Just returned from Marina

[Caroldoll]

Seriously downgraded quality of meat in the Terrace. Can't cut it. They need to get a new supplier quickly. Salads, etc are bland and unexciting. The ship is quite worn down at the heals, but is due for dry dock in May. The guest bathroom in the owners suite smelled like feces, so I had to prop the door open. The television on the patio did not work at all. The movie quality was subpar. They had 5 recent films and the rest were in the far past, probably C grade. Repeated the movies weekly...you would think on long cruises they would have two weeks at least of different movies. They filmed the lecturer, but I don't know why, you couldn't hear the lecture. The prize at the end of the cruise was that Air France went on strike and approximately 50 passengers who had purchased flights through Oceania were bumped. Strike is supposed to last two weeks. Wonder why they picked those 50? We were not bumped and thankful to be home. Oh, I had planned tours for each stop. These mostly were tours that they hd 3 a day. I had reserved the first day available and asked for the first tour each time. After the first three which were the last tour each day, I just cancelled all of the tours. Destination services is a bust. This is my second experience with bad tour decisions.

 

Not sure what to do in the future. Giving it some thought.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for your report, sorry things were so bad.

[Tansy Mews]

<snip>Oh, I had planned tours for each stop. These mostly were tours that they hd 3 a day. I had reserved the first day available and asked for the first tour each time. After the first three which were the last tour each day, I just cancelled all of the tours. Destination services is a bust. This is my second experience with bad tour decisions.

 

Not sure what to do in the future. Giving it some thought.

 

Can you please tell us more about the problem with the tours? Were these Oceania's tours? Were they the oLife ones?

 

Thanks.

 

Frances

[ChatKat in Ca.]

Not even looking at Oceania after the Marina last Spring with the cooties outbreak - continuing.

 

We had the sewer smell in a cabin on another line and Engineering cleared it right away with some kind of treatment.

 

What about Crystal? All inclusive except excursions and they are reasonable. Or do Private tours.

[Caroldoll]

Well, Tansy I booked all the tours, about 11 as soon as they opened. On several of them they offered two or three a day. I specifically requested the FIRST tour and on all those I got the last tour. Descriptions changed also. The last time every tour I booked got cancelled. I am not going to use Oceania for any tours any more,

 

Chatkat - I LOVE CRYSTAL. The only problem is the one bathroom thing. Wish their new ship was out. Going on Crystal real soon.

 

Waiting for a bright light to shine and another close to perfect ship comes out..one that wants to keep quality high!

[Jay23]

Seriously downgraded quality of meat in the Terrace. Can't cut it. They need to get a new supplier quickly. Salads, etc are bland and unexciting. The ship is quite worn down at the heals, but is due for dry dock in May. The guest bathroom in the owners suite smelled like feces, so I had to prop the door open. The television on the patio did not work at all. The movie quality was subpar. They had 5 recent films and the rest were in the far past, probably C grade. Repeated the movies weekly...you would think on long cruises they would have two weeks at least of different movies. They filmed the lecturer, but I don't know why, you couldn't hear the lecture. The prize at the end of the cruise was that Air France went on strike and approximately 50 passengers who had purchased flights through Oceania were bumped. Strike is supposed to last two weeks. Wonder why they picked those 50? We were not bumped and thankful to be home. Oh, I had planned tours for each stop. These mostly were tours that they hd 3 a day. I had reserved the first day available and asked for the first tour each time. After the first three which were the last tour each day, I just cancelled all of the tours. Destination services is a bust. This is my second experience with bad tour decisions.

 

Not sure what to do in the future. Giving it some thought.

 

My goodness. This is the Best Food at Sea? We thought it was last year. I am tempted to say, "Were you on Oceania?" but I wouldn't doubt what you say for a minute. They have Noro on Riviera, lots of moans on Seabourn about smoking and T Keller. As you say what to do in the future. J

[SellaVee]

My goodness. This is the Best Food at Sea? We thought it was last year. I am tempted to say, "Were you on Oceania?" but I wouldn't doubt what you say for a minute. They have Noro on Riviera, lots of moans on Seabourn about smoking and T Keller. As you say what to do in the future. J

 

T Keller?

[Jay23]

He is a Micheline star Amerian chef who's menus Seabourn has introduced this year on to their ships. The food has mixed reviews.

 

Keller is pretty well unknown to the British guests, including me! J

[bitob]

The op needs to find a new cruise line. If I had all those complaints I would spend my money elsewhere. Oceania is obviously not a good fit for the op. Just move on. Seems simple enough

[Floridiana]

Tahiti? How did you like the islands?

