34 Days Aboard Marina

[Senior Citizen]

David wasn't exaggerating when he said that the Marina has the softest, thickest towels ever. I've looked for super nice towels in the stores and never come across towels like those on Marina. And what was nice is we were the first to use them and not a speck of fiber came off in our hair or on our bodies. Very well-made towels.

 

If we do another maiden voyage, I'll think twice before packing black slacks. The carpets, being new, gave off fibers and created little balls everywhere. The employees were quick to vacuum them up though.

 

Someone wrote that they had a milkshake that wasn't very thick. Well, when we were onboard, we talked to someone who overheard FDR giving the guys at the ice cream/milkshake/malt counter instructions on how to make a milkshake: 4 scoops of ice cream so the straw stays upright in the middle of the glass. I had to see if they followed his instructions. Strawberry shake. 4 scoops of ice cream. Straw stood upright in the glass. I never, ever consume 4 scoops of ice cream BUT in this case, it went down very smoothly and was very, very yummy. Had to hit the gym after that!

 

The Marina was a terrific experience. I wasn't sure how I would do with so many days at sea in the middle of the Atlantic. Turns out we were so busy that I never thought about it. There were so many activities going on that many overlapped. Next time, I am going to schedule my cooking classes in the afternoon because I missed out on lectures, bridge lessons, etc. that occurred in the mornings.

 

We were on the 11th voyage of the Sovereign of the Seas, the biggest ship afloat back then, and it creaked and groaned all night on our Caribbean cruise. I swore if I made it back home I would not take another cruise where I could not see land or know that I was close to land. But the Marina did not creak and groan. It did make some noises by the veranda door but we all surmised it was the newness of the ship's components rubbing against one another and it stopped, in our case, after the first night or two. I never had that feeling of fear because the Marina felt so solidly built. Even in high seas where the ocean spray came across and covered the front windows in Horizons on deck 15, I didn't think the ship rocked and rolled very much. Sometimes there would be a sudden jolt as we hit a big wave but I'm sure we were more stable than the other ships we saw around Malaga/Gibraltar that were really bobbing in the rough seas. Some people enjoyed the rough seas so much that they were glued to the windows looking out at the waves and the bobbing ships. DH was in the cabin because he gets seasick. The rough seas kept me out of the elevators but didn't stop any of my other activities. And, to tell the truth, the seas were a delight to see because I have never been in such a situation before---not even when we went around the tip of South America!

 

You are going to LOVE the Marina!!!

[skigrams]

Don: It was so nice to finally meet you and Betsy on the Maiden Voyage. Am looking forward to your posts regarding your Panama Canal voyage. I know you will give an accurate accounting of everything that is happening.

 

I wish you as good a cruise as we had on the transatlantic crossing on the new, beautiful and fantastic Marina.

 

Bobi

[hondorner]

This is getting silly. I'm composing the posts on my netbook, because I can't get Word to work on the concierge laptop. Then, I tried copying the text from a flash drive because my netbook is so slow. Doesn't work. Getting frustrated. The Netbook is so slow to react with the slow internet that it took me 75 minutes to get an email and reply. Not Oceania's fault; when my laptop crashed last month I tried an inexpensive solution. The concierge laptop is fast, but has no capability other than internet, using minutes. I wish we had old computer system back. Frankly, MTN is terrible. I met a systems guy on the 3 day who did the initial installation of the computer cafe before MTN took over; he may be prejudiced, but we were in agreement about how bad they are.

 

Now that I've vented (the first time ever, for me, on CruiseCritic), I'll go back to try to figure out how to post without wasting hundreds of minutes.

 

More later.

[skigrams]

Don: I was able to use a flashdrive on the computers in the internet cafe. But,of course, I had to convert it to another program, so, I don't know what isn't working for you. My problem was that I have Open Office on my little laptop and the computers in the cafe are not capable of accepting that since Open Office is not installed on their system. However, if you have Word on your little computer it should work fine. Did you try going to the internet cafe. That guy Paul was really very helpful. Maybe he could tell you what to do to make it work. Otherwise, it is going to cost a fortune for you to post your wonderful updates.

