Hlitner

We agree regarding Polo. Keep in mind that our cruise is longer and what is good the first time can fade as one has more chances to test the menus.

Both DW and I did have the Sea Bass at Red Ginger and agree, that it is terrific. I suppose we could simply order the same sea bass main, every time we dine in RG, but that is not our style. Especially in Asian restaurants, we prefer to try many different dishes, and this is where we find RG lacking. It is when we started looking beyond a couple of decent offerings, that we grew tired of the venue. The overall concept if fine if they would only expand/refine the menu. Also consider that we have dined in RG 3 times in 25 days. If we returned to Vista on a future cruise, we would want to again dine in RG. But, on this voyage, we have simply grown tired of the venue and do not see other dishes that spark our interest. In fact, on this last visit the waiter told us of a daily special (a spicy beef teriyaki dish) which several at our table ordered. The waiter was soon back to tell us "We are out of that item." Given that it was only 7:30, we figure there were many others that jumped at the daily special instead of the usual menu. When it comes to the 4 alternative restaurants, we find ourselves wanting to only return to Polo and Toscana. This will mean that we dined, 3 times, in RG, Polo and Toscana and twice in Ember. IMHO, Oceania should quickly replace Ember with another concept. Calling Ember the "Applebee of the Sea" would be an insult to Applebee's. Hank

Greetings from Valletta, Malta, Moving along with our live from the Vista blog. Today is a turn-around day and marks the end of our first 25 days (2 segments) with only 10 days to go. The weather is, again, near perfect with partly cloudy skies and temps in the upper 60s. In fact, the entire 11-day segment (Civitavecchia to Malta) was blessed with terrific weather. 10 ports in 11 days is a bit muich, but somehow it does seem that everyone survived :). For those who have never docked in Valletta, I will just say that it is one of the most visually striking ports in the world. One is surrounded by medieval walls, fortresses, etc. It is a clean, safe island perfect for DIY, HoHo buses, or excursions. We have been here a few times, previously driven all over the island, and always enjoyed our visits. Today we stayed aboard in the morning, did some laundry, had lunch, and than went ashore to visit the Grand Master Palace. A beautiful Sunday afternoon on Malta brings many folks out to enjoy outdoor dining with their families and friends. Picking up from our last "live from" post, on Thursday evening we returned to Red Ginger (for the third time). Like our other dinners in Red Ginger, the food was good, but not outstanding. We think that this venue tries to offer too many Asian cuisines, and many dishes just seem to be lacking in flavor. DW ordered the Thai Red Chicken Curry and requested medium heat. What she got was bland (no heat) and disappointing. My beef dish was good, but nothing special. Our shared starter (which has various offerings) was good, but almost boring. We will cancel our final Red Ginger reservation since we prefer the GDR. On Friday night DW and I enjoyed our dinner in the GDR where I again had Beef Wellington and DW the lobster tail/chunks in a light mushroom sauce. Both our meals were excellent as we continue to request seating with our favorite waiter, Kadeck. Last night we shared a table in Ember, where none of us were overly happy. I had the double pork chop, which looked beautiful (on the outside). When I cut it open it was near raw! The dining room manager happened to walk past, saw the meat, and immediately took the plate. The replacement (which came in about 10 minutes) was perfectly cooked. The chocolate brownie dessert was very good. But, after two dinners in Ember, we do not see a reason to return and will cancel our remaining reservation. The bottom line, for us, is that we enjoy the GDR more than both Red Ginger and Ember. While fine for a change, we no longer see the need to visit those two venues. Today, we decided to try something a little different for our lunch. DW wanted a sandwich from Aquamar and I wanted a Philly Cheesesteak from Waves. The staff in each venue is not able to order from the other venue (it is not on their tablets). So, we first stopped at Aquamar where DW put in her order, told them we would be in Waves, and they gave her a numbered placard. to put on our Waves table. The Aquamar staff then delivered her sandwich to our table. Last evening, we had an early show (5:45) since it was the last night of a segment. Isabel Comandeur, a versatile opera soprano, gave her 2nd performance to a big audience. All of our Guest entertainers have been very good, and the passengers show their appreciation with some standing ovations. Last evening was also a bit sad as we bid farewell to several drinking pals (Aussie, Aussie, Aussie). Socializing here on the Vista is alive and well. We have decided to continue our drink package upgrade for the last segment. This morning, we were able to book another excursion (for Santorini) that uses our remaining shore excursion credit. I continue to be dissatisfied for the way O handles excursion bookings for folks on multiple cruise segments. Not allowing passengers to get access to excursions on successive segments puts us at a disadvantage over folks who have not embarked. A person can book excursions up to 7 days prior to embarkation, but once on a cruise one cannot book an excursion until the evening before the end of the prior segment. Hank

Just a suggestion that you are more likely to get what you want by indicating you are willing to share. We are on the Vista and all of our shared tables have been with one other couple, and almost always a lot of fun. Hank

The Azure Trail. between the villages, is still not open since the rock slides (a few years ago). Once reopened, this is a relatively easy route that most can do in under 30 min. Some say this will be opened in July, but that remains to be seen. The current higher route is quite difficult and best left to experienced hikers in decent shape. That hike can take 1 1/2 hours and involves a lot of steps and uneven surfaces. We did it, many years ago, and it was not fun on a hot day. Hank

Am on the Oceania Vista where we have missed 3 ports sine embarking on March 27. Bermuda, Horta, and Menorca. But it does seem that Oceania cancels/changes ports more frequently then most other lines.

