Sunbed Hogs

[pinotlover]

With the exception of a few busy nights when the wine service was extremely slow, our overall service in the GDR has always been excellent. 

 

There is, of course, the philosophical difference of desired experiences which will never be resolved. We prefer to share and enjoy the company and conversation of fellow cruisers at dinner. Having lived in Europe, in the past, 1.5-2 hour dinners are wonderfully relaxing. Even had them go 4-5 hours. As long as we’re finished in time to make the 9:30 show, we’re happy. On the ship, we’re on vacation so it’s slow down and relax. Exhale!

 

The other side of that coin are those wanting a 2 top and never having to speak to anyone, often including their partner. They prefer to be quickly and promptly served and be out in 45 minutes or less. They are in agony if dinner last an hour.

 

Outside of opening a separate venue, it would be difficult to accommodate both groups in the same venue, imo. Always thought that the buffet line was for the latter group ! We’ve walked into the Terrace at 7:00 and meet people walking out that had already finished their meal. Duplicating that on a cruise ship with sit down service would be difficult!

 

 

[RJ2002]

 

20 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Several years back, CC set up special sessions with the cruise line senior executives answering cruiser’s questions. I believe FDR participated. It would be great to ask him or Bender why Oceania is apparently no longer enforcing their dress code.

 

19 hours ago, clo said:

My plan is to write senior management and present facts. 

 

We were on the Regatta recently, and witnessed first-hand an enforcement of the dress code...  a gentlemen approached the GDR podium wearing shorts (they were nice, along with a TB type shirt, but shorts they were).  He was politely informed he had to change into long pants.  His wife was seated and he went back to their cabin to change.

[LHT28]

2 minutes ago, RJ2002 said:

 

 

 

We were on the Regatta recently, and witnessed first-hand an enforcement of the dress code...  a gentlemen approached the GDR podium wearing shorts (they were nice, along with a TB type shirt, but shorts they were).  He was politely informed he had to change into long pants.  His wife was seated and he went back to their cabin to change.

Thumbs up for that  Maitre'D

There are  some Maitre'ds that will exert their authority  to have people turned away

usually they take therm aside of the line & explain they must change

Some  just  do not want to cause  a scene so just let the offenders in

JMO

[JMM99]

4 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

With the exception of a few busy nights when the wine service was extremely slow, our overall service in the GDR has always been excellent. 

 

There is, of course, the philosophical difference of desired experiences which will never be resolved. We prefer to share and enjoy the company and conversation of fellow cruisers at dinner. Having lived in Europe, in the past, 1.5-2 hour dinners are wonderfully relaxing. Even had them go 4-5 hours. As long as we’re finished in time to make the 9:30 show, we’re happy. On the ship, we’re on vacation so it’s slow down and relax. Exhale!

 

The other side of that coin are those wanting a 2 top and never having to speak to anyone, often including their partner. They prefer to be quickly and promptly served and be out in 45 minutes or less. They are in agony if dinner last an hour.

 

Outside of opening a separate venue, it would be difficult to accommodate both groups in the same venue, imo. Always thought that the buffet line was for the latter group ! We’ve walked into the Terrace at 7:00 and meet people walking out that had already finished their meal. Duplicating that on a cruise ship with sit down service would be difficult!

 

 

This has become off topic but agree that expectations vary considerably. We are from the UK and expect a meal when we are on holiday to last at least 1.5 hours.  On Marina last month the initial taking of our order was perhaps a bit slow but the courses then appeared almost too quickly.  Occasionally we have asked for service to be slowed down. When in the US we have found everything much too fast - dishes cleared before other diners at the table have finished and bills put in front of us as soon as we have finished the last mouthful!

[pinotlover]

14 minutes ago, JMM99 said:

This has become off topic but agree that expectations vary considerably. We are from the UK and expect a meal when we are on holiday to last at least 1.5 hours.  On Marina last month the initial taking of our order was perhaps a bit slow but the courses then appeared almost too quickly.  Occasionally we have asked for service to be slowed down. When in the US we have found everything much too fast - dishes cleared before other diners at the table have finished and bills put in front of us as soon as we have finished the last mouthful!

