Nautica - 19/6 - 29/6 - review

[Harters]

I've just posted to the review section of CC, but thought I'd copy it here for the benefit of forum folk

 

This cruise had been a long time coming. We had a HAL Alaska cruise cancelled on us at the beginning of the pandemic. That would have been a 70^th birthday present to myself. And, last summer, we got Covid a couple of days before an Oceania cruise we’d booked as a present to ourselves for our golden wedding. Then more general health issues intervened, meaning we couldn’t get travel insurance – so that meant we couldn’t book a replacement cruise in the early autumn. And we had to cancel  the transatlantic cruise we’d put a deposit on with Oceania. We also had to cancel our annual three week winter break in Spain. Knowing  the health issues were about to be resolved, we started to keep an eye on one cruise that was similar to the original golden wedding one but it became waitlisted the day before we were in a position to get insurance. So, we booked this one as something of a second best. Second best in that the ports were not particularly good – several we either knew well or knew we had zero interest in them. But, hey, we were going cruising and with three sea days, out of ten, this suited us. So, some brief comments

 

We’d booked a penthouse suite, during the “extraordinary savings” sale for the price we might have expected for a Concierge. We may now be spoilt for any future cruises with O. Loads of space. Lots of storage. Really well fitted out, with lots of plug sockets where you need them. Shower cubicle of “proper” size (I know this is an issue with cheaper cabins). The three bags of “free” laundry was helpful. As for the butler, we hardly troubled him. Got a couple of items pressed when we boarded. Got canapes a couple of nights (they weren’t very good so we didn’t bother after that). And he brought us an ice bucket one evening. But that was it.

 

“The Finest Cuisine at Sea”. We’ve nothing to validate that marketing claim against. So, we said to ourselves, yes we know this is mass catering but let’s see how it compares with the neighbourhood restaurants we regularly go to at home. Well, it proved to be a mixed comparison. Terrace Café and Waves were excellent for what they are. And the Polo Grill and Toscana stood up to our local steakhouse and Italian. In my experience American steak is never as full flavoured as European steak – it’s why I no longer order steak on trips to the States. But, I know it’s an American ship, catering for American tastes, so no actual criticism there. My only other comment is that, on the second visit to Polo, dessert took so long that we gave up on it – never walked out of  one of my local places. But otherwise, service in the specialities was fine.

 

Which brings me to the Grand Dining Room which we found very hit and miss. This was particularly the slow service which, at breakfast, can only be politely described as dilatory.  And , at breakfast, the kitchen has a most peculiar way of plating. So, for example, one morning, a bowl with two poached eggs was put in front of me, followed minutes later, by a plate with the rest of the breakfast. Same meal, my partner is served most of her cooked breakfast, except for the grilled tomato which appeared later. Another morning, an order for pancakes and bacon  saw the pancake arrive and be almost completely eaten before the bacon was served. It’s bizzare. Even a greasy spoon café can plate a full breakfast.  As for dinner, we realised early on that the dish as described on the menu would be quite spartan and,  from then on, always ordered a couple of sides.  Menu choice was fine, although a tad limited. The bread basket served with all meals in all locations, was exemplary – on occasions the best thing we ate during the meal.

 

Moving on to drinks, the free soft drinks and water is great. Not least as I don’t drink alcohol and my partner only sparingly. But on the occasions, when she did order an alcoholic drink, we both had sharp intakes of breath about how eye-wateringly expensive it all was. And we were making that comparison as Britons used to high levels of tax being levied on alcohol. . The drink prices are already very high and then there’s the extra 20% gratuity added. A bottle of Peroni coming in at $9.25 for example. .

 

As for the entertainment, we know from our previous cruise on Marina that the shows are fairly minimal. That’s absolutely fine with us. We went to the show every night and enjoyed them.