 

Hope this explanation helps because I know how frustrating all this computer stuff can be. And yes, I too, wish we had the old system back and still had those wonderful classes in the lab. I learned so much be taking the Adobe Photoshop course that were offered on one transatlantic cruise. Then you could work with your photos as well. Don't know why they made the decision to change.

 

Anyway, continue having a good time and please don't worry about posting. Write it all on the little computer and when you get home, you will have a book that you can post online for all of us to read.

 

Bobi

[orchestrapal]

Don,

I feel for you. I too have found the internet on Oceania frustrating in the past and was looking forward to the new and "better" one in April. I now have an ultra-fast laptop that I thought would be an answer with the newer faster service on O.

Guess not!:(

[hondorner]

(This was started a couple of days ago) The laptop in concierge arrived yesterday. I turned it on this morning and went through the setup and connection, then logged on to CruiseCritic, read the questions in this thread and turned it off. Comments – it's very fast – almost like home. It's very restricted – there is no apparent way to get to any underlying software. The only things on the desktop screen are a link to the wireless setup to connect to mtndsi, the ship's internet service; a link to the browser Internet Explorer, and a link to MS Word. I was excited that perhaps one could compose in Word and then connect to the internet, but was crushed when I clicked on the Word icon and was required to Log In first. I have to talk to Paul, the resident internet cafe guru, but that seemed to indicated to me that one would be charged for minutes to use Word, which would be different than the old system on the R ships.

 

 

Last night was the Captain's Welcome Party. They followed the same procedure as on the Maiden Voyage – gather in any of the lounges, Martinis, Horizons, Casino Bar, etc., and be served a choice of free drinks – champagne (probably sparkling wine, but good), white or red wine, etc., and canapes. Then, the Captain uses the PA system from the bridge to welcome all and, offers a toast. As the multiple “parties” continue, the Captain makes his way around to the different venues and mingles for a few words of conversation. It actually works much better than it sounds, and there is no crowding, no sitting in the theater as he officers parade in front, etc. It's much more personal and comfortable.

 

 

Touching back on the Maiden Voyage, Our impression of Marina matches all of the reports so far. She is, in a word, fabulous. There is simply too much detail to absorb at once, and 18 days later, we are still seeing many things for the first time, even though we have been in that particular spot dozens of times.

 

 

Sitting in one of the lounges, one of our companions pointed at some flowers and said, “Someone had to order these. But, before that, someone had to decide on the vase, order it and place it. Before that, someone decided on the table. And, long before that, someone planned that space and envisioned the flowers. It's all almost too much to comprehend.

 

 

We were in cabin 7108, the first of those (along with 7111 on the Starboard side) that has the wider deck. On most of the deeper balconies aft of this one, the partitions are long on both sides and create a form of tunnel vision if one stays under the balcony overhead. In 7108 and 7111, the long partitions are on the aft side and a short partition is forward with an outer railing and a partial railing on the forward side.

 

 

This has both a good side and a not-so-good side. While the view is spectacular, and the lack of a partition means that there is more chance for good sunshine, the truth is that one feels quite exposed when going out to the edge – and then, when one turns around, the realization strikes that you can see in to several balconies – and even into the cabin in the first one or two cabins forward. Unless one is an avowed voyeur, the feeling is very awkward, and one finds oneself attempting to avoid noticing that one can – well – notice. The result is that one tends not to go out to the edge of the balcony.

 

 

Having moved to a standard depth balcony on Deck 9 for the Inaugural canal crossing, I can say that the standard balcony is more than adequate, and very comfortable. By the way, anyone who has cabin 7108 in the future, and wants to see a bit of history, pull out the desk drawer and look underneath (one almost has to lay on the floor to accomplish this) and see where I signed it on the Maiden Voyage.

 

 

Today (Saturday) was the canal crossing – excellent weather, smooth sailing, the first time through the canal for Betsy and I (we crossed the isthmus by land in 2006), and obviously the first for Marina. Stan and Jim, Betsy and I, and a few others spent part of the time crossing Gatun Lake on the bridge – wonderful view. We also watched from the forward Deck 14, in front of the golf putting green, plenty of room for everyone who wanted to be there. We also spent time on our balcony, on the aft wrap-around balcony of Stan and Jim's aft Oceania Suite on Deck 11, and from an aft table in the Grand dining Room for lunch. We entered the canal between 6 and 7 Am, and are exiting on the Pacific side a little after 6 PM as I write this.

