Veranda Vs Concierge Veranda

[cloudchaser]

We're booking first time on Oceania and wonder about the difference between a veranda and concierge level veranda.  Is the extra money worth the upgrade.  Your opinion will be appreciated.

[DrHemlock]

Well, you get a welcome bottle of decent bubbly plus a free bottle of wine with a concierge veranda.  Also, your cabin will be ready about an hour before non-concierge on sailing day.  

 

Both are nice but non-essential.  For us, the biggest attraction of concierge class is that we get to make specialty restaurant reservations before non-concierge pax.  Penthouse and higher get first crack, then concierge about a week later, then everyone else about a week after that.  (Don't quote me on the time frames.)  If you like a two-top at a certain time, you'll increase your chances of success by booking concierge.

[alaskaca]

11 minutes ago, cloudchaser said:

We're booking first time on Oceania and wonder about the difference between a veranda and concierge level veranda.  Is the extra money worth the upgrade.  Your opinion will be appreciated.  

 

 

Veranda Stateroom - B1 | B2

Custom-crafted furnishings, exotic stone finishes, supple upholstered headboards and chic lighting are just a few of the enhancements within these 216-square-foot staterooms that also boast our most popular luxury – a private teak veranda for watching the ever-changing panoramas. Conveniences within each stateroom include a vanity desk, refrigerated mini-bar, breakfast table and spacious seating area.

Veranda Stateroom Amenities

• Ultra Tranquility Bed, an Oceania Cruises Exclusive
• Private teak veranda
• Twice daily maid service
• Complimentary 24-hour room service
• Signature Belgian chocolates with nightly turndown service
• Plush cotton towels
• Thick cotton robes and slippers
• Bulgari amenities
• Handheld hair dryer
• Wireless Internet access and cellular service
• Writing desk and stationary
• Flat-screen television with live satellite news and programming
• DVD player with extensive 24-hour room service menu
• Security safe

Concierge Level Veranda - A1 | A2 | A3

Upgrade Your Experience

Located in the most desired of locations, Category A Concierge Level Veranda Staterooms offer an unrivaled combination of luxury and value. A wealth of amenities and a host of exclusive privileges (listed below) elevate the experience to the sublime.

These sleekly redefined 216-square-foot staterooms feature a wealth of amenities, including many of those found in our Penthouse Suites. The luxury is further enhanced by the fresh new decor, sumptuous Ultra Tranquility Beds, re-inspired verandas with stylish new furniture and the indulgence of exclusive Concierge Level amenities and privileges.

Concierge Level Exclusive Privileges

In addition to Stateroom Amenities

• Room service from the Grand Dining Room menu during lunch and dinner  
• Free laundry service – up to 3 bags per stateroom⁺
• Priority noon ship embarkation 
• Complimentary welcome bottle of Champagne
• Priority online specialty restaurant reservations
• Unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace
• iPad^® upon request for your enjoyment onboard⁺⁺
• Complimentary Oceania Cruises logo tote bag
• Cashmere lap blankets, perfect for relaxing on your veranda
• Complimentary shoe shine service

⁺ Up to 20 garments per laundry bag. 3 day turnaround time and laundry will not be accepted 3 days prior to disembarkation
⁺⁺ Limited availability 

All Suites and Staterooms are Smoke-Free

Edited October 5, 2020 by alaskaca

[irisbax3]

Totally agree with DrHemlock and Alaskaca. We've stayed in both B 1 and A 2 cabins and enjoyed each one. Other than location, there's no difference between the B level and A level concierge cabins and verandas. The extra perks are nice but ,to us, not essential. If you're on a long cruise, the laundry is a good perk. Whatever you decide, enjoy your cruise.

[BSR]

Where does it say a free bottle of wine?  I only see the Champagne listed in the above amenities. 

[njhorseman]

28 minutes ago, cloudchaser said:

We're booking first time on Oceania and wonder about the difference between a veranda and concierge level veranda.  Is the extra money worth the upgrade.  Your opinion will be appreciated.

An amenity included with concierge verandas that hasn't been mentioned by previous posters is access to the concierge lounge...if you're on Marina or Riviera. There is no concierge lounge on the "R" ships: Insignia, Regatta, Nautica and Sirena.

