keithm

6 hours ago, dcsam said:

Keithm,

Long jeans were not allowed in the Terrace  /buffet?  

No, I didn't say that! Jeans are allowed in the Terrace. They are also allowed during breakfast/lunch. As to shorts, I'm not sure of the rule in the Terrace. Again, they are fine at breakfast/lunch. Very seldom saw them at night anywhere on board.

7 hours ago, RJB said:

Are you talking about denim the fabric or the cut of the pants? There is a difference. 

Denim. I know a lot of khaki pants have a similar "cut".

On ‎11‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 2:05 PM, robbie21 said:

You don't even need the fake vests or papers. Just lie if challenged. If questioned beyond the legal two questions you can file a complaint with the federal justice department (easily done on line).  The subsequent investigation can be a huge pain in the ass for the company accused,  And, believe me, these self-centered abusers are quite willing to do just that.

I have NO problem challenging these fraudsters. I snap a pic & make like I'm calling the cops. I then tell the faker about the $2000 fine & 6 mo. in jail for fraud. Trust me it works wonders. If they refuse to answer your 2 questions, you are in your right to boot them out of your business. Publix markets in Fl. does NOT allow the dogs to be in strollers or carts. It's called "4 on the floor" It has had some effect.

On ‎11‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 1:37 PM, LuAnn said:

I have a dear friend who is a vet...who has a service animal due to severe emotional PTSD. Totally "vetted" by his various doctors and allowed to fly with him etc. as he is under care from the VA. While he has not been on a cruise with his dear dog...I would hate that those of you on this thread...would question and/or disbelieve his need for this valued companion. No....he doesn't wear a "bow"...but he is a "small dog"...and that doesn't mean he isn't of value to him. I also have a friend who has seizures...and she also has an "alert dog". Just because someone doesn't have an "obvious disability" doesn't mean they don't require assistance. Please stop judging things as you are...as you are certainly NOT in his/her shoes. YES...there are those who I think may abuse the "system"...but that is not true of everyone. Can you please have some compassion for those who need this type of care? LuAnn

Sorry, but we get upset at the 95% of fraud that actually takes place! I also have a friend that had their service dog nearly torn apart by a "fake" service dog. Her dog was conditioned to detect epileptic seizures before they occurred. It's pretty easy to tell the real ones from the fakes.

2 minutes ago, ORV said:

On this cruise on Riviera they've been allowed.

Hopefully, this will NOT become a trend! Jeans are not what we consider Country Club casual. They were not allowed on our past cruises on Riviera. We'll be off Oceania in 2020, but plan to be back in 2021. If I read that jeans are becoming the rule, then we might start looking elsewhere.

48 minutes ago, dcsam said:

I know, I know, another dress code question.  I did a search, but still need to find out if jeans are appropriate in the terrace for dinner?  Yay or nay?

Thank you!

Jeans are OK ONLY in the Terrace. Ok everywhere for breakfast/lunch. Unlike other lines, Oceania WILL enforce the proper dresscodes in the GDR & specialty rest. & I have seen pax comment about slackers.

On ‎11‎/‎25‎/‎2019 at 2:12 PM, roger b said:

We had dinner with the Staff Captain  last night and were informed  that  Oceania  were doing away  with Jacques  and replacing it with another Grill restaurant ? I don't  know how others  feel about this , but personally  this was my favourite restaurant. 

I've heard rumors here & there from staff on different lines over the years. None were true! I would be hard placed to bet that Jacques is on it's way out. His name is synonymous with the food. Should he pass away(he IS 83)then I'd place more belief in it. Jacques may be his name, but he inspires the menus in ALL the dining Venus except Terrace.

On ‎11‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 3:19 PM, XBGuy said:

 

 

I'm not surprised.  For our 40th wedding anniversary, we booked a California Coastal cruise on the Ruby Princess (most ladies will understand that choice but I doubt that many men will).  I booked the UBD prior to leaving on the cruise personalizer.  Before we even left the port in Los Angeles, the Room Service manager called and asked if he could come to our cabin to discuss the arrangements for the UBD.  Since we'd been through the drill a few times before, that was completed quite quickly.  So, he came to the time and date questions--this was before you could specify the date in the cruise personalizer.  We knew we wanted it the very next night (our anniversary date) which was a sea day.

