janelledocb

24 years! How sad that Celebrity is losing you! Yes, it has been frustrating to witness the changes in Celebrity, we never imagined we would be sailing another cruise line as it was the perfect fit for us. We have a Celebrity Suite booked in January on the Constellation and it will likely be a bittersweet experience for us. Although, we look forward to relaxing in the Retreat Lounge as the Executive Lounge on Oceania is more of a "grab n go" spot. I hope you have a lovely time on the Regatta! We are sailing the Marina next year to see if our fabulous Vista experience had anything to do with it being a new ship. Do they go all out for their new ships and scale back on their older ones (as I have heard Celebrity does)? However, aside from the small bathrooms (which you won't have to worry about), our fellow cruisers on the Vista had great things to say about the smaller ships on Oceania, and said the service on those is even better. Hope this is what you find! Yes, even though the Regatta has no noise issues, the deflectors may be helpful for your bedroom tv and it seems a fair distance from the bed. I can't quite tell from the video but it looks like only your living room tv has a sound system for the TV. Have a great trip! We are quite happy with Oceania and if all goes well on the Marina, will stick with them. We also considered Viking but the ships didn't wow us like Oceania's - also looked at Explora but sailing options were too limited. Looking forward to hearing about your Alaska cruise! Best, Janelle

Thank you Hank. You were a valuable source of information for us with your comments and review(s) - greatly appreciate your time and effot!

Thanks! Yes, there is no getting around that the gym is small, especially compared to Celebrity and it needs a universal/multi purpose cable machine but my the quality of the equipment is great. My husband spent a lot of time there and he would sometimes split up his workouts so that he could do the weights/machines when few people were there. We had to keep reminding ourselves that we were on a MUCH smaller ship as it didn't feel like it to us. Maybe because there are so few people compared to the size of the ship. However, it could be also due to our many port days. Will be interesting how it feels to you on a TA (something we would love to do someday!). I forgot to mention that one little thing we appreciated is that you can have room service the morning you disembark! At least in the Penthouse, not sure if non-butler rooms have this option. It was such a relaxing way to spend our last morning on the ship. And the crew and cruisers on the Vista reminded us of our early days sailing on Celebrity. Highly competent yet also extremely friendly staff, and fun, relaxed cruisers for the most part. I do understand about not wanting or needing the Shore Excursion credits. I wonder if this is something they will change in the future as others have mentioned that they don't like having to use the credits for shore excursions only. We will see. We would like to use them for something else as well!

