If not Oceania, which cruiseline?

[ORV]

50 minutes ago, MSEm said:

Both O and V have "free" launderettes now. I wonder if I can exchange my O laundry tokes for OBC?

Are you serious? There are no tokens. 

[LHT28]

56 minutes ago, Jmoondance said:

Playing card and bean bag toss for entertainment is too much for us to handle on Viking Cruise.🙃

One and done for us!

 

Guess  Oceania  is not for you either 😉

 

[njhorseman]

37 minutes ago, ORV said:

Are you serious? There are no tokens. 

I'm sure the poster was joking, but there were tokens before use of the launderettes became complimentary and some people may have still a few they bought when there was a charge . I might even have one or two left over that I had bought on an earlier cruise.

[ORV]

3 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

I'm sure the poster was joking, but there were tokens before use of the launderettes became complimentary and some people may have still a few they bought when there was a charge . I might even have one or two left over that I had bought on an earlier cruise.

Yep, picked up quite a few over the years at Guest Services. I think in the early days of the complimentary laundry you still had to use the token, but there was no charge for them. 

[Jmoondance]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

Guess  Oceania  is not for you either 😉

 

Thanks for your input!

We will find out for sure in few months. 

So far what I read and doing own research sounds good fit for us.

 

[PhD-iva]

41 minutes ago, Jmoondance said:

Thanks for your input!

We will find out for sure in few months. 

So far what I read and doing own research sounds good fit for us.

 

I think you will like Oceania a LOT! I know I do!

[terrydtx]

4 hours ago, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

In any case, my focus is 75% itinerary, and I love the port intensive cruises Oceania offers.  I can't afford anything more expensive than Viking, which for us is a little more expensive than Oceania, given the way I book and my priorities.  But with Viking, times aren't even reflected on their website up front, so I have no idea how long we're even likely to be in each port.  And my experience has been that Viking ships are more likely to skip a port, which makes me a little wary of booking an itinerary that goes somewhere I really, really want to go.  But it's a great cruise line, especially for new cruisers, and cruisers who expect to be well taken care of.   I just prefer Oceania, and my cruise in May showed no decline from before the start of Covid, so unless/until I notice any real decline, I'm quite likely to continue using them at least 3 out of 4 times.  

Thank you, for the reasons you cite, we have booked our first Oceania cruise for March 2025. We have sailed for the last few years in Sky Suites with Celebrity and with all the recent changes and super high future suites, Oceania is now more affordable for us. The 2025 Marina cruise is for 18 days from Santiago to Buenos Aires, and the Celebrity Equinox cruise we were looking at was 14 days with 4 fewer ports than the Marina. The Sky Suite on Equinox is about the same price as a Concierge class veranda cabin for 18 days on the Marina. For us this was a no brainer.

[MSEm]

On our first Oceania cruise, December 2009 to the  Amazon; I had to purchase token from guest services for the washers and dryers.  Soap was included.

[fdnycruiser]

We usually look at itineraries first, and then pricing. Along with Oceania, this strategy has taken us on Seabourn, Regent and Silversea all of which we’ve sailed several times. Do we have a favorite?  As far as we’re concerned, they all have their pros and cons. However, we wouldn’t sail on anything larger than Oceania . After our first Oceania over 10 years ago, we  no longer had any desire for larger ships.  Before that we sailed on Princess and Celebrity . We had good experiences on both, but developed a taste for small ship sailing . Just our preference.

[Jmoondance]

12 minutes ago, fdnycruiser said:

. Do we have a favorite?  As far as we’re concerned, they all have their pros and cons.

Yes that's for sure!

 

One think I would like to say Viking's logistics is superior than other line we have sailed on.

That doesn't mean we will try Viking once more. Too many cons for us.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, MSEm said:

On our first Oceania cruise, December 2009 to the  Amazon; I had to purchase token from guest services for the washers and dryers.  Soap was included.

Things have changed  in recent years

no more tokens

Soap is still included though

[MSEm]

I agree about the size of the ship and the number of guest the ship can carry.  We were on an RCCL super ship 1 time.  Had teenagers telling us how awful the inside balcony cabins were.  Too noisy for the teenagers.  We found it too crowded and way too many nickel & dime such as extra cost for ice cream.

Would not want a ship lager then the Riviera.

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

5 hours ago, ORV said:

Yep, picked up quite a few over the years at Guest Services. I think in the early days of the complimentary laundry you still had to use the token, but there was no charge for them. 

Yes, no charge.  But you did need tokens in the machines to start them.

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

1 hour ago, Jmoondance said:

Yes that's for sure!

 

One think I would like to say Viking's logistics is superior than other line we have sailed on.

That doesn't mean we will try Viking once more. Too many cons for us.

Just curious about Viking's logistics - would that be in terms of where they dock, or their arrangements if you buy their pre- or post-trip packages, or what?  

[Jmoondance]

2 minutes ago, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

Just curious about Viking's logistics - would that be in terms of where they dock, or their arrangements if you buy their pre- or post-trip packages, or what?  

Above all that you mentioned. 

