Mura

We haven't cruised since before Covid arrived but in days gone by there were always lecturers. Yes, their talks were generally during the day -- perhaps on sea days before we got to the port. We even spent a few private dinners with a few of them. We tended NOT to go the usual evening entertainment unless they were of a classical bent ... NOT required! This is not to say that we never went to less "classical" entertainment, but that IS our preference. And some of them were wonderful. Obviously my info is NOT current! Should we return to cruising soon we certainly would miss the lecturers ... Mura

Understood. That is a reason why I don't often sign in to read posts, and even more rarely to respond!

We've had VS cabins (and an OS on Regatta many, MANY years ago) and even though I'm prone to motion sickness, we did NOT have a problem with the location, I've sometimes thought that the more I cruise, the less problem I have ... but that's just a guess. But given the complaints about forward cabins, especially the really expensive ones, we've been converted to the OC suites at the back end of the ship ... love the view of the "wave" from our huge deck. And restaurants are convenient,

We haven't sailed since pre-Covid but NEVER had a problem using the concierges in the executive lounge. I'd bring in two long lists of people (alphabetical and by cabin number) joining our Meet & Greet, and they handled everything, Maybe things have changed in the few years since we actually cruised.

I apologize for being so late to the party, especially since I only read the first few messages. We usually are in a suite, so we have advantages, of course over lower level cabins. Having said that, we have always booked our specialty reservations early (opting for sharing rather than just the two of us alone) and had no problems. We aren't early diners, so that wasn't a problem either. I would just say that making reservations as soon as you can (whatever your cabin level) and being flexible as to whether you opt to share or dine alone is the best approach. We've met some very good friends on board by sharing a table with them ... One time which stands out when we were at a table for 6 in the GDR. It turned out that we were ALL classical musicians. One of the other women was celebrating a birthday and had ordered a very special cake, which we all shared. A very special night indeed! And yes, you can make changes! Mura

It's several years since we transferred from Southampton to London (never to Heathrow as far as I remember) but there are a number of services I have used in the past. Since we haven't traveled since before Covid I don't want to make any recommendations here but if you want to email me (see my addy below) I will be happy to tell you which services we have used in the past. Hopefully they are still in business!

We haven't had problems getting a specialty reservation on the day we board. In fact, sometimes it has been much easier. A number of years ago we showed up at the GDR with six people and were asked if we would like eat in Jacques. (This was on an early Marina cruise.) YES!

It's a while now since we have sailed but generally when we show up to the GDR we ask to share. The fact that they have our room number probably is only to show that we have already arrived. We are usually paired with other couples (or singles) who arrive around the same time. (We usually arrive for dinner around 8pm.) Clearly no decision to put people together by deck ... considering that each deck has different levels of cabins, that wouldn't seem to make any sense at all. Mura

We've had some beer in the mini fridge in the past (we haven't sailed for the past few years which may affect my answer) but most likely we were in an OS or VS. Probably not a PH. No hard liquor bottles that I recall.

It's a few years since we cruised but it seems to me (in my ever failing memory) that when we gave cash tips to the crew they were able to keep them ... but then, we didn't ask! Usually we have tips included in our fare and so any extras that we gave we assumed went directly to the crew member ... usually a cabin attendant, butler or server. Mura

Hey guys, even with only one sea day and 10 or more port days, there's no rule that you always have to go on shore! I admit that when we've been to a particular port a number of times, and time is limited on shore, we've been known to stay on board for the day. Not often, but it has happened. If it's a port we really want to see, we'll usually try to find a private tour on our own. (Not literally. I usually try to find fellow shipmates at the Roll Call for people who would want to join us.) Mura

When I was in high school my best friend had two maiden aunts who were expert bridge players and they gave us lessons. I can't say I ever got any good (!) but I did enjoy playing. At the time I had good friends from school who had regular bridge parties and I was invited to some of them. They were kind enough to let me win the contract and have my partner play it out. I usually came out pretty high in the score card with such shenanigans. Then when I moved to NYC about 10 years later I was on a bus&truck choral tour and there were avid bridge players among the company. One day I was dragooned into playing out a no-trump contract and I actually won! On my own this time. (But that wouldn't happen again these days!!) Good luck with bridge lessons ... it's a great game. It helps to have a brain ... keeping track of all the cards that have been played isn't all that easy ... Mura

Not that we've tried to push the in-dining option in a suite, but I don't think it would be a problem. The butler might object! But we gave been on cruises where we used that option several times and never had a problem with being accommodated. Then again, unless we are talking about honeymooners, probably most passengers wouldn't want in-suite dining every night! Mura

They would be crazy to assume that no one will be on board on port days. It is true that when we were in Haifa a few years ago, the concierge informed us that the ship was virtually empty. Most passengers had opted for tours to Jerusalem (this was a overnight port stop) We stayed on board because a few years earlier we had toured Israel with a cousin who was an licensed tour guide for two weeks. For this stop we stayed on board so that we could visit with her again. It's your vacation ... spend the time how you want to! Mura

