Superb cruise with some suggestions for Mgm't

[kiawahdon]

We just finished a fabulous 28 days on the Marina. Ignoring the inclusive beverages of Seabourn and Crystal, these 2 luxury lines can’t hold a candle to Oceania in terms of food and service. Marina’s PH staterooms are superior to these two lines’ comparable cabins in both space and furnishings. I could go on, but hopefully you get the point- exceptional cruise experience.

 

With my glowing comments out of the way, I would like to offer management 7 suggestions to make Oceania an even better product and passenger experience:

 

1. World Card holder- The visqueen(?) plastic adheres to the World Card like glue- especially if it is warm. Trying to get it out on exit or entry from/to the ship can be a real exercise. Clear plastic makes sense, but there are other plastics that don’t cause this issue.

 

2. Use smaller bread baskets for 2 tops and reduce substantial waste.

 

3. Get some super glue and put a small knob on the safes. When you enter your combination and “open” the safe, the door often doesn’t move- even though it’s unlocked. Now, it is a choice of banging the door to get it to open enough to grab it; or using your nails to find something to grab and open the door.

 

4. For passenger peace of mind if a shore emergency arises, put the ships direct dial telephone number on the back of the World Cards. Seabourn, Azamara and Paul Gauguin are just three examples of lines that do this. Putting the port agent’s telephone number in Currents just doesn’t cut it in my opinion.

 

5. Now a “biggie” for me. Why aren’t large cold (or at least not warm!) plates available in the Terrace Café? Particularly at lunch, I like to enjoy the great salads and mini sandwiches offered in the center buffet area. With only small plates, I am juggling 2 plates vs. one large plate. If I get a large plate, it is routinely very warm (courtesy of the heat lamps on the hot buffet line) or hot having just come from the dishwasher. A hot/warm plate for chilled food is both unappetizing and unhealthy.

 

6. The stateroom TV capabilities need to be upgraded and more interactive. Why I can’t see my shipboard account on my television really mystifies me. You can even do this with several low-cost lines! Without this feature, I have to march to either a concierge or Reception and request a print out. By this action I have needlessly taken someone’s time and killed more trees.

 

7. Finally, the curtain tracks in the staterooms. Not only do they not work very well, they clearly encourage ripped curtains because they don’t slide easily. People get aggravated and just pull hard. These tracks are what my grandmother’s bedroom had. For the Marina to have these boggles my mind. The Hampton Inn has it right- why did the designers miss this?

[LHT28]

1. World Card holder- The visqueen(?) plastic adheres to the World Card like glue- especially if it is warm. Trying to get it out on exit or entry from/to the ship can be a real exercise. Clear plastic makes sense, but there are other plastics that don’t cause this issue.

I never use the card holder

2. Use smaller bread baskets for 2 tops and reduce substantial waste.

I agree with this I feel I wasted the bread they could come & serve some like they used to do I do not mind if they take it away after I get my roll when there is only 2 people at the table

3. Get some super glue and put a small knob on the safes. When you enter your combination and “open” the safe, the door often doesn’t move- even though it’s unlocked. Now, it is a choice of banging the door to get it to open enough to grab it; or using your nails to find something to grab and open the door.

 

Never had a problem with the safe door

On our recent cruise there was a separate sheet with all the port agent's numbers on it

I just put that in my shore bag

normally I write down the infomation & put it in my bag but this was an excellant idea on Oceania's part

Edited March 6, 2014 by LHT28

[vistaman]

i hope you did enjoy the "usury" on board ocenania as well :(

outrageous wine prices , stupid service charges and bitter pre packed orange juice :eek:

[Acrusa]

i hope you did enjoy the "usury" on board ocenania as well :(

outrageous wine prices , stupid service charges and bitter pre packed orange juice :eek:

 

The wine list we found very reasonable and inexpensive.Santa Margarita $50.00 compared to$70.00 in most NY and Long Island restaurants.We where on this cruise for 18 days.As far as the OJ all you have to do is ask them in waves to squeeze fresh oranges.

[kiawahdon]

i hope you did enjoy the "usury" on board ocenania as well :(

outrageous wine prices , stupid service charges and bitter pre packed orange juice :eek:

 

Actually several of us commented that it was the best OJ we have had on ships!

