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Oceania ..NEVER AGAIN...floating nursing home


drhugs
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:loudcry::loudcry: I am posting this in hopes of dissuading those contemplating an Oceania Sirena Cruise.

 

Currently on the 35 day Oceania Sirena San Diego to Rio..sounds great, doesn't it??? Cruising the Amazon..great, huh???

 

Not so fast, dear readers....never again..

 

the most boring, worst entertainment..if any..

food above average, staff incredible and wonderful..

 

We are in a PH1...most expensive penthouse suite..have met with general manager..4x..i have profuse notes about the myriad of disappointments..if you are seeking anything close to the deceptive brochures, you may be in for a shock..more coming on this board when I can finally depart in Rio...dumped us in ghetto ports and more..so sorry I ever booked Oceania..they are riding on a reputation no longer deserved..5 star..in their dreams.:loudcry::loudcry: we booked back to back and jumping ship..cannot bear 21 more daysfrom Rio to Miami..flying home.

Let's see how 5 star Oceania handles my concerns when I call them next week. Many unhappy passengers here who will never return...:eek:will keep you posted with the details...

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Currently on the 35 day Oceania Sirena San Diego to Rio..sounds great, doesn't it??? Cruising the Amazon..great, huh???

 

 

...i have profuse notes about the myriad of disappointments...

 

 

 

Concerning the title of your thread (“nursing home”), if you’re referring to the average age of fellow cruisers, a 35 day cruise aboard a smaller ship will undoubtedly attract a considerably older crowd that has the time and the means to take a cruise of this nature.

 

Concerning being “dumped in ghetto ports”, it’s been my experience that, on special or unique itineraries when the ship stops at off the beaten path or rarely visited ports of call, considerable research about these particular ports as well as a desire to explore well beyond the port area and a more adventurous state of mind are necessary in order to enjoy these stops. I would be interested in reading a more detailed review about the ports that you visited and what you did there in order to get a better perspective about your dissatisfaction.

 

I’m also looking forward to your follow up post concerning your myriad of disappointments. While I haven’t sailed on Oceania yet, they are on my radar scope so any information about them, good or bad, is always welcome.

 

 

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Would love to read more SPECIFICS and details to back up the somewhat shocking title of "floating nursing home". How much was the "fault" of the Amazon River and its port stops, the fellow passengers, Oceania, etc.??

 

As detailed below in my live/blog, we did the Amazon River and enjoyed it very much. Lots of my visuals to provide the variety of interests and activities that we experienced along the amazing Amazon. Yes, as noted, on longer cruises, you are getting a generally "older crowd". BUT, just because some are of a more "mature" age does not always make them boring and/or uninteresting. Look forward to learning more background to back up this shouting headline. Not doubting your opinion, just seeking additional background before we do our first sailing on Oceania, a 20-day Athens to Dubai cruise to include the Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean adventure that started in Barbados, here is the link for that live/blog. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.):

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 54,868 views for these postings.

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So far it sounds like a poorly informed cruiser (choice of ship & itinerary) with unrealistic expectations - “I m staying in the most expensive PH1”. All PHs are exactly the same except for location - service and amenities are the same

Let’s see what is next. Wait, I know - OP will complaint that O will not refund him the money for the segment he chooses to miss.

Doing research on a new cruise line (OP is mostly a Princess cruiser) and the choice of itinearary and ship are very important. There is a parallel thread of another passenger on this ship and she couldn’t be happier.

Let’s see what the real grievances are.

Edited by Paulchili
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I also looking forward to a more detailed report. I am not discrediting the opinion of drhugs at all. Title with the words "Floating Nursing Home" is questionable, but whatever.

Talking to the general manager 4 times in 14 days is not a good sign

and abandoning ship less than half way through the cruise is drastic. Will be interesting to hear the full story (if drhugs comes back).

Cooking up the popcorn right now :)

Cheers,

John

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Greetings

 

There has been a "live" report by another passenger during this same cruise. Quite a different opinion from that cruiser. I have been to those same Mexican/Central American ports on Sirena and I will agree that they are not 1st world cities, but I knew what to expect. Will be interested to hear more.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

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Can I have the segment you are abandoning? I’d love to be back on an Oceania cruise right now. We knew entertainment wasn’t a strong spot of Oceania when we cruised on Marina and that was fine with us - we don’t go to any evening entertainment anyway, we loved the food, loved the staff and loved the ship. Sorry your experience hasn’t been as good as ours, but I wish I could take your place on the part of the cruise you are dropping.

 

 

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Actually it looks like their cruise is just about over. Rio arrival is on Fri Jan 19.

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/south-america-cruises/san-diego-to-rio-de-janeiro-SIR171216/

 

I also read somewhere that cruisers going to some off-the-beaten-track ports of call have to leave the port area and venture further afield to appreciate what the destination has to offer. Can that be the problem?