 

We’d taken the option to have the free excursions as always seem to be recommended on Cruise Critic’s Oceania forum. We found them a bit basic and not that interesting. Now, I accept that we knew several of the ports well so, even if we looked to do an excursion there, it was going to be a bit limited. One of our three was particularly disappointing. Billed as a “Gastronomy Tour of Salobrena”, it was no such thing. We only drove past the outskirts of the town, stopping for a couple of minutes for a photo opportunity of its castle. Gone was the promised stop for tapas at a local bar. Gone was the promised lunch at a beach chiringuito. In their place, a drive along the coast and then taken to “wedding venue” sort of place for lunch. Pleasant it was. Gastronomy tour it wasn’t. If ever we do a future O cruise, I think we’d question whether excursions are the best value for us or whether OBC would be a much better bet.

 

Small ship or larger ship? We’ve had one previous cruise on Marina and I was little concerned I might feel constrained by the much small Nautica. I wasn’t, although I think that, all other things being equal, I’d prefer the larger space. But it wouldn’t stop me sailing on Nautica again.

 

To summarise, this was a lovely holiday and we don’t regret it at all. But it is, by far, the most money we’ve spent on a holiday and, as at today, we’re not convinced that it was value for money. It certainly isn’t affordable as a regular holiday (without our retirement savings disappearing at a rate of knots). And I think we’d have to make a price comparison between an Oceania cruise and a stay in, say, a 5* Spanish hotel and assess what we were getting with a cruise for  the extra cost.

Edited July 4, 2023 by Harters

[pinotlover]

Great through review! 🙏

[Harters]

Two further asides, which I didnt want to put in the review.

 

Firstly, breakfast in Waves was just the thing on two mornings when we needed something quick. What seemed slightly odd was that, on both occasions, we were the only people in there.

 

And, second, the cruise didnt  seem full. Indeed, up to at least a few days before, O's website still showed availability. It seemed most apparent on sea days when you know everyone must be around. Where was everyone? Tucked up in their cabins? Certainly not in the main public areas, So, one day, I asked at reception how many were on board and was told Nautica was "sailing full". I wondered if the guy may have been "economical with the actualité" (as a British politician once said in court).

[Harters]

Oh, yes. And don't be misled by the reference to "Canadian bacon" on the breakfast menu in the GDR. This is not the back bacon that's served in Canada. It's a round slice of some fairly bland unidentifiable meat, presumably from a tin - a bit like Spam but without Spam's flavour. And just not at all nice.

[QuestionEverything]

OP, thank you kindly for your review.

It would seem that the product offering of O is not as premium as their marketing implies.

I am on my first O cruise in August and will make a point of speaking with "regular" O customers to get their impressions of O today.

 

[ORV]

4 hours ago, QuestionEverything said:

OP, thank you kindly for your review.

It would seem that the product offering of O is not as premium as their marketing implies.

I am on my first O cruise in August and will make a point of speaking with "regular" O customers to get their impressions of O today.

 

Don't worry they will keep your glass half empty for you. 

[ToxM]

With regard to breakfast items turning up randomly and not altogether - I think is a perfect example of institutionalisation of staff who complete an order without regard for the final product, and is something Oceania can be very guilty of. The crew fulfils the order, the manner of presentation and a moment of looking at what the end result will be are not thought about because that’s not part of the silo existence they are in. This is merely robotic work with no thought towards customer care. 

 

I don’t think this is the fault of the crew, I think it is the fault of management who want things done double quick. 

 

Another example is offering a pot of water at afternoon tea and not thinking that the water might not be warm enough to be useful, but the process is to offer tea bags and then tea, so that’s what is done. Also two rounds of the afternoon tea carts and then the clear up is done - guests may not be done, but this is the process. The process controls the actions, not the needs of the guest. 

 

In a perfect world, or a world where every member of staff was encouraged to think about the end result being a happy guest then this institutionalism would change, maybe. 

[QuestionEverything]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Don't worry they will keep your glass half empty for you. 

ORV, thanks

I am sure they will indeed. 

Will be very interesting to speak with O regulars about their impressions of the O product offering these days. I will learn much indeed.

Happy travels.

[ak1004]

5 hours ago, QuestionEverything said:

OP, thank you kindly for your review.

It would seem that the product offering of O is not as premium as their marketing implies.

I am on my first O cruise in August and will make a point of speaking with "regular" O customers to get their impressions of O today.