 

 

Answering the question from Paulchili and others, we have not yet tendered, and have not seen the tenders deployed. When and if, I'll try to answer.

 

 

An inadequate ansswer about the duvets – I find them too heavy and bulky, and usually perspire under them. Betsy loves them. This creates a bit of a dilemma. On one Oceania cruise, they replaced the double duvet with a single for Betsy and a light blanket for me, but every morning the stewardess insisted on replacing my blanket with a duvet to “make it look nice” and rolled it up every evening. This created so much extra work for her that ever since, I raise the temperature in the cabin to make it comfortable to sleep with just a sheet for cover, and let Betsy pile on the duvet, which I shove aside. However, I recognize that this won't work for those who like to sleep in a cold room.

 

 

I have others say that they had the “filling” removed from their duvet leaving just the cover sleeve, resulting in two additional layers of sheet. This was still too warm for one lady, who then had the original sheet removed, resulting in the two layers of duvet cover, which was perfect for her. Others have reported that they asked for and received a light blanket.

 

 

I think the answer is that if you work nicely with your stewardess, she will do whatever it takes to make you comfortable. This may lead to the question of cabin temperatures. Betsy finds them too cold and turns the thermostat all the way to warm. I don't mind that at night, but during the day, I turn it all the way to cold. This is a constant battle of wills at home, also, so I find nothing unusual about it aboard ship. However, I miss the moving air I get at home from paddle fans in every room, and a desk fan is too direct to work for me. This is my own cross to bear, and usually results in homesickness after a few weeks aboard.

[hondorner]

(This was started a couple of days ago) The laptop in concierge arrived yesterday. I turned it on this morning and went through the setup and connection, then logged on to CruiseCritic, read the questions in this thread and turned it off. Comments – it's very fast – almost like home. It's very restricted – there is no apparent way to get to any underlying software. The only things on the desktop screen are a link to the wireless setup to connect to mtndsi, the ship's internet service; a link to the browser Internet Explorer, and a link to MS Word. I was excited that perhaps one could compose in Word and then connect to the internet, but was crushed when I clicked on the Word icon and was required to Log In first. I have to talk to Paul, the resident internet cafe guru, but that seemed to indicated to me that one would be charged for minutes to use Word, which would be different than the old system on the R ships.

 

 

Last night was the Captain's Welcome Party. They followed the same procedure as on the Maiden Voyage – gather in any of the lounges, Martinis, Horizons, Casino Bar, etc., and be served a choice of free drinks – champagne (probably sparkling wine, but good), white or red wine, etc., and canapes. Then, the Captain uses the PA system from the bridge to welcome all and, offers a toast. As the multiple “parties” continue, the Captain makes his way around to the different venues and mingles for a few words of conversation. It actually works much better than it sounds, and there is no crowding, no sitting in the theater as he officers parade in front, etc. It's much more personal and comfortable.

 

 

Touching back on the Maiden Voyage, Our impression of Marina matches all of the reports so far. She is, in a word, fabulous. There is simply too much detail to absorb at once, and 18 days later, we are still seeing many things for the first time, even though we have been in that particular spot dozens of times.

 

 

Sitting in one of the lounges, one of our companions pointed at some flowers and said, “Someone had to order these. But, before that, someone had to decide on the vase, order it and place it. Before that, someone decided on the table. And, long before that, someone planned that space and envisioned the flowers. It's all almost too much to comprehend.

 

 

We were in cabin 7108, the first of those (along with 7111 on the Starboard side) that has the wider deck. On most of the deeper balconies aft of this one, the partitions are long on both sides and create a form of tunnel vision if one stays under the balcony overhead. In 7108 and 7111, the long partitions are on the aft side and a short partition is forward with an outer railing and a partial railing on the forward side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This has both a good side and a not-so-good side. While the view is spectacular, and the lack of a partition means that there is more chance for good sunshine, the truth is that one feels quite exposed when going out to the edge – and then, when one turns around, the realization strikes that you can see in to several balconies – and even into the cabin in the first one or two cabins forward. Unless one is an avowed voyeur, the feeling is very awkward, and one finds oneself attempting to avoid noticing that one can – well – notice. The result is that one tends not to go out to the edge of the balcony.

