Riviera Live — February 10th

[What A Market]

2 hours ago, loriva said:

Is there a card or game room on the Riviera?  Is the Board Room on deck 14 used for that purpose?  Wondering if there are any times where one can drop in for games--specifically interested in Mexican Train.

 

For anyone joining on the 20th or continuing B2B, I'm considering bringing my domino set to play Mexican Train if there is any interest.  Please let me know on our Roll Call.

 

Looking forward to our first sailing with Oceania and on the Riviera!

 

Many thanks,

 

loriva 

Here’s some photos of the card room

[What A Market]

Something  new for me on the Riviera. They now how a real juice bar in the morning. It’s the same location/station where you get milkshakes in the afternoon. Tasty!

[loriva]

A quick question as I contemplate how much to pack, please.  How long is laundry taking to come back?  If you give it to the cabin steward at the morning deadline (0800 hours?  0900?) is it back same day?  Next day?  More?

 

Many thanks,

 

[GregoryPaul]

Pretty sure that wine has turned. I suspect “Brett”. I’d tell one of those wine people.

[LHT28]

43 minutes ago, loriva said:

A quick question as I contemplate how much to pack, please.  How long is laundry taking to come back?  If you give it to the cabin steward at the morning deadline (0800 hours?  0900?) is it back same day?  Next day?  More?

 

Many thanks,

 

if you are talking the Free bags   it will usually be 3 days

if you are paying per item usually  next day  sometime  same day IME

Laundry room  90 mins  approx

[What A Market]

48 minutes ago, loriva said:

A quick question as I contemplate how much to pack, please.  How long is laundry taking to come back?  If you give it to the cabin steward at the morning deadline (0800 hours?  0900?) is it back same day?  Next day?  More?

 

Many thanks,

 

I should know the answer to this, but not really sure. We’ve sent out laundry twice. The first one definitely seemed like it took longer than what is stated on the laundry tag. Second bag is still out. My sense of time, and the passage thereof, definitely gets messed up on Caribbean cruises.

Edited February 18, 2023 by What A Market

[What A Market]

6 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

if you are talking the Free bags   it will usually be 3 days

if you are paying per item usually  next day  sometime  same day IME

Laundry room  90 mins  approx

Didn’t see your post before I got mine uploaded.

I think you’ve got it right.

My bags are “free” bags, so I guess that’s why it takes longer.

 

[What A Market]

Something else new (meaning, perhaps, just new for me).

 

At lunchtime at the salad station, Riviera has a Power Bowl set up. The ingredients vary a bit day to day. As with the morning juice bar, nice to see an attempt at some healthier options.  I start with this for lunch before heading to Waves for some “bad” stuff. Because of course, I’m not a crazy person. Yum! 🤤

[What A Market]

A note on the Gins onboard.

Some nice offerings, including some I’ve never seen. 

 

Top of the list is Monkey 47. I’m a big fan. Basically a sipping gin. Too expensive to drink with mixers. Surprising to see it as an offering. Other nice choices include Gunpowder Irish Gin and The Botanist. Also Aviation and the rest of the usual suspects. 

 

In the photo is Gordon’s Pink Gin and an assortment of Mermaid Gins that I’ve never seen before. They had three different bottles of Mermaid. (A bottle of their Vodka got thrown into the photo.) Mermaid is distilled on the Isle of Wight. I plan on sampling. 

[urlaub]

4 hours ago, What A Market said:

Here’s an odd food shortage event:

Somehow we’ve run out of jam. The chefs at Terraces said it was all used up yesterday afternoon. So that’s three upcoming mornings (including today) where no jam will be available. Pretty much 1/3 of the 10 day cruise. That seems like a weird thing for the supply chain at Oceania to miss on. (Unless there’s an upstream problem where Oceania can’t secure enough jam.)

 

Sort of an issue for DW who has to eat gluten free. If you’ve ever eaten gluten free toast, then you know from where I speak. No bueno. 

Same on Marina! Jam , marmelade and honey were out of stock. 

[BWV]

20 minutes ago, urlaub said:

Same on Marina! Jam , marmelade and honey were out of stock. 

Thanks so much for the warning - I think I'll put a couple of tiny jars in my luggage just in case.

[pinotlover]

If you can bring on booze at port stops, I’m sure you can bring aboard jams, jelly, etc. Might even be able to sample some local varieties instead of the mass production ship offerings. Eat local, what a concept!!

[ORV]

1 hour ago, What A Market said:

A note on the Gins onboard.

Some nice offerings, including some I’ve never seen. 

 

Top of the list is Monkey 47. I’m a big fan. Basically a sipping gin. Too expensive to drink with mixers. Surprising to see it as an offering. Other nice choices include Gunpowder Irish Gin and The Botanist. Also Aviation and the rest of the usual suspects. 

 

In the photo is Gordon’s Pink Gin and an assortment of Mermaid Gins that I’ve never seen before. They had three different bottles of Mermaid. (A bottle of their Vodka got thrown into the photo.) Mermaid is distilled on the Isle of Wight. I plan on sampling. 

