Cruise Critic Meet and Greet

[Carol From California]

I am organizing a "Meet and Greet" on an upcoming Oceania cruise. In the old days we used to contact Oceania prior to the cruise and they would tell us where we could have it and they would host it. Many of the ship officers and crew would attend. I was on a Regent cruise last month and I organized a "Meet and Greet". When I contacted Regent they said we could have it but would have to pay $9 pp. They also told us we could not have name tags. This was really surprising since on Regent all the food and alcohol is included, and why would they care if we have Cruise Critic name tags? We just went ahead and did it....but did not have name tags. Does anyone know if Oceania will host our Cruise Critic Meet and Greet on the August 4, 2023 Vista cruise? We have around 10 couples so far. Hoping someone from Oceania will read this.  

Edited May 11, 2023 by Carol From California

[pinotlover]

I put together one on the Marina in March, and one on the Sirena last Oct.

 

On the Marina, it must be done through the Concierge in the Concierge Lounge, Deck 9. Good Luck with that! Oceania is now hosting New Cruisers M&G in Horizons. No other sponsored event can conflict with the (multiple) New Cruisers, Captain’s Reception, or Repeater Parties. If you’re on a cruise with a Next ( Alumni) , Wine, or other Group , things are even more complicated.
 

In short, for both events, I found having everyone assemble in the Main Bar area to work best. Try to stay as far from the String Quartet as possible to not ruffle feathers. 
 

Twenty, or so, was about the size of our Groups.

 

Things have changed!!

[boerneDQ]

I have not had Oceania ‘host’ meet and greets in the past.  I contacted the concierge when I boarded and made sure our choice of venue and time was not in conflict with anything.  He let the officers know about the event and they came to it.  I provided invites and name tags for folks to fill in.  But we did not have munchies and drinks could be purchased at the bar.

[Flatbush Flyer]

34 minutes ago, Carol From California said:

I am organizing a "Meet and Greet" on an upcoming Oceania cruise. In the old days we used to contact Oceania prior to the cruise and they would tell us where we could have it and they would host it. Many of the ship officers and crew would attend. I was on a Regent cruise last month and I organized a "Meet and Greet". When I contacted Regent they said we could have it but would have to pay $9 pp. They also told us we could not have name tags. This was really surprising since on Regent all the food and alcohol is included, and why would they care if we have Cruise Critic name tags? We just went ahead and did it....but did not have name tags. Does anyone know if Oceania will host our Cruise Critic Meet and Greet on the August 4, 2023 Vista cruise? We have around 10 couples so far. Hoping someone from Oceania will read this.  

FWIW: we had M&Gs on Marina pre-Christmas and Regatta post-Christmas. The groups were large enough that O was contacted for a dedicated space. Officers attended. In the past, we’ve also had some M&Gs where, depending on the GM for that cruise and who was arranging the event, comp hors d’oeuvres were served.

As for your situation, it’s my understanding that Vista has an event space associated with the Culinary Center. Perhaps the $9/pp is the rental cost (and hopefully gets you some edibles). If not, you could always pick a public space, not go through O and hope for no conflicting use. After all, that’s often the case on the existing ships.

 

BTW: for as long as I can remember, the default CC M&G has been post muster/pre-restaurants opening and they’ve been held on the starboard side of Horizons across from the bar.

Edited May 11, 2023 by Flatbush Flyer

[Carol From California]

5 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

FWIW: we had M&Gs on Marina pre-Christmas and Regatta post-Christmas. The groups were large enough that O was contacted for a dedicated space. Officers attended. In the past, we’ve also had some M&Gs where, depending on the GM for that cruise and who was arranging the event, comp hors d’oeuvres were served.

As for your situation, it’s my understanding that Vista has an event space associated with the Culinary Center. Perhaps the $9/pp is the rental cost (and hopefully gets you some edibles). If not, you could always pick a public space, not go through O and hope for no conflicting use. After all, that’s often the case on the existing ships.

 

BTW: for as long as I can remember, the default CC M&G has been post muster/pre-restaurants opening and they’ve been held on the starboard side of Horizons across from the bar.

The $9 pp is what Regent quoted me last month. On Regent all food and drinks are included so this is what was surprising. 

