New to Oceania, this price seems really good.

[lizord]

Looking at the Dec. 20 Insignia PC. I have only sailed on the main market lines and celebrity. The price is $2600 including taxes pp for an inside cabin for 20 nights. This price seems very good considering the included specialty dining and that the port fees are included which are normally $400+ on panama canal sailings, I would also be getting $250 obc for being a NCL Shareholder. In addition to that this cruise takes place on the 2 most expensive weeks of the year for cruising, Christmas, and New Years as well as my birthday, Dec. 26. What are the festivities like on O for Xmas/New Years? Thanks in advance, I would love to know what y'all think.

Edited April 25, 2020 by lizord

[irisbax3]

We were on the Nautica this past holiday season and Oceania had beautiful decorations throughout the ship. Many Christmas trees, a fabulous gingerbread house and carolers on Christmas day.  On NYE there was a wonderful brunch and after the evening show we  were given hats and there was a midnight celebration. 

[clo]

18 minutes ago, irisbax3 said:

We were on the Nautica this past holiday season and Oceania had beautiful decorations throughout the ship. Many Christmas trees, a fabulous gingerbread house and carolers on Christmas day.  On NYE there was a wonderful brunch and after the evening show we  were given hats and there was a midnight celebration. 

We were on Marina until 12/19 IIRC. The decorations were lovely. Very tasteful.

[lizord]

 

4 minutes ago, clo said:

We were on Marina until 12/19 IIRC. The decorations were lovely. Very tasteful.

Thank you, it looks great, was this before or after the Renovation of the R class ships? Is the renovation generally liked here on Cruise Critic?

 

Edit: Sorry didn't realize Marina wasn't R Class. If anyone has any opinions on the R class I would love to know though.

Edited April 25, 2020 by lizord

[clo]

1 minute ago, lizord said:

 

Thank you, it looks great, was this before or after the Renovation of the R class ships? Is the renovation generally liked here on Cruise Critic?

 

Marina is an O-class ship so I have no idea about other ships.

[lizord]

38 minutes ago, irisbax3 said:

We were on the Nautica this past holiday season and Oceania had beautiful decorations throughout the ship. Many Christmas trees, a fabulous gingerbread house and carolers on Christmas day.  On NYE there was a wonderful brunch and after the evening show we  were given hats and there was a midnight celebration. 

Thank you for your info. Do you remember if there was any special menus offered in the MDR or in the specialties? Also what did you think of the ship? Was it before or after refurb? Thanks again.

[KS&JW]

19 minutes ago, lizord said:

Thank you for your info. Do you remember if there was any special menus offered in the MDR or in the specialties? Also what did you think of the ship? Was it before or after refurb? Thanks again.

 

The specialties always have the same menu, no matter the day/month/year.  However, the Grand Dining Room has special diners for Christmas and New years.  I remember there being turkey and all the trimmings one day and Duck another.  There was also a very nice brunch one morning where everything was set up like you would have at a country club.  Since the food was more accessible, meaning people could touch it.  I doubt they will being doing that again anytime soon. 

Edited April 25, 2020 by KS&JW

[lizord]

2 minutes ago, KS&JW said:

 

The specialties always have the same menu, no matter the day/month/year.  However, the Grand Dining Room has special diners for Christmas and New years.  I remember there being turkey and all the trimmings one day and Duck another.  There was also a very nice brunch one morning where everything was set up like you would have at a country club.  Since the food was more accessible, meaning people could touch it.  I doubt they will being doing that again anytime soon. 

Thank you, I very much appreciate it. I have heard from people who have sailed O that they always have lobster tails in the buffet freshly grilled, Is this still true? 

[KS&JW]

3 minutes ago, lizord said:

Thank you, I very much appreciate it. I have heard from people who have sailed O that they always have lobster tails in the buffet freshly grilled, Is this still true? 

 

You can eat lobster everyday if you want.  They have it grilled at the buffet along with lamb chops, steak, often pork chops and fish.    

 

Edit - And yes, it is all grilled to order. 

Edited April 25, 2020 by KS&JW

[Paulchili]

5 minutes ago, lizord said:

Thank you, I very much appreciate it. I have heard from people who have sailed O that they always have lobster tails in the buffet freshly grilled, Is this still true? 

There is an excellent (different) lobster dish in all of the specialty restaurants as well.

You can OD on lobsters if you wish 😀

[lizord]

7 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

There is an excellent (different) lobster dish in all of the specialty restaurants as well.