 

Not the Viking Air so many pax had a problem with their air arrangement. 

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

On 1/29/2023 at 6:25 PM, Jmoondance said:

Above all that you mentioned. 

 

Not the Viking Air so many pax had a problem with their air arrangement. 

I think some of the air problems weren't limited to Viking Air bookings.  Things have been pretty unsettled in the last month or so when it comes to air.

 

[Jmoondance]

17 minutes ago, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

I think some of the air problems weren't limited to Viking Air bookings.  Things have been pretty unsettled in the last month or so when it comes to air.

 

We had independent air both ways, no problem.

[PhD-iva]

2 hours ago, Jmoondance said:

We had independent air both ways, no problem.

Then you were lucky, I’m glad of that. Post covid air travel has been a cr@pshoot.

[Jmoondance]

Yes, sure of it!😀

Just came back from Viking cruise a week ago from south America. 

[Jmoondance]

Our biggest issue with Viking ,

Thinking Man's cruise as they advocate wasn't. 

Maybe we were expecting too much.😀

Just another cruise line per say. 

[Vineyard View]

We have sailed several Viking Oceans and their Grand European River. We very much enjoyed them and would absolutely sail on them again. Love the clean lines and openness of the ships. The crew is fantastic and the cabins are really pretty impressive. Can’t beat their bathrooms at all levels of staterooms. We would sail on them again with the right itinerary…..and price. They in my opinion are in a rut with regards to itineraries - their expansions with ships have increased Northern hemisphere and some western - their overall price per day when you add it all in for comparison has really jumped as well. Their wine….we buy the package, but we would do that over the basic package on most any line. They’re included excursions - we don’t generally take ship excursions. We don’t need entertainment, and we like to explore in ports for longer periods than some either DIY private. 
We are taking Seabourn in May for the first time. Believe it or not, the promotion allowed us to experience a very competitive price per day (taking everything into account) with O,V, and Az. The itinerary sold us, so we will see. 
Itinerary is really the key driver for us - along with smaller ships. When I look at 2024, Viking isn’t offering anything new and interesting in Europe that I can see. Neither is Seabourn over this year. Oceania might have a couple of interest - Azamara has the most of interest itineraries - for us - but I am not totally sold on the product as yet.

[sofietucker]

Well be cruising AZ the first time this year specifically to compare to O. We like some live music on board and from our research, it looks like V has...none?

[lackcreativity]

16 hours ago, sofietucker said:

Well be cruising AZ the first time this year specifically to compare to O. We like some live music on board and from our research, it looks like V has...none?

Not accurate. I have only cruised with Viking, and really like their product, but I am browsing here for some variety of itineraries. Viking has a variety of live music. There is a small night club called Torshavn with a small band and singers, at least so I have heard.

We tend to linger over dinner and then perhaps go to the Explorer's Lounge. There is a piano there, and there is usually a guitarist on board who rotates locations. In addition, there is a classical duo who perform in The Living Room most evenings. Since that area is open to the Atrium, you can find a spot on several levels to listen. 

There is live music most nights in the Star Theater as well, with a small band and a quartet of singers. The shows performed there could do with some updating, as a few have been around since Viking Ocean first started sailing. If you are new to Viking, that won't be a problem! The Cruise Director and others will sometimes perform in this venue too.

I am not sure where you learned that Viking did not have live music. I would not compare them to the mega ships offerings (or to be fair, not to any other lines, since I have only sailed with Viking). We have enjoyed much of what we have heard on our four Viking cruises.

Edited February 3, 2023 by lackcreativity

[Furball83]

I’m a big fan of Regent Seven Seas. Yes, a little pricier, but everything is included except spa services and something like a private helicopter or car tour. Also small ships, fantastic service, great itineraries, specialty restaurants, afternoon tea, gratuities and all alcohol is included—no drinks packages to buy. Bigger showers in even a basic veranda cabin. Unlimited free laundry and pressing no matter what category you’re in. Pre-night hotel and business class air also included if traveling internationally, though they also have an air deviation fee of $175 to get more direct flights. A two-deck theater with better entertainment, plus various music in the different lounges. I’m going on a Viking River Cruise Basel to Amsterdam, Viking Expedition to Antarctica w/Falklands and South Georgia Island Jan. ‘24 and Viking Ocean Reykjavik to Reykjavik in July ‘24 because was invited by a friend, and I will share a cabin with her daughter-in-law (10 of us altogether). So am anxious to see what Viking’s like, even though I know those three cruises are very different versions. Don’t think I can go back to large ships unless with my family on a multigenerational cruise. Haven’t tried Seabourn or Silversea, but have friends who have, and they like Regent best of the three.

[janecambridge]

We have done one Regent cruise in the past, loved it. Since sailed Oceania, Seabourn and Saga. Oceania used to be our favourite but just coming off of Marina it changed. Seabourn once and never again. Saga is great with same all inclusive as Regent including free pick up from home. In UK Regent don’t give us business air.for any flights. 
Booked Regent for this August. Looking forward to it, except economy Canada air flight out.