slw207693

It’s a separate room.   I will enquire about how to book it.

The day has finally arrived and when they opened Vista for check in, an angel took my hand and escorted us to the line.  Our very efficient check in clerk worked her magic, and poof, we were the first paying passengers onboard!  Lots of welcome onboards and we stood with mouths agape in lobby.  No green orchids in vase at bottom of staircase but beautiful crystal chandelier that hangs down to light your ascent to 6th floor.    

She’s a beauty.   ( I will post pictures later).  And guess what - Starlink seems to be installed and rumors are each cabin gets a log in.   Oceania at Sea is now on front of ship, starboard side, behind the Artist Loft and before where Horizons is.   Spa deck is now on 15 and takes up the whole front of the ship.   fabulous changing rooms, even the quiet lounge furniture looks usable.  
 

We just left Riviera two days ago in Athens to make our way to Italy.  We wandered the entire ship and I will briefly give you the changes we observed.   The concierge and dining desks are now tucked into the nooks on the side of the ship in lobby.   
 

There is no back staircase on 5!   It  begins on 6 by the Grand Dining Room.  The  hallway where Jacques was and is now Embers Cafe and wraps around where the elevator is on Marina and Riviera.     Have not made it to RedGinger.   
 

LaReserve is no more and is now AquaMar kitchen, both inside and out.  Inside is a high stool sharing space.  You have to order off menu and they serve.   Terrace cafe food is all displayed on one level, no tiers.  Easier to see servers.   New uniforms - wine stewards have long sleeve white shirts, black vests, maroon bow ties, the bar staff are same except gold bow ties.   Looks like Oceania listened on females being able to wear trousers.   
 

Privee between Polo and Toscana seats 14.  They will serve either the Dom Perignon dinner or Odyssey menu in there now only.   Polo and Toscana now have a private dining area for 8 near the front of each restaurant.  Every restaurant  has a check in desk with seating before you go into the restaurant.
 

Horizons on 14 has what I would call separators.  They no longer serve coffee or pastries in morning, only a bar.   Individual seats surrounding dance floor.  We have a Cruise Critic gathering today at 3:30 with Frank Del Rio Sr. answering questions.  We will see how well it functions for a group as I understand over 100 are signed up to attend.  
 

we are in a PH2.  Lovely muted colors, kind of a gray taupe.  Mirrors have lights in them, nice touch.  The only flaw I see is the closet.  BIG mistake, big mistake as Julia Robert’s said.  It is not a walk in.  Lots of wasted space in front of it that is open to the room if they thought you would change there.  The left side has bar for hanging long things.  Has a tie/belt who knows what to hang here on the backside of the door.   The right side cupboards are divided into two, the left side has two rods for shorter things to hang, the right side has a rod above the inroom safe and 4 pull out small drawers, the first contains the hair dryer and shoe horn brush.  These cupboards are about 3 inches deep.  
 

couch in room can easily seat 2-3 comfortably.  There is a lovely small crystal floor lamp by window. Better drapage on small window.  There is a table and chair by balcony doors with shelf and drawers.   It’s been a good area to tuck the 54 bottles of wine we brought onboard today.  Not sure what will go in those drawers, table and chairs in the way.   
 

more to come.   As soon as I conform internet package details I will post pictures.  Just remember, different isn’t bad, just getting used to it.  
 

Just got off Riviera and someone was going around putting googlie eyes on the artwork

😳😵‍💫

We disembarked in Athens this morning and what a difference from November 2021 when we embarked in Athens.

getting off the ship today was a breeze, no lines snaking down hallways, blocking elevators or a packed lobby.  All orderly and smooth.   From the time we disembarked to getting into our pre ordered taxi, was 5 minutes!  I am shocked at how quick and orderly it went.

we pre ordered a taxi from Welcome pick-ups (they sent Vangelis +30 698 04 17 291) who was outstanding.  He had large sign with our names right at exit, held doors open, had candies, tissues, water, in front of each seat.  He then drove us by many sights pointing out history, Olympic venues, stadium where first Olympics were held.  Was an excellent driver navigating motorcycles, trucks, pedestrians and other drivers.   
 

I was really surprised by how clean Athens is.  Lots of graffiti but no trash on streets.  No cigarette butts thrown on sidewalks.   No panhandlers.   Feels like the city has cleaned itself up a lot.  
 

we are off to join Vista for her Founders journey.  
 

Thank you  to Destination Services who is responsible for embarking and disembarking passengers.   You did a GREAT job today!   Barristas upon our return.

