Jim_Iain - Live - comparison of Oceania Regatta - Vista Suite to Celebrity Millennium Royal Suite

[catspaw1]

50 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Yea... If I recall when you hit Medicare Age they force you to shift from the regular policy to the Senior Advantage.    We were both on the regular plan until we each hit 65 and had to sign up for Medicare.

No that is incorrect. At KP, you don't have to switch to KP Medicare advantage program if you don't want too. What does the medicate advantage program give you? You get reimbursed for your Medicare premiums,  Dr  copay & prescription drug prices are lower & we get a free gym membership. So for us it works!

[canderson]

What do they have available for pre-dinner music? 

 

Celebrity used to be able to put together a string trio or quartet from crew members, but anything like that seems to be a thing of the past now.  Now it's just the odd soloist, usually guitar.  There are some rare exceptions, but ...

[Ex-Airbalancer]

In Canada , there is a new Dental plan for seniors if your family income is under $90,000 and do not have any other coverage

yesterday I took my 95 year old mom to the dentist, the cost was $264 and we only had to pay $47, that was for cleaning, exam, and X-ray , plus $17 for parking 😁

Have to go back in a couple of weeks to get a filling and dentures adjusted which is also partially covered 

only hard part is the  200m around trip to take her as she lives in Toronto , and driving across Toronto at 4 pm , it isnt  fun 🤣

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

I had a question earlier about Single fares.     I looks like they have a 200% premium but they do offer select sailings with

 

"Solo travelers can plan a dream vacation, reserving staterooms with a specially reduced single supplement of up to 50% for select categories, in addition to 2 for 1 Cruise Fares"

 

It would be best to contact a TA that specializes in Oceania for best rates..

 

[MamaFej]

As a minor point of clarification: refills from Kaiser's Central Refill Pharmacy (mail order) are not always $5. Your co-pay depends on your plan. Many prescriptions do come to $5. I have one rather expensive medication that comes to $40 for a three month supply.

 

In any event, thanks to everyone who orders from the CRP: you help to keep my brother gainfully employed. 

[NJ Gal]

Jim,

 

After 34 cruises on Celebrity, we are trying Oceania in October, 2025 on the new Allura.  This will be a 14 night round trip north from New York to Quebec and then back to NY.  I am really excited about trying something new and different then the same old Celebrity.....We took a Penthouse suite.  I hope that is a good choice.  Your thoughts? 

 

We do have a few Celebrity cruises booked both before and after this cruise and in suites usually CS or above.  It is so hard to book a suite unless it is one to two years prior to the cruise on Celebrity.  Years ago, the suites were the last cabins to sell.  It sure has changed now.  

 

Evelyn

[Lastdance]

32 minutes ago, NJ Gal said:

Jim,

 

After 34 cruises on Celebrity, we are trying Oceania in October, 2025 on the new Allura.  This will be a 14 night round trip north from New York to Quebec and then back to NY.  I am really excited about trying something new and different then the same old Celebrity.....We took a Penthouse suite.  I hope that is a good choice.  Your thoughts? 

 

We do have a few Celebrity cruises booked both before and after this cruise and in suites usually CS or above.  It is so hard to book a suite unless it is one to two years prior to the cruise on Celebrity.  Years ago, the suites were the last cabins to sell.  It sure has changed now.  

 

Evelyn

Yes, it will be nice to try something different.  I have Vista for the spring TA and hope to book Allura if all works out well.  I am not giving up on Celebrity, but just wanted to try something new and different.  A PH was our choice too, but almost tried a larger suite, as the prices when I booked were way below Celebrity.  I want some new itineraries and ports to see, then a land stay before returning home.

[Jim_Iain]

49 minutes ago, NJ Gal said:

Jim,

 

After 34 cruises on Celebrity, we are trying Oceania in October, 2025 on the new Allura.  This will be a 14 night round trip north from New York to Quebec and then back to NY.  I am really excited about trying something new and different then the same old Celebrity.....We took a Penthouse suite.  I hope that is a good choice.  Your thoughts? 

 

We do have a few Celebrity cruises booked both before and after this cruise and in suites usually CS or above.  It is so hard to book a suite unless it is one to two years prior to the cruise on Celebrity.  Years ago, the suites were the last cabins to sell.  It sure has changed now.  

 

Evelyn

While we did that trip on Summit it was once of our favorites and would do it again. 

 

You can usually grab one just before or after final payment.  Many cancellations. 

 

Surprisingly on our Silhouette TA in November lots of upper suites.   The Penthouse also became available last week but was rebooked a couple days later.  Last week two RS's were open .... not they have CS and Horizon as well as Sky Suite.

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

Another difference.  In April the butter in Luminae went from this 

 

 

 

To this -  always served so cold you can’t spread it. 

 

 

try cutting and it flies off plate.   They later started serving 2 peanut size pats. 

 

Oceania 

Always at room temperature. 

Edited Saturday at 06:16 PM by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

Rough seas today. 
 

 

 

 

Edited Saturday at 06:19 PM by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

Oceania have washer and dryers on all ships. 
 

 

 

and irons 

 

there are 2 more on other walll 

[George C]

18 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Rough seas today. 
 

 

 

 

Have not seen that in decades, hopefully I won’t in the future. Lots of people say it isn’t the ships size , I don’t believe that. 

[NJ Gal]

19 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Oceania have washer and dryers on all ships. 
 

