First time Oceania cruiser recently off the Riviera. We have done multiple HAL and Viking voyages and enjoy them both but wanted to spread our wings a bit. We really enjoyed O and will add it to our options going forward. We also benefited from this forum so I thank you all for that.
The Riviera was a fine ship for us. The flow was great, never felt crowded but did feel alive. We did the art scavenger hunt which was fun and helped us learn our way around. We did miss having a full promenade for walking but there is a 1/10th mile lap on the very top.
We were in an A class cabin. On our next O cruise we are going to drop down to B. The extras just didn’t add up for us. I think we went into the lounge twice and nothing about it grabbed us. Never even met the concierge. Nothing like the Neptune lounge on HAL though you need a higher level suite on HAL to get access. The laundry was nice but not really essential for a 12 day voyage. Might regret not getting earlier access to specialty dining but we are pretty flexible about when we eat. I will miss the therapy pool on the reserved spa deck. Cabin attendant was excellent, friendly and efficient. Our room was comfortable with sufficient storage. 2 minor complaints - the table on the balcony was just big enough for a drink or 2. On Viking and HAL we could breakfast on the balcony. Our bathroom had the ridiculous tiny shower. Viking bathroom was far superior and even included a heated floor.
Having 4 different specialty dining options was great. The best meal I had was a lamb dish at Jacques. We liked them all but I will say that we prefer Pinnacle Grill on HAL to Polo and Manfredi’s on Viking to Toscanos. No complaints about the main dining room - plenty of variety and reasonably high quality. If it used to better I’m sorry I missed that because I enjoyed just about everything I ate. Considering they are feeding 1000 people I think all 3 lines do an admirable job. We generally avoid the buffet so no help comparing there. Tried Waves for lunch a couple times. Better than Viking’s version but we preferred HAL’s fries and taco bar. Room service breakfast was similar to HAL and both better than Viking. Wine offerings that are part of the package at meals were all drinkable but none memorable. Next time we will follow many of your suggestions any bring our own and pay the corkage fee at least a couple of nights. Beer offering are pretty lame on all 3 lines if you are a craft beer fan.
If entertainment is your thing I’m not sure any of these 3 lines should be your go to. Had a funny comedian/magician for 2 nights who we liked. House band and singers were about what you would expect and very similar to Viking. We were disappointed in the trivia. On HAL it is our go to happy hour activity. On O they have it in the afternoon when we weren’t even back on the ship or at 8:30 while we are eating. Fitness rooms are about the same on all 3 but Viking does put theirs down low instead of having great views from a top deck like O and HAL. Viking does have the Nordic spa (Ice cave!) that beats anything HAL or O offer.
Good itinerary which is usually how we pick a cruise. Like other’s mention I did think they cut a couple ports shorter than needed but I know nothing about the operational considerations so who knows. When we booked the itinerary included Gdansk, Poland but that was swapped for Berlin. We did the 3 hour bus in, 5 hours in port, and 3 hours back and I don’t regret it but not my favorite type of port call. Met some fascinating folks in Estonia and Lithuania who discussed the impact of Putin’s adventures on their countries. Both counties have significant Russian populations and the older generations harbor some fondness for the Mother Russia concept.
While on board we booked a second O cruise on the Marina. For booking on board we got a $400 discount on the room and $300 worth of OBC. Transferred the booking to my TA right then and got the gratuities from her. I will say the Simply More offering fits us very well. We usually book about half our shore excursions from the cruise line and maybe half independent. We like wine and beer at meals but don’t drink much otherwise. We use wifi to check up on things at home but don’t stream or try to do work. And I always decline the air as I live in a hub city with very good non-stops almost anywhere which the bulk contracts rarely include.
The on board guy was really busy and a bit stressed. Based on what I read here, I asked for the extended balcony cabin in the B class. Not sure if I worded it right or what but he looked puzzled and searched a bit and then told me all 4 of them were already taken. I knew from the deck plan there are way more than that but just let it go. As soon as I got back to my room I emailed my TA and had her find me one which she did no problem. One port issue came up almost immediately. Here is itinerary from the email I got the day of the booking:
Cruise Itinerary
Date Port Description. Arrive. Depart
Sep 24 Bordeaux, France. 8:00 AM
Sep 25 Bordeaux, France. 5:00 PM
Very nice almost 2 day overnight.
And here is from an email I got the very next day:
Due to tide restrictions, please note the revised arrival and departure times below:
Date Port Description. Arrive. Depart
Sep 24 Bordeaux, France. 1:00 PM
Sep 25 Bordeaux, France. 1:30 PM
Still a nice port stop but lost 8.5 hours and did they really just learn about the tide restriction the day after I booked?
I’ll end on a high note. We were traveling with 2 other couples and there is a lovely corner 6 top in Polo grill right by the back corner. The night we ate there the ship was leaving Stockholm which has to be one of the most beautiful 3 hour sail ways anywhere in the world. We timed it perfectly with the sun setting during the meal and these gorgeous views to our side and out the back up on deck 14. Just a fantastic experience. If you are ever doing the Baltic try and get Polo on your Stockholm day!
Thanks for everything!
