JPR Posted April 26, 2011 #51 Share Posted April 26, 2011 JPR - I usually get my cocktail and bring it with me to the sauna before dinner - have the best of both worlds....:p Alcohol + sauna. Hmmmm. Could you please put me in your will? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moomax6 Posted April 26, 2011 #52 Share Posted April 26, 2011 How about the fact that you can't use your on-board credit to pay for any tour that you want to book ahead of time; you have to pay up front with a credit card. They gave us a $1,000 on board credit but if we book the tours in advance we have to pay with a credit card or wait until we are on board and take what tours are left. Guess that means you can drink a lot at the spa???? Cunard lets you book your tours ahead of time then applies your on-board credit to pay for them...seems like a better deal to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountain grandma Posted April 27, 2011 #53 Share Posted April 27, 2011 How about the fact that you can't use your on-board credit to pay for any tour that you want to book ahead of time; you have to pay up front with a credit card. They gave us a $1,000 on board credit but if we book the tours in advance we have to pay with a credit card or wait until we are on board and take what tours are left. Guess that means you can drink a lot at the spa???? Cunard lets you book your tours ahead of time then applies your on-board credit to pay for them...seems like a better deal to me. We were on the Nautica in February/March of this year and we had the same situation. We booked a few tours in advance that we really wanted (to be sure that we got on when there was a limit as to how many passengers they could take). Then when we boarded, we went to the Destination Services desk and asked them to adjust the payment method. We actually cancelled and immediately re-booked the tour but we were able to pay with the OBC and get a refund on our credit card. It worked very well and they didn't complain at all. I think they probably get the same request again and again. They don't advertise this but it obviously can be done. ;) Billie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaudiaF Posted April 27, 2011 #54 Share Posted April 27, 2011 If you have a suite OS or above on Marina do not book LA Reserve ( they invite you to dinner free);-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted April 27, 2011 #55 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Claudia, What's above an OS???? Or do you mean OCEANIA suite? That's the problem of having OWNER'S suites and OCEANIA suites! Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbwex Posted April 27, 2011 #56 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Well the poster asked, and let's try to oblige. I cannot compare Princess exactly, but I have sailed on Holland America, and since they are part of the same company, and theoretically HAL is a step above, it should be doable. First is the level of care. We were in a suite on HAL and had excellent service, do not get me wrong, but even the service in a B1 on Oceania was better. The cabin was checked more frequently per day, towels changed more frequently, etc. My guess is that the cabin stewardess was in at least four times a day on Oceania for one thing or another. Second is the food. HAL's food is OK, nothing better, and that includes their specialty restaurants. Oceania's food is good in the MDR and between superb and excellent in the specialty restaurants (which are no extra charge!). I have not been on the Marina yet, so I cannot speak to the two new specialty restaurants, but Toscana and Polo are nothing short of wonderful! Third is the casual attire all the time. No need to ask what qualifies for formal wear, etc. Country club casual all the time. That might not appeal to someone who wants a chance to dress up once a week, but that item is a personal preference issue. A distinct negative is the entertainment. At least on O's R ships, it is strictly bistro-style entertainment. Nothing fancy, no big productions, but entertaining most evenings. We have enjoyed both in their own way. DW and I don't need the big fancy productions, but that is a difference. While HAL claims to be a premium line and that is the same category as Oceania, the difference is tremendous. Oceania is as close to luxury as it can be. It is more expensive, but, as I think you will note from the many posters here, it really is on a level way above the other premium lines. Oceania is in many ways like an old-fashioned company providing excellent service -- it is sometimes hard to pinpoint what exactly it is that they are doing, but they are doing something differently and in a much more professional way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunnedinva Posted April 27, 2011 #57 Share Posted April 27, 2011 I am considering an Oceania cruise and wondered what are the differences between Oceania and Princess. Any help would be appreciated. I've only been on 2600+-pax Princess ships, not their R-class ones that are the same as Oceania's first 3 ships, but I like both Oceania and Princess. There's more to do on Princess, if that's important to you, and while the food is generally good, it's not as good as Oceania's. Princess's beds are hard as a rock--seriously. I had to get 2 foam toppers--I felt like the princess and the pea! Because I'm Elite on Princess, I get some nice perks, but nothing as wonderful as having a butler on Oceania (although the internet package, free drycleaning, and mini-bar set up are nice). Everything is so EASY on Oceania--no crowds, not jockeying for position, no lining up early to get a seat in the theatre, no cross-country trek from one end of the ship to the other, and I think you get more individual attention on Oceania. I've enjoyed my fellow passengers on both lines. But then, I've never met a cruise I didn't like! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moomax6 Posted April 27, 2011 #58 Share Posted April 27, 2011 We were on the Nautica in February/March of this year and we had the same situation. We booked a few tours in advance that we really wanted (to be sure that we got on when there was a limit as to how many passengers they could take). Then when we boarded, we went to the Destination Services desk and asked them to adjust the payment method. We actually cancelled and immediately re-booked the tour but we were able to pay with the OBC and get a refund on our credit card. It worked very well and they didn't complain at all. I think they probably get the same request again and again. They don't advertise this but it obviously can be done. ;) Billie Thanks Billie. Our credit card will charge a Foreign Transaction Fee because Oceania uses an Irish Bank. They have been good about refunding the fees for our cruise so wonder if they would also refund the fee if we went ahead and paid for the tours then cancelled and rebooked once on board. I appreciate you sharing your experience - glad to know that this cancel/rebook can be done. :) beachgirl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetiredFL Posted April 27, 2011 #59 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Unless they have changed the procedure, your credit card in not credited but your on board account is credited when you cancel an excursion. Since it is not an Oceania benefit credit, the credit is refundable and at the end of the cruise you will be called to the front desk and given your refund in dollars, usually 100s and 50s, unless you have used it up on board for other things. They will use the nonrefundable credit first, then the refundable credit. So far we have never seen an excursion filled up and have always booked on board. However I presume there may be a few such as overnight on land, helicopter sightseeing flights, etc. that are capacity controlled. Your travel agent should be able to check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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