 

 

I think it's matter of perspective, and also depends on the ship.

 

We sailed on the Riviera in May and on SS last December, and we found both lines comparable in terms of food and service. What makes SS more "luxury" than O is the fact that they are all inclusive, plus larger cabins and better space/passenger ratios. All other aspects - I didn't see anything on SS that makes it more luxury than O.

 

On related note, we would sail on both O class and R class, but still consider the O class more "luxury". Much better cabins, newer ships, more ding options etc. I think that PH on the R class is not a good value (just my personal opinion).

[jklc123]

Harters,

 

Thanks for your detailed review. We will be on O for the first time in April. Breakfast in MDR sounds unacceptable. Looks like we will head for Waves or Terrace Cafe, or order room service. We choose a PH3 for the size.

[AMHuntFerry]

10 hours ago, Harters said:

Two further asides, which I didnt want to put in the review.

 

Firstly, breakfast in Waves was just the thing on two mornings when we needed something quick. What seemed slightly odd was that, on both occasions, we were the only people in there.

 

And, second, the cruise didnt  seem full. Indeed, up to at least a few days before, O's website still showed availability. It seemed most apparent on sea days when you know everyone must be around. Where was everyone? Tucked up in their cabins? Certainly not in the main public areas, So, one day, I asked at reception how many were on board and was told Nautica was "sailing full". I wondered if the guy may have been "economical with the actualité" (as a British politician once said in court).

On our first cruise in Dec. 2021, we didn't even realize Waves has a decent cold breakfast option; I could have eaten there every day (although I really do like berries with my yogurt). We also didn't realize until part way through that they had things (salads, etc.) other than what is on the Waves menu (burgers and fries type items).

 

We've been on a couple of full R-ship cruises, and yes, they don't seem full (except maybe the pool loungers in hot weather) even when they are.

[osandomir]

6 hours ago, jklc123 said:

Harters,

 

Thanks for your detailed review. We will be on O for the first time in April. Breakfast in MDR sounds unacceptable. Looks like we will head for Waves or Terrace Cafe, or order room service. We choose a PH3 for the size.

Please don’t give up on anything before you experience it yourself onboard. We sailed on the Sirena in April and the service in the GDR during the breakfast time was great if we compared it to our previous sailings on the O ships. Not everything was perfect but the omissions if ever happened were corrected promptly. The staff was eager to please and every request was met with a smile.

[jklc123]

29 minutes ago, osandomir said:

Please don’t give up on anything before you experience it yourself onboard. We sailed on the Sirena in April and the service in the GDR during the breakfast time was great if we compared it to our previous sailings on the O ships. Not everything was perfect but the omissions if ever happened were corrected promptly. The staff was eager to please and every request was met with a smile.

After I wrote that, I had the same thought. Service can vary from sailing to sailing, I would think.

[Harters]

7 hours ago, jklc123 said:

Service can vary from sailing to sailing, I would think.

Frankly, it shouldnt to any significant degree. The GDR on any ship, as it's land based equivalent in tourist focussed hotels, is a major mass catering enterprise. To a large extent, numbers of diners can be predicted and staff are already there. It is not the individual crew members who are the issue here. I think ToxM hits the nail on the head at post #7 suggesting this is a structural/management problem. My criticism of  breakfast food items arriving randomly is entirely down to how the kitchen is being managed at that service.There was no similar problem at lunch or dinner. My criticism about dilatory service in the GDR has a similar base. Staff may have been trained to spend time doing Task X in preference to, say, taking orders in good time from newly seated diners. Or doing that because supervison/management  is not being effective. I eat in enough restaurants to know a well run customer focussed room. This wasnt one - but there are individual servers who I would employ in an instant if ever I was foolish enough to want to open a restaurant.

[EJL2023]

I have probably an odd question. I’ve never cruised on one of the R ships and am thinking of doing so to see if I like the smaller ships.  One of my concerns is just overall size of veranda staterooms and the bathrooms.  Because of that I’m leaning towards a PH.  At the same time I’d like to get a feel if the standard veranda stateroom would potentially suffice for future cruise considerations.  If I booked a PH AND they had a veranda stateroom that is NOT being used on the cruise, do you think they’d possibly let me just check it out to see if ok for future consideration?

