pinotlover

1. Depends upon the services rendered by the particular Butler. Varies. 2. I would first fully participate in your Roll Call where you’ll often find better, and less expensive, shore tours than those offered by O. You should go ahead and book the catamaran to the glacier early if it suits you. It’s your only way off the ship for the day and the tour is capacity limited. Ship Excursions are fully paid for when booked. 3. The ships sails far from land, so side of ship rarely matters. In the fjords, the sail in and back out, so both sides get the same view. a. 7 bottle package of every changing wines. b. Wines “ by the glass “ are delivered by the glass. Even with the Premium package those wines are delivered one at a time.

Don’t think so. After you have designated that TA, everything you do goes back through that TA. It’s all on the invoice, and to the TA’s account, whether from the TA, O rep, or online. The industry average is about 3 bookings per every sailing. Means 2 out of 3 cancellations. During the past two years, our TAs busted their bottoms, on both ends, often for no compensation. Here we have an Influencer telling people how to cut what future pay, they might get, even more! 🤬🤬

I’m the wine geek. At dinner, we sometimes only want a 375 of really nice Champagne to start out with appetizers. Then on to something else. Being itb, I don’t always like the way some bubblies are kept over. Would rather drink what we want and have an empty bottle than their preservation of my leftovers. I typically buy my great ports and stickies in 375s. Couple 2-3 ounces at a time is all we typically drink. I only open 750s for larger groups. I can always guzzle to finish, but prefer to drink as we like. Some nights a port, maybe another night a Chateau Yquem or other delightful Sauternes. So a 375 last a couple different meals.

Very true! If your Butler is already slammed with 10 En-suite dinners for an evening, you probably don’t want to be #11. Nor does he need the additional burden. The rule is actually no mix and match from different kitchens. In that on both R&O ships the PG and Toscana share a kitchen, those menus can be m&m. On the O ships, RG and Jacques menus can’t be mixed and matched. Totally different kitchens.

Kate; While your points about VP are spot on, Oceania’s shorex to those other locations are likewise grossly expensive, and can likewise be taken with private companies for half the cost. Both options are available on our Roll Call. Here’s some simple math many don’t grasp, even he that claims never to pay retail. 2(x) - 25% is always greater than X. Let x be the price of the corresponding price tour, with 2X often being Oceania’s upcharge.

For the OP. Buying wine ashore in the Carribean is often not a good practice. Most available wines in the stores are very inexpensive South American wines. They have been transported and stored on shelves in excessive heat for often long periods of time. I don’t recommend local procurement of wine. Rum, if you like it, is a different story. For wine, on your cruise, the best option is to shop in Miami before departure. I haven’t yet sailed Oceania since their restart. Keep getting cruises cancelled. I have heard various remarks about then current wines on the bin end list. Several revolving around the conclusion that they were purchased long before the pandemic shutdown, had been stored in unknown conditions during the shutdown, with some being well beyond their prime. Since my upcoming next cruise is on a ship back in operation for less than a year, I have doubts of finding any actual deals with the bin ends. Maybe by 2024, when everything can recycle . For short 7 day cruises, such as yours, which are typically port intensive, one must realize they may largely be off the ship during lunch. That means the basic package is only applicable at dinner. Depending upon dining venue, ( read Jazzcruz’s comments on his January cruise) sometimes getting more than one glass of wine at dinner can be challenging. This is especially true at the Buffet where even getting one can be tough. Oceania’s shorex are grossly overpriced and I only recommend them for ports with limited supporting infrastructure. In the Carribean, we’d be doing all Roll Call or DIY shore tours. On your cruise, not necessarily for all cruises because of the multitude variables, I’d recommend the cruise only fare.

Doing it with Patrick Watts! 🥂

Check out your Roll Call. We are doing BA-Lima this coming year. Our private all day tours are rarely costing more $150/day/pp., most far less. I can list several examples for savings, like the Falklands where we’re paying $190 each and the ship is changing $365 each for the same tour. I’ll likewise share plenty of tour information with you.

Your experience was very typical, imo. However, I’m a wine guy not a weather expert, nor soothsayer. The greatest recommendation is “ consult a weather site that contains historical data”!! +10,000! 🤪 Why people come here to ask for ancedotal single weather experiences when large amounts of historical data exist, easily searchable elsewhere, always amazes me.

Edinburgh will be a bit crowded. If your visit is before 1Aug, the Queen probably won’t be there yet, so you can see her palace. Best bet is to buy timed entry tickets on line before going for both the palace and castle up on the hill. You don’t want to stand in those lines for day tickets. Don’t know your physical condition, but the Palace is in lower town and the castle is over a kilometer uphill. We enjoy the walk with all the shops. For some the hill is too much. You didn’t say which ship your on. The R ships can enter the locks and dock at the port. The O ships must anchor in the Bay. Near everyone goes ashore, so plan on lengthy waits for the tenders both ways if on an O. The Gaint Causeway is just lovely. Expect crowds, but not bad. There is a shuttle down and back up if you need one. It fills quickly. Expect cloudy and perhaps misty weather. Been to both several times and clear sunny days are the rarity. I never let it bother me. The scenery is beautiful. In the major cities, we pre planned and DIY. In the other ports, we did small group private tours with Roll Call members. Never a need to do overpriced ship bus tours in either country. Enjoy your cruise.

