Jockocruiser

16 hours ago, mauibabes said:

acquire 100 shares of NCLH, just for the $100-250 SBC you will get on every future NCLH line cruise

No, not good advice!

I bought 250 shares 2 years ago at $21 to qualify for that “benefit “!   O cancelled the departure.  (S. Amer. and they refunded; different times and management?)

I’m still holding and still underwater.  Very expensive SBC,

12 hours ago, pinotlover said:

  Happy Hours are great margin producers and will likely always be offered.

Isn’t it great additional revenue producers with lower margins? Makes up the difference in volume. I’ll drink to that! 🥂🍹🍺🥃

6 hours ago, Jancruz said:

I will ask her..

Jancruz1

And Dondra too?😂

enterprise level?

Any idea?

2 hours ago, Jancruz said:

Probably why they fired their President Lisa Lutoff Perlo..

Jancruz1

Fired?  Or left to pursue other opportunities?

If Richard Fain was still CEO would she be as well?

2 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

That's nice but in my experience T-Mobile has poorer service. I tried it at home and poor signal. You can't make generizations as service varies by location. All the carriers have some bad coverage areas. Since AT&T runs FirstNet, the nationwide service for first responders they tend to have a better network coverage than T-Mobile. in the US. T-Mobile is good for international travelers but I spend much more time at home than traveling out of the US. 

Wifi calling from home?

Before you step aboard for “The Finest Cuisine at Sea”?🤪😂

1 hour ago, Croooser said:

Current data point. We boarded Vista Friday and our next door neighbors seem to have their TV on all of the time when in their room and the sound comes right through  - much worse than anything that we have experienced previously. Luck of the draw for us. Why couldn't we get readers or nappers? Don't think they have the volume way up. 

 

Clearly no effort at addressing the issue during construction with whatever sound reduction materials would meet code.

 

Not sure we would gamble on Vista again despite how much we 

like everything else - it's that bad.

 

 

Drop them a note?  Explain and request they lower the volume.  Suggest they use tv close caption feature. Got ear plugs?  Buy ASAP if not.

20 hours ago, pinotlover said:

We took a different option. We traveled inland from Split and saw some fabulous countryside, then ventured on to Dubrovnik and overnighted there. The cruise ships, and their crowds, had cleared out. We had an absolutely wonderful dinner in town, then strolling the streets, with the locals. After a great day of sightseeing in the area, we returned to the ship in time for sail away. Experiencing the town after the departure of the cruise ships was well worth the costs of a hotel room! 👌🍷

@pinotloverPresume you advised ship personnel in advance that you were overnighting? 🧐

We did the Dalmatian islands a couple of years ago on a 45’ sailcat for a week. Fascinating at true sea level.

9 minutes ago, CurlerRob said:

 

Also a fundamental truth of project management ... 🍺🥌

Or….Service, Price, Quality

You can only get two

28 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Maybe they are just people that know  Oceania & how it works 😉

Welcome to CC

So there are or aren’t influencers? 

1 hour ago, Susanemac said:

We got an email from Oceania today (oct 31) advertising specials and guess what one of the specials is with availability right across the board!!! Riviera. Istanbul to Dubai with all the original stops listed. I would label this as false advertising. Even has the original name with holy land and Arabian Jewels.  

That’s pretty astounding.  Hope you retain that email solicitation.  Are there any stories in the travel trade press?  Perhaps some of these O passengers should contact travel press outlets who have contacts with cruise execs?

8 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

I wonder if, as SM slowly becomes more prevalent onboard, they may simply (pun intended) ask if you would care to have the bottle left during the meal.

One can hope!

On 10/22/2023 at 3:57 PM, AMHuntFerry said:

My goal is usually to be one of the last off the ship since I am not a morning person. The times that you need to know (assuming everything is "normal" and not running early/late). Be out of the cabin by 8 am (if you want to be kind to your cabin attendant, get out earlier and put the room-cleaning tag on the door so they know you are out..we aim for 7:30). Go have a leisurely breakfast in Terrace, then hang out in Baristas for some espresso and caneles. When the exit line thins, walk off the ship before 9 am.

We do similar.  But we don’t lug the hand held, backpack, or small rollaboards with us to breakfast.  Having packed all bags, we leave them in the closet.  I tell the room attendant s/he’s free to clean the room, & we’ll collect the bags after breakfast.  Handshake with some ca$h, big smile, and thank you follow.  Never been a problem. Glad to be one of the last off the ship whenever possible. Most of those folks are just going to be waiting at the airport longer.

Boy, I sure your IST portion of the trip occurs!  With so much happening in that part of the world, we’ll keep our fingers crossed for you.

