Any Changes since 2022 on Insignia ATW that lower standards

[BeachBum501]

I read a review from a very upset, feeling ripped off, passenger dated December 2023 on Insignia’s 189 day cruise. He didn’t have a good experience with the staff, excursions, all dining (but especially in the specialty restaurants), communications, same entertainment was repeated & only available  at 9:30pm, poor management with a don’t care attitude and very vocally said not to do the ATW cruise. This is disturbing as we have ATW booked for 2025 for which the final payment is coming up quickly. Has anyone else had a problem with Oceania ATW on Insignia? We are in our 70s with 28 cruises completed on various American lines and one wonderful ATW on a British line, sadly now defunct. We love exploring interesting ports with expertly planned tours, excellent lecturers on ports ahead and enjoying good food and pleasant company aboard ship. Is that still possible? 

[ORV]

Just one point, if they didn't do enough research to know that typically Oceania only has one show a night, usually at 9:30 then they didn't know what they were getting in to. 

 

But frankly if they had all those issues then I'd say the problem is probably with them. 

 

There are multiple ATW cruisers that have repeated it since it started, so they must be doing something right. I personally would not do an ATW, primarily because the food and drink would probably kill me. As a friend of mine in college used to say, "Moderation is for monks."

[osandomir]

Have you personally sailed with Oceania before? It’d be a good idea to go on their shorter cruise before embarking on the ATW rather than relying on someone else’s review. It’s very possible that you would like it if you tried it. And then you’d know if ATW is a good fit for you.

[1985rz1]

1 hour ago, BeachBum501 said:

 

I read a review from a very upset, feeling ripped off, passenger dated December 2023 on Insignia’s 189 day cruise. He didn’t have a good experience with the staff, excursions, all dining (but especially in the specialty restaurants), communications, same entertainment was repeated & only available  at 9:30pm, poor management with a don’t care attitude and very vocally said not to do the ATW cruise. This is disturbing as we have ATW booked for 2025 for which the final payment is coming up quickly. Has anyone else had a problem with Oceania ATW on Insignia? We are in our 70s with 28 cruises completed on various American lines and one wonderful ATW on a British line, sadly now defunct. We love exploring interesting ports with expertly planned tours, excellent lecturers on ports ahead and enjoying good food and pleasant company aboard ship. Is that still possible? 

I wouldn't put a lot of stock in a single totally negative review, especially since happy folks tend not to post their positive experiences, and disappointed folks want to slam the line because the cruise didn't live up to expectations. This is not just an O phenomenon. There are some very balanced reviews cruises on this board, which are more credible than the all negative rants. But O is not perfect, but neither is any other line.  Balanced reviews of shorter (i.e. non-ATW) cruises would give you a better idea of what to expect, because the ATW is a series of shorter cruise marketed as one cruise.

 

[Kay S]

3 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

I wouldn't put a lot of stock in a single totally negative review, especially since happy folks tend not to post their positive experiences, and disappointed folks want to slam the line because the cruise didn't live up to expectations. 

 

This.  If the product was so bad,  no one would be taking the cruise.  Why don't you see if you can find a positive review from the same cruise?

[Vallesan]

I haven’t read the reviews but in December 23, I’m guessing, there will have been lots of changes to ports because of the situation in the Middle East. Maybe that led to a feeling of being  ‘ripped off’?

[MEFIowa]

You have to keep in mind the positives and negatives both for O cruising, in general, and the smaller R-class ships like Insignia, in particular. So, you get one show in the evening around 2130. Could be song & dance type entertainment or a comedian. Ship should also have a string quartet and a piano player in the bar, along with a ship band for the early and sometimes the late evening. But the vibe is laid back and often early to bed. Older passengers as the norm. Insignia ONLY has 2 specialty restaurants. And she has a very small pool (more for walking around than actually swimming in).

 

I do think you'll find very enjoyable food and decent excursions and a variety of lecture quality (some lecturers and lecturers are interesting & well presented, while others, not so much). BUT I'm positive you'll find lots of interesting, informed travelers who provide pleasant company.

 

(Have spent 30 nights on the larger O-class Riviera since 12/2021 plus 10 nights on Insignia's sister, Sirena, 11/2022. We've got 22 more nights on Sirena coming up in the Baltic later this month.)

[tigerfan75]

We were on the 2024 ATW for about 40% of the sailing, LA to Bali.  It was the best O cruise we had ever experienced, even though it was an R ship. Great service, friendly passengers, great food.  Enjoyed the usual equatorial crossing ceremony, indoor Country Fair due to inclement weather, and Lectures.  Yes, the balcony stateroom bathroom is small.  Yes, the sailing had a missed Land Tour in New Zealand due to a hurricane coming north from Antarctica.  Not everything was perfect.  But an outstanding travel experience.

