Considering alternatives to Oceania. Who should I be looking at?

[Vineyard View]

11 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

Az does inlcude specialty restaurants for Club Continent staterooms (the equivalent of O’s PHs) and above.

I did see that. Thank you for pointing that out. Price Points for Club Continent staterooms used to bridge a step below in pricing to SB and other luxury lines. Now, they are at the same pppd price point. For that, I would stick with SB. I was looking at verandah cabins, which I admit, I am not sure how we feel about. 
We haven’t sailed on an R ship for most of the reasons stated in this thread. That said, for the right itinerary and price, we might consider it. What I do like about Az are the longer port days and overnights, along with more unique country immersive itineraries. I think that Az excels at this over other lines. THAT is the attraction for me. 

[Vineyard View]

9 hours ago, paf225 said:

 

In the interests of accuracy, one of Azamara's inclusions is standard wine, beer and cocktails all day long.  They offer upgrades to both premium and ultimate beverage packages.  I believe suite guests have complimentary unlimited specialty restaurant access and for the rest of us it's about $40 USD per person per booking if you book a 3 or 4 night "table tour".  Regards, Paul

Thank you for this further clarification. I am not sure I was aware that Az included alcohol all day. We are generally off ship all day while in port, but a cocktail before dinner works, so thanks. 

[Vineyard View]

18 hours ago, cruisingxpert said:

Has anyone looked at Explora Journeys?  I have been on 22 O cruises and went on my first Explora cruise in May and have a second booked in Dec.

Food is comparable to O and the Culinary Director Franck Garanger used to be Culinary Director at O.  You would even recognize several of the menu items if you have been traveling O for a number of years

OT cabins are a bit larger than O balcony cabins

Ship size is similar with approx 300 less passengers

Everything is included, Specialty restaurants(4) gratuities and drinks at anytime in the day- not just lunch and dinner

More pools and hot tubs than O

Beautiful loungers- even nicer than O ones which are very nice

Like O they have a great Terrace buffet which is even larger with lots of made to order items.

I took a look at 2 10 day itineraries in Feb 2025 and O with just grats priced at $675pp per day and Explora (all inclusive)  priced at $652pp per day  Canadian dollars because I get rerouted to Canadian pricing.

I have read very positive feedback regarding Explora. Thank you for your feedback. I don’t regularly look at them, as most itineraries when I did, were not what we were looking for in Europe. As they expand, hopefully they will offer more interesting options. I also hesitated because they have a dedicated kids space. While we travel in whatever is left of shoulder season, and we love our grands, we don’t want to sail with a lot of them. Traveling during in-school schedules absolutely helps mitigate that concern.  

[1985rz1]

3 hours ago, Mrs f. said:

Does Azamara include any specialty restaurants in regular cabins? I love having them included in Oceania 

The specialties are included for only Club Continent Suites ( the equivalent of Oceania’s PH staterooms) and above.

[mnocket]

15 hours ago, Mrs f. said:

Anybody familiar with Atlas Cruises? I think they are a pretty new company 

Atlas Ocean Voyages is an interesting option for those interested in one of their limited itineraries.  They primarily sail Antarctica, Artic, and Iceland/Greenland regions.  They are small ships (approx. 200 pax) with more of an informal expedition vibe in a luxury setting. The onboard experience is reported to be very good, including food.  As small ships, the onboard entertainment options are limited. People seem to really enjoy sailing on Atlas.  The most often cited negatives are poor pre-cruise communication and a terrible internet package.  I recently canceled an 18-night Antarctica cruise with Atlas because of uncertainty about how the avian flu would affect their ability to offer landings on South Georgia Island.  If the avian flu situation proves to be only a minor issue this season, I'll likely rebook the cruise in 2026.  Overall, it seems to be another line where the onboard experience far exceeds the land-based experience.  If you're interested in one of their itineraries, I'd definitely give Atlas a serious look.  

