Riviera Live — February 10th

[LakeRooseveltBrews]

We are on board as well.  We noticed another hour taken off our first port (St. Kitts).  It had originally been 9:00 a.m. when we booked, changed to 10:00 a.m. a few weeks ago, and now showing 11:00 a.m. on our TV interface.  We have one of the longer shore excursions booked (through Oceania), so it will probably take up our entire time in port and we won't have much time to look around on our own.  

[What A Market]

Here’s a photo looking out the windows from Baristas. I’ve always loved the view from here overlooking the pool. It isn’t as quiet and “comfy” as the Baristas on the R ships, but I prefer the view and the feel of Baristas on the O ships. 

[loriva]

@zentand @toolworkerare also scheduled to be on your sailing as part of a B2B prior to the start of our cruise on 20 February.  @LakeRooseveltBrews--did you decide to do a B2B as well?

 

Would love to hear a few more details on the resumed muster drill.  And activities on board--especially trivia.

 

Most of all, we hope everyone enjoys their cruise and we look forward to seeing Riviera ourselves in 9 days!

[What A Market]

Stop the presses! The DW joins me before 8:00AM. Lol

 

A little about last night. Pretty quiet. We did dinner in The Grand Dining room. Small line to get a table, but it moved quickly. DW has Coeliac and Oceania does a good job with managing her gluten free needs. It’s an interesting approach. Nothing is marked on the menu, but the servers always seem very well versed in what to recommend if you have questions. They will always say that they will ask the chef if they are uncertain about a dish.

 

Other than the first night, Oceania delivers a menu to you the previous evening so you can chose what dishes you want to manage your food allergies. This includes the Specialty restaurants. Kind of a pain to think about dinner and plan ahead of time, but DW is happy they are so conscientious of her needs. 

[What A Market]

11 minutes ago, loriva said:

@zentand @toolworkerare also scheduled to be on your sailing as part of a B2B prior to the start of our cruise on 20 February.  @LakeRooseveltBrews--did you decide to do a B2B as well?

 

Would love to hear a few more details on the resumed muster drill.  And activities on board--especially trivia.

 

Most of all, we hope everyone enjoys their cruise and we look forward to seeing Riviera ourselves in 9 days!

So the muster drill was exactly the same as pre-Covid. Or at least as best as I can remember. Only difference: You don’t need to bring your life vest. You still go to your assigned muster station, check in your cabin number and then at the designated time the safety instructions are broadcast over the ship. Seemed to take forever to get everyone checked in. Maybe people forgot things are back to “normal” and they had to get to their muster station. 

[loriva]

15 minutes ago, What A Market said:

So the muster drill was exactly the same as pre-Covid. Or at least as best as I can remember. Only difference: You don’t need to bring your life vest. You still go to your assigned muster station, check in your cabin number and then at the designated time the safety instructions are broadcast over the ship. Seemed to take forever to get everyone checked in. Maybe people forgot things are back to “normal” and they had to get to their muster station. 

 

What time did it start and when was it finished, please?

[What A Market]

First breakfast at Terrace Cafe.  Photo of my usual starting fare. Photo of Terrace Cafe as well. 8:30AM and not busy. Plenty of seating. First comparison to Celebrity: Oceania’s baguette wins hands down. No contest. (Let the flaming begin….. LOL)

[What A Market]

26 minutes ago, loriva said:

 

What time did it start and when was it finished, please?

They asked people to start gathering at assigned muster station a bit before 5:00PM. It was definitely more than 30 minutes before we were dismissed.

[What A Market]

The Unhealthy part of my morning breakfast. (Sorry Celebrity. You lose to Oceania in the hash brown patty contest. 😋)

[Carol28]

15 hours ago, What A Market said:

Hi ORV!

Great to hear from you. I guess we got lucky today. Took about 20 minutes to get to ship. Would have been faster, but there was all sorts of freeway/ramp construction coming down to port. 

May I ask what time did you go to the port and did you take the tunnel or the bridge? Last time we went to Miami port it was awful getting to an RCCL ship, but I understand that Oceania port is on the south side of the port and should be an easier access. Is that accurate?

[What A Market]

15 minutes ago, Carol28 said:

May I ask what time did you go to the port and did you take the tunnel or the bridge? Last time we went to Miami port it was awful getting to an RCCL ship, but I understand that Oceania port is on the south side of the port and should be an easier access. Is that accurate?

Hi Carol28

I probably can’t give  fully accurate info here as I’m not that familiar with Miami, but here goes.

 

Caught our Uber at 10:50AM.  Definitely took a bridge, not tunnel. A number of other cruise ships were visible next to bridge/freeway that we travelled upon.  Made left at some point to drive up to port entrance, which was another left. Terminal J for Oceania was to our right shortly after entering port area. Seemed like all other ships were to the left. Hope that makes sense.

[mbiggers]

Hi What a Market and DW, I have a weird question about the spa. Do they use the big spa chairs for pedicures or portable basins? I’d like to schedule a pedicure but don’t trust the sanitation of the spa chairs. 
Thanks!

