Oriana Update: dancing still okay but some other standards falling !

[Slow Foxtrot]

Been sailing on Oriana (amongst others) since 1995 so it was nice to get back on board after a break of two years. Oriana has always been P & O's most popular ship for ballroom and latin dancing and, in this respect, it didn't disappoint as there were long dance sessions almost every night. The great days of 'Natural High' seem to have gone but the John James Trio is still going strong in Harlequins. John James is no Frank Sinatra but he does at least keep in time with the tempo which is more than the dire vocalists in Cunard's dance-bands do! Incidentally, there are more sequence-dances than in former years and this seems to keep everyone happy. When the band takes a break there is a resident dance couple who play assorted CDs. They also give lessons during the day so, all in all, dance enthusiasts will not be disappointed.

 

Some other aspects of Oriana are regrettably not so positive. Dining in the Conservatory buffet is often reminiscent of rush-hour at a motorway service station. With a full ship there is simply not enough comfortable space for the amount of passengers. Those who have sailed on the Queen Victoria will confirm that their Lido buffet shows just how it should be done.

The food in the buffet reflects modern times with rice/noodles/chillies and other Eastern-type dishes outweighing the old traditional Western food.

However, there are daily salad options so no-one could go hungry here.

In the main Peninsular and Oriental restaurants there is a good choice of traditional dishes but, like on many ships, the 'greens' are hit and miss. Some of the occasional brocolli could be wrung out like a sponge. Our table service was excellent and speedy and no-one could argue with the price of P & O drinks which must be some of the fairest at sea.

 

The Crow's Nest was always one of Oriana's best rooms. In the evenings it's just right for drinks and conversation. On many nights, however, there was live music/vocalist and other groups who seem to insist that the volume should be so loud that conversation was difficult. It did nothing for the ambience of the Crow's Nest which, incidentally, is infinitely better than its equivalent on the Queen Mary 2. Such a simple thing to rectify - but where is the management?

The other room for drinks and conversation is the elegant Andersons. No music here and the better for it. It has a nice atmosphere, although one night there were guys standing at the bar on formal night swigging their beer from the bottles! Not unusual in your local pub, but dressed in dinner suits on formal night there was something amiss here!! How long before the barman is calling the bingo?

 

One of the biggest passenger bugbears was non-flushing toilets. Our own toilet was out of action upon arrival and there were dozens of others, some not working for a full day. At the same time there were several of the public toilets with 'Out of Action' on the door so, some of conveniences were anything but convenient. This needs urgent rectification.

 

Entertainment in the Theatre Royal was, generally, very good with some excellent headline-acts. The theatre is first class and better even than that on the Queen Mary 2 which is blighted by pillars due to poor design. The spacious theatre also showed films on many afternoons and this was very professionally done. There's no doubt that Oriana is a traditional and classic cruise liner (and a worthy successor to Canberra) but it obviously needs better maintenance in some areas and a little more thought by management. There are obviously many more years of service in her but, with Britannia now on the horizon, her future in a couple of years looks anything but certain.

 

Was it value for money? Definitely yes! As a fairly late booking, for just under £60 a day, we had a fine holiday cruise, all meals, nightly dancing and excellent entertainment. No hotel in the world can begin to compete with value like that!

[jeanlyon]

Have to disagree about the sequence dancing. There's too much of it for folk who like to actually do normal ballroom dancing. I don't know how to sequence dance. It's a pain.

 

Glad you had a good time though. We had far too much broccoli and some of the main dishes were not so good, but we had a wonderful time.

[dgs1956]

I really enjoyed reading your review. It would probably encourage me to book the Oriana.

[Scriv]

I was very interested to read your review, in particular about your views of the musical entertainment in the various venues.

 

We also had The John James Trio and I do not doubt the their musical abilities and am sure they were absolutely brilliant in the Harlequins, but in the Crow's Nest night after night with a very limited repertoire on our 14 night Baltic cruise, it was a very different matter.

