Vista May 20th Cruise Very Short Review

[cruisingxpert]

11 hours ago, kptbylorraine said:

We were on the inaugural cruise. We had one complaint. The stools at the pool bar were almost impossible to reach. I had to push myself up by putting my feet on the stool next to mine. I am 5’4” so my height wasn’t the issue.
I was told there were lots of comments and they’re being replaced. 

I'm tall but had problems as well.  They are uncomfortable and push you forward.  Also, what brilliant mind thought green velour material would be a good choice for a pool bar

The chairs in Privee are being replaced as well because you tip them over if you lean back- they are also an uncomfortable chair.  

[cruisingxpert]

7 hours ago, Happycruisers2Go said:

Hello Catherine,

I am interested to know how you organized the Odyssey dinner? Who should I contact if I want to put a group together and where did you see the menu? Did they also offer the champagne dinner with wine pairing?

Maybe things will change but there was no advertisement on board for the Odyssey or Champagne wine pairing meals.  We were the only dinner that happened because I found 8 people to agree to go. However 10 seats were set up when we arrived.  Only reason I knew it existed was from reading about what they planned for Privee before the cruise.

The person working the desk for extra specialties is the one who books the La Reserve.

 

  When you board, outside Terrace, where they are selling wine packages, they had someone asking if you wanted to go to the food and wine pairing lunch.  By the time they advertised that lunch in currents it was sold out.

[johnwelch62]

10 minutes ago, cruisingxpert said:

Maybe things will change but there was no advertisement on board for the Odyssey or Champagne wine pairing meals.  We were the only dinner that happened because I found 8 people to agree to go. However 10 seats were set up when we arrived.  Only reason I knew it existed was from reading about what they planned for Privee before the cruise.

The person working the desk for extra specialties is the one who books the La Reserve.

 

  When you board, outside Terrace, where they are selling wine packages, they had someone asking if you wanted to go to the food and wine pairing lunch.  By the time they advertised that lunch in currents it was sold out.

 

My wife only heard about the champagne pairing during the wine lunch, which we only discovered because we stopped at the table outside Terrace on embarkation day.

 

In the early champagne pairing my wife and I were the only two attendees. 😮 I'm generally not a Moet fan, but the pairing was very good, IMO.

Edited June 6, 2023 by johnwelch62

[cruisingxpert]

32 minutes ago, johnwelch62 said:

 

My wife only heard about the champagne pairing during the wine lunch, which we only discovered because we stopped at the table outside Terrace on embarkation day.

 

In the early champagne pairing my wife and I were the only two attendees. 😮 I'm generally not a Moet fan, but the pairing was very good, IMO.

I'm surprised they allowed the dinner to go ahead with only 2 people.  We were told anything less than 8 for Odyssey would be cancelled.  I did the Champagne pairing in the past and loved the Moet Rose but wasn't crazy about the other 2.  I wouldn't do it again at the current price.

 

I love Champagne but I really hope that O will ditch the Germain like Regent did.  We used to have Montaudon and Perrier Jouet.  Even the Monopole they put in your cabin is better than the Germain at $18 a glass

 

Edited June 6, 2023 by cruisingxpert

[johnwelch62]

47 minutes ago, cruisingxpert said:

I'm surprised they allowed the dinner to go ahead with only 2 people.  We were told anything less than 8 for Odyssey would be cancelled.  I did the Champagne pairing in the past and loved the Moet Rose but wasn't crazy about the other 2.  I wouldn't do it again at the current price.

 

I love Champagne but I really hope that O will ditch the Germain like Regent did.  We used to have Montaudon and Perrier Jouet.  Even the Monopole they put in your cabin is better than the Germain at $18 a glass

 

We offered to come back for the later seating, but the sommelier insisted that we stay. I've not sailed Oceania previously, so I don't know if this is the same as before, but there were three small tasting plates, not really a "dinner". When I get  a chance I'll update with photos of the dishes.

[BarbaraM]

How was the internet on board?

Edited June 6, 2023 by BarbaraM

[mauibabes]

As for Oceania, Starlink debuted on Vista and will be rolled out over the rest of the year on the other ships suggest you contact your TA for any specifics but I have not seen a schedule published yet. Consider it the “old” Wi-Fi and be happy if your cruise and ship have been upgraded to Starlink. 
Enjoy,

Mauibabes. 