 

 

and irons 

 

there are 2 more on other walll 

 

[NJ Gal]

When I booked, our first cabin was right across the hall from the laundry area.  I quickly changed cabins to one which might be quieter and with less traffic.  

 

[chemmo]

27 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Oceania have washer and dryers on all ships. 
 

 

 

and irons 

 

there are 2 more on other walll 

Doesn’t inspire me to book…I love to just put my laundry in a bag. I must confess to enjoying the unlimited laundry and dry cleaning on Celebrity in higher suites…
 

Jim, what laundry services are offered to higher suite guests? I can’t imagine (or perhaps I can) you and Iain stood in that laundry ironing your trousers…

Edited Saturday at 06:47 PM by chemmo

[Ex-Airbalancer]

41 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

While we did that trip on Summit it was once of our favorites and would do it again. 

 

You can usually grab one just before or after final payment.  Many cancellations. 

 

Surprisingly on our Silhouette TA in November lots of upper suites.   The Penthouse also became available last week but was rebooked a couple days later.  Last week two RS's were open .... not they have CS and Horizon as well as Sky Suite.

 

 

Our Equinox TA still has a number of suites available 

I never seen so many cabin appear after Final Payment Date of August 21

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

19 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Another difference is afternoon tea.    They do tea daily in the Horizon Lounge and is open to all as part of your fare -  It is a sit down service and Cart Service of sandwiches, scones and sweets.

 

In the good old days the butlers came to your suite with a cart with a selection of afternoon tea.  Now Luminae has shifted to Self Service from a hot/cold table.   Do you start to see the theme at Celebrity to continue to drum down service -  thus in my mind puts them into the Regular Cruise Line status vs a Premium or Upscale Cruise line.

 

If that is their objective and new target demographics they are succeeding.  

 

 

 

I fondly remember the days the butlers came to your suite with the afternoon tea selection.  It was a good chance to visit briefly with your butler.  I was on a cruise when they made the switch and commented negatively on the survey.

[catspaw1]

2 hours ago, MamaFej said:

As a minor point of clarification: refills from Kaiser's Central Refill Pharmacy (mail order) are not always $5. Your co-pay depends on your plan. Many prescriptions do come to $5. I have one rather expensive medication that comes to $40 for a three month supply.

 

In any event, thanks to everyone who orders from the CRP: you help to keep my brother gainfully employed. 

Mama KP mail order refills are $5 for generic meds depending on your plan coverage. I have what they call Golden benefits so my generic scrips are indeed $5. I very rarely get a nongeneric drug given to me these days. I do know some people pay a lot more at KP though. I'm grateful to have such a superb plan that augments Medicare. Not many people have that these days. I had major surgery & my copay was only $100 

[catspaw1]

45 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Oceania have washer and dryers on all ships. 
 

 

 

and irons 

 

there are 2 more on other walll 

I remember when HAL had self serve washer/dryers on board & we really used it a lot. Wish all cruise ships had them! The sinks are so shallow it's hard to hand wash. I can't fit 2 weeks worth of clothes in my suitcase & still be under 50 lbs plane check in weight requirements so I hand was clothes. 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

19 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Another difference is afternoon tea.    They do tea daily in the Horizon Lounge and is open to all as part of your fare -  It is a sit down service and Cart Service of sandwiches, scones and sweets.

 

In the good old days the butlers came to your suite with a cart with a selection of afternoon tea.  Now Luminae has shifted to Self Service from a hot/cold table.   Do you start to see the theme at Celebrity to continue to drum down service -  thus in my mind puts them into the Regular Cruise Line status vs a Premium or Upscale Cruise line.

 

If that is their objective and new target demographics they are succeeding.  

 

 

 

I fondly remember the days the butlers came to your suite with the afternoon tea selection.  It was a good chance to visit briefly with your butler.  I was on a cruise when they made the switch and commented negatively on the survey.

[canderson]

22 minutes ago, chemmo said:

Doesn’t inspire me to book…I love to just put my laundry in a bag. I must confess to enjoying the unlimited laundry and dry cleaning on Celebrity in higher suites…
 

Jim, what laundry services are offered to higher suite guests? I can’t imagine (or perhaps I can) you and Iain stood in that laundry ironing your trousers…

IIRC, same in all cabin classes.  Even the top suites have just 3 bags free.

[McCruisester]

How does the movement of Regatta compare to Millennium? I wonder about being more likely to get seasick on ships smaller than Celebrity’s smaller ships. 
 

Really enjoying both posts, Jim. Thanks for sharing your experience. 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Doing my own laundry and pressing is not an enticement for me to book Oceania.  I get laundry, dry cleaing, and pressing complimentary on Celebrity & someone else is doing the work.  That's why I cruise--someone else is doing the cooking, cleaning, etc.  And I might see some interesting places along the way.

[chemmo]

2 minutes ago, canderson said:

IIRC, same in all cabin classes.  Even the top suites have just 3 bags free.

Any pressing or dry cleaning?

[canderson]

2 hours ago, chemmo said:

Any pressing or dry cleaning?

It doesn't appear so.  Perhaps Jim can check into this for us.

 

Even the Owner's Suites get the same treatment.  From their web site:

 

Owner's Suite Privileges

In addition to Stateroom Amenities

• FREE laundry service – up to 3 bags per stateroom⁺

 

⁺Up to 20 garments per laundry bag; additional restrictions apply.