We're Booked on Insignia and the Reviews are Just DREADFUL

[jennybenny]

I've never had a bad cruise, there is always something I enjoy, my family enjoys, etc. I may like a ship more or less, and decide not to cruise on it again, etc, I have even cruised on what some consider the "worst" ship in the fleet because it was a home port and loved every one of my cruises and the cruise staff. Perhaps I'm just easy to please. I may look at reviews, but they will not keep me from booking an itinerary I want to do. Then I make my own decision for myself. 🙂 But that's just me 

Edited March 25, 2023 by jennybenny

[Redtravel]

We had fcc from the Sirena March 2020 last cruise before shutting down.  After several attempts to use it, we took a cruise on Marina in 2022. We had been on Marina several times before the pandemic. There were some shortages and changes compared to before the pandemic.  Nothing that was terribly wrong. We never shared a table and had plenty of space in most venues.  We skipped most evening shows. That gave us lots of access to dining reservations.  The buffet was served by crew wearing gloves.  You didn’t handle serving utensils.  Oceania did a great cruise.  We booked a future cruise on Vista.  

[CalTravelers]

We are scheduled for the last segment of ATW-boarding in Tokyo. This will be our first Oceania. We are looking forward to the ship - over 18 cruises with Viking our favorite.  Sailing into home port - a definite benefit.  Is the Art Center open and active. We were glad to see this area added with so many days a sea. Hope it is active - not just something Oceania added for “looks”.

As far as reviews, you have to consider the reviewer!  We have chatted with people all over that either love or hated the ships we were on!!!!

[ak1004]

 

My favorite review of all times! It's from Silversea, but tells you what those reviews are worth.

 

Just for the record, the ship is Silver Dawn, and the smallest cabin on the ship is 390 sqft including veranda. 

[LabMom57]

On 3/21/2023 at 1:31 PM, ATLConsultant said:

Has anyone been on this ship lately?   Many people on cruisecritic are saying the food is not good and has slipped heavily.   Just wondering if others who have cruised on this ship lately have had a similar experience.  Does Oceania still serve lobster and crab or has that  gone too?  

thanks.

 

Hopefully your worries have been put to rest but I'll put in a few thoughts just in case.

 

We just got back from a cruise on the Insignia sister ship, the Regatta. We previously sailed on the Sirena in 2018 and loved the experience.

 

We found a few things that were not as expected post pandemic but nothing as bad as what I'm reading happening on other cruise lines! We have cruises booked on Holland America and Celebrity in 2024 and I am worried about those!

 

Minor issues from our recent cruise have not changed our mind about sailing on the Insignia in December. There was lobster available in multiple venues on our cruise. The specialty restaurants were just as good as expected. The buffet and Waves Grill were both excellent every day. The MDR was the only place I felt the quality had slipped and it was hit and miss. I had a spectacular tuna there one day and plenty of lobster was available.

 

Given the fact that many people who left the cruise industry during COVID, I think there are a lot of new employees on every line. That can lead to some bumps. Oceania is doing better than most premium lines right now based what I'm reading and what I experienced. As I said, we are on the Insignia in December and looking forward to it!

[emd138]

Our last cruise on Insignia in July 2022 was great, but compared to earlier cruises on the same ship, definitely not as good.  For reference on how bad it was for us, we are booked for Alaska in June and Europe in 2024.  I am a very nitpicky person, but I don't let it ruin my time, but some do, so I can see why they would get some bad reviews.  Some are also paying much higher prices with higher room categories. 

 

Some examples of my irritations:  I love creme brulee, but it was just the custard without the sugar on top in all venues.  When I asked about it, apparently somebody started a fire and they were not allowed to use kitchen torches.  Service was a bit more hit and miss than before.  Lots of new employees.  Our meal in Polo wasn't good at all, my husband's steak was not the usual quality, but he is very picky, too.  We went to the Terrace and had a great lobster dinner, so it was fine.  

 

How much you worry about the poor reviews depends on how much you paid and how much you can adjust, I think.  With the current supply issues and labor shortages, you have to be able to make the best of it, but we really did have a great time on our last cruise on Insignia.  The only issue that bothered me was the creme brulee, hahahahaha!

 

[FeliciaLee]

On 4/28/2023 at 11:23 AM, LabMom57 said:

We found a few things that were not as expected post pandemic but nothing as bad as what I'm reading happening on other cruise lines! We have cruises booked on Holland America and Celebrity in 2024 and I am worried about those!

