What Are You Looking Forward to the Most?

[jgiblin]

Art auctions have been completely removed from Oceania cruises, gone the way of the photographers. ...

 

I haven't bought a ship's photographer photo in 20 years (the last time we brought the kids to the Caribbean during school vacation).

 

I do enjoy those photos now but I remember how annoying the 'in you face' photographers were at every event.

[gillianrose]

Art auctions have been completely removed from Oceania cruises, gone the way of the photographers.

 

One thing we tend to forget -- the art auction personnel, photographers and other such need to be put up in a cabin, and fed. They have to produce enough income above that cost to make them valuable to the cruise line. On a small ship, space is at a premium and can often be sold for more than the profit the 3rd party vendors bring. On a larger ship, there is more space available, and more customers to buy things, so the break even point is different. I don't think it was a hard decision to get rid of the auctioneers, even without guest input.

 

That is excellent news about the art auctions. I actually don't mind the "welcome to the ship photo" which we always buy (even when they aren't very flattering), and of course those could be offered just at embarkation ports by land-based photographers. However, if they are not offering that, we'll just hand our camera to someone who will surely take that picture for us, if we want it.

 

Your point about housing the photographers and auction people, etc. is very interesting.

Wouldn't they be housed in crew quarters?

[StanandJim]

Your point about housing the photographers and auction people, etc. is very interesting.

Wouldn't they be housed in crew quarters

 

Only staff directly employed by Oceania bunk in the crew quarters. Third party vendors and subcontractors (this includes most entertainers, lecturers, etc) are assigned passenger cabins, and eat with us, also.

[RetiredFL]

Looking at the results so far I would make a suggestion.

On all our sailings we and many others use the Horizions lounge as a place to read, do knitting, etc. It is a quiet place most of the day.

However several times a day crew takes over to have lectures on nutrition, Pilates, golf, etc. Most of these are only attended by 10-12 people but the loud lecturer disturbes all in the Lounge. What they need are meeting rooms were such events can be held or other events such as college reunions, Cruise Critic parties, etc.

Perhaps the Artist Loft could be a multi purpose room so that these small events could be held there.

It is bad enough they start setting up for Tea at noon. There have been some harsh words between staff and passengers about this, especially on those days such as the Panama Canal transit when half of the ship want to be in Horizions to see the transit and the waiters keep trying to move the chairs and tables back away from the windows and set them for tea.

I worked in restaurants while in college and we could set a dining room up in a half an hour!

[StanandJim]

UPDATE AS OF 4/07

144 of us have voted so far

 

 

THE TOP 5

 

#1 Bigger & More Luxurious Sleeping Quarters with 71.53%

#2 Bigger Bathrooms with 64.58%

#3 Red Ginger with 53.47%

#4 Jacques with 49.31%

#5 The Culinary Center with 43.75%

 

Bubbling under the top 5: Barristas with 34.72% and Movies under the Stars with 29.86%

 

• This poll will close on April 27th, 2010 at 12:42 AM
  

after which, all of the results will be visable.

[Druke I]

Thanks for the update.

 

That brings the thread back to page one's top, and perhaps will draw more attention and votes.

[2kiwis]

I don't know about anyone else, but overpriced spa serivices provided by poorly trained and pushy employees have left me with a bad taste for shipboard spas. I like canyon ranch on shore, so am reserving my opinion till I give them a try on Marina, but I am not surprised the spa was not first on anyone's list.

 

I completely agree with you here. Having just got off a 45 day back to back cruise on nautica I was very disappointed with Canyon Range.

 

I had my hair done and while I was happy with the cut, I found the whole experience extremely disappointing and unenjoyable. The receptionist was unfriendly, I was not given the opportunity of a consultation (as with the previous spa company on Nautica), the grooming and presentation of the hairdresser was not to the standard of the prices charged. All the little extra's and professionalism you expect from this kind of service and cost were completely missing.

 

Next cruise I will endeavour to have my hair cut on-shore rather than being subjected to Canyon Ranch's grossly overpriced unprofessional service.

[StanandJim]

UPDATE AS OF 4/18

159 of us have voted so far

 

 

 

THE TOP 5

 

#1 Bigger & More Luxurious Sleeping Quarters with 71.07%

#2 Bigger Bathrooms with 64.15%

#3 Red Ginger with 51.57%

#4 Jacques with 45.91%

#5 The Culinary Center with 43.40%

 

The Concierge and Executive Lounges are in a virtual dead heat with approximately 15% of the vote for each (which is surprising, considering that there are so many more concierge cabins than suites)

• This poll will close on April 27, 2010 at 12:42 AM
  

after which, all of the results will be visable.

