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An Oceania Novice Falls in Love with the Riviera


HeatherInFlorida

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I've submitted my review of our first cruise on Oceania to CC, but because of all the wonderful support and help I received here before we left, I wanted to share my feelings here as well. Its long, but no one has to read it. If you're short on time, we loved it. It's more fun sometimes to read a bad review, but you won't find that here even if you read between the lines. We're hooked, we're besotted, we're Oceania cruisers:).

 

Overview

 

You know you’re in love with a ship when you log on to the Port of Miami webcam because the ship is preparing for yet another journey and you just want to see her off.

 

In September I booked the Caribbean Hideaways January 3rd Riviera cruise to celebrate a milestone event in my husband’s life and it was a great excuse to throw caution to the wind and spend more than we ever had before on a Caribbean cruise.

 

And then Oceania offered prepaid gratuities if you booked a cruise by 12/31 so unbeknownst to my husband I booked another cruise on the Riviera for January 2014. Usually this wouldn’t be odd, but we hadn’t even embarked on our first Oceania cruise. So on the first day of our cruise he said “This is an amazing ship; we have to do this again!” and I was able to reply with a smile … “Good news!” In our entire time on the Riviera he couldn’t find anything to complain about which made this wife a very happy woman.

 

I recently read my CC review of our last cruise on Celebrity Solstice. While there were undertones of disappointment in my review, I tried to wrap our experience with pretty ribbons. But what I remember now is telling my husband a couple of months later that my cruising days were over, that the ships were too big, too splashy, that too many cutbacks had occurred first on Holland America a few years back and now on the Celebrity I so loved.

 

Then along came a brochure from Oceania. And it’s doubtful we’ll ever cruise on any other line again. The passengers, the crew, our butler, the warm greeting at Reception and Destinations, the food in every venue … all were nothing less than superb. I wrote on my comment form that the service was just the right blend of efficiency and a warm friendliness.

 

Simply stated, we were guests, not cargo. We loved it.

 

Embarkation:

 

Because we booked a Penthouse Suite we could board at 12:00. We parked opposite the pier with incredible ease and literally breezed through check-in and onto the ship. This was just about the easiest, smoothest embarkation we’ve experienced and there was one thing missing: No photographers making us stand in front of a fake ship backdrop. Thank you, Oceania! Many such “extras” were missing on this cruise and we welcomed their absence.

 

Who Was Onboard:

 

Captain Gunnar Romtveit

General Manager Thierry Tholon

Cruise Director Nolan Dean

Senior Executive Chef Christophe Belin

Our Butler: Binod

 

Stateroom:

 

We were in PH3 Suite 7128. I chose this for the deeper balcony and location. We had quick access to everything except the Riviera Lounge located forward. Everything else is aft and it was an easy run down to the Grand Dining Room, Reception or to get off in the ports. The extra large balcony was wonderful, but for us unnecessary. I loved looking straight down to the sea with no decks or lifeboats in the way. There was nothing more relaxing than pulling our wonderfully comfy reclining ‘wicker’ deck chairs over to the railing, putting our feet up and just gazing out to sea or surrounding islands while in port.

 

The PH3 suite is a very generous 420 sq. ft. with a large walk in closet. I could give up the space before the closet that made me virtually euphoric the entire trip. Any ‘girl’ out there can relate! I hung everything simply because I could yet there was also tons of drawer and cabinet space. My only complaint (if I have one at all) is the space taken from the shower in order to offer a bathtub. You can’t shower in the tub without water everywhere and the shower was very tight. But other than that it was a splendiferous bathroom; granite and marble with a huge sink. I love the Bulgari products most especially the green tea body lotion … to die for. The dead sea salt crystals worked magic on my hands … simply luxurious. The entire cabin and balcony was spotless throughout the cruise and our cabin stewardesses were always smiling and so terribly sweet.

