Sthrngary

This thread kind of went away from the OP's question. "What did your guarantee end up with?" (Paraphrased). On the other threat on this topic, many folks commented that got a small upgrade (PH3 to PH1), other got an obstructed view, others got the same category that their guarantee was purchased on. Most said that the assignment was the week before the sailing or even the day before. One person said a week before the final payment was due. Although there are a lot of opinions on how to handle a guarantee stateroom on Oceania, being ok with the worst stateroom in your category was the wisest opinion. Since on Oceania, booking a Guarantee does NOT give you a price advantage, many say it is foolish. The idea becomes a bit more appealing when you book a 4-Catigory upgrade to a Guarantee for best value. You could still get the Worst Stateroom in that category and have no recourse or just what the luck draws. Reading this and other topics on Guarantee's give those folks that booked it, some other options that have been stated many times by frequent Oceania Cruises. First, as the 90 days point when full payment is dues and real heavy penalties kick in, some folks cancel their reservations. You could call Oceania and see what the cost would be to get one of those now open staterooms. Second, after final payment, see if any staterooms open up and do the same as option one. The timing of after Oceania has their final payment may offer new opportunities. Any brand want to finalize their paid staterooms and can't know what the final result could be without requiring final payment. Third, just let it happen normally and remember, we all agreed for the worst stateroom in that category. All of our hopes are for a modest upgrade but we knew the deal when we did it. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@china addict I hope you will post from onboard the Riviera that week. I will be going on when you come off on November 9, 2023. I also get what you are saying. I used to study companies and their culture. Culture is everything in strong brands. One such example was Toyota and Lexus. They have something called the "Toyota Way". Part of this culture is to always look for ways to "reduce cost without negatively effecting quality". That is the trick and with all the comments about food quality and service on reviews recently, it seams like Oceania has not yet mastered the balance. For folk like myself who never sailed Oceania before, it is all NEW. We are just looking for improvement mainly from Mainstream Brands. What we will notice is over worked crew members especially on sea days and food quality. As it related to steak being over cooked, that is a staffing issue. My hope is that some of these issue will selfishly work themselves our for you and myself over the next 90 days. That is my hope anyway. Attitude is everything in life and mine is the "Glass is always half full with Vodka". Cruise well and enjoy every moment. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Sometimes. At the rate you have, you have a great deal/approach. The upgrade bid might be a better option. Please let me know what happens. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@SoloAlaska I am sure you most likely know some of what I am going to share but just in case, here is some information. When you are on NCL, they do the bid program. When you are a Solo, you still pay for two double occupancy. So you bid $100.00 to get to a balcony. If you win, you pay $200.00. I would not recommend you bid up to the Haven on the Gem. It is a small ship which is nice but does not have a full Haven. The other way to work with NCL is sometimes, when the ship is not filled, they take categories and don't have a double occupancy requirement. I did one solo cruise. I did this in 2022, on the NCL Joy in a Club Balcony Suite where my fare was $800 instead of $1,600. That was a nice surprise and the suite was lovely. Always test prices even on the cruise you are on. Many call this doing a mock booking. You never know, you could get lucky like I did. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

"To upgrade or not to upgrade, that is the Question?" First cruise 44 years ago was my honeymoon. We sailed the SS Norway and the brand was Norwegian (now none as NCL). We were in a Inside Stateroom with bulk beds. Romantic right? We thought so at the time because it was our first real vacation as adults. Fast forward, my second to last cruise was in the H2 Haven Deluxe Owners Suite with Large Balcony. Now that is a transition. Over the years we edged up every couple of years to a nicer stateroom. No were to go after the Owners Suite or is there. My next cruise in the Mediterranean is in a Vista Suite on Oceania Cruises. Actually bigger and more luxurious than the Haven Owners Suite. My point is I know about upgrading. Let me start by saying, I have not paid full retail going price for the biggest upgrades like the Haven Owners Suite or the Vista Suite. They were VERY expensive don't get me wrong, but not full freight as one might say. Having had the experience I can say with clarity, these big suites are nice but not necessary. If they can be obtained at a discounted upgrade amount, they are a memory you will not soon forget. Even more so if you are traveling with guests whom can enjoy these huge suites with you if only for the veranda. My opinion on upgrades is simple. Do the math. If it fits in your budget, if it is something you always wanted to do, it you like bigger suites I say go for it. Just remember, after the initial shock