[1985rz1]

10 hours ago, Kay S said:

This.  If the product was so bad,  no one would be taking the cruise.  Why don't you see if you can find a positive review from the same cruise?

Did you mean to quote me?  I'm not the poster who expressed concerns.

[ATWCruiser]

Having taken a few ATW cruises on Oceania, I have seen some changes over time.  Insignia is show its age and will be the last ATW sailing on that ship when ATW 2026 will be on Vista.  Some of the entertainment will be repetitive as their onboard entertainment crew repeat their shows whenever there is a new segment of the cruise (cost saving measure).  I am not sure how many segments there are but you can check on the Oceania website.  Those are my only 2 negatives.  Since you said you are in your 70s, your time is more valuable.  Having said this, I would absolutely go.  I am signed up for ATW 2026 mainly because it is going to be on Vista but if I had the funds, I would absolutely go on ATW 2025. 

[PhD-iva]

1 hour ago, 1985rz1 said:

Did you mean to quote me?  I'm not the poster who expressed concerns.

I understood the post to be agreeing with what you had said (“This.”), and then subsequently addressing the author with a suggestion to look for other reviews.

[1985rz1]

18 minutes ago, PhD-iva said:

I understood the post to be agreeing with what you had said (“This.”), and then subsequently addressing the author with a suggestion to look for other reviews.

That may have been the intent, but since the OP wasn't cited, it was unclear to me.

[Kay S]

3 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

Did you mean to quote me?  I'm not the poster who expressed concerns.

I was agreeing with what you said and telling the OP to look for additional reviews.  Sorry to confuse you.

[1985rz1]

39 minutes ago, Kay S said:

I was agreeing with what you said and telling the OP to look for additional reviews.  Sorry to confuse you.

I confuse easily ☺️

[no fuss travel]

I was on the 2023 ATW and had a wonderful time.  I am still in touch with several passengers, some were segmenters and others ATW passengers, that I met while on the cruise.  On this cruise, the ATW mixed with the segmenters with the exception of the last segment because the segmenters did not want to mix with the ATW.  Yes there was a lot of repeat shows, but the on board entertainers were allowed to do solo shows which were great.  The singers had great voices and when they did their solo shows, the songs they performed suited their voices.  One of the female singers was a trained opera singer and shocked the passengers with her one piece of opera.  She did an incredible job. 

Yes, there was a couple of negative Nellies and a couple of grouches, that nothing would have pleased them.  Some people are very entitled and feel the world should revolve around them.  The crew bent over backwards to accommodate.  There was a lot of tears when the end of the cruise came.  Most of us are doing another ATW, and we are doing the 2025 because it is going to ports that we have on our wish list that we have not been to previously.  I would take the complaints with a grain of salt.  Not worth reading.

 

We had been segmenters on previous ATW's and had a wonderful time on all those cruises.  It depends on you to have a good time, go with a glass half full and roll with the bumps.  They become good stories after.

Edited August 4 by no fuss travel

[Thought2go]

13 hours ago, tigerfan75 said:

Enjoyed the usual equatorial crossing ceremony, indoor

Really glad to read this. There is a video out there of a couple who said they didn’t have that ceremony on their Oceania Cruise earlier this year. They had a lot of other issues so I didn’t put much into all of it.

Yes some may think these ceremonies are hokey, but to sailors they are a badge of courage and tenacity.

Edited August 5 by Thought2go
Word

[BeachBum501]

Thanks for the responses of good times. I had a feeling it was a one off disgruntled review, but needed to hear about the good trips also.  I really appreciate the feedback. I’m not sure if we will take the 2025 (we love this itinerary) or wait for 2026. 

Edited August 5 by BeachBum501

[ATWCruiser]

Yes, the itinerary for ATW 2025 is better but Insignia is an old and smaller ship.  The itinerary for ATW 2026 is unknown because of the situation the Middle East.  It is highly unlikely Vista will go through the Suez Canal.  More likely it will go around Africa like it did on the ATW 2024 voyage which means a lot more sea days.  The ATW 2024 got off in New York while ATW 2026 is getting off in Miami.  To go around Africa and head to Miami could add even more sea days or more drastic changes to the itinerary than on ATW 2024.  Like I mentioned before, we haven't been to Africa so that will be new to us but we are primarily going on ATW 2026 to be on the Vista ship and the itinerary is secondary.  There might be compensation if there is an itinerary change like what happened in ATW 2024.  Given what is happening in the Middle East, it is probably prudent to not even attempt to head towards the Suez Canal no matter what anybody says.  I don't want to be thinking about rockets raining down while on a cruising vacation!