Something is kicking in the back of my mind that the Mermaid is their new alcohol free Gin they introduced a few months ago that the CC host Chris did a live about. I think it's in conjunction with the Vista coming on line. 

Or I could be thinking of something else, I'm still a little bedazzled by that Houndstooth carpet. Don't think I've ever seen that on a carpet before. 

[LHT28]

21 minutes ago, ORV said:

Something is kicking in the back of my mind that the Mermaid is their new alcohol free Gin they introduced a few months ago that the CC host Chris did a live about. I think it's in conjunction with the Vista coming on line. 

Or I could be thinking of something else, I'm still a little bedazzled by that Houndstooth carpet. Don't think I've ever seen that on a carpet before. 

I think the  new alcohol free  started with an L

will see If i can find the announcement

[LakeRooseveltBrews]

1 hour ago, BWV said:

Thanks so much for the warning - I think I'll put a couple of tiny jars in my luggage just in case.

They also appear to have run out of Splenda sweetener.  They have Truvia but not a packet of Splenda to be found in Terraces at lunch today.

[harlor]

Does anyone know if there is a site for reviews of specific tours being offered by Oceania? We'd like to know what past passengers think of various tours before we sign up for them.

Thanks, 

Loretta

[What A Market]

26 minutes ago, ORV said:

Something is kicking in the back of my mind that the Mermaid is their new alcohol free Gin they introduced a few months ago that the CC host Chris did a live about. I think it's in conjunction with the Vista coming on line. 

Or I could be thinking of something else, I'm still a little bedazzled by that Houndstooth carpet. Don't think I've ever seen that on a carpet before. 

Hi ORV

This is normal alcohol gin. 
There is a recent article online where Mermaid announced its distribution deal with Regent and Oceania. 

[LHT28]

37 minutes ago, ORV said:

Something is kicking in the back of my mind that the Mermaid is their new alcohol free Gin they introduced a few months ago that the CC host Chris did a live about.

 

I found Lyre  alcohol free spirits   & I think that is it

 

Mermaid is  a small batch distillery from the Isle of Wight

[JoePDX]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

 

Or I could be thinking of something else, I'm still a little bedazzled by that Houndstooth carpet. Don't think I've ever seen that on a carpet before. 

I am a big fan of houndstooth, but this version is pretty bold!   Must have been put in during the refurbishment as I don’t remember it when I was onboard Riviera this fall…

 

Joe

[schmerl]

 

10 hours ago, rbtan said:

"Wine People" as you call them are called Sommeliers. I'm a bit surprised you did not know this.This has never happened to us in our 4 cruises on Riviera. You can choose wine by the glass or the bottle. The Sommelier is supposed to always take your "drink" order. The waiters will take soft drink orders, but normally can't take alcohol orders.Lines such as Princess do not have Sommeliers. The waiters take the wine order. They are not good a recommending proper wines with your food. A Sommelier is a trained expert in this. Just grabbing "two reds". Is not how you choose the proper wine. I do recommend trying Le Reserve on board(it's pricey) to see what a proper wine & food tasting meal is all about. It's not just food, it's an event.

 

9 hours ago, GregoryPaul said:

Do they give awards for “Most Condescending” on here?

 

GregoryPaul......I was thinking the same thing as I read the very condescending post above. 

[What A Market]

An “ask, and ye shall receive” moment. 

Post-dinner glass of wine at the Casino Bar while listening to the String Quartet. 
My request: Please, may I have a few pretzels. The answer in the photo. 

[rbtan]

12 hours ago, What A Market said:

Here’s an odd food shortage event:

Somehow we’ve run out of jam. The chefs at Terraces said it was all used up yesterday afternoon. So that’s three upcoming mornings (including today) where no jam will be available. Pretty much 1/3 of the 10 day cruise. That seems like a weird thing for the supply chain at Oceania to miss on. (Unless there’s an upstream problem where Oceania can’t secure enough jam.)

 

Sort of an issue for DW who has to eat gluten free. If you’ve ever eaten gluten free toast, then you know from where I speak. No bueno. 

Sorry about the jam. We really liked the scones last week.

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, What A Market said:

An “ask, and ye shall receive” moment. 

Post-dinner glass of wine at the Casino Bar while listening to the String Quartet. 
My request: Please, may I have a few pretzels. The answer in the photo. 

no supply issues for pretzels  I guess 😃

[What A Market]

Different night at the GDR. Different outcome on wine service. From start to finish the young gentleman handling the wine service in our section was all over it. 
 

I will say that even when service is mediocre (or non-existent), all the staff in the GDR are working their asses off all evening long. 

Edited February 19, 2023 by What A Market

[What A Market]

A sea day for our final day with the Riviera. Mad rush for lounge chairs even before the pool staff was anywhere near finished with their set up. It’s now 8:30am and numerous groupings of loungers that were “saved” by one individual before 7:30am are still unoccupied by the saver.