We have visited far to many restaurants that don’t wait for the last bite! They deliver the main course, ask if anyone wants dessert, then present the bill if no one wants it!

 

Flip that table! It is though what some prefer.

[clo]

1 hour ago, Jancruz said:

but if I did I would have addressed them on board

Best not to make assumptions.

[DrHemlock]

Thanks for the info, StanandJim (post #21).  Gotta see if I can find that one.  Sounds great!

[Jancruz]

On 12/18/2019 at 11:34 AM, JMM99 said:

This has become off topic but agree that expectations vary considerably. We are from the UK and expect a meal when we are on holiday to last at least 1.5 hours.  On Marina last month the initial taking of our order was perhaps a bit slow but the courses then appeared almost too quickly.  Occasionally we have asked for service to be slowed down. When in the US we have found everything much too fast - dishes cleared before other diners at the table have finished and bills put in front of us as soon as we have finished the last mouthful!

This shows one thing..one size does not fit all..

Jancruz1

[Mura]

+1, Jan.  We have found that in general when we have a table for 8, somehow service is incredibly slow.  I'm talking GDR here but it could well be true in the specialties as well -- the last time we had a table for 8 in a specialty was, I think, in 2010.

 

When we are at a table for 2-4, it's usually as quick as we want it.  We don't want to rush but we don't want to have to wait either.  I suppose it takes a bit longer if the table is for 6 ... but often we are chatting so much with table mates that we don't notice the time.

 

Was it Clo who mentioned waiting 20 minutes for menus?  That's really intolerable ... even if it was someone else than Clo!

 

Our experiences have pretty much been menus come out quickly, no matter how many diners are at the table.

 

I do remember one Renaissance dinner back around 2000 or 2001  when we were at a table of six.  Our waiter's station was right next to our table... but somehow he spent all of his time taking food to other tables and managed to ignore us.  That was extremely rare ... it had to be if I still remember it!  If we'd been in a restaurant, that waiter would NOT have gotten a tip ... We finally reminded him that he was also supposed to be serving US.

 

Mura

 

I just looked at the subject of this thread -- I'm amused that we got from chair hogs to dinner times!  But I did want to add that ... what was it I wanted to add?

 

Ah yes!  We were very frustrated on the QE2 when we did have assigned times, but we were at a table for 6.  Fortunately we all got along great even though we didn't know each other.  This was back in 2004.  But they six of us didn't necessarily arrive at the same time.  We would tell the server that we wanted to go to the show.  I think our dining time was 7:30 but not everyone arrived then.  It didn't matter ... by the time we were all there, food came out ... and we often missed that show we wanted to see.

 

Fortunately we all liked each other and had a great time, even if we missed the show ...

 

I've never had that happen on an O cruise!

 

Edited December 21, 2019 by Mura

[bigmjh]

On 12/18/2019 at 11:27 AM, RJ2002 said:

" ... We were on the Regatta recently, and witnessed first-hand an enforcement of the dress code...  a gentlemen approached the GDR podium wearing shorts (they were nice, along with a TB type shirt, but shorts they were).  He was politely informed he had to change into long pants.  His wife was seated and he went back to their cabin to change."

Different standard on the Sirena last week - a man (30'ish) walked up to MDR (dinner) wearing well-worn Levis, t-shirt and Birkenstock sandals - all clearly not in compliance with O's dress policy ... was promptly seated without comment or question form the maitre de.

[bigmjh]

On 12/18/2019 at 10:55 AM, Jancruz said:

On Sirena last week I did not find those problems but if I did I would have addressed them on board..jancruz1

Jan - that changed the following week after you left. A lot of new crew ... and problems popped up both in the MDR and various bars.

