pinotlover

I believe the only real question is if you can use it during the Canal transit. I believe the answer is yes, due to reduced ship speeds. At Sea, whether having a tailwind or headway, you always have a headwind at the minimum equal to the ship’s speed. If that is 15-17 knots, it will blow around cushions and other lightweight furniture. If any forward wave action is included, use of the deck is impractical. I believe that after port departure, the staff ties up all deck furniture and removes the cushions to inside the Vista cabin. I have attended sail away happy hours in a Vista cabin. As soon as we hit open water, the deck wasn’t usable and quickly tied down. While some of we men with major hair deficiency lasted a bit longer, the women were all quick to disappear inside once the ship accelerated. 😂

It has most typically been a Day 2 of the cruise in the recent past. Day 3 at the very latest. Sea days now play no effect upon timing. It is always over well before 6:30 so that the starving souls can eat early. It will in no way conflict with any dinner plans. The Captain’s Party includes free Happy Hour at all the ship’s bars. One doesn’t have to attend to get free drinks. Secondly, unless one just wants to meet the Captain in the Reception Line, the drinks and service are typically far better in the bars than at the reception. I will add that the Repeater Party and the Newbies Party are likewise essentially finished before 6:30. Even though food is served at those events, they ensure everyone can make their dinners. Let me add, that unless a Sea Day, Day 2 is a horrible day to plan any Meet & Greets. Arranging space is near impossible.

I love visiting St.Paul along with some of the other ocean towns. If me, I’d spend that last night, pre cruise, in Monaco and eliminate all the worries.

Hey; when you’re hot, you’re hot! Meanwhile there’s the rest of us. 😇 I of course realize we have our hardy Scots here that wear their kilts ( without underwear of course) and tee shirts on their patios in January in the Highlands while downing a good local whiskey . Cold, who’s cold? 🤔 Meanwhile, some of the rest of us will wear a sports jacket to the Specialties. If it’s too warm therein, we can easily slip it off, if not I’m normally more comfortable with it on. My sports jacket folds easily into the suitcase. If people don’t want to wear one, that’s fine. My observations on most cruises is about 50% do. We prefer sharing tables and don’t care if our table mates are wearing jackets or not. We do what’s comfortable for us. Should those table mates feel uncomfortable if I choose to wear a sports jacket? Should the other lady feel uncomfortable if my wife slips on a sweater and she doesn’t wear and/or need one?

I am making the assumption that the OP is arriving on Embarkment Day. . Not a good plan, but at this point it is what it is. We will be embarking the new Allura next September in Monaco. Our plan is to likewise fly into Nice, but to do so a day in advance. We will then proceed to Monaco and check into our hotel. That will give us the remaining portion of our arrival day in Monaco. On Embarkment Day, we will leave our luggage with the hotel Concierge and again explore more of Monaco, have a relaxing lunch people watching in one of their delightful restaurants, and after avoiding Boardamania we will collect our luggage from the hotel concierge around 2:30-3:00 and board the ship. Not taking the risks of arrival on Embarkment Day, and staying in one of the multiple port city hotels simplifies things immensely.

Sports Coats are not required. I always bring one, and quite often wear it. Some of the Specialties can be frigid and the sports jacket is often comfortable. This is the same as my wife bringing nice sweaters to wear. They aren’t brought for appearance, but to help make an otherwise cold dining area near comfortable.

Your butler and/or room attendants also see that early photo of you and start to memorize your face and name . I’ve been greeted by name , in the hallway ,from such staff I’ve never previously met.

Not a lady, but having cruised on Vista, sometimes the restaurants are very comfortable, other times so cold you could hand meat. My wife always takes a sweater or Shaw to dinner to ensure comfort. Not sure that directly answers your question, but just be advised. Now I’m sure certain Cheerleaders will tell you every restaurant had the most exquisite temperature perfect in all aspects for dining. You can decide.

The old muster drills were not a big issue. At 5:00 (typically) the alarms sounded and people took their life preservers to their assigned muster stations and demonstrated they could put it on. Then, occasionally, we’d go out to our life boats for additional instruction. Those with mobility issues would normally show up early so to use the elevators. Excepting for the jerks, not wanting to show up and security having to round them up, the entire practice rarely took over 25-30 minutes. With all at risk, it was a reasonable exercise. Probably should still be repeated every cruise segment.

I have several sea days upcoming on our Jan-Feb cruise and will again have to query the head wine steward on their current processes. On our last Sirena cruise the head steward walked me through their Passenger order system, inventory control, Miami’s ability to observe the process and order the wine in for the ship as needed on a real time basis. That of course was before SM and stewards free pouring wines. Unless they have added staff ( highly unlikely ) to count bottles, wine, beer, and liquor; there has to be an inventory control system registering how much of what is being poured out.Something has to be hitting the register somewhere. A way to idle some time away on a sea day! 🙃

Easy Peasy, just stick with 2 tops or wait for one to open, and don’t take a 4 top in the TC or Waves. Gives you all the privacy you need.