Just got off Marina and it is David, the same one who does the olive oil cart in Toscana 

A few things I will add:

ORV - you and hubby  compete for the diet Dr. Pepper!

the first thank you note I write to staff goes to the Master and his laundry team - for 16 people in total to do ALL the sheets, towels, chaise covers, linens, napkins, all staff uniforms and then 3 bags from guests,  are the unseen, unsung staff who are hero’s in my eyes.   I usually send them treats  with my note (chocolates or chips).   
 

You do not have to take whatever drink is on tray and offered at Captain’s welcome party.   You can give the server your order (just be patient, they are filling many of us who are in the know orders as well).  
 

if you are on the Marina or Riviera, I would highly recommend getting 8-10 others together and do a Privee dinner (room between Polo and Toscana).  Price is a flat $300 - split by 5 couples equals $60.   You can choose  to use menus from Polo/Toscana to mix and match or work with the Executive Chef on a couple other menus and you can mix and match them with Chef’s approval.   You can get the menus from the Concierge on 5 near Red Ginger hall.  We did this in November on Marina with 4 couples we met onboard.   It was better than LaReserve dinners we had!

There are needlepoint (kits provided for free, you must complete one before you can get another kit) and this is always on a sea day at 9:30 am in Horizons.  They will show you how to do it.  Other days may include bracelet kits.   
 

We bring back spicy chips when we go into a port  (Doritos, Cheetos) for our cabin stewards as part of our thank you’s.   We don’t wait to tip them at the end but throughout the cruise with notes on how much we appreciate them.   Same for others who have been helpful.

  We tape $2 bills to the luggage when we put it out night before disembarking.  Many hands are involved in getting it all moved and into terminal the next morning.

Filling out mid cruise comments are valuable, both for things needing correcting and identifying those who go above and beyond.    If you don’t get satisfaction, request a meeting with GM - write a note and leave it at front desk.   They will respond.
 

We’ve been on every ship since October 2021, except Nautica.   We leave this  Wednesday for 10 day Riviera cruise from Miami.   

I am currently on Marina with upgraded internet package. I have been on since Nov. 1.     I need to use a VPN for work purposes and the upgrade is the only way it works ( I use Nord VPN).   I make Zoom calls almost daily using the upgrade and they come in clear with no buffering or latency issues.  Only a few days with getting kicked off issues - didn’t last long, just annoying.   I use ATT $10/day  (24 hr period) international plan (don’t have to sign up, it just happens) if you turn on cellular when you are near land or in port.   Sometimes I let the cellular update the email box, then go back using ships wi-fi to respond.   

Babysteps - good call on that  as there was a Repeaters party on that day.   Today’s Currents says Horizons 3pm - Closing

We are currently on Marina and have 2 more segments.  I can tell you that you can not walk up to maitre’d and get in anymore unless it is for an 8:30pm seating.  Ship is full.   You will get your 1 “guaranteed” reservation in each restaurant, however it may or may not be at a desired time to you’d like to eat.   
 

Crew Salute (where the crew  come into the Marina lounge after the evening show and you get to clap and cheer for them and then participate in the YMCA song and then the crew is waiting at the entranceways to clap for you afterward) is back.   Lots of fun to feel like it’s almost back to pre Covid 
 

We check the luggage at airport with our other suitcases.   No issues ever.  
 

the evening entertainment on Marina is at 9:15 not 9:30.  It’s up to Cruise Director to chose time.  
 

Baristas serves coffee, pastries, little sandwiches (similar to the Concierge and Executive lounges) 6:30 am - 5:30 pm

at 6 pm Baristas reinvents itself as Baristas Aperitivo from 6-10 pm. (I don’t know if those drinks are 2 for 1 during happy hour but will enquire).   
Martinis is open from 3 pm to closing

Grand Bar opens from 5 pm to closing

Horizons is open 11 am - 5 pm and then 8 pm - closing  (strange, I thought Horizons was open for Happy hour 5-6 pm) but not listed anywhere in todays Currents 🤷‍♀️
 

With Marina at 1180 passengers,  all the restaurants are full and getting earlier seatings not easy, even on embarkation or last night of cruise.   Next cruise from Rome to Barcelona is at full capacity, closer to 1240

Husband has a wine suitcase, just google wine suitcase.  Comes with foam inserts for different size bottles, weighs 48 pounds and the airlines have never broken or taken a single bottle - over 45 cruises with Oceania.  We ship it with the other luggage and  It gets delivered to room with rest of luggage.   It fits nicely under the bed and if we are gifted a special bottle or we find something on board, it gets packed and shipped back home or the souvenirs or dirty laundry go in the bottle holders.   
 

We are currently on Marina and had 3-4 hour delay in boarding in Athens due to the Greek authorities sending one passport agent who had to find the stamp you got when you landed at the airport and stamp that you were leaving Greece.  He was not happy to be working.  There were’t many places to sit, you got assigned a group number by Greek port agent (did not matter what cabin level (we are in a PH2) or your check in time), we all waited.   Oceania brought out water, kept Terrace Cafe and Waves open and we were all relieved when the gangplank came up and we departed.  