and excitement of how big everything is compared to other staterooms you have had, it just becomes your cabin. So here is my best take on how to approach the subject of upgrades. NCL: My wife and I did an NCL cruise December 2022. My lovely bride won the NCL slot tournament on the cruise before and this was the final $100,000 winner take all contest. My wife lost in the first round. We were staying in what is called a Club Balcony Suite. We usually stay in a Haven Suite which is their Ship-Within-A-Ship concept. They sent us a link to "Bid" for an upgrade to the Haven with lots of suites to choose. I bid on all I could but was careful not to bid if it was not somewhat of a deal. We lost all the bids. The moral of the story is Bidding does not guarantee an upgrade. If you want the Haven, just book it. Crystal Cruises: I had a standard balcony stateroom, Just before the cruise, I was given a "Paid Upgrade" opportunity. It was Highly Discounted and it was done because the ship was less than 1/2 filled. I ended up with a Penthouse Suite was the second largest suite on the ship. The suite was nice but the butler made the cruise. Oceania Cruises: I booked a Penthouse using a four category upgrade promotion. I learned here on CruiseCritic.com that if you have your travel agent tell Oceania you were open to a "Paid Upgrade" opportunity, they would contact if it the opportunity became available. Long story on this one that gets me in all kinds debates online so I will not go down that path. What I will say is I was able to gain a paid upgrade and be in the Vista Suite which is the second largest suite on the ship. So you can simply book your suite, bid on a suite or take a paid upgrade opportunity if provided. Use good business judgement. Don't let you emotions go wild thinking having this huge suite will be the ultimate. It nice but if you visualize it as perfect in every way, you will be disappointed. The one category I did not talk about a is Free Upgrade. The reason is you have a better chance winning a lottery than getting a legitimate complementary upgrade especially to a Penthouse. Have I ever gotten one, YES. Was it easy, NO. Was it worth the effort, NO. Would I go down that path again, NO. The facts are, book your stateroom and simply be happy. When the notion of a upgrade is on your mine and you don't get it. The cruise can lose some value for you. I know, that is how I have felt. I hope this helps some who are new. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

As I promised to do, here are the results of my observation with 97 days until our cruise. For about a week, all staterooms at every level showed "Waitlist" on our voyage. Just out of curiosity, I went to the guest contract and read the cancellation policy again. My logic was to determine when the most about of guest currently booked might choose not to pay the balance at 90 days out. Interesting read by the way, I have had no issue falling asleep at night when I try to read this crazy long and detailed document. Back to the point, business logic tells me, the majority of cancelation will happen on day 90. Even though the penalty for the deposit went into effect at 120 days out. About five days ago, two Oceania Suites and one Owners Suite became available. That was an interesting find. I would have thought with a higher penalty for those suite, they would have been solid but I was wrong. I am posting today, 97 days out because this was the first time that some of those who posted on this stream said their Guarantees had been filled. My gut tells me, Oceania on a ship that is filled, will clear Guarantee's after 90 days out or when full payments have been received. The majority to be filled the week prior to sailing. That is my observations to this point. Just interesting how it all works. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

GREAT balanced and fair review. Many people that are responding are faithful Oceania Guests. I on the other hand am a member of the soon to be NEW Oceania Guest. Why is this distinction so important. Maybe I can make my point by sharing my personal definition of Luxury Cruising. "Luxury Cruising is a cruise that is more luxurious that my past experiences?" So if my past cruising experience was Carnival Cruises, luxury would be improved personalized service, dining, staterooms, bars and so on. The criteria is meet by simply being an improvement to past experience. That is NOT websters definition, it is mine. So as a new guest, I am not going to compare any aspect of my upcoming Oceania Cruise to anything other than the other cruise lines I have been on. Now that sets up my comments on this review. When you know that certain dishes in a specific restaurant is not good, we new folks don't order them. When it is not the first time we hear this complaint like with over done steak, when we order we are very specific and want the waiter to standby while we cut our steak. The same as in any good steak restaurant. When we hear the bread bowl is lovely, we look forward to it. When we hear some times folks are messy in the Aquamar Spa Terrace, we are not surprised to see it when and if it happens. We might even disagree that it is a bad thing that someone is in the Spa Terrace and might have had a few drinks. Being disrespectful to other guest and leaving a mess is unacceptable. Having one to many drinks while respecting other is just fine. Last I heard this is a vacation. It is disappointing to hear the Chair Hogs are alive and well on Oceania. The unique thing about cruises is you can be on the same ship, going to the same locations and doing three consecutive week cruises. Each cruise will be different, each cruise guests will be unique. That is the best part of cruising, the differences. To the author, bravo. You did a lot of work. Every new guest to Oceania should read your review twice. Managing Expectations is the key to increased enjoyment from a cruise vacation. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Yes