8 hours ago, LHT28 said:

This  was our notice  delivered to the cabin the night before

too bad your cruise did not give you a notice

miami.iami.pdfpdf 989.27 kB · 28 downloads

Is there any priority or ranking based on cabin category?

Same process for lowest inside and top suites!

So does that mean that there is not any direct dedicated USB port in the room?

All hotels I’ve occupied the last several years have USB ports in desks, walls, lights, radios, clocks, etc.

    I’ve also used the USB port on the back of most TVs to charge devices.

In the BIG picture, don't these issues simply exemplify a problem of poor management - and even worse corporate communication?
    As companies grow and founders retire, larger companies acquire smaller brands, diverse groups consolidate, the ability to manage becomes increasingly difficult.  
    Synergy is often stated as reasons for corporate acquisitions.  In fact, the result frequently is a loss of key personnel, tighter budgets, different cultures, nonsensical meetings, and poor outcomes.  While you’re at it, throw in some rhetoric about ESG, CRT, BLM and climate change to really lose focus of the primary business goals.

    Only very well managed companies with superior leadership rise to the top.  Others strive to become better competitors. While some are content to earn big pay for mediocre results.

@Flatbush Flyer:  I understand that CC isn’t supposed to facilitate travel agent recommendations or solicitation, so I wasn’t looking for specific agency or agent names.  But, booking now and getting advice months later while actually on a cruise is very counterintuitive!  
 

I’m looking for superior knowledge, excellent service, keen insight, and expert advice from accessible agents who don’t have to argue with O's inept reservation and/or sales staff.  And I desire that contact NOW, not after the next cruise!
 

As you’ve confirmed, apparently there are no lists. I have found several preferred and OCC agencies and agents using different search engines, and Boolean search criteria.  I’m anxious to see the results of my search.

2 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

While you are correct that the first line of O contact for most TAs is a dedicated staffer in Miami, that person is usually still in the reservations area - but s/he is a more long serving/knowledgeable rep than you get at the general phone number. 

 

And the TA contact will still need to connect with a supervisor for certain requests related to differing opinions about policy inclusions/exclusions and, in particular, exemptions issued on a case-by-case basis.

Alas, even the TA route can get conflicting info from Miami.

IMO, the best course of action, is to use only TAs who are, at least, members of O’s Connoisseurs Club and/or, better still, an O Preferred Partner Travel Agency.
 

NOTE: if your TA is in the top tier of membership, the O Connoisseurs Club logo on their web page will have “ELITE” added to that logo). These are the folks with the best chance of getting the decisions on policy exceptions you are seeking.

@Flatbush Flyer: Per your last two paragraphs…where, pray tell, does one find a list or resource of such recognized experts?

10 minutes ago, DrKoob said:

Just a quick note about the rest of this review of our Oceania Vista cruise. We are on our last full day today. We are at sea, headed to Miami (where it is predicted to be raining and 99 degrees—how fun) tomorrow to disembark. After we tell Mike and Cathy goodbye (they live in South Florida, so they just need a car ride to get home) we will execute a plan to get the rest of us to the Fort Lauderdale airport at different times. I will also be renting a car there (but thankfully from Avis—and you can believe I checked on it) and driving. Steve and Jamie to catch their 2:51 flight back to Orange County, and then Kathleen, Jocelyn and I will grab lunch before we return the car and get on our 5:40 p.m. Alaska Air flight to Seattle.

 

My plan is to finish the review at home, where I will do a quick post on disembarkation (probably tomorrow at the airport) and then, sometime in the next few days, do a major post (with photos) about the public rooms on Vista followed up by my last post summing up and reviewing the cruise itself with a comparison with Viking Ocean. I hope you will stick around for the last couple of posts.

We’ve come this far.  You think we’re going to punt now?!😘

Are the TVs equipped with an earphone Jack?

Use an amplifier jack that transmits via Bluetooth to wireless headphones, Apple AirPods, etc. single or dual users, great for airplanes.  Better sound for the user, better for the companion or next room neighbor.

https://www.twelvesouth.com/products/airfly

disclosure: I have nothing to disclose! No financial interest whatsoever.🤪

On 10/9/2023 at 8:20 PM, clarku said:

On our last Nautica Japan cruise we brought a small travel white noise machine and used every night to block out any outside noise and it worked perfectly, never heard any unwanted noises, like passerby’s or neighbor’s TV.  Our stateroom was near elevator and were concerned.  Wife could hear elevator “ding” without noise machine, but not with, might help with this topic.

Smart phones apps provide white noise quite easily.  

7 hours ago, Acrusa said:

If it's that important and necessary disembark the port before before and fly home

Hmmm, depends on where.  I’ve done it in the long ago past, but most contracts prohibit it.  Passports held until last day is also problematic.

OH!  I thought O didn't have a craps table.  Is there one on the Marina?