Live Report from the Marina (7/15/11)

[What A Market]

Hi everyone

 

Like Werder, I am back at work today (damn) and unlike Werder (lucky Europeans), I am still buzzing with jet lag.

 

I found a bit more of my travelogue that I only just now realized I hadn't posted. So if you all can stand anymore, here you go:

 

A comment for those of you with Celiac Disease (or any other restricted diet): Heidi has been nothing but pleased with the ship's efforts to accommodate her needs in maintaining a gluten free diet. There has not been one time that she came away from a meal thinking she had eaten something that had been contaminated. Although it is no fun needing to plan out your dinner selections the prior evening, Heidi felt the results were almost always worth the lack of spontaneity. The MDR supervisor, Cathy, that coordinates the restricted menus deserves abundant praise for assisting the large number of passengers with special dining needs.

 

The Captain hosted a private cocktail party for the Oceania Club Members (ie, previous cruisers on Oceania) this evening, kicking off at 5:30PM. The party was held in Horizons, which is the main lounge located top forward. Horizons was filled for the event and this was one of two parties held for Oceania Club Members, which gives you some idea of the number of people who are real fans of the product that Oceania delivers. The party was similar to the Captain's welcome party: free flowing wine, champagne and cocktails with passed appetizers. The Captain and other senior officers were introduced, speeches were made, and much alcohol was consumed. A grand time was had by all.

 

A word about our Cruise Director, David Shermet. I think it is the norm to say that a cruise director seems to be everywhere at once, if not, then it is certainly true with David. He always has a smile and a welcome for everyone he comes across. He will also pause and chat with passengers, which is all the more amazing given comment at the opening of this paragraph.

[A Knitter]

I have suggested the Grand Bar to several people I personally think it is a great place to hold a M&M because they never hold any functions there..so you dont run into problems

Jancruz1

 

:):):)

[Paulchili]

I have suggested the Grand Bar to several people I personally think it is a great place to hold a M&M because they never hold any functions there..so you dont run into problems

Jancruz1

 

I think it's POTENTIALLY a great place depending on number of people in your group and time of day.

Much of the time it is a fairly busy "thoroughfare" with people going from place to place (especially around meal times, as it leads to the MDR), at certain times it is the place for the classical quartet.

Unless you mean inside the bar itself?

So it all depends...

[A Knitter]

I think it's POTENTIALLY a great place depending on number of people in your group and time of day.

Much of the time it is a fairly busy "thoroughfare" with people going from place to place (especially around meal times, as it leads to the MDR), at certain times it is the place for the classical quartet.

Unless you mean inside the bar itself?

So it all depends...

 

We hope to try it on our sailing perhaps midday instead of a cocktail hour MM. Wait, it is cocktail hour all day when on vacation, right?:eek:

[CintiPam]

Thanks, werder, for adding your trip report to this thread, and all accomplished in a very well-organized fashion. Glad you enjoyed Oceania!

[werder]

Glad you enjoyed Oceania!

 

I enjoyed it so much that I started looking for the next cruise already....

But 2 in one year? That's a bit decadent, isn't it? ;-)

 

 

 

sent with tapatalk

[Carolina Cruiserr]

Not at all decadent. I am retired and was widowed early last year. In my resolve to keep busy and keep traveling, I already had 4 booked this year. Then Oceania offered some cruises with 25 percent single supplement, which I just couldn't resist, so I booked 2 more. I promise to do better in 2012, with only 2 booked. So ignore the little voice in your head that says no; throw caution to the winds, and book another one. Dot

[orchestrapal]

Not at all decadent. I am retired and was widowed early last year. In my resolve to keep busy and keep traveling, I already had 4 booked this year. Then Oceania offered some cruises with 25 percent single supplement, which I just couldn't resist, so I booked 2 more. I promise to do better in 2012, with only 2 booked. So ignore the little voice in your head that says no; throw caution to the winds, and book another one. Dot

 

My Dad's favorite saying was "do it while you can." Keep cruising and enjoying as long as you can.:)

[CintiPam]

I enjoyed it so much that I started looking for the next cruise already....

But 2 in one year? That's a bit decadent, isn't it? ;-)

 

 

 

sent with tapatalk

 

Carolina Cruiserr and orchestrapal all said it better than I could!

[mountain grandma]

I have suggested the Grand Bar to several people I personally think it is a great place to hold a M&M because they never hold any functions there..so you dont run into problems

Jancruz1

 

I was also on the Northern Knights cruise and I arranged the M & G for our CC group. Due to the larger number of passengers on the ship, Horizons is used for a great variety of different functions throughout the day and evening and so was unavailable for our group's get-together. I worked with Javier, the Executive Concierge, and it was his suggestion to use the Grand Bar area. By doing it at 4pm on our second day (a sea day), we were able to get everyone together at the beginning of the cruise and still enjoy our M & G before the people started using this area as a hallway for the MDR. It seemed to work well and we didn't feel crowded with our 100+ people.