 

And the bed. The “tranquility” bed, so aptly named, is Euro-top, custom made in France I believe (but who cares), topped with a decadent layer of memory foam with gel and fibers with chamomile to soothe you. All this is wrapped in 1000 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets along with a down comforter. All puff and fluff and soft and luxurious … yum. Be still my heart. I got into bed the first night and thought I might lie there forever.

 

Dining:

 

There are no words, but I always find them anyway. The first night we felt casual and went to the “buffet” in the Terrace Restaurant. Just toss any conception you may have about “buffets” and imagine yourself in a fine restaurant where you seat yourself wherever your heart desires and someone immediately appears to take your drink order and fill your glass with iced water. White tablecloths and crystal glasses adorn the table. Then imagine you’re allowed to go into the kitchen of this fine restaurant and choose whatever your heart desires from whatever a variety of chefs have whipped up. We began with sushi and crab legs, green mussels, crusty breads and fine cheeses. And then, from the grill, lobster and baby lamb chops with mint jelly. I can’t even go on … we were in heaven.

 

We also enjoyed dinner in Jacques (succulent Duck l’Orange and perfectly cooked Dover Sole), Polo for prime rib and steamed lobster, Red Ginger for Miso Glazed Sea Bass and Toscana for more lobster, pasta and veal chop. My husband preferred Toscana to the others, but I liked Polo the best with Jacques a close second. Red Ginger was not my favorite, truthfully, though it was everyone else’s that we spoke to. I think I ordered the wrong things there, but I’ll definitely give it another try.

 

We loved the Grand Dining Room. The Eggs Benedict at breakfast were the best I’ve ever had, perfectly cooked. We always shared a table with 2 other couples and had the best time getting to know people from all over this country and beyond. And all the desserts in every venue were superb including the homemade ice cream, milkshakes, and a chocolate fountain with marshmallows and fruits to dip.

 

And then there’s Afternoon Tea at 4:00 in Horizons and scones with clotted cream and …..

 

I know I’ve lost you … you’ve left me to book an Oceania cruise, right?

 

Staff/Service:

 

What can I say? Exemplary. We wanted for nothing. I know it seems like I’m fawning, but everyone working on that ship served us flawlessly and seemingly with no effort at all. I think what really rocked our world was after the last show when officers, chefs, butlers, stewards and other staff came into the lounge to salute US! And as we left they banked the sides applauding us as we applauded them. They made us feel that they were as happy to have us there as we were to have them.

 

We chose the PH because this was a special celebration. But the Butler seemed superfluous. Ha!!! Within minutes of entering our cabin, Binod arrived at our door and told us he was there for no other reason than to make us happy. Each day when I opened the door at dawn to see his smiling face with steaming hot coffee and fresh croissants, I was indeed very happy. On our last day I remarked that I wish he could come home with me; I’m sure this is not a new request. I moaned “Binod, we have to disembark tomorrow! :(” to which he replied “But you are here now, this moment. Enjoy today. Now is all that matters”. It’s so simple; it is so true. Carpe diem.

 

I really enjoyed working with Rosanna De Ria, our Oceania Club Ambassador. Both she and Sharon Miceli always had a friendly smile and Rosanna was so helpful even when I kept changing my mind about a future cruise.

 

Tours:

 

Call me stupid because I know that the cruise line tours cost more than booking privately, but I feel safer using them. I know that no matter what happens the ship won’t leave without me. We’ve been to the Caribbean many times and visited most of the islands both by land and sea. So for us the Riviera was our destination, but we did book 2 tours.

 

Antigua – Lobster & Champagne Catamaran Cruise: This was a wonderful tour exploring the shores of Antigua, visited two beaches, and included lobster grilled off the stern of the catamaran along with delicious potatoes, salad, a rice dish we didn’t really care for, and champagne. We don’t drink alcohol, but it was fun to watch everyone kick back, relax and enjoy … it’s catching. The lobster was delicious which says a lot coming from this New Englander who honestly believes that there is no other lobster than Maine lobster. Maybe it was the ambiance, or the boat, or the magnificent turquoise waters, but that lobster tasted pretty darned yummy to me. All of us onboard really had fun on this tour and you can’t put a price on a wonderful day you’ll never forget.