 

 

 

Having moved to a standard depth balcony on Deck 9 for the Inaugural canal crossing, I can say that the standard balcony is more than adequate, and very comfortable. By the way, anyone who has cabin 7108 in the future, and wants to see a bit of history, pull out the desk drawer and look underneath (one almost has to lay on the floor to accomplish this) and see where I signed it on the Maiden Voyage.

 

 

Today (Saturday) was the canal crossing – excellent weather, smooth sailing, the first time through the canal for Betsy and I (we crossed the isthmus by land in 2006), and obviously the first for Marina. Stan and Jim, Betsy and I, and a few others spent part of the time crossing Gatun Lake on the bridge – wonderful view. We also watched from the forward Deck 14, in front of the golf putting green, plenty of room for everyone who wanted to be there. We also spent time on our balcony, on the aft wrap-around balcony of Stan and Jim's aft Oceania Suite on Deck 11, and from an aft table in the Grand dining Room for lunch. We entered the canal between 6 and 7 Am, and are exiting on the Pacific side a little after 6 PM as I write this.

 

 

Answering the question from Paulchili and others, we have not yet tendered, and have not seen the tenders deployed. When and if, I'll try to answer.

 

 

An inadequate ansswer about the duvets – I find them too heavy and bulky, and usually perspire under them. Betsy loves them. This creates a bit of a dilemma. On one Oceania cruise, they replaced the double duvet with a single for Betsy and a light blanket for me, but every morning the stewardess insisted on replacing my blanket with a duvet to “make it look nice” and rolled it up every evening. This created so much extra work for her that ever since, I raise the temperature in the cabin to make it comfortable to sleep with just a sheet for cover, and let Betsy pile on the duvet, which I shove aside. However, I recognize that this won't work for those who like to sleep in a cold room.

 

 

I have others say that they had the “filling” removed from their duvet leaving just the cover sleeve, resulting in two additional layers of sheet. This was still too warm for one lady, who then had the original sheet removed, resulting in the two layers of duvet cover, which was perfect for her. Others have reported that they asked for and received a light blanket.

 

 

I think the answer is that if you work nicely with your stewardess, she will do whatever it takes to make you comfortable. This may lead to the question of cabin temperatures. Betsy finds them too cold and turns the thermostat all the way to warm. I don't mind that at night, but during the day, I turn it all the way to cold. This is a constant battle of wills at home, also, so I find nothing unusual about it aboard ship. However, I miss the moving air I get at home from paddle fans in every room, and a desk fan is too direct to work for me. This is my own cross to bear, and usually results in homesickness after a few weeks aboard.

[hondorner]

Obviously, I finally got something to work. The wireless in the Concierge Lounge, directly across the hall from our cabin (about 20 feet from our desk) is magnitudes stronger and does not repeatedly fail as it does in the cabin; even my little Netbook is faster, presumably because it dow not have to repeat sending the data.

 

Bobi, I, too, have open office on mine. I saved the document in Word format and tried to use Word on the laptop to open it, but Word refused to open; kept insisting that I log in first, even though I was logged in. I gave up. I'll talk to Paul, later. Besides, the laptop only allows one window at a time to be open, and I need to switch back and forth if I am to load photos.

 

From now on, I'll make the connection in the Concierge Lounge.

[hondorner]

Now that I've learned how strong the wireless connection is across the hall, and learned that I can use my own machine more reliably to post, I can relax a little and start to enjoy CruiseCritic again. OrchestraPal, your new computer should work fine.

 

 

A bit about concierge versus standard veranda. I didn't expect to be able to make the comparison, but since we were unexpectedly upgraded after the Maiden Voyage, I've experienced both.