[JHLH821]

• I have organized 2 Meet & Greets on Riviera, there was no charge and name tags were not made, though an area was reserved in The Horizons lounge and they put out some light snacks (all beverages were "each pay own".  Another cruiser who had experience with this gave me the name of the person who would set this up in advance. I posted a message in our Roll Call, asking for people to sign up and to provide (first and last name, # of guests attending, CC handle, cabin number and hometown)- I would post the list for others in the roll call to view and for confidentiality I would list only: first names, # of guests, CC handle and hometown). For the Oceania contact, I included First and Last Names, cabin number, hometown and CC handle. At the time we scheduled this for departure day at 5pm in Horizons but you may want to ask others in your call what is preferred. As our cruise was the 2nd leg of a longer trip, the deadline for submitting names was the day the earlier trip sailed.

[Mrs f.]

If you are on Regatta or Nautica

Yoselin Yepez

Group Coordinator 

1-800-531-5658 ext 42114

For the other ships, I would call Yoselin's number and find out who group Coordinator is.

 

I set up our meet & greet in December 

I told them we wanted Horizons,  gave date and time and how many people roughly.

They put up a sign that said "private function "

[Carol From California]

10 minutes ago, Mrs f. said:

If you are on Regatta or Nautica

Yoselin Yepez

Group Coordinator 

1-800-531-5658 ext 42114

For the other ships, I would call Yoselin's number and find out who group Coordinator is.

 

I set up our meet & greet in December 

I told them we wanted Horizons,  gave date and time and how many people roughly.

They put up a sign that said "private function "

Thank you! I left her a message. 

[bob brown]

I am only on my second Oceania cruise, both ATW.  Compared to the other cruise lines I have sailed on, including sister NCL, Oceania’s support of Cruise Critic M&G’s has been…lets just say, “lame”.

On the 2019 cruise, the organizer of our M&G was promised a reserved section of Horizon Lounge for our event at 10:00 AM, on the first sea day.  When we got there, it wasn’t done.  We had to politely ask some passengers if they could kindly move, so we could form a circle of chairs for our meeting in the area just forward of the artists loft.  There were no reps from the crew to greet us.

 

On this year’s cruise, there didn’t seem to even be as much interest from those on our roll call to attempt organizing any CC events, so we just sort of informally met, and made our own name tags, and met at the usual time and place, with less and less at each succeeding segment…

 

I’ve noticed that all of my roll calls in recent times, are pale in comparison with years past, but that is another matter…🤷‍♂️

[aussietwo]

VISTA leaves on her Initial Voyage on Saturday.  You may be interested to check that Roll Call where there are at least 100 guests attending the M&G.  HiFi43 has arranged the M&G and there will be many officers attending.  HiFi43 will also arrange the M&G on a VISTA cruise we will be joining on September 29 in Montreal.  We also will have a large group.  

 

 

[SophieM]

I organized a M&G for our transatlantic cruise on the Marina in April. My contact in Miami cleared the date & time with the ship. I furnished the names and cabin numbers to her. We had more than 60 sign up! Once on the ship, I coordinated with the Executive Concierge. Ours was on sailing day at 4:30 p.m., and everyone received a reminder invitation in their cabins. We had a separate, cordoned off area in Horizons with bar service and dry snacks (chips, nuts, etc.) with happy hour drink pricing and no additional charges. I brought name tags with me. Sadly, no officers stopped by, but we did just fine without them. 

[LHT28]

23 minutes ago, SophieM said:

I organized a M&G for our transatlantic cruise on the Marina in April. My contact in Miami cleared the date & time with the ship. I furnished the names and cabin numbers to her. We had more than 60 sign up! Once on the ship, I coordinated with the Executive Concierge. Ours was on sailing day at 4:30 p.m., and everyone received a reminder invitation in their cabins. We had a separate, cordoned off area in Horizons with bar service and dry snacks (chips, nuts, etc.) with happy hour drink pricing and no additional charges. I brought name tags with me. Sadly, no officers stopped by, but we did just fine without them. 

That is  how it usually works 

But sailing day  the Officers are very busy

We have had the  M & G  a day or so later & officers were there  depending on who was available

 We have had 100plus so usually just bring blank name tags  for people to fill out   when they arrive

[SophieM]

I tried for the next day, but there was a conflict. And, yes, sailing day is a busy time for the officers. 

[LHT28]

1 minute ago, SophieM said:

I tried for the next day, but there was a conflict. And, yes, sailing day is a busy time for the officers. 

next day is Captains Party  usually

It will work out in the end LOL

[Flatbush Flyer]

As aforementioned, the “default” (no formal organization M&G has long been post-muster (historically) or during Happy Hour (currently since no muster) on embarkation day in Horizons - starboard side across from the bar.

