Looking for Oceania Experienced Opinion

[LNielsen]

3 hours ago, oskidunker said:

Cunard is your only choice. Tried to sail on them twice but was cancelled due to Covid. Someday, maybe. Right now trying Oceana. 

We have zero desire to leave Oceania. We’ve been sailing with them since their inaugural cruise in July of 2003.  They’re everything we desire in a cruise line, and have never failed us.  I do hope you enjoy your cruise.  

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, LNielsen said:

We have zero desire to leave Oceania. We’ve been sailing with them since their inaugural cruise in July of 2003.  They’re everything we desire in a cruise line, and have never failed us.  I do hope you enjoy your cruise.  

Totaly agree....  There seems to be a theme of people searching.  The "grass is always greener" syndrome.       Some try dozens  some try a few  but when it hits you that found gold, why try to better your hand?      I went through 6 lines    My first was Royal Viking which knocked my sox off by its class. but sadly it went out of business.    Left me with a taste of perfection that  a searched for  Small ship, single seat dining, great cuisine , classy ambiance,  well mannered fellow passngers.    NCL.Celeb..HAL and then Regent.. Which was perfect for my quest  but they changed to ALL inclusive and became nothing  like before......... Then  O.       everything Regent was and more but without the rigid inclusive crap ( which I felt changed the passenger attitude and not for the better)       That was in 2014.....   O was the Royal Viking of the 70's...... but even better......the mother lode.         As Nielsen  said   I never lookd back...........   I say this because You can learn from both of us....save  sone $$$ and  go streight for the gold.....     I will never ever consider another cruise line............  Sorry.

[oskidunker]

I mentioned Cunard for those who might want Formal nights. Never sailed Oceana. Have cruise booked Oct 1, mainly for itinerary but also looking for upgraded experience. Wife and I like formal nights. 23 cruises on Princess. 

[rbtan]

On 5/27/2022 at 3:11 PM, LNielsen said:

I see that someone else has mentioned it.  I will reiterate that shorts are allowed in the Terrace at dinner as stated in Currents on our recent cruise (May 3rd).

So, clearly, they are allowed after 6pm.   Not sure where others are getting their information.   
 

We sail Oceania for many reasons, one being we that prefer the (country club) casual attire aspect to cocktail dresses and coats and ties.  If following the more casual atmosphere and dress codes provided by Oceania upsets someone, perhaps they would enjoy a line that requires formal wear in the evenings. 

Funny. I've not seen shorts in Terrace for dinner. Breakfast & lunch, yes, but not dinner. This has been on Riviera.

 

On 5/27/2022 at 1:51 PM, Guppy99 said:

Do not put words in my mouth or say that I have said things, which I have not. i simply believe in following the rules/guidelines. I also think it's absurd to act as though wearing long pants in the evening to dine (no matter where, just in general) is a big deal.You have totally misunderstood my comments

NJhorseman & a few others seem to harp a lot about wearing what is or is not proper for dinner. Simple as this: Nice Khaki type long pants & a nice button down shirt(long or shortsleeve) NO ties, but a sport coat for the specialties(especially Jacques). On our Jan. 14 cruise on Riviera there was a gentleman who dressed in a top notch vested suit. A little over the top, but looked great.

[Hawaiidan]

8 minutes ago, rbtan said:

Funny. I've not seen shorts in Terrace for dinner. Breakfast & lunch, yes, but not dinner. This has been on Riviera.

 

NJhorseman & a few others seem to harp a lot about wearing what is or is not proper for dinner. Simple as this: Nice Khaki type long pants & a nice button down shirt(long or shortsleeve) NO ties, but a sport coat for the specialties(especially Jacques). On our Jan. 14 cruise on Riviera there was a gentleman who dressed in a top notch vested suit. A little over the top, but looked great.

better to dress up than down as a general rule I found

[LNielsen]

8 minutes ago, rbtan said:

Funny. I've not seen shorts in Terrace for dinner. Breakfast & lunch, yes, but not dinner. This has been on Riviera.

 

We have seen shorts  in Terrace at dinner many times over the years both on Insignia and Regatta.  Most recently on our May 3rd Regatta cruise we saw several gentlemen doing so.  They were not wearing cutoffs or gym shorts with a tee shirt, rather they wore nice dress shorts with collared button down shirts or polos.   There is absolutely nothing wrong with the above attire for visiting the buffet, an upscale buffet, but a buffet nonetheless.  

[Guppy99]

38 minutes ago, LNielsen said:

We have seen shorts  in Terrace at dinner many times over the years both on Insignia and Regatta.  Most recently on our May 3rd Regatta cruise we saw several gentlemen doing so.  They were not wearing cutoffs or gym shorts with a tee shirt, rather they wore nice dress shorts with collared button down shirts or polos.   There is absolutely nothing wrong with the above attire for visiting the buffet, an upscale buffet, but a buffet nonetheless.  

ok...so the rule is that shorts are ALLOWED in the Terrace at dinner. I think we all got the message. So no one has be so horribly inconvenienced and endure the sacrifice of wearing long pants.  yeah!

[Harters]

9 hours ago, Guppy99 said:

I do think they should make sure their messages are in synch

I have absolutely no issue with a business setting a dress code. And I agree with you that it should be clear and, as far as possible, unambiguous. In that way, potential customers can decide if that is a place where they want to eat. Or, in this case, decide if a ship is for them or not. For example, I choose not to eat in restaurants which require men to wear jackets. It's no big deal - very few places here at whatever level have such a rule. It also means I rule out a number of cruise lines which still go down the formal/informal route. That's also no biggie, when there's the likes of Oceania, Viking, etc. My standard "dining out" clothing, whether for the local pizza place or a Michelin 3* restaurant is chinos and polo short (or short sleeved buttoned short). And, of course, that's what I'll be wearing on our forthcoming cruise. And I'll have no problem if others are wearing shorts or three piece suit & tie.

