chivatosteve

Putu is the best!  We're looking forward to seeing him again on Sirena in May.

Getting out of the path of Isaias?

My interest was piqued on the Nautica NEXT refurb since we are booked on the cruise leaving 6/28/21 (Rome).  That cruise still is "Available" in all categories, but the Nautica cruises leaving 7/18/21 (Lisbon) and 7/28/21 (Rome) are now all "Wait List".  I suspect cancellation for those dates and NEXT Refurb.

Back to the original topic, I wonder when/if Marina will get the NEXT upgrade.  Should have been in the yard now, not in Miami.

The letters will be a CYA for the Cruise Company's liability.  They will be just like a Medical Marijuana card.  There will be "doctors" that for a fee will provide one.  Dr. Harold Bornstein is available, and your health can be "astonishingly excellent" and your "physical strength and stamina are extraordinary".

Yes, we were told the same thing by good old AA if we cancelled, meaning we would have until Aug. this year to use the ticket.  We're holding off cancelling since the flight is to Buenos Aires and will undoubtedly (?) be cancelled by AA.  Then what will they offer?  

8 minutes ago, BenMurphy said:

Cruise Law News ! Jim Walker is an ambulance chaser!

Not sure what your point is.  Is the report "fake news", or do you support NCL tactics because Jim Walker might be involved?

51 minutes ago, eldaradoe said:

what response....this came out 3 days ago....

I'm not sure what you are saying.  Maybe this came out in FL 3 days ago, but it was in the WAPO yesterday.  Has there been a NCL response?

Thanks for posting.  I'm waiting for NCL's response.  This is unbelievable!

Thank you Kitty for the update.  We've just reluctantly cancelled our 4 April cruise on Marina, but are interested in hearing about your on-board experience.  Please enjoy your cruise.  Ignore those trying to enforce "rules".

11 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

Not if you have a good TA and are before the final payment. You may have to give up any perks you got with your initial booking (if any)

In addition, if you booked onboard you may get the lower price even after final payment

Unfortunately, final payment was made before we realized the price had gone down.  The cruise in question was not booked onboard.  However, we did book another cruise onboard just before the "Hurry, prices are going up October 1st!"  Of course, after Oct. 1st that particular cruise did not go up, and I guess know we now have to watch frequently to make sure we don't lose again.  I guess I can see O's position, but $1800 is $1800!  Leaves a bad taste. 

13 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

Back to topic, please.  Folks are looking at this thread for more than what each person cooks at home.

+1

Confused here, too.  Or is someone at Oceania confused?  3 days ago in the mail we got the fancy new 35 page Aquamar Brochure, touting the spa services, fitness classes, and new menu items.  The very next day we get an email from Oceania regarding our 4/4/2020 Marina cruise, touting Canyon Spa services, fitness classes, and menu items.  Someone at Oceania didn't get the notice..........

Here is another option:  We were on Riviera when the MLB play-offs started.  Our friends were with us and they are rabid Yankee fans.  They bought the upgraded internet package ($10/day) and were fairly successful in streaming the games to their IPad.  

On our last cruise the 4 people in front of us going into the GDR were dressed in casual jeans, tennis shoes, and hoodie style t-shirts.  No problem, went right in.

On the previous cruise I saw one gentlemen wearing the same casual jeans, plaid shirt and tennis shoes multiple nights. No problem.

Both times I commented on the mid-cruise sheet "Why have a dress code if you are not going to enforce it?"  Received no answer.

Common thread maybe: the same hostess both cruises.  

We were just on Riviera and noticed something new (at least for us) in the Terrace.  At breakfast and dinner (not sure about lunch) a heavy plastic wrap was stretched on the lower pass-thru area on the hot buffet line, below the "sneeze" glass.  This means every plate needs to be passed over the whole glass case.  This was sometime awkward for some of the shorter servers, but if it keeps people hands off the food, OK then.  Of course, I did observed holes in the wrap where people had jammed their hands through to point at, or grab something.  On the whole the food at the Terrace was good, but on cold days tables were sometimes hard to find.  More than once we carried our plates to Waves to eat in the cold away from the crowds.  I did find the grill cooks to be very slow - I guess they don't know they can turn up the heat.....We did experience one very over done, tough steak, and as always, wine service was very slow or non-existent.  On those busy days it seemed to be very understaffed.

