CintiPam Posted February 7, 2013 #126 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Pam, I know you are not a Celebrity fan...but I am guessing you would appreciate my Silhouette itinerary for this June: Venice (overnight) - Koper, Slovenia - Ravenna - Split - Kotor - Dubrovnik - Bari - Corfu - at sea - Malta - Catania, Sicily - Salerno - Rome... 13 nights... Maybe Oceania might want to copy that itinerary? We chose it over the Oceania itinerary for similar dates because this one is longer and has four extra ports... That indeed is a lovely itinerary. I really have no view at all regarding Celebrity because I only have sailed since 2008 and only on Oceania and Azamara. Are there any ships smaller than Silhouette in the Celebrity fleet that would do a similar itinerary? BTW, if you have not been, from Salerno, take the train down to Paestum (we were there in October) for the most magnificent Greek temples in a beautiful setting. On that same trip, we visited the underground WWII war rooms in Valletta, and our tour there was fabulous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruin Steve Posted February 7, 2013 #127 Share Posted February 7, 2013 That indeed is a lovely itinerary. I really have no view at all regarding Celebrity because I only have sailed since 2008 and only on Oceania and Azamara. Are there any ships smaller than Silhouette in the Celebrity fleet that would do a similar itinerary? BTW, if you have not been, from Salerno, take the train down to Paestum (we were there in October) for the most magnificent Greek temples in a beautiful setting. On that same trip, we visited the underground WWII war rooms in Valletta, and our tour there was fabulous. Celebrity's smallest ship, at present, is the 1,800 passenger Century... The Silhouette and its sister ships carry about 2,800... The M-class about 1,950--2,000...so, they are all larger than O's ships... But, I don't only factor in the number of passengers...or only the size of the ship when evaluating ships...More important is the space-per-passenger ratio... Celebrity's M-class, for example, are 3 times the size of Oceania's R-ships...but carry less than three times the number of passengers--so, the space ratio is actually slightly better...compared to, say, Carnival, NCL or Princess ships, they are very uncrowded and relaxing...--in that way, not much different than Oceania. Of course, all of the venues are appropriately sized for the number of passengers...you wouldn't notice the difference that much in terms of space... Of course, differences in size means different things to different people...to those whose biggest concern is walking from one end to the other, yes, they are longer... Another concern that manifests itself in some ports only, is that smaller ships can dock in some ports that larger ships can't...for example, when we visited Kotor on Nautica, we were able to dock in port...when we visit on Silhouette, we will have to tender... On Oceania, the open seating always works very well...but, when we've cruised Princess, their version of open seating was a nightmare. of course, I attribute this to poor management and that the open seating dining rooms are not well sized for the number of passengers using open seating... On Celebrity, it seems to work very well...of course, a difference between Oceania and Celebrity is that Celebrity has the option of open seating or traditional seating--which option must be made in advance... ...and, of course, Celebrity still has those irritating formal nights... Bottom line, though, is that I think both lines offer a good, though slightly different, product...and I think there are so many other things to judge a cruise or cruise line on than the mere size of the ship... IMHO, of course... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jancruz Posted February 7, 2013 #128 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Celebrity's smallest ship, at present, is the 1,800 passenger Century... The Silhouette and its sister ships carry about 2,800... The M-class about 1,950--2,000...so, they are all larger than O's ships... But, I don't only factor in the number of passengers...or only the size of the ship when evaluating ships...More important is the space-per-passenger ratio... Celebrity's M-class, for example, are 3 times the size of Oceania's R-ships...but carry less than three times the number of passengers--so, the space ratio is actually slightly better...compared to, say, Carnival, NCL or Princess ships, they are very uncrowded and relaxing...--in that way, not much different than Oceania. Of course, all of the venues are appropriately sized for the number of passengers...you wouldn't notice the difference that much in terms of space... Of course, differences in size means different things to different people...to those whose biggest concern is walking from one end to the other, yes, they are longer... Another concern that manifests itself in some ports only, is that smaller ships can dock in some ports that larger ships can't...for example, when we visited Kotor on Nautica, we were able to dock in port...when we visit on Silhouette, we will have to tender... On Oceania, the open seating always works very well...but, when we've cruised Princess, their version of open seating was a nightmare. of course, I attribute this to poor management and that the open seating dining rooms are not