Concerns on appalling Riveria reviews

[basor]

32 minutes ago, JDPCruisers said:

Curious about the beverage package on Oceania, does it include cocktails at the bars and lounges? Can't see to get that clarification on their website. Thanks in advance.

There are 2 beverage packages - wine, beer and Champagne during meal times in dining areas or room service and the Prestige package that includes all alcoholic drinks (except some high end liquors) from any area that serves drinks while they are open.....so depends upon which beverage package you have.

[LHT28]

36 minutes ago, JDPCruisers said:

Curious about the beverage package on Oceania, does it include cocktails at the bars and lounges? Can't see to get that clarification on their website. Thanks in advance.

Prestige package   YES

House select   NO

Scroll down to Beverage Packages

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/value

[1985rz1]

36 minutes ago, JDPCruisers said:

Curious about the beverage package on Oceania, does it include cocktails at the bars and lounges? Can't see to get that clarification on their website. Thanks in advance.

If you’re referring to the beverage package included in the SimplyMore cruise fare, the answer is no.  It includes only wine, beer and champagne with lunch and dinner and only in the dining venues.

 

To get cocktails in bars and lounges, you would need to upgrade to the Prestige package.

[basor]

7 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

If you’re referring to the beverage package included in the SimplyMore cruise fare, the answer is no.  It includes only wine, beer and champagne with lunch and dinner and only in the dining venues.

 

To get cocktails in bars and lounges, you would need to upgrade to the Prestige package.

With SM or House Select also with room service during dining hours when ordering a meal 

[JDPCruisers]

15 minutes ago, basor said:

With SM or House Select also with room service during dining hours when ordering a meal 

Thanks to all for their clarification! I'm looking at other cruise lines as we are strictly Celebrity in the Retreat but considering others now. 

[Lolotte]

We took a 33 days cruise in July on the Riviera and it was an outstanding cruise, everything was perfect !  We have been on 38 cruises and I think it was my favorite ship so far, the food was excellent  you will love it !

 

[agape01]

I first heard about Oceania from a cruise Youtuber called Gary Bembridge. Later, I found out that there was a must sail cruise from Civitavecchia to Miami on the Riviera last December.

The only disappointments that I had experienced on that cruise was shoddy customer service at Guest Services poor Wifi Connection and being charged the existing bill on my debit card on around the 12th day of the cruise. As the only lines that I have tried so far are Celebrity (non Retreat) and RCI, the Civitavecchia to Miami cruise was indeed one of the best other than transiting the panama canal on Celebrity. Most of my expectations were met but there was no Woah factor for me.

 

Edited September 15, 2023 by agape01

[SonuvaBeach]

On 9/12/2023 at 6:23 AM, LP24/08 said:

I am looking for reassurance from passengers who have sailed recently on  or are at present on Riveria that the dreadful reviews on the bords are not all accurate mainly the poor  quality of food, lack of interest from front desk staff and crew in general. We are sailing on Riveria end October in a penthouse suite for our golden wedding and hoped it would be special, we have not cruised with Oceanaia since Decemeber 2019 pre covid and are now very concerned and considering cancelling 

We read similar BAD reviews on the INSIGNIA a few weeks before we boarded her to go to Bermuda on August 30 to September 6, 2023. We have been on over 130 cruises, and so also considered cancelling because the reviews were so bad. It was to be our first OCEANIA cruise.  WE LOVED THE CRUISE..even during Hurricane Franklin and Idahlia!! We found NONE of the negative issues we read about..okay, except the tiny bathroom/shower. It really was quite small. Food was great, service was great. never had to wait for anything, no lines anywhere...and the ship was lovely. I think you will have a similar experience on the RIVIERA...JUST GO!!

 

[mauibabes]

Is there any chance this Heading/post can be laid to rest. I know, if we stop responding it will die a natural death 😇🙏  I am sure someone had a less than stellar cruise but it sure does create a great deal of unnecessary angst for those preparing to book or sail. This experience is not the norm but it can happen.  For anyone considering an O cruise, sail and enjoy because it will be an amazing experience. Perfect, no but believe me, take the negativity under advisement, it is one persons experience and opinion but no more. Go and make your own decision about any O ship and the experience. JMHO
Enjoy,

Mauibabes

[babydrum]

1 hour ago, SonuvaBeach said:

We read similar BAD reviews on the INSIGNIA a few weeks before we boarded her to go to Bermuda on August 30 to September 6, 2023. We have been on over 130 cruises, and so also considered cancelling because the reviews were so bad. It was to be our first OCEANIA cruise.  WE LOVED THE CRUISE..even during Hurricane Franklin and Idahlia!! We found NONE of the negative issues we read about..okay, except the tiny bathroom/shower. It really was quite small. Food was great, service was great. never had to wait for anything, no lines anywhere...and the ship was lovely. I think you will have a similar experience on the RIVIERA...JUST GO!!