As long as you stay indoors you can wear anything. On deck is a different story

Interesting thread. If you have the time, taking the train to MC is no different than going to Antibes or Nice other than the extra time. As one who does not enjoy MC, I wonder why, it whatever floats your boat ☺️

We booked SS because we got a very good deal that was less costly than a MSC cruise (we like their Yacht Club). SS also had a much better itinerary. We dont’t mind dressing up, so that did not even factor in our decision. We truly enjoy lots of variation in our cruises in terms of different cruise lines and itineraries. Hank

Greetings from Alacante, where we are docked in the port along with the Marina and Oosterdam. Our weather continues to be seasonal with partly cloudy skies and temps in the mid 60s. This morning, we were greeted with a letter advising us that O has cancelled our scheduled port call at Menorca (tomorrow) and replaced it with Ibiza. Why? They blame the change on weather and the forecasts do call for some gusty wind conditions. Today, DW decided to take a day off (after more than a week of daily ports) and take an afternoon nap. I put on some gym shorts and decided to get some walking exercise. Although the port does provide a free shuttle bus that takes folks about 1/2 mile to the port entrance, I avoided the bus in favor of just walking into town (about 1 mile). Once in town I walked over to the elevator, that takes tourists up to the St Barbara Castle which offers views high over the town. Alicante is actually a good port in the summer since there is a decent sandy beach (within walking distance of the port) for those who want to enjoy a day on the sand (there are chair rentals). There were quite a few souls enjoying that beach and even a few brave folks in the water. We enjoyed dinner in the GDR last evening, where DW and I both ordered the Dover Sole. The relatively small fish (which is fileted at the table) was perfect, since we were still stuffed from our late lunch at Waves. Having lunch (today) at the Terrace Cafe reinforced our opinion that this indoor "lido" venue is the weakest link among the various dining venues on the Vista. I think that most mass market lines have better lidos than what we have here on the Vista. I have mentioned this in an earlier post but will post this reminder. We think the salad offerings are abysmal when compared to what we can get on most other lines. The variety offered in the Terrace also leaves much to be desired. However, when you couple the Terrace Cafe with Aquamar and Waves (both nearby) there is enough variety to satisfy most folks. The quality of the offerings in the Terrace is good, but much could be done to improve variety options. Consider that on Explora Journeys, their pasta bar will offer more than 6 different pastas and a variety of sauces. Here on the Vista, the normal pasta bar features a single daily special (made to order). This morning, I again was wowed by the amazing crew. I stopped in the Terrace Cafe for an omelet (made to order) and took my omelet towards the tables. A waiter quickly appeared, took the plate from my hands, and walked me to a nearby table. Another waiter was immediately at my table and asked if I wanted juice, coffee, etc. I asked for fresh squeezed OJ and he disappeared to get the juice. He returned in a minute and explained that they were out of fresh OJ (in the Terrace) but he was going to go downstairs and see if he could find some OJ. When I told him it was not important, he insisted and took off in search of OJ. A few minutes later he returned with the juice which he found at the GDR. After more than 3 weeks on the Vista, I can think of nothing but praise for staff. Hank

We would be fine with 8026, but keep in mind that much depends on your neighbors. Ours are very quiet, but we have heard from others who complain that their neighbors use their TV, late at night. Tis the luck of the draw. Nobody in Europe or at O cares about your shot records. Other then a few passengers on our cruise who still wear masks, COVID is not an issue. Nobody we met has a clue why they took Turkey off our itinerary. Ironically, we have an upcoming Seabourn cruise where several Turkey ports were also changed to Greece. Again, we were given no explanation. Hank

Perhaps, but we view it as good fun just like Caviar in the Surf on Seabourn.

We will most certainly return to O ☺️. But Seabourn and SS are next on the agenda. We are not one trick ponies LOL.

