mountain grandma

As blambition says, the lower down and more midship you are, the smoother it will be but if the center of the ship is not available, your husband should be fine a little farther back. We have found that just back of midship is better than forward of midship -- there is less motion back there. It also depends on itinerary because some locations are always as smooth as glass and others are always rocky. You didn't say what part of the world you are cruising in but I know you will enjoy Oceania and the Riviera!

Regarding the price for the December Australia circumnavigation -- it begins just before Christmas/New Year holiday time which always increases the price on EVERY cruise line! Add the holiday overage to a 34-day itinerary and you will see why it is priced so high. If it sells like the March, 2017 trip has sold, you probably won't see any price reduction if that is what the OP is waiting for.

Billie

Dominique Nicolle (sp?) is the Hotel Manager and he is one of the best, most visible HM in the business.

It's also a great day to do laundry as the ship is quiet after people disembark and the new group comes on. B2Bs are wonderful and yes, they always offer the special lunch in the GDR on that day for the people doing them.

ENJOY,

Billie

Thank you all for the helpful replies. It is so kind of you to take the time,

 

I might be cheeky and ask further questions in the next few weeks as we are really excited about this cruise,it being a step up from our previous experiences on Cunard, Holland America etc. I am particularly looking forward to the dining as the menus online look fabulous. Are there any particular stand out dishes that we should try?

 

 

 

Janet

If you like fish, be sure to try the Miso Sea Bass in Red Ginger and also the Duck and Watermelon Salad. The escargot in Jacques is the best I have ever eaten anywhere! S many wonderful dishes!

Enjoy your cruise!

Billie

Hi Cheryl

 

 

 

We are in a PH. I would say it has been partially refurbished. All the soft furnishings are new and the lighting. The bed is the comfiest ever. Balcony furniture is new and I discovered yesterday the chairs recline !

 

Bathroom is all new with large walk in shower with modern static head and a hand held. Loads of storage.

 

The wood furniture though appears to be original. Dark and a bit old fashioned and drawers stick a bit. TV also is small and has to be pulled out on a sliding base to watch in bed.

 

Copious mirrors throughout including a magnifying mirror ( can be a positive and a negative ! )

Thanks, Buryfan. Wanted to ask how they have changed the lighting? And do they still have the electrical outlets next to the bed? My husband uses a CPAP machine at night so this is necessary!

Billie

Only those guests who wish to share are seated at tables for sharing. Those who want to dine by themselves are placed at a table for two or four (depending on the size of their group when they check-in). If you want to share, then when you check-in you say, "We are a party of 2 (or 4) and we would like to share". Then you will be seated at an appropriate table with others who wish to share also. Enjoy your cruise!

We just booked a cruise that some friends of ours are sailing on and at first we were going to surprise them (we live in Arizona and they live in England so we don't see each other very often). Then we realized that we wouldn't be able to enjoy the specialty restaurants or excursions together! We decided to surprise them via email in advance -- they were just as thrilled as we had hoped and now we have our plans all sorted out to be able to enjoy more activities together.

You would still be able to film your surprise if you did it in advance. I hope your parents enjoy their birthdays and that you all have a wonderful cruise!

Billie

Thanks for all the airline advice. We would be flying only one way from LAX to PPT but haven't decided for sure yet.

Thanks again.

Has anyone done Air Tahiti Nui in Business Class from LAX to/from Papeete? Any other suggestions for airlines that go there? I know Air New Zealand and Hawaiian Air but they only have one rt flight per week and the days don't always match-up with the cruise itinerary. Air France is another one but I don't think their pilots are very well-trained.

Thanks for the info.

I always use a Hair Straightener on board with no problems. You just have to be sure to use the proper electric outlet for yours and bring an adaptor plug for whichever outlet you use (UK - European or UK - US).

Since the Straighteners tend to get hot, I always take a face cloth from the bathroom and put it on the wood counter at the vanity for when I lay it down.

Have a great cruise.

Billie

There is already a Roll Call for this cruise and the reason you can't find it is because you have the name of the ship wrong. You have Oceania "Regatta" but it is actually the Oceania "Nautica". If you go to the Roll Call section, then click on Oceania, then look at the list of their ships until you find Nautica and click that, then look for the July 19, 2015 Copenhagen to Oslo, you will find the thread.

