Considering O - from a HAL Guy

[friendswithdave]

Considering an O cruise for the first time in December and had a few questions. We've been on 6-8 HAL cruises plus a few others so we are most familiar with HAL. Value is important to us so we work hard to cruise when we can get great value. We upgraded to a suite on our most recent cruise and it will be hard to go back. That said, I could see us going to a verandah on O if the quality and value are both worthwhile. 

 

I looked on the O website to try to find answer, but few were there. Considering the new Vista if that makes a difference for answers. We drink little and don't do ship excursions. We tend to book the lowest rates and purchase stuff a la carte.

 

- It appears specialty restaurants are included. Does this mean all? Unlimited? That doesn't seem to make sense. How does this work if not?

- Wife enjoys specialty coffees. Are these included as well?

- Did I see the spa areas are also included, like sauna, stone loungers and therapy pool / hot tub? If so, how do these areas keep from being overcrowded?

- Are there areas of the ship reserved for suite guests? 

- Entertainment has been disappointing on HAL, but we love the BB King band. How is the entertainment and live music on O?

- Did I see free internet is included?

- How are the cooking classes? Wife loves to cook and bake and would love those if the quality is there.

[PirateShark]

Welcome to the Oceania Board!  I'll attempt some answers in the order asked:

 

* all specialties are included but only one reservation each restaurant.  that being said you may be able to ask for extras once on board but no guarantee and you may need to share.  No extra charge.

* specialty coffees and soft drinks included

* concierge cabins and above get free access to spa plungers and pools but I believe lower cabin categories can purchase access

* You get run of the ship no matter what category you book 😊. 

*  entertainment is not O's strong suit.  there are a string quartet, piano player in Martinis and I believe a band/DJ in Horizons after dinner.  I'm sure others will chime in.

* basic internet is included.  if you need higher streaming speed, you will pay extra.

*  we like the cooking classes - very hands on but cost is $89 pp.  we like them and think the price is worth it.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

[LHT28]

You can pre reserve  specialty restaurant  according to the number of days  & cabin level 

You can always ask for more reservations on the day  that you want to eat in one

If you have a PH or above your Butler can serve you in your suite from the Specialties or GDR menus

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005477653-How-many-dining-reservations-am-I-allowed-in-each-specialty-restaurant-

 

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005477713-When-can-I-make-reservations-in-the-specialty-restaurant-

[friendswithdave]

Great answers, thank you! Spa prices / benefits make sense. Cooking class charge is surprising considering how much else is already included. I will assume it is a high quality demo.

[Flatbush Flyer]

30 minutes ago, PirateShark said:

Welcome to the Oceania Board!  I'll attempt some answers in the order asked:

 

* all specialties are included but only one reservation each restaurant.  that being said you may be able to ask for extras once on board but no guarantee and you may need to share.  No extra charge.

* specialty coffees and soft drinks included

* concierge cabins and above get free access to spa plungers and pools but I believe lower cabin categories can purchase access

* You get run of the ship no matter what category you book 😊. 

*  entertainment is not O's strong suit.  there are a string quartet, piano player in Martinis and I believe a band/DJ in Horizons after dinner.  I'm sure others will chime in.

* basic internet is included.  if you need higher streaming speed, you will pay extra.

*  we like the cooking classes - very hands on but cost is $89 pp.  we like them and think the price is worth it.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

A few clarifications:

you get an allotment of pre-cruise specialty reservations. Additional ones are no cost and space available. If you’re flexible and willing to share, you can eat many times in the specialties. But don’t misunderstand “specialty” on O. Unlike other cruise lines where you go there for better food, all dining venues on O are excellent with the best ingredients and prep. The only difference with the Specialties is a focused menu and accompanying ambiance.

There is no “faster” internet. Paying a premium over the included wifi only removes the streaming block.

[LHT28]

3 minutes ago, friendswithdave said:

Great answers, thank you! Spa prices / benefits make sense. Cooking class charge is surprising considering how much else is already included. I will assume it is a high quality demo.

Hands on class  & you get to eat what you prepare

 

[friendswithdave]

Did I read correctly that port fees are included in the O fare? I know they are not in the HAL fares.

[LHT28]

Just now, friendswithdave said:

Did I read correctly that port fees are included in the O fare? I know they are not in the HAL fares.

YES

 

A good place to have a read is the FAQ

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/

[YourWorldWithBill]

1 hour ago, friendswithdave said:

Considering an O cruise for the first time in December and had a few questions. We've been on 6-8 HAL cruises plus a few others so we are most familiar with HAL. Value is important to us so we work hard to cruise when we can get great value. We upgraded to a suite on our most recent cruise and it will be hard to go back. That said, I could see us going to a verandah on O if the quality and value are both worthwhile. 

Glad to see your posts. We are in the same situation; have done HAL (and Viking), but recently  booked our first O. We were in a Neptune on both HAL cruises (at great prices), so we opted for a concierge level stateroom on O, as we loved the benefit on HAL of having the concierge; and on O, access to the spa and the various restaurants seems to help make the cruise worth the cost, in addition to reputedly the best food.

[AMHuntFerry]

Re: internet. It is one free access per cabin. If both of you want internet at the same time, it can be purchased (I think some people have tethered successfully? but share a single access = slower?).

[Flatbush Flyer]

50 minutes ago, friendswithdave said:

Great answers, thank you! Spa prices / benefits make sense. Cooking class charge is surprising considering how much else is already included. I will assume it is a high quality demo.

