Considering Oceania and have a few oddball questions

[Paulchili]

17 minutes ago, CintiPam said:

The food and service were better then ever; however the nightly shows were much worse than ever.

Pam,

Glad to hear about good food and service - sorry about the poor entertainment.

Are you referring to the Oceania performers or the guest performers (or both)?

Edited June 3, 2019 by Paulchili

[LHT28]

In April  there were no announcements in the cabin with the exception of the crew drill  but a lot of people  were ashore

I always missed the Captain's noon announcement & sometimes he missed it as well

We had a couple of mid afternoon announcements   as others commented  you could read  about the event in the CURRENTS

No need to announce things ..if people cannot remember to go to bingo or trivia etc  too bad for them

JMO

 

I did make a note in my comment card about them

[Kingofcool1947]

2 hours ago, LHT28 said:

In April  there were no announcements in the cabin with the exception of the crew drill  but a lot of people  were ashore

I always missed the Captain's noon announcement & sometimes he missed it as well

We had a couple of mid afternoon announcements   as others commented  you could read  about the event in the CURRENTS

No need to announce things ..if people cannot remember to go to bingo or trivia etc  too bad for them

JMO

 

I did make a note in my comment card about them

 

Is it because of the older demographics on board?  We just got off Alaska cruise on Regatta.

I overhead lots of PAXs whining and complaining there were too many constant and annoying announcements from the CD, and too many updates from the captain.   Even though IMO considered them not frequent.

I would rather be informed than uniformed, especially if the ship was having issues,  as  ours.

Edited June 3, 2019 by Kingofcool1947

[retafcruiser]

3 hours ago, LHT28 said:

I always missed the Captain's noon announcement & sometimes he missed it as well

My Oceania experience has found the Captains' noon announcements to be given only if he feels like it 😏 The very day you would like some information you are greeted with dead silence. 

Edited June 3, 2019 by retafcruiser

[edgee]

1 hour ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

 

Is it because of the older demographics on board?  We just got off Alaska cruise on Regatta.

I overhead lots of PAXs whining and complaining there were too many constant and annoying announcements from the CD, and too many updates from the captain.   Even though IMO considered them not frequent.

I would rather be informed than uniformed, especially if the ship was having issues,  as  ours.

I do not think anyone will argue that announcements should be limited if there is NEW information to be announced such as missing of ports,  clearing by local authorities so you can go ashore, location of gangway or a major schedule change regarding ship activities. Objection is when announcements repeat information already provided in writing to guests. Not sure what "older demographics" has anything to do with announcement frequencies. BTW,  certainly hope you are not implying that announcement frequency varies by the age demographics on a particular cruise. Not sure that would be practical  or appropriate.  

 

 

Edited June 3, 2019 by edgee

[Kingofcool1947]

19 minutes ago, edgee said:

I do not think anyone will argue that announcements should be limited if there is NEW information to be announced such as missing of ports,  clearing by local authorities so you can go ashore, location of gangway or a major schedule change regarding ship activities. Objection is when announcements repeat information already provided in writing to guests. Not sure what "older demographics" has anything to do with announcement frequencies. BTW,  certainly hope you are not implying that announcement frequency varies by the age demographics on a particular cruise. Not sure that would be practical  or appropriate.  

 

 

 

Not implying anything, but I certainly hope you read everything you get in your stateroom.  Do you read the daily Currents cover to cover and remember everything in it?   Do you think everyone else does?  Having a visual disability, I can not.  I do appreciate the announcements  At my age, my memory is not all that great.

Good luck and enjoy your cruise.

Edited June 3, 2019 by Kingofcool1947

[Shawnino]

We were on Riviera on a B2B in November where the CD changed between legs. One CD announced ports or did a brief morning announcement on sea days. The other CD would simply not shut the hell up and I can only assume he was getting commish on the Cubic Zirconia sales. The difference was bizarre, as one would figure there'd be a corporate policy on the matter, one way or the other.

[LHT28]

23 hours ago, retafcruiser said:

My Oceania experience has found the Captains' noon announcements to be given only if he feels like it 😏 The very day you would like some information you are greeted with dead silence. 

must depend on the Captain

last cruise was the 1 st time  the Captain missed the announcement on any of our cruises

but  we did have a rough night  so maybe he was sleeping

[keithm]

On ‎5‎/‎31‎/‎2019 at 9:45 PM, sppunk said:

I’m in love with Oceania’s Emperors and the Opulent itinerary on Marina and have a couple questions that might seem weird but, well, I’m weird. 🙂

 

We are loyal Holland America cruisers and just off the Volendam in Alaska. We had a great trip but I think our standards have moved beyond HAL and Oceania seems like a good fit (Viking would but that horrible payment policy!)

 

In HAL’s lido they have fantastic salad bar and fruit selection (although fruit was hit or miss this past week in quality). 