Apologies, I think this is in Bold, but I can't seem to change that, LOL. Here is a very long review - feel free to skim! This was our first cruise on Oceania and we chose this cruise line after months of research here on cruise critic, through talking to TAs, watching 100s of videos, and reading comments on a popular social media platform. Like many others, we have been loyal Celebrity cruisers for years, but have been disappointed with their recent changes. We are in our early 50s and have been cruising for about 20 years, but have always enjoyed sailing with a more “mature” crowd as we sail to relax, not to party (although enjoy engaging in dancing, trivia, etc.)!. Celebrity seems to be trending towards a more family-friendly, high energy crowd. Their new ships are stunning, but very modern and we prefer a more elegant and classic environment. So now we must cruise on their older, often non-renovated ships to experience the type of atmosphere and crowd we enjoy. In addition, staff often appear overworked and stressed and MDR and buffet food are not what they used to be. Now, not only do we sail the older ships, but in order to enjoy good food, less crowds, and less children, we also only stay in the Retreat. However, that means we have to pay a hefty price each time we sail! Plus, situations can become awkward when you make new friends and discover they are not staying in the retreat (so can’t join you for dinner, mingle in the Retreat Lounge, etc.). For these reasons, we searched for a new cruise line to try and settled on Oceania. Okay, enough about Celebrity! Onto Oceania! We sailed the Vista from Trieste (Venice) to Athens June 1-12 as others did on this board. Our ONLY somewhat negative experience onboard: My hubby is a light sleeper so early on, we decided to avoid the Vista as we read that soundproofing can be an issue between some rooms. But, our cruise on the Riviera was canceled last-minute due to unrest in the Red Sea and we had to quickly decide between the Vista and Azamara Onward. Vista won, but thanks to advice here, we came prepared with mini white noise machines (fantastic, we were never woken up early in the morning!) and these TV speaker sound redirectors purchased on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09TQ23FKC?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details Who watches TV on a cruise? I do! I enjoy watching a movie or two since I never have time at home and we also watch tv right before bed. The sound redirectors worked great - directing the sound forward instead of going towards the wall behind it. At the end of the cruise, I just removed the redirectors and easily scraped off any leftover adhesive. Yes, we could hear our neighbors on both sides from time to time but not to the degree to where we could hear their actual conversations, thank goodness. Fortunately, our cruise was port-intensive so people did not spend much time in their rooms. Yes, Oceania knows about the issue as staff onboard have reported it to headquarters but when can it be fixed is the question as obviously Vista has ongoing sailings. We were reassured that we should not expect such soundproofing issues on the Allura. That’s it, everything else was AMAZING! PH1 Room: We were originally booked in an Oceanview on the Riviera but when we switched to this cruise, we couldn’t pass up the amazing deal on the Penthouse Suite! We were in 11015. Our last two cruises before this one on Celebrity were big birthdays so we splurged on Celebrity Suites where we had a separate bedroom and a butler. We were worried we would miss the separate bedroom but this room was so spacious and beautiful that we didn’t miss it at all. And on Oceania we really, really felt the benefit of having a butler. Aside from obvious things like bringing breakfast when ordered, Titus made sure to check in on us constantly. If we didn’t have an excursion that day, he would make recommendations. If we were going to a specialty restaurant, he would tell us the best dishes. Of course, he brought room service, provided requested items in our mini fridge, and helped Hubby with a repair of his shoe. He also got us extra reservations at Specialty restaurants, although we had to be flexible regarding day/time/sharing. And then the Room attendants, Ishtar and I Kadek were so friendly and fast and our room was always perfect when they left. Love how you can click a button for “Do not Disturb” or “Make up Room” and if you put your key card in the slot, they know you are in your room (but that you can be disturbed if they need to bring you something, etc.). The Penthouse cabin had so much storage, I could have brought two more suitcases! It was the most comfortable room we have ever stayed in. Well laid out and beautiful. Even better in person than on videos. The bathroom was huge, with the two sinks and an enormous shower. Furnishings were beautiful. The only thing I missed was the King bed I was used to on Celebrity. The executive lounge was right down the hall and it was nice to be able to get snacks there at odd times, although it would have been nice if they had changed the offerings from time to time. I appreciated having it though, since when I wake up, I like to enjoy some coffee a bit before eating. I was able to go get my coffee at the lounge and then relax in my room before going out to eat breakfast. Oh, and, with regards to Cruise Director announcements, we could barely here them with the door closed so I guess it depends how close your room is to speakers? Food: The only problem with Oceania’s food is that it is so good that it makes it very hard to decide where to eat every time. The food in the buffet was incredible - we weren’t expecting it to be so, so good!. And we could always find a table. And we didn’t have to walk miles to find one. In fact, we ate lunch at the same one or two tables along the window almost every day! Drinks (including alcohol) came right away. Sea days were busier of course, but we still were able to find a table and wait time for drinks was minimal. We didn’t find the buffet