[johnwelch62]

43 minutes ago, johnwelch62 said:

We offered to come back for the later seating, but the sommelier insisted that we stay. I've not sailed Oceania previously, so I don't know if this is the same as before, but there were three small tasting plates, not really a "dinner". When I get  a chance I'll update with photos of the dishes.

 

The three tasting plates were a ceviche (I'll have to ask my wife what the seafood was), a fois gras with lime jelly, and a carpacio. If I recall correctly, the ceviche was paired with the 2013 Grand Vintage, the fois gras was paired with the Nectar Imperial Demi Sec, and the carpacio was paired with the Rose Imperial.

[VisionaryJax]

11 minutes ago, johnwelch62 said:

 

The three tasting plates were a ceviche (I'll have to ask my wife what the seafood was), a fois gras with lime jelly, and a carpacio. If I recall correctly, the ceviche was paired with the 2013 Grand Vintage, the fois gras was paired with the Nectar Imperial Demi Sec, and the carpacio was paired with the Rose Imperial.

 

 

Thanks for the photos and description!

[LHT28]

19 minutes ago, mauibabes said:

As for Oceania, Starlink debuted on Vista and will be rolled out over the rest of the year on the other ships suggest you contact your TA for any specifics but I have not seen a schedule published yet. Consider it the “old” Wi-Fi and be happy if your cruise and ship have been upgraded to Starlink. 
Enjoy,

Mauibabes. 

Maybe we can break it down for you

Were  you on VISTA?

 Did you use the  WIFI?

 If  so can you comment on the  speed or availability compared to the  other Oceania ships?

 

[mauibabes]

@LHT28

Yes, Founder’s Cruise and yes it was better. I am not that tech savvy but our Apple Tech traveling companion Doug said it was 3-4 times faster👍🤪🙏 The on board tech support guy, Levente, was quite busy offering classes and other assistance to the guests. The second largest nationality on board Vista, US >700, was a group of about 100 from Hong Kong and there was always a room full of people in there with him. To me it is an expanded roll for the Tech beyond one on one Q and A and account set up. 
I am guessing the service can vary depending on where in the world you are sailing and based on the satellite coverage but all in all, MUCH improved. 
Looking forward to our October sailing on Vista to test it again in the Caribbean and up the Pacific Coast. 
Mauibabes

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, mauibabes said:

@LHT28

Yes, Founder’s Cruise and yes it was better. I am not that tech savvy but our Apple Tech traveling companion Doug said it was 3-4 times faster👍🤪🙏

Thank you

I think that is what people wanted to know

[Croooser]

Cruisingexpert:

 

Thanks for the review and impressions . Good to hear some 1st hand experience.

 

With respect to - "For those people booked in an extended Concierge veranda, they are not allowing you to have a lounger- I know 2 cabins that asked and were refused.  It may be that they don't have enough loungers- just a guess."

 

Did your 7124/7127 have 2 lounge chairs on the veranda similar to the arrangement on Riviera?

[cruisingxpert]

3 hours ago, Croooser said:

Did your 7124/7127 have 2 lounge chairs on the veranda similar to the arrangement on Riviera?

Yes.  All penthouse and above had loungers.

[forshping]

Regarding Veranda stateroom walls on Vista---were you able to use magnetic hooks on the walls? We usually bring a few with us when on Marina or Riviera so that we can hang up items that won't fit in the closet (i.e. backpacks, tote bags, jackets). Thanks.

[cruisingxpert]

10 hours ago, forshping said:

Regarding Veranda stateroom walls on Vista---were you able to use magnetic hooks on the walls? We usually bring a few with us when on Marina or Riviera so that we can hang up items that won't fit in the closet (i.e. backpacks, tote bags, jackets). Thanks.

Afraid I don't have an answer to that.  If you are in a penthouse, 3 of the closets have hanging racks on the inside of closet door.

[MrCoolChile]

Regarding walls and magnets

 

We too were on this cruise and disembarked in Athens (which, by the way, was the fastest we have ever experienced – 15 minutes from cabin to exit!).