Hope this helps,

Billie

Hi Billie,

Thank you for the compliment.

I will be happy to share with you (and Deb) all that I have learned over the last 10+ years about FF miles. While it is not that complicated for someone who has been doing it for a while, it can be a little overwhelming for a beginner. That is why it is best discussed in person rather than via an e mail. We should have enough time on the TA cruise on one of the sea days to do just that.

I look forward to meeting you as well.

Paul

Thanks, Paul --

Billie

Gerry,

I would welcome you on our team.

I have been reading your posts here for some time and am looking forward to meeting you in person and putting a face to a CC name :)

Paul

Hi Paul,

I have been reading YOUR posts on CC for years also. I am very much looking forward to meeting you on the TA in April and putting a face with your name! I always try and read your posts because I consider you the frequent flyer guru and would also enjoy hearing your ideas -- either on board or via email (billiehatcableonedotnet). My husband is all legs and so we have been biting the bullet and paying for Business Class on international flights for years.

We fly out of PHX and for this cruise, we will be flying on AA points in both directions and staying in Marriott hotels on points in Phoenix, Fort Lauderdale, and Barcelona so we always appreciate FF tips!

Hope to hear from you,

Billie

our bed sizes are smaller than in USA

A double bed-standard in most hotels including Premier Inn is 54 inches wide

king size ie 60 inches wide-rare

unheard of in UK Super-71 inches

We have had no trouble finding hotels and/or B and Bs with Super King Beds. In fact, we will be going to Southampton next month to board a cruise and we will stay in a Guest House that had several rooms with Supers in them. When we return to Southampton after the cruise, we will join British friends of ours for a 3-night stay in the New Forest area near Southampton and again, we found a B & B with Super Kings for both couples.

We haven't stayed in the North of England for a while so maybe it is harder to find up there :confused:.

Billie

Super king beds in London are wider than our kings however due to the small rooms in anything but some top hotels they may take up most of the room.

Make sure when you get the size of the bed to also get the size of the room.

We have a Western or California King and it is 6 feet wide by 7 feet long (72" X 84") so that is why I said that 2 twin beds pushed together is the same width as ours. Yours in the East are smaller than the Super Kings in UK but I was comparing it to what we have out west. I thought, however, that your king beds in the east measured 76" X 80" so now I'm thoroughly confused :D.

Some of the chain hotels in London do try to have the same size beds as we do in the US, but others are still different.

Billie

When our friend brought up the issue of bed sizes I googled bed sizes just to get dimensions for double v. queen, and found different listings for beds in the UK. Such as what we call Queen in the US, is considered a King in the UK. On a couple of hotel sites I found ranges of widths for double beds.

You are right as to the fact that the beds in the UK are different than the US. After many years of experience with trying to figure out and book hotels and B & Bs in the UK, here is what I have figured out. If you want a US Queen-size bed, you need to book a King in the UK. If you want a US King-size bed (which we always do), find a room that says either "Super-King" or "Twin/Double". This means that they have twin beds that they push together and make up as one bed (just like on a cruise ship). The length is the same but because it is wider, my DH can sleep slightly angled and I still have plenty of room! You do have to request that they be made up as one bed but most booking sites have a place for comments. If not, then ask when you arrive.

If you book a Queen in the UK, it will be similar to our double bed in the US and won't be as roomy for those who are used to a larger bed.

Hope this helps -- enjoy your cruise and your stay in London.

Billie

One improvement that I think would be beneficial would be to install automatic door openers on the Pool decks of the R ships like the O ships have.

 

I really missed these on our recent Regatta cruise after having been on Riviera, especially on those windy days we had. There were some people that couldn't open the doors at all. I was also surprised at the lack of assistance by waiters with this around the Waves area.

Orv -- I don't mean to argue (just disagree :)) but we were in Waves on several occasions on very windy days during this cruise and I was impressed by the fact that the wait staff in that area (and also from inside the Terrace Café on the Starboard side) were giving a lot of assistance with the doors for those of us who were trying to go between Waves and the Terrace Café. Maybe you were there when they weren't manning the doors but I saw it several times on different days.

