Just returned from Sirena

[DoulaAnn]

If your niece likes things like trivia, name that tune, bingo, casinos, lounging by the pool, bocce or shuffleboard, or just reading, she shouldn't be bored (some ships also have artist lofts -- where there is painting, acrylics, or photography-- and culinary classes -- which have to be booked WELL in advance, like when they open up) she will really be fine. Some people her age actually like talking with elders and hearing their experiences (and the elders -- at least some of them and we're among them) love talking with younger generations.

[ORV]

21 minutes ago, DoulaAnn said:

If your niece likes things like trivia, name that tune, bingo, casinos, lounging by the pool, bocce or shuffleboard, or just reading, she shouldn't be bored (some ships also have artist lofts -- where there is painting, acrylics, or photography-- and culinary classes -- which have to be booked WELL in advance, like when they open up) she will really be fine. Some people her age actually like talking with elders and hearing their experiences (and the elders -- at least some of them and we're among them) love talking with younger generations.

I believe they are looking at the Sirena

[1985rz1]

28 minutes ago, DoulaAnn said:

If your niece likes things like trivia, name that tune, bingo, casinos, lounging by the pool, bocce or shuffleboard, or just reading, she shouldn't be bored (some ships also have artist lofts -- where there is painting, acrylics, or photography-- and culinary classes -- which have to be booked WELL in advance, like when they open up) she will really be fine. Some people her age actually like talking with elders and hearing their experiences (and the elders -- at least some of them and we're among them) love talking with younger generations.

@Zoey123. If as @ORV says, if you are looking at a R ship ( e.g. Sirena), things like the Artist's Loft and the culinary classes are not available.  

[DoulaAnn]

@Zoey123 when are you going? Artist Loft is sometimes available in a non-permanent space. One voyage this summeer, there will be cooking demonstrations (not a participatory thing -- usually done in the lounge (not Horizons). So depends on which cruise. I can probably find out if there's going to be an Artist Loft on your cruise.

[WESTEAST]

On 4/18/2024 at 11:35 AM, EJL2023 said:

They are allowed, nice ones as you noted. We were on Sirena in January/February. Did not see them a lot but on occasion.  Of course saw more in the Terrace and shorts there also. 

Adherence to dress code is gradually slipping - recently, did see passengers wearing sweatshirts with jeans in Speciality restaurants which is a real stretch of the so called 'country club casual' dress code. Not sure how one defines 'nice ones' as price tags can equate to ripped nice jeans. O's website reads "...... for evening dining, elegant casual resort wear is suggested. We request that casual jeans, shorts, t-shirts, baseball caps, sandals, or tennis shoes not be worn in the restaurants after 6 PM. Baseball caps may be worn in the Terrace Café after 6 PM." Realize this subject has been beaten to death on various forums but on recent cruises we've noticed that the elegant casual resort wear is heading in the wrong direction IMO and unfortunately, Oceania is not enforcing.

[AMHuntFerry]

I saw examples of "cocktail party" jeans the other day, but did not post since I didn't want to start this topic yet again, but here is what are considered "cocktail & party jeans" by a (SE?) US-based women's clothing store:

I have seen similar for men at a Seattle-based department store, but don't want to take the time to find them.

[pinotlover]

18 hours ago, AMHuntFerry said:

I saw examples of "cocktail party" jeans the other day, but did not post since I didn't want to start this topic yet again, but here is what are considered "cocktail & party jeans" by a (SE?) US-based women's clothing store:

I have seen similar for men at a Seattle-based department store, but don't want to take the time to find them.

Marketing by someone wanting to sell blue jeans! Reminds me of the recent marketing gimmick of trying to sell dress joga pants, or if the dress sweat suits of old! Marketing by someone with something to sell.

[AMHuntFerry]

5 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Marketing by someone wanting to sell blue jeans! Reminds me of the recent marketing gimmick of trying to sell dress joga pants, or if the dress sweat suits of old! Marketing by someone with something to sell.

If you want marketing, check out the "dressy" jeans with what looks like a coat of shellac or the ones with sequins. They remind me of a costume we might have worn in a dance recital.

[PhD-iva]

On 4/19/2024 at 9:28 PM, WESTEAST said:

Adherence to dress code is gradually slipping - recently, did see passengers wearing sweatshirts with jeans in Speciality restaurants which is a real stretch of the so called 'country club casual' dress code. Not sure how one defines 'nice ones' as price tags can equate to ripped nice jeans. O's website reads "...... for evening dining, elegant casual resort wear is suggested. We request that casual jeans, shorts, t-shirts, baseball caps, sandals, or tennis shoes not be worn in the restaurants after 6 PM. Baseball caps may be worn in the Terrace Café after 6 PM." Realize this subject has been beaten to death on various forums but on recent cruises we've noticed that the elegant casual resort wear is heading in the wrong direction IMO and unfortunately, Oceania is not enforcing.

Sometimes luggage goes awry, in which case the maitre’d knows that pax don’t have much choice.

Hopefully this explains what you saw……..