 

We were also in a PH and, finally, at the end of the cruise (an how was that helpful 🙄?), I tested the walls with some magnets.  All the walls accepted magnets, except the wall with the mirror, desk and fridge.  As well, the wall above the bed is covered with a lattice and also won't accept magnets.

 

Edited June 7, 2023 by MrCoolChile

[cruisingxpert]

On 6/6/2023 at 12:01 PM, johnwelch62 said:

The three tasting plates were a ceviche (I'll have to ask my wife what the seafood was), a fois gras with lime jelly, and a carpacio. If I recall correctly, the ceviche was paired with the 2013 Grand Vintage, the fois gras was paired with the Nectar Imperial Demi Sec, and the carpacio was paired with the Rose Imperial.

Thank you for posting this.  I didn't notice this when I was on the ship.  Think it must have been something like what they do with wine tasting events but more luxurious.  I would have gone to that if I had noticed it.

[forshping]

10 hours ago, MrCoolChile said:

Regarding walls and magnets

 

We too were on this cruise and disembarked in Athens (which, by the way, was the fastest we have ever experienced – 15 minutes from cabin to exit!).

 

We were also in a PH and, finally, at the end of the cruise (an how was that helpful 🙄?), I tested the walls with some magnets.  All the walls accepted magnets, except the wall with the mirror, desk and fridge.  As well, the wall above the bed is covered with a lattice and also won't accept magnets.

 

 

[mancunian]

We are currently on Vista one week into a ten day cruise.   Good food, excellent staff and nice ship but still some things we prefer on Riviera.

 

I have thought the wifi to be very good.   We particularly like the library, light and airy and loved the new baristas and bakery.  We are finding the dining rooms and Terrace noisy.

 

We have had calm seas yet often in midship cabin, horizons and Terrace but particularly in Horizonsthere is an odd movement a bit like stabilisers but sharper.

 

Interesting about the aft elevators.  We are opposite the front ones and we have been surprised how one or other will be out of order, in fact for hours on embarkation day two of them were stuck.   Incidentally if your cabin is near the lifts you cannot hear them at all.  I am disabled so glad we are not at the other end.

 

We enjoyed our meal in ember spoilt only by people having to speak loudly because of the taped vocal music.

[johnwelch62]

29 minutes ago, mancunian said:

We have had calm seas yet often in midship cabin, horizons and Terrace but particularly in Horizonsthere is an odd movement a bit like stabilisers but sharper.

 

I felt a "shudder" once or twice, but overall I must say that this was the smoothest cruise I have ever been on. Much of that may be due to sailing on the Adriatic vs the Carribbean or the Pacific, but still, amazingly smooth. One crew member made the observation that this is also a side effect of being a new ship, very little growth (barnacles, etc) on the hull. That seems to me like a small factor, but I'm not a hydrodynamics expert. 🙂

 

[Acrusa]

Was it warm enough to layout at the pool?

[many cruises]

On 6/7/2023 at 12:13 AM, forshping said:

Regarding Veranda stateroom walls on Vista---were you able to use magnetic hooks on the walls? We usually bring a few with us when on Marina or Riviera so that we can hang up items that won't fit in the closet (i.e. backpacks, tote bags, jackets). Thanks.

We were in a Concierge Veranda and we used magnetic clips for holding papers on the walls.   They worked well to keep papers organized.

[cruisingxpert]

1 hour ago, Acrusa said:

Was it warm enough to layout at the pool?

It was warm enough on most days.

[Jayne E]

On 6/3/2023 at 10:17 AM, steamboats said:

We had a forward cabin... therefore I never used the aft elevator and didn´t see that it doesn´t stop on deck 5. But actually when you check the deck plans... the elevator/stairs would end up in the galley on deck 5. So there is no place to go there for passengers.

 

Some collegues had the large balcony and asked for loungers and were told the same. No loungers, everyone gets the same furniture.

 

They still need to communicate that Ember is ment as a "fast dining" option.

 

steamboats

Any idea if refusal of loungers on extended balcony cabins is temporary or permanent?  We have 2 Vista cruises booked and moved from B3 to A2 for extended verandah. Additional cost $1,300 and $700.  If no loungers, wondering if it’s worth booking A2. We have no interest in Concierge amenities. Upgraded to A2 strictly for loungers. 
Welcome all opinions!  Thanks!