redraider1966

Name is actually Casa Vides. On our current Vista cruise, we asked to trade the Concierge Level bottle of Champagne for a bottle of red on embarkation and Case Vides was the option. Agree about its drinkability. We don't have the drink package, but have purchased another bottle of same along the way as we like our reds at 14% or under.

FWIW. Damien Lacroix currently is GM. As we don't have occasion for much interaction with him or other senior officers, I don't know how much longer he will be on board.

Plus 1.

We too are currently on Vista in a midship A2 stateroom (non-connecting) on deck 9. We do experience some TV noise from an adjoining cabin whose occupants watch a lot of TV. Fortunately, they go to bed fairly early, but do also rise on the early side. We're not bothered enough yet to raise a stink. As others have reported, noise in hallways is almost nonexistent, but no soundproofing between rooms and the placement of TVs lend themselves greatly to noise transmission between adjacent cabins. Another noise issue, at least on this voyage, is the frequent screeching noise emanating from elevator doors opening and closing on all the decks. This has eased a bit in recent days but still concerning as it suggests that all is not well with these devices. Adding to this was the fact that for at least a 24-hour period (in advance of and during Killybegs, Ireland port call) two of four forward elevators were totally out of commission. A bit off topic, but during our Killybegs port call, one of the bow hull doors (portside) was open during the entire port call and divers spent virtually the entire time we were in port under the hull near the port side of the bow. Our departure was delayed three hours and we witnessed diver activity up until we departed. Early on CD announcement attributed delay to need to complete "paperwork" before TA crossing. Oceania "airlines" explanation hardly rings true based on what we witnessed firsthand. As we were about to embark on the TA crossing, there was no concern about a potential delay in reaching our next port of call, but the axiom "honesty is the best policy" remains MIA from Oceania's customer service handbook.

I was referring only/only to the location of the safe in an A category stateroom. FWIW, there is also a "dedicated" medicine cabinet in our spacious A category stateroom in addition to two sets of drawers (one set under said medicine cabinet and two others in the vanity where the sink is located.

FWIW. Our eastbound cruise did not call at Puerto Madryn. However, much more recently our Azamara RT cruise out of Buenos Aires to do a three-day Antarctic "drive by" did call at Puerto Madryn where we took a private tour of the Valdez Peninsula and saw literally 100s of elephant seals, guanacos, penguins, and flamingos. I'd say that would meet any nature folks requirements.

Plus 1. We had good friends on board the Amsterdam for the fateful cruise (Rio-Santiago). They spent the night at the church. We were on the following cruise with a reverse itinerary (Santiago - Rio), and had a much more pleasant cruise, weatherwise, and tendered in/out with no problems. When booking that cruise, the HAL future cruise agent recommended doing the voyage west to east, vice east to west, as the weather and winds were likely to be more favorable. How true that was in retrospect.

We're on Vista now in a A2 veranda and can confirm location as described here.

FWIW. We had very good friends who were on that HAL Amsterdam cruise in late January 2005 . The Falkland Islanders pitched in to find places for all the pax "stranded" on shore overnight. Our friends slept in the church and tendered back to the ship the next morning. We were on the ensuing cruise with a reverse itinerary (Valparaiso-Rio). Fortunately, the seas and weather were decidedly better and we tendered back and forth with no problem.

Plus 1.

A simple review of the deck plans on O's website reveals that there is a "laundry room" on Decks 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11. Merely look for the hanger symbol. There are five of those symbols, one per deck, located forward of midship.

Plus 1.

Plus 1.

Just closing the loop to report that on our just-received Final Cruise Vacation Summary for our upcoming 8/30/23 TA on Vista, the shareholder benefit appears under "Amenities" as a "Gift Order," equally divided between me and my spouse. This confirms what an O rep told me over the phone and likely does reflect the druthers of whoever prepares this document.

FWIW. There's also the challenge of getting confirmation that your application has been approved and the requisite benefit is on the record as part of your "account" for said booking. As it did not appear as a credit on my "manage this booking," I finally called O to confirm things. I was told that I did receive the benefit, but thai was to be listed as a "gift." I'm waiting to verify this on a possible revised invoice. I'd prefer to see this in writng somewhere? but may have no choice but to wait to board to confirm benefit is on our shipboard account? once created.

