wanna travel Posted November 1, 2012 #1 Share Posted November 1, 2012 hi all, thinking of cruising with oceania....miami to miami 25days in november. i'll keep my question list short. has anyone done this one and if so....comments? what are the costs of the drink packages? are the exercise classes (the ones not included) $$$? exactly how dressy do they get? (even though they say country casual..the ship looks a tad more elegant than HAL..which we have been with) i know i can get this info from the travel agent, but i would like to get first hand info from actual travelers....you know...unbiased! ;) ************ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondorner Posted November 1, 2012 #2 Share Posted November 1, 2012 hi all,thinking of cruising with oceania....miami to miami 25days in november. i'll keep my question list short. has anyone done this one and if so....comments? what are the costs of the drink packages? are the exercise classes (the ones not included) $$$? exactly how dressy do they get? (even though they say country casual..the ship looks a tad more elegant than HAL..which we have been with) i know i can get this info from the travel agent, but i would like to get first hand info from actual travelers....you know...unbiased! ;) ************ "has anyone done this one and if so....comments?" Yes. The Amazon, itself, will not be what you expect. It is ~6 miles wide, impossible to see detail along the shoreline unless you bring binoculars, and has a rather boring shoreline -- virtually all the same except for the occasional village or industrial complex miles and miles apart. You'll get so you'll be excited to spot a man in a fishing boat a couple of miles away...The jungles and wildlife are all in the upper river, above Manaus, your turn-around spot. Having said that, I'm glad we did it, and recommend anyone to do it at least once. The Indian village at Boca del Valeria is fascinating. Santarem is less so, but still worth seeing. Manaus is a complete surprise -- who expects a city of over a million people, complete with at least one Walmart, in the middle of Amazonia? You can walk from the ship to the Opera House and back if you are reasonably mobile, and will see an endlessly fascinating city life. The joy is in the shopping stalls, the people, the street performers, the gardens, etc. On the way back down the river, the boi bumba show at Parintins is a "don't miss"; make sure your camera is fully charged. You'll stop at what seems like half the Caribbean Islands on the way to the Amazon, and pick up the other half on the way back to Miami (just a slight exaggeration). The highlight for us, and for many others, was Devil's Island, the prison island featured in the book and film "Papillon"; I got a hold of a copy of the movie and watched it before visiting. Be aware -- there is no actual harbor -- when the waters are rough the ship sometimes has to bypass it. If you lower your expectations of the Amazon itself (except as an immense waterway), you'll be glad you took this cruise. "what are the costs of the drink packages?" The full, premium package is $49.95 per day, per person. The wine and beer with lunch and dinner package is $29.95 per day, per person. You do not have to buy either the first day, but once you do, you have to buy all of the remaining days in the cruise. If you enjoy any drinks, the premium poackage is probably a good value. "are the exercise classes (the ones not included) $$$?" Somebody who exercises on a cruise will have to answer this one ;):p "exactly how dressy do they get? (even though they say country casual..the ship looks a tad more elegant than HAL..which we have been with)" The ship is elegant -- and the guests always look nice -- but, country club casual MEANS country club casual. For men, long trousers (khakis, Dockers or more dressy slacks), and a collared shirt are all that's required. Polo or golf shirts are fine. Boat shoes are OK (but, no socks with boat shoes, please! :D:D). Some men wear long sleeve shirts and occasionally a sport coat (I do), but only because they enjoy it. It's far less common than not. Most men don't even pack one after their first cruise with Oceania. Rarely neckties, and the Chairman and CEO, Frank Del Rio, once famously said, "If I see someone in a tux, I think it's the Maitre 'd." Ladies generally wear simple dresses or skirts or slacks with a nice top. The dress code says no sandals, but that mostly applies to men, and to flip flops or beach sandals. Ladies wear dressy sandals, flat or slightly raised, all the time. There are no formal nights, and folks dress with an elegant casualness even if invited to dine with the Captain. The Terrace Buffet has a slightly relaxed dress code; if you return late from an excursion with no time to change, that's the perfect venue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted November 1, 2012 #3 Share Posted November 1, 2012 hi all,thinking of cruising with oceania....miami to miami 25days in november. i'll keep my question list short. has anyone done this one and if so....comments? what are the costs of the drink packages? are the exercise classes (the ones not included) $$$? exactly how dressy do they get? (even though they say country casual..the ship looks a tad more elegant than HAL..which