Major Diappointment

[ORV]

Here are some specifics for my initial comments in posting #1:

 

1. Overzealous (and expensive by comparison) tour descriptions, eg – the 4 hr tour in Tobago was only 2.5 hr; the “Manaus rubber museum and Indian community” tour was supposed to include the world-famous opera house, which it did not -- a major disappointment; the “Highlights of Santarem” tour was supposed to include the town hall museum, which it did not.

2. Excursion desk personnel were rude and belligerent when concerns about a tour were expressed.

3. Very poor availability of working staff service in buffet, dining room, and pool deck areas, yet an overabundance of supervisors. This produced repetitive absence of cutlery and beverage service in the buffet, as well as protracted delays in the dining rooms for order-taking and food delivery.

4. Most buffet items in Terrace Café not labeled. Brought to the attention of the Executive Chef, leading to correction for one day only.

5. Narrow breakfast selection in buffet and restaurant was boring.

6. Compared with other cruise lines, there are too many hours when the only way to get food is Room Service.

7. Cabin not serviced for many hours after leaving sign to do so.

8. Service concerns and complaints were not promptly resolved. There is a clear disconnect between the emphasis on customer service expressed by the Hotel Manager and his underlings. The service level was well beneath that expected of a company that markets itself at the “high end”.

9. Many first-time O cruisers on the ship with backgrounds on other lines also thought this sailing was well below expectations. Even some O loyalists agreed, saying that service is better on the larger O ships.

10. At the end of the day, it is all about the specific crew members on a specific sailing, and I would never condemn any specific company. For example, we’ve had both disastrous and outstanding experiences with Celebrity, all attributable to crew behavior.

 

All of these comments (and others) were mailed today to Oceania in their post-cruise questionnaire. Now I get to see if they blow me off or are responsive.

 

Thanks for coming back with specifics. This helps understand your experience.

 

I haven't been on the Nautica, but having just got back from the Insignia I'm surprised at some of what you report, especially about the buffet. I've always felt Oceania has the best buffet at sea, and after 8 cruises with them still feel that way.

 

In all fairness we had a similar experience as your #7, our steward was new but after having a conversation with him about our expectations it got better.

 

This is why it's important that the cruise line offer the same quality of product across all it's ships. Generally with a new customer they have just one time to impress, if they get it right then that customer will be back.

 

Good luck sailing on lines that fit your expectations.

[computerworks]

Here are some specifics for my initial comments in posting #1:

 

Thank you for detailing the specifics....

[pinotlover]

As to #7 and service: It has long been my observation that it is best to not be on a cruise shortly after or before a major crew turnover. Service levels, to me, have always appeared to be higher when the crew has had an opportunity to get comfortable with their tasks and responsibilities and before the "short timers" attitude can set in!

 

The experiences one sees therefore with a well trained crew, in the middle of the 6-9 month rotation can be markedly different from what another cruisers observes right after a major crew change over.

 

The only Carribe cruising I have done is on a barefoot sailboat, and am not likely to ever do regular cruise line cruise in that area. I will say that from the reports I read, and comments others have made to me, there exists major differences overall in the make up of the cruisers themselves, along with their expectations, and possibly behaviors that what is witnessed, with cruises going there as opposed to other parts of the globe.

[LHT28]

As to #7 and service: It has long been my observation that it is best to not be on a cruise shortly after or before a major crew turnover. Service levels, to me, have always appeared to be higher when the crew has had an opportunity to get comfortable with their tasks and responsibilities and before the "short timers" attitude can set in!

 

 

A nice thought but they do not turn over the whole crew at the beginning of some cruise it may only be a few or several dozen depending on how long their contract was for

 

If anyone has a problem with a crew member it should be taken up with someone in charge at the time of the incident

 

JMO

 

Lyn

[LHT28]

Not all Oceania cruise lovers wear pom poms

 

I reported a few bad experiences & was also slammed for being too picky

 

There is NO perfect cruise line ...not even Oceania

Some cruises are better than others but nothing is ever PERFECT

 

Just because you did not have a poor experience does not mean it did not happen to others

 

Some O lovers are willing to overlook some small problems because they love the line

 

YMMV

[canuck.qc]

I am enjoying this discussion and learning much from both the "O" lovers and folks who have had concerns. I have never sailed "O" (but have sailed most of the major lines) and am considering "O" for next June.