 

Like you, we wished to sit in the Crow's Nest and be able to have conversation against a gentle music background. Instead, we had John James' really dire repetitive and intrusive patter on and on about the 'Romance' of the Crows Nest eg 'Can you sense the romance in the Crows Nest tonight? I can feel the romance... can you feel the romance in the air tonight?' and making sarcastic comments if too few people clapped him at the end of his every song. I don't take issue with his music at all, although he had a very limited repertoire, but this dire patter was a very different matter. We found it very invasive. We were not alone.

 

Rant over, really pleased that you had a great holiday though and I really enjoyed your review as well. I love Oriana. But mind you, I also love broccoli :)

Edited November 26, 2014 by Scriv

[PurpleMoonlight]

Interesting read, thanks.

 

I do hope the dance lessons are available on the Christmas cruise, I would love to learn.

[Midsomer Madness]

Having just returned from 12 nights on Oriana and disagree about the dancing, far too much sequence dancing...they take over...we gave up in the end..

 

I like the John James Trio and I also liked Blue Wave who were also in the crows nest on a lot of evenings..I sometimes thought the music a little loud, but there is always Anderson's for a quiet drink...couldn't have a quiet drink in Tiffany's with that piano player bashing the keys and why have they started doing quizzes in there? Leave them in the lords tavern.

 

No blocked or out of order loos from what I could see on our cruise..Oriana looked in fine fettle and we had a great time!

[Slow Foxtrot]

Have to disagree about the sequence dancing. There's too much of it for folk who like to actually do normal ballroom dancing. I don't know how to sequence dance. It's a pain......

 

Every dance is a pain when you don't know how to do it! The fact is that more people in the U.K. go sequence dancing than they do ballroom dancing.

Another fact is that the vast majority of social dances in the U.K. feature a mix of ballroom, latin, and sequence dancing. Even the famous Tower Ballroom at Blackpool has worked on this format for donkey's years.

My wife and I are ballroom dancing gold medallists but find that a night of just ballroom and latin dancing would be somewhat boring. A few sequence dances break it up and, unlike ballroom dancing, you can immediately dance correctly with virtually anyone.

We had some very good competition dancers on the cruise but they were not too proud to join in with some of the sequence dances. Granted, sequence dancing is usually the preserve of the older generation and does not require the training and discipline of ballroom dancing but some of it is good fun and, when danced with ballroom discipline, it can look quite impressive. That's why most UK social ballrooms use the 50/50 format.

So, don't deride it - learn a little of it, join in and you'll probably enjoy it.

Yes, there are literally thousands of different sequence dances and no-one knows them all, but there are a dozen or so that are played more or less everywhere - and that's all you need.

Happy dancing!

[dgs1956]

We are Ballroom and Latin dancers and we used to sit and watch Sequence, turning our noses up to be honest. However, as "Slow Foxtrot" says, a lot of dances are indeed 50/50 nowadays so we relented and have learned about a dozen or so. It'll never replace Ballroom and Latin but it can be a laugh, is sociable and at least you don't get constantly bumped into by people who are doing Ballroom and don't understand the line of dance.

I don't understand why the dance lessons on board aren't based on Sequence. Nobody could learn a Rumba or ChaChaCha etc in one or two hour long lessons.

[jeanlyon]

Have to disagree, sorry, like Midsummer above. Sequence dancing locks out all those who can dance, but don't go to sequence classes.

 

We can already do cha cha, rumba, tango, foxtrot etc. The friends we were with could also dance and were very disappointed with all the sequence stuff. If you have just boarded a cruise ship and want to dance, you are stopped from doing so.

Edited November 26, 2014 by jeanlyon

[Slow Foxtrot]

.....Like you, we wished to sit in the Crow's Nest and be able to have conversation against a gentle music background. Instead, we had John James' really dire repetitive and intrusive patter on and on about the 'Romance' of the Crows Nest eg 'Can you sense the romance in the Crows Nest tonight? I can feel the romance... can you feel the romance in the air tonight?' and making sarcastic comments if too few people clapped him at the end of his every song. I don't take issue with his music at all, although he had a very limited repertoire.....