Of course, if someone volunteers to “organize,” it can be as formal as the official O request pre-cruise or as simple as a notice here on CC and a mention to the O Club Ambassador or Exec Concierge (or better still, the GM if you are well acquainted). Any one of them can also “round up the usual suspects.”

 

As for the Captain’s Welcome, it is not always the day after embarkation. In recent years, the focus appears to have been put on the first sea day (if there is one early on in the itinerary) or the earliest day with the earliest cruise away time.
 

BTW, I’m basing these observations on personal experience of 2-3 multisegment O cruises each year and conversations with those GMs et al. with whom I am familiar.

[gbits]

On 5/11/2023 at 11:55 AM, Carol From California said:

I am organizing a "Meet and Greet" on an upcoming Oceania cruise. In the old days we used to contact Oceania prior to the cruise and they would tell us where we could have it and they would host it. Many of the ship officers and crew would attend. I was on a Regent cruise last month and I organized a "Meet and Greet". When I contacted Regent they said we could have it but would have to pay $9 pp. They also told us we could not have name tags. This was really surprising since on Regent all the food and alcohol is included, and why would they care if we have Cruise Critic name tags? We just went ahead and did it....but did not have name tags. Does anyone know if Oceania will host our Cruise Critic Meet and Greet on the August 4, 2023 Vista cruise? We have around 10 couples so far. Hoping someone from Oceania will read this.  

I organized the Meet & Greet for the Vista cruise leaving Trieste next Saturday. I emailed the groups department (groupsOCI@oceaniacruises.com) and they got it approved for me. They will provide a segregated area for the gathering (usually, but not always, in Horizons) with servers to take drink orders and a table for name tags (that I am making and bringing myself). I had to provide a list of attendees with their cabin numbers so they can send invitations to each persons stateroom. I asked if any officers could attend and was told it will depend on availability. Kiara was very helpful. Will let you know how it goes after next Saturday. We had 52 sign up.

[Carol From California]

1 minute ago, gbits said:

I organized the Meet & Greet for the Vista cruise leaving Trieste next Saturday. I emailed the groups department (groupsOCI@oceaniacruises.com) and they got it approved for me. They will provide a segregated area for the gathering (usually, but not always, in Horizons) with servers to take drink orders and a table for name tags (that I am making and bringing myself). I had to provide a list of attendees with their cabin numbers so they can send invitations to each persons stateroom. I asked if any officers could attend and was told it will depend on availability. Kiara was very helpful. Will let you know how it goes after next Saturday. We had 52 sign up.

I did finally get through to someone at Oceania who is supposed to put me in touch with someone to get our M & G set up. I was told the arrangements will be the same as you described. Thanks for this information. We have around 24 people now and I'm sure by the time August rolls around we will have many more. Have a great cruise!

[DoulaAnn]

On 5/14/2023 at 7:29 PM, gbits said:

I organized the Meet & Greet for the Vista cruise leaving Trieste next Saturday. I emailed the groups department (groupsOCI@oceaniacruises.com) and they got it approved for me. They will provide a segregated area for the gathering (usually, but not always, in Horizons) with servers to take drink orders and a table for name tags (that I am making and bringing myself). I had to provide a list of attendees with their cabin numbers so they can send invitations to each persons stateroom. I asked if any officers could attend and was told it will depend on availability. Kiara was very helpful. Will let you know how it goes after next Saturday. We had 52 sign up.

Gbitsm thanks.  I'll email them and see what response I get.

[Carol From California]

14 minutes ago, DoulaAnn said:

Gbitsm thanks.  I'll email them and see what response I get.

Email me for the name and email address of the specific person at Oceania to arrange your Meet and Greet. My email address is below my signature.

[Verokaren]

Thank you for organizing this, Carol! Can't wait to be on board beautiful Vista! 

[SophieM]

3 hours ago, Verokaren said:

Thank you for organizing this, Carol! Can't wait to be on board beautiful Vista! 

Dang, Karen! There you go cruising without us again. 🤣 Have a wonderful cruise on the beautiful Vista!!

One of these days….

 

Jane & Ed

[Verokaren]

Hello Jane!!  
 

I thought you were doing London to London on her?  I'm ready to go back to French Polynesia!