[iowananny]

I've had the unfortunate experience of not having my luggage show up with me.  I wanted to wear appropriate clothing, but I was not willing to pay the cruise ships price for clothing I really didn't want.  So, for the first few nights I wore the nice jeans I wore when I'd arrived.  We shared a table and laughed and talked and had a great time at dinner.  No one at our table cared.  And this on a cruise ship that had formal nights.  Oh yes. I did hear snide remarks from those who wanted everyone dressed to the best, but I still had a good time.

 

Remember, sometimes people don't have the choice of what to wear with today's airline luggage delivery.  Your dinner is not going to be terrible because someone sitting next to you is not dressed to your standards.

[osandomir]

I’ve seen all that negative reviews about Sirena but really didn’t put too much trust in them because our experience has always been great. We’ve sailed on her many times as well as on all other O ships but Vista. I didn’t understand how things could go downhill so fast since our last Sirena cruise about a year ago.
 

So we just boarded the Sirena today and found the ship in the same good shape. And I’d like to comment about the food. We quickly managed to get reservation in the specialty restaurant on the first night, but after we saw the dinner menu cancelled the Red Ginger as we really liked what was offered in the GDR. Well, I just want to say our dinner was excellent. I don’t think that we’ve equally enjoyed every meal onboard in the past, but tonight we didn’t find the food to be a bit of less quality than it used to be. It was as good if not better than we’ve ever had before.
 

While I understand that the food is subjective and not everyone has the same taste it still makes me wonder were all that people who complained eat elsewhere. And we’re looking forward to enjoying this cruise on the Sirena not less than we have always done.

Edited April 22 by osandomir

[Stockjock]

I have to be honest.  While we love good food and good service, you guys are scaring the heck out of me with comments about hanging out in the library or hunkering down with a Kindle.  Some of the "activities" mentioned sound tremendously boring to me.

Will still probably do this, but the GF has been concerned that she'd be bored, and I hate to drop a chunk of cash on a milestone birthday cruise for her, and then have to listen to complaints during and afterwards.

[no fuss travel]

10 minutes ago, Stockjock said:

I have to be honest.  While we love good food and good service, you guys are scaring the heck out of me with comments about hanging out in the library or hunkering down with a Kindle.  Some of the "activities" mentioned sound tremendously boring to me.

Will still probably do this, but the GF has been concerned that she'd be bored, and I hate to drop a chunk of cash on a milestone birthday cruise for her, and then have to listen to complaints during and afterwards.

To be honest, I was bored on Holland America on our cruise.  Different tastes for different folks.  The people you meet on Oceania are well traveled and interesting to talk to.  The entertainment on both lines is comparable, but I actually found Oceania's to be better with the onboard entertainers.  The dance group they had on Holland America was not enjoyable, as the flashing lights and music were awful IMHO.

[osandomir]

6 minutes ago, Stockjock said:

I have to be honest.  While we love good food and good service, you guys are scaring the heck out of me with comments about hanging out in the library or hunkering down with a Kindle.  Some of the "activities" mentioned sound tremendously boring to me.

Will still probably do this, but the GF has been concerned that she'd be bored, and I hate to drop a chunk of cash on a milestone birthday cruise for her, and then have to listen to complaints during and afterwards.

Actually, there are very few “activities” you can expect on the small Oceania ships. It looks like you definitely will be happier on the big ship of any major cruise line.

[Stockjock]

5 minutes ago, osandomir said:

Actually, there are very few “activities” you can expect on the small Oceania ships. It looks like you definitely will be happier on the big ship of any major cruise line.

You might be right. I had wanted to try something different, but in a good way. The reservations are fully refundable until August, so it’s something I will have to think about.

[ak1004]

On 4/22/2024 at 7:44 PM, osandomir said:

I’ve seen all that negative reviews about Sirena but really didn’t put too much trust in them because our experience has always been great. We’ve sailed on her many times as well as on all other O ships but Vista. I didn’t understand how things could go downhill so fast since our last Sirena cruise about a year ago.
 

So we just boarded the Sirena today and found the ship in the same good shape. And I’d like to comment about the food. We quickly managed to get reservation in the specialty restaurant on the first night, but after we saw the dinner menu cancelled the Red Ginger as we really liked what was offered in the GDR. Well, I just want to say our dinner was excellent. I don’t think that we’ve equally enjoyed every meal onboard in the past, but tonight we didn’t find the food to be a bit of less quality than it used to be. It was as good if not better than we’ve ever had before.
 

While I understand that the food is subjective and not everyone has the same taste it still makes me wonder were all that people who complained eat elsewhere. And we’re looking forward to enjoying this cruise on the Sirena not less than we have always done.

 

I had exactly the same experience about our cruise on Riviera last May. And then read some reviews after we came back, and wondered if we were on the same cruise..

[Kay S]

2 hours ago, Stockjock said:

I have to be honest.  While we love good food and good service, you guys are scaring the heck out of me with comments about hanging out in the library or hunkering down with a Kindle.  Some of the "activities" mentioned sound tremendously boring to me.

 

I cruise to relax, and hunkering down with my Kindle is my favorite thing.  But that's me.  What kind of activities are you talking about?  Trivia?  Game shows?  Dance contests?  My teenage grandson can spend hours playing shuffleboard.  What will make your GF happy?