 

Does the Terrace Cafe have this? My wife is a very peculiar eater and a massive bowl of fruit is her breakfast and lunch, along with a hard boiled egg (bfast) and a salad without dressing (at lunch).

 

At dinner, can she get a plain piece of salmon and steamed veggies without issue? It’s her staple on cruises.

 

Also, I absolutely hate announcements, auctions and upsells. Is it safe to assume O is clear of these practices?

 

And lastly - no promenade deck is an issue as I’m an avid walker. Is there sufficient outdoor deck space with a view to actually walk 5 or so miles without going in one circle 100 times?

 

Lastly let’s make this thread fun - what is your single favorite part of Oceania? 

 

Thank you all!

You'll do fine on Oceania. They will accommodate her desires with no problem. You will not be allowed to serve yourself in the Terrace. You point out what you want& the staff serves you. A great way to keep the disgusting habit of pax touching the food with their hands. the staff will have no problem fulfilling your wife's needs. No announcements except for nautical info. & excursion departures. NO garbage announcement on the latest worthless art work or shopping destinations. NO annoying photographers to bother you either boarding/departing/or at dinner. There is no formal promenade deck. There's a good  walking deck on top of Marina/Riviera that gets a lot of use. Also a nice miniature golf course as well.

 Our favorite thing about Oceania? THE FOOD!!! Arguably the best we've had on a ship, with the possible exception of Cunard's Queens Grill. We're in the food industry & obviously are foodies. From your post, not too sure you'll feel the same. You will however have a wonderfully relaxing cruise with an overall fairly sophisticated group of pax.

[CintiPam]

On 6/2/2019 at 11:25 PM, Paulchili said:

Pam,

Glad to hear about good food and service - sorry about the poor entertainment.

Are you referring to the Oceania performers or the guest performers (or both)?

Both.  Fourteen nights consisted  of: two movie nights; two performances by a ventriloquist/magician (I left when his dummy was screeching its head off); two performances by another magician (I left twenty minutes in when before a single magic trick he was teaching us how to pick pockets, I kid you not); one performance by an excellent classical West End male singer; two good performances by a female British singer; and four? amateur-hour shows by the brand new performing together for the first time young group of singers and dancers, who needed a LOT of work.  One of their shows was the music of Peggy Lee!  Come on, she was even before my time.  

 

But the best service and food ever!  And knowledgeable (trained) sommeliers as well!

 

Sorry for my delay in answering.  As soon as I got home from this cruise I had emergency eye surgery for a detached retina I suffered two days before disembarking in Rome.  A hole was found in my macula during that surgery so a two-week recovery has become a two-month one!

Edited June 9, 2019 by CintiPam

[Paulchili]

Pam,

Sorry to hear about your medical complications.

Hope that you are well now - or if not, speedy recovery.

[CintiPam]

1 hour ago, Paulchili said:

Pam,

Sorry to hear about your medical complications.

Hope that you are well now - or if not, speedy recovery.

Thanks, Paul.  I am three weeks into my two months.  I am learning patience because I cannot drive or fly.  (Husband currently is spending four days on a previously planned visit to our children and grandchildren in North Jersey.) 

 

I remain hopeful that I will regain (some?) sight in my eye but will not know for another month.

Edited June 10, 2019 by CintiPam

[Paulchili]

Pam,

That is quite a shock - here is hoping for the fullest possible recovery.

[Mura]

Oh, Pam, I'm so sorry to hear this.  Healing vibes are coming your way!

 

Mura

[StanandJim]

On 6/10/2019 at 11:26 AM, Mura said:

Oh, Pam, I'm so sorry to hear this.  Healing vibes are coming your way!

 

Mura

+1 We, and your many, many supporters on CruiseCritic are pulling for you, Pam.

Hang in there, and many fond wishes for a safe and comfortable recovery!!!

 

[CintiPam]

Thanks, Paul, Mura and Jim, for your good wishes.  Patience is the key.  

 

Fortunately, I had met a Beverly Hills ophthalmologist onboard (yes, while playing trivia), so he was able to make a diagnosis after an examination (without instruments), which allowed me to be calm until debarkation and to set up an immediate emergency visit to a local retinal specialist upon my return.  (We had spent four days in Rome in February after a specialty art trip to Florence so flew home directly from our cruise.). How amazing is that?

[kibutzer]

Announcements seem dependent on CD.  I noticed more on our NY London about sales and shopping, spa etc. But maybe that was because we were in cabin much more due to weather. JMO. I think our CD came from NCL parent.

[LHT28]

10 hours ago, kibutzer said:

Announcements seem dependent on CD.  I noticed more on our NY London about sales and shopping, spa etc. But maybe that was because we were in cabin much more due to weather. JMO. I think our CD came from NCL parent.

I believe Peter was with Princess before

seems like Oceania  got several CD's from Princess 😉