mauibabes

OK, 

I will throw out a few random likes.

Jacques, Dover Sole, Sea Bass in Puff Pastry for 2 (takes 30 minutes plus’s to cook)

crepes and the Pumpkin Soup.

Toscana, Bread basket and Olive Oil and Balsamic trolly, Lasagne, an Italian Chef and their nightly Specials and many others that have been mentioned. 

Polo, Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail, always order beef dishes Medium Rare unless you like Rare, ask for the various sauces for the steaks

 GDR, Jacques Chicken when we need a break from the rich meals.

Ember, had several excellent meals, definitely go for the Chocolate Brownie.

Deserts, just keep ordering Quartets and Quintets or anything else to find what you enjoy. 
 

Enjoy,

Mauibabes

My experience on B2B or Grand Voyages, and we were in a PH, I was allowed to book a first round of reservations and then could pick up the others once on board so the rest of the guests were given an opportunity to book some Specialty reservations. We were in a PH so we were already booking 75 days out. We were at quite an advantage over others at 60 or 45 days. O wants to give everyone a chance to experience their “Finest Cuisine at Sea”. Got to share the wealth 🤪👍. 
Mauibabes

@Techno123

Let me start this off for you under the heading of JMHO and I eat what I like and not adventurous with food. maybe we could just start with a Specific Specialty restaurant and then move on with another and another, rather than shotgun them all. 
I will start then with my favorite, Red Ginger and only address my MUST try items on a 10 point scale.

Any Appetizer is worth a starter try, 9+

Watermelon and Duck Salad, 11

Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass, 11

Rack of Lamb, 10

Teriyaki Beef (Filet Mignon), 9+

Take it away CC posters 🤪👍

Mauibabes

Yes, we have packed any and all bottles.  So if you want to be absolutely certain you can have a preferred bottle of Single Malt available, order a Bon Voyage gift as well. Double your pleasure, double your fun. 🥃👍❤️
ENJOY!
Mauibabes

Yes, but it is not cheap and you can pack or pick up a bottle(s) of whatever you like and bring it aboard with you at Embarkation. Oceania allows this for its guests as compared to other lines. You will hear from others I am sure who bring favorites along, cases of wine, etc.

Enjoy,

Mauibabes

Better be talking to O and not CC posters . I would be traveling with a valid Passport because without it, you are not going anywhere. 
Enjoy your anniversary.

Mauibabes

@jannray The one that works for me, if you have an issue, tell someone who can resolve it. Nothing is worse here on CC when a person comes home and complains but never gave the staff a chance to resolve it. Especially if it is a service issue or a food issue, tell them. You will also have a mid cruise survey and they DO read them. If what you ordered is not right, call the Waiter or Maitre d over and let them know so they can get you a different dish. 
Polo, try my DW’s favorites, Waldorf Salad, Filet Mignon, I go for the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail and always order a Quartet for desert, need a taste of everything. 
Toscana, the bread basket is wonderful and add the Olive oil and Balsamic Vinegar Trolly cart, 🤪👍, DW must have the Lasagne which can be an appetizer or entree size portion. All the Pasta is fresh and if a Chef’s Special Pasta, always great. Lots of other great entrees, especially the Dover Sole, and the beat goes on. 

Alaska is beautiful, dress properly because it can be warm, cool and wet, oh yes, and it will change in 10 minutes. That umbrella in your closet will get some use more than likely. 
Enjoy,

Mauibabes

Ditto for yesterday on Firefox. All good now. Actually I did not even think about switching to Safari during my FF down time, oh well. Besides, CC 24/7 is not required reading. 
Mauibabes

I looked too because we are sailing from Tokyo on Riviera April 25. Got this off Google:

@janelledocb

We were in 11021 and I would consider 11015 to be in a great location as ours was not noisy. You would be under the Oceania Suites so guests above and below. We have sailed in similar rooms on Marina and Riviera and they have always been great. Go and enjoy.

Mauibabes

I don’t really know the answer but we have heard him many times over the years and he is beyond tone deaf. Just sounds BAD so you are all Correct and he really does not have a KEY 🤪👍

JMHO,

Mauibabes

@BillK400

I have not been in an Oceanview Stateroom but I believe it is 45 days from Embarkation. More than likely you will not get your first choices because other higher level categories start booking up to 75 days in advance. Take whatever restaurants and times that are available and be willing to “Share” a table. When you board in August, you can stop at the Reservation Desk and see what you can do to adjust restaurants and reservation times.  Also, when you are at the Reservation Desk, ask about any availability the first night in any of the Specialty restaurants. If they have anything available, they will give it to you and it WON’T count against your Specialty restaurant allocation. 
Good Luck and enjoy Marina after her new “Refurb” that should be starting today or soon. 
Mauibabes 

Starting in BA, definitely add some time to do a Pre tour to the Iguazu Falls. Far more impressive than Niagara Falls, JMHO. In Rio, we did private tours, check out Rio +Tours.