items to be repetitive like someone else did, in fact, we were surprised at the variety of offerings. We ate at Waves, Aquamar, the 4 Specialty Restaurants. We especially loved Red Ginger and Polo Grill. I would say 90 percent of what we had we were very happy with. The rest, either not to our taste or just good (not great, like so much was). I had heard so much about their Illy coffee at Baristas but I don’t think they have Illy anymore? Coffee was decent but we had just spent a few days in Italy - actually, in Trieste where Illy coffee was born- so it was probably impossible to match that. The food at the bakery was yummy and glad to have it available in-between lunch and dinner. I know some who have cruised with Oceania for a while have commented that the overall food quality has decreased, but we were amazed at the quality. And post-COVID, from reading comments here, it seems many cruise lines (if not most) have experienced a decrease in the quality of food which I would assume is due to supply chain issues and/or cost cutting measures as they all try to recover financially. Activities: Took a really fun cooking class (Dessert!) and enjoyed it far more than I thought I would. I really can make a crepe now too. We also took part in games like Shuffleboard and Bocce ball to get O Points to turn in for prizes at the end of the cruise and it was fun to chat with the Performers who hosted these games. A really nice touch. We also took part in the Art Scavenger hunt as another means to gain Big O Points and that was a hoot! Especially on our sea day we would run into others searching for art as well and it was a fun way to meet people. My husband took a couple art classes and enjoyed those too. These were all great ways to meet crew, staff, and other travelers onboard which we both truly enjoyed and appreciated. Next time, we want to take some of the Photography classes but we simply ran out of time. We were never, ever bored and can't wait to sail with more sea days in order to take part in all that Oceania has to offer! The gym was small as others have commented on but equipment was nice and we never had trouble finding a machine. Although small as well, a very nice spa/locker room area which had razors, mouthwash, combs. We had access to the Thalassotherapy Pool/Sundeck which we only used once since this was a port-intensive cruise but the pool is a great size. It did get hot up there though! Shore Excursions: We only did three excursions using our Simply More credits. We like to mix excursions with just walking around on our own. What was nice is there was a shuttle into town at every one of our stops (I believe) and all except one were free. We did a Tuk Tuk in Zadar which was fun and easy. After doing a motorcoach tour in Corfu where we lost time because some people got lost, we cancelled one excursion and booked a smaller, OE excursion. Hubby did the OE excursion to Ephesus in Turkey and was very happy with it. Our plan for future cruises is to use our Simply More Shore Excursion credits for only OE excursions and the rest of the ports do on our own. Music: Sorry, but we did not attend any shows! We however LOVED the 4 Corners Band, they were the best live band we have ever seen and they also truly connect and respond to the audience which makes listening and dancing even more fun. We did hear some of the performers at the Welcome Party and their voices were lovely. Truly enjoyed String Quartet as well, and the woman who performed at Martini’s. All excellent musicians! Ship in general: Beautiful, elegant, never felt like there were 1200 people (plus staff!) on board. It is absolutely gorgeous. Somehow, Oceania manages to get it just right. Fancy and stunning, but also comfortable and relaxing. Loved the library - such a relaxing spot. Really, we loved every place on the ship - Baristas, Horizons, all the restaurants. The decor was perfect everywhere. The casino is small but glad that it is there. We don’t gamble much but it is fun to do a little. THE STAFF: What truly made the cruise was the staff. Friendly, warm, attentive, professional. They were what made this cruise our best cruise ever. We completed the mid-cruise survey and our Executive Lounge concierge, Adam, hunted us down to ensure that our needs were met. But it was the staff everywhere - not just in one particular place, from the Barista, to Horizons, to Waves, Terrace Cafe, just everywhere, they were a joy to interact with. I know they work so hard and must be exhausted but they don’t show it. They made us feel so welcome and comfortable. We were worried that since Oceania’s staff would be more formal and reserved than what we are accustomed to, absolutely not so! As mentioned, this was the best cruise we have ever been on. We can’t stop talking about it and of course, we booked our future cruise with the fabulous Kaylene while onboard. Granted, we have never sailed on an ultra-luxury cruise line, and those who have may not be as impressed, but we actually don’t want to as Oceania is our sweet spot - not too formal but feels luxurious at the same time and boy were we pampered. To get the added perks (early specialty restaurant booking, a butler, 3 bags of laundry, etc.), we can book a Penthouse when we can afford it - ours was a 4 cabin upgrade sale and we got an incredible deal so watch for those. When we need to cut back on our travel finances, we can book an oceanview (love how they are the same size as all the other veranda rooms) and we still have access to the entire ship, aside from the sundeck which can be accessed by paying a nominal fee. We looked at the veranda rooms and they are quite spacious and again, look better in person than on video. No matter which stateroom category we are in, we know that if we meet others, we can make future plans to meet with them and don’t have to wonder if they are in the Retreat. We met some great fellow cruisers and are looking forward to meeting more! Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you to all who comment on this board, you helped us discover Oceania!