 

 

First, the cabins are identical. Most of the increase in size over the R ships is in the bathroom. I haven't measured them, but I don't think the cabins are any wider. There is still a relatively narrow passage at the foot of the bed, although the bed may be slightly longer. There is now a real desk chair at the desk/dressing table rather than the previous stool, the table is considerably larger, and the sofa is much more comfortable unless you like to sink into it. However, the space for the table is little changed, and if someone is sitting at the desk it is difficult to get past the table to the balcony. I pushed the desk chair back to get up and knocked over the table, I pushed the table against the sofa, but then there was little room to sit on the sofa. It works better to put a computer on the table.

 

 

There is now a light around the mirror above the table, making it a great dressing table in one is applying makeup. Actually, I'm guessing at that function...the electrical outlets are improved, with two conventional outlets one side, along with the switch for the mirror light, and one European round pin outlet on the other side. The cabin attendants use a European vacuum cleaner, so they use the round pin outlet. I always b ring a power strip because we have two phones, two camera battery chargers, the Netbook and a Nook to charge. The outlet in the bathroom handles a two prong plug that does not have a ground prong and does not have one wider prong for polarity. I bring a rechargeable beard trimmer that works perfectly in that outlet, and one of my camera chargers also works there if the power strip gets crowded.

 

 

The closet is a bit awkward for two people, as it is placed along one side of the bed. One quickly adapts, with one of us getting our clothes out of the closet at a time. There are more than enough hangers for us, and they are real individual hangers, not the two-piece theft-proof hangers found in many hotel rooms. There is plenty of closet space. One does quickly learn to keep hanging sleeves clear of the sliding doors so the magnetic catches engage properly; then there is not problem with does sliding open.

 

 

There is more than adequate drawer space, especially since the new closet design allows the refrigerator to be located at the end of the closet rather than in the desk, and the desk has drawers on either side. Besides the drawers in the desk, there are drawers next to the closet and in the night stands.

 

 

Suitcases fit under the bed without trouble but if you have a really fat one, the cabin attendants would store it for you. The new lighting is great, with the new reading lamps under the wall sconces a real plus. They illuminate a narrow area that is more than adequate for reading but do not lighten the rest of the room,allowing your partner to sleep.

 

 

Is Concierge worth the difference? In addition to the traditional cashmere lap robes, bottle of sparkling wine (which may be traded in for a house red or white wine at dinner) and the traditional tote bag, concierge now includes a laptop computer for the room. I've already discussed the value of this, as it is fast but limited for a power user. If you are not messing around with photos, multiple web pages, etc., and if you have just one email address at a webmail site like Yahoo or Hotmail, it is a real benefit. Otherwise, bring your own. There is supposed to be a way to link to the printer in the computer cafe, but I couldn't get it to work, and it's easier to transfer whatever you want to print to a flash drive and give it to Paul to print. I did this with a document sent to me by an attorney to be notarized and returned; unfortunately, there is not a USA Notary Public aboard, and I'll have to wait until Los Angeles to sign it and return it.

 

 

There is also still a significant difference between the room service breakfast menu in concierge vs. the lower category staterooms, with various types of eggs, omelets, bacon, sausage and the like available in concierge, while the others are Continental.

 

 

Finally, the Concierge Lounge is really nice,especially if you are close to it. There is a dedicated person acting as concierge; she is available most of the day at different times and is very capable. She cannot make restaurant reservations directly but will call for you, much like a butler in this regard. She is also the “go to” person for all housekeeping or maintenance concerns. The lounge itself has comfortable furniture, two ship's desktop computers for passenger use, shelves for a small library (not yet stocked), magazines, TV, coffee machine along with hot water for tea or hot chocolate, a cooler containing sodas, milk and half&half, some juice, etc. Fresh orange juice is available in the morning, along with Danish, and tiny sandwiches are provided around lunchtime.

 

 

These are the facts; as to whether the overall effect is worth it above a category B veranda, that will be a personal and subjective choice, and I don't go there. Personally, if I was booking in the forward half of the ship I might make good use of the concierge lounge, but if I was in the aft half, it would be too far to walk – for me. It's located forward on Deck 9, and if I was booking a concierge class on Deck 10, I might not factor the lounge into the equation.

 

 

Here's a light-hearted description of how to take a shower in the veranda and ocean view cabins below penthouse suites. There are two shower heads, an overhead rainbow spray and a hand wand.

