true45

8 minutes ago, ORV said:

Yeah, hanging it on the back of your chair is a real good plan at a sidewalk cafe in Barcelona. 

I keep it on.  It’s small.  Have a little bit bigger crossbody for off the ship.  Some are rfid protected too.  

5 minutes ago, SophieM said:

I just tuck my card in my bra. Really. Only a little tricky when I’m wearing a turtleneck. 😉

Do you carry lipstick cash and phone in your bra too?  😇

An alternative to the lanyard is a light & very mini (I like baggalini’s) crossbody.  It carries the card, lipstick, a bit of cash, tissues and phone for pictures.  

22 minutes ago, ORV said:

While highly probable that really hasn't been verified yet, just a lot of assumptions and suppositions. It could be a third party that is doing the survey for them that has an odd email address. I find it funny that everyone has a program that stopped it. I use Avast and usually when it sees something that is not right it has a window that pops up and tells you about it. Also no one here has said it opened a file and infected their computer. 

 

Has anyone been contacted by Oceania and told that it is a Phishing scam? Definitely is a strong word without proof. 

A real mystery.  I wonder.

26 minutes ago, See_More said:

Please read “Sorry You Cancelled Reservation” thread.  This is definitely a Phishing scam that your computer luckily blocked when to tried responding. It was recognized by your malware. 
it seems it was Oceania’s website that got hacked and got all our emails. 

Oh boy 

10 hours ago, edgee said:

Many of us find Oceania's (same as Regent's) method of collecting guest input through the end of cruise survey quite frustrating. Surveys can only be done on line while still on the ship..no way to do it after disembarkation. On recent cruises, the end of cruise survey was not even mentioned in writing or in announcements. I actually had to ask how to pull it up on line. Today I received an email from Oceania in advance of my upcoming cruise asking me to click on a link to complete a brief survey regarding the reservation process. When I clicked on the link I immediately got a 404 error indicating an invalid link. Can't make this up. Has this happened to anyone else?

We got this short survey re our upcoming reservation this morning and got this same 404 error message.  

5 minutes ago, ORV said:

In all fairness, historically the sandwiches at Waves were much too large. I sometimes get a Cubano and my wife likes the Ruben. Half of either is enough. They have reduced the size of them which I think is a good thing. 

I used to order 1/2 sandwiches such as Reuben— guess I will order the whole thing next sailing 😋

12 minutes ago, Vallesan said:

Just wanted to add a bit of an update. Polo tonight for the first time which now has wonderful new leather seats and of course the 7 layer chocolate cake which I’d forgotten about completely. No Oceania trip is complete without sampling that cake!

 

On another note this is the new Waves menu as of today. Quite reduced. But may still have your favourite.

Looks good to me - our favorites are safe. 

4 hours ago, Vallesan said:

Ok. I’ll try and help.

 

We are in a Concierge cabin. The runner on the bed had been replaced with a new one but the same pattern as the original. The curtains are new as are the blackout curtains. The cushions have been recovered in the same material as the runner. The dressing table chair has been recovered in a matching material, same colour way different pattern. These changes make the sofa look shabby!  It sure about the carpet but looks fine to me.

 

Public areas: GDR lovely new carpet cream with flowers. Martinis new carpets and possible new sofas. First time on Marina but several times on Riviera. Last trip on Riviera penultimate before refit, October 22 so difficult to remember. 
 

Apart from the dark wood still in the cabins I think the ship is looking ‘refreshed’.

 

Aquamar is a lovely new addition but has a limited menu. The photos portray the area as it really is: one part normal tables and chairs close to the windows and the other in the ‘kitchen’, a long high table and bar type stools for communal eating.

 

Waves doesn’t look any different to me.

 

Overall the ship had been ‘refreshed’ rather than having a ‘refit’.

