RSSC alum review of Oceania Nautice

[Daw6id]

I just returned from an Oceania cruise Istanbul-Venice. Originally we were going to on a Regent cruise [as we did the last two years], but it was too late for my wife's school schedule, so we looked for an alternative, and found the Oceania cruise earlier in the summer. It was fifteen days for the price of seven on Regent, with the added ports of Amalfi, Taormina, Kotor, Dubrovnik and Venice, so we decided it was an offer we couldn't refues. My review has just been posted. http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=20350

 

I'd be interested in the Regent fan reactions.

[SPKR]

Thanks for your review. We contemplated Oceania, but were nervous to make a change. I will look further into it after your review.

[CruiserPK]

This is an interesting review. We met a couple in June on our Voyager Baltic cruise and they gave us their opinion of Oceania. I doubt we would switch based on their comments....my husband loves RSSC and although we are not big drinkers the all inclusive for 2007, plus the excellent tour assistance make it our cruise line of choice. As the trip planner, I would really find it a challenge to decided every one of our days knowing that Oceania does not provide that service.

Cheers, Pam

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Interesting. Sounds very nice, if you don't mind planning all of your own excursions. Now I know why the Oceania pax keep asking about private tours in the Black Sea (an itinerary we did on RSSC, and on which the excursions were handled extremely well, as usual.) Don't think I'm ready to switch yet either, but might be wooed by the right itinerary! Thanks for the review.

[Iamboatman]

Glad you had such a great time. It is great to hear the service, food and public spaces are that strong. It sounds like Oceania is working hard to improve on its product.

[Jancruz]

The price, length if cruise and itinerary are changing a lot of minds..There are excellent trips to New Zealand and Australia now on Oceania..

Jan

*****

[annierie]

The price, length if cruise and itinerary are changing a lot of minds..There are excellent trips to New Zealand and Australia now on Oceania..

Jan

*****

 

No matter how you paint it, it's still a mass market line with low loss leader fares attracting bargain hunters who will try to bring liquor on board, run around to find indenpendent tours, whine about what isn't perfect in order to be comped for it, and squeeze every nickel until they get their money's worth.

 

Been there, done that, watched the whiners on many mass market lines. I would much rather cruise with like minded people looking for a relaxing vacation without any cares, and without the hordes of bargain hunters.

 

I've read lots of info about Oceania. It is still mass market. They make up the low fares by overpricing their drinks, cramming people on inferior expensive shore tours, and playing the nickel and diming game at every turn.

 

We cruise for destination, ambience, and privacy. Oceania is a step down from our experience on the likes of RSSC, Tauck and Zegrahm.

 

If cheap is your bag, then Oceania is definitely the best of the "cheap".

 

Personally, I don't do cheap no matter how small the ship. Your mileage may vary, but since you, Jan, are a TA who cruises in suites on the money you make by selling Oceania, you are hardly an unbiased source of info.

[oregon50]

Sounds a bit harsh to me. It's like a person sailing on Oceania knocking those who choose Royal Caribbean. We all find our own comfort level, why be critical of those who prefer a different path?

[Pecoraro]

I've read lots of info about Oceania. It is still mass market. They make up the low fares by overpricing their drinks, cramming people on inferior expensive shore tours, and playing the nickel and diming game at every turn.

 

I presume you must be gullible enough to believe everything you read. I have cruised Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Oceania in that order and each was a step (or more) above the other. The difference between Oceania and Celebrity is incredible and we would be amazed if the experience on Regent could be any better. We have an upcoming cruise in November on Regent's Navigator. If I believed everything that I have read on this board I would have had to of canceled this Navigator cruise. From this own board the reports of the Navigator tend to make you believe it to be in a terrible state of dis-repair!!.

 

Personally, I don't do cheap no matter how small the ship

 

Personally I hope we don't run into a class oriented society on Regent with everybody turning their noses up at every one they consider inferior to them. From what I have also read on these boards your post is not the norm and I don't think we have to worry about many of those types of people. Money can't buy you a personality or manners but it sure can turn some people into snobs.

[Travelcat2]

No matter how you paint it, it's still a mass market line with low loss leader fares attracting bargain hunters who will try to bring liquor on board, run around to find indenpendent tours, whine about what isn't perfect in order to be comped for it, and squeeze every nickel until they get their money's worth.