Michele

[InsGuy3]

Does Riviera provide a hotspot for the Pressreader app for newspapers and magazines? It’s fun sometimes to read the foreign newspapers that are in English. Just curious. 

[Ocean Mouse]

I remember our very first muster drill on O, some 15 years ago. We were required to go to our muster station and all crush together next to our assigned lifeboat. It was are more innocent time.....

 

And wearing our lifebelts

Edited February 11, 2023 by Ocean Mouse

[What A Market]

30 minutes ago, InsGuy3 said:

Does Riviera provide a hotspot for the Pressreader app for newspapers and magazines? It’s fun sometimes to read the foreign newspapers that are in English. Just curious. 

Boy, that’s a new one for me.  I don’t think there is a special hotspot for this. Each room is given the ability to create a log on to the ship’s Wi-Fi. There is an upgrade (cost) for higher speed for streaming.  I’m using ship’s basic Wi-Fi package. Seems ok mostly for posting (including photos) to Cruise Critic, getting to my office emails, and reading online stories like google news.

[What A Market]

57 minutes ago, mbiggers said:

Hi What a Market and DW, I have a weird question about the spa. Do they use the big spa chairs for pedicures or portable basins? I’d like to schedule a pedicure but don’t trust the sanitation of the spa chairs. 
Thanks!

Michele

Well, as with InsGuy3’s question, you have me stumped.

Not sure what “big spa chairs” you are referring to. My photo?

If you mean from my photo, then No. Those are only for waiting around for your spa appointment.

Edited February 11, 2023 by What A Market

[loriva]

@What A Market-- Who is the CD on your cruise?  Realize that you are an experienced O traveler, but did you notice in the Currents if there is a reception for those new to Oceania?  (We've had those with other lines, just curious if O also does them.)

[What A Market]

15 minutes ago, loriva said:

@What A Market-- Who is the CD on your cruise?  Realize that you are an experienced O traveler, but did you notice in the Currents if there is a reception for those new to Oceania?  (We've had those with other lines, just curious if O also does them.)

Hi loriva 

All I’ve got right now (from Currents) is a first name: Cruise Director Steve.

Eventually I’ll come up with last name, unless someone beats me to it.

 

Scanning Currents again (Currents being the daily newsletter with activities, restaurant hours, etc), I don’t see anything about a reception for new cruisers. This evening is the Captain’s Cocktail Celebration (pretty lofty title for this event — lol). This is where they roll out free cocktails from 5:45 to 8:00.  Even new cruisers are welcome. 😆 

Edited February 11, 2023 by What A Market

[What A Market]

Here’s a couple of photos from the food and munchie offerings at Baristats  in the morning.

[pinotlover]

The new cruiser reception along with the repeater’s party is by invitation only. They are never announced in the Currents.

[ORV]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

The new cruiser reception along with the repeater’s party is by invitation only. They are never announced in the Currents.

Hmm, never heard of it, then again I haven't been new in a long time. I barely remember our first Insignia cruise. 

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, Ocean Mouse said:

I remember our very first muster drill on O, some 15 years ago. We were required to go to our muster station and all crush together next to our assigned lifeboat. It was are more innocent time.....

 

And wearing our lifebelts

I believe the R ships  you still stand out in the hot sun under the life boats

The O class ships  you sit inside in the A/C   😉

 

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

The new cruiser reception along with the repeater’s party is by invitation only. They are never announced in the Currents.

Interesting  never heard of  a new cruiser party

 When do they usually have that?

 like Orv it has been almost 20 yrs since we were NEW to Oceania

 

[pinotlover]

9 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Interesting  never heard of  a new cruiser party

 When do they usually have that?

 like Orv it has been almost 20 yrs since we were NEW to Oceania

 

New since post Covid restart. Gotta cruise to see/hear of them. They had one on our Oct Sirena cruise. Only the newbies got the personal invite.

[LakeRooseveltBrews]

1 hour ago, What A Market said:

Hi loriva 

All I’ve got right now (from Currents) is a first name: Cruise Director Steve.

Eventually I’ll come up with last name, unless someone beats me to it.

 

 

Cruise director is Steve Campbell.  We find him a bit hard to understand over the intercom, but fine when he's on stage in front of us (for instance, this morning at the Enrichment Speaker talk).  

 

In other notes, Internet for us has been spotty.   Different types of problems, so we never know if it's our devices (or walking over one another, even though the first is definitely logged off), or what.   Also, our phone reception which we paid AT&T for their "cruise package" has been horrible.  We are supposed to be able to both text and phone, and we put it on both our lines.   We can sometimes text one another.  My phone will not text anyone other than DH.  He can text friends & family...... sometimes.    I cannot.  We cannot call at all.  So, I'm not really sure what we paid AT&T  for.  Frustrating because we told family and house sitters that they were going to be able to reach us.   Lesson:  don't trust AT&T.  

 

Otherwise, the cruise has been great so far.  Seas are somewhat high and quite windy out there, and they closed the paddleball and golf areas due to the winds.