Appreciate your details. Thanks

17 minutes ago, clo said:

I'm curious. Was there a single, aesthetic thing that actually needed changing or are people just wanting changes for the sake of changes. Are there things that are showing wear that aren't being dealt with?  I see discussions here about those who are port oriented and those ocean. But it seems like decor for the decor's sake is something that some people get cranky about. ?

 Oceania must have thought a redo was necessary or they wouldn’t have said it was going to be done in the first place.

It is the last ship to be refurbished.

9 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

Certainly seems to be turning out different than the first announcement last year by Oceania where it was to mirror Riviera. Then they swiveled to only soft refurbishments below PH. That announcement btw, came out right after final payment for the first sailing. Now it appears that cabins below PH have lovely new curtains (sarcasm),and maybe a bench with new fabric….that doesn’t match the couch…..  disappointing at best. We were originally booked on the current sailing. We had looked forward to a refurbished ship, as had others. 

I had forgotten about the timing right after final payment was due.  Disappointed 

7 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

Certainly seems to be turning out different than the first announcement last year by Oceania where it was to mirror Riviera. Then they swiveled to only soft refurbishments below PH. That announcement btw, came out right after final payment for the first sailing. Now it appears that cabins below PH have lovely new curtains (sarcasm),and maybe a bench with new fabric….that doesn’t match the couch…..  disappointing at best. We were originally booked on the current sailing. We had looked forward to a refurbished ship, as had others. 

8 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

Certainly seems to be turning out different than the first announcement last year by Oceania where it was to mirror Riviera. Then they swiveled to only soft refurbishments below PH. That announcement btw, came out right after final payment for the first sailing. Now it appears that cabins below PH have lovely new curtains (sarcasm),and maybe a bench with new fabric….that doesn’t match the couch…..  disappointing at best. We were originally booked on the current sailing. We had looked forward to a refurbished ship, as had others. 

 

I have followed a couple of threads about work done on Marina — we are sailing on Marina in November in Concierge.

Disappointed first no new bathrooms but I thought redone Public rooms and soft goods in cabins.  I’m hearing not much of anything except Horizons and the addition of pizza ovens at Waves and adding Aquamar.

How about the casino?  New carpet bedspreads etc in cabins?  Any info would be appreciated.  I’m on the edge.  When I booked everything was going to be done— taken away little by little.  Feel like I was misled.  Itinerary is nice but I don’t like the whole scenario.  And I hear about everything on cruise critic or Facebook. Not from Oceania.

We have taken a couple of Oceania sailings on Riviera.  

3 minutes ago, rbtan said:

As we've said many times. If you walk around a bit.. Look to see how many are in the pool. Are the drink glasses full of water & no ice. At that point we just move in. My spouse just takes the belongings( mostly books/Mags & tosses them on the towel locker.As I said no issues on our Jan. Vista cruise. The captain & most especially the cruise director spoke often about it. Princess/Celebrity were terrible & my spouse got into a few times, telling one guy if he'd like to see the water close up, my spouse would oblige him.Most cases a call to security moves the hogs away quickly.

😊 — don’t want to get into it with other passengers but I like your style.  

Terrible chair hog issues on Princess, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity (our most recent sailing a few months ago) — seems to have gotten worse recently.

The cruise lines seem unwilling to enforce policies.  They could put down timestamped cards and collect them along with belongings (I’ve seen apples, flip flops, books, etc) after reasonable Timelapse, perhaps 45 minutes.  The belongings to be deposited on a vicinity table.

As long as the cruise lines ignore this, the passengers will suffer — just not right.  It is not quite as much fun if we need to be circling the outside lounges like trying to find parking at the mall during the holidays— oh, and am paying thousands for the privilege onboard.  

Unfortunately on some lines, most recently Celebrity, all levels and locations of seating were affected, not just near the pool.  The chairhog problem seems to be growing.
.

56 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

Do they not have the same rules as regular balconies that the door is not supposed to be kept open?

