On Oceania Riviera now, Barcelona to Trieste

[Traveller94]

2 hours ago, Aknayt3393 said:

@Traveller94I think you’ll have an awesome time on St Tropez for your birthday! The tour was nice for us but not sure I’d necessarily recommend it or do it again but I think it was fun in part because we ended up having some friends also on the tour. The bus ride back to the ship was along the coastline, a bit harrowing with the narrow winding roads but the guide was able to share a lot of the history of the area. It was a long tour though. 

 

Thanks for the feedback. It sounds like we’ll need a more laid back day by this point. A bit of sightseeing on our own, a nice cafe, and some shopping sounds like a spot on birthday from what you and others have said.

[1985rz1]

6 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Usually if  your passport is needed ashore it is noted in the Currents the night before  the port

Do they not still do this ??

It's been a long time since we were in Monte Carlo, but I remember a passport was needed for the Casinos, not for going ashore.

Edited April 29, 2022 by 1985rz1

[Traveller94]

1 hour ago, Aknayt3393 said:

One more thing, if you go to the Monte Carlo casino, make sure to take your passport. Evidently there were a number of very unhappy Oceania passengers who were turned away because they weren’t told of this requirement. We had tickets but didn’t end up using them. Enough people complained that they were refunded $20, in shipboard credit. 

Thanks for the heads up. Are advanced tickets required now? Did you get them from Oceania or online?

[Aknayt3393]

@LHT28I was told they did not. We didn’t even try to use our tickets but others who tried to get in were quite upset about it.  

[Aknayt3393]

@Traveller94I don’t think advance tickets are required but we had been given some with our tour that didn’t end up actually being a tour. 

[LHT28]

7 hours ago, Aknayt3393 said:

@LHT28I was told they did not. We didn’t even try to use our tickets but others who tried to get in were quite upset about it.  

Interesting

[Aknayt3393]

We thought our Oceania excursion to the Vatican today was great. It was beautiful and I am glad we did it. It was also hot and crowded and long and our group started wearing out near the end. We all limped back out to the bus finally and napped our way back to the boat. It didn’t help that I received a text while in the St Peter’s Basilica from friends on the Royal Caribbean that they had just been quarantined. That was anxiety provoking to say the least. We were masking with KN95s per Italy requirements, and Oceania had even helpfully provided extras for us with our turndown. Still I have to admit I’m definitely uneasy. 
 

Our butler very kindly let us know on our return that he had made a reservation for us at Polo this eve - we weren’t sure whether we would try the buffet or possibly room service so that was a nice surprise. We both enjoyed the meal at Polo very much, complete with a stunningly beautiful sunset and I have at least 50 pictures of it.

 

But I have decided what my absolute perfect meal would be on the Oceania Riviera: the Jacques pork with amazing crack-sauce (mustard cream?), mashed potatoes and those incredible green beans w/almonds from Pollo Grill, and the raspberry tiramisu from Toscana. With the green tea from Red Ginger. I also loved the decadent dessert Aspen coffee drink the Grand Dining sommelier recommended. 
 

We were still a little restless and looking for some kind of onboard activity after dinner but the slot machines were stingy and the bars were super quiet. We went by the show and loved the broadway singing by very talented Riviera singers but bailed after a few songs because we were tired. 

 

Apparently our excursion to capri tomorrow morning has been bumped up a couple hours earlier than anticipated so I will try to get some sleep. 

[SisterHavana]

We're doing the Oceania Uffizi excursion on our cruise, so I'm glad you had a good experience. I'd love to hear more about it!

[Aknayt3393]

@SisterHavanaWe loved the Oceania Uffizi tour. We had a great guide who was able to manage all the issues along the way. The staff at the museum seemed to know and like her, which helped us skip a large section of the tour group line (it was a busy day due to the nice weather) and when a couple in our group lost their admission tickets going through security, she spoke with the security staff and managed to get us all through anyway. The museum itself is incredible, well worth the time and expense in my opinion. The guide was very knowledgeable and made the stories in the paintings come to life. My husband had selected the tour knowing I love art history and I was so glad he did. Same with the Vatican. 
 

We went to Capri yesterday and absolutely loved it. We were pleased to find another couple that we’ve hit it off with on the same tour, which made it even better. The island is charming and has fantastic views from the top of the chair lift, however I seem to have developed a fear of heights that kicked in and I studied the hills and foliage both ways instead of the panoramic views. Everyone else seemed to have no problem at all, and even the most elderly were handling it easily. The chairs only hold one person, and the bar doesn’t have a safety clasp, but those who went up seemed fine with it. It was no problem to stay at the bottom of the lift if you chose.  
 

Dinner was at Toscana was excellent and we had a table with a gorgeous view as we left Naples. We were exhausted so chose to go to bed early. 
 