 

"Oh good," he responded.  "We always get too many requests to have it in port in San Francisco."

 

I might mention, that in four UBDs that we have had, three of them were, actually, in the cabin.  We, often, have them on sea days, and, not surprisingly, when at sea it can be very windy and bumpy.  So, our attitude is that we would rather be comfortable in our (standard balcony) cabin.  The service is just as good, and the food is the same.

 

We did have a UBD on a rear-facing balcony as we were departing Mazatlan, last December.  Having a rear-facing balcony mitigates the wind.  So, in January on the Star Princess we plan to have our next UBD as we are leaving Lahaina, Maui on another rear-facing balcony.

 

 

I think we'll be on that same Hawaii trip  as you. We've booked the UBD as well & hope to try the Chef's table. We're in a Club Balcony mini suite, so hopefully the balcony is big enough.

On ‎11‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 1:08 AM, Dive Girl said:

Hi all! We are cruising on the Crown Princess 10 day Southern Caribbean Cruise Dec 7. I was thinking of booking the Ultimate Balcony Dinner, but don't know when to reserve it. Then, I thought hmmm, maybe the Chef's Table...

 

I'd appreciate your thoughts....

We booked the Ultimate balcony dinner as well. It's $100 for the meal. The Chef's table is about $100pp(with wine pairing, somewhat less if you skip the wine)You're guaranteed the Balcony dinner. The Chef's table can be hit or miss: If there's a lot of interest, you might get passed over. If there's little interest, they may cancel it. We're going to try for the Chef's table as well. Reserve it as soon as you board! We're trying it, to compare it to La Reserve, which we've done a number of times on Oceania.

On ‎11‎/‎27‎/‎2019 at 6:23 PM, russtynail said:

We booked two 7 day cruises back to back as one 14 day cruise.  We see there are 3 formal nights as opposed to 2 for each of the 7 day legs.  We are thrilled but is there a way to tell before the cruise which of the two weeks the 2 formal nights would be and which would be only the 1?  So do some of the passengers who booked only a 7 day cruise only get one formal night?  Thanks.

Captain's choice.

14 minutes ago, StanandJim said:

Were you aware of the recent kerfuffle where Paul McCartney was denied VIP access to a Manhattan nightclub because he "isn't a big enough celebrity"?

The Times, they are a changin"...

Seriously!? Perhaps he could buy the club! As to music I like classical. I don't mind country(though not piped on board a ship. I like classical music in the GDR, but certainly soft enough as not to interfere with dinner conversation. Rock type around the pool is fine, but again reasonable loudness. Please NO RAP! Save that for the Carnivore ships.

On ‎5‎/‎1‎/‎2019 at 12:13 PM, Kingofcool1947 said:

 

Having sailed with Oceania, I’m interested in trying Regent.

What do you see as the difference between the two cruise lines?

Cuisine?

Staterooms?

Service?

Itinerary?   Ports of call.

Ship sponsored shore excursions?

Value?

Overall cruising experience?

Looking at booking a Med cruise and Caribbean cruise.

Thanks.

 

How you been doing? The main thing with Regent is that they are "all inclusive". The price will be quite a bit higher because of that. Alcohol/air transit/excursions/food are all part of the package. I would say that Regent probably goes to more high-end destinations. As to food. Not sure. Food on the Riviera has been some of the best I've had at sea. Oceania's title is "The Finest Cuisine at Sea". Obviously, this is open to debate. We still think our finest at sea was in the Queens Grill on the QM2. We frequently ventured "off menu" & it was always granted. As to service, I would imagine Regent provides more "attention to detail". The extra cost has to validated somewhere. As A whole I find O to be a great fit for us. Due to my spouse wanting a  "And now for something completely different"(Monty Python for those in the know)cruise, we'll be on the Star Princess this Jan. going to Hawaii. 2021, I plan on having us back on the Riviera.

On ‎11‎/‎17‎/‎2019 at 12:30 PM, Noxequifans said:

Reluctant to raise the question, but where on the ship do these dogs "relieve" themselves. 

They are given a special matt to do their business on.

I kind of thought that the GDR was pen for suite/concierge guests on port days. I know it was on embarkation days. That's what we like about the Grills on Cunard. They were always open for breakfast/lunch/dinner.