[Druke I]

The poll's header says it closes at 0942 on the 26th, yet your message says 1242 on the 27th.

 

Which is correct, and why the 27 hr difference?

[LHT28]

The poll's header says it closes at 0942 on the 26th, yet your message says 1242 on the 27th.

 

Which is correct, and why the 27 hr difference?

 

The header on my computer says the 27th 12:42am

 

Would that not be 15 hrs difference

O942 from 0042

 

 

lyn

[StanandJim]

The poll's header says it closes at 0942 on the 26th, yet your message says 1242 on the 27th.

 

Which is correct, and why the 27 hr difference?

 

 

This is cut and pasted from the header that I see on the poll:

 

This poll will close on April 27th, 2010 at 12:42 AM

[Druke I]

What can I say"

 

The poll I'm looking at says it closes at 0942 on the 26th.

[Druke I]

Not the way I was taught to read the 24 hr clock.

 

3 hrs from 0942 to 1242, and another 24 hrs from the 26th to the 27th.

 

It's not important - we'll let the poll taker do it any way he wants - it is his poll, and an interesting one to boot.

[LHT28]

Not the way I was taught to read the 24 hr clock.

 

3 hrs from 0942 to 1242, and another 24 hrs from the 26th to the 27th.

 

It's not important - we'll let the poll taker do it any way he wants - it is his poll, and an interesting one to boot.

OK

I thought 1242 am would be 0042 (just past midnight) ..right?

 

0942 is in the morning of the 26th right? 0042 on the 27th would be just after midnight

0942 to 1242(pm just after noon) is 3 hrs + 12 hrs from 1242 to 0042on 27th

Very confusing

 

I am not sure how you write 24 hr time but our clock shows it with the colon

[Druke I]

OK.

 

He says 0942PM, which on the 24 hr clock is 2142, but military 0942 is AM.

 

1242 is 42 minutes after noon. 42 minutes after midnight is 0042.

 

Mixing civilian and military 24hrs clocks is the cause of confusion, I think.

 

Much like dates in the US, today being 4-18-10, but for most of the rest of the world it is 18-4-10. US military would use 18-4-10, civilians 4-18-10.

 

I was taught use of colon separatng hours and minutes was optional. One definition does not fit all!

 

I think I better just drop the subject, before we get even more confused.

[LHT28]

OK.

 

He says 0942PM, which on the 24 hr clock is 2142, but military 0942 is AM.

I think I better just drop the subject, before we get even more confused.

 

Boy your military must be really confused when they go off the base :eek:

 

I will have to ask my BIL how he copes with the strange time situation

 

In any case the contest will close soon;)

 

Lyn

[LHT28]

What can I say"

 

The poll I'm looking at says it closes at 0942 on the 26th.

 

Is this what you see?

This poll will close on April 26th, 2010 at 09:42 PM

 

The difference in what you see & what Jim posted in his message is the time zone difference

Your settings are in Pacific time & Jim/Stan's are

Eastern time

 

As far as I know if you use 24 hour time (military for you) you do not use the AM/PM designation after the time

Confusion solved:)

 

Lyn

[Druke I]

I think you are right about the different time zones making the difference in the header time cited.

 

Sorry I ever asked the question! And you are right, no AM PM designators for the 24hr military clock.

[LHT28]

I think you are right about the different time zones making the difference in the header time cited.

 

Sorry I ever asked the question! And you are right, no AM PM designators for the 24hr military clock.

I started to doubt myself after a while :D

[StanandJim]

Final UPDATE:

This poll Closes on 4/27, after which the results will become public.

 

165 of us have voted so far

 

 

 

 

THE TOP 5

 

#1 Bigger & More Luxurious Sleeping Quarters with 70.91%

#2 Bigger Bathrooms with 64.24%

#3 Red Ginger with 52.12%

#4 Jacques with 46.67%

#5 The Culinary Center with 44.24%

 

Baristas Coffee Bar and Movies Under the Stars are #'s 6 & 7 respectively, both with more than 30% of the vote.

[StanandJim]

Can you all see the entire poll now?

[LHT28]

Interesting results ;)

 

 

Lyn

[Druke I]

Good poll.

 

Many thanks.

[kelmac]

Very interesting!

 

(by the way, everyone in the world uses a 24 hour clock, except the US. It's not Military Time, it's metric time and our Military uses metric everything.)

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[StanandJim]

Very interesting!

 

(by the way, everyone in the world uses a 24 hour clock, except the US. It's not Military Time, it's metric time and our Military uses metric everything.)

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

 

Everybody in the world?

I don't think so