 

 

 

 

 

There are three controls. The top is for the overhead spray, the bottom is for the hand wand, and the middle control sets the temperature.

 

 

 

 

Begin by turning on both sprays and regulating the temperature. Be careful that the hand spray is not pointing out the door. A red button on the temperature control permits going above the preset temperature. Step in and soak down. Now, turn off the overhead spray in order to shampoo, and reduce the pressure on the hand wand to conserve water. Do not turn the hand spray off completely, as you will need it later to rinse your hands.

 

 

Now, shampoo normally. If you try to turn the overhead spray on to rinse, your soapy hand will slip, so rinse it in the hand wand (still in it's bracket), then turn on the overhead spray head. Rinse. Turn the overhead spray off again. If you use conditioner, apply it now. Soap down the rest of your body, rinse your hands again and turn the overhead spray on again. Be careful when turning the controls with soap in your eyes. Start from above and slide your hand down to get the top control or slide your hand up to find the bottom control; if you get the middle control accidentally you could make it too hot or too cold,

 

 

Finish by restoring the hand wand to full pressure and use it to help rinse thoroughly. If you are among those who did not like the shower curtain on the R ships caressing your bottom, you will love the shower doors on Marina, which fit tightly and are leakproof. However, be careful when leaning over to soap, because you may have an intimate encounter with the grab bar...

 

 

[AdvenLee]

Thanks, Don, for your detailed description of the shower!! Loved your suggested directions!!! My husband is the shower person and I am the bathtub person, so your info will be helpful to my engineer husband. Also, thanks for yor input on the Marina. We are in cabin 9036 (TA...Nov.24) and am glad to hear about the concierge lounge. Sounds like we will be close to the lounge. We look forward to hearing more of your reports. I am living vicariously from reading everyone's reviews of the Marina. Can't wait to meet you and all the other nice people who will be aboard on Nov. 24th. Holly

[Senior Citizen]

Thanks, Don. I love your posts. The pictures are great. And thanks for the shower instructions. I never used the overhead spray-thingy because I was told that the water would come out cold if you didn't turn it on and let it warm up before you get in. Congratulations on your upgrade. You certainly deserve it because you and Betsy are on for a looong time.

 

Hi to Betsy. I'll have to download the pic I took of you two in the spa next to the pool. Let's see, do I post it here or do I send it to your private email...

[skigrams]

Don: I am sitting here reading your instructions on how to shower in the new showers on the Marina and laughing hysterically. It truly was a learning experience manipulating between the rain head and the hand-held wand. And I am glad to hear that I wasn't the only one to have encounters with the grab bar!!! Keep up your sense of humor and have a wonderful time. Wish I were still on the ship!!

 

Bobi

[Paulchili]

Don,

Thanks for all the updates and especially for the balcony pictures of 7108 as we will be in this cabin in April. I'll be sure to look for your signature :D

Keep'em coming :)

[CintiPam]

Thanks to you, Don, I will not have to return to school for my engineering degree to be able to take a shower on Marina! Fantastic photos and explanation! :D

 

I also very much appreciate your detailed response to the blanket question I (and others) asked. My husband is the one happy with the duvet while I am sweltering under it, so we just have had a blanket on my side and the duvet for him on past cruises. I previously have not considered the extra sheeting and duvet cover options at all, let alone so thoroughly, so I thank you for expanding my horizons. :)

 

Happy sailing and regards to Jim and Stan.

[minz56]

Thanks Don for your insightful updates.

 

It is particularly disappointing to note that the Internet side of things appears to have taken a step backwards, but it is to be hoped that O has sufficient clout with MTN to make things better. The Internet is such an important part of most people's lives these days that an inferior service cannot be justified in any shape or form.

 

I will be most interested to hear whether future Marina cruisers find that the service is improving ... or not.

 

It is interesting that the bathrooms are causing so much contoversary, given that this was something that O wanted to improve on from the R ships. I wonder if they did enough research to determine whether people would rather have a 1) a large shower stall and no tub or 2) the present arrangement with a tiny shower and a tub. I wonder if they will revisit this for Riviera?