 

We were also in a PH suite and our positive feelings echoed Tom's. The only other negative for me was the lighting in the bathroom and at the vanity. Heidi is a bit younger than I am and my somewhat older eyes would have appreciated a bit stronger light for applying makeup.

 

We have enjoyed several cruises on the R ships and now also the Marina. There are pluses and minuses to both and we would never pick a cruise because it was on one or the other of O's ships. We love them all and our choice would revolve around the itinerary rather than the ship. We have one cruise booked on Regatta for next year and another on the Marina.

 

I also would like to support Tom's opinion of our Cruise Director, David Shermet. We have now had all of O's CD on our cruises and both my DH and I felt he is the one of the best. Also, if it weren't for David's announcements each morning, we would not have received much information on our ports-of-call at all since what came from the Destination Services staff was the worst we have had on any of our previous O cruises--especially our day in Leith/Edinburgh. You didn't miss any information, Tom--they never made any announcements or offered any info regarding the change!

 

Thanks, Tom for your great cruise commentary. Like you, we had a fabulous time and we can't wait for March, 2012 for our next O voyage.

 

Billie

[Jacques O]

Hi everybody,

 

we were on the same cruise as WhatAMarket (Tom) and it was very funny to read his live coverage while being on board.

Now, being home for 3 days now (and the first day at work), I would like to add my 2 cents to this thread. O.K., this was a very (too) long post, but the impressions and memories are still fresh and I would like to share them. Definitely, I will recommend such a cruise to everyone who asks – and to those who don’t :D

 

 

Hello Werder and every one.

Thanks for this very good review.

I was on the cruise too, and I (with mo mother ) certainly had a wondeful time.

If I were to write a review, I would say the same as you. so, you views echo mine.

I find it very difficult to get back to the realities of life... back to work, can't really concentrate... keep thinking of the lovely and relaxing time we had on board... Would love so much to be back on board!

I do hope to sail again on an Oceania ship soon!

 

Jacques, in Paris.

[Jacques O]

Hi everybody,

 

we were on the same cruise as WhatAMarket (Tom) and it was very funny to read his live coverage while being on board.

-----

Now, being home for 3 days now (and the first day at work), I would like to add my 2 cents to this thread. O.K., this was a very (too) long post, but the impressions and memories are still fresh and I would like to share them. Definitely, I will recommend such a cruise to everyone who asks – and to those who don’t :D

 

 

Hello Werder and every one!

 

Thanks for this very good review.

 

I was on the 'Knight' cruise too (15 to 29 July), and I (with mo mother) certainly had a wondeful time.

If I were to write a review, I would say the same as you. so, you views echo mine.

I find it very difficult to get back to the realities of life... back to work, can't really concentrate... keep thinking of the lovely and relaxing time we had on board... Would love so much to be back on board!

I do hope to sail again on an Oceania ship soon!

 

Jacques, in Paris.

[Paulchili]

Hello Werder and every one!

 

Thanks for this very good review.

 

I was on the 'Knight' cruise too (15 to 29 July), and I (with mo mother) certainly had a wondeful time.

If I were to write a review, I would say the same as you. so, you views echo mine.

I find it very difficult to get back to the realities of life... back to work, can't really concentrate... keep thinking of the lovely and relaxing time we had on board... Would love so much to be back on board!

I do hope to sail again on an Oceania ship soon!

 

Jacques, in Paris.

 

Thank you for your input.

As a Parisian, what did you think of Jacques restaurant on the Marina ?

[What A Market]

Hi Billie

Thanks for all the effort you put into organizing the Meet & Greet for our cruise. With such a large group, that was no small task. The choice of location and timing worked out great as you noted. I only wish I had made more effort to mingle and meet more people at the gathering. (Not easy though with 100+ people in attendance.)

 

I concur with your comment about the ships. Heidi and I book based entirely on the itinerary. That being said, I have two reservations on the Riviera for 2012. One was booked before we left for Our Northern Knights cruise. The second I booked since being back.

 

I hope our paths cross again soon.

Tom

[brlight]

Thanks, Werder. I enjoyed your comments. We're on the Marina next month from Istanbul to Athens and I was glad to hear the showers aren't too small.

[peapod2]

Just a quick note to say I'm sorry we missed the opportunity to meet everyone at the M & G, as we seem to have slipped between the cracks somehow and never received notice of it. (Not taking it personally, though :).) By the way, after all our roll call discussions about what to pack, I have to admit that the weather turned out to be sufficiently cool throughout much of the trip that most of those summer linens I brought along with me ended up making the roundtrip to/from California without ever having been worn once.

[Mura]

Cathy,

 

I'm delighted (as an Oceania fan) that you enjoyed your cruise.

