wannaberetired

So thankful to FDR for sticking to his guns!  I would not sail on a ship that doesn't require vaccinations.  

You should read this article prior to sailing because it has useful information about sailing post-pandemic from the point of view of someone who just sailed.  Note Celebrity is requiring all passengers over the age of 16 be vaccinated AND provide a negative Covid test.  I am sure there will be countries/islands requiring vaccinations so wondering how that will work with this legal fight going on between NCL and Florida if Florida says NCL can't require them and the island you are sailing to does.  Also interesting, some of the islands are not letting you off the boat unless you are on a ship shore excursion so even if Oceania allows you to use private tour companies, the actual country you are visiting may not. Here's the link to the article:  Americans are cruising again. Here's what it's like onboard (thepointsguy.com)

As of today, NCL is still fighting with Florida on this issue with their lawyers. Frank Del Rio said they will just sail from other ports if this sticks in Florida.  To quote:  "Cruise ships have motors and rudders and can move."  Thanks to Frank Del Rio for fighting this fight.  I will NEVER sail on a ship that doesn't require vaccinations.  

I am so sorry to hear this.  I have always enjoyed both Jim and Stan's pictures and information on cruising. 

Does anyone know if the renovations for the Regatta are on schedule?  Their website says it should be done by Sept 2019. We booked the Australia/New Zealand cruise for Jan 2020 and want to make sure the renovations are completed as we have heard the current ship is "tired" and "needs upgrading."

On 2/10/2019 at 11:32 PM, Paulchili said:

I certainly resent their policy of requiring full payment 12 months ahead. I was able to change it to 6 months but I understand that they no longer allow that.

I guess they need the cash to pay for all those new ships.

They require full payment on their river cruises so guess they just carried that policy over to the ocean cruises.  I agree with others on the thread that I was not impressed with the rooms on the Viking ocean ships.

To answer your question about bringing booze on board, my husband and I usually bring a bottle of vodka and a bottle of rum onboard and place them in our larger suitcases surrounded in plastic bubble wrap and in between a bunch of clothes to cushion them. We usually pick up the bottles at the duty free, either at the airport or at the port, if available there. We have never had an issue with it.

We just returned from Marina Stockholm to Copenhagen. As usual, the food was excellent for the most part. I was just a little disappointed with the Sea Bass at Red Ginger, which is usually outstanding. It did not have much flavor this time. Jacques was awesome as was Polo Grill. Toscana was just OK, the veal did not have much flavor. Sometimes it is luck of the draw with a piece of meat or fish. My husband and other travelers loved just about everything they ate too. Plenty of variety and tastes to please most people. I can't complain because I liked just about everything and ate like a king!

With private guides you have to check with them some will refund in full some 50% & some you pay at the time of the tour

Do your research before booking them

 

We usually take private tours & NEVER in all my cruises have been left at the port or come close to missing the ship

 

 

As for transfers ....O charges upwards of $300 for 2 from MIA to POM

A taxi is $27 for up to 4

yes you can pay extra for convenience but seriously how hard is it to take your bags to the taxi stand then a 20 min ride to the port

 

The driver puts your bags in the car, takes them out & gives them to a porter

with O you still take your bags to the bus

I can think of better things to spend $300 on

 

YMMV

Or, if you don't trust taxis, you can pre-book a private airport/port transfer company. They will meet you with a sign outside of the baggage area, help you roll your bags to their very conveniently located parking spot and drive you to your airport/hotel/port. All for much less than Oceania, and, it you have more than two travelers, it is even cheaper, whereas Oceania charges by the person.

We always book PH rooms on the 10th floor vs 11th because the 11th floor has an overhang. Also, the closet space is larger compared to the veranda rooms.

Hello,

We took off from there and I recall the port area being very long with a lot of sections and that we were immediately able to see the Oceania ship when we pulled into the area. According to the link below, looks like the Oceania Sirena recently docked there. May help you figure out where. Oceania will give you the port information approx 21 days prior to sailing.

http://www.portodelisboa.pt/portal/page/portal/PORTAL_PORTO_LISBOA_ING/CRUZEIROS/PREVISAO_NAVIOS_CRUZEIRO

Thanks! Sailing on Marina in about 1 1/2 weeks - Baltic Cruise from Stockholm to Copenhagen. Can't Wait!