 

Frances

Edited by Tansy Mews
Added the last paragraph
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While I agree that the entertainment on O is spotty, we haven't been all that delighted with the entertainment on the mainline cruise ships, either. We often find the other O passengers so engaging that our time spent with them is all the entertainment we need.

Our 1st O cruise was in 2004, when we were 54 & 56; we were among the younger passengers, but it certainly didn't feel like a NH.

We think the food is wonderful and the accommodation of DH's cardiac diet (new to us since he had 2 cardiac arrests on January 20, one in the gondola at Keystone ski resort) was stellar.

I am often struck by how many people don't research a port and then complain about what the immediate dock area lacks.

 

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Actually it looks like their cruise is just about over. Rio arrival is on Fri Jan 19.

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/south-america-cruises/san-diego-to-rio-de-janeiro-SIR171216/

I also read somewhere that cruisers going to some off-the-beaten-track ports of call have to leave the port area and venture further afield to appreciate what the destination has to offer. Can that be the problem?Frances

 

Appreciate, Frances, your posting of this link. Yes, this is a long, long cruise. Some of the Mexico/Central America stops might, as you correctly note, require doing more than walking off of the ship and seeing only that port town. Am hoping that the original poster comes back to share many more details and specifics.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 194,078 views for this posting.

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I don’t get it. You despise the entertainment, the ports. Yet you say the food is above average and the staff incredible and wonderful... I am eager to hear how the ports of call being cruddy is somehow O’s responsibility.

 

 

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I looked back at all DrHUGS posts and didnt see one where he asked any questions of us about anything on the ship or itinerary..not that it would have made his trip better but he might have known more about what to expect..

Jancruz1

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Hmmmm,

 

The itinerary from San Diego through the Panama Canal looked pretty standard, although I would not have gotten off the boat in Acapulco. After the Canal, they did Willemstad, Bridgetown & Scarborough, and then into the river.

 

My guess is things started to go bad once they were in Brazil. Not a lot of good news coming from that part of the World lately, and then if you were a month into a cruise with a group of passengers or entertainment set that wasn't a good mix, serious cabin fever would be the result.

 

Then again, if I were in a Penthouse Suite, I think I could grit my teeth, prowl the balcony, have yet another drink and try to survive.

 

But, looking at the itinerary from Rio to Miami, if the river thing was the problem, there will be many more river stops and then really nothing blockbuster to look forward to on the way to Miami.

 

Sucks. I'd hate to look forward to a trip and then have it not turn out well.

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We are currently on board the same San Diego to Rio cruise as the OP, and also in a PH1. Unlike OP, we actually did some research on the ports we would be visiting, as most people would for a 35-day (or longer) cruise. We have gone on many wonderful private tours over the past four weeks, plus several ship’s excursions that were also excellent. Each port has had interesting things to see or do, but sometimes it required taking a free O shuttle beyond the industrial dock area.

 

Like OP, we have enjoyed excellent food and wonderful staff (including our amazing butler, Rahman). It’s our first time in a PH, and the extra space is nice on this longer cruise. We love the large shower, too, and wish the other R ships could offer them (or at least make them available in 50% of the PH’s, as some have suggested).

 

 

As for entertainment, we knew it wasn’t one of O’s strong points, and OP could have known it as well with just a little research. We are often too tired from a day of touring to stay up for a show anyway.

 

 

We have met dozens of our fellow passengers, and not one is unhappy with the trip or with O. Perhaps OP’s expectations were unrealistic, and they will have the experience they are looking for on another cruise line.

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We are currently on board the same San Diego to Rio cruise as the OP, and also in a PH1. Unlike OP, we actually did some research on the ports we would be visiting, as most people would for a 35-day (or longer) cruise. We have gone on many wonderful private tours over the past four weeks, plus several ship’s excursions that were also excellent. As for entertainment, we knew it wasn’t one of O’s strong points, and OP could have known it as well with just a little research. We are often too tired from a day of touring to stay up for a show anyway. We have met dozens of our fellow passengers, and not one is unhappy with the trip or with O. Perhaps OP’s expectations were unrealistic, and they will have the experience they are looking for on another cruise line.

 

Appreciate this added perspective and important follow-up. Very helpful background and sharing of your experiences on this cruise.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 221,780 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

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What is sad, is the the TS (OP) has already sailed with O in 2008 per previous posts. I sure hope they don’t get old and wish to continue traveling, so they wont contribute to a nursing home situation. I hope they find a cruise line that doesn’t have older folks onboard, so they can enjoy the cruise better. I feel sorry that they had such a horrible experience, and hope they find what they are looking for back on the mass mkt lines, as most premuim/luxury lines do have quite a few older folks, especially on the longer itineraries.

-

The ports were listed, and I did google most of them, as we considered taking this cruise. Yup, some were away from the main part of town, in more industrialized areas, or poorer areas...that’s life.

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I looked back at all DrHUGS posts and didnt see one where he asked any questions of us about anything on the ship or itinerary..not that it would have made his trip better but he might have known more about what to expect..

Jancruz1

 

Your post says it all!

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