Vista: Detailed Review (on "The Points Guy" Website)

[aaaaa]

https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/oceania-vista-cruise-ship/

 

[jonthomas]

TY for posting...amazing ship...the food...the food...lol

[LHT28]

The Documentation Requirements for Oceania  in the article  may not be correct

 

I believe Oceania requires Passports   even for  US Citizens  on the closed looped cruises   unless things have changed recently with Oceania

Best to confirm this  for those that do not have passports  before booking an Oceania cruise

 

 

[PaulMCO]

Free cruise for the reviewer.  At least they state this.   Give me a free cruise and I will write a great review...

[jjwoben1]

Any pix of vista’s penthouse closets?

[LHT28]

32 minutes ago, jjwoben1 said:

Any pix of vista’s penthouse closets?

some posted  in this thread

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2937261-first-one-onboard-founders-cruise-of-vista/

 

[cruisingxpert]

Having just returned from the Mat 20th Vista cruise, I agree with what the "pointsguy" girl said. It is beautiful and never felt full.

There is one difference that really bothered me, that the pointsguy didn't mention- maybe she was in a cabin towards the front of the ship, The aft elevators DO NOT go to Deck 5 even though the button for 5 is shown on the panel. There is also no staircase when you reach Deck 6 to continue down to Deck 5.  If you are in an aft cabin you have to walk to the front elevators or go to deck 6 and walk forward to the stairs to Deck 5.  What were they thinking??  The Reason?  They added some tables to enlarge the Ember space.  

I mean who cares- deck 5 doesn't have anything of importance- only

Reception, Destinations Concierge Desk, Reservations desk, Shops, Red Ginger, Ember, Vista Theatre, one of main exits from the ship etc etc,

 

[CGspouse]

Great review! I noticed you mentioned that if you paid the corkage fee on your own bottle you could take it with you to finish elsewhere on the ship? I have not heard anyone mention that and am wondering if anyone has experienced this? Not trying to game the system or not pay for drinks but we like to pick out our own wines and sometimes it would be nice to finish the bottle outside the dining venue when we are finished eating.

[ak1004]

The review mentions "this ship is clearly in the upscale category and not true luxury". It also mentions "Vista doesn’t offer the personal, often fawning service you find on true luxury lines."

 

As someone who sailed 4 times on O and one time on SS, we found them comparable. To me, the only major thing that was better on SS was the cabin (comparing veranda to veranda). In terms of service and food, we actually liked the food on O better (by a very small margin). Service was excellent on both, and I didn't find the service on SS any more personal. Passenger/crew ratios are comparable as well.

 

It's true that SS is more inclusive, but for people who don't drink and like to do their own excursions, this is actually a disadvantage.

[shepherd really]

1 hour ago, CGspouse said:

Great review! I noticed you mentioned that if you paid the corkage fee on your own bottle you could take it with you to finish elsewhere on the ship? I have not heard anyone mention that and am wondering if anyone has experienced this? Not trying to game the system or not pay for drinks but we like to pick out our own wines and sometimes it would be nice to finish the bottle outside the dining venue when we are finished eating.

You can leave it with the wine steward, and they will bring it to you to finish at your next meal, or I suppose you could waste the corkage fee and bring it back to your cabin to finish.

[ak1004]

1 hour ago, CGspouse said:

Great review! I noticed you mentioned that if you paid the corkage fee on your own bottle you could take it with you to finish elsewhere on the ship? I have not heard anyone mention that and am wondering if anyone has experienced this? Not trying to game the system or not pay for drinks but we like to pick out our own wines and sometimes it would be nice to finish the bottle outside the dining venue when we are finished eating.

 

We and our friends got a bottle of wine each as a gift from our TA. We don't drink so gave ours to our friends. They were able to drink it in all venues, and O actually didn't charge any corkage fee because "it was a gift and we don't charge for gifts". They put a sticker on the wine with the cabin number and you just mention it in any venue you dine in.

[avw]

1 hour ago, ak1004 said:

 

We and our friends got a bottle of wine each as a gift from our TA. We don't drink so gave ours to our friends. They were able to drink it in all venues, and O actually didn't charge any corkage fee because "it was a gift and we don't charge for gifts". They put a sticker on the wine with the cabin number and you just mention it in any venue you dine in.

The agent bought the wine from the cruise line. The cruise line wouldn't charge a corkage fee for a wine purchased on the ship, whether it was purchased by you or anyone else..

[Hanoj]

6 hours ago, cruisingxpert said:

Having just returned from the Mat 20th Vista cruise, I agree with what the "pointsguy" girl said. It is beautiful and never felt full.

There is one difference that really bothered me, that the pointsguy didn't mention- maybe she was in a cabin towards the front of the ship, The aft elevators DO NOT go to Deck 5 even though the button for 5 is shown on the panel. There is also no staircase when you reach Deck 6 to continue down to Deck 5.  If you are in an aft cabin you have to walk to the front elevators or go to deck 6 and walk forward to the stairs to Deck 5.  What were they thinking??  The Reason?  They added some tables to enlarge the Ember space.  