 

Barbados – Photo Adventure: Barbados is really an exquisite island. In the 80’s we stayed on the island and we’ve visited since by sea, but I looked forward to returning for a view from the “inside”. I was not disappointed. The host of this tour was Ronnie Carrington, a Barbadian photographer. On our way to the spectacular “Scotland District” on the east coast of Barbados, he showed us a number of his photographs. As an amateur photographer, I was in awe of some of his work. Our last stop was at the charming Atlantis Hotel on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, white louvre shutters thrown open to an azure sea, breezes gently swaying the palms, magnificent views … just wonderful. Here we enjoyed a cold rum or fruit punch before returning to the ship.

 

I only hope I was able to capture some of the beauty along our route in my photographs. Barbados was just as I remembered. The only blemish on this day was dropping my brand new camera on a rock rendering it useless. How lucky was I to have brought along a “just in case” and had it with me on this tour.

 

As in so many ports, you need to get away from Bridgetown to really experience the island. And while some islands are often better enjoyed from the water, Barbados is an island you really need to explore from within.

 

Entertainment: The Jean Ann Ryan Company was the featured entertainment in the Riviera Lounge. We thought they were wonderful and saw all but one of their shows. I regret we missed some of the Entertainers onboard because we got so caught up in conversation at dinner that we couldn’t tear ourselves away. But the entertainment we did see, we really enjoyed. What stood out for me was one of the Jean Ann Ryan singers performing “ The Phantom of the Opera“. She was as good, or better, than performers who have performed it on the New York stage.

 

I want to mention here that Nolan Dean was probably by far the best Cruise Director we’ve ever had … at least in recent memory. First, he was so funny which in itself is enough for me. His self-deprecating humor had me from moment one and I believe he held all of us in the palm of his hand from that day forward. Nolan seemed to be everywhere. Maybe he fooled us all with an identical twin stashed away, because it seemed no matter where we were he was there with a huge smile.

 

The Passengers:

 

We had a wonderful group anticipating this cruise on our CC Roll Call and we got more excited with every day. We had arranged to meet in Horizons our first morning at sea. Almost everyone showed up and my only regret is there wasn’t more time to spend talking. We were a little rushed and in the way of an activity, but we were all in a pretty happy mood that morning and it was fun running into everyone throughout the cruise.

 

We met so many wonderful people from all corners the world. I don’t think I ran into one grump the entire cruise. Even my husband was at his best! I would love to join all the people we met and sail off again one day, get to know them better. A couple of our fellow cruisers are already booked on our next cruise and I’m looking forward to seeing them again.

 

Disembarkation:

 

We requested 8:30. We were told everyone would leave the ship between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. Our number was called about 8:20, we were off the ship and through Customs within 25 minutes. With our drive of 1 hour 20 minutes we were back in our home at 10:00 a.m. Having walked out of our suite at 8:00, this was just amazing. Last year we experienced the worst disembarkation ever and this was definitely the best ever.

 

Final Thoughts:

 

Our cruising days together began on the fun filled decks of the Cunard Countess in the early 80’s and washed onto the Royal Viking Sea in the Mediterranean for our honeymoon. We sailed through the South Pacific waters on Wind Song and enjoyed the small feel of ships like Seawind Crown, Prinsendam and NCL’s Windward (both formerly Royal Viking ships). I have been on 19 cruises, which for some may seem few, but neither are we cruise novices.

 

For years we enjoyed Holland America and then Celebrity, but as those lines tried to keep their fares low and their ships full, we felt the decline yet not unlike a wife trying to excuse her husband’s faults, or vice versa, we overlooked a lot. But looking back today at my last review of Solstice I now know how generous I was because the tarnish was greater than I acknowledged.