[Paulchili]

10 minutes ago, bigmjh said:

a man (30'ish) walked up to MDR (dinner) wearing well-worn Levis, t-shirt and Birkenstock sandals - all clearly not in compliance with O's dress policy

I think I’ve said this before - welcome to the “new” Oceania 😀

[riandei]

On 12/16/2019 at 2:24 PM, nigelc said:

When will Oceana start enforcing their policy and deal with these sunbed hogs. Just off a 16 day trip and I have never encountered such selfish people. As you can see from the picture, it has just gone 8-15am on Sirena and there is only one sunbed in the shade left - not what you expect from such a cruise line.

Guess i will be up early in February 

[LHT28]

not any better on Crystal

it was reported by someone they were up at 5:15  am & the "nests" were already in progress 😉

[clo]

4 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

"nests"

That is incredible! Doesn't seem like it would take a 'rocket surgeon' for the ship to figure out a solution to this.

[LadyCoco2017]

they will likely only start enforcing it if enough people complain. while its tempting to throw everything in the pool (LOL) the staff are more likely to do something about it if enough people complain - at the time.

[Roccaforte]

Many years ago (50 yrs.) when I sailed on the MS Victoria to the Caribbean, deck chairs were reserved.  On embarkation day everyone checked in with the deck steward to reserve your chair.  Same with the restaurant seating.  Too bad we can’t do that anymore😀. Guess I’m really showing my age here!  Cruising then was very different.

[clo]

Just now, Roccaforte said:

Many years ago (50 yrs.) when I sailed on the MS Victoria to the Caribbean, deck chairs were reserved.  On embarkation day everyone checked in with the deck steward to reserve your chair.  Same with the restaurant seating.  Too bad we can’t do that anymore😀. Guess I’m really showing my age here!  Cruising then was very different.

So there were as many deck chairs as there were passengers?

[Roccaforte]

Not sure.  It was an elegant old ship with lots of Promenade deck space as well as pool deck space.  There were only 600 passengers.

[StanandJim]

5 minutes ago, clo said:

So there were as many deck chairs as there were passengers?

Yes, and they served meals in (at?) the chair, if so requested.

15 minutes ago, clo said:

So there were as many deck chairs as there were passengers?

Not sure what the deal was on Victoria, but on Cunard, Sitmar, Home Lines and HAL, back in those days every passenger could reserve a deck chair for the entire voyage (for a fee) and once you were ensconced, breakfast, bouillion, luncheon and high tea could be summoned to the chair........heaven!

[Jay23]

Our very first cruise was on MS Victoria.    Not quite 50 years ago but in 1999........20 years ago.   Victoria was pretty shabby but we loved her and learned about the Green Flash which we all waited to see every sundown.       We could not reserve a deck chair then so things have been  changed for a very long time.   On that cruise we "dressed" for dinner several evenings and we had an officer on our table every evening.  (so long as there was no emergency which required the officer's attendance)     Those were the days. !!!   

PS  We eventually saw the Green Flash many years later.   

[clo]

13 minutes ago, StanandJim said:

heaven

Wow! Heaven indeed. Thanks for sharing that.

[Roccaforte]

We were three young girls on that cruise and the officers were permitted to dance with the guests after dinner.  Very exciting stuff for my first trip out of the country.  Going to places like Guadeloupe and Haiti we all needed international health certificates.  Vaccinations and shots😫

[pna]

I am sorry and I may be too forward, but if I came upon that setting that LHT saw on Crystal, I would just consolidate their stuff.   That is beyond rude!

 

[LHT28]

52 minutes ago, pna said:

I am sorry and I may be too forward, but if I came upon that setting that LHT saw on Crystal, I would just consolidate their stuff.   That is beyond rude!

 

it was very rude  & almost all the sofas & chairs were like that daily

the Crystal forum tries to blame the newcomers but  there were a few Crystal regulars  that did this  & the worse part is the deck staff helped them build their nest 😲

At least on O  IME  the staff will remove articles  if you tell them the items have been there for hours with no butt in place