CB BOARDER

Here's a you tube link to a video of a Marina Vista suite. Even though the narrator doesn't mention the suite number it looks exactly like the suite we stayed in last year (Ste#8003).

Mura - It wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong. I've probably confused this thread enough already but I'll give it one more go! Since the suite is forward facing and the entry door is on the starboard wall (bulkhead ?), one would turn left once entering the suite to view the main living area.

Sorry for any confusion..............

I wouldn't think so because we have been in 9001 and 10001 on Marina and I don't recall a connecting door. The Deck 8 Vistas may be a bit different because you enter from the side of the hallway rather than directly in front as you do on Decks 9 and 10. (What I'm trying to say is that when we entered 8003 for a party we turned right to enter the suite; on our suites we went in straight ahead.)

 

I did just check the deck plan and it appears that on Deck 10 the neighboring suites are PH3 whereas on Deck 9 they are A4s. (Bear in mind that my deck plan is an older one and changes may have been made.)

 

From the plan my memory that the Deck 9 and 10 Vistas back up to each other so it wouldn't be likely that they would connect. I sure never noticed a door in either one them.

 

I'd be interested in the definitive answer, though. Jim/Stan?

 

Mura

8003 is on the starboard (right) side, so you actually turn left to enter the suite.

Thanks, CB B0ARDER, for your reply; it's much appreciated. However, your words "I believe" imply at least a modicum of uncertainty.

 

Does anyone out there know for sure, based on personal experience or observation, whether 8000 on the Marina (or Riviera, for that matter) connects to any other cabin or suite? And if 8001 connects to another cabin or suite as indicated on the O website, then is it to 8000 on one side or to the Vista suite on the other?

 

Thanks again in advance.

Dr.,

I firmed this up or so I think. Last year we stayed in Vista suite 8003 and I remember there being a door connecting to a B1 Cabin. However I wasn't 100% sure so I went to youtube and typed in "Marina Vista Suite". The video I watched did in fact have a connecting door. Next question, is the connecting door standard for all forward facing Vista Suites?

Hope this helps!

The deck plan for Marina deck 8 shows 8000/8001 starred as having "Special Features." Placing one's cursor over 8001 reveals that it is a "connecting stateroom." However, nothing is revealed for 8000 despite its star.

 

So my question for anyone who has stayed in either of those cabins is whether yours had a connecting door to the adjacent suite or cabin. If so, was it to the B1 Veranda next door to you? Or did the door connect to the adjacent Vista Suite, either 8002 or 8003?

 

We had a forward-facing cabin for 35 days aboard Nautica and loved it, but I hate connecting doors because they are never soundproof which can be a problem if 24-hour party people or a family with kid(s) are installed next to you.

 

Your experience will help us to decide "yay or nay." Thanks in advance!

I believe they open to the adjacent Vista suite.

I guess I've been living in the dark for a while as I had no idea business class fares had gotten so high. I'm taking Marina's grand voyage from Rome to London next year and thought I would be able to deviate upwards to business class.

 

I think that may not be possible based on the $7000 +/- per person one way rate I found.

 

For any of you who may have flown from Atlanta to Rome and/or London to Atlanta in the last year, may I ask:

1. If you accepted "O" air as offered, was it coach class (I presume it was, but want to be sure)? Was it non-stop?

2. If you deviated by stepping up to Coach Economy, what was the up-charge (beyond the deviation cost)? And did you go nonstop?

3. If you deviated by stepping up to Business class, what was the up-charge (beyond the deviation fee)? And did you go nonstop?

 

Thanks in advance for helping me with this information.

For any of you who may have flown from Atlanta to Rome and/or London to Atlanta in the last year, may I ask:

1. If you accepted "O" air as offered, was it coach class (I presume it was, but want to be sure)? Was it non-stop?

We accepted "O" air for a cruise this summer. The deviation was $175.00pp. There's only 1 direct flight to Rome from Atlanta and we were able to book it. FYI - that flight does book up quick as it is the only non-stop to Rome.

