MarkWiltonM

Is there an updated deck plan yet for Marina post re-fit?

Personally, I am happy with 1,400 capacity and looking forward to seeing how Oceania uses the extra capacity. We just got off Celebrity Apex after having sailed on Oceania for a while and it was way too big for us at 2,910 double occupancy and 3,405 max. It was also packed. We canceled 3 Celebrity cruises when we got home and only have Oceania booked for the next two years. (I will say, though, that the food on Apex was surprisingly good, way better than we've had on other Celebrity ships in the older Solstice class, and comparable to if not better than Oceania. Don't get upset, just my opinion!)

We booked this while on Sirena, a while back. We got a B3 veranda for $2,199. That was before Simply More's inclusions but we don't drink and we don't care much about excursions in the Caribbean so we aren't missing anything. We also got pre-paid gratuities because our TA is a Cruise Connoisseur Club member. That B3 now is priced at $3,099. ($1,800 more for two!) But the fares on other cruise lines seem to be going up just as much and just as fast. We also have an Allura cruise that we booked last September and that's gone up as well, but not as much as the Marina cruise.

We take two Caribbean cruises a year and space them out so the first is in November/December and the second is in March/April. Been doing this for many years, and living in South Florida for 20 years. We usually book toward the end of November or beginning of December. Although hurricane season officially ends at the end of November, November hurricanes are rare.

I was checking the newly released fares for Allura in the Caribbean in 2026. Last September, we booked a B3 on Allura for 12 nights at $4,049 pp with a $400 pp shore excursion credit. That cruise is in November 2025 and visits the ABC islands, St. Barts, Tortola, Grenada, and St. Lucia. Looking at January 2026 fares, a B3 for a somewhat less desirable itinerary (in our view) for 12 nights is $5,349 pp with only a $300 pp shore excursion credit. That cruise visits San Juan, Tortola, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Guadeloupe, Antigua (no St. Barts or ABC islands; our favorites). For my spouse and me combined, that's an increase of $2,600 with $200 less shore excursion credit. Glad we booked early when the 2025 itineraries for Allura were released. We have a Celebrity cruise booked for early 2026 that I suspect we'll keep because we can't afford the new Oceania fares.

But will Jacques be renamed Giada?

This is interesting and shows how subjective food is. We found the food in the restaurants to be much, much better than in the buffet (called the Galley). The only thing we liked in the Galley was the ramen, which we could have eaten every day, and practically did. The sushi, the sandwiches, the tacos, were meh. And though it was only a five-day cruise, the selections were unvarying in the Galley stations and got old very quick. The food in the restaurants we went to--The Wake, Extra Virgin, and Razzle Dazzle--was very good, and we loved the Mediterranean small plates served in the Dock House as well.

What is this?

My TA must love me, because I always initially book my own cruise, either online or while on another cruise for the additional benefits, and then I transfer it to the TA simply to receive the extra benefits he provides; in my case, it's usually travel insurance. All the TA has ever had to do for me is collect final payment. And I think he gets a pretty nice commission from the cruise line.

We found our agent on one of these bidding sites. It was for a Crystal cruise but we've used him now for years for mostly Celebrity, Oceania, and HAL. He provides travel insurance or OBC (your choice) as a perk and sometimes offers pre-paid gratuities depending on the cruise and cruise line. I suspect there are other agents that give larger benefits to customers but this agency is available 24/7 and everyone who works there is very professional and always on top of things. Our TA is the president of the agency but there are dozens of staff and we can always reach someone.

A gimmick or just a really cool thing? What is an all-male bridge crew called? Normal?

Does anyone know the hours for the Elite breakfast on the Apex? Is it at Le Petit Chef? Is it a buffet or do you order from a menu? Thanks!

Can you share more about this?