Seems you should vote with your feet and choose another line for your cruise euros.

[Acrusa]

I found the OJ they poured was great,had it from room service and at waves.

[orchestrapal]

i hope you did enjoy the "usury" on board ocenania as well :(

outrageous wine prices , stupid service charges and bitter pre packed orange juice :eek:

 

How come you still read this board. I hardly think you'll be successful in changing many minds.

[redraider1966]

7. Finally, the curtain tracks in the staterooms. Not only do they not work very well, they clearly encourage ripped curtains because they don’t slide easily. People get aggravated and just pull hard. These tracks are what my grandmother’s bedroom had. For the Marina to have these boggles my mind. The Hampton Inn has it right- why did the designers miss this?

 

This has been the bane of Marina (and presumably Riviera) pax since the inaugural cruises. Having sailed four times on Marina, we found that the problem is not with the curtain tracks, per se, but with the curtain hooks. Rather than using hooks that attach the curtains to the tracks at the top of the pinch-pleat, they use hooks that make the pinch-pleat drag and catch all along the track. It would certainly be an easy fix, in my view, to replace the hooks and thereby lower the curtains away from the track, and certainly more cost-effective than replacing panels of ripped curtains.

[RJB]

WE were on the same cruise and this just sounds like nit picking. WE had a wonderful time and none of these things even crossed our minds. A few things that we found that could be improved will be posted when I get some time, but even these things are pretty minor. LOVE OCEANIA :)

[kiawahdon]

WE were on the same cruise and this just sounds like nit picking. WE had a wonderful time and none of these things even crossed our minds. A few things that we found that could be improved will be posted when I get some time, but even these things are pretty minor. LOVE OCEANIA :)

 

Sorry if you think I am nit picking- I don't. These were offered as legitimate suggestions. Yes, some were minor, but it would say others are not. Putting an emergency number on World Cards protects both O and it's passengers. It is also something that a number of cruise lines have done for over a decade- I have the key cards to prove this!

[RJB]

Sorry if you think I am nit picking- I don't. These were offered as legitimate suggestions. Yes, some were minor, but it would say others are not. Putting an emergency number on World Cards protects both O and it's passengers. It is also something that a number of cruise lines have done for over a decade- I have the key cards to prove this!

O.K. I guess there is always room for improvement. Did not try to imply that you were wrong, just that these things were not very important to us. :)

[hondorner]

...

1. I agree about the provided World Card holder. The first thing we do is take the World Cards out and throw them away, and just carry the cards in our pockets. I do have a money clip with card pockets that works much better.

 

3. I also agree about the safes -- however, I don't mind "bouncing" the door to get it open.

 

5. You're echoing my thoughts about the plates, but it's not a "biggie" for me. But, it would be thoughtful, and no trouble, to put chilled plates near the salad/cold cuts area.

 

6. I also check the TV every time I board to see if they've joined the 21st century, yet. I've come to expect my account statements on the TV from seeing it on other cruise lines, and I especially like seeing the daily menus on TV.

 

7. I suppose the reason we've never had a problem with the drapes is because we always keep them open. It's one of first things I ask of the room steward; please don't shut the drapes -- we're just going to open them again. If we didn't have daylight coming in the window in the morning, we'd miss breakfast every day -- it's also the reason we don't choose inside cabins.

 

Overall, good suggestions that would not be difficult to implement. I have just one more -- at the next drydock of Marina and Riviera, the curtains between the sleeping and sitting areas in the penthouse suites should be converted to be real curtains that can be pulled shut.

[JPR]

Vistaman,

 

We had daily fresh squeezed orange juice. You only have to ask...

[Noxequifans]

We also throw away the World Card holder .. see no use for it. On this subject, we also wipe the card with hand sanitizer after entering and leaving the ship. Since the security staff handle each card before ours ... we want to be extra safe and healthy.

[greenamber]

We also throw away the World Card holder .. see no use for it. On this subject, we also wipe the card with hand sanitizer after entering and leaving the ship. Since the security staff handle each card before ours ... we want to be extra safe and healthy.