well sized for the number of passengers using open seating... On Celebrity, it seems to work very well...of course, a difference between Oceania and Celebrity is that Celebrity has the option of open seating or traditional seating--which option must be made in advance... ...and, of course, Celebrity still has those irritating formal nights... Bottom line, though, is that I think both lines offer a good, though slightly different, product...and I think there are so many other things to judge a cruise or cruise line on than the mere size of the ship... IMHO, of course... I completely agree with you Steve..we were on the Reflection in December and followed that trip several days later with one on Riviera..loved both trips for different options they offered.. Jancruz1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TERRIER1 Posted February 7, 2013 #129 Share Posted February 7, 2013 In case they're reading and want feedback... Dump Morocco...your Mid September cruise had a good itinerary but you should have dumped Morocca and inserted Seville. Add Malta onto some of the Med. Cruises rather than just the Eastern Med. Cruises. Corsica, Sardinia, Montenegro, Crete..all great ports but sadly sparse on the itineraries. Totally agree about Morocco. Our last two O cruises went to Morocco as part of the itinerary and on both mid cruise comment cards i said that Morocco should be left out and another port put in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TERRIER1 Posted February 7, 2013 #130 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I think O needs to go back to the drawing board and look at some of the itineraries on other cruise lines -- Azamara, Celebrity, Princess. Unless they come up with some unique and different itineraries, many of us will have to look elsewhere, even if O is our preferred line. Agree. This will be the first year we will not be sailing on Oceania. I am looking into Azamara and will now consider Celebrity as much as I don't like the large er ships or formal night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted February 7, 2013 #131 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I completely agree with you Steve..we were on the Reflection in December and followed that trip several days later with one on Riviera..loved both trips for different options they offered..Jancruz1 Count me in for agreeing with Steve and Jan re Celebrity. We just got off Solstice (OZ/NZ) and the venues felt "empty" (other than the buffet and theatre). Size is not that important. Crowding is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted February 7, 2013 #132 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Agree. This will be the first year we will not be sailing on Oceania. I am looking into Azamara and will now consider Celebrity as much as I don't like the large er ships or formal night. You can completely avoid formal nights on Celebrity by dining in the specialty restaurants (resort casual always) booking Aqua class and dining in Blu (resort casual always) dining in the buffet (not my choice but an option) room service You do not need to be in formal wear to go the shows or casino on formal nights and there are always many who opt out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CintiPam Posted February 8, 2013 #133 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Celebrity's smallest ship, at present, is the 1,800 passenger Century... The Silhouette and its sister ships carry about 2,800... The M-class about 1,950--2,000...so, they are all larger than O's ships... But, I don't only factor in the number of passengers...or only the size of the ship when evaluating ships...More important is the space-per-passenger ratio... Celebrity's M-class, for example, are 3 times the size of Oceania's R-ships...but carry less than three times the number of passengers--so, the space ratio is actually slightly better...compared to, say, Carnival, NCL or Princess ships, they are very uncrowded and relaxing...--in that way, not much different than Oceania. Of course, all of the venues are appropriately sized for the number of passengers...you wouldn't notice the difference that much in terms of space... Of course, differences in size means different things to different people...to those whose biggest concern is walking from one end to the other, yes, they are longer... Another concern that manifests itself in some ports only, is that smaller ships can dock in some ports that larger ships can't...for example, when we visited Kotor on Nautica, we were able to dock in port...when we visit on Silhouette, we will have to tender... On Oceania, the open seating always works very well...but, when we've cruised Princess, their version of open seating was a nightmare. of course, I attribute this to poor management and that the open seating dining rooms are not well sized for the number of passengers using open seating... On Celebrity, it seems to work very well...of course, a difference between Oceania and Celebrity is that Celebrity has the option of open seating or traditional seating--which option must be made in advance... ...and, of course, Celebrity still has those irritating formal nights... Bottom line, though, is that I think both lines offer a good, though slightly different, product...and I think there are so many other things to judge a cruise or cruise line on than the mere size of the