What do you want to know about Marina?

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hi, I'm in Genoa (gorgeous Italian city though not the least bit touristy and good luck to you if you speak no Italian!) for Oceania's float-out of Marina tomorrow -- Friday. We're doing a hard hat tour tomorrow -- any questions for me?

 

Will happily try to answer as many as I can (your best bet: send questions to me at my email, editor@cruisecritic.com, and put "Marina" in subject line; please include your member name). I'll answer them here after our visit -- and stay tuned for a report Friday. Here's our news item today:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=3708

 

Carolyn

 

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

[lyndenfa]

okay, I did send you a couple. have fun and i hope there is plenty of swooning as you meander around!

[tak2]

Thanks, Carolyn. I'm looking forward to reading more about Marina, and can't wait to see her on Jan 22.

My question: where is the best place to hold the very first Cruise Critic party on Marina?

[lord of the seas]

Thanks, Carolyn. I'm looking forward to reading more about Marina, and can't wait to see her on Jan 22.

My question: where is the best place to hold the very first Cruise Critic party on Marina?

 

On the bridge.:eek:

[editor@cruisecritic]

Great answer, Lord of the Seas! Thanks for sending the questions to my email, will try and get specifics for you tomorrow! Keep 'em coming, too....

 

Carolyn

[editor@cruisecritic]

Oceania's Frank del Rio announced tonight that Captain Dimitrios Flokos (from Regatta) will be the inaugural captain of Marina. Nicola Volpe will be the general manager (on other lines, the job is known as hotel director).

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

[nyfeds]

Hi Carolyn,

 

Any idea as to when Oceania will roll out Marina's full 2011 itinerary?

 

Lucky you to be on such a beautiful new ship!

[Mparis184]

Lucky you......I'm so excited - it's like waiting for the birth of a new baby. I can't wait to hear all about her and am looking forward to our January 22 cruise.

 

Thanks Carolyn,

 

Marion

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hi, big news with itineraries is that Oceania's planning to announce full 2011 on March 8. Stay tuned.

 

Did you hear about the Marina twin? The new ship, already contracted for but not officially begun or named, is Oceania Riviera. And it's first piece of steel was cut today! The ship will launch around April 2012@

 

Carolyn

 

 

Hi Carolyn,

 

Any idea as to when Oceania will roll out Marina's full 2011 itinerary?

 

Lucky you to be on such a beautiful new ship!

[YoHoHo]

As an FYI I have posted a reference to this thread on our roll call for the Maiden Voyage. I am sure like me they will be eager to read your comments.

Thanks for taking our emails.

[hondorner]

Betsy and I, along with Stan and Jim, are in Genoa for the float out. It was a long day, starting with breakfast at 7:30, then a tour of the cabin mock-ups of the veranda and penthouse cabins, then a hardhat tour of the ship.

 

That was followed by the float-out ceremony and christening. The madrina was the wife of the Fincantieri shipyard manager. This is appropriate for the Italian custom of naming a local madirina; there may be another godmother at the naming ceremony in Miami next Feb 5.

 

That was followed immediately by a surprise -- Oceania President Bob Binder announced that there will be a sister ship for Marina, named Riviera! He went on to say that work would start on the ship "soon" -- in fact, he said, it would start in 10 minutes!

 

We were taken to another area of the shipyard, where a large piece of steel was set up in a laser cutting bed. Some guests were invited to sign the steel as stakeholders in the ship. Then, the cutting bed was flooded to cover the steel with a few inches of water, and a high tech cutting head -- either laser or plasma was set to begin cutting. Mr Del Rio, along with several members of the board of directors and representatives from the shipyard, place their hands on top of each other and on a button, which started the cutting process for the first piece of steel. As Carolyn has said, delivery is expected in April, 2012. April is Betsy's birth month, so she already thinks of Riviera as her birthday present

 

After a phenomenal many-course Italian lunch, we waddled back to the hotel to rest up for dinner. I have just a few minutes, now, before dinner, and we will be leaving very early tomorrow (Saturday) morning to fly home, so questions will have to wait until late Saturday or early Sunday. But, we have lots of pictures and over an hour of video (at fairly low resolution, I'm afraid, but it should be good enough for web viewing) that I will be posting, most likely on Sunday.