Other cruise lines do demos. On O, you cook!

[Flatbush Flyer]

27 minutes ago, YourWorldWithBill said:

Glad to see your posts. We are in the same situation; have done HAL (and Viking), but recently  booked our first O. We were in a Neptune on both HAL cruises (at great prices), so we opted for a concierge level stateroom on O, as we loved the benefit on HAL of having the concierge; and on O, access to the spa and the various restaurants seems to help make the cruise worth the cost, in addition to reputedly the best food.

You’ll find that many O regulars jumped ship from wannabes HAL, Celebrity and Viking.

[grifdoglover]

Presently O is having a four category upgrade promotion depending on the sailing I believe until the end of June.  There are only a few Vista sailings included though. 

[friendswithdave]

We tend to book in September for December cruises when prices seem to be rock bottom. I don't see that changing this year. If Vista is available then, we'll see how the prices compare. I'm sure Vista will be higher, but still may be the better value.

[Flatbush Flyer]

9 minutes ago, grifdoglover said:

Presently O is having a four category upgrade promotion depending on the sailing I believe until the end of June.  There are only a few Vista sailings included though. 

Perhaps you mean the “current” Memorial Day Sale (which is only several days long). It’s the Ultimate O Life and Extraordinary Savings Sales that are supposed to last longer. 

[YourWorldWithBill]

26 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

You’ll find that many O regulars jumped ship from wannabes HAL, Celebrity and Viking.

It was the reputation of their food that got me. Viking was excellent, and after that HAL was disappointing. So, when I kept hearing about the food on O I was sold. Plus, I'm vegetarian (my wife is not) and they also get great appreciation for having the best veg food at sea.

[basor]

1 hour ago, friendswithdave said:

Great answers, thank you! Spa prices / benefits make sense. Cooking class charge is surprising considering how much else is already included. I will assume it is a high quality demo.

There are several videos on YouTube of the cooking classes on VISTA - they are amazing and fill up fast!

[LuAnn]

friendswithdave...I think you will find O very different from HAL in SO many ways. Living in San Diego I've been on HAL quite often as they sail out of SD to Mexico and Hawaii. I was last on board this past Xmas and was very disappointed in the food..and the charging in the MDR for certain dishes. While we enjoyed some of the venues within the "Music Walk" the entertainment just seemed so "one note" ..all music and really nothing else. And of course the size of the ships with O are much smaller than with HAL if that is a consideration. I think you'll enjoy O if you give it a try and may not go back to HAL!!! 🙂

[grifdoglover]

@Flatbush FlyerIm still seeing ads for it just being called an upgrade sale…anyway just thought they could look into it.

[Flatbush Flyer]

29 minutes ago, grifdoglover said:

@Flatbush FlyerIm still seeing ads for it just being called an upgrade sale…anyway just thought they could look into it.

Holiday sales usually last for a week.

[mauibabes]

@friendswithdave

You will hear from many of the Viking and Celebrity and HAL converts I am sure. Since we have never sailed HAL, we can not compare them but when it comes to value, Oceania is very hard to beat. We brought some friends along for their fist O cruise in 2021 when Oceania resumed sailing on a 3 segment, 36 day cruise on Riviera. Just blown away. The only reason she has gone back on a HAL ship last year is because they “Comped” her cruise.  Free is hard to beat 😇
We were just on Vista in a PH, Rome to Trieste, and all we can say it is amazing.  If you want to make the move, be advised, you won’t go back.  If you try a PH, it will be tough to get your DW into a lesser Stateroom in the future. We are going with a bunch of friends in October, Miami to LA on Vista and I did notice they had both Concierge and PH Staterooms available. It is a great cruise and those rooms are amazing as is the entire ship. There are a lot of pictures on CC and you can see some great video on the O Website. You snooze, you loose so act now. 
 

Definitely, Try it you will like it!  
Mauibabes

[shank63]

We have done a couple of HAL cruises before O.  For sure, the food and superior specialty restaurants, is far better on O. There is nothing like the BB King lounge on O, but the overall entertainment is fairly good.  Of course, there are none of the pesky photographers on O, and the largest O ship at 1,250 passengers is smaller than the smallest HAL ship.  We will not likely to sail on HAL or Celebrity again,   Give O a chance and see if it’s a good fit for you.

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, grifdoglover said:

@Flatbush FlyerIm still seeing ads for it just being called an upgrade sale…anyway just thought they could look into it.

I am also seeing the 4 cat upgrade sale   expires June 30th

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/special-offers/upgrade-sale

 

Maybe we have a  reading problem as some posters here are always right  🙄

snark intended

[Sebbiesgrammy]

10 hours ago, LHT28 said:

YES

 

A good place to have a read is the FAQ

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/

And the problem with port fees being included is that when ports are missed or skipped, for whatever reason, there are no refunds if fees, unlike HAL. Tours booked with O are refunded but nothing else.

[Flatbush Flyer]

20 minutes ago, Sebbiesgrammy said:

And the problem with port fees being included is that when ports are missed or skipped, for whatever reason, there are no refunds if fees, unlike HAL. Tours booked with O are refunded but nothing else.

There’s two sides to that port fees item. 

Are you not aware that if O chooses to cancel a port en route, some of the port related expenses may be non-refundable (e.g., tugs, longshoremen, port agents….)? And yet, if O is able to substitute another port, passengers are charged nothing for the new fees and taxes.