PhD-iva

Here’s a picture of the small bathroom. I’m standing in the shower stall.

I’m confident you will have a great time on your cruise.
I think it it would help others to respond to you in more detail if you could provide the name of the ship and your state room category. Also, there are several different packages under which you could have purchased your your cruise. So if you could provide some detail there, it would help.

did you purchase under OLife, Simply More, did you buy a beverage package?
One thing for sure, non-alcoholic beverages are included for everyone with the exception of virgin cocktails. For example, a virgin piña colada has a cost unless you have a certain beverage package. But all coffees, teas, smoothies, waters, sodas are included in your fare.

I’m sure you will get a lot of good response to your questions.

You can take small comfort from the fact that I recall reading on these boards that in prior years, some elderly cruiser refuses to carry smart phone or use a computer and doesn’t do the online check-in. If I recall correctly, they were not denied boarding.
But protocols and procedures change, so what worked in the past might not work for you.

I think you’ve gotten good advice here that you need something in writing from Oceania that will document and demonstrate that you have the right to embark in Bordeaux.
Enjoy your cruise, and let us know how it goes for you. 

On 9/14/2024 at 8:58 AM, Dwtlion said:

A person who has been in charge of social gatherings on both Regent and Oceania told me that R has more gatherings because drinks are included in the fare, whereas on O, drinks may or may not be included. O's new fare structure may complicate this further at the solo gatherings. The O host has the drinks in their budget- more gatherings=more cost. Budget/cost is not an issue on R.

I agree that R has gatherings almost every night, whereas O's gatherings are few and far between. As a solo, I wish O would up their game.

Yes, I agree with you. The more solo gatherings that Oceania hosts, the larger the cost because the gatherings are hosted (i.e., drinks are included). 
On the other hand, I hardly even missed the solo gatherings because it was so easy every night to join a sharing table for dinner. I met so many people, and really enjoyed their company. The R ships are so small, that you would then bump into the same people all across the ship. It’s like a small neighborhood. 

Regent does a great job with solo travelers. On Mariner (Nov 2022) we had a get together every night; anyone that didn’t have plans would eat dinner together. We usually had 2 tables in Compass Rose.
Oceania could put some more effort into this area.

17 hours ago, pinotlover said:

I heard it will only be a partial release: Europe and N. America only. Won’t yet include the rest of the fleet. 
 

Will have to wait and see! 🤔

Although the release date is different than what I heard on board Sirena, yes, this is what the Cruise consultant told me. Europe and North American itineraries only.

I’m not even sure why they still make reservations at 8:00 or 8:30. IME, at 8:30 the restaurant is in effect closing down. In the past, when I was given a reservation that was at 8 o’clock or later, I went down and spoke to the Maitre’D when they first opened, and generally, I was told to come at an earlier time and they could accommodate me. Also, it does help to be willing to share a table. 
 

8 hours ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

Sorry, but I think this is another BS made up excuse. Shouldn't the answer to not being able to provide appropriate wine service to your guests have been to increase the staffing to a level appropriate for a luxury cruise line? Do you really think they would do this to discourage people from having wine with lunch and dinner?

Although this is not directly directed to your quote, it seems an appropriate response to this subtopic. I’m just off an 18 day cruise on Sirena, and I never had any difficulty getting served alcohol during the “appropriate” hours. And the wine selection I felt was better than in the past. But that’s just my subjective taste.

Also, that reminds me of one of the major reasons I left Celebrity is that pre-Covid we could not get served on Reflection. It was a scrum to get a drink at a bar. Also the food was not good. 🤯

2 hours ago, EJL2023 said:

I figured it out. 

WAIT! Please share…..

41 minutes ago, Cruzin Terri said:

I can tell you that the link does work.  Someone just emailed me about two hours ago,

if it doesn’t now, I don’t know why.

Terri

My IT skills $uck 😞

1 minute ago, EJL2023 said:

Speaking of signature lines.   I used to see these but don’t anymore. Is there a setting for this I may have turned off??

Yes, its a setting…… that’s all I know.

I can be reached at RobinKPhD at icloud dot com

3 hours ago, Cruzin Terri said:

I have an email

I am unable to email you using your hotlink (?), but you can see my email address in my signature line.

7 hours ago, Cruzin Terri said:

It looks like Junior needs to consult Daddy for some lessons on how to run a company.

This.

39 minutes ago, Marie51 said:

Please tell me your experience on a small river cruise. My son and daughter-in-law want to do that next so I’m trying to gather information about it. Thank you.

European river cruises can be wonderful, marvelous! Other regions as well.
There is a section on cruise critic that specializes in river cruising. Very different than ocean/going cruises. Much to research. Enjoy!

4 hours ago, SbbquilterUT said:

We are just back from a very nice 22 day sailing on the Insignia.  As expected the bathroom was small but that did not impact our sailing, the food was excellent and the people we met were mostly well traveled and very nice to spend time with.  We don't drink wine or beer with meals (bar bill was less than $200 total) and do not want their excursions so our Cruise Only was great for us.  Now we need to debate the price among cruise lines and decide when itinerary wins or when price influences our choice.  Did really like the size of ship even on very rough North Atlantic sea and enjoyed all the light and comfortable seating in the Insignia lounge to read or do needlework.

