airtana

When you hit the + icon to add a pic do you then hit the icon with a mountain like picture or the paperclip icon? If you hit the paperclip icon, I notice it gives you a size choice.

DH did both but after reaching 95% gave problem loading msg. BTW the hotel in MC was Fairmont.

We are on the Riviera right now and and in a Penthouse Suite. There was a little brochure in the bathroom that stated, “penthouse suite currently features Bulgari Blue Tea bathroom amenities. The Bulgari Green Tea scent is also available. Your stateroom attendant will provide your preferred scent.”

We paid cash in Euros directly to Eduardo at the end of the tour after the tapas lunch. Since we enjoyed the wine we sampled so much we also purchased 3 bottles from him to take back to our stateroom to savor later on this trip. That still is one of the best things Oceania lets you do, bring some vino or spirits onboard with you. CHEERS

Big Hello from Pauline and Myself lets hope we meet up again we really enjoyed cruising with you !!!!

Greetings and Salutations Roger B. We just had a nice long chat with Iwona about the Transatlantic in Nov. Your name came up and she mentioned she had just heard from you today was wondering why you hadn’t emailed her back yet. I am telling you, you have a very BIG reputation around these parts, my friend. :):halo:

We used Said Tours and we highly recommend them. Very professional and will tailor your tour to the things you are interested in seeing and doing (and buying!!!)

Great post about our tour of Valencia! Truely a one of a kind experience.

I’ve tried to find the forum board to see what people are doing tomorrow. Any suggestions?

Hi Gail and Karl,

So glad you liked the tour review. It will certainly stand out as one of the highlights of this cruise. Eduardo deserves every bit of praise we can lavish on him. Tomorrow we booked an independent 4 hour tour to the old town of Taormina which is supposed to be one of the most impressive in all of Sicily. It is located about 30 miles from the port so it should be a scenic drive up there. We plan to wander around the cobblestone streets soaking up the enchanting architecture and then explore the Teatro Roman amphitheater built around 3rd century BC.

You are so right . . It does take some finesse to get the flip tops open. I don’t use my nails because I know that would break them, rather use the front pad of my thumb to lift them up. Viola!!

Having posted this on another thread and gotten some amazing comments, such as “after 19 cruises I never knew this”, I felt it might be helpful to once again let folks know that the wonderful toiletries supplied in your stateroom do, indeed, have a flip top, making it NOT necessary to screw the top off to get to the contents. I was not aware of this fact until day 5 of our cruise when my DH pointed this out to me. As always, in my mind, little things mean a lot. :) :p

DW chiming in. Today is the one and only sea day on this port intensive cruise. We had the pleasure of sitting in on an interview with the newest member of Oceania’s culinary family, television personality Chef Sara Moulton. She has enjoyed a storied career that stretches back more than 30 years. She was a protégée of Julia Child, executive chef of Gourmet magazine, Food Editor of ABC-TV’s “Good Morning America”, and host of several well loved shows in the Food Network. She shared some funny stories about Julia saying one of her favorite thing to serve as an hors d’oeuvre at her dinner parties was Pepperidge Farm Gold Fish crackers. Sara also told us her personal favorite guilty pleasure is frozen peanut M & M’s which she allows herself only 5 a day. It was an enjoyable way to receive insights into her life and career.

And for information purposes, the onboard Enrichment Lecturer is Charles Ingrao who is professor emeritus of history at Purdue University where he has taught a broad range of courses on the history of Europe and European expansion overseas. He has also been a regular commentator on television media, including the News Hours with Jim Lehrer (PBS). Although we have not yet had the opportunity to sit in on one of his talks, we plan to attend his lecture later this afternoon entitled, “How Italy Created Modern Man”.

Today, we also see in the Currents daily activities sheet that Jordy is going to have another Scavenger Hunt and will be giving details about it in the Martini bar at 1:30pm. We are wondering if it is going to be the same as the one we experienced on the Transatlantic or something new and different. As posted before, this was such a unique activity enjoyed by so many of the guests, we are really looking forward to round 2!! Stay tuned . . .

Just remembered we had trouble with our card key on our cabin switch. The day before disembarkation we received a new card that showed our cruise ending April 21 instead of April 11. When we were allowed into our new cabin we tried the keys and they did not work. So went down to reception and they gave us new keys which still did not work but instead showed a yellow light. That was in deference to our original card that produced a red light. Called back down to reception and they advised that security would be by to resolve the issue. Within minutes a female security member started working on the lock and after about 10-15 minutes a green light appeared. Lesson learned is to try your key on your new cabin immediately as it may not work.

Thanks! That makes a difference!

On 2 of the 3 cruises that we have been on, we have had to go to muster stations on the deck where the lifeboats are located. Put on life jackets, stand around, make bad jokes and tacky comments, etc. The other cruise we went to one of the public areas. But, we did have to show up.