 

Been there, done that, watched the whiners on many mass market lines. I would much rather cruise with like minded people looking for a relaxing vacation without any cares, and without the hordes of bargain hunters.

 

I've read lots of info about Oceania. It is still mass market. They make up the low fares by overpricing their drinks, cramming people on inferior expensive shore tours, and playing the nickel and diming game at every turn.

 

We cruise for destination, ambience, and privacy. Oceania is a step down from our experience on the likes of RSSC, Tauck and Zegrahm.

 

If cheap is your bag, then Oceania is definitely the best of the "cheap".

 

Personally, I don't do cheap no matter how small the ship. Your mileage may vary, but since you, Jan, are a TA who cruises in suites on the money you make by selling Oceania, you let

 

 

I could not let this posting pass without responding as I feel it is insulting and not something that should be posted -- there is simply no point to it. Regent passengers are people of various ages and financial situations -- many people do have to save to go on a cruise -- this does not make them the type of person who will sneak liquor on board a ship or pinch "nickels". How rude to make those type of broad assumptions! While my cruises have been on Regent, the deciding factor was ship size -- not money. I also appreciate TA reviews. They have so much more experience than most travelers. Their posts are generally honest and have nothing to do with what ships they book the most.

 

So "annierie", point not made! :mad:

[canadagal]

Annierie: You really do take liberties with your broad sweeping brush and assumptions and I think you owe anyone that cruises any line other then Regent an apology. Travelcat: yes there is a point to her posting it really shows her feeling of superiority above anyone that dares to choose a vacation other then Regent, Tauck and Zegrahm. Not the type of persona that Regent is known for. I believe without a doubt that anyone that tries to hold themselves in a station high above others are the ones with the least amount of money and are suffering themselves from feeling inferior. I too enjoy input from TA's and I hardly think that the swipe against Jan was called for. They work hard for their money and especially now that the cruiselines are squeezing them. No, I am not a client of JanCruz but I have requested info from her before for a group cruise and she was honest enough to steer me elsewhere as one of our members is a smoker and it just would not have made for a comfortable cruise for her.

Pecoraro: rest assured that the overwhelming majority of Regent pax are friendly, easy going, lovely people with manners. I have only run into one person on a Regent cruise that thought she was one of the priviledged few and treated certain staff members as her personal slave and believe me she was no lady by any stretch of the imagination.

[caviargal]

I have been considering Oceania for a while now. What puts me off if the smaller standard cabins, the high drink prices and the high corkage fees (we enjoy bringing a few bottles aboard to enjoy) which per Oceania are now $25.

 

They do offer interesting itineraries and some good promo fares, though the fares are not so straughtforward when you add in the required extras.

 

Value is important to me. Regent is not a line we can afford to cruise often. And only X and HAL still offer a traditional experience at mass market prices. Oceania seems to found a good niche in between premium and luxury and many folks really enjoy their product.

 

I plan to see for myself one of these days.

 

CG

[nearly there]

Having done 2 Regent/Radisson cruises with an Oceania cruise in the middle, I have to agree with much of what Annie says. There is a real feel of nickel and diming on Oceania (charging for shuttle buses on the few occasions they exist, overpriced tours,etc.). Our favourite story about this is the evening of the Captain's farewell dinner on our Oceania cruise. Having paid for pre-dinner drinks, wine and water with dinner and having given in to the hard sell for specialty liquor coffees at the end of dinner, we went up on deck for the farewell party. Waiters were carrying trays of neon coloured drinks around and offering them. We didn't really need more drinks, but they were urging them on us and we, without thinking, assumed they were free (thought we were back on Radisson, maybe). We took two glasses and were of course immediately given a slip to sign. We quickly put them back on the tray. It wasn't the cost, per se, although drink prices were excessive, but just showed that our mindset, established on Radisson and an earlier Silversea cruise, didn't fit with Oceania's. We were used to a Captain's party being a time when guests were offered, not sold, refreshments.

I would guess that if you usually cruise with Princess, Celebrity etc. then Oceania is a real step up, but there is no way it compares with Radisson/Regent.

