Baybear

Just curious if anyone knows of an official website for the port of Istanbul. I want to see what other ships are in town the same day, and also if possible, what area of Salipazari cruise port we will be assigned to. I know about cruisett.com, but it isn't always up to date, or include all cruise lines, so am looking for a more official port site.

Ships don't typically know which berth they are assigned to until shortly before arriving. It's up to the Dock Master.

But here's a website for which ships are in Istanbul in 2015. Just pick the day you want and it will tell you.

http://www.cruisetimetables.com/cruises-from-istanbul-turkey.html

On the Riveria there is a reservation desk in the lobby for the restaurants. I would go there in the morning or right when the trip starts.

 

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We did that on our cruise (went first morning). They wouldn't make any for that day or any other days since they said people that hadn't reserved their "four max" yet, might want to reserve and since we already had our "4," they would not give us any more.

Later we still came back to that reservation desk each day and "no luck" for the rest of the 10-day cruise. But at least we got to eat in each one once.

I just booked my 4 specialty restaurant reservations. My PCC explained that the limit of one reservation for each restaurant only applies to early bookings and is to ensure that each guest gets to experience each of the specialty restaurants at least once during the cruise. However, once on board, there is no limit as to which restaurant and how many times you may eat there (so long as a table is available), and you can change or cancel any reservation.

 

I prefer to have a plan, so reservations are a must for me.

We were on a Caribbean cruise last February on Riviera and could not get ANY more than our allotted 4 specialty restaurant reservations. I tried EVERY NIGHT around 5:30PM or so, but nothing was ever available at ANY of them for the 10-day cruise! At least we did get to go to all four of them once (I booked these exactly 45-days ahead of the cruise online to "be sure."

But we're on a Greek Isles cruise (Riviera again) this September, and maybe when the ports are more interesting than the "scrub-brush" Caribbean islands, there will be more availability of these restaurants. Especially since the ship is in port until 8PM each day. I'll be interested to see if it's "easy" to book more than 4 trips on the September cruise because of people more likely to stay in the ports for longer each day.

We will be in Santorini on October 3rd off the Oceania Riviera and there will be 8250 people TOTAL in port that day when you add up all the ships passengers!

Does anyone know what the best way to get to Oia would be after getting off the ship, considering the huge number of cruisers in port that day?

I hear there can be long lines for various modes of transportation on Santorini, so I'm wondering what the "best" mode is. We are not taking any ship tours, or island tours... just "DIY"-ing it.

We're (4 of us) all 70 years old, so moped-ing it may not be the most prudent way to go.

You may certainly invite friends to dine with you, and apparently others have already explained the bells and whistles of doing so, but to be clear, no matter which party makes the reservation, it would count against the Guaranteed number of Reservations for ALL participants.

 

I learned this very early on when I arranged for a birthday party for Stan in Polo and inadvertently used up the reservations of my invited guests.

Thank God for Privée !

Thanks for the tip. We're traveling with another couple, so wherever we eat, they eat... so that's not a problem for us four. But that's good advice for others.

Yes when you go to the res page say NO to sharing then it will have link ADD A GUEST then put in their booking number & surname

note: you both must be eligible to book in that time frame

 

If all else fails call Oceania ;)

Ah.. Thanks a lot! I wouldn't have necessarily thought to say "no" to sharing to be able to "add guest." I would have thought to say "yes" since we'd be "sharing" with our guests...

While we're on the subject of restaurant reservations... Can you make reservations on-line for yourself (2 in one stateroom) AND another stateroom (2 more) for the same reservation? Four total for one reservation?

After sailing all the lines in my "signature" below, I for one, do RAVE about the Oceania food. I'm a "foodie" and make such dishes as vichyssoise, beef Wellington, coquille St. Jacques, moussaka, all sorts of "from scratch" baked goods, etc. myself, so I know food. I've never been on the "luxury lines like Silver Sea, or Crystal or Regent, but from what I read, they are best at "service" and the food is just as good on Oceania as on these luxury lines.

All else is just great on Oceania: except

1) They tend to get 2nd shrift at ports compared to other bigger lines/ships... we tendered at 3 ports we were supposed to anchor at on a 10-day Caribbean cruise earlier this year. And missed Cozumel entirely because another bigger ship got our berth during rough seas and then we couldn't anchor out because of the seas. Don't know whether this applies to other areas, but certainly it did in the Caribbean. And I've read a lot of complaints about this on these boards;

2) Their tour prices are outrageous! Everyone complains about this one. But you can do very well with some DIY planning and touring. Probably better since the local tour groups tend to be less cost, less people, and the leaders will accommodate any changes/deviations that YOU want on your tour.

But aside from these two "negatives" I personally think this line is one of the best, if not "the best." (Unless you like the severe pampering you get on the luxury lines). I predict you will be a "raver" after your cruise on Oceania. Have fun!