I guess that doesn't happen on every ship??

On this cruise, we only had to show up in the Riviera Lounge with our life vests in tow and listen to a short presentation before being dismissed, no muster stations, so it sounds like they have different protocols for certain ships and departure ports. Or maybe it is at the Captains discretion how he wants it handled. Its anybody’s guess, I reckon.

I hope this is also organised during the Riviera Transatlantic in November. It's sounds like great fun!

How was this event announced? In the daily program?

 

Regards,

Mirjam

Yes, this event was listed in the daily publication, Currents, and commenced on day 6 of this cruise. I agree they ought to do this often, but it is very work intensive for whoever organizes it and actually takes the photos and then prints the 6 pages of items we had to find and identify. It certainly did get us a much better appreciation for the artwork onboard.

Jordy received over 100 entries with 15 of them having 100% of the answers correct. And may I give a shout out to our trivia team members, Roger B and Pauline for being two of those that got them all right! And for earning lots of those coveted Big O Points. Job well done!!! As for ourselves, we came in third having missed just one, but we only got 1 Point for our effort. And so it goes . . .

Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa. My humble apologies to the poster who mentioned the restaurants on their cruise opening at 6:00pm. I had incorrectly thought they were on this current voyage. I do believe you are an honest guy and would greatly appreciate you disregarding my reference to Fake News. A poor attempt at humor on my part. Now you have aroused our curiosity and we will seek out the Restaurant Manager, Boris, get first hand, up to date information on how the operating hours may differ from cruise to cruise and update in a later post.

Here is the answer we got to the question this afternoon. There are times on 7 day cruises when they will extend the Dinner dining hours to 6-9:30 pm and only one other time he was aware of when they did that on a 10 day cruise. Hope that clears up any misconceptions.

Here’s another shout out to Jordy Castillo, the member of the Production Staff that spent so many hours of his time and energy into compiling all the photos of artwork, carpeting, sculptures, etc. for his now FAMOUS and BELOVED scavenger hunt. It was truly one of the most unique and entertaining and informative pastimes we have ever participated in on a cruise ship. Although, I must add, until you figured out he had put a few ”kinks in the works”, so to speak, it was very confounding. In a little under one hour he will have the reveal as to who got all the answers correct. KUDOS, Jordy, you are a star in our estimation and we thank you for the countless hours of enjoyment we got out of your hunt.

I might jump in and also add my comments about Boris who is the Head Mgr of all Rest’s aboard the Riviera. The second night at Sea we had a Major issue with our Food at the Main Dinning Room. Boris found us after we left the Rest w/o finishing our meal. This man has made a believer in us in Oceania. He contacted us every day to ask how we were enjoying the Cruise and how was are experience in the Rest’s He invited us to attend any Specialty Rest of our choice every night. We just returned from the City of Tangiers today and like out of know where Boris appeared at our Table in the Waves Rest This Gentelman is such an asset to Oceania, I do hope they appreciate him. He has made this Cruise something very special for my wife and I.

Palamoh,

You are so right about Boris and his dedication to making things right when they go wrong, as well as his ability to make you feel like you are the only passenger on this ship. His demeanor is so upbeat and he has such a wonderful smile for all his guests. He is truly an amazing Manager and deserves every accolade his gets. He is at the top of our list of staff who has made us also feel special. You go, BORIS!!!!

I know this is trivial to some, but not for those of us who rely on magnets--especially on long voyages.

 

Some on Insignia are reporting magnets not working on long walls on 6th. Could passengers on other O ships tell us if their magnets are working and what deck they are on?

 

Curious if it is just 6 or if it is just Insignia!!! Thanks y'all!!!

Please do excuse me, but I was fully aware the title of this thread was magnets on R ships; however, in the body of her question she specially asked if anyone on other “O” ships could respond. So I thought it was perfectly OK to inform the poster of our current experience on the Riviera. Just saying . . .

This is the “LIVE” poster and as LTH28 reiterated above we did miss our Azores port the other day. The Captain tried 3 times to dock but the winds and high seas made it impossible and unsafe. We did have an independent tour set up there but as they did not require a deposit we did not lose any money. Most of the legitimate tour operators you will find by researching sites such as trip advisor, etc. clearly state their cancellation policy and in our experience, most will not penalize you if your ship can’t get into the port. It does take a bit more work to find tours on your own, but both my DH and I are not too fond of the big bus ones and prefer something more personal. We have yet to have a bad experience in many years of cruising. Good luck on whatever you choose to do.

Betty, I have never heard of the dessert you mentioned, Mille Feuille, can you give a description? Sounds very intriguing.

This morning the skies opened up and it has been raining steadily for the past hour. Good day to stay inside, read a book, watch a movie, or attend the lecture on Tangier, and generally chill out before we arrive there tomorrow.