 

I'm sure Jim will add lots of great information with his usual elan, and we'll try to answer any and all questions from a guest's perspective about what we saw.

 

Short answer for now, it is already awesome, and will be fabulous.

[tak2]

Thanks for sharing, Don.

Guess we'll sail together again April 2012!:)

[nyfeds]

Carolyn,

 

You're a gem! Thanks for responding.

 

Looking forward to the intinerary roll out and further information on beautiful Marina when you all return. We've yet to give Oceania a try, but Marina has really enticed us!

[gillianrose]

I would like to know if the main dining room will be open for lunch on port days.

 

I would also like to know the home countries represented among the wait staff in the dining rooms. I enjoy it when there is a variety of countries represented, not a staff which is primarily from one or two countries.

[LHT28]

I would like to know if the main dining room will be open for lunch on port days.

 

.

On the current ships the GDR is open most of the time when in port

I have only seen it closed once in 5 cruises so I cannot see them changing that with even more passengers to feed

 

Lyn

[yorkiemomjn]

Betsy and I, along with Stan and Jim, are in Genoa for the float out. It was a long day, starting with breakfast at 7:30, then a tour of the cabin mock-ups of the veranda and penthouse cabins, then a hardhat tour of the ship.

 

That was followed by the float-out ceremony and christening. The madrina was the wife of the Fincantieri shipyard manager. This is appropriate for the Italian custom of naming a local madirina; there may be another godmother at the naming ceremony in Miami next Feb 5.

 

That was followed immediately by a surprise -- Oceania President Bob Binder announced that there will be a sister ship for Marina, named Riviera! He went on to say that work would start on the ship "soon" -- in fact, he said, it would start in 10 minutes!

 

We were taken to another area of the shipyard, where a large piece of steel was set up in a laser cutting bed. Some guests were invited to sign the steel as stakeholders in the ship. Then, the cutting bed was flooded to cover the steel with a few inches of water, and a high tech cutting head -- either laser or plasma was set to begin cutting. Mr Del Rio, along with several members of the board of directors and representatives from the shipyard, place their hands on top of each other and on a button, which started the cutting process for the first piece of steel. As Carolyn has said, delivery is expected in April, 2012. April is Betsy's birth month, so she already thinks of Riviera as her birthday present

 

After a phenomenal many-course Italian lunch, we waddled back to the hotel to rest up for dinner. I have just a few minutes, now, before dinner, and we will be leaving very early tomorrow (Saturday) morning to fly home, so questions will have to wait until late Saturday or early Sunday. But, we have lots of pictures and over an hour of video (at fairly low resolution, I'm afraid, but it should be good enough for web viewing) that I will be posting, most likely on Sunday.

 

I'm sure Jim will add lots of great information with his usual elan, and we'll try to answer any and all questions from a guest's perspective about what we saw.

 

Short answer for now, it is already awesome, and will be fabulous.

 

Oh, my!!!! I did not know you were going to get to do this!!! How very exciting!!! I knew that you had won on the itinerary contest, but I did not know about this! I can't wait to hear your report and see your pictures!!

I'm with Betsy!!!! What a great BD present!!!

Judy:D:D:D

[AdvenLee]

I am very anxious to hear about the size of standard veranda cabins. And, whether they include bathtubs or showers only. I like the Oceania cruises, but miss the bathtubs and a bit larger cabin size that exist on some ships. Let us hear all about the new Marina. Thanks.....

[Leonid]

It now appears that O will have an intimate dining facility between the two specialty restaurants that will only cater to OS pax. Seems strange that O would exclude VS pax. Then again, you get for which you pay.