You are in a Princess Cruises blog and I have no idea what Premium is. My area of expertise does not include Princess. However, I have heard only great things about the brand. I would call back and get another agent to verify what was said. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@CrossM2 At your budget, the world is at your feet. Go to NCL and Celebrity websites. Look at the different Caribbean destinations. Choose a date and look at the Haven on NCL or Retreat on Celebrity. Only go on their newer, bigger ships. NCL Bliss, Encore, Joy, Viva. On Celebrity choose the Beyond Class of newer ships. Check the prices. Warning, the Haven and Retreat are Suites Only area with private Restaurant, Bar, Sundeck, Pools and Hot tubs. If your guest don't do the Haven or Retreat, your group will not eat together or have the same availability of VIP areas. I hope that helps. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@CrossM2 Since it is your 50th, all you have to tell me is where you want to go. I understand how you feel about being out of cruising for a while. I also need a budget. I have been cruising for a long time and some of what has happened in cruising really was not to my liking. So about 6 years ago, I bit the bullet and did an NCL Haven Cruise. Now I put the Haven in the same category as MSC Yacht Club and the Celebrity Retreat. All are a private area on a bigger ship that is exclusive. Lots of video's on these area's but it is a premium price. It you are laid back and just want to chill, If you don't need waters slides or Broadway shows, then my advice would be Oceania or Viking. When you go from Mainstream Cruise brands to Premium-Plus/Luxury, you are treated consistently throughout the ship regardless of you stateroom. I am 66, love the Haven but going on a 10 day Mediterranean Cruise and the cost is actually less than the VIP sections mentioned on main stream brands. Food it better, service is better and the bars close at 11 ish because most of the cruises are port intensive. Two choices, depending on a lot of variables only you can outline. Give me more information and I can assist you better. In closing, I used to cruise for the lowest price. As time went on I wanted more from my experience. Now I cruise less but pay a bit more and the things that started to bother me are gone. Hope that all makes sense. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I am also known as the grumpy old man. I might be old, but I’m not grumpy, and anybody that says I am, it’s just mean. Maybe I’m a little grumpy.

Southern Gary. The call me just Gary. Funny, I am from NY. Yet live in the South. Anyway, another interesting event on a cruise.

@susiesan I am glad you got this offer and very happy you shared it with all of us. You opened up conversation that is interesting. Why this could have happened or what could have caused Oceania to do a special offer like this. This kind of information for me is a gold mine. I especially like the notion that Oceania might be doing to many Guarantees. After not enough guest just after covid, followed by everyone using FCC to book, the huge loans all brands had to get to stay in business. It sure seems like the job is to fill the ships even if they have to do big sales. Add to this, some of those sales were incredible and means much less folks would cancel prior to final payment. None of what I just said has any factual basis. I don't know anything and don't claim to. I do know that what I outlined seems to make logical sense. Just saying. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@Daniel A I think I see your concern. I will be cruising soon out of Athens, Greece. I also will be flying in to the port city a few days early. During my cruise, I will have a full day in Rome, Italy. I am making an assumption that your hotel is actually in Rome which is 54 miles from the Port. Below is the information I collected for how to get from the Port to City Central. Not sure it will answer your question. I hope it helps in some way. _______________________________________________________________ It is 54 miles from the cruise port to Rome. We most likely will take the bus to the train station. We need to see if Oceania Cruises has a shuttle to the train station. You can do it yourself for 3 Euro’s one way to train station. Taking the train will cost 10 Euros round trip. Use the https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html app. Easiest way. Taxi’s range from 150 to 200 Euros one way. Takes about 1 to 1.5 hours each way. Basically, the same as a train. From the port, for 3 Euros a bus will take you to the train station. The train is 5 Euros one way and 10 Euros round trip. In Rome, you must choose the stop you want to get off. Coordinate this with Tour Guide via “GetYourGuide.com”. From Cruise port to Rome is about an hour by train. It has been suggested to rent a scooter to get around the city. is about 50 Eros. NOTE: Consider looking up “GetYourGuide.com”: This is an interesting website to research. Walking, electric bikes, Electric scooters, Vespa’s, and a driver. Escalating costs. It is traditional to eat Pasta Ubana on Thursday.

