NeedToChill

I was on Regatta earlier this month for a week. My experience is below, but this is so obviously an issue that will vary from person to person and cruise to cruise, there's hundreds of people on board and they can't possibly get everything exactly right and exactly the same for everybody all the time.

And some people are more fussy than others, which is probably the biggest variable.

Chicken Kiev in the grand dining room one night was so overdone it was practically inedible. Otherwise the grand dining room was quite pleasant. And I bet some other people that night had some delicious Chicken Kiev but clearly not everybody.

Our meal in Polo was perfect and possibly the second best steak I've ever had.

Toscana was a nicer restaurant environment than Polo but we thought the food was not quite as good, though the lasagna was very delicious, and an excellent appetizer to share, but a whole dish of that and I don't think I would eat another thing for a day.

--Julian

On 3/25/2023 at 11:50 PM, RJB said:

Don't see any separation at all.  Need a curtain that pulls across to make a dual space. 

The old layout had that: https://www.cruisecritic.com/photos/ships/riviera-607/penthouse-suite-311074/penthouse-suite--v14123587/

The new layout post refurbishment feels much more spacious, in my opinion, never having actually been inside the previous layout, just judging by the pictures.

--Julian

So true! I think the lights are new post refurbishment (?).

I never sailed in the prior incarnation of the PH on Riviera, but I have to say this current setup with the full table in the corner is pretty amazing. The cabin is extremely spacious and comfortable, and versatile. I think it would have felt a bit closed in previously when they were trying to pretend it was two separate spaces.

But I can appreciate that for some people if you wanted to stay up reading, for example, while someone else was going to sleep, the separation had its uses.

--Julian

Personally, I like the carpet. 🤷🏻 But I can see how it might be an acquired taste. Considering how conservative the rest of the decor is around the ship, I think it is certainly a more avant-garde choice than would have been expected.

--Julian

8 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

Did they also leave the huge walk-in closet

They sure did, and it's got all new cabinetry and shelving. It's more like a little dressing room really, than a closet. I love it.

Personally I can't imagine having a smaller space on a long voyage. I'm uncomfortable with what that says about me. ☺️

--Julian

Hello,

Thank you to all who have posted various cabin photos previously, especially post renovation of the Riviera. To pay it forward, this is what a PH3 looks like, including a bathtub. Only a few PH3 still have bathtubs post renovation.

--Julian

Your web browser crashed. Rather than just leaving the site, close your entire web browser and even better yet restart your entire computer. Then it should work like normal when you come back.

--Julian

On 3/17/2023 at 4:13 AM, bob brown said:

I hope this treatment is not the result of the heavy debt NCLH is in…

Frankly, that at least would be a plausible justification. Otherwise, doing absolutely nothing for guests means that they simply have a standing policy to screw the customer.

--Julian

6 hours ago, Aloha 1 said:

That is perhaps the only major difference between the upper suites and the Concierge and Veranda.

That, and 50% more space, or greater (on the O class ships at least).

Thank you. Do you know for certain they're disabled or just that you cannot switch the input through the remote control?

Hello,

I'm wondering if anyone who is on or has been on the Riviera since the refurbishment in November, knows what brand the TVs in the cabins are? Thanks,

--Julian

11 hours ago, JeffElizabeth said:

We had a great cruise last March and April on this boat. Food was awesome but I am very worried about budget cutbacks. Norwegian predicts a couple tough quarters coming up. 

Only $1 billion in debt repayment due this year. If you all hurry up and buy your enhanced beverage package with the enhanced price, this will all be over soon. 😉

5 minutes ago, Jancruz said:

Wanted to try Greaves so went on Amazon but they do not have them..so sad..I will be in Vancouver in September will they have Geraves??

It's a super local place, so I don't think you'll find their stuff in Vancouver. They do sell through their own website: https://greavesjams.com/shopping/

I recommend the three fruit marmalade.

On 2/26/2023 at 6:11 PM, BWV said:

OK - so, armed with little jars of our favourite jams from a store in Niagara-on-the-Lake, we'll be ready for boarding on March 12!!  🙂

Greaves! Yummm.

Unbelievable! All these stories really make one wonder what on Earth the term "waitlist" means??

4 hours ago, soskalt1 said:

 

I've been checking the availability every day on the website. Last Saturday, there appeared to be 1 cabin open in the category that we've been waitlisted for. I called my TA and she was able to grab the cabin. Great for me, but that meant that I was able to grab it before Oceania had the chance to offer it to someone on the waitlist, which really isn't fair to the waitlisted customers. I don't think I would've gotten it had Oceania's offices been open.

A wait list if properly managed, would imply that the cabin becomes available only after everyone on the waitlist has been dealt with.

The fact that you were on the wait list but not notified, and then the cabin becomes available publicly, suggests to me that their management of wait lists is a complete joke and they ought not to bother. All the bookings and the reservation system are 100% computerized so as soon as that cabin is no longer booked, Oceania computers know about it. And if they're putting it back into the public pool without putting an automatic hold on it and consulting the wait list, then that's ridiculous. So if I were you I wouldn't feel one iota of guilt over advocating for yourself in the face of their incompetence.

Also, the fact the cabin was publicly available means that it was open season for everyone else on the wait list and anyone else in the world who might be interested. Someone's going to get that cabin, might as well be you.

--Julian

That's a lovely setup in the Oceania suite, but anyone in a penthouse on Riviera know if there's something similar? It would be lovely not to have to bring speakers.

--Julian

Slightly off topic, but FYI you can get very reasonably priced trains from Livorno Centrale station right to the heart of Florence, Firenze Santa Maria Novella station.

€41.60 for two tickets return. Versus a lot more for the excursion. But I get that many people want the excursion through the cruise line to guarantee they'll be back in time. The value of that is ephemeral but significant.

It's about a 40 minute walk from the cruise dock to the Livorno Centrale train station. Or I'm sure a brief cab ride is available.

If you're not docking in Livorno then this is not relevant of course.

https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html

--Julian

On 2/12/2023 at 11:02 PM, OhState1 said:

Any Euchre games? Letting my midwestern flag fly here.  🙂

I bet if you can find Canadians on your cruise they would play Euchre, at least if they're from Ontario.

--Julian

17 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

@NeedToChill I am booked in a Penthouse (PH3) Guarantee.  I would not think that would warrant that call but happy to have gotten it.

Yes, certainly it wasn't standard procedure eight months before our upcoming cruise, where we have a PH3, since we did not get a call. But yes, perhaps in the meantime they have instituted a new policy, which sounds very good.

When the in-laws board, they will be asked for a CC too. So unless you give them your card at that moment, I think the most practical thing is to go to the front desk once you're on board and ask them to put the charges for your in-laws account onto your credit card. The charges won't actually happen until the last day of the cruise, so you should be able to do it anytime before then.

--Julian

52 minutes ago, schmerl said:

 

I booked directly with Oceania and I didn't receive a call from the Special Services Coordinator. The OP must be special. 🙂

Same here. I'm curious what class cabin the OP is in.

Thank you!