Sailing on this cruise and just received final documents. The ship is leaving out of Frihamnen (650). Here is a link to a map of the Port:

http://www.portsofstockholm.com/siteassets/stockholm/kartor/vartahamnen-frihamnen/karta_frihamn_vartahamn_engelska_juli2017.pdf

My 2 cents: I thought the food on RCCL in the MDR was pretty good and they were very accommodating with menu choices and quantities. The buffet was so-so. The elevators were extremely annoying - too many people waiting and took forever to get an elevator. Check-out was a bit of a mess too with long lines.The room was large (junior suite) and the entertainment was decent. For a family, I think they are a good idea. Just don't be surprised by the sheer numbers of passengers. After sailing on Oceania, it is hard to get used to so many people and having to wait for things.

Is there some way you can pay in US dollars, not in pounds? If the mark-up is due to the conversion rate, then if you pay in US currency, there should not be a different price for residing in the UK. You may get a better exchange rate converting to US dollars yourself. Not sure this is possible, but just a thought.

I have seen them let passengers with mobility issues out of the staff exit. I have also seen them assist those passengers when needed.

The steps from the regular exit are not steep, but there's a lot of them!

You should expect to have more children on board in July. I sailed in August once and noticed more kids and also noisy party animal adults! Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a little partying, but they were just downright obnoxious, more so than the kids! On late spring or early fall cruising, I have seen anywhere from 2-5 kids on board. In August, there were about 10-15 of them and quite a few older kids - teenagers and 20-somethings. After that cruise, my husband and I vowed never to take a cruise in the summer again. The pool was very crowded (not built to accommodate that many people) and the ports we visited were really crowded too, hard to get around with so many people touring at the same time. If you have to go in July, just be prepared for a different experience than is normal for an Oceania cruise in other months. I am not saying you won't enjoy it - Oceania cruising is always enjoyable - just be prepared for it to be a different experience.

You can shower in the tub in the PH somewhat. It has a partial glass partition and I think it has a handheld shower wand that can be attached to the bar on the wall if I recall. Definitely more room than in the shower.

We stay at the Albergo Del Senato whenever we are in Rome. It is a great hotel with a spectacular view from the rooftop bar. If you can, ask for one of the rooms in the front of the building and wake up to a great view of the Pantheon every day.

Just as another note, when I stayed there in October, I had a medical emergency and I can't say enough how helpful the staff there was. I was staying there alone that time and they really took care of me. It was a scary situation and they made me feel that I wasn't alone. Here are pics from the rooftop bar and from my room.

I just booked specialty restaurants for 4 for a cruise leaving in Sept. I am in a Penthouse and they are in a concierge veranda. I was able to book a party of 4 and link it to their booking - it now shows up on both of our accounts.

Thanks for the replies. Agree that the public areas above 12006 and 12008 are not likely to have much foot traffic, moving of chairs and tables, etc. I would think the port cabins would be less likely to experience noise issues than starboard cabins, which are under the workout room. And, I have heard some people say there is some noise in the suites on deck 11 aft from the public area with chairs, tables and more foot traffic, above.

I stayed in 12009 and there was no noise at all.

After reading this post, I tried to go on and book my restaurant reservations for Baltic Cruise in September (final payment made) and the site is experiencing technical difficulties. I could not get access at all and there was funny writing all over the page. I think they found the technical glitch and are fixing it right now! You were definitely lucky!

Thanks so much for your awesome posts and pictures! Many bring back memories from prior cruises. You are so right - never put off traveling - you never know what is going to happen down the road. My Father said that right before he passed away. While he was able to see a little of the world, he always regretted he didn't start when he was younger. So, in fine fashion, we are off to the Baltic in September!

If you paid a deposit for the original booking, I think Oceania takes an administrative fee now for cancelling the booking (think it is $225). You should have the TA call Oceania and take care of things. If the TA books with them frequently and is on their system, Oceania should accommodate them.

I think the price is high and you won't really have as much time as you think. Instead of doing the 1/2 day tour, why don't you focus on one thing - like the Parthenon - and just go see that? Jim & Stan are right about the distance between Piraeus and the airport and how long it takes, however, the good news is that with a short detour, you can visit the Parthenon and continue on to the airport without losing too much time. I think the best option is to spend an extra day or two in Athens but if that is not possible, focusing on one sight is better than nothing. You may want to check into a taxi/car service that will take you there and wait rather than a tour with a guide. The walk up to the Parthenon takes about 15 minutes if you are in good health and give yourself about a 1/2 hour to hour at the top and then walk back down again and you could be done in 1 1/2 hours. If you leave the ship around 8:30-9:00, that should get you to the Parthenon around 9:30-10:00 and finish around 11:30, getting you to the airport around noon, roughly 2 hours prior to the flight. Prior to setting this up, check with the tour sight and make sure it is open - you are touring earlier in the day and you need to make sure things are open - the shops on the Plaka may be closed.