A year ago January we flew down to SA from LAX and changed planes in DFW to get our PE seats. Oceania offered only Economy.

I have been told it is pretty much the European cruises that have PE options. We are heading to Rome in the Fall and the airlines are hitting O up for $999 for the PE upgrade so that makes the cost $1699 pp each way. I have found PE flights, DIY cheaper than $1700. It’s not O, it is the airlines that are 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬✈️. Biz Class can easily be $3500-$5000 pp, each way. I initially made my reservation with the Air included and just cancelled them last week, that way I could spend some months 🙏for some decent fares that never came. 
Enjoy,

Mauibabes

That is definitely one tour I would do as a Ship’s tour just for the added insurance of returning on time or to a dock with an Oceania ship waiting for me. Just joking. 
That could be a short and stressful tour day to see Paris for only a few hours.  I would rather go back from Amsterdam and spend some days, too much to see and too beautiful to rush bye. 
Would it be possible to get in a tour to Normandy?  That is pretty spectacular but then I do not know where Rouen is as I did not check a map before I started pecking away. 
Mauibabes

Ditto, never been allowed for us.  We ended up going on board Crystal to meet up with friends. Must be the Suite life 😇

Mauibabes

Sorry, can’t make that comparison. Since Franc G is the Top chef with Explora, I can believe it would be very excellent. 
I will just “tough it out “ on O and call it good enough. 
Mauibabes

JMHO, our tastes are all different and some are more food adventurous than others.  I do not “try” things even though I can on the ship. I order what I like and that is “my” decision. I must say however that after over 15 years of sailing on Oceania, I have NEVER gone hungry or walked away from the table in need of finding something to eat. 
I must say I do have my favorites so in Jacques, I go for the Pumpkin Soup, the Dover Sole, the Sea Bass in Puff Pastry. In Toscana I can not pass up the Oil and Balsamic trolly with the bread basket and focaccia, the Lasagne, the Dover Sole and virtually any Chef’s Pasta Special of the night and YES to me it makes a difference if the Chef is Italian. Red Ginger, it MUST be the Watermelon and Duck Salad, the Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass, the Rack of Lamb, DW loves the Teriyaki Beef.  Polo, DW goes for the Filet Mignon, Waldorf Salad, various potato offerings and the Giant Shrimp Cocktail and also the Table made Caesar Salad. Ember, while not gourmet, all of the entrees have been very good. GDR, good meals but DW always orders Jacques Chicken to take a break from the meals served in the Specialties. Terrace Cafe, B L D there are always delicious offerings, best buffet dining we have ever had aboard any line. 
 

Well, that is my $0.03, Inflation you know. With this said, it’s time to “Drop” my mic and fade into the sunset. 

Mauibabes

It’s easy, peasy because the Room Stewards handle it for you. They will move all your hanging items and put them in the same place in your new room. You will pack your suitcases and bathroom stuff, safe, and everything else and it will be on your bed when you arrive from your excursion. You will need to get a new key card and follow any directions the Front Desk requires but B2B’s are easy on O. 
Enjoy,

Mauibabes

October we stayed at Marriott Biscayne Bay, nice and had all the amenities. Stayed there with our Bonvoy Credits so “Free” was good 😇👍 5-10 minutes to the Port. Be careful when heading to the ship, the location can be changed on a moments notice and your driver can spend a lot of time finding your ship. 
Mauibabes

We travel with a 25” and a 19” carry on each that fit under the bed and we also keep some less used pieces of clothing in them to swap out as needed. DW takes day and night wear for 10 days, always mix and match to stretch the wardrobe.  Besides, it is not like you can’t buy something on board or in port if you need it. Any DW has to have shopping time in every port. 

