hondorner Posted July 19, 2012 #26 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Sorry to intrude on what seems to be a private thread among a group of friends, but I have a question for the OP and wripro: What the heck is wrong with the GDR that means you should avoid it? Really. I'm taking my first O cruise next November, and my enquiring mind wants to know. Wendy, I've been wondering the same thing. I kinda like some things about the Terrace, like diing oiutside on a really nice day, and getting custom grilled meats or custom prepared pasta (I love pasta -- folks who have dned with me know I get at least an appetizer portion of any pasta at almost every meal). But, Betsy and I both absolutely are in love with the Grand Dining Room on any Oceania ship and Compass Rose on Regent ships. We love the service, the ambiance, the beauty, the elegance of the main dining rooms. Betsy likes it even better than I do -- she would have every meal, breakfast lunch and dinner, in the GDR. I manage to talk her into one buffet meal on every cruise, and we both end up wishing we were "downstairs". We have almost every breakfast in the GDR. I do put my foot down about lunch -- the meals are too rich and fussy for my simple lunch. But, even then, I avoid the Terrace and eat at Waves. Why? We feel rushed at the Terrace. We can rarely find a table we like. The weather is often to cool, to windy or too wet to dine al fresco. People cut across in front and there is often a traffic jam. One stands in front of the speciual order counters waiting for a dish, or makes trips back and forth grabbing things while other things are being prepared. It's too much like Boston Market or Golden Corral, except the quality of the food is better. We enter the Grand dining Room to a witing line of eager servers, are excorted to a favorite section and greeted by name by favorite servers, all of whom are anxious to cater to our every whim. I hear complaints of slow service and servers ignoring a table, and I wonder what ship they are on! Is it possible that servers can sense when someone doesn't really want to be there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted July 19, 2012 #27 Share Posted July 19, 2012 We enjoy breakfasts in the MDR but that's about it. Lunch in the Terrace or Waves and dinner in the specialty or Cafe (on the M ships). On the R ships we have dinner more often in the MDR. That's the beauty of cruising - to each their own. Otherwise we would all be in the same place all the time and that would not work very well :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted July 19, 2012 #28 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Really, 8001? The b1 class cabin? We just booked that exact cabin for our December cruise. On Marina and Riviera 8001 is a Vista Suite, not a B1! Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4JACK Posted July 19, 2012 #29 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Suite 8001(Forward, starboard side) is a Veranda Stateroom B1 category, as well as Suite 8000 (Forward, port). These two suites are btw. Suites 8002 and 8003 which are Vista Suites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted July 19, 2012 #30 Share Posted July 19, 2012 A picture is worth a thousand words: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondorner Posted July 19, 2012 #31 Share Posted July 19, 2012 10001 on Marina IS a Vista Suite. It's easy to forget the two cabins between the Vista Suites on Deck 8, and think the numbering is the same as Deck 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4JACK Posted July 19, 2012 #32 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Thanks, JimandStan. Haven't figured out yet how to include photos. Also enjoy reading your very informative and helpful posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook1 Posted July 19, 2012 #33 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Life is abbriviated..nice to read you spelled out GRAND DINING ROOM. A refreshing change. But if word gets around space might be tight in MAIN DINING ROOM when we boatrd Marina in April. Shhhhh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted July 19, 2012 #34 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Life is abbriviated..nice to read you spelled out GRAND DINING ROOM. A refreshing change. But if word gets around space might be tight in MAIN DINING ROOM when we boatrd Marina in April. Shhhhh. I wouldn't worry too much about space in the MDR - I would worry more about space in the T. Cafe :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook1 Posted July 19, 2012 #35 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Tongue in cheek. