I just got back from my first Oceania cruise, not my choice but since someone else was paying, I gladly went along. Prior to the cruise, I went on Oceania’s board and read all the raves with many saying they preferred it even to Seabourn, Regent and Silversea, touting O’s superior dining in the Specialty restaurants. Being a Seabourn fan, I was determined not to make comparisons. But once aboard the contrasts were immediate. I did not like how passengers were treated differently according to their cabins, basically 3 classes: Suites, Concierge Verandas and Veranda. We were in a veranda and I felt like I was in steerage. Most insulting was in St Barts, tenders were delayed several hours due to rough seas, when they finally started we had to get tender tickets and wait til our color was called meanwhile, penthouse people got to go whenever they wanted before anyone else. We wondered if in an emergency, would the penthouse people be evacuated first?
I like how Seabourn treats everyone onboard as valued guests. Service on Oceania was not as good, friendly or refined, even post covid with slippage of standards (we cruised Ovation in the Med Sept 2021) Seabourn’s was better. Also don’t get why people say O’s food is better than Seabourn or other luxury lines, I disagree. Food in Main Dining room quite awful. Specialty restaurants good but not superior. Also you only get 4 reservations unless in suites, so you either eat in MDR or buffet.