Why choose Oceania?

[KathiB]

I have recently started a couple threads with questions about booking an Oceania cruise for the first time. Previously I have used Royal Caribbean and another line for a Med. cruise 25 years ago. Another couple along with my husband and myself have been looking at booking an Oceania cruise next Oct 25, Rome to Athens. I have always wanted to try Oceania as the dress code and ship size is very attractive to me. My friends also want to look into Windstar and Start Clipper with a similar itinerary. Can you give me a few reasons why you love Oceania and would recommend it to my husband, myself, and our friends? We are all in our 50's and early 60's and have traveled a fair amount in Europe and the tropics. Thank you.

[Paulchili]

Kathi,

You might start here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=857946&highlight=why+love+oceania

You can also search things like : New to Oceania, etc on this board.

[Andee]

We love the small size of the ships, the open seating dining, lack of formal nights, excellent staff, very good food in the MDR, no additional charge for specialty dining, tourist office reps who get on at each port to provide information.

[Bruin Steve]

I have recently started a couple threads with questions about booking an Oceania cruise for the first time. Previously I have used Royal Caribbean and another line for a Med. cruise 25 years ago. Another couple along with my husband and myself have been looking at booking an Oceania cruise next Oct 25, Rome to Athens. I have always wanted to try Oceania as the dress code and ship size is very attractive to me. My friends also want to look into Windstar and Start Clipper with a similar itinerary. Can you give me a few reasons why you love Oceania and would recommend it to my husband, myself, and our friends? We are all in our 50's and early 60's and have traveled a fair amount in Europe and the tropics. Thank you.

 

Kathi,

I cruise on several different lines...and most have their good points and their bad points...

But, of course, everyone has different standards and criteria and everyone looks for something different in a cruise line.

 

So, it all depends on YOU...your likes and dislikes, your needs, your standards, your budget, etc.

 

Here's why NOT to cruise with Oceania: If you want rock bottom prices and that is an important consideration to you...If you like non-stop activities and a ship where everyone parties until 4 am each night...

 

Here's why to cruise with Oceania: If quality of food is of great importance to you...If you don't care for large crowds, lines and waits and overcrowded ships...If you prefer an elegant and refined cruise experience...If it is more important to you to be pampered and appreciated than to be agitated and incited...

 

You will get a nice, quiet, adult cruising experience...great food, nicely appointed cabins, relaxed yet elegant atmosphere...

 

There is far more to do than on, say, Windstar, but less to do than on HAL or Celebrity (I won't bother to compare it with Carnival or NCL and the like)...

 

The open seating works well with the smaller ships (I don't think it works well on Princess, for example, with their 3,000+ passenger ships...and it fits well with the unusual itineraries where you may be in port at late or varying hours...The "Casual" attire is great with the new airline luggage restrictions...you don't have to schlep formal wear with you...yet, nobody dresses in the tacky fashion you might find on, say, Carnival..."Casual" dress can still be nice...

 

Oceania attracts a fairly refined, savvy class of traveler...

 

By the time your cruise has ended, you will realize that your experience has been special...

 

Give it a try...

[opheliaj]

We are leaving on Aug. 10th for our second Oceania cruise (the first a two-week Baltic cruise in 2006) and can't wait to get back on Oceania.

 

In September 2009 we took Regent to Alaska. It was very nice but all four of us (we travel with another couple) preferred Oceania because of the food, service, and the decor/ambiance -- although the all-inclusive fare (even including the excursions) would take us back to Regent. You can't beat that kind of convenience!

 

Oceania's a wonderful line that is both elegant and causual and, as Bruin Steve said, just because the dress code is causual doesn't mean you're going to be seeing t-shirts and rubber flip-flops everywhere.

 

By the way, and I almost hate to say this lest others discover it, there is a lovely library. It's a great place to relax and they have a very good selection.

 

We just can't praise Oceania enough!

[opheliaj]

Make that "casual" not "causual". It pays to read these things before posting them!:o

[winegirl]

We've cruised on both lines. Both are excellent in their own way. Oceania has a beautiful ship, and the option of verandas, for those itineraries that can make use of them (not all itineraries would benefit from a veranda.) The housekeeping and cabin sizes on O vs Windstar are equivalent in my opinion (aside from the penthouse suites and above.) Windstar has an "owners" suite that is slightly larger than the regular cabins. Both have a small boutique, small casino (O is bigger in both cases.) Oceania has the afternoon tea and nice library, bigger pool and deck. We didn't participate in any lounge shows so I can't comment on that. Windstar may have some music in the lounge after dinner but it's not a "show."

 

The big difference as I see it is Oceania carries 700 passengers (1,200 on the Marina,) and Windstar carries about 150 on Windstar and Windspirit, 300 on Windsurf. We definitely noticed the difference in the passenger load: Oceania felt like a "big ship" to us, with lots of people milling around in the public areas, the pool deck, the restaurants. I felt this was no different than we had experienced on Holland America Westerdam.

 

Windstar and Windspirit, with 150 passengers, never has a crowded feel. We always felt we were on a semi-private yacht. There is open dining, tables for 2, no big night life scene. Quality of food and personalized service is approximately the same. Oceania concierge and above did allow us to order room service hot breakfast, which was a plus since we were out of the room every day quite early for tours. Nevertheless, for the personalized low key experience, we love Windstar and it is still our first choice for cruising. I just wish it had Oceania's itineraries!

[shedridt]

We've cruised on ships as large as 800 passengers & as small as 165, & whatever the size of the ship we've been fortunate in finding no massing of people, no matter what the situation.

 

There was a Crystal Cruise in Italy several years ago, when we were all called up like herd animals (surprisingly, given the line's reputation!...& yet I'm sure it was that cruise!), called up by C1 or B12, according to our tour number, much like a Bingo game. Didn't like that.

 

Regardless, we've been completely able to shrug it off. If you want kid glove treatment - sail nothing but Seabourn, IMHO. We were in Portugal/Spain with Legend this spring & embarkation happened almost without our noticing it. When we can get another great deal on Seabourn we'll snap at it!!!

 

All things considered, I'd rather sail with Seabourn than go to heaven.

[winegirl]

Thanks for the opinion concerning Seabourn. Our next cruise will likely be Scandinavia, and Oceania is sending Marina, with 1200 passengers, on our desired itinerary. We don't care for ships that large, and are looking for alternatives. Windstar spends only 7 days up there, with 2 at sea days...hardly worth the effort to fly over there. I've seen some great pricing from Seabourn and our desired itinerary. However, isn't Seabourn a little more "dress up" than Oceania? Both my spouse and I will do "country club casual" every night, but we won't do ballgowns and tuxedos. That's my only concern. Any insights?

[LHT28]

Thanks for the opinion concerning Seabourn. Our next cruise will likely be Scandinavia, and Oceania is sending Marina, with 1200 passengers, on our desired itinerary.

Not sure what your desired route is but Regatta is also doing Scandinavia next year as well.