Today we are docked in Valencia under blue skies. The weather on this entire segment has been terrific and we are keeping our fingers crossed for more of the same. DW and I took a 5 hour ship excursion to Bacairent, which is a very old quaint mountain village. Having previously been to Valencia (where there is an excellent market) we thought this was a good place to use some of our "Simply More" shore excursion credit. Our guide was excellent, and we enjoyed visiting the small village. There was a substantial amount of walking, and this tour was not for anyone with a mobility problem. Since the Port of Valencia (which can handle 4 cruise ships) is a few miles from the city center, O did provide free shuttle bus service to the center. Yesterday, we were docked in Barcelona (Moll Adosset Terminal B), which is the main cruise dock in that city. Since the weather was very comfortable, DW and I did not use the free shuttle bus service, but rather walked into town (about 2 miles to the Ramblas) and later reversed the process. We simply spent a few hours in the Ramblas/Gothic Quarter area before walking back to the ship for a late lunch. Barcelona is a terrific port with much to see and do, but to say that we have seen that/done that would be an understatement. Even though it is still early in the season, and we were the only cruise ship within site, the Ramblas was a busy place. The Boqueria Market (right off the Ramblas) remains a "do not miss" place and the decent Iberian Hams are now ONLY about $250 Euros per Kg. Nothing new to add to our previous comments re the Vista. Had dinner in Toscana, last night, and everything was great. I do like that it is possible to order a small portion of any of the extensive pastas, which makes it a good starter or supplement to other starters. The usual tableside oil/balsamic service is always lots of fun. Somebody asked (might have been Flatbush Flyer) about the current CD and GM. The CD is Peter (I have no clue to his last name) and the GM is Damien Lacroix. Since DW and I have not bothered to go to any of the private parties, we have had no interaction with the GM other than to bid him a "Good Morning" when we cross paths in Barristas. Since everything, onboard, is better than good, we have no reason to seek out the GM. As to Peter, since we are now in the midst of our 10 straight port days, we are being rewarded by not needing to listen to as many of his announcements. Hank

The Vista has 4 restaurants (no add ons), plus a Lido plus a main dining room, plus 2 other grills (Aquamar and Waves) plus a coffee place with bakery. Lots of different steaks, whole Maine Lobster, etc. HAL never had food quality and options like this, in its best day. Hank

I think you are missing an important part of CC, which does include talking about deals and value. For those not interested it is just a simple matter of ignoring the posts and moving on. Hank

Had to think about the answer. We are currently on a 35 day Oceania Vista cruise which is far superior to anything we have experienced on our HAL cruises (except for the Prinsendam). Not sure we would give up O, Seabourn, or Explora Journeys to book HAL. But never say never 😉 Hank

We would also go with the longer cruise, even though we were not happy with our 42 days on the Westy (mostly in Japan). We would also suggest extending your trip to enjoy at least a week in Japan. No reason to do that with a cruise package. One can spend time in Japan on your own and use the excellent train system to move around. We enjoyed 5 days in Tokyo and 6 days in Kyoto… pre cruise. Hank

I think what is missing from the thread is value. What is the cost, per day, or Regent vs O? And for what it is worth, the watermelon/duck salad on Explora Journeys (EJ1) is far superior to what we have on the Vista. And we do think the bread on the Vista is the best we have had at sea. Hank

I do get we all have our pet peeves. But running shoes in the MDR? Really? Hank

“Years ago” there were many cities we enjoyed (even in the USA) which have changed in a very bad way. We can agree ti disagree about Marseille. But when it comes to “O” we are mostly in your court. 😉