[mnocket]

12 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

I have read very positive feedback regarding Explora. Thank you for your feedback. I don’t regularly look at them, as most itineraries when I did, were not what we were looking for in Europe. As they expand, hopefully they will offer more interesting options. I also hesitated because they have a dedicated kids space. While we travel in whatever is left of shoulder season, and we love our grands, we don’t want to sail with a lot of them. Traveling during in-school schedules absolutely helps mitigate that concern.  

I'm also interested in giving Explora a try, but their itineraries just aren't very exciting. I think that, and their being a bit pricey, probably explains why they struggle to fill their ships, and stuff them with travel agents and influencers. That aside, the food and service are reported to be very good, and I'd love to try Explora if they offer some better itineraries. 

[Harters]

My thanks to all for your suggestions. They've been most helpful for us to draw up a shortlist of lines we need to look at more closely. There's no rush for that. We have a cruise on Vista next June and two land based holidays before that.  After those three trips, we'll be in a position to know if cruising is still for us and, if so, then we can start a process to see if any of the suggestions will suit us better than Oceania. Again, thank you.

 

John

[mlmdaisy]

I'd like to emphasize that the Atlas Mediterranean itinerary was, at least in my opinion, a great one, RT Barcelona: Roses, Peniscola, Menorca and Mallorca in Spain, and Colloure and Sete' in France.  The tours we did with them were very good, and yes, the maximum capacity is 198 passengers.  The complimentary internet package was, indeed, dismal.

 

Their European sailings are epicurean in nature, with guest chefs onboard.  We did enjoy the cooking class, but for the most part, they could have done more with this talent.  I am comparing the onboard entertainment to what we've enjoyed on Windstar and Oceania; in comparison it was lacking.

 

The explanation was that because we were in port everyday, there was no need for trivia or any scheduled events for passengers to meet up and interact.  The ports were great, but we wre typically back on the ship for lunch, or soon afterward.

 

We wound up connecting with great people just by standing in the heated pool.  Bar staff was very attentive; I'm not a big drinker, but cocktails with others that way was the highlight of our onboard experience.

[jonthomas]

Just as an aside...

 

SilverSeas offers $500 if you recommend someone and they book a cruise. Their loyalty program has little value, but this is quite a perk if you can get someone to try them. 

 

[ak1004]

2 hours ago, jonthomas said:

Just as an aside...

 

SilverSeas offers $500 if you recommend someone and they book a cruise. Their loyalty program has little value, but this is quite a perk if you can get someone to try them. 

 

 

Venetian Society members get 5% on VS sailings (currently 250+ sailings out of 750+, so over 30%). When you reach 100 days, you get extra 5% on ALL sailings. 250 days get 10%. Plus Complimentary 7-Day Cruise every 150 VS Days after 500 VS Days.

 

I recently got status match with Celebrity and RCI (and I had only 4 cruises with Celebrity, so I guess this is not that difficult). So now I get 5% off all sailings, and 10% off VS sailings. 

 

100 VS is equivalent to someone who took 5 20 days cruises on O. Bronze members get $100 OBC on O. Even O Silver members (10 10 days cruises) get $250 OBC and free PPG (till now). Definitely worth less than 5% in most cases.

 

And you also get 5% extra discount when booking on board.

 

So I wouldn't call it little value.

[EJL2023]

6 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

Venetian Society members get 5% on VS sailings (currently 250+ sailings out of 750+, so over 30%). When you reach 100 days, you get extra 5% on ALL sailings. 250 days get 10%. Plus Complimentary 7-Day Cruise every 150 VS Days after 500 VS Days.

 

I recently got status match with Celebrity and RCI (and I had only 4 cruises with Celebrity, so I guess this is not that difficult). So now I get 5% off all sailings, and 10% off VS sailings. 

 

100 VS is equivalent to someone who took 5 20 days cruises on O. Bronze members get $100 OBC on O. Even O Silver members (10 10 days cruises) get $250 OBC and free PPG (till now). Definitely worth less than 5% in most cases.

