Anyone on Riveria now? How are things?

[RJB]

If you are on board please let us know what the situation is. What is open and what is still closed. Hope things are better for you than they were for us last week. Only good thing is that we did not get sick.

[aztocalifornia]

Hi we are waiting since 2;00 to get into our canons. They are still cleaning!!

People are unhappy

[aztocalifornia]

Hi we are waiting since 2;00 to get into our canons. They are still cleaning!!

People are unhappy

Cabins still are not ready. Everyone is waiting around with luggage. 5:15

Some floors made it!

[LHT28]

at least you are not sitting in the terminal building

 

:D

[RJB]

Has everyone got off the ship or is no one reading cruise critic because they are having a great time and do not have time to post? Hope this is the case

[HeatherInFlorida]

I was reporting in on the Noro thread, but perhaps this is better since I'm trying to be positive and not think Noro😃 So far so good. 48 hours to go. Beautiful day in Nassau. They are exercising an abundance of caution an though they are wiping down everything with this antiseptic solution, I can't complain nor is anyone else that I've seen. The cabin delay yesterday was a shame and I'm not sure what went wrong, but people waited forever to get their cabins on Deck 7. But the CDC was onboard checking everything and I suspect that was the cause.

 

Everyone I've met is thinking positive😃

[Wren3]

Thank you Heather for the update. I am very happy that you are having a great time and that Oceania is being proactive. Can you advise if you see passengers using disinfecting wipes on their own accord?

[HeatherInFlorida]

Yes.

[Wren3]

Thanks again Heather.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Good morning. Day 3-Thurs., 2/25. We continue Code Red. Our butler told us this morning the "doctor in charge" has given approval to go to normal but they've not been given overall approval. we've been told it is hoped we'll be back to normal soon. I sure hope so because this is extremely hard on the crew. They are exhausted and so the mood of the ship, though they try, is just not the same.

 

The effect, of course, is less timely service. This is not a big deal except I cruise the Caribbean for the joy of being served😃; been to all the islands many times so I don't care about ports. I cruise for the joy of the sea and the ship. So it's a lot of money to pay for this service level.

 

That said, I understand what's at stake here. They want this cruise to be a Noro free experience and are doing everything to achieve it.

 

I have not experienced this, but people have told me that passengers are getting annoyed and impatient; lots of complaining. But personally, to me, no one has done that. There just doesn't seem to be the usual good mood, that feeling of relaxation that usually sets in by now.

 

I will post again later today or tomorrow.

[RJB]

Good morning. Day 3-Thurs., 2/25. We continue Code Red. Our butler told us this morning the "doctor in charge" has given approval to go to normal but they've not been given overall approval. we've been told it is hoped we'll be back to normal soon. I sure hope so because this is extremely hard on the crew. They are exhausted and so the mood of the ship, though they try, is just not the same.

 

The effect, of course, is less timely service. This is not a big deal except I cruise the Caribbean for the joy of being served😃; been to all the islands many times so I don't care about ports. I cruise for the joy of the sea and the ship. So it's a lot of money to pay for this service level.

 

That said, I understand what's at stake here. They want this cruise to be a Noro free experience and are doing everything to achieve it.

 

I have not experienced this, but people have told me that passengers are getting annoyed and impatient; lots of complaining. But personally, to me, no one has done that. There just doesn't seem to be the usual good mood, that feeling of relaxation that usually sets in by now.

 

I will post again later today or tomorrow.

Seems pretty much the feelings of most on the last cruise , except with real hope this time that things will be back to normal soon. We did not think that things would return to normal but were hoping that it would not get worse. Sounds like you have a good shot at being Noro free. Good luck

[Iamthesea]

Heather - Thank you for reporting back. I do hope that your cruise will be in the free and clear by tomorrow. :)

 

What you wrote above is exactly how my DH and I felt about our cruise on the previous sailing. We were not cruising for the Caribbean, although two of the ports were new to us. We were cruising to get away from our winter weather, relax and specifically chose Oceania because we had read so many wonderful things about the service and food.

 

We paid twice as much for the cruise as we normally would for a Caribbean cruise and around the same as if we had gone to Europe on a 12 night cruise on Celebrity. In fact, the cruise we are taking to the British Isles in May is $1000 less pp, and for 2 extra days in a better category (larger stateroom/bath and specialty restaurant dining) than the amount we paid for the Caribbean cruise on Oceania! ;)

 

We feel like our money was washed away with all the disinfectant. :D

Edited February 25, 2016 by Iamthesea

[HeatherInFlorida]

I completely understand how people feel and felt on the previous cruises with Noro. I would feel the same. However, keep in mind that it really doesn't matter what ship or line you're on, this can happen. It sucks when it's us, but sometimes life gives us lemons. So when people are saying they'll never cruise Oceania again, that makes no sense to me unless they mean they'll lose less money.

 

I'm going to the spa for Sole Rejunvenation, my favorite indulgence. That should definitely relax me, maybe even cheer me. 😃😃

[hypercafe]

I guess my take on all of this is if I have a rotten trip on Oceania because of noro it is a lot of money to loose, but most of all in all my trips and reading here I have never heard of such turmoil and dissatisfied people.

[PaulMCO]

It would be nice if the OP confines his postings to one thread on Riviera rather than starting another thread with the same premise of Noro on Riveria.