We are on the Riviera right now and we bring about 8 magnetic hooks we purchased at home deport to hang clothes on and they are working just fine on all walls in PH on deck 11. We also have a poster of Barcelona on our front door using magnets,

One more little tip I just remembered. The bottle of champagne they give you in your stateroom when you board if you are in a concierge or penthouse category can be brought to any restaurant to enjoy during a meal and you will not be charged the usual $25 corkage fee. Just saying . . .

Here’s a couple more small insights. You seasoned Oceania cruisers are all probably aware of this, but it took me a week and my DH pointing this out to me. The Bulgari toiletries in the cabins actually have a flip top. All this time I was unscrewing the top to squeeze out the contents. DUH!!! I am not a blond for nothing!! LOL

One other thing, we asked our butler on day one to provide us with some candied ginger which, again, Sydney happily provided with his standard, “NO PROBLEM” reply. It’s useful not only for enhanced digestion but also good to treat any feelings of sea sickness. We just may be needing some of that today as the Atlantic is really rocking and rolling. WAHOO!!

For the OP currently aboard the Rivera;

 

Another poster claimed that Oceania had recently changed the opening time of the Specialties Restaurants from 6:30 pm to 6:00 pm. Is that the case on your ship? Thanks!

Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa. My humble apologies to the poster who mentioned the restaurants on their cruise opening at 6:00pm. I had incorrectly thought they were on this current voyage. I do believe you are an honest guy and would greatly appreciate you disregarding my reference to Fake News. A poor attempt at humor on my part. Now you have aroused our curiosity and we will seek out the Restaurant Manager, Boris, get first hand, up to date information on how the operating hours may differ from cruise to cruise and update in a later post.

We did the crossing this time last year and had to miss the Azores because of bad weather and heavy seas. We sailed on the very edge of the storm so the sea was anything but calm ! It made for fascinating wave watching and the ship handled it well.

 

This year we’ll be joining the ship in Barcelona so save some some food for us please 😉

Greetings British Betty,

So glad to hear you will be joining us on the 11th in Barcelona. And I am here to inform you that today in rough seas and high winds our tenacious CaptIn tried in vain three times to dock at Ponta Delgado and was not successful. We gave him three cheers for his valiant effort, though. One can be disappointed at not seeing a desired port, but we certainly understand that safety is the Crews’ main responsibility. But as you stated, this ship is very steady in not so perfect conditions. And in the end, another pleasant and peaceful day at sea is not such a bad thing after all on this luxurious ship.

And as for saving you some food, Betty, no promises can be made in that department. LOL. Right now we are off to lunch to once again delight in some culinary treasures!!!!

We are planning on taking June 2019 Oceania Riviera "Radiant Riverias" cruise from Barcelona to Rome. We would appreciate help from those of you have been on the ship. We are considering PH2 level on Deck 10, port side rooms 10022-10028, close but not next to elevators. Does anyone have concerns with this location?

Also is it better to book directly with Oceania or via a travel agent?

Thanks.

Hi Rosalita,

We are currently on the Riviera doing the Transatlantic to Barcelona and are in PH 2 suite in the forward part of the ship not too far down the hall from the stairs and elevators. This is probably one of the nicest and most comfortable cabins we have ever been in. We are first timers to Oceania and are writing a LIVE blog on this board which can give you a whole lot more information on tips, dining, suite, etc. posted by my hubby Cruise Aficionado. Even in high seas and swells this ship is very stable. After being in a Penthouse I believe we are now spoiled forever to go in any other category. We actually like the dining set up at the end of the bed and have used this setting area a lot, the two chairs are very supportive and comfortable. If you read our thread and have any other questions, please let us know.

Oceania Riviera Transatlantic Live

DW taking over the blog here with a few more comments and tips after being aboard Riviera for over a week. Hubby can’t have all the fun!!!

When we got onboard there were 4 cards in the room (2 for each of us) stating how much SBC we were receiving. The ones we received from the OLife promotion were tagged as complimentary (non-refundable)while the ones from our TA were listed as refundable. Since we are on back to back cruises we did inquire with the Executive Concierge if any non used SBC would be transferred to the next segment and he assured us it would.

As posted before, the baby lamb chops in the Terrace Grill and the GDR are an Oceania breakfast institution and are truly tender and melt in your mouth. And we can say with true delight the Miso seabass in Red Ginger lives up to its reputation as does the ambiance and attentive service. And one of my very favorite dishes was a ground lamb burger grilled to order in the Terrace Cafe during lunch one day served with lettuce, tomato, red onion slices and a dollop of cucumber sauce. To die for if you are a lamb aficionado.

If a sail-away is anytime during dinner hours it’s lovely to be sitting on the outside aft deck of the Terrace Grill as you leave port and watch the scenery pass by while dining on the delicious assortment of tasty temptations. Also anytime you get up to get more items from the buffet just put your napkin over the back of your chair and this indicates to the servers you are coming back to the table.

