Nautica or Insignia - Need to Decide?

[caroak]

We are considering one of two possible 2011 Oceania Mediterranean cruises. One is Venice-Rome on the Nautica and the other is Barcelona-Rome on the Insignia. Either itinerary would be great and both cover some ports we haven't visited. It now comes down to which ship.:confused: I know that the Nautica has recently been refurbished with new beds, etc. Not sure about the last Insignia upgrade or if one is scheduled for before our May/June 2011 sailing.

 

The thought of brand new beds is appealing but some other comparisons to help us decide would be great. Thanks.

 

Carole

[orchestrapal]

By May of next year all 3 ships are to be upgraded while in dry-dock.

Choose the best cruise and cabin and go with it.

The ships will be identical.:)

[hondorner]

Is it Nautica that has 2 chairs in the laundry room instead of the love seat found on Regatta and Insignia? That used to be the only difference...;)

[LHT28]

Insignia goes in for upgrades in Nov 2010 & Regatta Jan 2011

So all will be fresh ;)

 

Only difference is the crew

[Bruin Steve]

Agreed. The ships would be virtually identical. And you'll get the same great food and service on both. Pick the itinerary you like best.

[Fetchpeople]

Granted that there are different intineraries, the single major difference is not the food, the furnishings, the service levels, etc, but rather the Cruise Director, who can, and does for me, have a significant impact on my enjoyment of a cruise.

[LAexNY]

Granted that there are different intineraries, the single major difference is not the food, the furnishings, the service levels, etc, but rather the Cruise Director, who can, and does for me, have a significant impact on my enjoyment of a cruise.

 

Not us. Barely makes a difference and we have little interaction with the C.D.

[Druke I]

Yes, Nautica has chairs in the laundromat, while Regatta has a sofa.

 

Haven't been on Insignia, so don't know what she has.

[Benita]

We've been on both ships - even the same cabin-6093. I could not tell the difference.

[Oceans&Rivers]

We've been on both ships - even the same cabin-6093. I could not tell the difference.

 

Not even different color schemes or different carpeting?

 

How about different artwork (and I don't mean art for auctions!)

[hondorner]

Not even different color schemes or different carpeting?

 

How about different artwork (and I don't mean art for auctions!)

Color schemes, carpeting, upholstery, public areas, etc. are all identical. There are no longer any art auctions on board, so no faux art. The artwork on the ships, however, may well be different -- it is all, or mostly all, personally selected by Frank Del Rio, founder of Oceania and CEO of parent company Prestige Cruise Holdings.

 

He and Oceania President Bob Binder, along with corporate hotel manager Franco Semeraro personally selected all of the appointments for Marina and Riviera, much of which is being carried through on the Regatta class ships, so there will be a commonality throughout the fleet.

[JimandStan]

Not even different color schemes or different carpeting?

 

How about different artwork (and I don't mean art for auctions!)

 

Some of the public rooms differ from ship to ship, some are exactly the same.

 

The Grand Staircases, for example, differ in the objet d'art displayed on their landings.

 

On the R ships, the cabins match each other identically in a given grade; although the decor becomes more grand as you go up the spectrum.

 

Hope this helped-

 

Stan & Jim

 

P.S. to Oceans & Rivers:

 

The tone of your posts seems SO familiar...:o

Have you posted before? Perhaps under another screen name??? :rolleyes:

[Benita]

Not even different color schemes or different carpeting?

 

How about different artwork (and I don't mean art for auctions!)

 

If there was a difference, it was too minor to remember.

[Mura]

Yes, Nautica has chairs in the laundromat, while Regatta has a sofa.

 

Haven't been on Insignia, so don't know what she has.

 

Well, I've been on all three ships although Regatta was the most recent -- and I have to say that I never noticed the seating accommodations in the laundry room! We drop off our laundry and come back when appropriate ...

 

This is one advantage to being in one of the cabins opposite the laundry room, of course ...

[Bruin Steve]

Actually...the difference is the laundry room on Nautica has one tan argyle men's sock...somewhere, maybe the first dryer on the right...

:) :)

[hondorner]

Actually...the difference is the laundry room on Nautica has one tan argyle men's sock...somewhere, maybe the first dryer on the right...

:) :)

You haven't been following the exploits of Brewster Rocket (newspaper cartoon feature), in which they have discovered that tiny black holes open up and swallow things, and that the opposite is true -- tiny white holes open up somewhere else and spit things out. Thus, your sock is now likely on the flagpole on Regatta...

[Benita]

You haven't been following the exploits of Brewster Rocket (newspaper cartoon feature), in which they have discovered that tiny black holes open up and swallow things, and that the opposite is true -- tiny white holes open up somewhere else and spit things out. Thus, your sock is now likely on the flagpole on Regatta...

 

That means, it is right next to the bra that I can't find.

[caroak]

Thanks everyone for enlightening me. We are now leaning toward the Insignia -- Barcelona/Rome but ultimately the frequent flyer gods will decide.

 

Carole