ship... IMHO, of course... Thanks for your analysis, Steve. I certainly do not enjoy tendering (yes, I do not like all the bobbing around while waiting), tender lines or formal nights. What about smoking policy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Cruise Junky Posted February 8, 2013 #134 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Thanks for your analysis, Steve. I certainly do not enjoy tendering (yes, I do not like all the bobbing around while waiting), tender lines or formal nights. What about smoking policy? Very similar to Oceania. Only a couple of spots on outside decks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted February 8, 2013 #135 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Agree - very limited opportunities for smoking and ONLY outside -- one area on pool deck and one on upper deck -- much better than the Horizons situation on the Oceania R ships. We were just on Solstice with friends who smoke. They almost quit (wish they had) as it was so difficult for them to smoke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2kiwis Posted February 26, 2013 #136 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I would like to see a circumnavigation of Australia A couple of cruise lines are doing this but it would be great to do it on Oceania. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
writer100 Posted February 26, 2013 #137 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Sir, I agree with both your citations and conclusions.But there is a counterpoint to be made. I started off in life as a herpetologist. In the lab at the American Museum of Natural History we had a range of specimens, with an emphasis on rattle snakes. Some had been collected in the wild, some had been born in the museum. The cages holding the animals rested on metal tables on a concrete floor. When you opened the door to the lab, some of the animals reacted, some didn't. The ones caught wild immediately coiled, with raised head and tail vibrating. The ones born in the lab did not react. Habituation can make a difference, even with species as seemingly resistant to behavior change as these animals. Snakes don't have external ears, but they do have a sort of ear bone, a columella, that can detect vibrations conducted by the ground. So, the opening of the lab door sent a vibration along the floor, up the legs of the tables holding the cages, and eventually into the cages where they were "felt." On the other hand, going to the visitor center at the Grand Canyon is a totally different experience from hiking the canyon, spending a night at Phantom Lodge, trekking to the Havasu Falls, and feeling and tasting the raw power of nature. Travel is more than a slide show of images. Why take an Alaska cruise? Surely every bit of land, every conceivable animal sighting is available on film or downloadable. You go because at its best, travel which reveals the beauty, conflict and unending survival struggle that we call nature is best experienced by you. There. Anything else--any visitor center, anywhere--is like kissing your sister through a screen door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floridiana Posted February 28, 2013 #138 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Some of you asked to drop Morocco. Could you elabaorate why? It is a very popular destination for Europeans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted February 28, 2013 #139 Share Posted February 28, 2013 FLoridiana, From my experience, Morocco has meant Casablanca and to a lesser extent Tangiers. We enjoyed our two visits to Tangiers but not our three visits to Casablanca, and for me it's been enough. Could they get us to other Moroccan ports? If so, I personally would be interested. But I don't know how many ports we are talking about as opposed to inland destinations. From what I have seen about itineraries it would seem that a land trip is better than a cruise itinerary. But I am willing to be educated. Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Cruise Junky Posted February 28, 2013 #140 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Some of you asked to drop Morocco. Could you elabaorate why? It is a very popular destination for Europeans. It's a hole ;). Plus...what I'm very disappointed with is FDR said a month before the itineraries were released that there would be no Morocco so I was looking forward to the Spain itineraries not wasting a day in Morocco. It's just not a place I'm interested in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triplestar Posted March 2, 2013 #141 Share Posted March 2, 2013 Like you I would like a cruise that circumnavigated Australia. I know that Princess does one , but I would rather have an Oceania cruise. However for my next wish I would go on a different cruise line if necessary.Durban to Brazil via the islands of St Helena, Ascension & Tritan du Cunha or visa versa Brazil to Durban Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Gal Posted March 2, 2013 #142 Share Posted March 2, 2013 Besides Princess circumnavigating Australia the QM2 did it last year and I think they are doing it this year. It is part of their World Cruise and it is sold as a separate sector. Mind you, most of the ships do it in our summer time when it is far too hot and wet to go up north. I think Princess has done it in our spring - Oct/Nov - when it is a far better time. Jennie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted March 3, 2013 Author #143 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Like you I would like a cruise that circumnavigated Australia. I know that Princess does one , but I would rather have an Oceania cruise. However for my next wish I would go on a different cruise line if necessary.Durban to Brazil via the islands of St Helena, Ascension & Tritan du Cunha or visa versa Brazil to Durban I just might join you on the cruise from Durban to Brazil (or v.v) - if it ever happens. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Gal Posted March 3, 2013 #144 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Paul, Are you still coming on the Ocean Princess in June? Haven't heard from you in months and are wondering if you cancelled the cruise. Jennie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted March 3, 2013 Author #145 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Paul, Are you still coming on the Ocean Princess in June? Haven't heard from you in months and are wondering if you cancelled the cruise. Jennie Hi Jennie, Yes, we are still coming. She is on the "back burner" for now as we are doing some other travels but I'll get to it by April :) Look forward to meeting you (finally). Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaCroisiereS'amuse Posted March 3, 2013 #146 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Like you I would like a cruise that circumnavigated Australia. I know that Princess does one , but I would rather have an Oceania cruise. However for my next wish I would go on a different cruise line if necessary.Durban to Brazil via the islands of St Helena, Ascension & Tritan du Cunha or visa versa Brazil to Durban I'm with you on those 3 islands, lthough I know that Tristan da Cunha can be touch and go as sea conditions relly limit the number of days that you can land a tender there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted May 30, 2013 Author #147 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Speaking of new itineraries - Princess just posted their schedules for Fall 2014- Winter 2015 Exotic cruises. They have several that caught my attention. For example, they have several 7-9 day cruises that can be combined as B2B and focus on Japan: Round Hokkaido, Circle Kyushu, Kyushu & Onsens, Ryuku and Taiwan and others. I find these innovative in that they focus on a region in detail, rather then visiting just one or two common ports in Japan. They also have short cruises that focus on Indonesia in more detail. These are the type of cruises that I would be interested in addition to the "old & tried" (aka tired) itineraries that O offers. While I understand that there are many people who have not yet cruised the Med or Baltic and these common itineraries are needed, i believe that there are many of us that would like to try something new (preferably on Oceania :)). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 30, 2013 #148 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Speaking of new itineraries - Princess just posted their schedules for Fall 2014- Winter 2015 Exotic cruises. They have several that caught my attention.For example, they have several 7-9 day cruises that can be combined as B2B and focus on Japan: Round Hokkaido, Circle Kyushu, Kyushu & Onsens, Ryuku and Taiwan and others. I find these innovative in that they focus on a region in detail, rather then visiting just one or two common ports in Japan. They also have short cruises that focus on Indonesia in more detail. These are the type of cruises that I would be interested in addition to the "old & tried" (aka tired) itineraries that O offers. While I understand that there are many people who have not yet cruised the Med or Baltic and these common itineraries are needed, i believe that there are many of us that would like to try something new (preferably on Oceania :)). +1 - FDR says he is working on "new" itineraries." With 5 ships, I am hoping we see some truly unique ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jpalbny Posted May 30, 2013 #149 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Like you I would like a cruise that circumnavigated Australia. I know that Princess does one , but I would rather have an Oceania cruise. However for my next wish I would go on a different cruise line if necessary.Durban to Brazil via the islands of St Helena, Ascension & Tritan du Cunha or visa versa Brazil to Durban The circumnavigation of Australia is still too long for us to be away from work but sure looks fun... Silversea used to do a repositioning cruise with Silver Explorer from Ushuaia to Cape Town that stopped in St. Helena and other isolated South Atlantic islands on the way. I think they are not offering that in 2014, as they're repositioning up the west coast of South America to do a Panama Canal cruise instead of the West Africa cruise they did this year. There was a news story about them rescuing a disabled fishing boat a few years back, while on this route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaCroisiereS'amuse Posted May 30, 2013 #150 Share Posted May 30, 2013 I would love a South Atlantic crossing taking in St Helena and Tristan da Cunha.... Russian Far East too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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