"Some people just love a microphone and she’s one of them."

We just got home from the Riviera "Colors, Coasts, and Coves" cruise Sept. 27 to Oct. 8.  This is our second cruise with Dottie as the CD, and, trust me, she hasn't mellowed.  Her announcements are LOUD and repetitive.  She is especially annoying when she holds Trivia in Martinis at the start of Happy Hour.  She has the PA turned to warp volume and ruins the bar (and takes up space) for those of us that just want to have a cocktail.  

On the day we were the fourth ship to dock (late) in Quebec, and all passengers waited for an hour in rain gear on deck 6 to disembark, there was no attempt to explain the situation or try to get the queue under control.  It was just "We have not been cleared by the port authorities".  I guess being 4th in behind NCL, Silversea, and Celebrity might take some extra time.  Shuttles were used to get Oceania passengers to the main part of Quebec City (where Celebrity and NCL were docked) and they included yellow school buses and local transit buses.  That afternoon the shuttle situation was absolute chaos with traffic, confused passengers and bus drivers, and a wait of an hour before we decided to hop a cab.  There was no one there from Oceania to facilitate the situation.  As we finally boarded very frustrated and thirsty, all we could hear was Dottie holding court in Martinis.  No apology/explanation was ever given.

We have booked two more Oceania cruises, and I hope we do not have to sail with Dottie.

Jimdee, we had a similar experience with Oceania Brochures that you have had.  After 2 cruises, we were off the mailing list.  After multiple emails and phone calls, as well as speaking to Oceania reps onboard our third cruise, we still had no luck getting back on the mailing list.  Here's what finally worked:  Write a letter, similar to your original post here, requesting that you be added back to their mailing list, and send it to the ExVP for Sales and Marketing.  Send copies of the letter to Mr. Del Rio, and Mr. Binder.  Extreme for sure, but guaranteed to work.

I understand some people don't want all the Oceania/Regent/Viking mailings clogging their mailbox.  That's fine, but some of us do use them. 

We also just got off of Riviera on Saturday, and I agree 100% on the comments about CD Dottie.  I don't remember anything she announced that wasn't in Currents, with the exception of the day we missed a port.  When we commented about excessive announcements on the mid-cruise comment sheet, we got a 5 minute voice mail from her basically defending them (she never said they were required by corporate) and then giving us the schedule of every venue on the ship. Huh? We also didn't care for they way she ran Trivia...

We are scheduled for this tour next month.  Question: when visiting one of these "private" islands and then going out to the platform to snorkle, what do you do with your stuff - cruise boarding card, wallet, sunscreen, etc?  Any help is appreciated as I contemplate packing.

12 hours ago, LHT28 said:

  I agree  the RTW pax  paid a lot for the cruise  so they should get special perks  but  just do not tell others  that  everyone is treated the same

They are not...  that is  a fact

segment PAX may feel  like they are left out  ..another fact

but they knew signing up  that it was a RTW cruise  & those pax doing the full trip would get extra parties etc..

but for someone part of the RTW to say everyone  gets the same  treatment  is  not correct

 

Mura  you need to go back & read the post by Bob

the luncheon was a  special menu just for the RTW pax

Our experience:  We signed up for our first Oceania cruise back in 2015 - a Panama canal crossing.  We did not know at the time that it was the last segment of RTW 2015.  After the tragic Insignia fire, we joined CC and only then learned that our segment was part of the shortened RTW!  Once on board we did noticed a subtle cliqueness, but we were determined to have a great time.

We had heard a lot about Oceania Trivia so we attended.  It was very clear that it was a very serious well established group that didn't welcome new players who just wanted some fun.  When we made a comment about this to the CD, his response was "That's human nature, isn't it."  We didn't go to Trivia again.

