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Vista - Simply Incredible

DurangoWino

By DurangoWino,
in Oceania Cruises

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DurangoWino

DurangoWino

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We are on a Miami to Miami cruise on Vista and in Barbados today.  We are not experienced cruisers, only sailing on Regatta back in 2017 to Alaska, so take my comments in the context that this is only our second cruise - all on Oceania.  With that said the Vista is just sooo nice.  The rooms are much more spacious than our inside room on Regatta.  Love the larger balcony and walk in shower and plenty of storage space for us - everything in our two suitcases found a drawer or closet.  The safe is large enough for a computer(s) plus anything else you want to lock away.  We are in an A-1 level suite.

 

Later this afternoon we get to do a French Cooking class, the venue for it is totally first class.  To date we have tried every restaurant except Amber.  Polo, Toscano, and Red Ginger are all fabulous.  We had drinks last night in Martinis and a couple from Georgia set across from us who have cruised all over the world on just about every cruise line, recently on Seaborne, and they thought the food on Vista was the best they have had at sea.  No arguments from me as we have felt the food and service has been everything we could have hoped for.  
 

For those wanting to try a speciality restaurant for a second time or without reservations, we were able to walk up to Red Ginger last night when they opened and were seated immediately at a shared table.  Great way to meet other guests.  We could also have gotten a reservation earlier in the day via the reservation desk for a shared table at Red Ginger for 7:00 as well.
 

Service in the MDR can be and is slow, we had about a two hour dinner with long waits between courses.  Just a lot of people descending on the place at the same time.  Breakfast was much better but the Eggs Benedict were like they had been sitting under a heat lamp for some time.  English muffin was tough and egg overcooked.  We learned this morning that Eggs Benedict can be ordered at the Terrace and they were fresh and just about perfect.

 

Baristas is great with the bakery adjacent.  Aquamar is a nice change of pace healthy alternative for breakfast and lunch.  Waves is very nice for burgers and had a station open on Day 2 that had a fantastic baked chicken - I look everyday to see if they are having it again.

 

Entertainment has been fabulous.  Tom Bristow, a comic, has had two shows and he is very funny.  Colleen Williamson is a singer with operatic background that sings everything from Broadway to hit songs.  Her voice is amazing and she loves performing.  New to this cruise is a new troupe of singers and dancers.  They performed for the first time two nights ago and they were so good.  They are signed for a six month stint and will only get better.  Lots of folks on the elevators the next day asked if you saw the show last night so they made a great impression on everyone. We will go early to get our seats the next time they perform.

 

So that gives you an update on my impressions of Vista.  From the food to the entertainment, it is just Simply Incredible!

 

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MEFIowa

MEFIowa

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Having done B3/A3/A4 cabins on Riviera (from 12/2021 on) and B2 on Sirena (11/2022), there is a world of difference between the larger cabins on the bigger O-class ships and the smaller ones on the smaller R-class ships. Esp. in the bathroom/shower.

 

Do you know how many passengers you had on Vista? We had just 719 on Riviera in the W. Caribbean 12/2021 and talk about a magical experience. 780 crew were treating us like kings & queens.

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Vallesan Holiday Sharing Rare

Vallesan

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2 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

Having done B3/A3/A4 cabins on Riviera (from 12/2021 on) and B2 on Sirena (11/2022), there is a world of difference between the larger cabins on the bigger O-class ships and the smaller ones on the smaller R-class ships. Esp. in the bathroom/shower.

 

Do you know how many passengers you had on Vista? We had just 719 on Riviera in the W. Caribbean 12/2021 and talk about a magical experience. 780 crew were treating us like kings & queens.


That is such an important point.

 

I’m guessing not that many people ask about the numbers sailing but it does make a huge difference to service…. it must. We sailed Silversea and there were 390 passengers and 440 crew!! Service was amazing!

 

Yes, the veranda cabins on the ‘R’ ships are tiny so we have to upgrade to PH, which actually makes other luxury lines more  competitive, because their entry cabins are the same size as the PH on ‘R’ ships!