2. If you deviated by stepping up to Coach Economy, what was the up-charge (beyond the deviation cost)? And did you go nonstop?

"O" air doesn't offer premium economy on Delta. However you can book it directly with Delta.

3. If you deviated by stepping up to Business class, what was the up-charge (beyond the deviation fee)? And did you go nonstop?

If you want Business class you'll have to upgrade with "O" and it's quite expensive unless they're offering an incentive.

With that discount of 40% would you not consider taking air credits and avoid the deviation in total? And assuming you have ample mileage get a free ticket? ..... You might discover that by pricing each lef as a one way that you would save a lot over doing a multi city....clark howard just did a program on this... You might want to check To me is makes no sense to pay for a deviation and do your own air.....

I totally agree and since we live in Atlanta we're very familiar with Clark Howard. We always try to book our own airfare however in this case, the RT multicity airfare was almost twice as much as the credit ($1K). We did our due diligence but the return leg was just to costly. We even looked into flying out of another city but in the end it just wasn't cost effective. Additionally, all my miles are skymiles and we were able to book RT Delta code share flights. Those 10K miles go a long way to reaching the next award level. Obviously, if I would have used my skymiles, I wouldn't receive the 10K MQM's.

Some of the "closer to sailing" ones, which appear on "show price" flyers (apparently designed by O with the partner TA agency name and/or logo also displayed in the header) have prices that can be up to 15% lower during an approx (and varying) one month period. During those sales, many other of the cruises not on the flyers (including newer ones long before final payment is due) will get at least a 5% drop during the sale period. Apparently, these brief sales are moved around among primarily some of the larger consortiums of agencies. O also does occasional similar sales with 5% discount for first time O cruisers.

 

Note that the above are not necessarily associated with O's own advertised price drops in their e-mails or on their website.

Our TA called us about a month ago with almost a 40% discount on a Med cruise this summer. The pricing included airfare, Olife and TA perks. Of course you have to add in the air deviation which brings the discount in around 30%.

We looked into booking our own airfare however those multi-city fares to Europe can be expensive. Especially when you talking 90 days and under.

On side note, Our cruise still seems to have plenty of cabins unsold. All but 4 cabin categories show availability.

i thought O had better shoes than AZ. .but nothing compares to the large ships that can do big shows. name a ship that has reasonable tours.

O has shoe shows? How did I miss those!:eek::D

How and when were you offered the upsell?

Well, that depends on availability. On our Baltic cruise last August we went from a balcony to a Penthouse a few months prior to departing. Then 3 or 4 days before embarkation we went from Penthouse to Vista. Both of these were upsells not upgrades so a small fee (relatively) was paid.

We're using Oceania airfare for our Med cruise this summer as Multi-city airfare to Europe can be expensive. In our case it was almost twice as much as the Oceania allowance ($1K). After confirming flights with Oceania's air department I called Delta to inquire about upgrading to Business class. I was told we had to contact Oceania for pricing. We all know that's not going to be cheap.... We were however able to upgrade to Economy comfort through Delta.

Good Luck!

It's no small investment that's for sure and it is for our 20 year anniversary so I don't get a do over. Doing the math based on the new brochure that was posted yesterday we'd pay about the same or slightly more than we're paying for Koningsdam but instead of our oversized balcony on their brand new ship we'd have to go inside on Marina. Canadian exchange is painful on Oceania :( hopefully they'll offer Canadian deals again at some point. Having to add 32% to their prices is depressing ;)

Don't give up. Oceania's bookings are slow and they're offering some deep discounts (not shown in brochures). Do a little research or contact a high volume TA and you'll get a balcony for the price of an inside plus O'life.

You know I just loved your post. What great attitude and I wish you all the best.

 

With in excess of 55 cruises I can honestly state I have avoided this virus personally even when it has been known to be onboard.

 

There are so many personal precautions one can take - in fact I take most of them even when NV isn't present.

 

And hence I knew this photograph would come in handy one day...

 

 

A sensible facility on Riviera but would you believe the number of gentlemen (?) there were who never thought of using it.

Better yet, those tissues aren't necessarily used to dry your hands or blow your nose. But to open the door (typically with clean hands).