We make frequent use of the concierge lounge as a convenient place to get coffee, tea, snacks, soft drinks, have access to newspapers, and a couple of computer terminals. The concierge can assist you with making dinner reservations and help you to resolve any problems that might arise during the cruise.

 

Whether the amenities are worth the additional cost over a standard veranda cabin is solely in your eyes. It may be to me, but not to you.

[ORV]

Which ship?

[alaskaca]

16 minutes ago, BSR said:

Where does it say a free bottle of wine?  I only see the Champagne listed in the above amenities. 

On our cruises in 2018, 2019 and the one in 2020, if you ask your cabin steward to switch out the Champagne for a (in our case)  bottle of Merlot, they were happy to do it.  These cruises were on R class ships.

[BSR]

3 minutes ago, alaskaca said:

On our cruises in 2018, 2019 and the one in 2020, if you ask your cabin steward to switch out the Champagne for a (in our case)  bottle of Merlot, they were happy to do it.  These cruises were on R class ships.

Thanks for letting me know that.   The other poster indicated 2 bottles - is that not correct?

[ORV]

7 minutes ago, BSR said:

Thanks for letting me know that.   The other poster indicated 2 bottles - is that not correct?

If you've sailed on Oceania you get a bottle of the Oceania Club wine. I think it's about a 4 dollar bottle of South American plonk. 

 

I don't remember if you have to be Bronze or not to get it. It's not much of a Club benefit. I'd rather have the OBC reduction they took away. 

 

I do need to add you get this in whatever room you're in. 

Edited October 5, 2020 by ORV

[BSR]

5 minutes ago, ORV said:

If you've sailed on Oceania you get a bottle of the Oceania Club wine. I think it's about a 4 dollar bottle of South American plonk. 

 

I don't remember if you have to be Bronze or not to get it. It's not much of a Club benefit. I'd rather have the OBC reduction they took away. 

 

I do need to add you get this in whatever room you're in. 

Thanks for the info. 

[LHT28]

pre covid  Concierge cabins also get to order Hot Breakfast   & can order lunch & dinner from the GDR  menu   

  other than what is on the room service menu

Some people like  that option

[LHT28]

43 minutes ago, ORV said:

I don't remember if you have to be Bronze or not to get it. It's not much of a Club benefit. I'd rather have the OBC reduction they took away. 

 

I do need to add you get this in whatever room you're in. 

Yes it  starts at Bronze level

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/oceania-club-benefits/

[cloudchaser]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Which ship?

Nautica for a BtB August 26 to September 19.  I guess there is no Concierge lounge on the ship.  That would have been a definite plus for upgrading.

[LHT28]

20 minutes ago, cloudchaser said:

Nautica for a BtB August 26 to September 19.  I guess there is no Concierge lounge on the ship.  That would have been a definite plus for upgrading.

no lounge but they do have a nice library  & not to far to get to Barristas from most places on the ship 😉

 

[Mura]

In fact, in MY opinion (and many others agree) the library on the "R" ships is superior to the library on the "O" ships.  It's really my favorite space on the "R" ships.  While I have on rare occasions used the lounge on the "O" ships, I wouldn't miss it if it weren't there.  Primarily we will go there if we missed lunch somehow -- perhaps due to a long tour on shore -- and want some snacks to hold us over to dinner, the sandwiches in the lounge are welcome.  But without the lounge we could just as easily order a sandwich or salad from room service.

 

But the library on the "R" ships is really special ...

 

Unless, perhaps, you encounter a woman that we did on a cruise some time ago ...she'd come into the library, get a book and a comfortable seat, and immediately start snoring.

 

Loudly.

 

Mura

 

[CintiPam]

1 hour ago, Mura said:

In fact, in MY opinion (and many others agree) the library on the "R" ships is superior to the library on the "O" ships.  It's really my favorite space on the "R" ships....

 

But the library on the "R" ships is really special ...

 

Mura

 

I agree that the library on the “R” ships is superior to the library on the “O” ships; also that it is my favorite space on the “R” ships.  I certainly spent a great deal of my leisure time there on my first three cruises when we were in those very small “E” cabins (barely-obstructed 6030 or 6033) with no veranda and nowhere to sit but on the bed.  
 