 

And you also get 5% extra discount when booking on board.

 

So I wouldn't call it little value.

I’m sorry……that is just way too confusing for me…….after a couple of glasses of wine.  I thought there was no math on this site!!! JK…..😁

 

[jonthomas]

24 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

Venetian Society members get 5% on VS sailings (currently 250+ sailings out of 750+, so over 30%). When you reach 100 days, you get extra 5% on ALL sailings. 250 days get 10%. Plus Complimentary 7-Day Cruise every 150 VS Days after 500 VS Days.

 

I recently got status match with Celebrity and RCI (and I had only 4 cruises with Celebrity, so I guess this is not that difficult). So now I get 5% off all sailings, and 10% off VS sailings. 

 

100 VS is equivalent to someone who took 5 20 days cruises on O. Bronze members get $100 OBC on O. Even O Silver members (10 10 days cruises) get $250 OBC and free PPG (till now). Definitely worth less than 5% in most cases.

 

And you also get 5% extra discount when booking on board.

 

So I wouldn't call it little value.

Yes I looked at the venetian society and our elite plus or diamond plus would transfer, and you are right about those perks, they are good. O should take a look at their competition. The chart of days that translate into perks, is pretty bare though.

I will try it, when others tell me the food ( not specialties) is better than O, at the buffet you are served, not everyone fending for themselves. A breeding ground for germs.

 

Those are my two biggest issues.

[SATaxman]

16 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

Yes I looked at the venetian society and our elite plus or diamond plus would transfer, and you are right about those perks, they are good. O should take a look at their competition. The chart of days that translate into perks, is pretty bare though.

I will try it, when others tell me the food ( not specialties) is better than O, at the buffet you are served, not everyone fending for themselves. A breeding ground for germs.

 

Those are my two biggest issues.

In marina in June we were served at TC. The perks per night, not by cruise, makes sense. Years ago we were on rccl for many cruises.  They counted nights and doubled for suites. We were diamond plus pretty quickly. Ships are too big.  Great entertaunment  They also gave us each 5 drink tickets every day. Nice perk. Specialty restaurants are too expensive. We have been on one O cruise and have 2 more booked. Hopefully they figure out a balance between SM and only gratuities.

[ak1004]

19 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

Yes I looked at the venetian society and our elite plus or diamond plus would transfer, and you are right about those perks, they are good. O should take a look at their competition. The chart of days that translate into perks, is pretty bare though.

I will try it, when others tell me the food ( not specialties) is better than O, at the buffet you are served, not everyone fending for themselves. A breeding ground for germs.

 

Those are my two biggest issues.

 

I did a detailed comparison:

 

I would say that food overall is comparable with a slight edge to O (and I'm very picky). There is no buffet at dinner, and breakfast and lunch they do serve most of the food with a small central section for self service.

 

But they have unlimited black caviar, and they are more flexible when it comes to food customization.

 

[jonthomas]

yes read your full review, I think you said in it that O has a slight edge on food...yes I am pickier than most...

 

if we try it, you will get the credit...

 

so far we are booked on 5 more O cruises...into spring of 2026, waiting for the new itins for the rest of 2026, O rep says it is at end of September, others say end of October...

[HaveDogWillTravel]

On 9/7/2024 at 7:47 PM, durberville said:

Can anyone give me their opinion of Windstar vs Oceania? 

I can, although keep in mind I’ve only sailed once on each. Star Legend (French balcony) Istanbul to Athens October 2023 and Riviera RT Miami in an extended aft balcony March 2023.  These cabins were similar in size and amenities as I booked both without any packages (when you weren’t required to have SM). Specialty dining was included on both lines. O had a wider variety of menu items but in my very subjective opinion I felt WS had overall better quality food. 
 

Both lines include specialty coffees, quality filtered water with reusable bottles and non alcoholic beverages. 
 

