What differences will I find between Celebrity and Oceana

[scotslizzy]

As the person who started this thread thank you to all who posted even the ones about using air miles although that was not my original question!

 

Anyway as I do enjoy my Celebrity cruises (Solstice class) and I was going to book my winter sunshine cruise with them.However as the deal including the airfare from the UK was very competitive we thought why not try Oceania.

 

I will of course write my review and compare when I get back from the cruise in Feb 13.

 

Kind Regards

 

Scotslizzy

[jaguarstyper]

I have read this thread with great interest because, as a long time fan of Holland America, I have been disappointed in the direction that line has been going and am looking to try something better. Oceania is the line I am looking at as a potential go to. I appreciate everything that has been discussed here. As to the discussions regarding airfare being off topic, I completely disagree with this. The free airfare is a major point of differentiation for Oceania, but its not as simple as free airfare. It never is that simple. There are a lot of situations where the free airfare simply does not come into play for a lot of reasons when comparing cruise lines. So, I think any points regarding the free airfare and whether of not they contribute to Oceania being a better choice are salient and very much on topic when comparing Oceania to any other cruise line.

[JimandStan]

More to the point, if the potential passenger, or the Travel Agent that they engage, truly understand what they are buying, then it is a very simple process to price an Oceania Cruise without the "included" airfare, and therefore have a simple apples to apples comparison to make.

[LHT28]

The free airfare is a major point of differentiation for Oceania, but its not as simple as free airfare. It never is that simple. There are a lot of situations where the free airfare simply does not come into play for a lot of reasons when comparing cruise lines. So, I think any points regarding the free airfare and whether of not they contribute to Oceania being a better choice are salient and very much on topic when comparing Oceania to any other cruise line.

 

First the airfare is NOT free it is included in the price

You can choose to book "cruise only" & do your own air if required by any means you choose

When comparing cruise prices with other lines check cruise only on Oceania

Then compare listed price on Oceania & add the airfare to other lines you are comparing

Sometimes Oceania with air included is a better deal but you need to do your homework

 

Lyn

[pacheco18]

First the airfare is NOT free it is included in the price

 

Thank you Lyn.

Nothing is free on any cruise line

It's in the price somewhere. We are paying for all of it!

[jaguarstyper]

Yes, I know nothing is free and the airfare is included in the price. I think everyone understands what I meant. But, thank you for pointing that out.

 

And, since we're getting ticky-tacky, here is something right off of Oceania's website:

 

[LHT28]

Yes, I know nothing is free and the airfare is included in the price. I think everyone understands what I meant. But, thank you for pointing that out.

 

And, since we're getting ticky-tacky, here is something right off of Oceania's website:

 

I guess what regular Oceania cruisers are try to say it that it is all about "MARKETING"

 

Not being nit picky just stating FACTS

 

Enjoy your cruise

 

Lyn

[pacheco18]

Air is not free on O

Specialty restaurants are not free either

 

Alcohol is not free on Regent

Shore excursions are not free on Regent

 

These marketing ploys need to be dissected before you commit to any cruise.

 

For someone like myself who does not want the alcohol or shore excursions, Regent is a bad fit. I would be paying for something I don't want.

 

O at least lets me decide what I want to pay for (except for the Specialty Restaurants; I would have to pay for them even if I never ate there. At least I do not have to pay for alcohol or shorex in the base price of the cruise.

 

Celebrity goes a bit further. You can opt out of specialty restaurants and lattes, bottled water and soft drinks (you can opt in by purchasing a beverage package).

 

For me, the more a la carte, the better. For others, having everything bundled in one price works better.

 

Anything that is included costs money and you are paying for it!!!

[JimandStan]

For me, the more a la carte, the better

 

I used to think that myself, until I realized that there those people who will opt out of clean sheets and toilet paper if it means that they can save a buck.

 

Personally, I don't care WHAT they do (as long as I have the option of standing upwind), but who wants to travel with people like that?

[pacheco18]

it's not always about saving a buck -- it's about spending those bucks the way you want to ...

 

Shorex is a perfect example. I spend plenty of money on great private shore and I do not want to "pay" for ship sponsored shorex.

 

Specialty restaurants are another good example. With all the food available on a ship, specialty restaurants are really not obligatory. Many of us do not sail for the food. The food is just incidental to the ports.

 

Alcohol is another good example. I am not talking about smuggling in booze. LOL There are some folks who just do not drink or drink very little. Paying for alcohol as an included item makes no sense for us.

 

Just because I like it a la carte, does not mean I am cheap! It means I like to decide where to spend my money. For some it's the casino, for others it's the gift shops, for others it's in the ports.

[ORV]

I used to think that myself, until I realized that there those people who will opt out of clean sheets and toilet paper if it means that they can save a buck.

 

Personally, I don't care WHAT they do (as long as I have the option of standing upwind), but who wants to travel with people like that?

 

LOL,

 

You do have a point.