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JDPCruisers

JDPCruisers

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29 minutes ago, DurangoWino said:

We are on a Miami to Miami cruise on Vista and in Barbados today.  We are not experienced cruisers, only sailing on Regatta back in 2017 to Alaska, so take my comments in the context that this is only our second cruise - all on Oceania.  With that said the Vista is just sooo nice.  The rooms are much more spacious than our inside room on Regatta.  Love the larger balcony and walk in shower and plenty of storage space for us - everything in our two suitcases found a drawer or closet.  The safe is large enough for a computer(s) plus anything else you want to lock away.  We are in an A-1 level suite.

 

Later this afternoon we get to do a French Cooking class, the venue for it is totally first class.  To date we have tried every restaurant except Amber.  Polo, Toscano, and Red Ginger are all fabulous.  We had drinks last night in Martinis and a couple from Georgia set across from us who have cruised all over the world on just about every cruise line, recently on Seaborne, and they thought the food on Vista was the best they have had at sea.  No arguments from me as we have felt the food and service has been everything we could have hoped for.  
 

For those wanting to try a speciality restaurant for a second time or without reservations, we were able to walk up to Red Ginger last night when they opened and were seated immediately at a shared table.  Great way to meet other guests.  We could also have gotten a reservation earlier in the day via the reservation desk for a shared table at Red Ginger for 7:00 as well.
 

Service in the MDR can be and is slow, we had about a two hour dinner with long waits between courses.  Just a lot of people descending on the place at the same time.  Breakfast was much better but the Eggs Benedict were like they had been sitting under a heat lamp for some time.  English muffin was tough and egg overcooked.  We learned this morning that Eggs Benedict can be ordered at the Terrace and they were fresh and just about perfect.

 

Baristas is great with the bakery adjacent.  Aquamar is a nice change of pace healthy alternative for breakfast and lunch.  Waves is very nice for burgers and had a station open on Day 2 that had a fantastic baked chicken - I look everyday to see if they are having it again.

 

Entertainment has been fabulous.  Tom Bristow, a comic, has had two shows and he is very funny.  Colleen Williamson is a singer with operatic background that sings everything from Broadway to hit songs.  Her voice is amazing and she loves performing.  New to this cruise is a new troupe of singers and dancers.  They performed for the first time two nights ago and they were so good.  They are signed for a six month stint and will only get better.  Lots of folks on the elevators the next day asked if you saw the show last night so they made a great impression on everyone. We will go early to get our seats the next time they perform.

 

So that gives you an update on my impressions of Vista.  From the food to the entertainment, it is just Simply Incredible!

 

Thanks for sharing your experience so far. We are seriously looking at Vista for our first Oceania cruise in 2025 having been Royal and Celebrity cruisers but considering a change to a smaller more exclusive experience and services. Will continue to follow along for your thoughts.  

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MrsSheba

MrsSheba

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We were on the 11/19 through 12/1 Vista cruise.  Our CD said that there were 1177 passengers on board, so basically at full capacity.  Except for one or two isolated incidents, it always felt like it was well staffed.

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zteamtwo

zteamtwo

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1 hour ago, JDPCruisers said:

Thanks for sharing your experience so far. We are seriously looking at Vista for our first Oceania cruise in 2025 having been Royal and Celebrity cruisers but considering a change to a smaller more exclusive experience and services. Will continue to follow along for your thoughts.  

The Secrets of Elevating your Cruise Experience with Oceania Cruises.pdf657.44 kB · 402 downloads

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DurangoWino

DurangoWino

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Yes Christmas trees are out, heard 1100 people onboard this cruise with about 1000 crew.  Not sure on Splenda since we do not use it - will try and look for it.  
 

We had to have someone taken off the ship because of a medical emergency yesterday and huge USGG helicopter came to ship in the middle of the ocean to evac them off.  Took place just above our room.  Pretty amazing, but cannot imagine the cost for doing that.

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LHT28 Holiday Sharing Rare

LHT28

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2 hours ago, DurangoWino said:

To date we have tried every restaurant except Amber.  Polo, Toscano, and Red Ginger are all fabulous. 