The sliding door to the balcony was not “kept” open.  A couple of times we were on the balcony with door closed behind us.  Once I was in the doorway. And closed it fast.

4 minutes ago, TMLAalum said:

Oh great! We have this cabin booked for the Apex. Was there a worker there often? And was the equipment permanent?

 

I would love to hear opinions of the BEST choices in porthole verandas. The most forward DPVs have the window washing equipment blocking the view, so I thought 7123 would be far enough bag to be safe from obstructions......

There is a big permanent metal platform with a hatch that opens.  It wasn’t open often but our balcony was sprayed with liquid and clothes got soaked - husband got sprayed in the face. Another time the spray started and reached the sliding door but we were quick to close the door. Again, no warning.  Don’t know what was in the water like soap or if it was just plain water.  
 

We were not bothered by loss of view due to window washing equipment though.  
 

the cabin itself was nice but the little chairs uncomfortable with no footstools.

Enjoy.

28 minutes ago, albingirl said:

This topic tends to raise the blood pressure. I used to see HAL's library books used for this purpose....just to hog the chairs.  I'm at the point where I am inclined to do a broad sweep ot the arm over belongings that sit for a period of time on an unused chair.  It's rude to claim these chairs as your own personal property.  I just sailed on NCL, and they have an area that they call the Waterfront which has plenty of couches and chairs.  I'd see people napping across the whole couch, insuring that no one sat on the chairs in that semi-circle.  One person hogging an area meant to seat six.  Wrong, wrong, wrong. 

On celebrity also 

no but we were sprayed with water a few times without warning!?!

7123 — would not book again

This was sold as unobstructed.  If it truly was unobstructed I do like the Porthole Vetanda.

I’m leaving on a HAL sailing this weekend and am concerned that we will have a lounge to relax also.  We will have a balcony also but don’t want to be prisoners in our cabin either.

we are vets of 30-something cruises mostly on Celebrity.  Our last 2 sailings on RCCL and Celebrity Beyond were so crowded we wandered around looking for chairs mostly unsuccessful.  
 

If the cruise lines cannot get their act together and enforce their own policies and rules, the lack of relaxing public sense will send me to another way to spend my vacation $.  
 

Selling me a chair or onboard cabana after I have paid the cruisefare is not right.  Neither is downgrading the included dining so that passengers are forced to pay for the ever-expanding specialty dining options.

We have this HAL sailing soon and then Oceania in the fall. Hope springs eternal.

Happy sailing.

24 minutes ago, chisoxfan said:

That's the million dollar question. My wife and I like to hang about the pool in warm weather cruises and expect a packed house on sea days with better availability on port days depending on port. It depends on weather what time you come down to the pool, and luck. Generally if you

are OK being on second level or away from pool you will find something. 

We have booked X Retreat, Princess Sanctuary, HAL Cabana, NCL something or other and will try Princess' new dedicated area next year primarily to have a relaxing place to sit. The thing we don't like in some cabana areas is the distance from the pool.  This appears to be the deal on Nieuw Statedam so for the first time in years will join the crowd looking for a pool spot.

Hoping HAL does work to address chair hogs. 

15 minutes ago, Maryjane8 said:

Is it possible to "adjoin" port hole verandas? Being able to open the section separating the balconies?

Don’t think it is possible

10 minutes ago, clo said:

That's really shocking re the end of the row. I wonder if they do that on-shore at theaters, movies,etc.

 

We don’t comply but as politely as we can.🙂🩴🛟⚓️

59 minutes ago, harryw said:

 Senses of entitlement show no boundaries.

Last cruise someone was saving a seat next to me 

in the theatre for her husband, who never showed up.

Maybe it was all innocent.

We always get to theater super early to get a seat on the aisle so dh can get to restroom quickly.

We're often asked to move in and would rather not explain why we would rather not.

we do move out to the aisle to let others in the row.

I try not to judge - we don’t always know the reasons.