Tell FDR what you'd like

[ClaudiaF]

Frank asked what we would be interested in having go on during sea days that isn't ( to liven things up a bit).. any ideas post on this thread.

[Zimmy]

Speaking for my husband and myself, and the couple we generally travel with, we are very satisfied with the sea days as they are. Oceania's itineraries are so port intensive that we crave the tranquility of the sea days. We're happy to relax & read, use the pool, get massages, etc. One of the reasons we like Oceania so much is that it lacks the frenzy of the mass market lines. When only one or two days of a fourteen day cruise are sea days, how much does one need?

[Druke I]

Sea days lover here, but like Zimmy above, I don't need a lot of organized activities to make me happy.

 

I am quite content with a good book, a good deck chair, and an ocean view, with people watching filling in for variety.

[LHT28]

I agree with the above posters ...Sea days are good for resting up! :)

 

Maybe more effort should be spent on the tour desk!

More information flyers put in with the nightly newsletter .

Some other cruises we have been on have gotten pamplets from the tourism boards and had a good supply at the tour desk the night before for those wishing to "do their own thing"

[mike35]

Please continue your superb wine tastings and cooking demos - they're tops! The only other thing we missed on our Istanbul - Athens Insignia cruise was a good enrichment lecturer to enhance our knowledge of the ports -- culture, language, cuisine, history. Although we purchased our own literature to cover these items, a lecturer would have provided additional insight into the fascinating cultures that we visited.

 

Mike

[Dbedros]

Although this will be our first time on Oceania (August 25, 2005), previously cruised 11 times on other lines, we are looking forward to the 2 sea days to rest. My husband is looking forward to the demonstration by Jacques Pepin as we read that he will be on this sailing. We will also play bridge if we can find others. We enjoy enrichment lectures and understand that this may be a possibility. Frankly we have had our fill of art auctions, bingo, arts and crafts, etc...

 

We originally took this cruise because of the inclusion of some ports that we wanted to visit, but have not previously been offered together by others at an affordable price. Everything that I have read since booking indicates that this is a good line and the only tweek needed would be shore excursions/tour desk.

[shmabbies]

To be able to use any credit card that suits my needs (and is accepted by the cruise line) without fear of bank/credit card charges that are unexpected, eat into my vacation budget, and don't seem to happen on any other cruise line except Oceania! We LIKE Oceania to be exceptional but NOT because they are the only cruise line that is (sporadically & for some undetermined reason) subject to foreign transaction fees! ;)

[ClaudiaF]

Someone mentioned movies in the theater.. that is a great idea..

on I think it was Crystal they had one of those cute popcorn makers ( carts) and served fresh hot popcorn during the movies..

[jimgib]

We were somewhat concerned with what to do with seadays, early this year we went from barbados to barcelona on the insignia. However when we got off the ship we wondered where the time had gone pity the trip wasnt longer.

I usually get very bored guess I just drifted into a different life style.

Cant praise the line enough.

Regards JimGib

[Druke I]

Claudia

 

Don't remember popcorn on Crystal Harmony - but on Holland America they have poppers outside the theater, and serve (free) hot buttered popcorn!.

 

And on the late great Royal Cruise Line, they always had fresh, hot cinammon buns, with lots of confectioner's sugar. Great (but sticky).

[esther e]

#65 Today, 04:56 PM

esther e

Cool Cruiser Join Date: Feb 2004

Location: Palm Coast, Florida

Posts: 321

 

 

 

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THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN POSTED HERE. I PUT IT SOMEPLACE ELSE BY MISTAKE. SORRY

 

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I agree about having movies. Also, I found out on the last day of the cruise that there were two Mah Jongg sets in the card room and a lady had been signing up there to find players. Could it be put in the daily program? And, pleeezzzeee, no horseracing!

Esther

[ClaudiaF]

Claudia

 

Don't remember popcorn on Crystal Harmony - but on Holland America they have poppers outside the theater, and serve (free) hot buttered popcorn!.

 

And on the late great Royal Cruise Line, they always had fresh, hot cinammon buns, with lots of confectioner's sugar. Great (but sticky).

 

My husband said he thinks it was a Princess cruise..I thought it was Harmony.... in any event nice touch.

Royal was a FABULOUS line..( Crown Odyssey :D )

[arizonaartie]

We're been on the HAL Rotterdam VI twice and it had a dedicated Movie Theater, pop corn machine, free coffee bar, and an alternate dining restaurant that was open for lunch as well as dinner. It was great. This was several years ago and maybe they've changed now and may be charging for some of these services.

arizonaartie

[Alice1203]

Some very good lectures on various topics would be great on sea days as well as various computer and photography classes taught by those in the know. Duplicate bridge would also be fun.

[Jane110]

 

- but on Holland America they have poppers outside the theater, and serve (free) hot buttered popcorn!.

 

 

Yup, HAL has freshly made popped corn right outside the movie room. The stand also serves Cappuccino's and espresso's all day and all evening along w/ some fresh baked cookies. Best part of a HAL cruise! :)

 

Jane

[Jane110]

Frank,

 

I appreciate you're asking this and hope you'll pass some of our idea's along.