The best is trying an O cruise and forming your own opinions. As you can see they vary drastically from person to person. Have a great trip & we look forward to reading your review.

[TrulyBlonde]

Not all Oceania cruise lovers wear pom poms

 

I reported a few bad experiences & was also slammed for being too picky

 

There is NO perfect cruise line ...not even Oceania

Some cruises are better than others but nothing is ever PERFECT

 

Just because you did not have a poor experience does not mean it did not happen to others

 

Some O lovers are willing to overlook some small problems because they love the line

 

YMMV

 

Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. My 1st post on CC was about a problem I thought was serious relating to a cruise on another line. They were a rough group and very cruel, but when other cruisers asked for more info, I provided it. There was no doubt I was telling the truth. I would not take the time to write about an issue unless it was serious.

On a TA in the North Sea on Princess, our cabin door blew open one night and I wondered why it seemed so chilly in the room...LOL..anyway, they fixed the lock in the a.m. and all was well. On Celebrity upon embarkation, the shower curtain had a blood stain on it...immediately replaced...We will be sailing on Regent and heard the coffee is terrible...I am not canceling, I can live with bad coffee (but not bad wine ;)...Things happen and it is not worth my time and effort to detail every minute problem when we have always had a good time regardless of the mishaps. Just happy we are healthy and alive to enjoy it.

[pinotlover]

Lyn;

 

I had that discussion with our room hotel staff. The lead in our area told me that about a third of the hotel staff was on the same rotation as she. Now, I'm not sure what percentage of the total staff is represented by the hotel staff, but a third of those leaving at one time is fairly significant. This is particularly the case if many were servicing one area on the ship such as the concierge rooms and above. I have no idea how many of the food staff may have been on the same rotation.

 

Next time aboard, ask your room staff. I will again come February.;)

[LHT28]

Lyn;

 

I had that discussion with our room hotel staff. The lead in our area told me that about a third of the hotel staff was on the same rotation as she. Now, I'm not sure what percentage of the total staff is represented by the hotel staff, but a third of those leaving at one time is fairly significant. This is particularly the case if many were servicing one area on the ship such as the concierge rooms and above. I have no idea how many of the food staff may have been on the same rotation.

 

Next time aboard, ask your room staff. I will again come February.;)

 

A couple of our room attendants have had 5 mth contracts one had 6mth

The wait staff we chatted with ranged from 6-10 mth contracts

 

So it is all subject to length of contracts

 

on the R-ships there is only 400 crew total

our stewardess on Insignia had 20 + cabins to clean

Edited December 11, 2014 by LHT28

[SellaVee]

I think problems arise due to the level of expectation we all take on board when we cruise Oceania. Most of us agree that it isn't the problem that's the deal breaker, but they way in which it is resolved. Overall we loved our cruise on Riviera last August and this time I filled in the mid cruise questionnaire and the minor problems we'd encountered were all addressed. Likewise a problem that arose on disembarkation was addressed promptly after I emailed on my return home. However some of the disappointments we encountered happened because of the way the line is sold - those multiple copies of the O brochure encourage us to set the bar very high.

 

The one thing that we did notice and didn't enjoy was the way some of the waiting staff were spoken to by the supervisors. It was uncomfortable to witness. I'll be interested to see if anything has changed when we board Insignia in March.

[Paulchili]

As to #7 and service: It has long been my observation that it is best to not be on a cruise shortly after or before a major crew turnover. Service levels, to me, have always appeared to be higher when the crew has had an opportunity to get comfortable with their tasks and responsibilities and before the "short timers" attitude can set in!

 

The experiences one sees therefore with a well trained crew, in the middle of the 6-9 month rotation can be markedly different from what another cruisers observes right after a major crew change over.