In this case, I don’t view it as a service issue in the GDR, but rather a philosophical issue. Pre Covid we were in Denver having dinner with a business group , I believe the Chop House. Appetizers, salad, and main course all delivered, served and pushed out the door in 40 minutes from sit down. Some found the service amazing. We found it rude, aggressive, and overbearing. Stop to talk, and they wanted to take your plate away. The main course was brought within minutes of the salad. They dumped the wine bottles empty with 6-7 Oz pours so not to come around again, and brought our check with the salad. Flip that Table. A lot of Americans thrive on fast food. Eat and get it over with. They were happy. We, on the other hand, enjoy a slow paced relaxing meal. One where we can enjoy the company and the wine in vacation mode. At home, we regularly host and attend wine dinners, with multiple courses, that go for 3-4 hours at least. Therefore, those loving the Chop House, would never enjoy our wine dinners , and vice versus. I’ve often witnessed, particularly Americans, getting irate in Southern Europe over even 1.5 hour meals. There isn’t a right or wrong here. Each to his own. For those wanting to eat quickly and leave, Oceania provides the Terrace Buffet and Waves. For those of us not in a hurry, and on vacation mode, we have the GDR. The GDR can’t be all things to all people. As long as the wine steward is visiting my table regularly, we’ve been very satisfied with the service there. I understand why others feel differently. There was a song from the 60s, can’t remember from whom, “ slow down, you’re going to fast. Stop the world, I’m getting dizzy!” Cruising vacation mode for us. 🥂🥂

Actually, it depends upon the Captain. Some of Oceania’s Captains never attend any function including the Captain’s reception. One , I remember was self conscious about his poor English and was never seen by the passengers. The GM filled in for everything. Even the noon talk was done by the CD. Other Captains, like Max, are always out and about greeting guests and attending the various functions. This is not a pandemic issue, but a Captain’s choice issue on Oceania. Jazz didn’t get lucky with his draw of ship’s Captain.

Customer Service from a Premium Cruise line? If a line presents itself as a Premium Line, how far up the management pyramid should one have to go to have a faulty safe replaced? I believe we all understand your emphasis on Keep Asking, but what does it say about a line that can’t/won’t quickly take care of such minor matters without the escalation? What does Customer Service mean to the line you’re sailing? Does it jibe with your expectations and price paid?

According to my TA, stories of Covid Jail, on cruise lines, are having a negative effect on bookings and especially cruisers making final payment. The system can’t continue in its present form.

I can totally understand you being upset, especially if you had procured your own air. Good Luck! These are difficult times for cruise lines. Forward planning is extremely difficult especially since they never know if they’ll have the cash flow to pay for major dry docks. I’ll add a second condition. Until a couple of years ago, Oceania only released its cruise schedule about 18 months in advance. Dry docks were known and except for an occasional charter, cruises were rarely cancelled. Extending the release of cruises to 24+ months has increased the number of altered or cancelled cruises. Just imagine how many Viking cruises that get cancelled with releases out three years!! On a personal note, I believe that if and when such decisions are made, they should be made and announced at least 330 days per cruise. This prevents passengers with being stuck with expensive plane tickets that may be hard to recover. Nothing mandatory about the Riveria’s upgrade that couldn’t have waited until after the Spring Carribean cruises and a TA back to the dry dock. JMO.

Ah, but the issue becomes when we try to add objectively. Subjectively you can say the Polo Grill was outstanding. Ok, do you believe it better than Flemings Steak House? If not, how would you rate Flemings? Very outstanding or exceptional? Placing its quality in relation to other similar themed restaurants creates objectivity. Something we do with wine all the time. Saying a wine is good or very good means little, until you say “I rate it as a 88 or 92” and we know how you rate other wines.

I believe people just overhype the expectations. The PG wouldn’t be listed as a Top 10 Steakhouse here in the area, nor Toscana a Top Italian diner. Doesn’t mean they’re bad or even poor restaurants, just have to keep it all in perspective. If you port in Naples, or most any Italian city, where do you think the pizza aboard ship would rank with what you’d get in town? Things need to be kept in perspective. Our Kroger regularly has the frozen lobster tails, just like those on ship, for sale at $5.99 each. My wife prepares them, better than those onboard, and they make a nice meal. I love fresh main lobster, but just don’t understand the rave reviews those lobsters in the Terrace get. People read the comments on here and then expect some earth moving meal with the frozen baby lobster tails. Expectations demolished. Oceania typically has good food. Maybe even the finest cuisine at sea. The meals in La Reserve are typically delicious. Otherwise, one must keep expectations in check and just enjoy the food, the company, the wine, and the experience in front of them .