we have been with) i know i can get this info from the travel agent, but i would like to get first hand info from actual travelers....you know...unbiased! ;) ************ Drink packages http://www.oceaniacruises.com/ships/regatta/restaurants/beveragepackages.aspx Yoga & pilates I think are around $15 per session No formal nights, no jeans t-shirts or shorts in the dining venues for dinner & you should be fine Some like to dress up a bit but nothing really to fancy ...it is a personal choice You can also use the search feature top right to find other thread on the topics Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy The Wanderer Posted November 1, 2012 #4 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Do you have to book exercises in advance of the class, or can you just go and have them swipe your card? (Unlikely for me, but you never know on a Crossing!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook1 Posted November 1, 2012 #5 Share Posted November 1, 2012 "has anyone done this one and if so....comments?" Yes. The Amazon, itself, will not be what you expect. It is ~6 miles wide, impossible to see detail along the shoreline unless you bring binoculars, and has a rather boring shoreline -- virtually all the same except for the occasional village or industrial complex miles and miles apart. You'll get so you'll be excited to spot a man in a fishing boat a couple of miles away...The jungles and wildlife are all in the upper river, above Manaus, your turn-around spot. Having said that, I'm glad we did it, and recommend anyone to do it at least once. The Indian village at Boca del Valeria is fascinating. Santarem is less so, but still worth seeing. Manaus is a complete surprise -- who expects a city of over a million people, complete with at least one Walmart, in the middle of Amazonia? You can walk from the ship to the Opera House and back if you are reasonably mobile, and will see an endlessly fascinating city life. The joy is in the shopping stalls, the people, the street performers, the gardens, etc. On the way back down the river, the boi bumba show at Parintins is a "don't miss"; make sure your camera is fully charged. You'll stop at what seems like half the Caribbean Islands on the way to the Amazon, and pick up the other half on the way back to Miami (just a slight exaggeration). The highlight for us, and for many others, was Devil's Island, the prison island featured in the book and film "Papillon"; I got a hold of a copy of the movie and watched it before visiting. Be aware -- there is no actual harbor -- when the waters are rough the ship sometimes has to bypass it. If you lower your expectations of the Amazon itself (except as an immense waterway), you'll be glad you took this cruise. "what are the costs of the drink packages?" The full, premium package is $49.95 per day, per person. The wine and beer with lunch and dinner package is $29.95 per day, per person. You do not have to buy either the first day, but once you do, you have to buy all of the remaining days in the cruise. If you enjoy any drinks, the premium poackage is probably a good value. "are the exercise classes (the ones not included) $$$?" Somebody who exercises on a cruise will have to answer this one ;):p "exactly how dressy do they get? (even though they say country casual..the ship looks a tad more elegant than HAL..which we have been with)" The ship is elegant -- and the guests always look nice -- but, country club casual MEANS country club casual. For men, long trousers (khakis, Dockers or more dressy slacks), and a collared shirt are all that's required. Polo or golf shirts are fine. Boat shoes are OK (but, no socks with boat shoes, please! :D:D). Some men wear long sleeve shirts and occasionally a sport coat (I do), but only because they enjoy it. It's far less common than not. Most men don't even pack one after their first cruise with Oceania. Rarely neckties, and the Chairman and CEO, Frank Del Rio, once famously said, "If I see someone in a tux, I think it's the Maitre 'd." Ladies generally wear simple dresses or skirts or slacks with a nice top. The dress code says no sandals, but that mostly applies to men, and to flip flops or beach sandals. Ladies wear dressy sandals, flat or slightly raised, all the time. There are no formal nights, and folks dress with an elegant casualness even if invited to dine with the Captain. The Terrace Buffet has a slightly relaxed dress code; if you return late from an excursion with no time to change, that's the perfect venue. Don, Very plesant to read such constructive comment. :):) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIWP Posted November 1, 2012 #6 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Totally agree with Don. We've done this cruise twice and loved it. When you try Oceania you won't want to go back to HAL!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanna travel Posted November 2, 2012 Author #7 Share Posted November 2, 2012 $30 a day pp..that's alot of alcohol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ronrick1943 Posted November 2, 2012 #8 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Not really, you'll save a lot during your cruise with both packages. This has been discussed a lot on this forum. Just look one up---some say great deal others stay not so great. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted November 2, 2012 #9 Share Posted November 2, 2012 $30 a day pp..that's alot of alcohol! That is wine & beer only at lunch & dinner If you want to drink all day get the Prestige package @$50 pp pd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted November 2, 2012 #10 Share Posted November 2, 2012 $30 a day pp..that's alot of alcohol! Think Retail Prices, not wholesale- A single top shelf Martini can cost ten or eleven dollars. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floridiana Posted November 2, 2012 #11 Share Posted November 2, 2012 People who are interested in the human history of Amazonia may want to read certain chapters of the books '1491' and '1493'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love.II.Cruise Posted November 2, 2012 #12 Share Posted November 2, 2012 "has anyone done this one and if so....comments?" Yes. The Amazon, itself, will not be what you expect. It is ~6 miles wide, impossible to see detail along the shoreline unless you bring binoculars, and has a rather boring shoreline -- virtually all the same except for the occasional village or industrial complex miles and miles apart. You'll get so you'll be excited to spot a man in a fishing boat a couple of miles away...The jungles and wildlife are all in the upper river, above Manaus, your turn-around spot. Having said that, I'm glad we did it, and recommend anyone to do it at least once. The Indian village at Boca del Valeria is fascinating. Santarem is less so, but still worth seeing. Manaus is a complete surprise -- who expects a city of over a million people, complete with at least one Walmart, in the middle of Amazonia? You can walk from the ship to the Opera House and back if you are reasonably mobile, and will see an endlessly fascinating city life. The joy is in the shopping stalls, the people, the street performers, the gardens, etc. On the way back down the river, the boi bumba show at Parintins is a "don't miss"; make sure your camera is fully charged. You'll stop at what seems like half the Caribbean Islands on the way to the Amazon, and pick up the other half on the way back to Miami (just a slight exaggeration). The highlight for us, and for many others, was Devil's Island, the prison island featured in the book and film "Papillon"; I got a hold of a copy of the movie and watched it before visiting. Be aware -- there is no actual harbor -- when the waters are rough the ship sometimes has to bypass it. If you lower your expectations of the Amazon itself (except as an immense waterway), you'll be glad you took this cruise. "what are the costs of the drink packages?" The full, premium package is $49.95 per day, per person. The wine and beer with lunch and dinner package is $29.95 per day, per person. You do not have to buy either the first day, but once you do, you have to buy all of the remaining days in the cruise. If you enjoy any drinks, the premium poackage is probably a good value. "are the exercise classes (the ones not included) $$$?" Somebody who exercises on a cruise will have to answer this one ;):p "exactly how dressy do they get? (even though they say country casual..the ship looks a tad more elegant than HAL..which we have been with)" The ship is elegant -- and the guests always look nice -- but, country club casual MEANS country club casual. For men, long trousers (khakis, Dockers or more dressy slacks), and a collared shirt are all that's required. Polo or golf shirts are fine. Boat shoes are OK (but, no socks with boat shoes, please! :D:D). Some men wear long sleeve shirts and occasionally a sport coat (I do), but only because they enjoy it. It's far less common than not. Most men don't even pack one after their first cruise with Oceania. Rarely neckties, and the Chairman and CEO, Frank Del Rio, once famously said, "If I see someone in a tux, I think it's the Maitre 'd." Ladies generally wear simple dresses or skirts or slacks with a nice top. The dress code says no sandals, but that mostly applies to men, and to flip flops or beach sandals. Ladies wear dressy sandals, flat or slightly raised, all the time. There are no formal nights, and folks dress with an elegant casualness even if invited to dine with the Captain. The Terrace Buffet has a slightly relaxed dress code; if you return late from an excursion with no time to change, that's the perfect venue. Nice review about the Amazon cruise portion. We'd like to do this cruise eventually, but the only thing we pictured about the Amazon was a muddy river and lots of heat and humidity. One of these days we'll have to research it more and do this cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cathy Maneri Posted November 3, 2012 #13 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Totally agree with Don. We've done this cruise twice and loved it. When you try Oceania you won't want to go back to HAL!!!!! I agree 100%. I went on one Holland cruise and would never go on that line again. This cruise was before my first Oceania Marina cruise. Out of my 24 cruises to date, the Holland one I experienced was the worst. (My good friend warned me, but I didn't listen). Still like Celebrity as a second option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.