Thank you all for your helpful responses. Our room is not under the pool deck so I don't think we will hear any deck chairs and it is reassuring to hear that at least some rooms on deck 11 do not have to hear their neighbors conversations. We haven't tried the white noise app but will see how it works. We are used to the actual white noise machines and they work well for us so I think we will just haul them across the ocean with us to be safe 🙂 Glad folks are enjoying their time on the ship right now and I love the idea of being able to easily pop into the executive lounge in the morning for a cup of joe. We are still looking forward to our first Oceania cruise!

"Foam to the rescue" 😄 Love it! I hope so and that is what I asked Oceania to do when I emailed them - spray away!

We ended up on the Vista after our Riviera cruise was cancelled even though we vowed never to risk sailing on Vista due to reports of inadequate soundproofing between rooms. Wondering if anyone has had noise issues in Vista PH1 11015? We need to figure out how many white noise machines to bring with us!!! I would encourage everyone to email Oceania to request they spray foaming insulation between the walls or somehow fix the issue. We found Oceania contact info via Elliott dot org. No one sailing on a cruiseline such as Oceania should have to hear their neighbor's conversations or tv. And I don't wish for my neighbors to hear my conversations either, LOL!. My goodness, will we have to whisper to each other the whole time 😄???

Yes, this is what really worries me. The randomness. I'm sure the crew is tired of this situation as well. I will email Oceania to recommend they invest in those sound diverters. Makes me want to book two staterooms so I can sleep in the one that has quiet neighbors! If only, LOL!

Well, we went ahead took the plunge and booked a PH1 on deck 11 (the only one left!) in the hopes that there will be less chance of hearing our neighbor's TVs or conversations. We also got lucky with a great price, probably since it is rather last minute. I will report back after our trip as it seems odd that it is so random and that people can have their tv sounds down low and still be heard! If I can pack them, I will get the sound diverters so at least WE can watch tv without having worrying about bothering our neighbors! Will bring every kind of noise cancelling device I can lug across to Europe as well 🙂 Thank you all once more. We wouldn't have known what to do without your advice!

Thank you all for your advice and recommendations. We had our cruise on the Riviera canceled yesterday due to it now going around Africa (understandably) and so we are now having to scramble to find a replacement and can't be too choosy- and DH has a work trip prior so we can't even change dates too much. At least we won't be spending long lengths of time in our room given the itinerary, but we do want to be comfortable there and to sleep well And usually we would save stretching our budget on a better room for when we could spend more time on the ship, not just for sleeping better 🙂 We had decided to just avoid the Vista in general to be safe, but it appears to be the best bet at this time even when we consider other cruise lines. DH has the headband but has not used it yet, so I will have him practice to see if it is comfortable for him. He does have the portable white noise machine too which he always takes. Appreciate everyone's input!

We are considering booking a concierge veranda or penthouse suite on the Oceania Vista. With a port-intensive cruise, we normally wouldn't consider splurging on a penthouse but I have read that thin walls are/can be a big problem on the Vista and we are trying to avoid this as hubby is a light sleeper. However, it seems pretty random as far as which decks/rooms have this issue although I don't think I have read as many complaints from those who have stayed in Penthouse Suites. Can those who have stayed in a Concierge Veranda and/or Penthouse on the Vista comment on thin walls/noise from neighbors (or lack thereof if you had a quiet room!). Thank you!

The cruise we ended booking did go on sale yesterday, at least on some websites, although we waited until today to book (as we were also eyeing another cruise). Very happy to have saved $3200 ($1600 pp) for an Oceanview room on the Riviera for our Mediterranean 12 day cruise. Looking forward to our first Oceania cruise!