[LHT28]

several new ocean going ships coming out in the future

Viking, Virgin, Scenic tours , Crystal hopefully one will meet your expectations

[hypercafe]

My goodness. This is the Best Food at Sea? We thought it was last year. I am tempted to say, "Were you on Oceania?" but I wouldn't doubt what you say for a minute. They have Noro on Riviera, lots of moans on Seabourn about smoking and T Keller. As you say what to do in the future. J

 

You can always charter you owne yacht. Watch the reruns of below decks. As for the best food at sea, well you are eating with 1250 of your new best friends so it's not too personalized.

Edited March 27, 2016 by hypercafe

[JPR]

Thomas Keller is the owner and original chef at The French Laundry in Yountville, considered one of the top restaurants in the world since the late 1990s. (As it happens, we are going there this coming Friday.) Also Ad Hoc and the Bouchon restaurants as well as the top-rated Per Se in Manhattan.

 

But cooking for a few dozen people each evening is quite different than cooking for many more guests on multiple cruise ships...

[pinotlover]

From comments from friends that were first time O cruisers that recently got off the Marina in the South Pacific. The Marina does, in fact, need a trip into dry dock for a face lift.

 

I personally love the Marina, but also believe the OP is accurate in that she's showing her wear and tear badly.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

Friends of ours found a cruise with a low single supplement and got adjoining cabins just to have two bathrooms. I am sure that there must be a suite with an adjoining smaller cabin for family arrangements somewhere. (I think Holland or Celebrity have a few like that - not that you want to do those lines)

[RJB]

Well, Tansy I booked all the tours, about 11 as soon as they opened. On several of them they offered two or three a day. I specifically requested the FIRST tour and on all those I got the last tour. Descriptions changed also. The last time every tour I booked got cancelled. I am not going to use Oceania for any tours any more,

 

Chatkat - I LOVE CRYSTAL. The only problem is the one bathroom thing. Wish their new ship was out. Going on Crystal real soon.

 

Waiting for a bright light to shine and another close to perfect ship comes out..one that wants to keep quality high!

I don't understand how that took place. We booked O Life tours in Europe this summer and the confirmation that was e mailed from Oceania showed the times for each tour. They were what we wanted when we booked them. Are you saying that the tour desk changed them after you got on the ship? At least we would like to know what we are dealing with and what we need to do in advance to make sure this does not happen. Looking forward to your answer. Thanks. :confused::confused::confused:

[Hokapontas]

Seriously downgraded quality of meat in the Terrace. Can't cut it. They need to get a new supplier quickly. Salads, etc are bland and unexciting. The ship is quite worn down at the heals, but is due for dry dock in May. The guest bathroom in the owners suite smelled like feces, so I had to prop the door open. The television on the patio did not work at all. The movie quality was subpar. They had 5 recent films and the rest were in the far past, probably C grade. Repeated the movies weekly...you would think on long cruises they would have two weeks at least of different movies. They filmed the lecturer, but I don't know why, you couldn't hear the lecture. The prize at the end of the cruise was that Air France went on strike and approximately 50 passengers who had purchased flights through Oceania were bumped. Strike is supposed to last two weeks. Wonder why they picked those 50? We were not bumped and thankful to be home. Oh, I had planned tours for each stop. These mostly were tours that they hd 3 a day. I had reserved the first day available and asked for the first tour each time. After the first three which were the last tour each day, I just cancelled all of the tours. Destination services is a bust. This is my second experience with bad tour decisions.

 

Not sure what to do in the future. Giving it some thought.

 

Hi. We are on Marina now. I am in 8001 and there is a growling/gurgling noise coming from the bathroom ventilation system, and the engineers have been on it since day 2. It is hard to sleep, isn't as silent as other rooms in our area. Looks like the engineers will be giving it a full overhaul.

 

What compensation did you have from your awful bathroom?

[jw_406]

I don't understand how that took place. We booked O Life tours in Europe this summer and the confirmation that was e mailed from Oceania showed the times for each tour. They were what we wanted when we booked them. Are you saying that the tour desk changed them after you got on the ship? At least we would like to know what we are dealing with and what we need to do in advance to make sure this does not happen. Looking forward to your answer. Thanks. :confused::confused::confused:

 

I, too, would like to know if you reserved the earlier tour times (received confirmation) and then they changed you to the later times or if you requested an earlier time but they were already sold out and you didn't get your preference. I hope it's the latter -- I'm on an Oceania tour in June of which we're confirmed on the earlier time. Just curious...

[wally_bushy]

I am not doubting the OPs statements however I am surprised by the comment about Marina being in great need of repair.