[poss]

In standard veranda cabins, about how much space is between the foot of the bed and the wall?

 

Are concierge veranda suites exactly same size as standard veranda? same size bathrooms as well?

 

Thank you for answering queries.

 

(First question I was unable to discern from reading brochure. Second question: brochure seems to say that both cabins exactly same size.)

[StanandJim]

It now appears that O will have an intimate dining facility between the two specialty restaurants that will only cater to OS pax. Seems strange that O would exclude VS pax. Then again, you get for which you pay

 

Leonid-

 

Two things: Now that Marina also has Oceania Suites, I think that we're going to have to think up a new acronym for the Owners Suites. ;)

 

Secondly, where did you get the idea that Privee is only catering to passengers in the Owners suites?

 

We've been bothering the O Executives with inquiries about Privee, since it was announced (we have a milestone birthday during our voyage), and never once was class of accomodation ever mentioned.

 

Our one regret about our recent trip to Genoa, is that there never seemed to be the right moment to nail down our Privee Reservation for next February.

 

What with Oceania launching one ship and beginning construction on another, the big moments just kept coming. Reserving Privee for a birthday party always seemed like too frivolous a request.......:o

[dino2067]

 

Secondly, where did you get the idea that Privee is only catering to passengers in the Owners suites?

 

Stan,

 

Where the idea came from was from the article posted:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=3711

 

 

"Another new dining concept is the cozy Prive, tucked between Polo Grill and Toscana. A special menu at the 10-seat private dining room will be offered to passengers who reside in the ship's priciest Owner's suites."

 

Kathleen

[StanandJim]

"Another new dining concept is the cozy Prive, tucked between Polo Grill and Toscana. A special menu at the 10-seat private dining room will be offered to passengers who reside in the ship's priciest Owner's suites."

 

Thanks Kathleen, with apologies to Leonid for my ignorance of that article.

 

All that I can say is that IF Privee is only being offered to the Owners Suite guests, I've talked to an amazing array of Oceania brass who never mentioned that restriction to me.

[LHT28]

I would be more inclined too believe what is on the O website than the article

 

For the most exclusive dining experience at sea, bar none, Privée may be reserved for a single party of up to ten privileged guests per evening. Lavishly decorated with oversized white leather throne chairs, a custom-made one-of-a-kind Lalique crystal table, illuminated by a white Venini glass chandelier, and trimmed in vibrant red and gold hues, Privée transforms every aspect of dining into a sensory experience of pure elation. It is that stunning, as you partake of an absolutely over-the-top seven course Menu Degustation exclusively designed for you by the Executive Chef.

 

No where does it state only for suite guests

If you are willing to pay the fee I am sure anyone can book it

Maybe FDR will comment

 

Lyn

[Leonid]

Leonid-

 

Two things: Now that Marina also has Oceania Suites, I think that we're going to have to think up a new acronym for the Owners Suites. ;)

 

Secondly, where did you get the idea that Privee is only catering to passengers in the Owners suites?

 

We've been bothering the O Executives with inquiries about Privee, since it was announced (we have a milestone birthday during our voyage), and never once was class of accomodation ever mentioned.

 

Our one regret about our recent trip to Genoa, is that there never seemed to be the right moment to nail down our Privee Reservation for next February.

 

What with Oceania launching one ship and beginning construction on another, the big moments just kept coming. Reserving Privee for a birthday party always seemed like too frivolous a request.......:o

 

Read it someplace. As soon as I can remember or can find it, will post it.

[Leonid]

Stan,

 

Where the idea came from was from the article posted:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=3711

 

 

"Another new dining concept is the cozy Prive, tucked between Polo Grill and Toscana. A special menu at the 10-seat private dining room will be offered to passengers who reside in the ship's priciest Owner's suites."

 

Kathleen

 

Thanks very much for the post. That's where I thought I had read about it.