I have been very late checking in here, mostly because we aren't planning on traveling soon. BUT for the record, we prefer PH to regular veranda. We like the extra room. When the budget allows we will upgrade to an Oceania Suite (not available on the "R" ships). We like the extra room and the extra perks, but that doesn't mean you can't have a lovely cruise at a lower level. A few years ago we accepted a "downsell" from our booked PH to a B1 cabin.This was on an "R" ship. I had bad memories from the bathroom (and especially the shower) from early days on Renaissance and then Oceania, but wasn't bothered at all on this cruise, I did miss the full breakfast brought to the room in the morning but didn't fuss about having to go to Terrace for a real breakfast! Taking the downsell on this cruise meant that the refund we received paid for a cruise a couple of months later in a VS, also on an "R" ship ... so it was worth it. Specialty dining every night? Highly unlikely but it can depend on how many passengers are on board. Higher cabins get more priority but that doesn't mean someone in a lower live cannot get a reservation. You can check with the concierge daily to see if there are extra reservations available. An advantage to being in a PH or above is that you can order dinner in your cabin, served by your butler ... Is that reason to book a higher cabin? I wouldn't say so BUT ... it's a calculation for your budget, Mura

We haven't boarded all that often in NYC but didn't had a problem with boarding times. Then again, we are usually in a suite (and we live here) so perhaps our experience is irrelevant to most passengers A number of years ago we were boarding in Barcelona and we encountered a couple we'd met online. They were told to wait to board, they were in a lower level cabin -- I think we were in a PH. So not being very bright I just told them to join us going up and so they did ... It worked out fine. We had a nice lunch together in Terrace. But I shouldn't suggest that others do what I did in my ignorance ... It may well have been that there weren't crowds trying to board at that time. It's very possible that this was regarding the "non-Libya" cruise back in November 2005 when there were many complications ... Mura

Yes, we probably should have! But we did not,

Good to know that dollars are no longer welcome. We haven't traveled since Covid raised it's head so I don't doubt that things have changed. But we have never insisted that people take dollars rather than their own currency, so this won't be a problem for us in the future! We still have some euros on hand for our last trip ... Even some Turkish lira which I doubt we will ever use!

I am going back in memory MANY YEARS to an early cruise -- I think it was on Renaissance, but it could have been a very early Oceania cruise. We saw a group of two or three couples, all dressed to the nines. They were having a great time and we enjoyed watching them. You shouldn't worry about feeling "overdressed" whatever you wear. There's more of a problem when people are UNDER-dressed! A few years ago we were in a specialty restaurant where another foursome were wearing torn jeans with holes in them ... they weren't thrown out but if I had been the Maitre D', they would have been! Of course, once they were seated you didn't see the condition of their clothing ... we happened to be at a nearby table so we did. Not that we complained to anybody!

Back in Renaissance days, things were more flexible. There were various currencies on board. But I think that disappeared even before Renaissance did. With O it's pretty much been dollars (I think). ATMs are helpful here. Our private guides generally were very happy with U.S. dollars, maybe even more so than with their local currency -- but it does depend on the country and the currency, There are indeed countries where dollars are more valued than their own currency. (Bear in mind we haven't been traveling since pre-Covid, so things may well have changed.) We generally bring a good amount of U.S. dollars with us for tips, and go to ATMs for currency as needed. Indeed, it can very much depend on where you are traveling. If you are in Europe, dollars and euros seem to be welcome. But in other countries (third world?) it can be more difficult.

Not the first time I've heard such a story! It always helps to give the sommelier a taste or your special bottle. We have always preferred just to take it ourselves, but if we are in a suite the butler has never let us do so ....

And you aren't limited to only one bottle ... You didn't specify the amount in your question, so just thought I'd throw that in with my answer! It really doesn't matter if it's duty free or not, however.

Good point about name tags not necessarily indicate crew members (or entertainment staff, which I count as crew). When we did the Black Sea cruise in 2012 on Regatta we were a group of 16 who took most independent tours together. I had made up name tags for all of us. I was surprised (and gratified) to see that everyone decided to wear them all the time... Mura

During the day you could encounter rehearsals from the theater as well ... I've read complaints about that in the past. Of course, if you are out and about all day that wouldn't matter ...

When we were in Le Havre in O's early days we took the opportunity to spend the day in Honfleur. We had personal reasons for wanting to be there (!) but it was a special day. We took a cab there which wasn't cheap even then, but took the local bus back. That entailed a bit of a walk back to the port (15 minutes?) which could be a problem for someone with mobility problems, of course. We've always wanted to spend time in Le Havre itself but whenever we've been there we've always been heading out of town! But Honfleur is well worth a visit ... Mura