We liked the food (a lot) and the crew (a lot) on VV but did not like the ship itself. Not very comfortable. And the exterior decks are poorly designed/furnished. The tiny pool, for example, is surrounded not by the ocean but by the dark windows of the gym with some corrugated metal panels in some areas to make it even more cold and unwelcoming. Very prison-like. You have to go up a deck to see the ocean, but there's little comfortable seating up there. The nicest area outside is at The Dock, just outside The Dock House. Good Mediterranean food there too (small plates). But even at the Dock it's all hard seating. Our veranda stateroom bathroom was very small and ugly.

We also find Toscana and Polo Grill overrated. We had a great meal in Red Ginger on one ship and really mediocre on another ship. We didn't actually go to RG on Vista. Ember was our favorite of the specialties, and probably the only one we'll book on Allura, our next Oceania cruise. The issue with the shore excursions is ridiculous. Must be fixed by Oceania.

There is decaf. If you don't see it on one side of the Terrace Cafe try the other side. They also keep extra tea in the cupboard below. Or ask a server for help. They should also have it by the coffee machine in Horizons, and at Baristas.

Pizza is pretty good at Waves. Some love it, some don't. We have so many great pizzerias where we live that we usually don't eat much pizza on cruise ships. But whereas we will actually eat the pizza at Waves, we have found the pizza on most other cruise lines to be just plain bad (Celebrity, HAL, Virgin Voyages). I haven't eaten at Applebee's since I was a teenager, but I find the comparisons to Ember to be ridiculous. In terms of quality, I would compare Jacques to Applebee's. I think it's the French words and air of pretension and formality that make people think it must be good. Certainly compared to actual restaurants in France (Paris, Lyon, etc.), the menu is extremely dated and mediocre.

I'm sure that's true, but people who are hard of hearing tend to speak loudly as well. I'm not saying that is necessarily the case on Oceania, but we have lived in a very well-built condo for 14 years and have never had noise pollution from our next-door neighbors until the most recent owner moved in, who is hard of hearing. We hear his TV, we hear him shouting into his phone, etc. And to top if off he turned one of his bedrooms--the one that our bedroom shares a wall with--into a media room!!! But he's a nice guy and agreed not to play the TV loud after 9:00 pm.

The cruise lines are not your friend. I have found they are rarely accommodating when it comes to money if they don't have to be. And it's certainly not just Oceania. I am so sorry you are likely out a significant sum of money, but now you know that important requests such as cancellations should be made in writing. it's ultimately your money and therefore your responsibility (I know it hurts!) Even if there was a phone call first, it should be followed up in writing. Then, make a note to yourself on whatever calendar system you use to make sure you receive a confirmation of the cancellation and, if not, contact the TA or cruise line (depending on who you're working with) again. Until you see it in writing, don't be satisfied, whatever you are told.

Although Marina's veranda staterooms and bathrooms won't be redone as they were on Riviera (and very nicely done on Riviera), there will be an Aquamar Kitchen on Marina, which Riviera didn't get. Like most restaurants, some like Aquamar Kitchen and some don't, but we thought the food was quite good there, with lots of healthy options for breakfast and lunch (closed at dinner).

I wonder if some of this is just down to people blasting their TVs because they are hard of hearing. Oceania obviously caters to seniors (myself included). When my mom's hearing went, I would go to her condo and she would have the TV volume on 99.

I'm so glad so many people don't care for Ember. We were able to get seated at a prime time (7 pm) table for two without a reservation.

We did Woodwind snorkeling in Bonaire. They know what they're doing. There's also a donkey sanctuary there that I missed last time but will be visiting next year. If you are walking around historic Willemstad in Curacao, make sure you venture far enough to enjoy the charming Pietermaai district. Just ask for directions or look at a map. It's just a few blocks beyond the dingier central part of Willemstad and has a number of small hotels, shops, and cafes, many on the water.

We thought Ember was a great replacement for Jacques. We also enjoyed the food at Aquamar Kitchen. The service could be slow at peak lunch hours, though.

We were in 8015, pretty far forward on the starboard side. We could not hear our guests on either side of us, and we have very good hearing.