[potterhill]

Many of us do not sail for the food. The food is just incidental to the ports

 

 

 

For us, the food is important. We really enjoy the entire dining experience on O. If the food were mediocre, or even just adequate, we would not return. For us the ports count but are not the only reason to cruise. Let's face it, most of them are much better explored on a land trip.

 

It's the entire package that keeps us returning to Oceania.

 

Mo

[JimandStan]

For us, the food is important. We really enjoy the entire dining experience on O. If the food were mediocre, or even just adequate, we would not return. For us the ports count but are not the only reason to cruise. Let's face it, most of them are much better explored on a land trip.

 

It's the entire package that keeps us returning to Oceania.

 

Mo

 

Beautifully stated! :D

[jaguarstyper]

For us, the food is important. We really enjoy the entire dining experience on O. If the food were mediocre, or even just adequate, we would not return. For us the ports count but are not the only reason to cruise. Let's face it, most of them are much better explored on a land trip.

 

It's the entire package that keeps us returning to Oceania.

 

Mo

I agree. We cruise for the complete package, destinations, dining, lodging and entertainment. All need to be up to snuff and all are equally important to us. If all I were interested in were the ports, I would fly there and stay in a hotel and be able to truly explore the destination with no cruise deadlines or time constraints.

[Hawaiidan]

I used to think that myself, until I realized that there those people who will opt out of clean sheets and toilet paper if it means that they can save a buck.

 

Personally, I don't care WHAT they do (as long as I have the option of standing upwind), but who wants to travel with people like that?

 

I recently was on back to back cruise of some 30 days on another line. The first segment was not discounted but the second segment was heavily discounted. There was a stark difference in passengers...almost scary

 

The first segment the passengers were all well traveled and mannered. It was a joy to be with people who were enjoying life.

Then the second segment, many of the first segment passengers got off and in their place came a horde of people who were not on the ship for the cruise, but because it was so cheap. This crowd had no manners and no class.. they screamed at staff, shoved others aside, passed out drunk on the deck, pried off ships pictures and plaques; from the walls and elevators, broke into crew areas and stole what they could find ... including door prizes set aside for trivial pursuit.

 

The captain had to close off areas of the ship because of this mob.

 

I know you should not judge people by your standards but in this case it was hard not to make a fairly accurate assessment of the vast majority of these bargain basement folks. I have never in 30 years of cruising seen such behaviour en-masse.

 

So Jim and Stans observation reminded that as prices come down so too do the people it attracts. :eek: There are really a whole group of folks who act in strange ways.

 

I like a good deal and I dont look down on people who like to save as long as they have some sort of basic manners.

[pacheco18]

Some of you folks are starting to sound like the folks on the Regent board. LOL

 

Believe it or not, not EVERYONE thinks the food on O is so much better than food on other cruise lines -- certainly not in the GDR.

 

I sail O because of the smaller size (R ships) (regardless of food). To me, that is what makes it worth the extra money. I do not care for their larger O class ships, which is why I have booked two cruises on Azamara -- I am now going where the R ships go. If Regatta or Nautica can take me where I want to go, I will sail O. If not, I will look at Azamara. And if I can get an itinerary on Celebrity for a whole lot less or one that O or A do not offer, count me in.

[potterhill]

We have only sailed on Oceania so nothing to compare.

 

We need a nonsmoking room for DH who has asthma. We get that on O.

 

We like the food. Hate paying for mediocre food, consequently we don't eat out much. Food is better at home. I wouldn't say the food on O is the best ever, but it is at an acceptable standard for me, and I am not easy to please. Just ask my family! ;)

 

We like the size of the ships. Both sizes have pros and cons. We will sail either. I can't imagine being on a mega ship. Not willing to pay the $$$ for the really tiny ships.

 

I don't read any other boards, so no idea what the folks over there sound like. :)

 

It's good that there is something for everyone. It's all about choices.

 

Mo

[nparmelee]

We're occasional cruisers, 1 on Princess, 1 on Celebrity, 2 on O with a third booked for next May on O, we started our first cruise in 2004. Food is incredibly subjective, we thought the Celebrity food was much better than Princess but shared a cab to the airport with a couple who liked Princess food more than X. We tried O in 2006 and loved them, for us the food is a big step up from both Princess and X and no stupid baked Alaska parade the last night (if the others still do that), service for us was also a big notch higher. Now we look at itinerary first, but O gets the preference by a long shot! We've been on Nautica and Regatta and will try Riviera next. What we like about O is the smaller crowds, to us better food and just a comfortable environment. We're not ready to try the lux or all-inclusive lines yet, we may someday, until then O suits us nicely. We sort of fall in to the younger crowd in O, I'm 48 and hubby is 61, on one cruise when we were disembarking Leslie John commented that the "youngsters" were leaving (for his sake, we both look younger than we are and this was a few years ago, I really did get carded for buying booze when I was 36). We also like that O treats us like adults and we can bring a bottle of wine onboard from a port stop to enjoy on our veranda while we get ready for dinner.