Thanks. Interesting to know. We did have to rewatch it in 22 on our last b2b. Procedures change.

Much more difficult than that. If two tops are unavailable, then some couples will take a 4 top and quickly have the staff take away the additional settings, thus bogarting a 4 top. So what one must do is to find a 4 top that hasn’t been cleared o the additional settings and ask if they can join. Kind of a pet peeve of mine, twosomes bogarting 4-tops in the TC, especially during busy breakfast time. There were even twosome bigarting a six top during Boardamania in April. Stacked the extra chairs with all their carryon. Having spent several years living in Germany, I just smile and say “ May we join you”, and sit down anyway. I consider an empty chair an empty chair and don’t recognize anyone’s ability to hog a table especially during busy times.

I believe the initial comment about the TC food not being hot was on the Nautica not Sirena. This has long been an issue on Nautica. If you remember Lynn , that used to post here frequently, she often complained about the food temperatures in the TC on Nautica specifically. Second, the larger is consistently. If one is one of the many 6:30 , as soon as the buffet line opens, eaters; they may indeed find the buffet food hot and appealing. The comment made was that those that prefer to eat at 8:00-8:30 believe they should likewise find the hot foods hot and visually appealing. Their experience on the Nautica was that wasn’t the case. Having chosen to eat later on occasion, I can verify that it is likewise not the case.

People come here raving about how great the previously frozen lobster on Oceania is. Can only assume they prefer their lobster mushy. I suppose it’s also comparable to people that prefer their steaks well done or cremated as that’s the way many of the lobster tails are served in the TC. Oceania has plenty of good food, but it’s a rarity for me and my tastes to find lobster aboard that classified as such.

Undoubtedly true. They should probably make people demonstrate in person they know how to put one on. OTH, how many people, boarding an airplane in 2024 do you believe don’t know how to fasten or unfasten a seatbelt?

Yes possible. Depending upon cabin some reservations might be sharing at 8:30-9:00. Remember on short cruises, 1st reservations will be at 6:00.

From earlier reports, nightly about 40% percent can/does Specialities, 40% GDR and or TC; and 20% other. Therefore it is mathematically possible to do 4 in 4, it would undoubtedly require sharing and late evening reservation times.Not knowing the OP, those conditions may or may not be desirable.

4 nights, 4 Specialty restaurants. Good Luck getting those reservations! We have never contemplated doing en suite on Embarkment Day. Getting that scheduled with your butler may be dicey. If you really want an en-suite dinner with only 4 nights, I’d bail on making an Ember reservation, then arrange with the butler for en-suite for that open evening. Since it can only come from one kitchen, you’ll then have to decide which one prior to ordering.

Which must be watched again on each B2B segment! 🤪

Jan; My only recommendation would be corporate communications. I believed the story, because that was the only story being told by Oceania waitstaff. In the corporate world, when we want a story or information put out, we call a staff meeting with all involved and explain the changes and let everyone know what the “ official “ line is. Then everyone is instructed to repeat the official line. I was on Vista 15 months ago and given a line by Oceania employees. Today, 15 months later we get a new line. In that everyone on that cruise was original crew, getting the line straight shouldn’t been hard. Of course, we’re talking Oceania and communication .🙄

That’s funny!😂. How many of we typically aged O cruisers are going to order a 45 or 35 Oz anything? 😂. Sirloin is a higher grade and more expensive than prime rib! 🤪🤪 Surely they can come up with a better story than that.

I wish people were required to learn even simple math. 2-3X- 25% is never less than X! Let X equal the retail price of private tours, then look at the ridiculous huge (2-3 times) mark ups Oceania adds on! It’s like having the price of gas at $3.00 a gallon, then having a station charge $6.00 / gal with an advertised 25% off, and watching people flock to that station for the 25% off!😂😂😂 For those short on math that equals $4.50/ gal. What a deal! But, But 25% off 😂😂

Part of the answer lies as to which ship you are on. We were on the Nautica, a R ship, and went to the port closest to town. The O ships don’t go that far up river, thus the longer bus ride. Even though one poster believes “ details aren’t necessary “, in this case they very much are. Which ship are you on?

Bermuda is a lovely country with both great restaurants and lovely scenery. It is also a very easy flight, or connection from the U.S. Personally, it’s the prototypical destination that I wouldn’t cruise, or attempt to cruise, to. I would rather fly there, and be fairly ensured of arrival, than losing the two days, each way, getting there on a ship. One will find many great restaurants throughout the islands, so no need of ship’s food. For ease of exploring, we did change hotels once, three days in each of the main islands, but that was a personal choice and not mandatory.