The clock next to you bed will light up if you pick it up so you can see the time without turning on any other lights. There is a retractable clothes line over the bathtub which is very useful for wet towels, bathing suits, etc. In our Penthouse suite there is a pull up lighted vanity under the mirror in the cabinet across from the bed which has a very large round magnified make up mirror in it.

If you can’t figure out which way to go when you step off the elevator to get to your room, you will notice a black house phone located on the port side of the ship which has the even numbered rooms. So if you have an odd numbered one you would go to the opposite aisle.

If for any reason you want some small bills to take ashore or get tokens for the washing and drying machines (which cost $2 for each load per machine) and the reception desk runs out, you can usually get some from the Casino when it is open.

There is a fresh fruit station next to the grill in the Waves Cafe that makes excellent smoothies. And at the ice cream station if you ask them for an extra thick milk shake your straw will stand up on its own in the glass. YUMMY

We did bring aboard a bottle of Grey Goose to enjoy in our suite and the butler upon request brought us lots of limes and a bottle of Mr. & Mrs. T’s Bloody Mary mix.

The daily GDR dinner menus are now previewed on your TV on channel 40. Speaking of the TV system, as far as in room entertainment goes, Oceania does not have an on demand system which we have previously enjoyed on several other cruise lines. (It provided us with a vast array of current movies, TV series which we could stop and start whenever we wanted, and also had numerous much more diverse music channels). In contrast, Riviera has 4 dedicated movies channels that run current and oldies movies all day long but you have to watch them at a specific hour and cannot pause them. IMO, their music channels are also lacking in depth and variety, not a spa or relaxation channel to be found. They also do have a vast DVD library and you will find a rundown of them printed in your room. However, it is by title only and has no description or what actors are in them, thereby, making it a bit more difficult to know how to choose if you are not familiar with the title.

We did provide ourselves with an alternative doing a little research before we got onboard. A week prior to leaving we purchased from Amazon Video prime the entire season 5 of one of our favorite history channel series, Vikings. We then downloaded all the episodes on the app to our IPad Pro. With an Apple lightning digital AV adapter, an HDMI cord and usb FireWire cord we have managed to hook up the IPad to the Insignia TV in the room and mirror what is playing on the IPad. So now we can watch all 10 episodes on our large TV screen in the comfort of our room with our Bloody Marys in hand.

Oceania also does not yet have the technology to pull up your room statements on the TV which again, is a nice amenity we have enjoyed on quite a few other cruise lines. It keeps schlepping down to Reception to stay abreast of your charges to a minimum. Hope they are looking into that for the future.

I know this is listed in “Currents”, but I just discovered on day 5 of our cruise they have a Coffee Corner setup starting at 6:30 am in the Horizons Lounge with a coffee machine, pastries and fresh fruit for those who want to enjoy the peace and quiet and views afforded from this lovely room. Speaking of coffee, if you get your java at Baristas in a go cup, it is so hot you can hardly hold it and since they did not have the cardboard sleeves (ala Starbucks, etc.) they give you a folded up napkin to put around it. Not quite as convenient since it can easily blow away when you are out on deck and it’s windy. I now just tell them to give me a double cup which works fine as well.

Unfortunately we have not been able to participate in any fitness classes except for one morning stretch as the fitness expert had an emergency and had to disembark in Miami before we left last Wednesday. Have no clue whether a replacement is being brought in or not. Kind of disappointed as I was so looking forward to some yoga and pilates sessions.

Our stewardess surprised us one night when we got back to our room with an adorable rabbit towel animal she had made. I guess in honor of Easter. She told me today she used to work for Carnival where they did that all the time. Very nice touch and has given our little stuffed Tiger trivia mascot a buddy.

Another tip I have found very useful is bringing with you some magnetic hooks which can be bought in two sizes at any Home Depot. They will stick to the walls almost anywhere in your cabin, and are useful for tossing clothes on to you don’t feel like hanging. Our suite does have 3 hooks in the hallway and 4 additional ones in the walk in closet, but if you are like me, I love lots of additional ones. I also bring a couple of refigerator magnets to put the latest addition of Currents at eye view.

For those of you who, like myself, enjoy getting your exercise by walking the decks, there are actually 3 separates areas you can go around. First, the sun deck directly above the pool, then there is the aft fitness area one deck above that (and 10 laps around it equals 1 mile) and finally one more above that is the forward sports deck where you can go around the putting greens and paddle tennis courts. If you like a little stair climbing on your workout you can actually circle the entire ship by in one continuous loop by going up and down the stairs that connect them all. One last tip, there is a cooler on the fitness track deck at the very back which contains iced bottles of water when you need some extra hydration.

Anything else I observe I will be glad to pass on. Happy sailing!