Maybe we have rose coloured glasses on holidays but it still looked good last month.

I know it is due for a dry dock but it is still one of the best ships around, even in its current shape. There will always be things that need work but overall we thought it was good.

JMO (just as all posters have theirs)

Edited March 27, 2016 by wally_bushy

[Tansy Mews]

I am not doubting the OPs statements however I am surprised by the comment about Marina being in great need of repair.

Maybe we have rose coloured glasses on holidays but it still looked good last month.

I know it is due for a dry dock but it is still one of the best ships around, even in its current shape. There will always be things that need work but overall we thought it was good.

JMO (just as all posters have theirs)

 

I was trying to figure out when this dry dock is scheduled. I couldn't see any website that mentions it. Looked at the cruise schedule (hard to do!) but couldn't see any time. Someone said May. We are on Marina November 1st and just wondered whether it will happen before then.

[dundeene]

It looks like Marina is docked sometime in this frame. No cruises scheduled.

[ORV]

I just got off the same cruise. I have no complaints. Thought for the most part the food was great, especially in La Reserve, Privee, Red Ginger and Toscana. Jacques and Polo was only okay but I've never been fond of them.

 

Actually we thought it was a great cruise. Concerning tours, it sounds like you waited till onboard to book. I did also with the understanding that I had to choose from what was left. If I really wanted first shot I should have booked prior to boarding online. Quite a few I wanted was sold out, or was at a later time than what I wanted. I rolled the dice and lost.

 

Service was much better than our recent trip on Riviera. Only issue I had is they tried to charge us gratuities, and we are Silver, got that straightened out though. Would have to say the fellow at Guest Relations was a bit condescending.

 

I didn't notice the ship being in bad shape. I went to one lecture and thought the gentleman giving it was quite good.

 

Only issue I have is I just went to urgent care today and was diagnosed with shingles, but I don't think that's Oceania's fault.

[Paulchili]

It looks like Marina is docked sometime in this frame. No cruises scheduled.

 

You are correct.

Marina will be in dry dock after her TA. We wanted to do the TA followed by LIS-London but found that there was a gap between those 2 segments - a dry dock.

Wally_bushy - We cruised on Marina last August and she looked just fine to us as well.

[Caroldoll]

Yes, it is after the TA in Spain for soft goods, i.e. upholstery, carpets, etc. It needs it. I do not wear rose colored glasses.

 

For those of you who made veiled comments that I need to move on...I DO NOT EXPECT ANY CRUISE LINE TO BE PERFECT. And, for those of you who think I want or need remuneration...I do not. I simply roll with the flow. I asked for a door stop to keep the door open so the horrible smell disseminated and one could use the guest bath without passing out.

 

As far as the upholstery, I simply gave up trying to sit in the livingroom to watch TV and stayed in the bedroom.

 

As far as the tours...I made them THE FIRST DAY THEY WERE AVAILABLE asking for the early tours. I got all late tours, so I finally just cashed them in and we found people on the dock so we could see what we wanted to see.

 

For those of you who asked how we liked the "ISLANDS", I personally loved them. I am from Hawaii, so it meant a lot to me. Very hot and humid, but that is the weather. We don't expect it to be tailor made! LOL.

 

Orv...I tried to find you. I wish we had met. Peter and Wendy spoke highly of you.

 

So, that is the bottom line. I am going to just roll with whatever. The grass is never greener. We love Crystal and have some of those planned, but we love the specialty restaurants on O. For whomever said the food was good there...read my post. I said the food is still good in the specialty restaurants. It is the Terrace where the quality is seriously downhill. I simply worked around it by getting my food in Waves. I let my husband fight saw cutting through the overly cooked, tough meat in The Terrace.

[Mura]

You are correct. Marina will be in dry dock after her TA. We wanted to do the TA followed by LIS-London but found that there was a gap between those 2 segments - a dry dock.

Wally_bushy - We cruised on Marina last August and she looked just fine to us as well.

 

Wally, I'm curious ... and I understand you may NOT have the answer!

 

It has struck me that dry dock time isn't that extensive. (Again, I may well be wrong.)

 

It looks like you have time to do what you want to do ... what about hanging around Portugal for the dry dock time and then booking the next cruise if you really wanted to get to London?

 

We had two marvelous trips (self-drive) through northern Portugal many years ago. We're looking forward to repeating the trip with our Danish friends next year. You could easily tour Portugal for two weeks or so (assuming -ALWAYS ASSUMING - that two weeks is the time frame for the dry dock) and then join the ship.

 

Of course, I'm spending your money ... not mine!

 

Mura