I for the heck of it looked at some of the on line "special" discounts being offered by many "agencies"....... Boy they looked great.... and on cruises I was booked on 4 months ago.... Did I get hosed?

 

I read the fine print.... Hmmm..... no air credit, no Taxes and fees extra, no OBC No shore tours, no internet, no drinks pkg, on gratuities.....NO nutthin!

 

Most is not all super discounts were bare bones showing a stripped down cruise... because most of these agencies also are mass market guys too..... and they are marketing O cruises to appeal to that mentality... cheapest is best people., details be dammed.

 

Like buying a super discount car.... and do you want a radio, tires, rims, upholstry, windshield.....all extra

 

When I took my cruise and say I got 5 shore ex, prepaid gratuities, Internet, air credit, Taxes and fees......it actualy became cheaper that the dirt-ball price. Check the fine print and you may see what you are really saving or maybe not !!!!

99% of the time the above is correct. However, in this case the discounts are for real and they include Air, O'life and free internet.

Which voyage is this? Sounds like a deal for those who have not booked.

I'm guessing but I've seen some good prices on the June 19th ~ June 26th, Rome to Monaco.

This thread has made me a bit sad. I was really looking forward to the new itineraries being released for our 20th wedding anniversary but doesn't sound like a good fit even though we're not into late night parting

My wife and I are going on our 5th O cruise and we're in our 40's. Our last 2 O cruises have been with 2 different couples who are also in their 40's. O is our go to cruise line. For us it comes down to accommodations, food and itineraries. That's where we feel Oceania excels.

We recently sailed Celebrity (family commitment) and we'll never do it again. Yes it was slightly cheaper but the food, smaller state rooms and crowds were a turn-off.

At the end of the day it's your time and money, do what you feel comfortable with.

Our June cruise on Riviera will be our 5th with Oceania. The first 4 have been outstanding and I can honestly say the only reason we still cruise is because of Oceania. I'll continue to monitor this thread, I won't be stressed and I won't be canceling anytime soon. However, if Oceania fails to solve the so called "sick ship" syndrome before June, we most likely won't be back.

I assume the CDC is aware of Riviera's continued problem fighting Noro. Do you think there's any chance of the CDC "quarantining" the ship when it returns to the US? I'm thinking we may need an intervention.....since O has failed to find the source (not without a valiant effort).

I'm told that the CDC has no jurisdiction in the Mediterranean for cruises not headed to a US port. The Riviera will sail on April 11 for Barcelona and then will spend the summer in the Mediterranean. Could it be that Oceania's strategy is to run out the clock until they're out of the jurisdiction of the CDC, and won't have to do any more embarrassing reporting or compulsory cleaning? Sure, maybe they'll continue to make an effort, but they'll no longer be under the microscope. All will be forgotten.

 

Here's another oddity: The current cruise is due to limp back into Miami on April 3. There doesn't seem to be another voyage scheduled until the transatlantic departure on April 11. What is on the schedule for the intervening 8 days? Just asking.

It could be chartered. We sailed Celebrity over Thanksgiving last year, the following cruise was chartered by "bliss". Anyone wanna take a guess? Yep, it was a swingers cruise...Thank god it was after ours.....

We're sailing Riviera in June, hopefully O will have their stuff together by then. I assume the CDC could hold the ship in port and force Oceania's hand before the ship heads to the Med.

We're booked on the June 19th cruise Rome to Monaco with no plans of canceling. Well, at least not at this time...

My husband and I each saw passengers in the public restrooms leave before washing their hands. He quit using them after that!

I wouldn't be concerned so much with the restrooms. I'd be more concerned about what they touched after leaving the loo. I use public restrooms all the time, I just refuse to touch anything with my hands. I always and I mean always use a tissue or paper towel to open the door. Furthermore, it drives me crazy when they don't have a trash bin by the door. Yes, I'm guilty of dropping the tissue on the ground....not proud but guilty!

If I remember correctly doesn't Oceania have a box of tissues and trash bin located at the door in all public restrooms? Hmmm, I wonder way?