Edited July 15, 2023 by EJL2023

[LHT28]

3 minutes ago, EJL2023 said:

I have probably an odd question. I’ve never cruised on one of the R ships and am thinking of doing so to see if I like the smaller ships.  One of my concerns is just overall size of veranda staterooms and the bathrooms.  Because of that I’m leaning towards a PH.  At the same time I’d like to get a feel if the standard veranda stateroom would potentially suffice for future cruise considerations.  If I booked a PH AND they had a veranda stateroom that is NOT being used on the cruise, do you think they’d possibly let me just check it out to see if ok for future consideration?

You could always  make friends onboard (roll Call) with someone in  a standard cabin & see if they will let you  have look

It depends  on what you  want  but  I have no problems in the A B & C cabin on the R ships  but many  people do

PH are larger

Personal choice  I guess

[pinotlover]

On 7/5/2023 at 10:58 AM, ToxM said:

With regard to breakfast items turning up randomly and not altogether - I think is a perfect example of institutionalisation of staff who complete an order without regard for the final product, and is something Oceania can be very guilty of. The crew fulfils the order, the manner of presentation and a moment of looking at what the end result will be are not thought about because that’s not part of the silo existence they are in. This is merely robotic work with no thought towards customer care. 

 

I don’t think this is the fault of the crew, I think it is the fault of management who want things done double quick. 

 

Another example is offering a pot of water at afternoon tea and not thinking that the water might not be warm enough to be useful, but the process is to offer tea bags and then tea, so that’s what is done. Also two rounds of the afternoon tea carts and then the clear up is done - guests may not be done, but this is the process. The process controls the actions, not the needs of the guest. 

 

In a perfect world, or a world where every member of staff was encouraged to think about the end result being a happy guest then this institutionalism would change, maybe. 

A bit late in reply to this. I feel that it is mostly correct with one exception. Afternoon Tea.

 

Afternoon Tea creates an issue of competing use of space. Currently, Tea is scheduled from 4:00-5:00, in Horizons, and then Happy Hour from 5:00-6:00. First, Happy Hour is a money maker for Oceania while Tea is purely a cost. Oceania wants adult beverage drinkers in at 5:00 filling the seats, not tea sippers taking up the space. I’ve witnessed many a cruiser come in at 4:45 or 4:50 expecting to do the leisurely Tea. The String Quartet leaves at 4:50ish to make room for the band at 5:00. Tea is over. Pick up, clean up, push on! Time to hustle booze.
 

When the Vista was first announced, the information given was that Afternoon Tea was going to be moved to the new spacious Barrista. That would have eliminated the space conflict and people could sip as long as they liked. That unfortunately, imo, didn’t happen. 
 

I suppose the moral is, those wanting a leisurely Tea needs to show up close to 4:00. 

[macbest]

10 hours ago, EJL2023 said:

I have probably an odd question. I’ve never cruised on one of the R ships and am thinking of doing so to see if I like the smaller ships.  One of my concerns is just overall size of veranda staterooms and the bathrooms.  

You are right to be concerned. We are on Nautica currently and the concierge level cabin is very small and the bathroom is practically unusable. Super small. Won’t sail her again unless we booked a much bigger cabin and bathroom. You can’t even sit on the toilet straight on without having the door open! And women forget about shaving your legs. The shower is painfully small. 

[SellaVee]

We've sailed on Regatta, Insignia and Nautica, as well as Riviera, and the size of the bathrooms hasn't bothered me.  I think it's because we've sailed both sailing yachts and a sports cruiser.  When you're used to those bathrooms, or heads as they're called, anything the R ships have to offer is a delight.   I've been in a hotel room in London where I did have to leave the door open to use the loo, and I'm not tall.

 

@Harters I agree with you about training.  It seems to leave no room for thinking.  One thing I found odd was my husband's plate being cleared away while I was still eating.  When I mentioned it in passing to a friendly maitre d' I was told that that was what they were trained to do.  I thought it was a bit rude that we were interrupted during most of our main courses while someone removed a dinner plate.