 

The only Carribe cruising I have done is on a barefoot sailboat, and am not likely to ever do regular cruise line cruise in that area. I will say that from the reports I read, and comments others have made to me, there exists major differences overall in the make up of the cruisers themselves, along with their expectations, and possibly behaviors that what is witnessed, with cruises going there as opposed to other parts of the globe.

 

Most of us are not privy as to when and where these "major crew turnovers" occur. Are you?

[HeatherInFlorida]

I won't don pom poms for any line anymore because I did once for HAL and again for Celebrity; both disappointed me so now I rave when there's a reason to rave and find fault if there's a reason to. If anyone goes on a cruise expecting perfection, they are in for a disappointment. But in my limited experience with Oceania (3 cruises), they come pretty close with the occasional glitch.

 

I just wrote my review of our Regatta cruise and for us it was wonderful enough to return in 4 months. And I only heard one rant on the ship and it came from a man who was annoyed he couldn't eat breakfast in Waves after a certain time ... even though he still had the opportunity to eat breakfast in another venue. He screamed at the top of his lungs that he would NEVER set foot on an Oceania ship again because food wasn't available in some venue 24/7.

 

My reaction ..... Seriously? By Day 2 I had already consumed way more than I should have. Thank heaven food isn't available all day.

 

But I'm still suspect with so much of what I read on any of these forums because no matter which line we're talking about I find it impossible to believe that any one cruise can be as bad as some describe.

 

My signature line below pretty much tells our story. After 4 times on HAL, one of them a TA, we tried Oceania this year and aren't looking back. We found Riviera a delightful experience and very much enjoyed the lack of nickel and dimeing that is the case on mainstream lines, the lack of pushy photographers, and of course the food and service, which didn't disappoint. And quite honestly, when everything is factored-in, between air fare and included non-alcoholic beverages, we didn't find the cost all that much more. We're happy with a standard verandah cabin, entertainment isn't a big deal for us. O's excursions are pricey, but we like the security of the ship's tours, and as a percent of the overall cost never struck us as that big an issue. We came to know the staff who assisted us at a more personal level than on HAL, they were unfailingly accommodating, and added to our overall experience. Everyone's mileage is different, but we have really fallen for Oceania after our first experience. Looking forward to the experience on an R ship this Spring.

 

Yes ... exactly. Personally I do think Oceania is expensive. However, when you consider the cost of staying at a really nice resort and build in all the food and entertainment, it's still a pretty good deal!

 

Ok I will take the bait

What do you have for breakfast that was not on the menu or on the buffet??

 

Lyn

 

I can't wait to hear either. I still hate to use the word "buffet' for the Terrace because it is so far removed from any 'buffet' I have ever had in my life. Everything I could possibly want for breakfast was there and if I wanted to go on down to the dining room, I could have lamb chops!:)

Edited December 11, 2014 by HeatherInFlorida
I really need to proof before posting!

[gjt3rd]

Thank you to the website developers for letting reviewers post their evaluation of cruises and not deleting them. Instead of criticizing the OP, post a comparison in your comments. Comments are quite helpful. If the OP did not post details, that's okay. Just post your experiences and why you had a different experience. Sometimes people do not post details of a bad experience because they do not want to relive a bad experience. They just want to warn people that their expecting were not met compared to other cruises. I understand that people want details. I would not waste my time writing more if my opinions might be fiercely combatted. So thanks OP for your review. Please give additional specifics so the rest of us who are planning cruises can avoid your frustrating experience.

[gjt3rd]

Wiks, why should the rest of us be denied an honest critic? So if someone who paid for a cruise makes a negative comment, that person's voice is silenced? Sounds like oceana caters to dictators who silence the voices of critics. Myself and others need honest reviews that tell the good, the bad, and the ugly about their cruises so we can prepare accordingly. I would not deny myself and O cruise but I already feel more prepared if I chose to book with them. True that it's easier to vote with our feet. CC website has the word critic in it. Start a website called Silence of the critics and then delete all negative posts.