 

So to board Oceania Riviera a few weeks ago, feel the luxury and the warmth that engulfed us, it really was like coming home and served as a reminder that you get what you pay for. And truth be known, even the lowest level on Oceania comes at a cost higher than the cruise lines we enjoyed in the past. But we’ve reached a time in our lives that if we’re going to take ourselves out on the glorious ocean we so love, we’re going to do it in style and we’re going to do it on Oceania. I’d rather cruise less and do it on Oceania than accept anything less than what we experienced on the Riviera.

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Wonderful review Heather. So glad it ended so well for you, especially after the passport problem. We leave on the Mar 4 sailing. It will be our second on Riv. We are so addicted to O that this is our third sailing in under 6 months (#9). Deb

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Having splurged for this same cruise in about 3 weeks, I can't tell you how excited I am to read this type of glowing report on Riviera. Thanks so much for taking the time to post this. Happy cruising everyone, Chris.

 

Rustyspanner - If you are on the 02/02 sailing, take note that a CruiseCritic "Meet & Greet" will be gathering in the Horizons Lounge, Deck 15, Aft at 3:00PM on Sunday, Feb 3. Would love to have as many CC cruisers as possible join the gathering. Visit the 02/02 Riviera "Roll Call" http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1569647

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Heather,

 

I felt the same way as you when I returned from my first Oceania cruise on the Marina last March. Since then I was on the Regatta and am booked on the Riviera this coming December.

 

I've done 24 cruises in total mostly on Celebrity. I also feel that these other lines are cutting back (just off the Constellation, and it was not the same as when I first sailed her).

 

Oceania is a wonderful cruise experience. Looking forward to many more on this line as well.

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Rustyspanner - If you are on the 02/02 sailing, take note that a CruiseCritic "Meet & Greet" will be gathering in the Horizons Lounge, Deck 15, Aft at 3:00PM on Sunday, Feb 3. Would love to have as many CC cruisers as possible join the gathering. Visit the 02/02 Riviera "Roll Call" http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1569647

 

Sorry, I could have been more specific. We are on the Caribbean Hideaways following you 2/12/13. Have a wonderful cruise. I'll be waving from Intercontinental when you disembark. :)

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We took our very first cruise on the Riveria a few months ago. Last October we toured the Mediterranean, Rome to Venice. Since it was our first cruise, we had nothing to compare it, but we are now spoiled and would never cruise another line.

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You are an excellent writer and have done a great job of sharing your Oceania experience. Thank you so much.

 

Thank you:). Writing is an obsession for me. I work hard to choose just the right words to express everything I feel, much like painting a picture, and I love when that comes through. I try to do it through my photographs as well, but I'm an "amateur" at everything I do so praise means so much to me.

 

These were the words that resonated with me

 

Simply stated, we were guests, not cargo. We loved it.

 

 

Glad you had such a wonderful cruise:)

 

So great you pulled those particular words since that was also my favorite part of the review:). I (almost) didn't need to write anything else:).

 

 

A week ago this morning we disembarked and we still miss it. DH said to me "we really could do this more than once a year". So now we just have to hope our friends would love watching our dog, Sophie, more than once a year!!!:D

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Heaher, I couldn't agree more with every word that you wrote in your glowing review. I concur with others that gave rave reviews of your writing. It was beautifully written and 100% on the mark.

 

We also were first time Oceania cruisers, and fortunate enough to share this beautiful cruise with you. Previous to this cruise we had sailed on Celebrity 4 years earlier, and were not that enthused about cruising when we returned, but this cruise has converted us into not just cruisers, but Oceania loyalists as well.

 

There are certain things that you can choose when you cruise, like the itinerary, the cruise line, the ship, but you cannot choose the people that you are traveling with on that ship. In this instance, we felt like there was a great chemistry among the people too. It made the whole cruise perfect. We enjoyed spending time with you in the meet and greet that we had as well as the one lunch that we shared together in the Terrace Cafe, and we are really looking forward to spending next January together with you on the Mayan Mystique cruise.