 

Hello Scriv, your comments made me smile, especially the 'limited repertoire' of dear old J.J. He sang 'Blue Moon' so many times in the ballroom that we now know the words backwards! I bet you do too. But his tempo's were okay and that's the important thing to ballroom dancers.

 

Can also sympathise with 'Midsomer Madness' whose attempts for a quiet drink in Tiffany's were thwarted by the manic piano player. Whatever happened to the quietly-restrained tinkling piano in the background?

I blame the parents!

[jeanlyon]

Oh and we loved George Dirogi playing the piano in Tiffanys. He's an artist. Was it him?

[Slow Foxtrot]

Have to disagree, sorry, like Midsummer above. Sequence dancing locks out all those who can dance, but don't go to sequence classes.

 

We can already do cha cha, rumba, tango, foxtrot etc. The friends we were with could also dance and were very disappointed with all the sequence stuff. If you have just boarded a cruise ship and want to dance, you are stopped from doing so.

 

Have you never thought that 'ballroom dancing locks out all those sequence dancers who don't go to ballroom classes' ? It's the same thing.

You state that 'if you have just boarded a cruise ship and want to dance you are stopped from doing so' That is patently not the case. Having recently danced on Oriana for many nights they played assorted dances for everybody. Dancing is not just about you preferring ballroom and latin dancing. We prefer ballroom and latin dancing. Indeed, that has been our life for countless years. However, we realise that other dancers may prefer other styles of dancing and that is why P & O tries to keep everyone happy for most of the time. Are you saying that the famous Tower Ballroom would prevent you from dancing because they play a lot of sequence dancing along with the ballroom and latin?

There has to be give and take in social dancing and that's why about 90% of social dance venues operate this way.

[Slow Foxtrot]

Oh and we loved George Dirogi playing the piano in Tiffanys. He's an artist. Was it him?

 

Alas my dear, it was.

[dgs1956]

Have to disagree, sorry, like Midsummer above. Sequence dancing locks out all those who can dance, but don't go to sequence classes.

 

We can already do cha cha, rumba, tango, foxtrot etc. The friends we were with could also dance and were very disappointed with all the sequence stuff. If you have just boarded a cruise ship and want to dance, you are stopped from doing so.

 

Sequence only stops those that don't want to learn it. A lot of so-called Ballroom dancers look down their noses at it. It isn't difficult to do but it is sociable and a good Ballroom dancer can make it look better.

[Scriv]

Blue Moon.... Aargh!!!!!! We liked it the first few times...

 

The problem for us was that this was on a Baltic cruise back in late June and it was light until very very late and with magnificent sunsets - so what better place to sit and enjoy all this than in the Crow's Nest. Anderson's on Oriana was just not a viable option on those wonderful evenings. But of course, the sunsets and the light really set him off ......

 

And, tongue in cheek, I ask you if you know that John was born in Durham????

Edited November 26, 2014 by Scriv

[robanddiane]

Got to agree about the conservatory being overcrowded especially on an evening when the space was took up by sorrentos. We also agree about the crows nest as there were 6 of us who used to meet there at the end of the night but sometimes the music was too loud to have a conversation. We did use Andersons a couple of times but much preferred the crows nest. Confession time now and I am also guilty of drinking a bottle of peroni directly from the bottle as I feel you lose the quality when it's poured into a glass, can't believe this would cause stress to anyone or spoil their holiday. Would not have drank bottles but the draught lager was often not available on deck 7 and no one was available to fix the faults. These were minor problems that had no effect on our enjoyment of the cruise as there were so many positives about the rest of the ship. Will definitely use Oriana again. We have tried a few different companies and ships from small ships to the really large ships but really loved Oriana.

[Scriv]

Is it a Peroni thing, robanddiane, as my daughter who moves in professional and stylish circles always goes for drinking it from the bottle?