You can OD on lobsters if you wish 😀

Now I am getting excited. The specialty dining options menus look significantly better then the MDR, The MDR menus look like something off X but the specialty look like actual restaurants menus. Can you eat everyday in the specialties? Is the MDR better than I'm assuming?

[LHT28]

You get  a specific number of reserved  specialty res  depending on your cabin Cat & length  of cruise

 You can  go  each day to the reservations desk & see if any opening for that evening

Food is subjective  but we have found the  GDR to  be  good to very good 

Many enjoy the buffet  for dinner not like other buffets  no self serve  but I am sure that will be changing on the main stream lines  when they are back to sailing again

Keep in mind the cabins will be  smaller than what you might be used to  & the W/C  is small but functional

 

[irisbax3]

1 hour ago, clo said:

Marina is an O-class ship so I have no idea about other ships.

The Nautica is a "R" class ship and we were on it prior to it being renovated; however, we found it very comfortable for the 30 days that we sailed her.  The Marina's stateroom and bathroom were lovely and larger than on the Nautica (even though we had a concierge level cabin on the NAUTICA)..

[bigmjh]

lizord ... book with a good TA (one from Oceania's Connoisseur's Club) and you'll probably pick up a few more "extras". 😉

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 hours ago, lizord said:

Thank you, I very much appreciate it. I have heard from people who have sailed O that they always have lobster tails in the buffet freshly grilled, Is this still true? 

It's not a "buffet." The Terrace Café is a casual restaurant featuring daily  a la minute cooking of dinner items like lobster tails, steaks, lamb chops, wok specialties, etc. and the option of al fresco dining. Food, including some of the evening's GDR items, is served by galley personnel. There's also the poolside Wave's with   Lobster/Filet Mignon sandwiches among other items.

The "NEXT" renovations are tasteful, contemporary and technologically terrific with "on demand" TV programming.

FWIW, many newer Oceania regulars were Celebrity cruisers looking for a far better experience.

[ORV]

Just be aware of the size of the inside room. Also try to find some pictures of the size of the bathroom in this category. 

 

You asked about the dinner reservations. In that room category you are guaranteed 2 reservations in each restaurant on a 20 day cruise. If you work at it you can get additional ones. We enjoy the food in all the venues, in my opinion the MDR is definitely superior to Celebrity, and I like Celebrity just fine. 

[Classiccruiser777]

Time for a little Oceania food porn! 

[Paulchili]

14 hours ago, irisbax3 said:

even though we had a concierge level cabin on the NAUTICA

To OP - concierge cabins are identical to regular veranda cabins except for their location, a few extra perks and of course, extra money

[Paulchili]

14 minutes ago, Classiccruiser777 said:

Time for a little Oceania food porn! 

Considering that we had to cancel our May Marina cruise and 3 in the Fall, this is cruel and unusual punishment 😀

[LHT28]

If you want food porn  check out  the Preisman blog

 This on the larger ships  so more restaurants  but the food in the GDR  will be similar are  the R ships

https://www.thepreismans.com/marina19_menus.htm

[Classiccruiser777]

37 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

Considering that we had to cancel our May Marina cruise and 3 in the Fall, this is cruel and unusual punishment 😀

I feel your pain. We had a two week Alaska cruise out of our home town that just went by the boards.

 

[Hawaiidan]

17 hours ago, lizord said:

Thank you, I very much appreciate it. I have heard from people who have sailed O that they always have lobster tails in the buffet freshly grilled, Is this still true? 

every day in every restaurant.... pool grill, buffet grill  all the specialties  and while not on the menu you can get it in the main dining room.... only  room service lacks lobster.

Plan on a 2021 cruise As  there is serious doubt a 2020 sailing will happen.... that why the good price  to leverage your deposit  for current cash needs and indenture your future booking chances

[jonthomas]

Hawaiidan,  I agree with you completely.

[clo]

13 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

It's not a "buffet." The Terrace Café is a casual restaurant featuring daily  a la minute cooking of dinner items like lobster tails, steaks, lamb chops, wok specialties, etc. and the option of al fresco dining. Food, including some of the evening's GDR items, is served by galley personnel. There's also the poolside Wave's with   Lobster/Filet Mignon sandwiches among other items.

The "NEXT" renovations are tasteful, contemporary and technologically terrific with "on demand" TV programming.

FWIW, many newer Oceania regulars were Celebrity cruisers looking for a far better experience.

But it's not 'order from a menu' so I think it's called a buffet perhaps for lack of a better term.

[CintiPam]

7 minutes ago, clo said:

But it's not 'order from a menu' so I think it's called a buffet perhaps for lack of a better term.

“Informal dining” is what Oceania calls it in the brochures sent to my home.