We took a taxi (there were 4 of us) He was good--showed us a bit of the countryside. I don't remember the cost, but it was a fixed amount. He was willing to wait for us and afterward he took us to the splendid museum which was in town. A super great day. We walked back to the ship after we toured the museum.. Mary

I inquired through a island taxi service how much it would be to take four of us to: 1) The Knossos Palace, 2) A winery, and 3) take us back to the Archeological Museum in Haraklion. They responded that it would be 700 EUROs total! That's about $780 dollars just to be taken to two places not that far away, and then dropped back in town near the ship port. Seems a bit extravagant to me...

I think we'll stick with more local (bus?) transportation.

We took a taxi (there were 4 of us) He was good--showed us a bit of the countryside. I don't remember the cost, but it was a fixed amount. He was willing to wait for us and afterward he took us to the splendid museum which was in town. A super great day. We walked back to the ship after we toured the museum.. Mary

Thanks. What did you think of the Palace?

The public bus station is a short walk from the cruise port. You should be able to find it on a map. If you are fast walker like me then you will arrive at that crummy palace before the ship tour does.

 

 

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Hmmm... Seems like you didn't think much of the palace. It's #6 on Tripadvisor for "things to do in Knossos" so maybe it's not so great (After the Archeological Museum, winery, etc.) ... Can you comment on it?

Yes, we are very fit walkers, even at 70yo. For example, I play racquetball and tennis, so we shouldn't have any trouble walking to the taxi/bus stands. But now I'm thinking maybe we should tour something else on Heraklion. Any suggestions?

Does anyone know the best/cheapest way to get to Knossos Palace from the Cruise Ship port in Heraklion, Crete (Greece)?

I know you could hire a tour guide but how about:

1) Local bus... cost of that?, or

2) Taxi... cost of that?

The cruise line (Oceania) charges outrageous prices for their tours, and we really only want to see the Palace and then go to the Archeological Museum, which looks to be basically right near the ship docking area anyway. So I figure we can walk to the Museum from the ship, but the Palace looks to be about 2-3 miles from the Port and would be too far to walk.

I've only been able to find the cost in 2011 (50 euros/pp) for the Meteora VIP Taxi tour on Volos, Greece. I think they're 1 in Tripadvisor. We will be on the Oceania Riviera in late September and have from 12PM to 8PM in port.

1) Is there enough time from 12-8 to do that tour?

2) does anyone know the current 2015 cost? You can't find out any costs on their website...

TIA

I've heard that some countries only will make transactions with a credit card that has an electronic chip in it. We don't have that chip in our VISA card.

Do stores and restaurants in Istanbul take a "chipless" card?

As someone who has cruised a lot on many cruise lines, those on this forum who think NCL is at the bottom of the cruising food chain are dead wrong, at least in my opinion. I'd rather cruise on NCL than Royal Caribbean, and you couldn't pay me to cruise on Carnival. This is based on actual cruising experiences, not "what I heard". Admittedly I cruise in Haven and suite cabins on NCL, so I'm used to the best experience that NCL offers, and it easily outdistances what Royal and Carnival have to offer in the higher end categories.

Let's recalibrate... Bottom of the Food Chain (of the major lines): COSTA

You will like it! Just a warning. The journey from the airport (Yes they do pick you up) takes the best part of an hour. We were taken "all round the houses" and we are not sure if this is standard or just a quirk of the driver. I am telling you this because because I got a bit panicky. I thought we were being kidnapped!!! :eek:

All was well, of course, and the welcome at The White House is second to none.

Thanks for the warning! We'll drop breadcrumbs all along the way just in case.

The White House Hotel in Istanbul looks good on Tripadvisor so we're staying there for the Rivieria September 27th "Greek Isles" cruise 3-days before the cruise starts. They pick you up at the airport also, if you stay 3 nights or more. it's also a lot less expensive than the Intercontinental, I believe. But the intercontinental is probably more "posh."

I too dislike watermelon, but because it was so recommended, had the duck & watermelon salad in Red Ginger and absolutely.... loved it! Also would recommend the Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass in Red Ginger.

The MDR had beef Wellington one night with Maidera sauce and it was better then I make myself (yes, I love to cook) with a tender, flaky crust (not a dense doughy pie crust and also not the puff pastry you're used to either) and tenderloin that absolutely melted in your mouth.

Be sure to go to the 4PM teas and DON'T FILL UP there, but be sure to have one of their daily crepes, like crepes Suzzettes, or crepes pineapple that they make with real liquor and fresh squeezed lemons/oranges while you watch.

The "sides" at Polo (and you can get some of the same ones elsewhere on the ship) like the potatoes au gratin, and the creamed spinch (thought I detected just a hint of nutmeg in them...) were so oustanding that they deserve mention along with the entrees.