On ‎11‎/‎4‎/‎2019 at 3:09 PM, KikiKruiser said:

For anyone who has experienced La Reserve on the Marina... if you're not totally into wines (i.e. 2-3 glasses is your limit), did you feel the extra cost was worth it?  (Note: not the Dom Perignon Experience).  TIA!

I'm not much of a drinker. So I ask them to go light on the wine. Similar to a wine tasting(without spitting it out LOL!) Two sips works for me. Otherwise it would fill me up. Some said avoid the bread rolls. Just do one & call it a day. The food, most especially in the "Le Bourgeoisie" was our fav.(Odyssey & Dom Perignon) are the other 2. We much preferred the Bourgeoisie over Odyssey. Haven't tried the "Dom", as I can't stand Champagne.

On ‎11‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 10:30 AM, Paulchili said:

That and NO FORMAL NIGHTS - unlike those on Silversea 😀

True, but you're still expected to dress decently for dinner. Hence the "Country Club Casual" trademark.

On ‎11‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 7:21 AM, Lois R said:

Good morning, thinking of giving Oceania out for a March cruise

to the Caribbean for a birthday trip.  I was a Celebrity cruise for

many, many years. More recently, I have moved on and my more

current cruises (say since 2016) have been 2 on Silversea,

1 on Azamara and 2 river cruises.  I also have 2 more booked

on Silversea.

 

There is a cruise on Riviera for 10 nights in March that looks

good  and there is a Single Supplement special as well.

 

So, from you Oceania regulars, can give me the low down on

why you enjoy their product and what they can offer me as a

solo cruiser?

 

Thank you!

 

Pricewise Silversea is generally higher priced. Food quality, is said to be good, but the Riviera has some of the best food we've ever had on a ship. We're both in the food industry & my spouse is a CIA trained chef, so let's say I'm plenty spoiled when it comes to food. The entertainment is generally pretty low-key. I think the budget is reflected in the food quality. That's not saying the entertainment is awful, just not what you might find on other lines. I do find the pax to generally be older than Cunard/Celebrity/Princess. As was said, they are more worldly as a whole. We've seen enough pax who are not gay friendly, but this is more from the region that some pax come from. I'll leave it at that.

  The staff will take splendid care of you. & will endeavor to make your cruise as outstanding as possible. I do recommend doing the daily tea service. I think you'll enjoy it. The entertainment staff is quite approachable & we've seen them sitting with pax & chatting quite often. I tend to think this is mostly for suite pax, but we saw it with solo cruisers as well. Let me know the itinerary of the Riviera trip. We might be able to recommend some excursions. This sounds like it might be similar to our 2018 trip, which got us familiar with Oceania.

42 minutes ago, PoohUnderstands said:

Well, again, that is why there are many ways to eat on a cruise ship.  Well, then give me a name for another buffet chain and I will use that one!  Grin.  A buffet, is a buffet, is a buffet; and I just do not like them, I guess.

 

Pooh

Never been to the Bellagio buffet in Las Vegas? Or any of the big casinos? Buffets like Tavern on the square are pretty plain. We used to go to Sunday brunch at the Taj in Boston(hotel is now closed for remodel)It was about $85PP. High price for sure, but what you got was incredible. Same with Café Fleuri at the Langham Boston(closed for remodel, too) That & the views were grand. It's the old adage: You get what you pay for. The Royal class ships have in my opinion, the most varied buffet at sea. It gets crowded, but there is plenty of space to move around.

19 hours ago, PoohUnderstands said:

No, just accurate......😁😉

Golden Corral is not a place we go to. Pretty substandard food overall. Then again what can you expect for the low price. Like, when was the last time you saw Filet Mignon at Micky D's? The Buffet on the Regal was like going to Las Vegas style buffets. An absolutely amazing selection!. Not everything was our choice, but the variety was second to none. Wish we had tried it more often. We'll be on the star in Jan. Since we're in Club Class, not so sure how often we'll do the buffet at night. Being a smaller ship, I doubt we'll see the selection like on the Royal class ships. I kind of get the idea you'll feel like you'll get pushed around at the buffet. Yes, there are some D/B who will cut you in line, just chew them out & move along.