Thanks Hank, your recommendations and your tip to seek advice on the European port boards to get relaxing port city ideas are very helpful. And it's true that since hubby is visiting Europe for the first time, it might be especially hard for me to convince him to stay on the ship for an entire day. I'll try to select some port city days in between our "big" days like Civitavecchia/Rome.

Thanks everyone. The Riviera specifically has 12 port days in a row. Vista has one sea day of 12. We like Riviera's itinerary better though. Now that I am typing this, I imagine we might be so exhausted half way through that we might just sleep in late and enjoy a lot of room service for a day 😄 Hmmm, that's a great point about Bridge, I might do some online lessons prior to the trip to learn ahead of time!

Thank you, good to hear that there are activities, even on port days. The 12 day cruise we are thinking of has a port stop every day but we also want to enjoy the ship 🙂

Greetings all! We have the wonderful opportunity to visit Europe next May/June and we are likely booking our first Oceania cruise and European cruise (yes, more former Celebrity loyalists here!). With the updated Mediterranean itineraries, they now have either zero or one sea days and thus, we plan on picking a day or two to stay mostly on the ship. Question though, will there still be things like activities to earn O points, talks, mahjong and other activities that are typically offered on sea days? I understand the ship won't be chock full of activities, but are there some? Thanks in advance and appreciate everyone's comments on CC, they have helped prepare us for what to expect on Oceania (both the good and not so good).

How disappointing, Vista is a brand new, beautiful ship! I hope they will have fixed this issue with Allura. We understand that we have to expect some noise from neighbors but given how bad it was for Croooser, we will avoid sailing on Vista (and probably Allura). If we use a white noise machine, then we won't be able to watch TV ourselves which is what we always do at bedtime to help us get sleepy. But then again, we would be worried about watching TV at night as it would likely disturb our neighbors. But good grief, we want to sail on the new ships, and what a silly reason for us not too! This is not something that should be an issue on a brand new Oceania ship 😞

Thank you for providing the update and information and I am sorry that many were not very nice to you on this thread. I used to be very active on CC, but I pretty much no longer post here and use it far less than I used to because I don't find it fun or helpful to read the mean comments. And they certainly don't get me in a cruising mood 🙂 I am glad that Oceania provided you with FCCs and think that is a great gesture on their part. We haven't sailed on Oceania yet, but are very much looking forward to doing so next year!

My TA said for her clients who have recently changed cruises on O, she hasn't seen the $150 penalty applied (although according to the terms it should be and she cannot promise that it won't be if we ever switch a sailing). I don't know if this is just because it's a new policy and O is letting people get used to it before enforcing it or if they will always be lenient when it comes to moving to a different sailing.

Thank you for your comments everyone. We will discuss this some more and make sure we are okay with sailing during Thanksgiving considering the potential for extra kids on board. Hubby was thinking that schools aren't out the entire week but it seems they are. And from what Mrs. Tiki says, the Retreat probably wouldn't help much, if at all. For our 50th, we will make sure to sail when it is not a holiday so we can truly relax and enjoy the Retreat! I just got a new supervisor so I was hesitant to ask for time off but may look into doing so to allow us to sail non-peak times OR we will just bring some good noise-cancelling headphones with us if we stick to the Thanksgiving cruise 😆

Dear Cruisers, Please note that we like kids in general but would like to minimize our exposure to happily screaming kids while on vacation 🙂 I came down with Covid last week so I am not on the Equinox right now 😭 but that's okay as we have booked the Beyond for Thanksgiving Cruise starting Nov.20 in the Caribbean. Hubby is concerned that since it's a new ship and not our usual S-Class, that it will be full of kids. We can't go off-season the rest of the year due to work so it's either this or the Reflection and we were thinking we would try the Edge class for the first time since we have only been on S-Class. Probably no way to know but I am thinking yes, there will be more kids since it is Beyond and Thanksgiving but we will have plenty of spots to hide on Beyond and more kids will be on a Royal Caribbean cruise. I wish we could afford a suite to have access to the Retreat but we are saving our funds for that for our 50ths coming up! What are your thoughts on level of kids we might encounter on the Thanksgiving Beyond cruise? Thanks! Janelle and Byron