February 26, 2006 Regatta sailing

[Maggie'sDad]

I'm new to this site and new to sailing with Oceania. I'd appreciate any input from experienced Oceania cruisers. We're sailing on February 26, 2006 on the Regatta. Don't know much of what to expect other than what I've read on the Oceania website and some sites that critique cruises. Can anyone give me some information about the food, service, cabins (we're in a penthouse suite on the 8th deck) excursions, embarkation, debarkation etc. Seems as though there are numerous criticisms out there about cost of the excursions booked through Oceania, cost of liquor and drinks on the ship etc.

 

We've cruised with Cunard and Holland America. Our first time on a "smaller ship". What about motion from the sea? Rocking and rolling or relatively stable.

 

Would appreciate any information out there and look forward to meeting others on this site that are going on this cruise. Thanks a lot.

[joan24]

Hi,

My husband Bob and I are on the Feb.26 Regatta. This will be our third cruise on Oceania and we've loved cruising this line. We're also in a PH on deck 8 as we were on our other cruises. My husband tends to get seasick, but the smaller size of Regatta hasn't been a problem for him. We've really enjoyed the open seating and no formal nights. The alternate restaurants are very good as is the food in the dining room. We've found service everywhere to be great and the crew is friendly and efficient. We only used ship's excursions once or twice on our other cruises with Oceania. The ones we took were good. There's been a lot of discussion of drink prices and corkage fees ($20 a bottle). The drinks are a little pricey, but we don't drink enough for it to make a difference to us. There are quite a few others on this board who are on our cruise. We're trying to get together on the second cruise night. Hope to meet you on board.

Joan

[PA Nana]

Hi Maggie's Dad - My husband and I are also newcomers to Oceania having only cruised in the past on the other much, much larger ships. We're relying on Joan, "our expert" as we refer to her, to help with our many questions. There are mixed messages from various folks on this board - they seem to either love it or hate it. We take most seriously those who take the time to point out both sides and who actually provide comparisons as they have cruised with various lines. We find that for the most part we make our own fun anyhow, not really relying on ship's staff to do that for us, and we've hardly ever met a place we did not like in the wonderful world of travel. We've also found that some folks just like to complain and find it hard to be happy. Hey, life is just too short. We will be on the 2/26 Regatta and chose it as there are some ports we will visit that you just can't get in with the larger ships. Looking forward to a great time.

Linda and John

[Maggie'sDad]

Hi,

My husband Bob and I are on the Feb.26 Regatta. This will be our third cruise on Oceania and we've loved cruising this line. We're also in a PH on deck 8 as we were on our other cruises. My husband tends to get seasick, but the smaller size of Regatta hasn't been a problem for him. We've really enjoyed the open seating and no formal nights. The alternate restaurants are very good as is the food in the dining room. We've found service everywhere to be great and the crew is friendly and efficient. We only used ship's excursions once or twice on our other cruises with Oceania. The ones we took were good. There's been a lot of discussion of drink prices and corkage fees ($20 a bottle). The drinks are a little pricey, but we don't drink enough for it to make a difference to us. There are quite a few others on this board who are on our cruise. We're trying to get together on the second cruise night. Hope to meet you on board.

Joan

 

Thanks very much for getting back to me. I appreciate your input on this line. Both my wife and I have a propensity for getting seasick and use oral medication and the patch. We're looking forward to the open seating for meals and no formal nights. Also looking forward to the alternate restaurants. Good to hear about the service. We found the service on Holland America to be good but didn't like the number of people on board.

We're not drinkers either so I'm not worried about the cost of alcohol. We'd look forward to meeting others on board. Can you provide any information on the following:

 

1) Is there a noise concern on the eighth deck with what's on the deck above?

2) Is there a long time wait when getting off the ship in ports?

3) Any information about the excursions offered?

4) Where will people from this website be meeting once onboard?

 

Thanks for any information you can provide. One of the other responders to my thread says you're the "expert".

 

Maggie's Dad

[drwong]

1) Is there a noise concern on the eighth deck with what's on the deck above?

 

Generally, no, particularly those at the far ends of the ship beneath the spa and Terrace Cafe. A small handful of passengers in the cabins immediately beneath the pool deck have reported hearing the crew sliding deck chairs across the deck, but those times tended to be when the crew had to stow and secure the deck furniture during heavy seas. The rest of the time, the deck chairs stay in place.

 

2) Is there a long time wait when getting off the ship in ports?

 

Not if you're used to the 1800+ passenger loads on HAL's Vista class ships and Cunard's Queens (unless you've sailed aboard the Sagafjord and Vistafjord (aka Caronia)). Note that not all 684 Oceania passengers will be disembarking at the same time. Some will take am excursions, some will take pm ones, others will book all-day excursions, while some will be touring the cities on their own. And even those booked on the same ship's tours are disembarked on a bus-by-bus basis so you won't be standing in line for more than a few minutes.

 

3) Any information about the excursions offered?

 

Oceania posts information on its shore excursions (and recommended readings) on its website. They hope to implement an on-line booking option like several of their competitors, but it doesn't appear to be up yet.

 

4) Where will people from this website be meeting once onboard?

 

CruiseCritic usually try to meet in the Horizons Lounge as soon as possible - usually on the afternoon of the first full day onboard (depending on the schedule, there might be an Oceania Club or future cruise promotion, but those don't start until around 6 pm). Trying to hold a get-together on the sailaway day is far too hectic, with the unpacking, the lifeboat drills, and trying to make reservations in Toscana and the Polo Grill. And if you wait too late in the cruise to do it, you'll have missed opportunities to meet shore excursion partners and interesting dinner companions!

On one cruise, a couple in one of the Owners Suites opened their cabin for a little catered get-together (you'd be surprised how few Oceania cruiser are CruiseCritic or YahooGroup members) - but I'm sure your PH would work just fine in a pinch! ;)