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted July 19, 2012 #36 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Life is abbriviated..nice to read you spelled out GRAND DINING ROOM. A refreshing change. But if word gets around space might be tight in MAIN DINING ROOM when we boatrd Marina in April. Shhhhh. Good thing spelling is not a issue :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLois Posted July 20, 2012 #37 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Traveler916: Were there bridge lessons or Tai Chi classes on your Marina transatlantic? Curious to know if we might expect either of these on our November TA on Riviera this year. Bridge lessons each sea day were one of the highlights of our Barcelona to Rio TA on Insignia a couple of years ago, and my husband enjoys Tai Chi. Thanks, SLois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook1 Posted July 20, 2012 #38 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Spelling not the issue here just my hunt and peck. When I was a writer in the mid sixities and early seventies the Royal I used gave me the same problem. Lucky my wife proof read or I might never have had seventeen articles and fiction published in magazines and the 364 weekly columns in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveler916 Posted August 14, 2012 Author #39 Share Posted August 14, 2012 I found out yesterday the grandson of a friend of mine works for Apple...on he phone helping customers with their I Pad/I Phone questions! He gets a 15% friends and family discount!! So he said he would go with me to the Apple store and help me buy the I Pad..tell me what all I needed and I could get the 15% discount!!!! And help me figure out how to use it!! Isn't that just great!!??:D And the eye doc had a cancellation so I get the cataract surgery 8/8...I think the doc's office thought I was weird because I was so excited to have the surgery scheduled!! Can't wait!! LuAnn LuAnn - I had a craxy August, got sick in Manila, it stayed with me in Bangkok and Osaka, and have been in bed for 2 weeks...bronchitis, sore throat, cough, then in got into my eyes and stomach...yuck. Rest has helped. Anyway, I hope your surgery went well, and look forward to catching up...gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveler916 Posted August 14, 2012 Author #40 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Would love to join you in La Privee! We'll be in 11080 on the Nov 2013 TA. We can each visit each other! And after we go to 8001, we can go to 10001 and do the same! They'll think we're crazy, and maybe won't be wrong! Mura sounds like a plan :) Final payment for our November 2012 cruise is due this week...another one paid for (well, paid if you count putting some of it on a credit card :)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveler916 Posted August 14, 2012 Author #41 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Thanks for the review! We are doing a TA with O for the first time this fall. After our last cruise, we are just exhausted with all the tours and daylight (Alaska)... we are looking forward to reading books at sea. ;) Love II - that is why I am proud to say that I don't feel obligated to get off the ship at every port. Some of the O cruises are extremely port intensive, while the TA cruises can be less port intensive. If I feel like getting off the ship - fine. If not, it's fun to hang out on a more empty ship. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveler916 Posted August 14, 2012 Author #42 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Sorry to intrude on what seems to be a private thread among a group of friends, but I have a question for the OP and wripro: What the heck is wrong with the GDR that means you should avoid it? Really. I'm taking my first O cruise next November, and my enquiring mind wants to know. Wendy - first of all, sorry for the delay in responding...I was away, then sick. Also - you are not intruding...we are all part of the whole O family here!!! There is nothing wrong with the MDR. We just never made it there. Breakfast every morning was in our suite. Coffee and bagels. It was just so convenient Lunch was at the Terrace Grill. I loved the buffet. I love varoety. I don't know what every fancy name for every dish is, so being able to see what something looks like helps me decide if i want to eat it or not. I don't have to order and eat at anyone else's pace. I can get uo and serve myself and make the meal as short or as long as I want. It's also a question of....not being a foodie...not wanting to try new things sometimes...so if the pizza looks fresh and cheesy, maybe I will have pizza for lunch...but if the pizza has been sitting for awhile and looks dried out, maybe today isn't the day for pizza. You can't tell any of that when you are in the dining room. Dinner was a combination of specialty restaurants, the buffet and in suite. Same reasons as above. So there was nothing wrong with the MDR,,,,just never made it there. Please post your experience after your cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveler916 Posted August 14, 2012 Author #43 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Really, 