The Reference to the 50# limit is valid unless you fly to/from Bus or First Class, then it would be 70#. 
We bought the 25” suitcases specially to help keep our travels under the weight limit. We only push the limit if I add bottles of wine 👍🙏 or alcohol and we press the Oceania blue bag or one we bring along to haul extra stuff home if we have exceeded the limits. 
Our packing style has worked great, whether 10, 20, 35 or 46 days and we wash clothes regularly to stretch our wardrobe. The laundry is free and depending on your stateroom category, you do get three bags (20items) of laundry done by the staff for no cost in Concierge and above. Anything else you will pay for if you want things pressed. 
Bottom line, you can fit everything you need for your trip in your room and under your bed or you can ask your Room Steward to stow your suitcases and create extra storage under your bed with some creative planning and Amazon acquisitions. 
Mauibabes

You did not mention the itinerary or ship you were booking but if Alaska, they do have things for the kids. We were on a Rio to Miami cruise and had one 9 year old so she had about 200 grandparents interacting with her.  She was adopted by the Entertainment team and she saw parts of the ship that none of us saw. She had a fabulous time and she was a delight for her grandparents that she was traveling with as her parents were teachers and had a different holiday schedule.  If the kids are busy with you on tours, they will survive fine and the internet will also provide some entertainment. They will eat well, no cost for their drinks or drink packages required. 
Bring them on and plan to have a great trip on a special itinerary. My wife read a FB post and the family was bringing 11 kids with them and 32 all totaled for a 50th Anniversary cruise.  Talk to your travel agent and Oceania about the specific activities they might enjoy on your cruise. 
Mauibabes
 

Often times we just misread others intentions. Could it be that O was doing some targeted research from guests at specific levels to see what they valued?  Any chance with the necessary price increases they are considering some enhancements to the Loyalty Program to make up for the increases? I certainly do not know but I did submit the Survey providing input for their consideration. 
Thanks for your input Jan 👍🙏

Mauibabes

@basor 

@EJL2023

Ditto with your approach. I believe the offer begins April 1 so maybe the sleuths can capture some rates of those specific cruises mentioned and then Monday when the Promotion hits, Tada, we will hear the results posted on CC.  
We have booked into an Oceania hotel for a pre night several times on our own and it was cheaper to do it ourselves but not in a ginormous way, depends on city and hotels. We have had friends use the Pre night hotel because it was a part of their total Oceania package, they were picked up at the airport and the next day delivered to the ship and they got a VERY nice room. Yes, we pay for convenience 🤪👍.  We all build our travel packages in a way that suits us. 
 

When we have traveled on a Tauck Tour, they include a Pre/Post night stay and that is the only company who I have seen that actually includes their Gift of Time without charge. IF you are an eligible traveler, of course. IF you are paying, be prepared 😇💰. Just maybe, there is no Free Breakfast OR Free Lunch. 
 

Basor, testing my memory, are you on Riviera Nov. 4-14, Rome to Barcelona as part of an upcoming B2B2B trip? If so, see you on board 🛳️🍷

Mahalo,

Mauibabes
 

@yogagal47

Just wanted to make sure you were getting good info to make decisions. Your experience in Rio lays to rest the benefit of taking Insignia from MIA to RIO but that is an excellent itinerary and with 22 days, probably a lower cost per day than the Barbados itinerary. We were booked into Barbados a couple years ago but there were Covid issues in South America and Marina was redirected to the Caribbean and our A B C island hop trip was restructured but was still fun.  Check out flights to and from Barbados, I think I still have some Jet Blue Credit based on flight cancellations as there are limited options. 
22 vs 18, No problem 🤪👍, especially when it is even cheaper.  Whatever you do, have a great time doing it on O. 
I think you and anyone new to O deserves help with O’s idiosyncrasies so I would prefer to offer assistance and actual experience rather than join the “Critics”. We joined the O family about 17 years ago so we do have experiences to share, like I said previously, some Good, Bad and Ugly but within our cruise world, it is pretty darn awesome.  Love getting aboard and having staff from “years” back come up to say hello. So many ABSOLUTELY GREAT young people, it keeps us young too.  
 

Good Luck,

Mauibabes

@ORV

My OOPS, as you said, lost focus 😇. Just trying to get across, minus my oops, if it were my decision, and it’s NOT, I would jump on the 22 day Insignia 2025 ATW First Segment. We have done an ATW segment as well as the Amazon/ Rio cruises and IMHO it is the Better cruise between the two and the Best Value. The only negative I see is having to make the longer flight home from Rio but seeing and experiencing Rio is well worth a longer flight. 
Sorry Yoga for sharing GTY misinformation, my comment really applied to Waitlisting on Oceania. 
 

Good luck with your decisions and thanks ORV. 

Mauibabes