 

I think you win for the most cruises taken.  Do you have a favorite line?

[babydrum]

50 minutes ago, mauibabes said:

Is there any chance this Heading/post can be laid to rest. I know, if we stop responding it will die a natural death 😇🙏  I am sure someone had a less than stellar cruise but it sure does create a great deal of unnecessary angst for those preparing to book or sail. This experience is not the norm but it can happen.  For anyone considering an O cruise, sail and enjoy because it will be an amazing experience. Perfect, no but believe me, take the negativity under advisement, it is one persons experience and opinion but no more. Go and make your own decision about any O ship and the experience. JMHO
Enjoy,

Mauibabes

Shouldn't that request come from OP?  Perhaps their fears have not been allayed just yet.  So far, this thread has been an Oceania love fest so I'm not sure why it bothers you for others to share their experiences for those of us who are planning to sail Oceania for the first time to consider.

[JeffElizabeth]

I have been on three different cruise lines since the pandemic and all have slipped. Cutting corners and pinching pennies. But I find this everywhere,  air travel, land resorts. I will still be cruising with Oceania,  because of the three lines, they had the best post-Corona cruises.

[ORV]

2 hours ago, JeffElizabeth said:

I have been on three different cruise lines since the pandemic and all have slipped. Cutting corners and pinching pennies. But I find this everywhere,  air travel, land resorts. I will still be cruising with Oceania,  because of the three lines, they had the best post-Corona cruises.

Personally I'd be ok with them charging a little more and keeping the quality of the product as it's been historically. Then again, I've been on 4 Oceania cruises in the past year and have been happy with them. I've got three coming up in the next year, for now. 

[MarkWiltonM]

20 hours ago, JeffElizabeth said:

I have been on three different cruise lines since the pandemic and all have slipped. Cutting corners and pinching pennies. But I find this everywhere,  air travel, land resorts. I will still be cruising with Oceania,  because of the three lines, they had the best post-Corona cruises.

 

People on the Celebrity board are complaining loudly and bitterly about the decline in quality of food in the main dining room, in particular. Most reports are that the food on the newer Edge-class ships, where they have four smaller main dining rooms, is somewhat better than the food on the older Solstice and Millennium class ships, which have a single main dining room. It's probably more about newer ships getting better staff/management/resources than the number of dining rooms, but who knows. 

 

I also have noticed a decline in the quality of food and service in land-based restaurants. Very few of the restaurants we visit regularly have maintained the level they were at before Covid. And they have all increased their prices, of course, but that's inflation for you. 

[Sthrngary]

3 hours ago, MarkWiltonM said:

 

People on the Celebrity board are complaining loudly and bitterly about the decline in quality of food in the main dining room, in particular. Most reports are that the food on the newer Edge-class ships, where they have four smaller main dining rooms, is somewhat better than the food on the older Solstice and Millennium class ships, which have a single main dining room. It's probably more about newer ships getting better staff/management/resources than the number of dining rooms, but who knows. 

 

I also have noticed a decline in the quality of food and service in land-based restaurants. Very few of the restaurants we visit regularly have maintained the level they were at before Covid. And they have all increased their prices, of course, but that's inflation for you. 

@MarkWiltonM "The Times, They are 0-Changing".  When I was a child, a VERY LONG TIME AGO, my mom was a single mom and on a limited budget.  About every two months, she would buy my favorite Chocolate bar for all my family of three to share. The brand was Cadbury with nuts and raisins.  That taste was such a memory trace for me of special times in the past. 

 

Now about 15 years ago, I saw this same candy bar in a local supermarket.  I am not so much a candy guy now but the memory was strong like the "force" in Star Wars. I remember bringing it home, noticing it was not quite the size it used to be.  I carefully opened the wrapper like "Charlie in the Chocolate Factory" did looking for the golden ticket.  The candy look somewhat the same.  Maybe a few less nuts but close.