It's like France, "it's hard to find a bad meal" on Oceania.

I agree with the assessments here that Uniworld and Oceania are comparable in terms of clientele, service, amenities and ambiance (save the one big difference of a much smaller river ship than a larger Oceania ship with many more venues).

But there is a difference in Uniworld from Oceania in terms of food. Oceania (quality and variety of food) can't be beat. Uniworld food, we thought was pretty close to Celebrity, if not a small "touch below" probably because of the small ship/galley of a river ship (not nearly the variety of that on an Oceania ship) and their proclivity to offer food from the area you're cruising in which tends to be things like "goulash" if in Hungary, "wiener schnitzel" if in Vienna, etc. So if you are a foodie, you will find just a little less quality and variety on Uniworld. However, I believe among the river cruise lines some of the best food is found on Uniworld compared to the others.

The tours with Uniworld (included in your basic fare!) are quite a "plus" being conducted by locals with lots of enthusiasm and knowledge. Whereas Oceania's tours are so expensive compared to all the other lines that we never take them. That's another difference between the two of them.

And of course, "no days at sea" is one of the attractions of a Uniworld cruise if you like ports and sight-seeing.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how similar Oceania and Uniworld are.

Just go with what we regulars say and ignore it! Don't get bent out of shape.

 

But for people who want to use the "free" air fare, THAT can be worth it. (We tend not to but we have on occasion. We prefer the credit and then book our own. But in some destinations it's worth a deviation fee.)

 

Mura

We just saved about $500 by not using the "free air" since we wanted to stay 3-days before and 3-days after the cruise in Istanbul & Athens. So when you added up Oceania's "give-back" for the so-called free air and their "deviation" costs for flying out 3-days early I was able to book this myself with acceptable flight-plans over and back for $500 less. But you're right, in some cases it may be better to use the "free air."

Gus is still in business. We went there Feb 8 while on the Oceania Riviera ship and took his 7-Altars and Las Velas Beach tour. I would not recommend it... There is no water coming over the "falls" at the 7-altars although we knew this would likely be the case since it's not the rainy season. But it's a VERY difficult hike up these 7 pool over rough, rocky (very large rocks) ground and four of our group of 20 had to turn back. Also the Las Velas Beach part of the tour was VERY trashy... Lots of trash had washed up along the beach. It is a very small beach and the water was totally opaque... you couldn't see anything in it at all... it was kind of muddy. Not a good beach at all!

Maybe things are different in other seasons, but that's what we found when we were there.

Only "plus" was the delicious lunch Gus served at his Hotel... fantastic local fish with a mango salsa or some-such accompaniment. If it weren't for that, it might have been a total loss.

It was also interesting walking around the town of Livingston, although it's a very poor town, and quite dirty with mangy dogs everywhere -- so people that are looking for a nice, clean touristy place... forget about it. But if you want to see how the lower 1% live, this is the tour for you.

Wow! I just came across this thread after I posted a question comparing Hal's food to O's. Looking at these pictures gave me the answer that I have been looking for.

 

Thanks

Great Thread! We just got off the Feb 3 - 13 Rivieria cruise and now 1-1/2 weeks later I'm actually able to start eating again. This thread is priming me for the September 27, 2015 Greek Isles cruise on Riveria we're going on next.

I noted that the OP mentioned the lobster at the Waves Grill was sometimes "rubbery." That's because the lobster there is "Caribbean Lobster," NOT the Maine Lobster that is served in the evening restaurants. The Caribbean (warm-water) lobster is also a little bit "dirty tasting" compared to the cold-water Maine lobster. Big difference in both taste and texture.

I suspect the worriers are in the minority. The September 27th, 2015 Greek Isle Cruise on Rivieria (Istanbul to Athens) only has wait lists available. I know... we had to wait to get on it.

I have considerable experience in Food...studied at Cordon Blu and CIA... in my younger days. Oceana is too those standards. Classic presentation well done and well presented.......

This my comment, when ever I read the comment" inedible" that sets the complaint in a very special class. One in which the Princess and the Pea resides.

 

Rick has a "very specific" idea of good cuisine that is his and his alone. Rick had very specific personal ideas not shared by most. Not that they are wrong..only confined to his personal attitude.

That's fine... but it is no way a reflection of what is reality for others.

Food is top quality.

To complain about frozen food is to bare ones personal knowlwdge or lack thereof, steeped in a faulty or distorted word of mouth; One of the great urban myths around. My reality is a flash frozen meat or fish will always surpass a fresh product that has to lay on ice for 24 to 36 hours !!!

 

I live near La quinta and Palm Springs and can fairly say there isn't a restaurant in the region that come close to Oceania ... not in any cuisine except Mexican!

 

I have sailed Regent too....and let me say this...if you find something grossly awful... I suggest a visit to the mirror to discover the real problem .