[osandomir]

2 hours ago, Stockjock said:

The reservations are fully refundable until August, so it’s something I will have to think about.

In case you don’t know there’s a non-refundable $150 pp to cancel from the day one after you pay the deposit. And then an administration fee one month prior to the final payment.

[Stockjock]

1 hour ago, Kay S said:

I cruise to relax, and hunkering down with my Kindle is my favorite thing.  But that's me.  What kind of activities are you talking about?  Trivia?  Game shows?  Dance contests?  My teenage grandson can spend hours playing shuffleboard.  What will make your GF happy?

We like the shows on probably a bigger scale than seems to be offered on Oceania, different bars/clubs, the GF likes to dance but I really don't, I suppose a broader array of venues.  We like some of the MSC ships that have a Sky Lounge up high, overlooking the pool, with a band playing jazz or popular hits while we sip Grand Marnier in a snifter or a good red wine.

I've always preferred the mid-sized ships, maybe 2,500ish in capacity.  I think the GF likes some of the Monster of the Seas type vessels, since they have so many varied types of entertainment.

 

That said, I'll probably still give it a shot.  We have zero sea days, so between visiting the ports, getting back to the room, relaxing a bit, cleaning up for dinner and actually doing dinner, I'm not sure there will be a ton of down time anyway.

As I mentioned earlier, if she gripes she gripes.  At least I'll be providing the cruise, air and hotel.

 

Edited April 24 by Stockjock

[patty1955]

On 4/22/2024 at 4:44 PM, osandomir said:

 

So we just boarded the Sirena today and found the ship in the same good shape. And I’d like to comment about the food. We quickly managed to get reservation in the specialty restaurant on the first night, but after we saw the dinner menu cancelled the Red Ginger as we really liked what was offered in the GDR. Well, I just want to say our dinner was excellent. I don’t think that we’ve equally enjoyed every meal onboard in the past, but tonight we didn’t find the food to be a bit of less quality than it used to be. It was as good if not better than we’ve ever had before.
 

While I understand that the food is subjective and not everyone has the same taste it still makes me wonder were all that people who complained eat elsewhere. And we’re looking forward to enjoying this cruise on the Sirena not less than we have always done.

I'm a little confused. We're booked onboard the Sirena for a TA next year so I've been researching the ship. According to the Oceania website, the only specialty restaurants on Sirena are Toscana and Polo Grill. We love Red Ginger but it doesn't appear to be on the Sirena. What am I missing?

[EJL2023]

4 minutes ago, patty1955 said:

I'm a little confused. We're booked onboard the Sirena for a TA next year so I've been researching the ship. According to the Oceania website, the only specialty restaurants on Sirena are Toscana and Polo Grill. We love Red Ginger but it doesn't appear to be on the Sirena. What am I missing?

I think you need to look again.. there is Red Ginger and Tuscan Steak (combo of Toscana and Polo Grill).

Edited April 25 by EJL2023

[patty1955]

17 minutes ago, EJL2023 said:

I think you need to looks again.. there is Red Ginger and Tuscan Steak (combo of Toscana and Polo Grill)

Thank you!. The description for our cruise says:

Culinary Masterpieces

Memorable dining begins with open-seating, as it allows you to dine when you are ready and with whomever you choose. Regardless of which of our restaurants you select, there are no dining surcharges. Enjoy Toscana’s authentic Italian dishes, Polo Grill’s steakhouse fare, Continental cuisine in the Grand Dining Room, and made-to-order American favorites in the Terrace Café. You may also indulge in delicate pastries and freshly made sandwiches along with illy^® specialty coffees at Baristas.

It must need to be updated.

Edited April 25 by patty1955

[EJL2023]

17 minutes ago, patty1955 said:

Thank you!. The description for our cruise says:

Culinary Masterpieces

Memorable dining begins with open-seating, as it allows you to dine when you are ready and with whomever you choose. Regardless of which of our restaurants you select, there are no dining surcharges. Enjoy Toscana’s authentic Italian dishes, Polo Grill’s steakhouse fare, Continental cuisine in the Grand Dining Room, and made-to-order American favorites in the Terrace Café. You may also indulge in delicate pastries and freshly made sandwiches along with illy^® specialty coffees at Baristas.

It must need to be updated.

Are you sure you are going to be on Sirena?  I recall you mentioning in another thread you were going to Bermuda on Nautica.  Those would be the specialty dining restaurants on Nautica. Perhaps you are looking at the information for that cruise. 

Edited April 25 by EJL2023

[patty1955]

Just now, EJL2023 said:

Are you sure you are going to be on Serena?  I recall you mentioning in another thread you were going to Bermuda on Nautica.  Those would be the specialty dining restaurants on Nautica. 

Bermuda this Sept. on Nautica and TA on Sirena next April. 

[basor]

7 minutes ago, patty1955 said:

Bermuda this Sept. on Nautica and TA on Sirena next April. 

Sirena has different specialty restaurants then the other 3 "R" ships - https://www.oceaniacruises.com/ships/sirena/culinary-experiences

Edited April 25 by basor