Good to hear. I am thinking about moving one of my booked on board reservations to an Insignia itinerary. My other reservation went through the Red Sea. Probably not gonna happen….

What incompetence. I understand the need for price increases, but it seems like the nepotistic appointment of Junior has resulted in a schizophrenic swing between Simply More and Simply Less.

If anybody can p1ss off Flatbush Flyer, the MOST blatant cheerleader for Oceania (and I say this with much love and respect), then they have really lost it!! Doesn’t say much for the Marketing Department either.

I’m glad for anyone who feels they benefit from this pricing structure change; I just feel that it is a poor reflection on C-suite leadership (or lack thereof).

I have 3 more ressys on O, and am bringing new-to-O family with me on one. Not sure what will happen after that……

I’m back from 19 days on Oceania’s Sirena. Food, service, wine - all great! I indulged myself and spent almost NO time in the gym. BUT! I walked 10K + steps every day and climbed TWO mountains (almost killed me! 😵‍💫).
Also, at meals I think I must have talked a lot because I usually didn’t have enough time to finish my dish before others’ were being cleared. I didn’t want to slow the pace and always said I was also finished. I made up for it by having ice cream after most lunches.

Over 19 days, I gained 3 pounds, and lost them quickly once I was back home……

So, I recommend talking a lot!

3 hours ago, edgee said:

……fewer specialty restaurants a deal breaker. Others disagree.

I am one that disagrees. Am back from a 19-day itinerary on Sirena. I was so pleased with meals (food, service, wines) in the GDR that I only asked for extra specialty ressys when invited to have dinner with a friend. But then, I admit I am easy to please…..

Others may disagree with me. 

21 minutes ago, clo said:

I've liked the entire concept of the NoNos.

I blame the NoNos for everything!! 😆

1 hour ago, iowananny said:

We were on Nautica a little more than a month ago on a Baltic cruise.  The bars were always crowded during happy hour.  It was hard to find a table in Martinis.  There didn't seem to be a shortage of passengers who liked the atmosphere of a bar and not drinking their own liquor in their room.  

 

My husband took a tour one day to an old Soviet missile site in Lithuania.  I had no interest in this and stayed on the ship during that day.  Most people had to be out doing something because for the most part the ship was pretty empty during most of the day.  Yes, there were some people there for lunch but it sure wasn't that many.  We did take four Oceania excursions that were provided with SM.  We've taken their tours in the past and I don't remember ever being unhappy.  Of course, some were better than others.   And sometimes we just walk around or have a taxi show us around.  We've reached the age where we can't do physically intense tours every day on a port intensive cruise.  

 

I know many on this site want the absolute best price ever.  I really think there are many who want everything Oceania provides but at a Carnival price.  But I think my husband and I are in the majority of most of Oceania's customers.  If we see an itinerary we like, it's a good time for us and we can afford it we book it.  Yes, we have cruised with Carnival.  I get casino discounts and while we prefer Oceania we have had fun on Carnival, especially in the casino. 

 

You have to remember only a small percentage of those on any cruise ever read Cruise Critic and will probably book despite this new change.  We have two cruises booked now and will probably book more.  And we might try some other cruise lines if we see something we like.

 

We don't worry a lot about our cabin.  We have had an inside cabin but also a concierge.  We enjoyed both cruises.  In April we're going to try a PH, just because the price wasn't that much higher than a balcony on Vista.

 

It's so much fun to complain and I know I'm just as guilty as the next guy.  We've had so much fun cruising.  Sometimes I have to pinch myself and remember a little girl growing up in Iowa whose biggest goal was to go to Paris someday.  I've been to Paris at least ten times.  When I think of all the places I've been it's is amazing.  And I didn't have to join the Navy.

IowaNanny, I agree that bars, especially Martinis are full during happy hour and before dinner. I returned on 28 August from Sirena. I went to Horizons after dinner a few times, and there were very few people there after dinner.

Oh just to let you know, we have an 11:30 boarding time, and you’ve “watched “ the security video….

🤪

Thank you for your response. I fussed with this for quite a long time this morning, and it was very frustrating. After a while, I got my boarding pass via email.
Not the best way to run a railroad.

On 5/11/2024 at 6:15 PM, daydreamer62 said:

Actually the trick was to use an Iphone - it wouldnt work with my Samsung, nor with an uploaded photo on my laptop but it did work using my husbands iphone - go figure!!

Thank you for this tip, unfortunately, it did not work for me.

OK, so I’ve tried multiple times to take my photo as part of the online check-in process. Frustrating process, and am not able to take and upload an acceptable photo although it does not tell me why my photo is not sufficient to proceed.
Even if I select “skip the photo”, I cannot get my boarding pass. Any tips? BTW, I tried Oceania’s chat function, and it was pathetic and useless.

No more Simply More is a price increase, so book your 2027 cruises when first released later this month.

(Is that still the schedule for the release of early 2027 cruises?)