@Monica887 I thought about it but passed. Some folks have the need to be considered more important than they really are. On a vacation, it not the time to effect anyone's attitude with reality. Vacation is fantasy, not reality. I know this because I was sitting on my roof deck yesterday night and tried to call my butler to bring me a Haven Cheese Burger. Than I realized I am the Butler and if I want a burger, make it myself. My bubble was burst. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@taloolabelle Don't be embarked. The majority of what I sent you relates. There is a brand new Video on YouTube.com for the Vista Ship, Vista Suite. I like the new layout very much. A couple of differences in the soaking tube in the master bathroom, no jacuzzi on the deck, the elimination of the cardio room which was a good thing, and some furniture. The Suite looked stunning. Enjoy your cruise and I look forward to hearing all about it here on CruiseCritic.com. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@Daniel A If you are sent a luggage tag from NCL in the mail they are pretty and look the best. My issue was I always fly into the port and those tags are ripped off by the luggage folks. So I bought the sleeve from Amazon which I print the tags after you can check in online (21 days prior). Now I can pre-do all my luggage tags and be done with it. In the Haven, those printed tags have the same effect as the ones they sent you which should directly answer your question. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@knscruiser322 Great balanced review. This is the kind of review that NCL should look at and learn from. Your reference to the difficulty in gaining a lounge chair by the main pool and the arguments folks have was my main reason many years ago to pay the premium in the Haven. Not all the reasons but a big one. On your reference to the attitude that some Haven Folks have is a shame. We all pay the price and no one guest is more important than another. I do have a funny story. I was on the NCL Joy, In the H2 Owners Suite but kept that quiet just so I could simply enjoy the week with my family. I am an extrovert and my wife is an introvert. From time to time I would go to the Haven Bar by myself and have a few drinks. I would engage with lots of folks. My approach is simply enjoying folks company and I rarely bring up this blog, or my understanding about the Haven. I never give my screen name unless someone asks me directly. I am on vacation and just want to enjoy it. A person next to me started to come across as the "Expert of all Experts" on all things Haven. For me this was great, I would listen while enjoying my drink and let this person put on a show. Half of what he was saying was not correct. I said nothing. He drew a crowd, and tried to be the center of attention. No one knew me at all until someone in the group said, "Well, Sthrngary on CruiseCritic.com says this and you are saying something different." What an odd feeling being quoted when no one knows I was sitting right there. this "Haven Expert" said, "Oh, Sthrngary YES. He is a good friend of mine." I know I had a stroke but I usually remember my friends. I said nothing. I just smiled. The guy left and the person that challenged the issue said, "I don't think that guy knows what his is talking about. I understand, SthrnGary is on this cruise, have you ever met him?" I said yes, "I am SthrnGary and what he said was completely wrong. However what good would it have been to call him out on it. Let him enjoy his time even if he is not the person he says he is." That really happened and thinking back on it, I was more sad for the guy then angry. The one thing I will say is we all have to find a way on Vacation to avoid at al cost drama. If I want drama, I can go to my adults daughters home and ask her about her work. I am ON VACATION NOW. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

My pleasure Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@JeanKC I have never heard that Cruise Travel Insurance was Mandatory. Always an options supported by so many who post they did not have and and got stuck with a big bill on-board. My I suggest you double check what is and is not covered with your policy. Also, there is a big difference between coverages especially compared to what most cruise lines offer. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@taloolabelle I hope you are excited as I am. I will give you below the result of my research and I think you will love it. I will change and adjust my findings after my cruise. I do a lot of writing prior to cruise so it is easy to change and adjust prior to final posting. There is a video on YouTube by a travel agent that is Suite 12001. The suite has not changed like the renovations of other suites on the Riviera. Look up the video. Hear is the research I have done. Hope you like it. The Vista Suite for my wife and me was a pleasant comedy of errors. We originally booked a Concierge Stateroom which was upgraded with the 4-Catigory Upgrade promotion to a PH3 Guarantee Penthouse. Fast forward to the “Extraordinary Sales Event” in which we received a huge reduction in fare cost for the PH3 Guarantee. I then asked my travel agent to call Oceania for a guest “Paid” upgrade to a “Vista Suite” because the Oceania Suites Level were waitlisted, the Owners Suites were way too much suite and expense. There were two (2) Vista Suites left. A mistake was made in quoting the upgrade price by the Oceania representative, and the original upgrade amount was NOT honored. Mistakes happen and I did NOT get upset or harbor resentment. I wrote a very kind, thoughtful and professional letter/email. It resulted in gaining another paid upgrade offer, higher cost than the original which I accepted immediately. Win/Win situation for Oceania Cruises and myself. On to the elusive and luxurious “Vista Suite”. A small back story. Two years ago, I cruised on the NCL Joy with my family in the (H2) Haven Deluxe Owners Suite with Large balcony. This was the result of four (4) Covid-19 cancellations applying Future Cruise Credits (FCC) and discounts. I thought at the time, this was “IT” for me. I would never have as grand a cruise suite, ever again. I was WRONG! The “Vista Suite” is a marked improvement in many ways compared to the NCL (H2) Haven Owners Suite. The Vista’s entire square footage of the suite and veranda is 1,657. Depending on the deck, the measurement increases and decreases. My first home 44 years ago was 800 sf. The Vista veranda is 652 making the actual suite 1,005 sf. As you walk into this Vista Suite, you will find a “Full” second bathroom with a rainforest shower head. As you move forward to the main room, it opens to one of the nicest living spaces I have ever seen on a cruise ship or any luxury hotel. It had a Great Room, large butler’s pantry/bar, dining room table with four (4) chairs. The quality of the furnishings was instantly notable. The decorations and art were the real deal. The lighting was automated with a legend showing the lighting scene modes. The entire suite was wired with a Bose Sound System for music and surround sound for movies. Storage in this suite was no issue and almost ridiculous. When you book an Oceania, Vista, or Owners Suite it comes with a Suite Bar Menu. You can order six (6) full bottles of spirits and or wine using the Suites Bar Menu and provide your selections to your 24/7 butler or the pre-cruise ship concierge. Waiting for you in your suite is a fresh fruit basket which is replenished daily. To the side of the couch was a standing ice bucket with a bottle of real French Champagne (Blue Label) chilling. Petit fours were on the coffee table with a bowl of individually wrapped Werther's Original candies. Each day between 04:00 PM and 05:00 PM, a small plate of delicious canapes was provided. You can choose what you like with a special menu in the suite. You share your preferences with your butler. Vista Suite has two (2) devices for unlimited (non-streaming) internet (As of July 1, 2023, the “Simply More™ program includes two (2) devices for all staterooms). You can upgrade to streaming for $10.00 per day, per device. In general, I was impressed with the little bits of attention to detail in the suite. NOTE: When comparing the high-end suites from Mainstream Cruise brands to a Premium-Plus/Luxury brand like Oceania show subtle differences. Little niceties that you can almost miss. I appreciate that kind of attention to detail. The master bedroom was a king-sized bed, you have the Sweat Dreams™ pillow menu to choose from, a glass makeup table with chair in the corner of the room, and the actual bedroom is much larger than any other master bedroom I have ever stayed in on a cruise ship. The walk-in closet was more than any two (2) people would ever need. I personally loved the two (2) sets of robes, heavy long and light short plus Oceania Slippers. Again, little things make a difference. The master bath was also extremely impressive. It has a huge vanity with double sink, rainforest shower head, bidet, and most importantly an extra-large jacuzzi soaking tub. This soaking tub is larger than in the Oceania Owner’s Suite. On the counter are bath salts, high-end toiletries, and a Bulgari™ gift box to take home of the luxury bath products. To the side is a small exercise room with two (2) machines facing a flat screen TV. To the other side was an Oceanview window. This specific exercise room for us was a bit of a waste but used for the storage of the Veranda lounge chair cushions when the weather was bad. Oceania provides three (3) bags of laundry with 20 items per bag with a three-day turn-around, during our voyage. You can press four (4) items on or before day three of your cruise. You also have access to a full