[Midsomer Madness]

Certainly don't deride sequence dances. We went to lessons and know a lot of them. We just thought there were far too many....they are known to take over on P&O cruises..its fine them doing them but at least do the ones that the majority of people know...sometimes they do obscure ones which only 1 or 2 couples know and then it looks ridiculous!

 

In all the times we frequented Harlequins I don't think they did one tango :( apart from the blasted square tango sequence dancing which must be the most boring dance in living history!

 

Cunard are fabulous but they tend to do far too many quicksteps and foxtrots and not enough latin....never satisfied are we!

[dgs1956]

Certainly don't deride sequence dances. We went to lessons and know a lot of them. We just thought there were far too many....they are known to take over on P&O cruises..its fine them doing them but at least do the ones that the majority of people know...sometimes they do obscure ones which only 1 or 2 couples know and then it looks ridiculous!

 

In all the times we frequented Harlequins I don't think they did one tango :( apart from the blasted square tango sequence dancing which must be the most boring dance in living history!

 

Cunard are fabulous but they tend to do far too many quicksteps and foxtrots and not enough latin....never satisfied are we!

 

The dreaded Square Tango. :) I do agree. The problem I found was that very few did Ballroom and Latin and that did allow the Sequence dancers to take over a bit. We held our ground and put in requests for dances including Argentine Tango.

Edited November 27, 2014 by dgs1956

[jeanlyon]

Certainly don't deride sequence dances. We went to lessons and know a lot of them. We just thought there were far too many....they are known to take over on P&O cruises..its fine them doing them but at least do the ones that the majority of people know...sometimes they do obscure ones which only 1 or 2 couples know and then it looks ridiculous!

 

In all the times we frequented Harlequins I don't think they did one tango :( apart from the blasted square tango sequence dancing which must be the most boring dance in living history!

 

Cunard are fabulous but they tend to do far too many quicksteps and foxtrots and not enough latin....never satisfied are we!

 

Yes that's exactly what I meant. Most people can do a basic waltz and quickstep and even a basic cha cha. They did sequence all the time when we were on board and you are right about the sequence tango!!

 

Sorry you didn't Like George - we were in Tiffanys every night listening to him and even sang with him late at night after the show.

[dgs1956]

Yes that's exactly what I meant. Most people can do a basic waltz and quickstep and even a basic cha cha. They did sequence all the time when we were on board and you are right about the sequence tango!!

 

Sorry you didn't Like George - we were in Tiffanys every night listening to him and even sang with him late at night after the show.

 

Can you not do a Square Tango either ??

[devongirl]

To be honest....this thread is actually putting me off paying the balance on our forthcoming cruise....

We are not dancers.

We are not moaners.

We just want to have a quiet and relaxing cruise. The last time we sailed on Oriana was 1997.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Scriv]

Aw, devongirl. Don't let it. This is just a really good natured bit of bantering about dancing and musicians - and it is all purely a matter of taste and own opinions. One man's meat is another man's poison etc. etc.

 

We don't dance at all either and our only experience of it on Oriana is from looking in the open door of Harlequins as we pass by in the corridor. I wouldn't know where to start. To me they all look good - and difficult.

 

You will love returning to Oriana, I'm sure. She is our favourite ship and I can't wait to be able to book our next cruise on her in summer 2016 when the schedule comes out. I am waiting for Iceland.

 

And we love the Crow's Nest and also Andersons. :)

Edited November 27, 2014 by Scriv

[dgs1956]

Well said Scriv.

There's a lot more to a cruise than a bit dancing or moaning for that matter.

[dgs1956]

To be honest....this thread is actually putting me off paying the balance on our forthcoming cruise....

We are not dancers.

We are not moaners.

We just want to have a quiet and relaxing cruise. The last time we sailed on Oriana was 1997.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

The original post was a very balanced review of Oriana. The bit banter about dancing surely wouldn't put you off. I'm sure you'll have a great time.