[wiks]

Unfortunately, I was not very elegant in my wording. My intention was not to stifle criticism, as I understand the purpose of Cruise Critic. I was trying to suggest that it should be unnecessary to repeatedly continue all the "back and forth" sniping between a critic and the "O" apologists; but rather post the critique, have others offer their own experiences so people can make their own evaluation and then just move on. As an avid reader of the Oceania boards, it just seems that in recent months, the negative comments from critics and the responses to them have gotten much more strident and less "civilized" than was the case previously. I apologize if I offended anyone--it was not my intention.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[HeatherInFlorida]

My 2 cents ... I joined CC in 2004 and as you can see from my number of posts, I was an avid poster, but in another forum. I won't go into the good, the bad, and the ugly of my years here, but the net result is I visit rarely ... usually just before and just after a cruise. And I post even more rarely.

 

But I have learned a lot over 10 years and one thing is to pay absolutely no attention to anyone who posts they are just back from their cruise and are terribly disappointed, the cruise didn't come close to their expectations, etc. That was the case at the beginning of this thread. The OP did return to break down her appraisal in more detail and that was appreciated.

 

Of course we all have different experiences and anyone who says every moment of their cruise was heaven on earth has either just fallen in love (as I had on my first Oceania cruise) or they are generous and overlook the small stuff ... which, truthfully, I think we all should. Anyone who is lucky enough to be cruising is lucky enough.

 

But when a person is fairly new, has no history of posting on CC anywhere, and simply states they will never cruise O again because it was so ghastly or some such thing ... I'm a bit skeptical and I think everyone has a right to be. An honest criticism should not be met with disapproval, but let's keep it fair and truthful or we have to expect the wrath of those who absolutely love Oceania (or whatever cruise line it may be).

[TKS]

I'm not trying to denigrate anyone by this comment, but it is food for thought.

 

After the recent fire and subsequent deaths and cruise cancellation aboard Insignia, everyone's attitudes, expectations and concerns should be set a little more charitably. Imagine the families of those lost, the feelings of their co-workers and employer, and the guests aboard ship at the time. Thank God the crew was well trained and no more were injured or lost than were.

 

Reflecting on this sad happening makes minor criticisms of any cruise line pale in comparison.

[PENGUIN67]

Sounds like the total opposite of our cruise on this itinerary three years ago.

 

As to the cutting short of excursions, could you have been there on Sundays when the museums and the opera house are closed? We were there on weekdays. The excursion desk could have informed everybody on this tour that the opera house is closed on Sunday but open on Saturday. It's in walking distance from the pier.

 

Our tour that should have included the Manaus Opera House was indeed on a Sunday, but the ship's Excursion Desk did not advise. If they had, we could have gone their own our own on Saturday, as we had some free time.

[PENGUIN67]

 

Some O lovers are willing to overlook some small problems because they love the line

 

YMMV

 

So true. When we sat with another couple at the breakfast buffet, waiting a long time for cutlery, the other couple said "well, they must be busy", as managers were present in abundance, but no servers.

[azevedan]

<snip>

Of course we all have different experiences <snip>

But when a person is fairly new, has no history of posting on CC anywhere, and simply states they will never cruise O again because it was so ghastly or some such thing ... I'm a bit skeptical and I think everyone has a right to be. An honest criticism should not be met with disapproval, but let's keep it fair and truthful or we have to expect the wrath of those who absolutely love Oceania (or whatever cruise line it may be).

 

So are they allowed to have different experiences (and critique them) or not?

 

I said this under another thread, but it obviously bears repeating here:

I wonder if the people questioning the veracity of posters who dare express less than complete love of their Oceania experience realize just how much they turn others off to the cruise line?

And as for the treatment of newbies, it's cruel.

It is a common situation in any circumstance (polling, suggestion boxes, forums) that people are more likely to take the trouble to comment when something has gone wrong. Does not mean they should be doubted because they haven't first written 2,000 comments extolling rapturous experiences.

[HeatherInFlorida]

So are they allowed to have different experiences (and critique them) or not?