Today we have our one day at sea and I think everyone is grateful. We are catching up on some laundry, taking the cooking class, and doing the red wine challenge this afternoon. And La Reserve tonight for dinner. Still a busy day but in a good way. 
 

I thought I might mention some things I wish I had known as a first time Oceania passenger. 
 

I should have brought a magnified mirror for makeup - there is a little desk that opens up but the lighting is poor and it isn’t magnified. 
People do seem to dress more than I expected for dinner - which I enjoy but I found different from the other cruises we had done (Viking and Royal Caribbean).
The room does not have USB ports and only 5 electric outlets, with none in the bathroom. 

The laundry room becomes a very competitive environment, and you have to choose your days and times wisely. My husband thankfully took that on and he had no problem on the first day of the cruise (we had spent a few days in Barcelona) and then this morning he got there a minute before the 7:30 am opening and snagged the first machine. We did give our butler the 30 free laundry items but it takes 3 days to get them back. We are able to do at least one more 30-item load so will likely do so tomorrow.

We have not been tested at all for Covid and I think that might be done on a self-report basis. We FaceTimed our friends who are quarantined on the Royal Caribbean and they said they also had asked for the test because of extremely mild symptoms. One was positive and the other negative but they opted to quarantine together in their suite. They are going stir crazy but fine in general, and allowed to smoke in the bathroom only. 
 

The KN95 mask regulation in Italy is definitely enforced, which caught some off guard. 
 

I just asked our butler if there were any cases of Covid on this ship and he said no - I’m not sure if he is permitted to say anything so who knows. I’ve received more gossip from other passengers who seem to have more of an inside track. 
 

[arima22]

The electric outlet in the bathroom is where the night light is plugged into. Can be used for low current draw items like razors but not hair dryers.

[Twiga]

AknayT, you said that "the room does not have USB ports."  I have used USB ports in the bed side lamps on the Marina (February 2022) and I believe also on the Riviera in 2019.  Have you checked there or asked the butler/stateroom attendant?

Edited May 2, 2022 by Twiga

[2SeaAll]

Aknay T, can you give us any more info on the Covid situation. We are supposed to go on RIV on 5/17 and I am having angst about the situation. How do they handle tenders? Are they crowded as usual? What about tours? Do they limit the size? Any insight into how Oceania is keeping guests safe would be very much appreciated. THX so much. 2seaall

[Aknayt3393]

@arima22 Thanks! I didn’t even know that was a plug-in nightlight. And I pulled it out and yes there’s a plug underneath. @TwigaI checked our lamps and there doesn’t seem to be anything. They are up in the wall so maybe there’s another kind in other rooms? We have the penthouse on 11th floor. 
 

We really enjoyed the cooking class today - we made the sea bass from Red Ginger and the pad Thai, and my favorite, salad rolls (I think they were called something else). 

[LHT28]

56 minutes ago, Aknayt3393 said:

@arima22 Thanks! I didn’t even know that was a plug-in nightlight. And I pulled it out and yes there’s a plug underneath. @TwigaI checked our lamps and there doesn’t seem to be anything. They are up in the wall so maybe there’s another kind in other rooms? We have the penthouse on 11th floor. 
 

 

The lower cat cabins have the connection  so I would be shocked if the PH does not

Ask your Butler to show you where they are

 

 

[Hawaiidan]

On 4/28/2022 at 3:52 PM, mauibabes said:

Aknayt3393

OK, we will call it Jacques 1 and Toscana 1A.  Now we will need a report from your dinner in Red Ginger.  I have three MUST try items; Watermelon and Duck Salad, Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass and the Rack of Lamb. This is not to say there are not many more outstanding dishes but these are FANTASTIC. Next trip to Jacques, share the Sea Bass in a puff pastry for 2. So many of the appetizers and entrees are Awesome as well. Back to Toscana, have an Appetizer or Entree size piece of Grandma’s Lasagna Bolognese. 
Polo, you are on your own but the Waldorf Salad, Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail, Maine Lobster and … are pretty great too. 
Enjoy

Mauibabes 

Polo the best thing  is the Veal  Oscar   if you like Jaques  you will like  that I think.. and the desert trio  of iis it a quad now...

[kptbylorraine]

2seaall-

 

Go to Oceania website and scroll down to Company Info, then Sailsafe. 
The protocols are listed there. 
BTW we will be sailing with you on May 17th. 
 

Lorraine

[JoePDX]

7 hours ago, Aknayt3393 said:

And La Reserve tonight for dinner. Still a busy day but in a good way. 
 

 

I am anxiously awaiting your opinions on La Reserve.   

 

I had booked the Bourgeois menu a few months ago for our Riviera cruise in September/October.   After reading another review here on CC - I also booked the Odyssey menu.    It all just looks so amazing.  :-)

 

Joe

[Twiga]

Aknay T, did you look on the bottom edge of the wall light by the bed (the underside)?  Sometimes the USB port is there.  Usually there are some by the desk.  Definitely ask your butler where it is.  They are not always in an obvious location.