WS has destination experiences, ours was dinner in Ephesus with the Aegean string orchestra.  Stunning. They also had a deck bbq with Santorini lit up like diamonds in the background.  Stunning. O had nothing like this. 
 

WS had Woodford Reserve bourbon and Antiqua vermouth for my Manhattan ($17 including tip).  Oceania had High 10 bourbon (really it was that or a $25 a shot one) and some awful cheap vermouth. Both lines let you bring on whatever alcohol you want. Which was a saving grace on O. The bottles of wines on WS were extremely reasonably priced and they had a great selection. O was more expensive and I found the offerings not as varied.  Again my own very subjective viewpoint. WS has quality stemware in your cabin and throughout the ship. Oceania served me a martini in a margarita glass….not just one evening but again on a subsequent evening…that’s just wrong.  Both lines had a couple of nights where the drinks were free and flowed.  

I have no real memory of the Captain or senior officers on O. I had coffee most mornings with the Captain on WS. The HGM, Maitre D’hotel, executive chef and other officers were always out and about every day on WS. They actively engaged us. They always made sure we were having everything we wanted and needed. I have no complaints about the officers on O but I also have no fond memories of them or really any memory of them at all.  I can still recall the faces and fun, interesting conversations with the WS officers. 

I have 10 days in the Med & 19 days in the Caribbean booked on Vista  and 7 days in the Med & 17 days in the South Pacific booked on WS.   
 

I am currently comparing Greenland/ Iceland sailings in August & Sept 2025 on Star Pride, AZ Quest and Oceania Insignia. Comparing cabins WS wins hands down. Pride is a smaller ship than Insignia or Quest but all of its cabins (except the very few suites) are the exact same 277 sq ft. They all have a nice couch with two barrel chairs, coffee table, desk and chair.  The bathrooms are large with a nice large walk in shower. The ship is so small getting to an outer deck is just so easy. The balcony rooms on the R ships are 216 sq ft with itty bitty bathrooms. 
 

I never use entertainment in my comparison as we don’t go and don’t care. 
 

In terms of price AZ was the highest and WS next highest and O ended up being just a hair less. But since I can still get SM there’s an edge over WS. But WS will refare as the price reduces or when the All In package is given free. I use price per person per day in my comparison.  
 

I thought WS would be the winner as these sailings are 32 days WS, 37 days AZ and 38 days O. And the thought of 216 sq ft and an itty bitty bathroom gives me great pause. But surprise, surprise it looks like O is winning.  It is coming down to itinerary and that we were able to get 6090 on Insignia.  The O itinerary is just more of everything we want on this trip. The aft facing cabin with the extra deep balcony is a big bonus. 
 

 

 

 

Edited September 9 by HaveDogWillTravel

[Post it]

In reading through this thread, it seems as if some people are looking for Oceania alternatives that are priced similarly, and others are looking at alternatives that provide a similar experience.  I'm in the latter group.  I've sailed on all the luxury and premium brands except for Viking Ocean and Explora.  I was scheduled to sail on Explora this year but the Middle East/Greece trip was obviously canceled.  I'm not likely to cruise Viking or Explora because their itineraries tend to focus on places I've already been.

 

My top priority are new ports, closely followed by a ship that holds 400-700 passengers.  I found that size ship is more conducive to meeting new people and having fun with them later in the trip. It also gives me more choices on excursions and restaurant choices than very small ships.

 

Along with passenger size, food and onboard lectures are the top things I prioritize when picking ships.  I took 2 Crystal cruises this year, and the food and lectures are in my opinion the best. 

 

I've cruised the most with Azamara.  I enjoy the wonderful crew, the interesting itineraries, and having more passengers from England and Australia (enjoy those fun loving Aussies).  Up to this year, I found the food similar to Oceania - mostly good to excellent.  I cruised twice on Azamara Onward this year, and the food and the lectures weren't the same as previously.  I don't know if it's a ship problem or if the Azamara corporation is making major cuts.  I'll be taking a different Azamara ship later this year and at that point I'll decide how many Azamara cruises to take in the future.