 

I broke off a small rectangle and put it in my mouth.  It was awful. It tasted like wax.  I was so disappointed that I wrote Cadbury a letter.  They wrote back and said they never changed the recipe. They sent me a certificate for a free bar which I ceremoniously cut into a 1000 pieces out of spite.  That was the day I realized, "The Times, They are 0-Changing". 

 

My hope which is most likely not shared by all is that companies stop cutting back on quality and size to keep the price down.  Instead, the keep the quality, formula's, size exactly the same and "just charge me more".  Your experience with Celebrity is the same as my experience on NCL.  My hopes is Oceania is enough of an enhancement to what I am used too.  Not everything but personalized service and food would be lovely. Something tells me I will be extremely happy.  Attitude is everything.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

 

Edited September 16, 2023 by Sthrngary

[grmmybtty]

On 9/14/2023 at 8:34 AM, JDPCruisers said:

Curious about the beverage package on Oceania, does it include cocktails at the bars and lounges? Can't see to get that clarification on their website. Thanks in advance.

The Simply More included beverages are wine and beer at lunch. Cocktails anytime is only included in the higher price Prestige package which used to cost $69 per day per person.

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, grmmybtty said:

The Simply More included beverages are wine and beer at lunch. Cocktails anytime is only included in the higher price Prestige package which used to cost $69 per day per person.

That was if you did not  have the O Life Beverage package

 I believe  it will be $30 pp per to upgrade  from SM  come Oct 1st   same if you still have O Life House select package

[grmmybtty]

i think so too.

[1985rz1]

44 minutes ago, grmmybtty said:

i think so too.

Only if you upgrade to the Prestige package.

[JDPCruisers]

Thanks to all for the clarification. Still deciding to give Oceania a try or Azamara. On the fence.

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, JDPCruisers said:

Thanks to all for the clarification. Still deciding to give Oceania a try or Azamara. On the fence.

Try both 😀

[JDPCruisers]

4 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Try both 😀

Yes, we likely will as we've just cruised RC and X over the years and mostly have settled on X.

[Vallesan]

On 9/16/2023 at 6:45 PM, Sthrngary said:

@MarkWiltonM "The Times, They are 0-Changing".  When I was a child, a VERY LONG TIME AGO, my mom was a single mom and on a limited budget.  About every two months, she would buy my favorite Chocolate bar for all my family of three to share. The brand was Cadbury with nuts and raisins.  That taste was such a memory trace for me of special times in the past. 

 

Now about 15 years ago, I saw this same candy bar in a local supermarket.  I am not so much a candy guy now but the memory was strong like the "force" in Star Wars. I remember bringing it home, noticing it was not quite the size it used to be.  I carefully opened the wrapper like "Charlie in the Chocolate Factory" did looking for the golden ticket.  The candy look somewhat the same.  Maybe a few less nuts but close.

 

I broke off a small rectangle and put it in my mouth.  It was awful. It tasted like wax.  I was so disappointed that I wrote Cadbury a letter.  They wrote back and said they never changed the recipe. They sent me a certificate for a free bar which I ceremoniously cut into a 1000 pieces out of spite.  That was the day I realized, "The Times, They are 0-Changing". 

 

My hope which is most likely not shared by all is that companies stop cutting back on quality and size to keep the price down.  Instead, the keep the quality, formula's, size exactly the same and "just charge me more".  Your experience with Celebrity is the same as my experience on NCL.  My hopes is Oceania is enough of an enhancement to what I am used too.  Not everything but personalized service and food would be lovely. Something tells me I will be extremely happy.  Attitude is everything.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

 

I agree!

Times certainly are changing!

 

We have sailed Nautica, Riviera, Sirena, Silver Dawn and Seabourn Encore in the last 12 months and yes they are all different to the pre-2020 days.

IMHO the quality hasn’t really deteriorated but the menu choices on all the lines have become smaller. Just maybe, we now choose something that wouldn’t have been our first choice in the past, don’t enjoy it as much, and then blame the quality? Just guessing!

On the plus side the amount of waste with the smaller menus must be drastically reduced, which can’t be bad.

 

I think you could be right that not everybody would be prepared to pay more for keeping the ‘quality, formula’s and size’ the same.

I love small ship cruising but have stopped comparing ‘what was’  with ‘what is’!

Life moves on.

Change happens.

I just go and enjoy!