[Paulchili]

It is interesting that the bathrooms are causing so much contoversary, given that this was something that O wanted to improve on from the R ships. I wonder if they did enough research to determine whether people would rather have a 1) a large shower stall and no tub or 2) the present arrangement with a tiny shower and a tub. I wonder if they will revisit this for Riviera?

 

+1.

I wonder if there is still time to alter the BRs for the Riviera (if they wanted to)?

[skigrams]

I think a lot of people from what I have heard, have expressed the desire for a separate tub and shower. I don't think that is the problem with the new bathrooms, that by the way, are gorgeous!! I think the only problem with the shower is the rain head and the placement of the grab bar. If the grab bar were at the front on the shower where the controls are, there would be no problem. Also, if they just put a hand held that does up and down like in the R ships, the shower would be fine. Not having the shower curtain is the biggest blessing!! The glass door is lovely.

 

And another very nice plus in the bathroom --you can put a dim light on which is so nice at night. The lighting in the bathroom is also wonderful!!

 

That about takes care of the bathroom. Follow Don's instructions and you will be fine.

 

Bobi

[hondorner]

Actually, it takes just a short time to adjust to the shower. There was a lot of conversation the first couple of days and nothing since. One person actually puts down a couple of bath mats, soaks down, turns off the water, steps out onto the bath mats, soaps up, and steps back in to rinse. This is a corporate person who shall remain nameless.

 

I had a brief conversation with Bob Binder who indicated that they are thinking of adding a longer hose to the hand held shower head in the tub (there is one, but the hose is too short to use standing up), and installing some sort of shower curtain -- possibly on a ring like the old stand-alone tubs -- for those with large physique to shower in the tub as an alternative. Don't take this as gospel, just that they are thinking hard about solutions.

 

Which leads to several things about solving problems. Overheard from Mr. Del Rio: "Of course she's not perfect, but everything can be solved, and she's fabulous." Another comment; they have a list of 2,000 minor punch list items and are moving through them very quickly. Nicola Volpe, who served as the initial General Manager, has been replaced by Massimo Arzani in order to free up Mr. Volpe to work with a representative of the shipyard to make a list of warranty items.They are all over the ship.

 

Already, there are changes. Mr. Del Rio did not like the brick red urns for the palms on deck 5; they are now black. They are measuring things like chair and table heights in the lounges. There are busts of Budha's head in Red Ginger; they were considered too low, and are now on a pedestal with new lighting. The live palms in the various containers in the public areas have already been pruned.

 

More in another post about the ship stability, noise, comfort, etc., just a teaser to say that the shipyard thinks she may be the best they have built as a result of the sea trials.

[wripro]

Very encouraging that they are paying attention to such small details.

[OzAbroad]

Probably the issue that I am most interested in is the ambience of Marina and how it differs from the smaller ships. Does that extra size and do the extra passengers make it feel different?

[hondorner]

It seems like the internet has gotten more reliable and faster. Perhaps they're still working on it; perhaps it's the ship's location; but whatever it is, it's welcome.

 

As promised, some tidbits about the ship's stability, comfort, noise and vibration. We were invited to tour the bridge on the Maiden voyage, with the tour conducted by Iannis (sp?) from Panama, a oung navigational officer who is one of the brighest young men I have met -- no doubt he will be a Master some day if he sticks with it. he talked a little about the sea trials and the manuevers they went through. They were trying to see the limits of turns, etc., and see whether they could destabilize the ship, and she came through with flying colors. Captain Flokos said she is a dream to drive. We had a brief lunch with Mr. & Mrs. Del Rio on the first sea day out of Barcelona, and he exuberant about the handling. He said that due to some design parameters and effective use of dead weight, he expects to save a considerable amount on fuel.

 

He also explained that there are agencies that rate passenger ships for comfort, noise and vibration, with ratings of Class 3 (ferries and such) and where some cruise ships fall in the upper ranges of class 3; Class 2 where most cruise ships fall and Class 1, usually only achieved by the most luxurious mega-yachts. One such agency has done a preliminary investigation of Marina and she achieved a very high Class 2, almost a Class 1, and there are additional rating periods to follow. She could well be the most comfortable cruise ship afloat.