laundry facility with detergent on many floors. That was a godsent. I hate packing dirty clothes. The huge wrap-around veranda was a showstopper. An outdoor dining room table for four, two plush lounge chairs (We had two additional chairs added for our friends joining us in a Penthouse Suite) and around the side, two more chairs with a wonderful outside Jacuzzi Tub not longer has an outdoor TV set. On one of the chairs was an Oceania Beach Terrycloth bag and some other items as a gift. The suite is on the “Bow” of the ship with the same view as the captain’s bridge. As a matter of fact, Deck 12 is just above the captain’s bridge and below the Aquamara outdoor spa. There was NO noise with a few exceptions I will outline below. Some areas of concerns were, · The location of the veranda is a mixed blessing. While the ship is cruising fast, it is too windy to be outside. When coming into or out of ports; it is lovely and relaxing. · The bow thrusters can be a bit annoying when docking or when leaving the dock, but it only lasts a very short time. · Some decks with Vista Suites were asked to close their curtains at night because the light distracted the bridge. The exception was the Vista Suites on Deck 12 because they were above the bridge. Remember, much of this will change when we complete our cruise. I hope it will help you. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Want to Select a Cruise Brand? Research and Ask Questions! Every cruise brand has positives and negatives. They can not be perfect for every guest. Always reminds me of Ford and Chevy Trucks. Both trucks about the same size with the same stuff. Some folks will only purchase Chevy and other only Ford. My approach is to go to the brand board on CruiseCritic.com I am interested in, in my recent case it was Oceania Cruise, and read all the posts. Engage and ask questions. Make a list of what you learn. Something will suit you others will not. When the cruise is very expensive, look at what all the brands you are interested in provide including the investment. The best think you can do is know what you are paying for so you won't be disappointed. My last comparison was Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Viking, SeaBourne, SilverSeas, Oceania Cruises and the VIP sections of NCL, Celebrity and MSC. When I was done, I could see very clearly which cruise brand provided the best value proposition. I also learn all about each cruise brand. Making a booking decision was that much easier with the knowledge base. The down side it the time to research. The upside is you greatly reduce making an expensive mistake. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

A person for my own heart. Your options are Credit Card, Vacation Insurance if purchased and Oceania brand. Good luck and please report back. A word of advice. Many will discourage you saying they did what you are doing and it did not work. Other that have never tried like to come across as experts saying it won't work. Stay focused, never lose your temper, stick to the facts and how it made you feel. Always suggest with Oceania what you feel is a realistic solution to your issue. You can do it. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@PinonNoir The word for the day is a balanced honest review. These come in different forms. The first is someone who has cruised the brand before and has a foundation of what to expect. The second is someone who has never cruise before and this voyage is a step up in cruising class. No foundation above Mainstream Cruising. The Third is someone who has cruise Ultra-Luxury and compares every aspect of any other brand based on the Ultra Luxury Experience. Your review falls into category #1. You had a foundation of knowledge and you compared the reviewed experience to past experience. Very helpful both the Pro/Cons. New cruisers to Oceania like myself have no foundation of knowledge from real experiences. What we do with reviews like yours is learn from them. Will we have lobster, yes but we will not on the last night. If it comes out tough, will we be upset. No, we knew that was a possibility when we ordered it. Learned Behavior. Missed Ports are a thing. Seems like to new folks a high likely hood of happening. If it does happen, will we be disappointed, sure. But knowing what we know now, we logically know it could happen. If it does not, it exceeds our expectation. My point is, by knowing the down side, even if the experiences are debated by others on the same sailing, gives new people to Oceania, a frame of reference. Don't do this, watch out for this, let people all get off the ship on the last day and simply enjoy a longer lunch on deck if you can spare the time. "A cruise with NO issues does not exist. If you know what some of the controllable issues are, you can avoid them. That makes for a cruise with LESS issues." Cruise well and enjoy every moment.