 

I agree that one of the reasons I like Oceania is a non-frenzied days at sea. I don't need to run from activity to activity but I think there needs to be a few more available.

 

I think that the wine tasting is so popular that they should do two of them per cruise, not just one. Devote one to whites and/or sparkling and then another session to reds.

 

A few more exercise classes. Yoga, pilates, stretch.

 

Sometime I miss an activity because of timing or sometimes I like something so much I'd like to do it again or a variation of it. That's why I posted adding additional wine tastings and exercise classes.

 

I think we need more port talks. And real port talks, not just sales pitches! Yes, I know you're in the business to make money but we're paying alot to go on your ships. The sales pitches are fine, but we really need practical information. On our last Oceania cruise, the talk on Rio was so heavy a sales pitch that almost no city information was given.

 

Thanks for listening.

 

Jane

[FinelyCruising]

I am curious....by the time I have booked a cruise to new destinations, I am such a planner that I have already researched the location to death and know what I am going to do long before I get there.

 

I know on other cruiselines there is information delviered in the dailies about the next port, the size, the geography the history and so on which I do read which supplements what I have already learned.

 

Since I will be cruising Oceania for the first time, I am wondering if this line issues this kind of printed port infromation in an ongoing and timely basis while on board, or is that the reason why there are requests for the port talks while on board so this kind of local information can be absorbed. (Here again, not referring to shopping information)

[Debbers]

We're cruising from Miami to Barcelona next March expressly because we want many sea days in which to enjoy the ship and activities. We're especially hoping for dance lessons--particularly ballroom. We'd also like yoga, wine tastings, lectures of almost any kind, and lots and lots of good music. Thanks for asking!

[fjdelrio]

Thanks for all the commens and suggestions.

 

I'd like to wait another week or so and see what other ideas come forth.

 

I'll then tell you what we already do, what I think we can easily do, and what other ideas may be possible.

 

Thanks again.

 

Frank

[lcand1923]

I like the suggestion of two wine tastings per cruise. The wine tasting we had was one of the best on any cruise and we would definitely have enjoyed a second one.

 

On previous boards mention was made of a martini tasting. We did not have it on our cruise and would have attended it if offered.

 

Lectures on the various ports - featuring the art, history and culture of the peoples would be great.

 

The informal talk with tips on using your digital camera was great as were the various Photoshop Classes. We also heard good things about the other computer classes.

 

Since the cruise was port intensive, we looked at the sea days as days to relax and visit with the folks we had met on the various Shore Excursions we took. We could never find a quiet spot - minus the canned music - to have these conversations. Please consider killing the canned music in the public areas. The musicians that we had on our cruise were good. We expect to hear live music on a cruise ship. We also expect to have quiet spots for conversations.

[mike35]

I think that the wine tasting is so popular that they should do two of them per cruise, not just one. Devote one to whites and/or sparkling and then another session to reds.

Jane

 

The recent Istanbul - Athens Insignia cruise did have two, and each was superb. The first was hosted by the president of the American Somellier Association - needless to say, it was professional, informative, and not-at-all like the mass market line tastings, where they try to hawk very mediocre wines. The second was hosted by a charming Insignia somellier, and it featured wine and food pairings -- again, EXTREMELY informative, with terrific wines.

 

Mike

[Judyumcer@aol.com]

Would like the two wine tastings only add cheese. We were on Radisson twice and they had a wine and CHEESE tasting. It was fun to learn which cheeses to go with which wines. We also enjoy relaxing and sitting on our balcony. They had a chocolate "tea" which was delightful.

[ClaudiaF]

I am curious....by the time I have booked a cruise to new destinations, I am such a planner that I have already researched the location to death and know what I am going to do long before I get there.

As do most of us.

 

I know on other cruiselines there is information delviered in the dailies about the next port, the size, the geography the history and so on which I do read which supplements what I have already learned.

Usually a map of the "local" port area ,closest shopping etc. is available at the destinations desk..and there is info about the port in the daily as on other ships

Since I will be cruising Oceania for the first time, I am wondering if this line issues this kind of printed port infromation in an ongoing and timely basis while on board, or is that the reason why there are requests for the port talks while on board so this kind of local information can be absorbed. (Here again, not referring to shopping information)

Oceania has had "local" tourism people board ship at various ports to answer questions ..which could be a very nice thing, unfortunately

the ones we have seen on the cruises we have been on are always

swamped with people , so the wait to get an answer could prove to be very long. For a few "remote" towns we thought that the local assistance would be an added bit of help to the travel books and months of web info..but

In a few ports when asked some really simple info we were given total incorrect information , which resulted in not only us, but ALOT of people, taking cabs to a town that wasn't open..waste of $ and time.

I think there have been port lectures but they are by folks from the ship ..of where to shop.. we are talking about real lectures..meaty stuff by:rolleyes: someone who really knows the place.

[Roger35]

I wholeheartedly agree with Icantravel. Please do away with the canned music, especially at the pool. Quiet time is wonderful.

[millieb]

Frank asked what we would be interested in having go on during sea days that isn't ( to liven things up a bit).. any ideas post on this thread.

Wine/cheese and dancing would be fun!!!