[Aknayt3393]

@2SeaAll Oceania is handling Covid really well. They are definitely enforcing masks and we honestly haven’t heard of even one case onboard. I have tried to inquire every now and then and no one has heard of any cases. Our friends on the RC who are quarantined said there was no mask policy at all on their ship. Our tender was crowded but every was masked. We have only been on a tender once. The tour groups at first were all small but the Rome tour was much bigger and they combined two of our groups on a large bus. Some on the bus were removing their masks which made me uncomfortable. There have been crowds on land in Florence and Rome in particular. I think my basic message is Oceania is great with safety precautions but there’s only so much you can do when on the excursions. We have been wearing masks if there’s crowds outdoors and quite a few other passengers have done the same, but I think there’s still a significant risk to be honest. 

[Aknayt3393]

@JoePDXLa Reserve was a great experience. And for anyone interested, book it well in advance because I’m hearing quite a few people weren’t able to get a reservation. 
 

The food was incredible as many have already described. We had the French menu. I would highly recommend going with a major appetite because I simply couldn’t do more than a few bites after awhile. And the food is extremely rich, so I was struggling. The wine pairings were excellent. But it was a lot of wine and a lot of food, and I didn’t feel I did it justice unfortunately. We were at a table of 6 and others were having the same problem. The beef course was absolutely fantastic, so pace yourself so you will still have an appetite when that comes. 
 

The people were also fantastic. This was probably my favorite part really. I thought we had absolutely nothing in common with them when we were first assigned to our group, but by the end of the meal (3 hours later) we were all having a fantastic time. I’m not sure I’m articulating this well, but for me at least it wasn’t at all just about the food - it was the ambience and the comraderie as well as the fantastic chefs, and servers we have started to get to know. By the end they finally opened all the doors to give us the hint to leave as no one seemed inclined to do so. 
 

One other thing - the cooking class was so worth it. I wasn’t sure about it on our one at sea day but I highly recommend it and do sign up early. I heard many were on waiting lists that never opened up. 

[ORV]

5 hours ago, Aknayt3393 said:

The people were also fantastic. This was probably my favorite part really. I thought we had absolutely nothing in common with them when we were first assigned to our group, but by the end of the meal (3 hours later) we were all having a fantastic time. I’m not sure I’m articulating this well, but for me at least it wasn’t at all just about the food - it was the ambience and the comraderie as well as the fantastic chefs, and servers we have started to get to know

Doesn’t the Wine maybe get credit for some of that?😄

[Aknayt3393]

@ORVI suppose the seven glasses during the 7 courses might have contributed lol. I was moving a little slower today until we were given grappa on our Montenegro excursion - which was a fantastic tour. I will go into more detail tomorrow after I’ve gotten some sleep. 

[Aknayt3393]

I haven’t had time to post much but wanted to let others know that the excursion yesterday at Montenegro was the best yet. This was the opinion of everyone else I spoke with on the tour. It was an Oceania tour called “Classical performance in prcanj and kotor.”  The actual musical performance was only 30 minutes but I think we all would have been happy if it had been at least twice that. The entire cruise was super well done, from beginning to end. 
 

Today we did the Game of Thrones excursion in Dubrovnik which was also great - we had anticipated rain but it ended being perfect weather. 
 

 

 

 

[Aknayt3393]

We spent our second to last day in Slovenia. We did the wine tasting tour and it was probably my least favorite. We spent a small amount of time in a charming little town, raced into a few shops then back on the bus for a stop at one winery. A few other new friends ended up on the tour also which made it fun and we did have a good time, but definitely would not repeat this one personally. 

 

Tomorrow will be a big day, Covid tests at 7 am followed by the 2 hour drive to Venice, then 2 hrs back, and then (providing we pass the Covid tests) the 2 hour drive back in the morning to catch our plane back to the US. 
 

I am already stressing about the Covid tests, hearing how so many asymptomatic people test positive and end up having to quarantine. I’ve been working through all the scenarios in my head as to how we would handle things if one or both of us test positive.  Some others we’ve met think it’s not such a big deal if they get hung up for 5 days in Italy, but long story short, I need to return to my elderly parents who depend on me and I don’t have a solid plan B for a Covid delay. 

I will let those interested in the new Trieste/Venice transfers know tomorrow how that all goes. I’m excited to see Venice for the first time, and am hoping all goes smoothly. 
 

 

[LHT28]

3 minutes ago, Aknayt3393 said:

Tomorrow will be a big day, Covid tests at 7 am followed by the 2 hour drive to Venice, then 2 hrs back, and then (providing we pass the Covid tests) the 2 hour drive back in the morning to catch our plane back to the US. 

 

OMG  I would  have booked a hotel in Venice  & disembarked  tomorrow   or just stay in Trieste for the day

 Good luck with the negative covid test