 

Thanks  for sharing

Is there  a reason you are not going to Ember?

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njhorseman

njhorseman

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28 minutes ago, DurangoWino said:

We had to have someone taken off the ship because of a medical emergency yesterday and huge USGG helicopter came to ship in the middle of the ocean to evac them off.  Took place just above our room.  Pretty amazing, but cannot imagine the cost for doing that.

There's no charge for a USCG medical evacuation. It's part of their mission and is funded by the federal government budget...ultimately by your tax dollars.

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MEFIowa

MEFIowa

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53 minutes ago, DurangoWino said:

... We had to have someone taken off the ship because of a medical emergency yesterday and huge USGG helicopter came to ship in the middle of the ocean to evac them off.  Took place just above our room....

Given the age of the passengers and their conditions upon embarkation, likely happens more than you may think. And keep in mind there is a morgue on board, too.

 

We had to stop off Key West 12/2021 on Riviera to take a passenger off due to medical emergency. The small USCG patrol boat met us and spent quite a bit of time circling trying to get connected at a low-level disembarkation point. We were watching it all. Looked like Boris Karloff from Plan 9 From Outer Space strapped to a gurney with the nurse also going with him off ship.

 

We had to make an emergency stop off Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, while on Sirena, 11/2022, to use our small boat to take the passenger ashore to the local hospital.

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DurangoWino

DurangoWino

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We will go to Ember later on in the trip.  Just based on previous reviews of it compared to RG and T, those two were must go to early on in the trip in case we wanted to try and go more than once.
 

Very interesting on USCG.  Funny that you mention the age of the passengers, I commented to my wife that we will be lucky if everyone makes it through the trip.  When the USCG came, I told her “you see”!  LOL.

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MEFIowa

MEFIowa

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8 minutes ago, DurangoWino said:

... Funny that you mention the age of the passengers, I commented to my wife that we will be lucky if everyone makes it through the trip....

I was 58 on Riviera 12/2021 and I felt YOUNG. And I still felt YOUNG on Riviera last month at age 60. I see people opine that the average age for the cruisers is in the mid-70s. So few below age 18. Few 18-40. Not too many 40-60.

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DurangoWino

DurangoWino

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Yes Ember is later on in the trip.  Just got out of the French Cooking class and it was very good.  Highly recommend taking one of their classes if you are interested in cooking.  We do a seafood class late in the afternoon on Thursday.

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mauibabes

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@Pandazoo

We were on Vista in May on the Founders Cruise as a first paying customer and then again for a Panama Canal trip in October and I will say you are in for a REAL treat.  We have some friends who own a travel agency and had never been on Oceania until they got an invitation to sail on Vista’s christening voyage, and yes, for them it was FREE. They were amazed🤪👍❤️ with Oceania. Now, Seven months later, they are FULL PRICE paying customers to sail on Vista again over the holidays. IMHO, that is the greatest testimony I know of to suggest you can expect an AMAZING EXPERIENCE.

In October, most of the original key staff were back on board; the F and B Director, Restaurant Manager and the Maitre d’s. Definitely head for Red Ginger and try the Watermelon and Duck Salad, Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass or the Rack of Lamb or …. Toscana and DW’s favorite Lasagne and … Polo and even the new kid on the block Ember had great meals. You have to start your mornings in Baristas or the Aquamar Kitchen, all fantastic. 

Just ENJOY, and share your comments along the way. 

Mauibabes

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PelicanLvr

PelicanLvr

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5 hours ago, MEFIowa said:

I was 58 on Riviera 12/2021 and I felt YOUNG. And I still felt YOUNG on Riviera last month at age 60. I see people opine that the average age for the cruisers is in the mid-70s. So few below age 18. Few 18-40. Not too many 40-60.

DW and I are 65...just off Nautica last month in November (Spain & Canary Islands).  We had a great cruise with terrific staff and ports.  

 

But....we felt VERY young.  Fellow passengers were.....quite mature.  Makes me concerned about O's future.  Felt way too "old" for us.  

 

 

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