If you though Aquamar prices were expensive before, on Nov. 11, 2022 there will be a major price increase, at least on Marina

all prices are without added 18% gratuity
 

Examples:   Deep tissue massage - 50 minutes. Currently: $179   New: $229

Swedish massage - 50 minute  Currently: $149  New:  $199

A couples 50 minute massage was $279 and new price is $399

50 minute Facials went from $199 to $229

My favorite shampoo and blow out (3 session bundle) was $129 and now will be $189 😡

A single wash and blow out was from $49 and now from $79

Fire and Ice manicure/pedicure combined was $139 and will be $169

Exotic hand ritual and sole delight pedicure was $129 and will be $149

Classic manicure and pedicure was $99 and now will be $129

shellac add on for hands and feet stayed the same $30

Gentleman’s haircut and style was $45 and will be $49.     Beard and neck trim went from $19 to $29

Let me know if you have a specific service you’d like quoted

There is indeed an ATM on board every ship in the casino and the daily limit is $1000.   I speak from experience as I have used them instead of getting a cash advance at reception with the fee added to your onboard account.  

We have had 12 in Privee and we were not crowded.   On the November 2021 Marina crossing, We had a lovely “commitment ceremony” in Grand Lobby and then all headed to Privee for dinner afterward.   There are several options for dining now - you can chose from Polo and Toscana mixing for each course, a new option  that was advertised is to go out to the markets with the Executive Chef and pick out fish or other things for him/her to prepare (obviously this wasn’t an option on this cruise due to being in middle of the Atlantic) or work with the Executive Chef and create your own menu (you get to keep your copy they printed up).  This is the option we chose and it was magnificent - Chef Frederic C. even created a two layer wedding cake that was exquisite.    One of the violinists from the string quartet came and played as well (I did tip her). This request was granted via the GM.   
 

I would say to request a meeting when you board with the Executive Concierge and , explain what you would like and see what they can and are willing to do.  If it’s possible, they will make it happen.   We only had 400 people on board last November.    Also remember that if the Chef is cooking for the LaReserve  dinner on your Privee evening, he may not be able to do a special menu and you get the Polo/Toscana options which are great choices too.  
 

  We gave the order to the Butler and he fulfilled every request from the different locations.  Another reason that a Butler can be so helpful.  

We were on Insignia in PH room in June and there were no restrictions.  We were able to order from Waves, dining room at lunch on sea days, dinner in specialities with mixing from each, room service menu, Terrace grill.  

We have had guests come onboard prior to Covid.  My husband’s six Norwegian colleagues and their spouses came for lunch in the Grand Dining room while we were docked in Stavanger (cost was $25 per person I think billed to our shipboard account).  We also paid for any drinks/wine consumed as well.  I believe the evening dinner cost for Grand Dining room is $35 pp (no speciality restaurants allowed).  
 

We filled out a form requesting permission, which was granted by the GM in conjunction with Exec Chef and Captain.   About 2 weeks prior to them coming onboard, We had to furnish passport/ID information, full names, birthdates, address, etc.   When the guests arrived, whatever form of ID they had provided information for, that documentation had to be shown to security (one member didn’t bring his passport which he had provided as his info, but had another ID) and that caused a kink that was eventually rectified, but it was touch and go whether he would be allowed onboard.   We were allowed to show them around the ship including our cabin and they stayed most of the afternoon.   
 

On another occasion in Seward Alaska we had a niece and her family come onboard for tea time.  (Again, the cost was either $20 or $25 pp).  Same security procedures.   They had a little one and the staff produced a high chair.   
 

Now that Negative Covid testing won’t be a requirement for many countries to get onboard, just ask the Executive Concierge if it is possible to host guests.   Be kind to the staff and they make all kinds of things possible.

Currently on Insignia (last leg of the around the world, stuck in quarantine) and having issues with wi-fi and being able to use VPN (I’m using Nord).  I’ve purchased the upgrade but still not able to use.   
 

I was on Marina for the month of November, Riviera in January and Regatta in April.  I had no issues with any of those ships.   
 

The IT person has only been on board about six weeks and that appears to be her level of experience.   She doesn’t know why, isn’t interested in finding out why or finding a solution to make it work.  (I’m still working and need a more secure connection).

Can any of you IT guru’s offer suggestions or solutions?

So let me tell you how invaluable our Butler, Ari,  has been on current cruise.   We are in PH room with Covid and he takes all our meal orders, delivers them outside the door, gently knocks and then when DH gets to door in mask, he asks what else we may need.  He’s brought carafes of hot water, big  bottles of water for room, the WSJ and takes the trash.  There is no room cleaning (although our cabin stewardess unlocked the divider with next room and washed the outside doors and windows as she deemed we needed to see the world float by and  held up a sign to feel better soon).   We too hadn’t made full use of a butler, but this has been above and beyond.   