We had heard a lot about Oceania High Tea so we looked forward to that.  We found that the ATW passengers totally monopolized the servers, because they were very familiar with each other, so our service was far less attentive. We didn't go to Tea again.

Having a cocktail in Martinis daily was fun but you had to be careful of not sitting on "the regulars" stool.  One day when a lot of people were not back from excursions, an ATW regular entered the half empty bar and proclaimed "Looks like we got our bar back!"   At a show one night we watched another ATWer try to shoo a couple of nice teenagers from "her" seats that they were saving for their parents. 

That all being said, we did meet several segmenters that we enjoyed and have staying in contact with.  We also met some ATWers that were very nice and welcoming to us "newbies".  And, we did have a great time on that first Oceania cruise in 2015 and as a result we will be on our 4th Oceania cruise next month, with the 5th reserved for next fall.  But, I doubt we will again do a segment of an ATW......

So yes LHT, not every one is treated the same, but then the ATW passengers are spending a lot on a cruise that most of us will never be able to go on.  Some of the ATW service and passengers are delightful, and some not so much.  I guess that is human nature...…. 

sorry to read your having such trouble which as you expect, should be an easy task.

 

I'm wondering about that phone call though. Are you phoning o's 800 number? The announcement should say this is oceania cruises not just go to somebody's house.

 

Your post is ironic because many on this board complain that they cannot get off of the mailing list. Perhaps it takes a while to get on, i've heard it takes a long time to get off.

 

You say you made three online complaints and three phone calls and yet you've never had a reply from your online complaints. That is odd and if they are not responding is poor. Are you certain that they're not ending up in your spam or junk folder as your msp might be treating them as promotional emails.

 

As for the discount when booking on board you have nothing to be concerned about if you're looking for a bargain. They no longer offer an "across-the-board" discount but rather additional discounts on specific cruises. Sometimes it is a very long list spanning a couple of pages and they usually send these to your cabin many, many times.

 

You can also visit the sales staff on board (a.k.a. Ambassadors) who are very knowledgeable and very helpful. They can also be very busy. Do not wait to the last few days. I have seen where they have sent an additional letter nearing the end of the cruise advising that if you fill out the form that you want to cruise in the future but have no specific date they will get this completed for you without having to visit them. You can then choose the cruise you want at a later date. That would get you the booking on-board such as obc and lowest price guarantee.

 

And i agree, it is often the little things that seems to annoy the most. Took me several years to forgive them for our "war of the roses". I am learning to move on and smell the flowers ... Oh.

not sure this is the place to reply, but i'll try. When i've called i used the "customer service" number from the website. When i've ordered on line, i used the "request a brochure" form. I got a reply the very first time i ordered on aug. 5, and i also made another request using this first reply as a basis. Nothing. The reason i said it sounded like someone's home is the persons who answered just didn't sound professional. One even seemed put out that i was upset about this. There was background noise that seemed more like a dinner table than an office. I doubt it was a home, but it sure wasn't classy service. And, i never got the brochures!!!! I come from a fine hotel background, and this type of thing gets to me. Oh well. Might be their loss.

I requested 3 brochures (via the O website option) on Aug. 5, 2017. I received an email acknowledgement. Then 15 days later, after an on-line complaint and a phone call (which seems to go to someone's house rather than an O office), I received one of the three brochures.

After another two complaints on-line and two more phone calls (only one of which included an "I'm sorry"), I have still not received promised brochure. Cripes, it's for the Europe cruises no less!

Like many, I get dozens of brochures, big and small, from about 4 others lines every day, but nada from Oceania. I guess they don't care.

We are taking an Oceania cruise this October (our 2nd), and I have to laugh when they offer a discount for an upcoming cruise if you book while on board. How the heck am I supposed to know what their "upcoming" cruises are if I can't even get a brochure.

I've waited and waited before posting this complaint, but I'm really turned off by this. Funny, how little things can make one change one's loyalty.