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thank you:). Writing is an obsession for me. I work hard to choose just the right words to express everything i feel, much like painting a picture, and i love when that comes through. I try to do it through my photographs as well, but i'm an "amateur" at everything i do so praise means so much to me.

 

 

 

so great you pulled those particular words since that was also my favorite part of the review:). I (almost) didn't need to write anything else:).

 

 

a week ago this morning we disembarked and we still miss it. Dh said to me "we really could do this more than once a year". So now we just have to hope our friends would love watching our dog, sophie, more than once a year!!!:d

 

as an ex-writer with over twenty-five magazine publications and seven years writing a newspaper surfing column (on a typewriter) i can attest you are not an amateur!! Your zeal for expressing yourself through the wriiten word spells "love" of expression. You are a natural.:):):)

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We are booked for our first Oceania cruise Rome to Venice this fall. I booked it with hesitation as we abandoned ocean cruising years ago when the constant nickel and diming for everything, the intrusive photographers who do not take no for an answer, the masses of passengers on larger and larger ships, and the mall like ambiance became commonplace among cruise ships, with only the luxury lines providing an experience we enjoyed - and at a high price that made it a very occasional splurge. HAL and Celebrity were our lines of choice at that time and we found them better than the rest but still just not what we wanted in a vacation.

 

We turned to river cruising and have been pleased with our experiences as many of the things we dislike about ocean cruising are simply not what river cruising is all about.

 

I booked this Oceania cruise because my husband has always wanted to visit Greece and Sicily and it is simply easier to do so by ship. After looking at all of the options, we narrowed it to Oceania and Windstar and booked Oceania because of a good promotion that made it affordable.

 

In December of last year, we were booked to spend 10 days in Europe, visiting Germany for the holidays, a part of Europe we love. We had to cancel our plans due to a family emergency and when things settled down, we found ourselves alone for Christmas with vacation time taken and no where to go. Our favorite Caribbean destinations were sold out and flights outrageously priced. I found a good price on Grand Princess for Christmas week and we booked, with realistic expectations. Having been away from ocean cruising for 6 years, we hoped that Princess would at least provide some elements of the traditional cruise experience we used to enjoy.

 

While we had a nice week enjoying great weather, we were surprised to experience how much further the ocean cruise experience had deteriorated. We paid for every thing, even for a cup of mediocre brewed coffee. Food was just bad in the MDR and the specialty restaurants disappointing. Our mailbox was stuffed with sale flyers and art auction invitations. We spent most of the cruise on our oversized balcony and dined in port at every opportunity.

 

We expected little and got even less.

 

We have high hopes for our Oceania cruise but do not want to raise our expectations too much. We will never go back to being frequent ocean cruisers but we do hope that Oceania will give us a reason to cruise on a big ship every once in a while.

 

Heather, I very much enjoyed your review and am now looking forward to Oceania more than before.:)

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Heather, I couldn't agree more with every word that you wrote in your glowing review. I concur with others that gave rave reviews of your writing. It was beautifully written and 100% on the mark.

 

We also were first time Oceania cruisers, and fortunate enough to share this beautiful cruise with you. Previous to this cruise we had sailed on Celebrity 4 years earlier, and were not that enthused about cruising when we returned, but this cruise has converted us into not just cruisers, but Oceania loyalists as well.

 

There are certain things that you can choose when you cruise, like the itinerary, the cruise line, the ship, but you cannot choose the people that you are traveling with on that ship. In this instance, we felt like there was a great chemistry among the people too. It made the whole cruise perfect. We enjoyed spending time with you in the meet and greet that we had as well as the one lunch that we shared together in the Terrace Cafe, and we are really looking forward to spending next January together with you on the Mayan Mystique cruise.

