1985rz1

I agree that saying something is important. if you don't, the Chef or the management may decide no body noticed, so gristle is OK.

Geeze. I don't see any sarcasm in @Host Jazzbeau's post, subtle or not. It was an attempt to make a joke, and it was about himself, not you. Lighten up.

I thought you had said that's it's not necessary to connect to a WiFi. Maybe you were referring to your MP member experience on United. That's why I asked. I didn't want to original poster to think it was not necessary to connect to the ship's WiFi, which is what he was asking about.

Interesting. We have Androids, and that function is only available if we're connected to a cell service. Does the iPhone use the ship's cell service, and, if it does, wouldn't that incur the ship's cell fee for texting? (Curious minds want to know 🤔)

That may be an option, if WiFi is turned on and connected (and you enabled airplane mode), but I prefer to use WiFi calling so I can do voice calls and texts in a normal way, since my plan and phone support it.

Yes. I don’t turn off cellular data for individual apps, as airplane mode is sufficient unless you forget to turn it on. Turning it off is a habit for me, and if I do forget, my cell service warns me. Be sure to check your cellular plan and your phone to make sure that they support WiFi calling

Mauibabes covered it, but you should give a bit of advance notice to the Butler when you want to dine in your stateroom, so he can arrange it and schedule it in his duties.

You can book tables in advance, but are limited in number according to cabin category. These are the only guaranteed reservations. You can ask for additional reservations on board, space available. Here's the breakdown of the guaranteed reservation by ship and category: Guests are permitted to make the following reservations in our specialty restaurants - which vary by ship, category and length of cruise: Marina and Riviera Owner’s Suite, Vista Suite and Oceania Suite Cruises 7 days or less: 1 reservation at each restaurant Cruises 8-17 days: 2 reservations at each restaurant Cruises 18 days or more: 3 reservations at each restaurant Penthouse Suite Cruises 17 days or less: 1 reservations at each restaurant Cruises 18 days or more: 2 reservations at each restaurant Concierge Level Veranda, Veranda, Ocean View and Inside Stateroom All cruises: 1 reservations at each restaurant Insignia, Nautica, Regatta and Sirena Concierge Level Veranda and above Cruises 7 days or less: 1 reservation at each restaurant Cruises 8-17 days: 2 reservations at each restaurant Cruises 18 days or more: 3 reservations at each restaurant All other categories Cruises 17 days or less: 1 reservations at each restaurant Cruises 18 days or more: 2 reservations at each restaurant There are different booking windows depending on the cabin level. If you book an Ocean view, you will have fewer options when you go to book, as the higher categories will have had the first shot. Here are the windows by category. Specialty restaurant reservations may be made in advance in the Booked Cruises section of My Account on our website, or by phone, according to the schedule below, and may be changed up until 7 days prior to sailing. Bookings must be paid in full prior to making dining reservations. Reservations may also be made on board. Guests with priority embarkation privileges (Concierge and above) will have Priority Reservations from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm in Polo Grill. Guests in other staterooms can make their specialty restaurant reservations from 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Owner’s Suite, Vista Suite and Oceania Suite Advance reservations may be made on the date final payment is due and has been received until 7 days prior to sailing, which varies between 90 and 150 days, depending on length of sailing. Penthouse Suite Reservations may be made 75-7 days prior to sailing, if the booking is paid in full. Concierge Level Veranda Reservations may be made 60-7 days prior to sailing, if the booking is paid in full. All Other Categories Reservations may be made 45-7 days prior to sailing, if the booking is paid in full.

If you turn off only data, you would still be subject to the ship's exorbitant cellular charges for texts and voice. So, as the others have said, turn on airplane mode, then turn on WiFi. If your phone and plan supports WiFi calling (you may need to turn it on or activate it), you'll be good to go for voice and texts as if you were at home.

If you turn off only data, you would still be subject to the ship's exorbitant cellular charges for texts and voice. So, as the others have said, turn on airplane mode, then turn on WiFi. If your phone and plan supports WiFi calling (you may need to turn it on or activate it), you'll be good to go for voice and texts as if you were at home.

Yes, if your phone supports WiFi calling there is no charge to call or text back to the US. The company treats WiFi calling as if you are calling from the US and that your US plan applies. If you call internationally using WiFi calling (to countries other than the US), you pay the same foreign voice and text rates that are included in your US plan. We have T-Mobile and it works like a charm. But you have to remember to turn on airplane mode and then turn WiFi back on and activate WiFi calling.

Other than having a balance to use up on Viber, why don't you simply call as normal using T-Mobile's WiFi Calling. T-Mobile doesn't charge anything for text or talk as it's using your normal data plan, as if you were in the US. No third party app is needed.

Except for when we forget 🤔, we always put our phones into WiFi calling mode when we return to the ship to insure we don't accidentally get connected to the ship's cell service. The warning we got was when we forgot to do that switch immediately.

We worried about this on our last cruise, but T-Mobile alerted us when our phone tried to connect to the ship's service.

We have found that some of the included shore excursion to be quite good, but we avoid the panorama bus tours. If you chose this option, you are effectively paying $100 per tour in the cost of Olife, but you can choose tours up to around $200, so that can be an advantage (Tours above $200, and those with special lettering like OE, OS, etc, are not among the included ones.) The beverage package is only wine and beer with dinner. All non-alcoholic beverages are included in the cruise fare, without the need for any package. The OBC can be used for any onboard charges that post to your account, but recognize that you are paying $200x2 for the OLife option, so there are no savings. In essence you give Oceania $400 in advance for you to spend on board, but it is non-refundable if you don't: use it or lose it. Some folks like the convenience, but it is a financial wash. If you don't like Oceania's included tours, the cruise only option (No-OLife) may be you best bet. You may know that included air is not part of OLife, and you can have cruise only (no OLife or air), OLife without air, or air without OLife.

Servers share in the base daily gratuities that are added to your account automatically.

We recently switched to T-Mobile. Our (old person's plan) plan for 2 lines is $90 per month (all inclusive), unlimited text, talk and data (including 5G) in the US; in Canada unlimited text and talk and 5 GB high speed data per line; internationally, unlimited text, 5 GB data at high speed (5G, where available) , and unlimited 2G if you exceed the 5GB limit and $0.25 per minute calling in 215 countries. WiFi calling is included.

Sigh. I do wish they would have non-red sauce offerings for those who are allergic to tomatoes.

Yes. We did that on our Octantis cruise in October.

Maybe O knows your cooking skills 😁

It would be nice to have better Consumer Protection Laws here in the US, but, purely based on CC postings...no other information... it seems like the UK has more predatory Travel Agents that the US. Or we have just been very lucky in our choice. Hope you haven't had a bad experience.

In the US, deposits with are fully refundable up to 1 month before final payment, then a $250 pp penalty sets in for Oceania. For Viking (in the US) it's a $100 pp cancellation fee.

Yes, we took advantage of that when we were onboard.

If it matters to you, Viking requires full payment 12 months out, compared to Oceania's around 4 months out (dates vary with length of cruise).

Certainly she can make a decision herself...I don't think Heidi13 implied otherwise. What is irresponsible is to suggest to others that her bad experience was the result of the captain making a poor decision when the OP has no knowledge of the basis of the decision....and to suggest without any factual basis that the captain was demoted.