 

Hey, I still use mine every week when I go to the gym, it is just the right size for my gym pass and emergency £10 note to fit into my joggers small pocket. Looking forward to our cruise in the summer to get a replacement. :)

[Stickman505]

Kiawahdon-

Thanks for taking the time to post your suggestions.

I'd like to elaborate on #6. We just returned from Regatta and will be on Marina next year (I assume Marina's and Regatta's systems are similar based on your description).

I would have liked to see much more information displayed on the TV. The information presented seemed random and in some cases hardly ever updated. In this age of computer weather predictions,it seemed odd that "today's and tomorrow's" weather usually displayed as N/A. As to the randomness of the presentation, if I wanted a certain piece of information, I sometimes had to spend long periods waiting for the screen to roll to the desired page while other screens repeated over and over. Adding to the additional information/interaction that you mentioned I think many technically minded passengers would love to see a page displaying technical information such as: Number of generators running and their voltage output; shaft rotation speeds and fuel consumption rate. Additionally, screen shots of the navigational radar screens and shots of the weather radar screens would add a lot of enjoyment for those of us that are captain wannabes.

We loved our 2014 cruise and are looking forward to 2015.

[tropicalkerry2002]

I'd also like to know the depth of the ocean, and how far we are off the coast or from the nearest land, when on a TA.

[Jancruz]

Overall, good suggestions that would not be difficult to implement. I have just one more -- at the next drydock of Marina and Riviera, the curtains between the sleeping and sitting areas in the penthouse suites should be converted to be real curtains that can be pulled shut.

 

Sorry Don I have been asking for that for years..will not happen soon I dont think..

Jancruz1

[Acrusa]

Overall, good suggestions that would not be difficult to implement. I have just one more -- at the next drydock of Marina and Riviera, the curtains between the sleeping and sitting areas in the penthouse suites should be converted to be real curtains that can be pulled shut.

 

Sorry Don I have been asking for that for years..will not happen soon I dont think..

Jancruz1

 

And the bathtub taken out of the concierge veranda bathroom and make it into a walk in closet

Just a suggestion.

[orchestrapal]

Sorry Don I have been asking for that for years..will not happen soon I dont think..

Jancruz1

 

And the bathtub taken out of the concierge veranda bathroom and make it into a walk in closet

Just a suggestion.

 

 

And the chances of that happening are zero to none.

[Benita]

Overall, good suggestions that would not be difficult to implement. I have just one more -- at the next drydock of Marina and Riviera, the curtains between the sleeping and sitting areas in the penthouse suites should be converted to be real curtains that can be pulled shut.

 

Sorry Don I have been asking for that for years..will not happen soon I dont think..

Jancruz1

 

You never know- they finally put refrigerators in the non concierge cabins

[sitraveler]

Don't throw the card holder away, I give it back.

 

Last cruise turned in my collection of card holders.

[LHT28]

We use them for our DL & CC at home

Handy when I do not take my purse shopping ;)

 

DH's survived the washing machine

 

 

Lyn

[ORV]

I use the extras to hold rewards program cards that all the stores insist on giving you to get discounts. I have one stuffed full in the glovebox. It's actually an older tan folder with the mesh instead of plastic to hold the cards. If they went back to this style I'm sure the OP's issue would be resolved, but they probably cost more. I also have some of the newer ones that are grey with the plastic. For some reason I prefer to use the grey ones. I personally don't have an issue using them. I actually take them on other cruise lines that don't provide the folders. I keep the card in one side and cash for the casino in another. Fortunately the one time I lost my folder I didn't have any money in it.

 

I also use them here at home to store the "leisure cards" that fellow travelers give us with their contact info. That way I can keep all that stuff together.

 

It beats the lanyards.

[bbwex]

I could not agree more with this point. The card holders we got on our first O cruise had mesh where they came in contact with the cards, and went right in and out easily. I did not take them with me on our last cruise, and regretted it immensely, but will take them on future cruises. I am sure they were more expensive, but they couldn't have been all that much and were much nicer.

 

I agree with most of the rest of the points the OP brought up, and hopefully some of them can be implemented.