 

Jeff, you are so right about the people. That falls to fate or kismet or whatever :). After everything else, the passenger's attitudes can (and have for me) ruin a cruise. We were very lucky on this cruise and I suspect we'll be just as happy next time.

 

So happy you and Cyndi will be with us on the Mayan Mystique! If I rushed time, I would for this. But I don't. Each day (as Binod would tell me) is too special:)

 

as an ex-writer with over twenty-five magazine publications and seven years writing a newspaper surfing column (on a typewriter) i can attest you are not an amateur!! Your zeal for expressing yourself through the wriiten word spells "love" of expression. You are a natural.

 

I blush:o. Thank you. What more can I say:)? I wrote a blog for years through the eyes of my dog. It ends sadly:(. But I'm in the process of transitioning it into a Kindle book for Amazon. It's a great hobby because it takes no space and needs few tools!

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What a delightful review Heather! Just the right mix of unabashed enthusiasm and thoughtful observation. You write beautifully!

 

I agree with all your comments, with the sole exception that we loved Red Ginger. It was a toss up between that and Jacques for our favorite. I'm sorry that I recommended the Miso-Glazed Sea Bass and you didn't like it. It was a definite hit with us. We had it twice aboard and I've since made it at home!

 

It's easy to get hooked on Oceania since the product is so darned good. I see a few HAL regulars here and on various Oceania Roll Calls, so the word is getting out.

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Heather,

What a pleasure it was to read your beautifully written review! I was smiling the whole time! :D My husband & I both feel the same way about Oceania, but I could never express it as well as you did! I even loved the ending about your dog as we have two little dogs and also have someone come stay with them when we cruise! :)

 

I hope we are fortunate enough to be able to sail with you & your husband some day!

 

Judy & John

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Great review! It almost made me decide to book another cruise, but DW and I decided our cruising days are over.

Your cruise sounds like our first cruises, with great service, friendly pasengers (Although we have found that on every cruise, it seems to be harder and fewer each time), and good food.

 

I think you summed it up with your phrase, "We felt like guests, not cargo". That is my impression of the difference between the 1990s and 2005+.

I wish I had your writing skills.

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What a delightful review Heather! Just the right mix of unabashed enthusiasm and thoughtful observation. You write beautifully!

 

I agree with all your comments, with the sole exception that we loved Red Ginger. It was a toss up between that and Jacques for our favorite. I'm sorry that I recommended the Miso-Glazed Sea Bass and you didn't like it. It was a definite hit with us. We had it twice aboard and I've since made it at home!

 

It's easy to get hooked on Oceania since the product is so darned good. I see a few HAL regulars here and on various Oceania Roll Calls, so the word is getting out.

 

So it was you!!! LOL:D Seriously, everyone onboard went bonkers over the sea bass in Red Ginger. And so did I with my first few bites. Maybe I'd eaten too much that day; that could be the problem. It tasted sooooo good in the beginning, but it didn't agree with me.

 

So it was me. Almost everyone at our table had it and loved it.

 

Great review! It almost made me decide to book another cruise, but DW and I decided our cruising days are over.

Your cruise sounds like our first cruises, with great service, friendly pasengers (Although we have found that on every cruise, it seems to be harder and fewer each time), and good food.

 

I think you summed it up with your phrase, "We felt like guests, not cargo". That is my impression of the difference between the 1990s and 2005+.

I wish I had your writing skills.

 

I thought my cruising days were over, too. But I'll never regret this decision. It was like stepping back in time only better because our cabin was so much nicer. This cruise for us was much like our first cruise both in the enjoyment during the cruise and the taste it has left in our mouthes since.

 

I highly recommend it. Never say never. Think about it :)

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Thank you for your review and for posting.

Sorry to hear about your camera - seemingly the only negative (and not Oceania's fault at that).

 

There was some debate about whether it was my fault or DH's so I decided not to include that tiny thorn. But it sure wasn't Oceania's!!!:)

 

Waiting to hear from Olympus.

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