I mean who cares- deck 5 doesn't have anything of importance- only

Reception, Destinations Concierge Desk, Reservations desk, Shops, Red Ginger, Ember, Vista Theatre, one of main exits from the ship etc etc,

 

It may have been a case of “I don’t think” by the design team or someone who overrode them. 
 

Or, perhaps they decided since many guests use smart devices to track fitness that we would be grateful for the extra steps!?! 😎

[LHT28]

8 hours ago, cruisingxpert said:

The aft elevators DO NOT go to Deck 5 even though the button for 5 is shown on the panel. There is also no staircase when you reach Deck 6 to continue down to Deck 5. 

 

Maybe as Carmen mentioned in your other thread  the elevator bank would go to the kitchen area or  right into the  restaurants  on deck 5

But yes  some stairs to get  from  6 to 5   without having to go to the front elevators would be nice

 

[CGspouse]

6 hours ago, shepherd really said:

You can leave it with the wine steward, and they will bring it to you to finish at your next meal, or I suppose you could waste the corkage fee and bring it back to your cabin to finish.

I was thinking about being close to the bottom of the bottle. You have to pay a new corkage fee with each new bottle opened. If you'll need to open another bottle at the next meal anyway, it's not really a waste. I'm guessing you can walk out of the restaurants with any glass you haven't finished?

[shepherd really]

1 hour ago, CGspouse said:

I was thinking about being close to the bottom of the bottle. You have to pay a new corkage fee with each new bottle opened. If you'll need to open another bottle at the next meal anyway, it's not really a waste. I'm guessing you can walk out of the restaurants with any glass you haven't finished?

I've never walked out of a restaurant with a glass of my own wine that I paid a corkage fee to drink, but I can't see why that would present an issue.   O got their vig.

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, CGspouse said:

I was thinking about being close to the bottom of the bottle. You have to pay a new corkage fee with each new bottle opened. If you'll need to open another bottle at the next meal anyway, it's not really a waste. I'm guessing you can walk out of the restaurants with any glass you haven't finished?

Sometimes  the waiter will have it sent to the bar you are going or will take  there for you

 

 I am sure you could carry your unfinished drink OUT of the dining venue 

 

 They do not like pax wandering around with open bottles  of wine ..maybe a safety issue 🤔

[edgee]

On 6/2/2023 at 5:54 PM, LHT28 said:

The Documentation Requirements for Oceania  in the article  may not be correct

 

I believe Oceania requires Passports   even for  US Citizens  on the closed looped cruises   unless things have changed recently with Oceania

Best to confirm this  for those that do not have passports  before booking an Oceania cruise

 

 

Lyn, You are correct. I emailed the author to complement her on the article, and mentioned the error, so she will be aware.

[cruisemom42]

I notice the reviewer mentioned a string quartet several times. Is this found on all O ships, or just Vista?

[grifdoglover]

@cruisemom42 There were string quartets on our Riviera and Regatta cruises so I would say yes.

[Mrs f.]

On 6/2/2023 at 3:07 PM, aaaaa said:

https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/oceania-vista-cruise-ship/

 

Is the Sunday brunch going to be on all Vista Cruises?

Also it's interesting that he mentioned nobody came to  help carry his food in Terrace cafe....I've ALWAYS had help quickly coming over to help.  

[LHT28]

29 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

I notice the reviewer mentioned a string quartet several times. Is this found on all O ships, or just Vista?

All ships   

They are pretty good  some exceptions

Some do Classical & modern   depending on their  repertoire

 

Usually Eastern Europeans   in our  experience

[steamboats]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

I notice the reviewer mentioned a string quartet several times. Is this found on all O ships, or just Vista?

 

We had a string quartet on Mariner last year too.

 

1 hour ago, Mrs f. said:

Is the Sunday brunch going to be on all Vista Cruises?

 

As this Sunday brunch was really extraordinary we did ask and were told it´s only on 14 nights or longer cruises and only on Sundays which are sea days.

 

BTW, the "electronic thermometer" mentioned is the air condition and no thermometer (we had issues as it first didn´t work, then it worked full power, then it didn´t work... and finally they got it repaired).

 

steamboats

[LuAnn]

5 hours ago, steamboats said:

 

We had a string quartet on Mariner last year too.

 

 

As this Sunday brunch was really extraordinary we did ask and were told it´s only on 14 nights or longer cruises and only on Sundays which are sea days.

 

BTW, the "electronic thermometer" mentioned is the air condition and no thermometer (we had issues as it first didn´t work, then it worked full power, then it didn´t work... and finally they got it repaired).

 

steamboats

Thanks for that info!! We will "qualify" then on one of the Sundays!! Looks like it will be fabulous!!