How about washing one's hands after going to the restroom, as a deterrent to spreading noro or other stomach-related viruses to your fellow pax? This is particularly true of "real men," who don't even think about carrying out this simple task. Washing hands is not just for keeping respiratory ailments at bay.

Plus 1. Your review indeed should be sent in a letter to NCLH CEO Summer and Oceania CEO FDR Jr. Addresses are easy to find on Investor or Corporate section of O's website. These are much more effective than posting on CC or trying to complete the online cruise-end survey (assuming you're able to do so) and certainly is more effective and has a greater impact than PinonNoir's posting only on this board of their July 2023 cruise on Riviera. Letters to CEO's prompt substantive responses in my experience.

Plus 1.

While we've been on a Marina cruise that managed a call at Holyhead in 2018, we've also visited northern parts of Wales via private excursions out of Liverpool -- a safer bet. Check out the Busy Bus if they're still operating.. They gave us a great small group tour and are lots of fun.

FWIW. As OP did not indicate they have or were going to, may I suggest sending detailed letters regarding your experiences on board and on shore, warts and all, directly to NCLH CEO Harry J. Sommer and Oceania CEO FDR Jr. In our experience with other corporations, letters addressed to the CEO require a substantive response and not just a "thank you for expressing your concerns." We have occasionally done this with Oceania, eschewing filling out the ridiculous on board cruise reviews (either in written form or their impossible online option) when we have had a less than satisfactory experience or we wish to point out shortcomings or failings, along with positive comments. We've even waited to send the cruise review form (when it was a hard copy) until we were back home and attached it to the letters we've sent to the CEO(s). If nothing else, it's a tad therapeutic and cathartic. We long ago stopped drinking the Koolaid that the reviews filtered and forwarded by the ship resulted in any meaningful course corrections, absent some better assurance that our concerns get to No.1.

FWIW. They opened a small group tour (up to 16 pax) for 8/31/2023 to D-Day battlefield on or about 6/15/2023. I had been in touch with them regularly for about 6 months in advance. They were very prompt in keeping me apprised of how many had expressed interest in the tour for that date, and told me they wld. not open the tour until at least 8 had shown interest.

We're on the same cruise as post #5. Full disclosure: While it's true O is offering D-Day battlefield excursions for our cruise, they are both pricey OS or OE category tours. There is a good private tour alternative (Overlordtour.com) with more reasonable prices and great reputation, but they won't open a tour as far out as June 2024 until much closer to that timeframe.

Plus 1.

It wld. be helpful to know on what date you mailed your application to the State Dept. and on what date you received the new passport. We're looking at squeezing in a renewal application in mid-September 2023 and in advance of a late February 2024 cruise. Our passports don't expire until February 2025, but we've got several cruises booked between this August and the expiration date and we're aware of demand/staffing issues at State. We planning to use expedited service on submission in mid-September to be on safe side, although the big summer "rush" shld. be reduced by that point.

Just to note that the poster is repeating, in essence, the same "negative" commentary he/she posted on a Vista Roll Call for an upcoming TA, which embarks on 8/30/2023 and makes its first port call at Le Havre the next day. This Roll Call posting was in response to several expressions of interest in an excursion to the D-Day beach(es), in particular one offered by Overlord Tours, a well-regarded tour operator. Some 38 years ago, my family (including two sub-teen children) and I set out on an extensive road trip to France from our then-residence in Brussels, Belgium where I was then assigned to the U.S. Mission to NATO. Our first night was spent in Caen, which I will concede is closer to those beaches than Le Havre. The next day, with a Michelin guide in hand, we did a self-guided tour of the U.S. landing sites, visited the forerunner of what is presumably a newer museum, and saw the Bayeux tapestry. No, we did not visit the American cemetery, choosing to spend more time at Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach. This was all accomplished on perfectly decent roads/highways in a sedan. Said roads must have really deteriorated in the years between 1985 and 2002 per the aforementioned commentary! For those cruisers interested in visiting the British or Canadian landing sites, there are alternative tours. Given the decades that have passed since our visit, this Vista cruise offered the best opportunity we've since had to go back and have the benefit of a good, knowledgeable guide (Overlord Tours) and not just our trusty Michelin green book. Back then our children were already seasoned travelers and we regret that they won't be joining us this time.