 

I found cabin service was uniformly excellent on all my cruises with the exception of one Silver Sea cruise.  For the ships offering butler services, Crystal and Azamara were excellent, Silver Sea was good to excellent, and Oceania and Regent were mixed. 

 

I've also tried 2 smaller cruise lines - Hurtigruten and Atlas.  I chose them for the fantastic itineraries - Hurtigruten to Greenland and Atlas to the British Isles.  Hurtigruten's passengers were about 1/3 Americans/English, 1/3 German, and 1/3 French.  Consequently, all announcements were made in all 3 languages which could get tiresome.  People also didn't mix between the groups.  However, the excursion staff and port activities were outstanding.  We passed by a Silversea expedition ship parked in front of a glacier and ended up seeing about 10 more glaciers.

 

The Atlas cruise was uneven.  Many of the waiters didn't speak English well, and they were the most inexperienced.  Food ranged from fair to very good.  On two nights, my main course had been sitting too long and was cold.  The cabin's design was the worst I've experienced - only 1 US outlet plug in the entire cabin, and the cabinet doors and balcony door were next to impossible to open.  There was also confusion around port arrivals and excursion details.  I did enjoy some of the lectures. 

 

I've only taken 1 Windstar cruise to Costa Rica.  We missed most of the tender ports because the ship was too small to tender in water that a larger ship could have tendered.  Since the destination is most important to me, I'm not likely to risk another Windstar cruise.

 

I haven't cruised Seabourn since Covid.  A Seabourn cruise on the Amazon was moved, and I had to cancel another cruise due to personal reasons.  In the future, I will continue to cruise with them again due to their interesting port stops.

 

I hope this is helpful.

[basenji56]

I have two cruises booked on Crystal.  December of 2024 and December of 2025.  Western Caribbean and Panama Canal.

[Post it]

I forgot to talk about Azamara's loyalty program in my previous summary of alternative cruise lines.  Azamara allocates points based on the number of the nights sailed and by cabin category.  If you sail in a suite, you will accumulate more points.  In my 10 cruises on Azamara, I've received a free 10 night cruise, and 3 cruises with 3 free nights.  After 2 more cruises, I'll get another free 10 night cruise and receive 10% onboard booking credit for all future cruises. 

[jonthomas]

3 hours ago, basenji56 said:

I have two cruises booked on Crystal.  December of 2024 and December of 2025.  Western Caribbean and Panama Canal.

Of course, I will want to know how you compare it to O.

[basenji56]

5 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

Of course, I will want to know how you compare it to O.

So far, the rules for shore excursions are not very good.  I still can't make any reservations for excursions for my 12/24 cruise.

[jonthomas]

17 minutes ago, basenji56 said:

So far, the rules for shore excursions are not very good.  I still can't make any reservations for excursions for my 12/24 cruise.

Hope all the rest will be better...

[HaveDogWillTravel]

On 9/7/2024 at 7:47 PM, durberville said:

Can anyone give me their opinion of Windstar vs Oceania? 

Also WS gives a credit for B2B cruises, ours was about a 12% discount. They have free unlimited laundry on longer cruises ….16 days if I recall correctly…for all cabin levels regardless of packages. I like to pack light and this is very nice. 
 

Oceania gives you the next level loyalty benefits on the cruise you earn them but WS doesn’t let them kick in until the next cruise after you earn them. And O gives you the onboard booking bonuses for cruises you book 30 days before boarding. WS only gives those bonuses while on board and for (I think) 60 days after. 

[basenji56]

4 hours ago, jonthomas said:

Hope all the rest will be better...

I finally have been able to book the excursions. Not bad--and cheaper than O excursions.

 

 

[jonthomas]

Yes Os excursions are very expensive.