[edgee]

On 5/28/2022 at 5:32 PM, rbtan said:

Funny. I've not seen shorts in Terrace for dinner. Breakfast & lunch, yes, but not dinner. This has been on Riviera.

 

NJhorseman & a few others seem to harp a lot about wearing what is or is not proper for dinner. Simple as this: Nice Khaki type long pants & a nice button down shirt(long or shortsleeve) NO ties, but a sport coat for the specialties(especially Jacques). On our Jan. 14 cruise on Riviera there was a gentleman who dressed in a top notch vested suit. A little over the top, but looked great.

Where in the world do you get the idea that men should wear sport coats in the specialty restaurants? I agree that you are more likely to see sport coats in specialty restaurants than in the GDR, but nowhere is that dictated as even a recommendation from the cruise line.

[pinotlover]

My primary request is that Oceania make a mostly unambiguous dress code and then ENFORCE it. Should not be too much to ask.

 

If shorts aren’t allowed in the Specialties, then turn everyone away at the door wearing them. Fairly simple to me,  but they don’t. Yoga pants and a T-shirt is not country club casual anymore than my sweatpants and a T-shirt. Gentleman remove their hats indoors. You might be from Midland, TX, but you’re not sailing in Midland, TX! Whatever happened to “ When in Rome…,.,,”?
 

People get goofy with YWYW . Your way may be to dress slobbishly with a cap on backwards. It’s not always YW, grow up Boomer, it’s not the 60s anymore.
 

 

Edited May 30, 2022 by pinotlover

[njhorseman]

On 5/28/2022 at 5:32 PM, rbtan said:

Funny. I've not seen shorts in Terrace for dinner. Breakfast & lunch, yes, but not dinner. This has been on Riviera.

 

NJhorseman & a few others seem to harp a lot about wearing what is or is not proper for dinner. Simple as this: Nice Khaki type long pants & a nice button down shirt(long or shortsleeve) NO ties, but a sport coat for the specialties(especially Jacques). On our Jan. 14 cruise on Riviera there was a gentleman who dressed in a top notch vested suit. A little over the top, but looked great.

The only thing I harp about is the people who make up their own rules and then want others to follow them. 

Your post is a perfect example, because sport coats are not required nor even suggested in any Oceania restaurant.

[rbtan]

On 5/28/2022 at 5:48 PM, LNielsen said:

We have seen shorts  in Terrace at dinner many times over the years both on Insignia and Regatta.  Most recently on our May 3rd Regatta cruise we saw several gentlemen doing so.  They were not wearing cutoffs or gym shorts with a tee shirt, rather they wore nice dress shorts with collared button down shirts or polos.   There is absolutely nothing wrong with the above attire for visiting the buffet, an upscale buffet, but a buffet nonetheless.  

Like I said Riviera. We've not been on the smaller ships. I can't opine to their standards,

[sunlover12]

6 hours ago, pinotlover said:

My primary request is that Oceania make a mostly unambiguous dress code and then ENFORCE it. Should not be too much to ask.

 

If shorts aren’t allowed in the Specialties, then turn everyone away at the door wearing them. Fairly simple to me,  but they don’t. Yoga pants and a T-shirt is not country club casual anymore than my sweatpants and a T-shirt. Gentleman remove their hats indoors. You might be from Midland, TX, but you’re not sailing in Midland, TX! Whatever happened to “ When in Rome…,.,,”?
 

People get goofy with YWYW . Your way may be to dress slobbishly with a cap on backwards. It’s not always YW, grow up Boomer, it’s not the 60s anymore.
 

 

A lot depends on the maitre d and if they decide to enforce the dress code.

 

On my March cruise on Regatta, there was a man in line in front of us wearing shorts for dinner in the GDR.  We wondered if anything would be said to him.  Sure enough, the maitre d whispered something in his ear and sent him off to change clothes.

On that same cruise there was a woman in Polo Grill wearing old, ugly blue jeans.  I was shocked they let her in.  Whoever was in charge of Polo that night was not enforcing the rules.

 

Oceania's dress code isn't that hard to follow but it seems there is always a few people who try to push the limits.  I appreciate the staff who monitors people coming in because it's not an easy job. 

 

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, rbtan said:

Hate to tell you,

 

they are suggested. I've found that people like you love to "dumb" down the rules. Oceania says requested, because they feel that, unlike yourself. most are ladies & gentleman who realize that a request is a much nicer term than a demand. You do see sports coats in the brochures from Oceania all the time & you see them very frequently in the specialty rest. I'll admit much less than the GDR.

Where are jackets suggested? Not in the website FAQs. Not in the Currents. That's where you'll find "the rules" and suggestions, not in an advertising or brochure picture. Is there also a rule that passengers have to be as physically attractive as the models in the brochure ? Perhaps a "suggestion" ?

 

The fact that you see them more in the specialty restaurants and less so in the GDR doesn't mean anything beyond passengers making a personal choice about their attire.

 

They're not in "the rules".  I can't "dumb down" a rule that doesn't exist. You also can't dumb down  a suggestion that doesn't exist.

Edited May 30, 2022 by njhorseman

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, rbtan said:

Like I said Riviera. We've not been on the smaller ships. I can't opine to their standards,

Even if you didn't see them on Riviera it doesn't mean they weren't allowed.

I suspect that if you spent every night in Terrace Cafe for its entire dinner service hours you would have seen some people wearing shorts.

Edited May 30, 2022 by njhorseman