We were on HAL in late October 2022. The food was much more plain than 2018, but still good. There were a few things missing: no upgraded Elemis products, no seasickness medication

 

Overall the product is still excellent for the price point. Enjoy your cruise!

[jonthomas]

We will be on insig Dec 2024...a lot can happen in that time...

All up to who the chef is and staff.

[MEFIowa]

10 hours ago, emd138 said:

... How much you worry about the poor reviews depends on how much you paid and how much you can adjust, I think.  With the current supply issues and labor shortages, you have to be able to make the best of it, but we really did have a great time on our last cruise on Insignia.  The only issue that bothered me was the creme brulee....

I just wish people both praising and complaining about a specific cruise & ship would state their cabin level. Helps provide some insight into their potential expectations pre-cruise. I seriously doubt that those in the PH and above suites have the same expectations as those in the G-C cabins.

[LHT28]

13 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

I just wish people both praising and complaining about a specific cruise & ship would state their cabin level. Helps provide some insight into their potential expectations pre-cruise. I seriously doubt that those in the PH and above suites have the same expectations as those in the G-C cabins.

WHY?

 You think people  in higher cabins do not care if the food is good  or not

Or they do not care about  getting supplies   onboard

 

Maybe  you should stop  segregated people by  how  they choose to spend THEIR  money 🙄

 

 Everyone  from G to Top suites  wants the  best experience  onboard  be it food  or other  things

JMO

 Ignoring  you from now on

 

[jonthomas]

Our best cruise was on insignia 2019, yes prior to covid.

In over 50 cruises, we had never tasted such delicious food. It is that cruise that convinced us to give up loyalty to celeb and sail only O. As staff become more seasoned and supply improves, so will the return of excellence. 

Please make your comments on questionnaires.

[MEFIowa]

5 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

WHY?  You think people  in higher cabins do not care if the food is good  or not

Or they do not care about getting supplies onboard. Maybe you should stop segregated people by how they choose to spend THEIR money. Everyone from G to Top suites wants the best experience onboard  be it food or other things.... Ignoring you from now on

 

Appears you ignore the social science research on issues like expectations, happiness, etc. I'm data driven by actual research in these areas. And researchers do study such things.

 

Odd how you appear offended by the mere thought that someone might know you're in a VS or PH1 when you praise or complain about a cruise. I've cruised B2 (Sirena) and A4 (Riviera), and thoroughly loved both cruises. Inspite of many complaints I read by others about the same cruise, including the same food I ate and loved. I prefer to focus on more objective data points. Rather than purely subjective ones (for example, see above: "The only issue that bothered me was the creme brulee".

 

So, you might ask yourself, does the research indicate that someone who spends 5 times more than someone else to eat the same food have different expectations just on food? 

[ak1004]

1 hour ago, MEFIowa said:

Appears you ignore the social science research on issues like expectations, happiness, etc. I'm data driven by actual research in these areas. And researchers do study such things.

 

Odd how you appear offended by the mere thought that someone might know you're in a VS or PH1 when you praise or complain about a cruise. I've cruised B2 (Sirena) and A4 (Riviera), and thoroughly loved both cruises. Inspite of many complaints I read by others about the same cruise, including the same food I ate and loved. I prefer to focus on more objective data points. Rather than purely subjective ones (for example, see above: "The only issue that bothered me was the creme brulee".

 

So, you might ask yourself, does the research indicate that someone who spends 5 times more than someone else to eat the same food have different expectations just on food? 

 

I cannot comment about other people, but I can comment about our experience.

 

We sailed on O 3 times. Inside, veranda and PH. On all 3 cruises we had the same expectations because we knew that the main difference will be the cabin size (aside from few minor things like extra specialty reservations etc.)

 

The only case I can see why people would have different expectations would be on lines like Celebrity or NCL where you know that booking a suite will give you a completely different experience - separate restaurant with much better food and service, separate area on the ship etc.

 

On lines like O where everyone is treated the same outside their cabin, I just don't see why people in different categories would have different expectations. And if they do, then they probably are not aware what they are paying for (which is mostly the cabin space).

[emd138]

I know if I am paying $20k for a cruise, I have much higher expectations than if I am paying $3k if I don't already know the product and have base expectations.  Our cruises vary from inside cabins to veranda, and all of the cabins are the exact same size, just some have a window and some have a veranda. I have the same expectations on all of them, regardless of price, because I have already been on several Oceania cruises and know what to expect.