14 hours ago, rlk2018 said:

So how formal is formal? In many countries a guayabera is considered just like wearing a blazer. So, I never had any problem wearing either a guayabera or a bush/safari jacket or a blue blazer. Usually without a tie but certainly a suitable sport or dress shirt. We've never been on the Island Princess so what are 'their' standards? I'm sure they frown on shorts/flip-flops/swim suits, etc. in the MDR but what is sanity. Just watch people trying to figure out "smart casual" in Sri Lanka to describe darn near ever occasion.

Guayabera should be fine. A nice pair of pants should be fine as well. If it's jeans, please make sure they're nice ones. No shorts/ball caps/flip flops at night. A light sport coat/vest/nice collared shirt/optional tie should suffice for formal. Tux is your choice. We only do those on Cunard. Check out Youtube videos of your ship to get an idea how pax dress.

On ‎11‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 11:29 AM, PRINCESS Sweet Pea said:

It has been a while since we cruised, and I am thinking of breaking with the usual and trying the variety in the Buffet, instead of always the dining room.  We will also do Crown Grill and maybe Sabatini's too.  We will be on a seven day Caribbean.  So, I think the nightly menus will be the usual menus.    I like to be seated and waited on, but also love to try the different variety of things on a good buffet too.  Which nights would be best for the Buffet, and not the favorites for the dining room?   I know people have different favorites, but I wanted to get some ideas!

Not sure of your ship. The Regal 3 years ago had the most varied buffet we saw on ANY ship. The buffet on the Oceania Riviera had the same gourmet food as the GDR, but for variety the Regal was tops in choices. 

On ‎11‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 8:16 PM, NCHPcruiser said:

We booked our first Oceania cruise today (Marina back to back, August 7-29, 2021) and I have a few questions to start off with.  I’m sure I’ll have others!  We are in a PH2 and our TA will send an email when we are able to make our specialty reservations (sometime in May I believe).  At that point, is it difficult to get preferred times?  Is La Reserve booked prior to boarding?   I understand that we may make other reservations once onboard and getting preferred times at that point would be more difficult and vary cruise to cruise.    

 

I think we are able to bring six bottles of wine onboard.  Are we able to bring 12 bottles aboard initially since we are on a back to back?   Is this a strict policy?  It seems in the past I remember reading on CC about people bring significantly more than 6 bottles onboard but this may have changed.   In any event it is better than Celebrity’s two bottle policy.  We have the beverage package and will upgrade once onboard.  

 

For anyone who has also cruised in a suite on Celebrity,  is a PH fairly comparable in size to a Sky Suite on a S-class ship?  

 

Are Roll Calls generally active?  I ask because we prefer small group tours (less than 10) and have in the past either organized or joined tours with others on our Roll Call and are hoping to do the same in a few ports on this itinerary.

 

We are excited about sailing on a ship much smaller than any of our previous cruises!  And for me, the planning is half the fun.  

 

Thank you!

 

Martha

 

 

 

 

 

As to La Reserve, we always booked once on board. We'd go to La Reserves & make a booking for the dinner type that was offered. After seeing Mura's response, I think next time, I'll book online as well.

On ‎11‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 6:26 AM, MissP22 said:

That's fine with me as long as Princess doesn't force us to participate in dressing formally to enjoy the DR.

For us, the days of getting excited about family portraits, wine pouring & purchasing wine for dinner have lost it luster.

Do you purchase wine at dinner? I don't really drink, so I usually get an "Arnold Palmer" My spouse will usually buy wine or a cocktail. Princess doesn't not have Sommeliers, so we need to know our wines, rather than having a wait person try to "steer" us to a ship recommended wine.

On ‎11‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 6:51 PM, pna said:

Do you tip anyone when you eat in the four specialty restaurants on the Riviera?

We never did. It's part of your daily auto tip. Only if drinks were purchased did you sign anything.

6 hours ago, MissP22 said:

It comforting to know that people (some) no longer react in horror when it's mentioned that you'll be going to the DR without formal clothing on formal evenings. The times have certainly changed from a few years back when the mere mention of not dressing up would cause turmoil.

Might it be that those formalists have abandoned Princess for more formal cruise line?

 

Not at all! You can't win YOUR arguments & we can't win OURS, either. At least let's keep the shorts  & ball caps out of the MDR at night. This really isn't ASKING for much.