As a long time Oceania. cruiser, we have put “together” 4 continuous cruises - the Club Ambassador put three on one invoice (said that was the max the system could do) and the fourth on a separate invoice. The 3 back to back invoice did not have an A after the booking number.   None of our invoices  ever have.
 

This was done pre Covid, but while onboard Regatta in April, we put several cruises together for in the future and each is individually invoice but has the 5% b2b savings.   (The 4 cruises were this past November 2021 on Marina and we stayed in the same cabin the entire trip.  I think 4 cruises is the most we’ve put together - we started in Barcelona and ended in Miami).  We received O-life shipboard credit for each cruise, we received spa credits for each cruise, we received Oceania loyalty credit of $500 for each cruise.  We also received 4 loyalty credit points  towards our next “free cruise”.   (The segments were 7 days, 7 days, 10 days and 12 days).  

  At the end of each segment, they gave us printed summary (because we asked for it) but did NOT total out each segment separately.   Only at the end of the cruise were all the pluses and minuses totaled and due to travel agent giving refundable onboard ship credit for each segment, we ended up getting cash back.  

 

Flatbush flyer - we will be on the Lisbon to NY in a couple weeks and I look forward to chatting with you.   

At the Crowne Plaza and opened the curtains to see Regatta sailing into San Pedro port.   Welcome back!   See all those onboard at the Meet and Greet

For those with Spa credits from Oceania, the Aquamar policy is that tips are not part of the credit.   What we have found is that a fire and ice manicure and pedicure lists at $139 plus gratituty, they charged $149 to use up the $150 credit and then charged the tip of $26.82 to account.   My three wash and blow dry special of $129 leaves me with a $21 credit to be spent somehow on another treatment.     
 

A complaint about the Spa that I have is that they want you to sign two papers before any treatment - one that you understand that you are doing the said treatment of your own free will and that you release and discharge them, the ship and cruise line and all their affiliated entities for any causes of action.   Okay with that - but remember this is now considered a Medical spa with Botox and other injectable’s available.  
 

the one I do refuse to sign is the privacy policy - that states that my personal data will be shared with and processed by our affiliates and certain service providers.   Only treatment that I could get without signing this was my hair washed and dried.   🤷‍♀️ (DH did the mani/pedi and signed forms)

No hands on cooking classes this cruise.  However the Chef is demonstrating the recipes to 12-15 lucky souls (no charge).  I think if you had secured a place in the original cooking class, this enabled you to be a front row spectator in the cooking school.   When I enquired at Destinations on how to obtain a coveted front row seat, I was instructed to call the Chef and she would let me know if there were openings.   By the time I got back to cabin, I had forgotten her number and figured, oh well, there was plenty of other things to do onboard with just being lazy at the top of the list.

Captain Max is one of the best Captains in Oceania’s fleet.  How many of you knew how to figure out a nautical mile before hearing his noon announcement?  He is one of the few who gives more than a cursory time, temp and location on his announcements.   He was the Captain on board Nautica way back when it was attacked by Somali pirates.   He gave a great talk on a previous sailing telling us all about it and the entire lounge was hanging on his every word.   If you have too many sea days, perhaps you can convince Paul Baya, the Talented Cruise Director to schedule him in.   
 

Be kind to the crew - they have to wear their masks no matter what, all day long in your presence.   If you get tired of wearing it, you have a cabin to retreat to.   You get to take it off when you eat or drink, outside if distanced from others and in your cabin.   No one wants the cruise industry to stop sailing and this protocol is keeping Oceania ships sailing for your pleasure.   (And tip them well - with the cancellations, they earn potentially less but still work extremely hard on your behalf)

32 minutes ago, travelbug2225 said:

Do you have pictures of the dishes of this menu?  We are interested to make reservation on our up coming cruise.  Thank you. 

Unfortunately did not bring any camera only appetite.   I can assure you, the two La Reserve meals have been the best food on board Riviera and the team running it top notch.   Juni, the head waiter in La Reserve, is knowledgeable and attentive and misses nothing.    Enjoy!   

8 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Were they using all the seats?  The menu looks terrific, but I'm not willing to sit that close to so many strangers.

Our table held 7, two tables held 6.   
 

Paul Baya is excellent as Trivia host.  Lots of interesting questions.  Because we arrive in Barbados at 1 pm, trivia is moving to morning slot.  Anyone who attends in bathrobe will be awarded 1 Big O point

Just  a reminder f you want to put a face to these posters, Horizons at 9:30 tomorrow