Regarding the OP’s question (now that I long have moved on/up to booking veranda cabins,) I personally do not believe that it is worth the extra money for the perks listed for the same physical space; I prefer to eat in the many excellent dining venues rather than in my cabin and the other perks add up to little for my Oceania sailing habits.

Edited October 6, 2020 by CintiPam

[Glenndale]

On Marina and Riviera we like to book the extended balcony cabins which are B grade.

If there are no extended balconies left to book I like a cabin close to the concierge lounge for an early morning coffee.

On the R class ships we enjoy the aft facing cabins which are A grade.

As to getting 2 tops in the specialities, who knows what the future holds with regards to seating arrangements in the restaurants?

WHY do people sleep in the library?

 

[DrHemlock]

Mea culpa on the free bottle of wine.  We've sailed O on a bunch of cruises and I forgot that that freebie comes with frequency, not cabin class.  

 

The "free laundry service" shown on O's amenity list in post #3 above is of questionable value.  Three-day turnaround for your laundry when you've deliberately packed as light as possible?  Ummm...probably not.  Good ol' regular 1-day service works better for us and it's a good use of OBC. 

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, DrHemlock said:

Mea culpa on the free bottle of wine.  We've sailed O on a bunch of cruises and I forgot that that freebie comes with frequency, not cabin class.  

 

 

Maybe the free wine comes from your TA?

They only started the "Free wine"  from Oceania club status  last year   if I recall correctly

 

[ORV]

Just to get back to a couple of points, the OP is asking about Concierge vs Veranda. The Library is available to anyone, so it really doesn't figure in to the comparison. Just like many things it's personal preference as to whether it's worth it or not. I personally would pay a little more to get one of the aft Concierge rooms on the R class ships, but not much. 

 

Most of the time that I've been in a Concierge room has been when we were in a Guaranteed lower level. So I usually haven't paid the difference. I do find that I use the Spa Terrace almost none, and the Lounge on the O class only a little more. We did you the Spa terrace on a sailaway from Venice, and we were the only ones out there. That was good. 

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Most of the time that I've been in a Concierge room has been when we were in a Guaranteed lower level. So I usually haven't paid the difference. I do find that I use the Spa Terrace almost none, and the Lounge on the O class only a little more. We did you the Spa terrace on a sailaway from Venice, and we were the only ones out there. That was good. 

I agree

 We do not use most of the Extras   so usually just take  a B cabin

 DH does like the spa deck on Riviera  but we may only spend less than 1 hr there if we do  go there

So for us  unless I get a deal  would not  pay the extra $

always a case of YMMV

[tromvest]

9 hours ago, Glenndale said:

On Marina and Riviera we like to book the extended balcony cabins which are B grade.

If there are no extended balconies left to book I like a cabin close to the concierge lounge for an early morning coffee.

On the R class ships we enjoy the aft facing cabins which are A grade.

As to getting 2 tops in the specialities, who knows what the future holds with regards to seating arrangements in the restaurants?

WHY do people sleep in the library?

 

I’m about to book our first cruise on Oceania for October 2021 on the Marina. We are looking at cabin 9141. 

Which cabins are the “extended balcony” cabins on the Marina? Thanks!

[cloudchaser]

Thanks to every one for all the good information and advise.  My wife and I do world cruises (Holland America) and the library is important.  Glad to hear that R class have good libraries.  Actually it seems that our cabin will be left to chance.  Our August 26, 2021 cruise on the Nautica is waitlisted for all but some interiors.  So we are on the list of A3, B1 & B2.  I think in 10 months something should clear.  It is like the Lottery.  Thanks again for the help.

[cruiseaholic78]

41 minutes ago, tromvest said:

I’m about to book our first cruise on Oceania for October 2021 on the Marina. We are looking at cabin 9141. 

Which cabins are the “extended balcony” cabins on the Marina? Thanks!

They are all on deck 7 numbers 7000/7008 7001/7009 and then 7108/7126 7111/7131

these are clearly shown on the deck plans for each ship.

happy planning

Rosalyn