 

I said this under another thread, but it obviously bears repeating here:

I wonder if the people questioning the veracity of posters who dare express less than complete love of their Oceania experience realize just how much they turn others off to the cruise line?

And as for the treatment of newbies, it's cruel.

It is a common situation in any circumstance (polling, suggestion boxes, forums) that people are more likely to take the trouble to comment when something has gone wrong. Does not mean they should be doubted because they haven't first written 2,000 comments extolling rapturous experiences.

 

"Allowed"??? :) First, neither you nor I are the CC police and neither one of us have the right to say what should or should not be said. Anyone can say whatever they want. But all of us need to take responsibility for what we say. And if we have nothing to offer other than "it was awful!" we're going to get torn apart by Oceania lovers. And rightly so!!! We have to offer more than "I was disappointed" or "Oceania wasn't even close to what I expected".

 

If that weren't so I wouldn't have taken several hours to write what I considered a fair and balanced review of our recent cruise. I would have just come to this board and said I loved it but hated my lobster and the bathroom was a nightmare. Can you imagine the response I would have gotten? I can.

[MVPinBoynton]

"allowed"??? :) first, neither you nor i are the cc police and neither one of us have the right to say what should or should not be said. Anyone can say whatever they want. But all of us need to take responsibility for what we say. And if we have nothing to offer other than "it was awful!" we're going to get torn apart by oceania lovers. And rightly so!!! We have to offer more than "i was disappointed" or "oceania wasn't even close to what i expected".

 

If that weren't so i wouldn't have taken several hours to write what i considered a fair and balanced review of our recent cruise. I would have just come to this board and said i loved it but hated my lobster and the bathroom was a nightmare. Can you imagine the response i would have gotten? I can.

 

+ 1

[NC&KY]

And if we have nothing to offer other than "it was awful!" we're going to get torn apart by Oceania lovers.

If that weren't so I wouldn't have taken several hours to write what I considered a fair and balanced review of our recent cruise. I would have just come to this board and said I loved it but hated my lobster and the bathroom was a nightmare. Can you imagine the response I would have gotten? I can.

I probably should let this go, but I can't. Most (but not all) other boards are not like this. As someone else said, you can't imagine the impact you have on those who are not Oceania lovers. With all due respect, I don't think you're doing Oceania any favors; you are simply driving us away from what appears to be an "us or them club" when we don't want to be either. Reading this board is painful, and you don't realize how out of kilter you are with the vast majority of the rest of the boards here. (And I fully expect the reply to be, "Then don't read it," but I hope you understand how that impacts my feeling about cruising with the people who contribute here.)

[HeatherInFlorida]

I probably should let this go, but I can't. Most (but not all) other boards are not like this. As someone else said, you can't imagine the impact you have on those who are not Oceania lovers. With all due respect, I don't think you're doing Oceania any favors; you are simply driving us away from what appears to be an "us or them club" when we don't want to be either. Reading this board is painful, and you don't realize how out of kilter you are with the vast majority of the rest of the boards here. (And I fully expect the reply to be, "Then don't read it," but I hope you understand how that impacts my feeling about cruising with the people who contribute here.)

 

Wow! That was tough. I mean it… If you followed this board at all you would know I rarely post. I just got back from a cruise and I was flying high from it so I dropped by, wrote a review of my cruise and made a few posts. But you have just reminded me why I don't post.

 

If you had read my review, you would know that it was not a total rave at all. So I'm not at all sure why you came after me? You are very angry with someone, but as you would say, with all due respect, you're barking up the wrong tree. I don't know what set you off but all I said in my comment was that when you have a complaint about Oceania or any other cruise line and want to appear credible, you need to do more than just say you hated it. I stand by that statement.

[NC&KY]

My apologies; the comments were not meant for you, but your comments highlighted the problems that I see. I did not mean to criticize you. Your comments indicated trepidation of posting here for fear of getting slammed, and that's what I meant to comment on. And no, I'm not angry, just disappointed.

Edited December 14, 2014 by NC&KY