[LHT28]

Heather thanks for the update

I do hope they can relax some of the protocols & people will still wash their hands & use the gels

 

I guess not doing all the cleaning could result in a much different experience ;)

The bathrooms are nice but who wants to spend their whole cruise in there

 

Enjoy the rest of the cruise

 

Lyn

[hypercafe]

I am surprised they did not bring people on to clean during the two days in Miami to give the crew a rest. Give the bottom line$$ a rest.

[HeatherInFlorida]

I guess my take on all of this is if I have a rotten trip on Oceania because of noro it is a lot of money to loose, but most of all in all my trips and reading here I have never heard of such turmoil and dissatisfied people.

 

If you had a cruise on Riviera soon you'd be interested. If you don't and you're not, then skip it. Why be snarky? I agree people are complaining more than I ever would think of doing, but on the other hand life onboard right now exceeds no one's expectations. Easy to sit on land and say it's no biggie.

 

Some of us cruise once a year or less. We look forward to the relaxed time onboard. So disappointment is understandable. Complaining the whole time isn't.

 

I am surprised they did not bring people on to clean during the two days in Miami to give the crew a rest. Give the bottom line$$ a rest.

 

I believe they did. What makes you think they didn't? But back on the sea it's the regular crew and staff working many extra hours constantly washing/disinfecting. They're tired but I've seen few complainers among them. They would much rather work hard now than see the ship out of service for 2 weeks.

*****

With all the complaining about too many Noro posts on this and other threads, I'm not posting again. Not worth my time and it's no fun for me.

[cruisingxpert]

*****

With all the complaining about too many Noro posts on this and other threads, I'm not posting again. Not worth my time and it's no fun for me.

 

Heather

 

Please ignore the nitpickers. I'm on the next cruise and I would really appreciate knowing if they have lifted the Code Red. You have been wonderful to take the time to let us know what is going on.

My email is in my signature if you want to email me direct to avoid the snarky posters:)

 

Catherine

[pthjudy]

If you had a cruise on Riviera soon you'd be interested. If you don't and you're not, then skip it. Why be snarky? I agree people are complaining more than I ever would think of doing, but on the other hand life onboard right now exceeds no one's expectations. Easy to sit on land and say it's no biggie.

 

Some of us cruise once a year or less. We look forward to the relaxed time onboard. So disappointment is understandable. Complaining the whole time isn't.

 

 

 

I believe they did. What makes you think they didn't? But back on the sea it's the regular crew and staff working many extra hours constantly washing/disinfecting. They're tired but I've seen few complainers among them. They would much rather work hard now than see the ship out of service for 2 weeks.

*****

With all the complaining about too many Noro posts on this and other threads, I'm not posting again. Not worth my time and it's no fun for me.

You are taking time from a vacation to let fellow cruise critic users know what's happening. Isn't that what cruise critic is all about? Information which can be very valuable gives this forum its worth. Please don't let a few who just want to see themselves in print, ruin it for those of us who are future Riviera passengers. Thank you so much, Heather, for your posts. Asking questions before you board a ship is a help to YOU. Posting while on that ship helps OTHERS! Thanks again for your thoughtfulness!

[Rotterdam]

tell the corporates to increase staffing levels.....on any line & any size ship noro is a possibility - increasing staff & reducing passenger interaction w/ food at buffets etc goes a long way with reducing the noro impact & also treats the staff more humanely and the passengers get less stress from the situation.

 

There will always be complainers and noro will always occur but if corporate doesn't focus more on passenger comfort & less on the bottom line this will continue.

[Iamthesea]

Yes, Heather...please come back and tells us what is going on with the ship. ;) If not, then we will take it as "no news is good news." :)

 

My DH said last week on our shortened 2/12 cruise that an extra cleaning crew should have been onboard/added after the 2/2 cruise broke out with Noro. Instead, they brought on a cleaning team for the few hours the ship was in dock, and then the crew left the ship. I saw them leaving from our balcony.

 

Sounds like Oceania did it again with Heather's cruise. Too bad Oceania didn't learn from our cruise that the normal crew (servers, stateroom attendants) cannot keep up their jobs, in addition to the cleaning duties, without sacrificing the Oceania Experience that the passengers paid for. :(

Edited February 25, 2016 by Iamthesea

[RJB]

Glad you are posting. Like knowing what is going on. I just know things will get better. :):):)

[CruiserPK]

So glad to hear the current cruise is going well. Hopefully the Norvirus is in the rear view mirror for the Riviera.

 

This is an interesting read about the affect Noro has on the crew and specifically the 2/12 voyage: http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2016/02/articles/norovirus/oceania-crew-members-pay-the-price-when-norovirus-hits/

[RJB]

So glad to hear the current cruise is going well. Hopefully the Norvirus is in the rear view mirror for the Riviera.

 

This is an interesting read about the affect Noro has on the crew and specifically the 2/12 voyage: http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2016/02/articles/norovirus/oceania-crew-members-pay-the-price-when-norovirus-hits/

This article sounds about right for what I saw on the 2/12 cruise. I could not tell how many hours each of them worked but they seemed to be working all the time. After a few days most looked very tired and worn out. Suprised a lot of them did not just quit. We did thank many of the crew for their extra hard work and most thanked us.