 

From personal experience, we experienced the roughest seas I have ever encountered beween Casablanca and Tenerife. You may have seen other reports of some of the upheavals. I heard reports of deck furniture flying away, a bookcase falling over, 160 bottles of wine broken and more. We had our CruiseCritic M & G at 10 AM that morning, in Horizons on Deck 15, and spray from waves was hitting the window, sometimes sharply, 15 decks up. Yet, the discomfort was actually minor, even though this was the most "active" position on the ship (high up and up front), and most people stayed through the M & G and a crowd attended the accupuncturist lecture that followed. Many were queezy, me included, but it could have, and should have, been much worse.

 

There is a vibration at the stern when the propellors are reversed to stop the ship, such as when the end of a Panama Canal chamber is reached, but I have detected no other vibration. There are two bow thrusters and one stern thruster that make a little noise when docking. We are in 9026, in the front quarter of the ship, and we have heard or felt nothing.

 

The cabins are not quite as soundproof as the R ships, and it's possible to hear passageway noise from outside the cabin. I also heard my neighbor's TV once, but I think they had it up quite loud. Cabin 7108, where we were on the Maiden Voyage, picks up a harmonic hum from the staff elevator, but they only run it during the day and it's dead quiet at night.

 

Most of the time, it's nearly impossible to tell that the ship is moving.

 

This is a fabulous ship.

 

Off to a special morning trivia. It's Jim's birthday today and Stan has booked Privee, and we are invited. I'll talk about that and La Reserve tomorrow.

[yorkiemomjn]

Probably the issue that I am most interested in is the ambience of Marina and how it differs from the smaller ships. Does that extra size and do the extra passengers make it feel different?

 

Don, thank you so much for your posts!! I am also interested about the feel of the Marina compared to the smaller ships. I loved the feel of the Regatta.:) Can't wait to hear about the Privee (since I am sure I will never get to experience) and the LaReserve, which we do have booked on our June cruise!

[lyndenfa]

Thanks Don, for all the descriptions and impressions of Marina. Your writing is enabling me to cruise again as we were on the Maiden Voyage (it was so nice to meet you and Betsy). We too, had a B cat. and it is interesting to read your comparison of that vs. the conceirge level. Your writing also reminds me how many, many more things there are than we could notice and remember. Since I am a bath person and Dennis a shower person, we were fine with the bathroom and loved all the storage and lighting and space.

Our experience with the internet (I brought my own Dell XPS) was fine and to me, 95% better than on our Regatta Panama Crossing last January. The fact that the internet was free for our Maiden may have helped me dismiss any time lags or disconnects in the beginning of that trip. We are on one of the Alaska/Regatta cruises this summer and I sure hope there is a huge improvement.

Looking forward for more "memories" and reminders. So glad you are both having a grand time.

Lynne

[skigrams]

Great thinking in reference to putting a shower curtain at the bath tub, however, the hand held shower head would have to be raised for starters. Also, due to the way the tub is set - above the level of the surrounding marble, it would always collect water around the tub. I had a tub/shower that was set that way and had nothing but problems with the water standing and ultimately eating away the grout and really causing problems. Just my experiences.

 

It is amazing how fast they are working to correct little things that were recognized on the Maiden Voyage. Appears that FDR is truly a perfectionist and wants nothing the best for his passengers. Nice to have someone like that running a company.

 

Glad to hear that the internet is behaving much better. That's always a good thing.

 

Don, we appreciate your reports since you always have so much insight to share. Continue enjoying your second home this month!!!

 

Bobi

[tak2]

..... Appears that FDR is truly a perfectionist and wants nothing the best for his passengers. Nice to have someone like that running a company.

.....

Bobi

 

Maiden voyage arrived in Miami at 8;30, but being first time in USA, the inspection process was more complex, and disembarkation only started at 10:30. Passengers were supposed to be out of their cabin after 8. Subsequently, many people had no place to sit, and some actually sat on the steps of the grand staircase. FDR had come onboard, and for a short while sat with those passengers on the steps. I believe he will not let that happen again.

 

Helpful hint for Riviera's first transatlantic cruise to Miami: we found out GDR had lots of empty tables, and beverages were still being served after 10:30am on Feb 4, disemebarkation day.