The reality is that. Oceiana To me over 43 days provided flawless product

 

Oh, amigo...proper fish and chips is not served with tarter sauce but malt viniger... unless you consider Long John Silvers the standard.

Add my vote to Hawaii Dan's! Just got off Riviera (first time on Oceania) from the Feb 3-13 sailing from Miami. Before this we liked Celebrity food best, but now hands-down it's Oceania's food (Never been on Silversea, Seaborn or Regent though). Compared to all the other lines we’ve been on (see profile below) Oceania would have to win hands-down, unless you do not really know your “foodie stuff” and just like pizza & beer, or you just had a bad day when reporting. I think the vote tally here from the various respondents tells a more accurate story for the majority of cruisers than the OP’s singular experience.

I've (Dave) been cooking for 30 years now as a hobby and make my own Hollandaise sauce, souffles, beef Wellington, various Mole sauces, Cocquille St. Jacques, etc. I've never had better food on a ship than on Riviera. And we sailed on QE2 in 1987 when you could order off the menu (that WAS classic cooking, of course). I’ve eaten “inventive food” several times on shore, including in France a few years ago, and most of them were badly conceived, too “messy with complexity,” and just not a good combination of tastes and textures. Once in a great while you get something new that is actually worthy to repeat. But I don’t think cruise ships are at all into evolutionary creativity in the culinary department, nor should they be. If you want that, go to a 3-star Michelin restaurant.

As to inventive cooking, if “new cuisine” is “foam” and “vertical food,” then count me out! They are just plain goofy and are fads, as are many of the new cuisine styles just meant to get people to pay a lot of money for something with no real merit or lasting value. But as far as “classic food” goes on Oceania: I wouldn't consider Miso glazed sea bass as "classic." Nor Duck & Watermelon Salad, nor an artichoke/truffle/Parmesan timbale appetizer.

And as for the classics, there’s a reason they’re classic… they’re the best tried-and-true dishes that keep their appeal. But the classics can either be done well, or done badly and Oceania does all of the classics beautifully! That should be the main message here. Their Beef Wellington was better than I make… melt-in-your-mouth medium-rare tenderloin in a mushroom/fois-gras-pate coating covered by a flaky (mine is always more pie-crusty… that’s why Oceania’s is better than mine) crust. And a great Maderia sauce with it.

Classic lobster was available in the MDR and specialty restaurants every night and was always Maine Lobster, which is 100% better than the Caribbean lobster you get on all the other lines. I’ve never been on a line (even Celebrity) that had lobster more than one, or two nights at the most. It was prepared a number of different ways on the cruise and drawn-butter was always “on the side” if you didn’t want to dip it. To be fair, the MDR for lunch and the Waves Grill by the pool did have Caribbean lobster for their entrees and sandwiches and it was very chewy and a little “gamy” tasting, but it wasn’t advertised as Maine lobster in the first place.

All Oceania’s food offerings were varied (like desserts… On Costa they are ALL gelatin!) and are made with rich, home-made stocks and things like caramel that was made by actually cooking the raw sugar themselves (I can tell because I make it at home myself). Their crepe suzettes were wonderful with Grand Marnier and fresh-squeezed orange and lemon juice in the caramel sauce. How can you beat that? Most of their dishes are complex preparations that use only the freshest ingredients that you just don’t find on the other lines in my estimation. Just a little more interesting and bolder spicing and herbing on Oceania than on any of the others. It’s not all perfect: Caesar salad does need some fresh-squeezed lemon juice added, in my opinion to make it more “bright.”

And speaking of “non-foodie items” they even have things like chocolate malted shakes by the pool that I have not found on other lines (no malted). And also by the pool -- fascinating “riffs” on hot dogs and hamburgers with an excellent quality meat (like hot dog with chopped shrimp, crispy onions and a great mayonnaise-y sauce on it). So even some of the pool food is not classic!

My taste buds have never had such a good time as on this 10-day cruise. Day after day of great and different dishes. I hope NCL doesn’t change any of this in the future. If you’ve never been on Oceania before you have NOTHING to worry about.

Just got off the Riviera yesterday (first time on Oceania).

Everyone here has the right answers:

1. Red Ginger is not "hot" spicy, but is very flavorful and delicious.

2. We always ate at 6:30PM and could always get exactly the kind of table we wanted since that's the beginning of the serving time in the MDR and all tables are free at that second.

3. By all means, make sure you get to the Grand Buffet (they call it a Grand Brunch). They will seat you and give you a menu, but if I were you, I'd ignore the menu (you would be ordering an egg dish or some-such main course), give it back to the server, and head right for the buffet tables to have a look-see and select from that. There is so much variety and quality at the buffet tables that you'd be too full from the entree you ordered from the menu to sample the many items from the buffet that you need to taste to get the full appreciation for all the work they do.