I just read RCI canceled 6 cruises on Empress of the seas due to delays in renovations. From what I've heard RCI is offering $100.00 shipboard credit if you switch to a shorter and cheaper cruise. Nicely done!

I believe Nautica and Insignia were renovated in Marseille as well. I don't believe they had any delays on the first 2, I'd expect the same result for Sirena.

Believe it or not, Oceania was the best deal available for us when we considered how many extras they throw in. Free airfare, free excursions, free specialty restaurants, free unlimited internet package, included port fees, we even managed to get our gratuities thrown in! Also I hear that their verandah cabins are ridiculously large compared to most cruise ship staterooms.

 

I am super excited about our cruise on May 5th. :)

My wife and I have been on 4 Oceania cruises and we're in our 40's. Did a mass market cruise over thanksgiving with family and friends. Never ever, I mean never again.... Yes, the entertainment is lacking but we cruise O for the food, service, midsize ships and port extensive itineraries (not the entertainment).

Have fun!

We just upgraded from a PH2 to Vista Suite 8003 for the Baltic Marvels cruise. The deal was to good to pass up. Hopefully, the winds won't be too stiff in the Baltic as the prevailing winds will be at our back:rolleyes:

Haven't told the lovely wife yet so she will be pleasantly surprised to say the least when we board on Friday. Actually flying out tomorrow for an extra day in CPH.

Of course my work email is blowing up now that everyone is realizing I'm leaving tomorrow. Something's never change.....

I wouldn't exactly call it a "nightmare" with "tug in tow" and "mechanical problems for the last 8 days." She is cruising, with no tug in sight, and at 14.5 knots, toward Copenhagen. I don't know if the repair of the part was done while she sat in Tallinn or will be done in CPH, but I certainly don't call this a nightmare. At least her electricity and engines were working, unlike the Carnival ship that kept her passengers on board with rotting food and overflowing toilets! That, plus the Costa Concordia's ill-fated running aground as a result of a captain's attempt to show off might be worthy of the term "nightmare." However, I feel your terminology is a bit off base for the Star. Please don't scare people more than they already are. This is a new ship, with new technology for a cruise ship, with less than 4 months of service. Stuff happens, especially to new ships.

 

As for others' comments about Oceania - I agree. They are top notch. However, they weren't nearly as top notch when we cruised with them years ago. They have gotten better every year. They also had existing ships to use, so they had a head start over Viking. If you want perfection right off the bat, I would NOT book a new line and new ship its first year of service. No ship is immune to mechanical problems, even Oceania. We cruised Oceania Insignia a few months before the fire. The fire brought home that even a top notch line like O can have its problems. A fire is certainly a bit closer to a "nightmare" than a ship that has to cancel cruises due to an electrical issue that restricts their top speed. Let's give Viking a chance here. As for right now, she's headed to Copenhagen at 14.5 knots. Let's not spoil things for her next passengers.

Roothy123,

I wasn't trying to scare or insult anyone and if I was on this cruise, I'd consider it a nightmare. Furthermore if this was an Oceania vessel, I'd still consider it a nightmare. Keep in mind many of these cruisers have been planning this trip for almost 2 years and for your dream vacation to end/start in this fashion would be extremely disappointing and stressful. The situation is what it is and the mechanical problem was most likely out of Viking's hands. However from what I've read they haven't handled the customer service issues very well. Viking's initial offer (for the first cruise) of a 50% future cruise credit is laughable and downright insulting. Supposedly Viking has changed course and is now offering 100% refund. If so, kudos to them. Poor customer service can turn an unfortunate mechanical issue into a PR "nightmare."

I do hope the Star is truly repaired and everyone can enjoy (from what I've read) this beautiful ship.

Has anyone been reading about the nightmare called the Viking Star? Mechanical problems for the last 8 days and now underway with tug in tow. The tug (I assume) is a safety net as the ship is moving with "restricted maneuverability."

We researched the Viking Star prior to booking our Baltic Marvels cruise. Good thing we live a charmed life our we could be living this nightmare first hand.