About half of the passengers have some form of a "cold". It looks like when we disembark tomorrow, a thorough cleaning of the ship will be done. Anyway, everyone's comments about the flu vaccine seem to be true. I told the shot but my husband did not. I am unaffected, he has the sniffles but he gets this a couple of times a year due to his sinuses.

Happy Cruising everyone.

We are currently on the Sirena and for the past week, we have been under an elevated cleaning regime. There are a number of crew and passengers that have been diagnosed with influenza.

Only 2 days left for us as we disembark in Lima Peru.

Everything seems to be under control. You can't do anything without someone cleaning after you.

The CDC has been informed of the ships medical status.

Great Cruise, hopefully no more cases develop.

Happy Cruising

Two years ago, the cost for a taxi from the airport to the Intercontinental was $15 and from the Intercontinental to the cruise ship dock was $15. Lots of taxis and the distance is not that great.

Here are the tours offered:

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/Caribbean-cruises/port-punta-cana-PCN/excursions/#all

For you to go there, you can always book the day pass yourself and get a private transfer there and back.

Not sure where Oceania docks, but there are many resorts where you can get a day pass that are probably closer.

Hope this helps.

We don't like wine and don't drink much liquor. However, we do like beer. Is it possible to exchange a bottle of liquor for a few bottles of beer? Has anyone done this? What is "exchange rate"; how many bottles of beer per bottle of liquor...just comparing prices I would expect at least 10 bottles of beer per one bottle of liquor, but I have no idea if they do it like that or this is even possible?

Send an email to specialservices or call your TA and find out if that can be done. I would think it should be NO Problem. Not sure about the "exchange" rate!;)

OV: Ocean View stateroom, no balcony.

On DH's low sodium, low saturated fat, low sugar cardiac diet, most desserts are off limit and beef is a very occasional treat.

 

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Wow, I don't know what to say! We have fewer "pleasures" left as we age, and one of them is definitely being able to indulge in culinary experiences. Not sure how I would react to being told that I have to have a diet like THAT!

Hopefully everything works out for your DH!

This reminds me of an Azamara cruise we took. I booked with an online agency. My cousin booked with a traditional TA. She paid $1200 more than we did. However she got a nice packet with excursions listed and luggage tags. I spent 10 minutes printing out what we needed. That was the only difference. I was more than happy to do that to save $1200. So maybe it depends on the travel agency you choose. Just a thought.

 

 

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Not sure, but this is our first Oceania cruise coming and we booked "on-line" through an AMEX Platinum TA, received all kinds of "perks" including free gratuities, OBC and a reduced cruise price and we received the "Folder" about a month ago.

Who knows!

There isn't any hot breakfast room service for the lower cabins on Oceania? That's disappointing. Sometimes we like a slower start to the day.

Kind of funny that the mass market cruise lines do that free of charge and O doesn't.

Princess cruises is very similar. Only full suites get the hot breakfast options.

Maybe it is a marketing tool to sell more Concierge cabins; do they sell as quickly as the suites and insides?

Maybe I am missing something here. If we can afford to go on these cruises, I can afford to send out for a few bags of laundry! The addition of the expanded room service menu from the GDR is not what we cruise for. We look forward to going to dinner and meeting other people and enjoying the ambiance of the dinning venue.

This is just Oceania keeping up with the "Jones", not much of a perk.

Anyway, just my opinion.

Oh, I thought I read some "foodies" here say just that - that a good restaurant shouldn't put a salt shaker on the table. Perhaps I misread that.

 

I'm not a foodie (would love to hear exactly what that means - is it someone who likes food?) - but I have my favorite Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Afghan, Turkish, Mexican, Indian, Italian, Kosher, Peruvian, and French restaurants here in NYC. I've been to elegant restaurants as well as holes-in-the-wall. Salt shakers are pretty standard, so I assume that most chefs understand that individual diners may wish to season their food differently.

I don't think so! I don't know what restaurants you go to in "NYC", but all of the ones that we frequent in Manhattan and beyond, have "real" chefs", and they do NOT put salt shakers on their tables. Anyone can call themselves a "chef". Maybe the word you were looking for is "cooks"

Sorry for telling it like it is.

In NYC, Bobby Flay, Thomas Keller, Cesar Ramirez are chefs, Guy Fieri is a cook.

Time to take a break everyone.

Happy Cruising

That doesn't work and as "foodies" you should know that food added during cooking brings out the flavor of all the ingredients...salt added at the table just makes food taste like salt.

Thank you very much! I agree 100% as I had stated before.

Good restaurants do NOT put a salt shaker on the table!

Depending on the airline and your class of seat, most allow 2 carry-on items. Check the airlines carry-on policy. For some airlines, the second bag is almost the same size as the standard carry-on suitcase.

We have done most of our travels with carry-on only. Not sure about our upcoming 21 day cruise with an extra week before/after.

Hope this helps:

Good to hear. I hope that means the concept will be dumped!

 

 

We spent 34 days on Sirena in Australia this spring. I can't tell you how many menu items we missed from both Polo and Toscana. Not too fond of the decor either.

 

As you may know Red Ginger pseudo Asian cuisine replaced Toscana on the Sirena. Turns out there are about 3 items on the Red Ginger menu that we liked and two of those were not Asian by any stretch. Lamb chops with some spices, for example. Those were very good but it got old on a long cruise. Missed the more or less traditional Italian dishes from Toscana. There are no tomato sauce pasta dishes on the new Tuscan Steak House menu.

 

Robbie

Okay, did the Red Ginger menu change in the time when you were on the ship?

The menu is supposed to be Asian Fusion which is taking a lot of regular main stream food items and adding an "Asian" touch to them.

We are going on our first Oceania cruise on Nov 8th and were are looking forward to Red Ginger for something different than the regular cruise cuisine.

We hope that is at least worth a try???

Thank for your input,

Not having sailed on Oceania before, you have no way of knowing this, but the food on Oceania starts at a level which makes a comparison with Princess vaguely insulting.

 

Celebrity tries, but the lure of keeping costs at RCCL levels keep all but their Specialty Restaurants in check, food-wise.

 

If you are a true "foodie" I believe that you will be very very pleased.

Thanks Jim and Stan. From what I have read of your comments, I respect that advise.

Good Bye Oceania discussion group until we return.

As my South American friends say: Hasta La Vista amigo!