Today we are docked in Marseille. I have a strong dislike of Marseille (my least favorite place in France) but love the port as a gateway into Provence. A large majority of passengers went off on excursions to places like Aix en Provence, Avignon, St Remy, etc. DW and I left the ship around 9am with a DIY plan of going to Cassis for lunch. Although we have spent a lot of time in the south of France (including having rented apartments in both Avignon and St Remy) we had never visited Cassis. Upon walking off the ship we boarded the free port shuttle bus that would take us into town (a few blocks from the old port). We also noted that one tour group also used the free shuttle bus (along with their guide) which is not impressive when one considers those folks paid about $150 pp for their tour. The docking area used for most cruise ships (Terminal A and Terminal B) are too far from Marseille for walking. DIY folks need to either use the shuttle bus or hire a taxi willing to do the short haul into town (which I assume will cost about 25 Euros). Once in Marseille, DW and I walked the 1/2 mile to the St Charles train station where we bought round trip tickets for Cassis (about 12.50 Euros pp). We arrived in Cassis (a 25 min train ride) around 11am, only to find no taxis at the station, very infrequent buses to town, etc. So we decided to make the 2-mile trek into Central Cassis. Much of the walk is downhill, so the walk is not difficult for folks used to long walks. In Cassis we walked around the picturesque and somewhat charming marina area before settling on a local outdoor restaurant that specialized in mussels. We got the best table, had a wonderful view, and enjoyed our Moules et Frites and Vino Blanc. After spending some time walking around town we used our phone to summon an Uber to get us back to the station. That cost about 14 Euros, which was a good investment as we were not looking forward to the trek (with many uphill slopes) back to the station. Back in Marseille it was an easy half mile to the shuttle bus stop and back to the ship. Another decent DIY Day. Dinner, last night, was in the GDR with our favorite waiter. DW and I both enjoyed a shrimp main which was served in a light/tasty sauce. The evening show was a decent singer from Holland, who turned out to be a competent Opera Soprano. While she did quite a few popular songs, it was her few opera arias that really shined. Our Guest entertainers on the Vista continue to be very good and comparable (or better) then we have experienced on other cruise lines. The late show in Horizons was Karaoke and I had a good time chatting with my new-found Aussie friends and our Assistant Cruise Director (Paul) who ran the karaoke show. There was a good size crowd (over 50) in Horizons until the end of karaoke ended around 11:30. A little tidbit about our cabin bathroom. The shower is quite large (close to 4' square) and has two glass shelves for items like soap. shampoo, etc. O provides excellent Bvlgari soap, and it is in bar form. When you put a wet bar of soap on smooth glass, it will stick. In fact, it can be a challenge to pull the bar off that glass. After a few days our steward put a folded face cloth on one shelf in order to avoid the problem. Great idea! DW and I both appreciate that O does provide decent bar soap. Much of the competition has moved to liquid soap dispensers, which we have never liked. We finally did hear our neighbor's TV (during our pre-dinner shower time). Not a problem, at that hour, but it was the first time we did notice the oft reported issue. I suspect that, in most cases, getting a quiet cabin on the Vista is simply "luck of the draw" in terms of having quiet or noisy neighbors. Hank

The seafront walkway is now opened, but there is still construction. The walkway is protected by some fencing and we had no problem getting all the way to the steps. Yesterday, the two adjacent beaches were crowded with sun worshippers and a few swimmers (the water must still be chilly). Hank

Wow! Very similar to the lunch dish I had in Vernazza. Love mussels. Hank

Good day from Villafranche, Today, after a short cruise from Livorno, we are anchored just off the coast of the lovely French port/resort city of Villefranche sur Mer. For those who have never been to this port it is tender only. The Vista used several of its own tenders supplemented by a large shore-based tender. This is the first time I even recall a shore-based tender at this port, and that boat is quite new and immaculate. Villefranche is a favorite port because there are so many options for both excursions and DIY. From here, folks can easily get to Nice (yes, Nice is nice). Eze, St Paul de Vence, Monte Carlo, Grasse, Antibes, and other places are all within range for a day trip. This morning we saw another day of perfect weather. Not a cloud in sight, temps in the mid 70s, low humidity, and a gentle breeze. A true "10" day, So, DW and I decided to follow a plan of hiking to the Villa Eprussi de Rothchild, which is located near Cap Ferrat. We had planned to tender ashore after 10am (to miss the rush) but the cruise director announced, around 9:30, that there was no tender queues. We headed to the Vista Lounge (to get our tender tickets) but were stopped on the stairway by Paul (the Assistance Cruise Director) who said there is no wait for a tender and to just head down the tender pier. Good job Vista :). It is about a 2 mile walk from the tender pier and the stroll took as about 50 minutes. The Villa Ephussi was interesting (a self-guided tour) and the outdoor gardens were very expansive. After spending about 2 hours at the Villa, we walked back to Villefranche where we stopped for a delightful lunch. DW and an excellent goat cheese salad and I fulfilled a personal passion of having Soupe de Poisson. The fish soup in this part of France has long been a favorite of mine and the Rock Fish based version at Cosmo (the name of the restaurant) was excellent. We returned to the ship about 3pm having enjoyed an absolutely perfect day. Dinner last night was our 2nd visit to Polo. This time, our meal was excellent (DW thought it the best meal...so far). She had the surf/turf and enjoyed both the steak and small lobster tail. I decided to ignore some warnings (from other cruisers) and ordered the Maine Lobster with drawn butter. I was delighted to be served a real Maine lobster (I love the claw meat). It was not quite as good as fresh Maine Lobster (which cannot be done on ships) but was close. I should mention that my starter of the French Onion Soup was also terrific. A word about my food comments. This is our first O cruise, so we cannot compare to the pre-Covid O. Others tell us that O cuisine has gone downhill in the past few years, which does make us wonder what we missed! What we are experiencing here on the Vista is probably the 2nd best overall cuisine we have had on 18 cruise lines. #1 still goes to the new Explora Journeys, Explora Journey 1. Seabourn trails O because O offers more variety (at least on the Vista). One mild complaint (about O) continues to be the early nights. Entertainment (in Horizons) generally ends at 11:15 and than the ship dies! There have actually been some decent crowds in Horizons (quite a few dancers) but once the music stops, most are quickly off to bed. One more dance/music set would be appreciated by us night owls. Hank