I do agree that the doors would be better if they were like the O ships have and were automatic.

Billie

I've visited with Bob 2 or 3 times on this trip, he is going to the Nautica at the end of this cruise and will be there during the refurbishment. He takes over as the CD from there. Seems like a real personable guy. He said since he has no talent for singing, dancing, juggling, etc. that he tends to be a out and about people person.

 

Getting ready to shove off from Hamilton Bermuda. :)

Ditto to what Orv has posted -- We told Bob that we were going to be on the Iceland cruise with him when we met him the first day on Regatta and then he made a special point of chatting with us every time we saw him which was often since he seemed to be everywhere on the ship. He is super-friendly and I think he will be a great addition to the O staff of CDs. I don't play trivia so I never watched him during that activity but he learned from the best (IMHO) with Dottie and his personality will take him far! By the time we see him on the Nautica, he should have Trivia down pat.

He is also good-looking and single and enjoys mixing and mingling with the guests. I saw him dancing with several of the single ladies on different occasions! I told him to check out CC as he was already the subject of an Oceania thread and he told me he would definitely do that.

Rest easy, Laraine and Arlene! I think we will be in good hands. :D:D:D

Billie

Guess his paperwork has been filled out. LOL

 

Hope some of the O cruisers who return from Regatta will see this thread and post.

Laraine,

Ted and I will be on the Regatta in 2 days (4/19) and I'll let you know who our CD and asst. are. We are expecting Dottie Drake and she is our very favorite O cruise director so we hope the info is correct.

Billie

One of our favorites for all of the reasons already posted here. We have enjoyed him as CD several times and he never disappoints.

Billie

I agree with Hawaiidan. The Sydney Harbour Marriott at Circular Quay is in a fantastic location. Near the Harbour, the Sydney Bridge, the Sydney Opera House, and the Hop On Hop Off bus. It is a very nice hotel.

We do too! We've stayed twice at this hotel and the location was fantastic as is the hotel. We stayed on points both times and breakfast was not included but right outside the door in back of the hotel are several small places where you can do breakfast without spending very much money.

Last time we were there (2012), we were with another couple and they were not Marriott Rewards members. We told them the same thing that Dan recommended (the Marriott Visa card) and they got enough points as a signing bonus to use it for the hotel. Sydney is a wonderful city with lots to see and do so you may need to stay more than one night prior!

Enjoy Australia and your cruise,

Billie

The Winter, 2016 schedule will come out in September, 2014. Book the cabin you want, then when you are on your cruise in November, go to the O Club Ambassador early in the cruise and ask for your cruise to be re-booked with your on-board booking credit. This is only possible if the category is still available but that shouldn't be a problem after only two months. This way you can get the cabin you want and get the discount -- the best of both worlds.

Cruising in this area should not be missed! Don't hesitate because of the possibility of rough seas -- if it is soooooo rough that it is not safe, the Captain won't do it. We missed our port stop in Hobart, Tasmania due to a storm but everyone was just fine with the change in itinerary.:)

As far as air is concerned, we flew to Sydney on UA (nonstop from LA) and then returned from Auckland nonstop on Air New Zealand. Both were in Business Class which I would heartily recommend, especially on Air New Zealand -- it is fantastic. It is a long flight but well worth it when you arrive in this wonderful, friendly part of the world. The friends we were traveling with took Air New Zealand both ways but going to Sydney, they had to make one stop/change planes in Auckland. They said it wasn't bad doing that and saved them some money.

However you get there, be sure you do this cruise itinerary at some time. It is wonderful.

Billie

Every sea day on our last three O cruises, they have set-up a Texas Hold 'Em game in the casino. It was announced in the Currents and required a sign-up. If you plan on participating, you need to sign-up early as it filled up fast. They had originally scheduled only one sea day for the game but it was so popular that they added it a 2nd time.

Billie

I'd have to say that this is the way that OBC's have worked on every cruise line which we have ever sailed, going all the way back to the late 1960's.

 

None of them (Cunard, Home Lines, HAL, Royal Viking, Princess, even Sitmar) ever allowed promotional Dollars to be "cashed out" through the Casino.

When you say "promotional credit" are you including the OBC we receive as Silver members?

Billie