 

I just want to say that for the NEXT cruise you should know that you can ask for a lighter blanket or even a SHEET.

 

That's what we do. DH must have his own cover ... and as we have gotten older (or as *I* have gotten older), I don't like heavy blankets ... unless it's REALLY REALLY cold!

 

So at home in NYC in the winter we have duvets and in the summer we have my handmade duvet covers.

 

But we've never had a problem asking for any changes on O. If you want an extra sheet rather than a duvet? If you want a blanket?

 

Just ask!

 

Mura

 

(Those duvets are lovely but they are also awfully warm!)

[RetiredFL]

Cathy,

It is a shame you did not notify Oceania before the cruise about the port problem.

While no guarantee, we have suggested to Oceania that they reverse two ports for simular reasons and that the ports were close. On one cruise they actually reversed the ports. We did do this about two months before the sailing. It pays to plan ahead, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I suspect whoever plans the route has no idea what is happening in the ports.

It also helped, I am sure, that we pointed out that they would have few people on their excursions if everything was closed and they make money on excursions.

[Benita]

Oceania switched our ports a few months before our cruise. We were supposed to go to Portree, then Belfast, then Dublin. Somebody realized that would get us into Belfast on the day of the Orange Day Parade, with its attendent expected violence. They cancelled Portree and moved Belfast up a day, then added the Isle of Man,then Dublin. The Isle of Man was a charming surprise and everything worked out well and we missed being in Belfast during an unsafe time. I don't know who made Oceania aware of the dates, but I am grateful both to whomever it was and to Oceania for making the adjustment.

[orchestrapal]

Oceania switched our ports a few months before our cruise. We were supposed to go to Portree, then Belfast, then Dublin. Somebody realized that would get us into Belfast on the day of the Orange Day Parade, with its attendent expected violence. They cancelled Portree and moved Belfast up a day, then added the Isle of Man,then Dublin. The Isle of Man was a charming surprise and everything worked out well and we missed being in Belfast during an unsafe time. I don't know who made Oceania aware of the dates, but I am grateful both to whomever it was and to Oceania for making the adjustment.

 

Wouldn't yoou think whatever "comittee" designs these cruises would be professional enough to check out the port activities before planning stops??:confused:

[Benita]

Wouldn't yoou think whatever "comittee" designs these cruises would be professional enough to check out the port activities before planning stops??:confused:

 

Absolutely. This was a big issue on a Holland America cruise I took a few years ago. It was Carnivale time in certain islands, so everything was closed for two days. Those were the two days were were in those islands - all the other ports did not celebrate. Obviously, if the order of the ports were reversed, it would have been much more enjoyable to spend time in Aruba and Curacao. (There were no parties in those islands until after the ship left - everything was closed in preparation.) Those dates are known years in advance, and when I looked at the ports, none would have been overburdened had the order been reversed. When I looked at the sailing for the next year, the same thing occured. All it takes is a computer and Google to figure it out.

[rallydave]

Wouldn't yoou think whatever "comittee" designs these cruises would be professional enough to check out the port activities before planning stops??:confused:

 

The "committee" that handles these port activities is the PCH Destinations Dept. which handles both Regent as well as Oceania shore excursions. These problems and issues are consistant on both the Regent and Oceania Boards and it appears that PCH would rather reap the profit benefits of extremely high priced excursions on Oceania as well as extremely high priced extra charge excursions on Regent. Unless and until customers on both cruise lines either stop booking cruises on Regent because of the misleading advertising on Regent regarding "Unlimited" Free excursionThes and stop booking ship excursions on Oceania, Regent is going to continue with the incompetent destinations department for both otherwise excellent cruise lines.

 

The head of this incompetent dept was recently promosted to vp which shows that PCH is more interested in instant profits than current customers continuing to book. While the almost constant e-mails, snail mails, etc. showing huge discounts appear to show that people are voting with their wallets. But, PCH seems to think they can draw customers from other cruise lines and it is working to some extent except, how long will those new customers stay around.

 

At least Oceania doesn't collect money up front for promised but, not delivered excursions which causes more work prior to the cruise but, results in better and less expensive excursions. IMO, would be better if either PCH's destinations dept either shut down completely or was totally restaffed with people who can serve the customers as well as they serve the corporation. But, that direction needs to come from the top management and they remain deaf mutes.

[LHT28]

Wouldn't yoou think whatever "comittee" designs these cruises would be professional enough to check out the port activities before planning stops??:confused:

I guess with so many ports to consider & the routing they do not check out holiday schedules or the local dates for Carnivale or other such events

 

I wonder if it is only Oceania that has this problem???

 

We stopped in SPB a few years ago on a day when some of the museums & the Palace were closed ..we did the ship's tour so we did get a tour inside

(Was not on Oceania)

But with some of the building closed Mondays, some Wed & some closed Thursdays it may be hard to plan so that passengers get the full benefit of the port stop