8001? The b1 class cabin? We just booked that exact cabin for our December cruise. Yep, that is our home from Nov 22 - December 10. We will leave a note for you in one of the books in the library :). Sort of like a treasure hunt :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveler916 Posted August 14, 2012 Author #44 Share Posted August 14, 2012 On Marina and Riviera 8001 is a Vista Suite, not a B1! Mura My mistake. We are in 8003 for our Nov 2012 cruise Sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveler916 Posted August 14, 2012 Author #45 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Traveler916: Were there bridge lessons or Tai Chi classes on your Marina transatlantic? Curious to know if we might expect either of these on our November TA on Riviera this year. Bridge lessons each sea day were one of the highlights of our Barcelona to Rio TA on Insignia a couple of years ago, and my husband enjoys Tai Chi. Thanks, SLois SLois - I don't recall that there were bridge lessons, maybe yes, maybe no...but there was definitely a lot of bridge being played....sorry - I don't play and can't be of more help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jancruz Posted August 14, 2012 #46 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Wendy - Breakfast every morning was in our suite. Coffee and bagels. It was just so convenient I was watching for someone to write and answer as to why the bagels dont go stale..since no one did..here is the answer...all of the breads, rolls, bagels are baked on board so you will never find anything stale.. Every other morning the kitchen bakes sticky buns which are the BEST I have ever tasted..dont miss these in the terrace and I am sure you can get them in the GDR.. Jancruz1 Wow I am making myself hungry cant wait until December on the Riviera.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuAnn Posted August 14, 2012 #47 Share Posted August 14, 2012 LuAnn - I had a craxy August, got sick in Manila, it stayed with me in Bangkok and Osaka, and have been in bed for 2 weeks...bronchitis, sore throat, cough, then in got into my eyes and stomach...yuck. Rest has helped. Anyway, I hope your surgery went well, and look forward to catching up...gary that sounds awful! 2 weeks in bed? :eek:...you must have felt just terrible...but glad you are feeling better. Went for my pre op cataract visit and doc decided to do a different procedure first!! I had a growth on my eye which had to be removed and a graft put in that area...hurt like hell the first 2 days...but better now! So I have to wait another 2 months before the cataract can go in that eye...but we are marching forward in the right direction!! Won't be long now till the cruise!! You all set with tours, etc? LuAnn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuAnn Posted August 14, 2012 #48 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Traveler916: Were there bridge lessons or Tai Chi classes on your Marina transatlantic? Curious to know if we might expect either of these on our November TA on Riviera this year. Bridge lessons each sea day were one of the highlights of our Barcelona to Rio TA on Insignia a couple of years ago, and my husband enjoys Tai Chi. Thanks, SLois I'm not Traveler916 but we were on the same TA and yes there were Bridge lessons on the board..I don't play either but I understand that they were packed! So go early if you are interested! Tai Chi? Not sure..didn't get to the gym..except to look! :cool: me bad!! :o LuAnn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLois Posted August 14, 2012 #49 Share Posted August 14, 2012 I'm not Traveler916 but we were on the same TA and yes there were Bridge lessons on the board..I don't play either but I understand that they were packed! So go early if you are interested! Tai Chi? Not sure..didn't get to the gym..except to look! :cool: me bad!! :o LuAnn Thanks, LuAnn. We'll plan to show up early for beginners' bridge lessons on the November Riviera TA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveler916 Posted August 15, 2012 Author #50 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Wendy - Breakfast every morning was in our suite. Coffee and bagels. It was just so convenient I was watching for someone to write and answer as to why the bagels dont go stale..since no one did..here is the answer...all of the breads, rolls, bagels are baked on board so you will never find anything stale.. Every other morning the kitchen bakes sticky buns which are the BEST I have ever tasted..dont miss these in the terrace and I am sure you can get them in the GDR.. Jancruz1 Wow I am making myself hungry cant wait until December on the Riviera.. Yes, the bagels were fresh and that answers the question as to how they do that. Now, how come after 16 days, they still had fresh half and half for the coffee????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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