 

On more than one cruise I've seen managers criticise a staff member in full view of passengers.  Once it was a staff member who had gone to get me something that had run out.  That doesn't encourage initiative.

 

We're about to go on our first cruise post pandemic.  I'll be interested to see how we get on.

[EJL2023]

7 hours ago, macbest said:

You are right to be concerned. We are on Nautica currently and the concierge level cabin is very small and the bathroom is practically unusable. Super small. Won’t sail her again unless we booked a much bigger cabin and bathroom. You can’t even sit on the toilet straight on without having the door open! And women forget about shaving your legs. The shower is painfully small. 

Thank you for your comments.  

[EJL2023]

On 7/15/2023 at 4:53 PM, pinotlover said:

A bit late in reply to this. I feel that it is mostly correct with one exception. Afternoon Tea.

 

Afternoon Tea creates an issue of competing use of space. Currently, Tea is scheduled from 4:00-5:00, in Horizons, and then Happy Hour from 5:00-6:00. First, Happy Hour is a money maker for Oceania while Tea is purely a cost. Oceania wants adult beverage drinkers in at 5:00 filling the seats, not tea sippers taking up the space. I’ve witnessed many a cruiser come in at 4:45 or 4:50 expecting to do the leisurely Tea. The String Quartet leaves at 4:50ish to make room for the band at 5:00. Tea is over. Pick up, clean up, push on! Time to hustle booze.
 

When the Vista was first announced, the information given was that Afternoon Tea was going to be moved to the new spacious Barrista. That would have eliminated the space conflict and people could sip as long as they liked. That unfortunately, imo, didn’t happen. 
 

I suppose the moral is, those wanting a leisurely Tea needs to show up close to 4:00. 

Never been on one of the R ships, but just curious as to why they do Afternoon Tea in Martinis, instead of Horizons?

[LHT28]

8 minutes ago, EJL2023 said:

Never been on one of the R ships, but just curious as to why they do Afternoon Tea in Martinis, instead of Horizons?

 Do they ??

 

Been on Insignia & Regatta many times  & tea is always in Horizons

Same on the O class ships

 

[PhD-iva]

7 minutes ago, EJL2023 said:

Never been on one of the R ships, but just curious as to why they do Afternoon Tea in Martinis, instead of Horizons?

I was on Sirena in February/March and afternoon tea was always in Horizons. I think you misread Pinotlover’s  post.

[EJL2023]

5 minutes ago, PhD-iva said:

I was on Sirena in February/March and afternoon tea was always in Horizons. I think you misread Pinotlover’s  post.

Oops, I sure did!  Must be the second glass of wine!! Sorry for confusion.

[EJL2023]

15 minutes ago, EJL2023 said:

Never been on one of the R ships, but just curious as to why they do Afternoon Tea in Martinis, instead of Horizons?

 

On 7/15/2023 at 4:53 PM, pinotlover said:

A bit late in reply to this. I feel that it is mostly correct with one exception. Afternoon Tea.

 

Afternoon Tea creates an issue of competing use of space. Currently, Tea is scheduled from 4:00-5:00, in Horizons, and then Happy Hour from 5:00-6:00. First, Happy Hour is a money maker for Oceania while Tea is purely a cost. Oceania wants adult beverage drinkers in at 5:00 filling the seats, not tea sippers taking up the space. I’ve witnessed many a cruiser come in at 4:45 or 4:50 expecting to do the leisurely Tea. The String Quartet leaves at 4:50ish to make room for the band at 5:00. Tea is over. Pick up, clean up, push on! Time to hustle booze.
 

When the Vista was first announced, the information given was that Afternoon Tea was going to be moved to the new spacious Barrista. That would have eliminated the space conflict and people could sip as long as they liked. That unfortunately, imo, didn’t happen. 
 

I suppose the moral is, those wanting a leisurely Tea needs to show up close to 4:00. 

Sorry, I misread for some reason, I’m blaming the wine!