[Iamboatman]

I am always amazed how TAs are attacked for giving their opinions on this board. Many times TAs just give their opinion sikmply as part of their enjoyment of cruising and, as they do with clients, give the good and the bad. Sometimes one should consider the number of cruises TAs take and the input they get back from their clients creates a pretty good database from which to consider.

 

I am also somewhat shocked at the free use of "cheap" here. Dollars don't make something "cheap", people do. "Value" on the other hand is something else. I am not bothered by signing chits (BTW, how many of the complainers belong to country clubs where you have to sign for everything?!).

 

Having drinks "hawked", if that is what is done, would get to me. BTW, Celebrity does not engage in those practices..at least not in my almost 2 months at sea with them. If Oceania does, it would be disappointing.

 

And for what it is worth, the service on Celebrity was superior to that on my last Regent cruise. If the service is good, I can "suffer" through the chits...because there is value. That neither makes me "cheap" or of worthless opinion because I am a TA.

 

Query: If I have season tickets to a football team with a 10+ year waiting list, but the only seats I could get are in the "cheap seats", does that make me fortunate or riff-raff? To be on a good cruise is IMHO a fortunate thing...something I never take for granted.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Pecorara, don't worry, I have been amazed at how classless Regent really is. I guess there are a few folks up there in fancy suites who keep to themselves, but by and large, everybody is friendly, and everybody gets treated the same, there is no class system.

 

I agree with "nearly there" about the nickel and diming--it just spoils the luxury feel of the cruise. Not having cruised on Oceania, I can still say that Regent does do better, simply in that category--you will not have drinks pushed at you unless they are free (and soon, they all wil be!) Let alone being charged for water!!

[Pecoraro]

Not having cruised on Oceania, I can still say that Regent does do better, simply in that category--you will not have drinks pushed at you unless they are free (and soon, they all wil be!) Let alone being charged for water!!

 

Thanks for your re-assurance with regard to our upcoming Regent cruise. Having cruised Oceania twice now, with two more booked I feel the need to put my two cents in as well though.

 

I have never, ever felt that I have been nickled and dimed - not once. With 24 total nights on Oceania I have never seen any waiter come around with a tray of drinks trying to trick you into taking one (I have never seen a waiter with a tray of drinks for sale). Yes, if I am sitting in a lounge or at lunch or dinner we have had waiters come up to ask if we care for something from the bar - but that is it. I believe the corkage fee to be in line with what I would expect to pay the sommelier as a gratutity for obtaining the correct wine glasses, decanting my wine and pouring my wine. Granted if you have a $10.00 bottle of wine it would probably seem excessive, however it truly is in line with what the typical restaurant mark-up might be. Just keep in mind that nobody has forced you to take your bottle to dinner rather than open it up and enjoy it in your own room. Also Oceania's policy is to allow you to bring whatever alcohol you wish on board to be consumed in your room. Their only request is that you don't pour a drink in your room and then wander the ship with it. With respect to bottled water the room we were in on Oceania had that as complimentary - I am not sure what rooms have to pay and which ones get it for free!!

 

I hardly think any of the above policies constitute a nickle/dime attitude on the part of the cruise line. What else is there other than items that are totally optional and voluntary and provided by the cruise line for your convenience (pictures, gift shops, spa etc).

 

With respect to some of the comments with respect to shore excursions we have not tried any of Oceania's shore excursions - preferring to arrange our own private tours. Based upon our two cruises on Oceania it appeared that at least 75% of the passengers were also arranging their own tours. The people that we met who have gone on Oceania's tours thought the tours to be excellent and each admitted that while the tours were slightly overpriced they didn't mind because for them it took away all of the logistics of planning and arranging their own tours. If I was to assign myself an hourly rate for my tour research/planning time equivalent to my billable time at work I would have to say that my tours are more expensive than what Oceania or any other cruise line offers.

 

We look forward to our Regent cruise and hopefully will have found an alternative to just doing the Oceania cruises in the future.

 

......since you, Jan, are a TA who cruises in suites on the money you make by selling Oceania, you are hardly an unbiased source of info........

 

If you check out Jan's web site I think you will find that she pushes Regent, Crystal and Viking River Cruises on an equal basis as Oceania. For that matter it was her firm who suggested I might want to try Regent. Personally I would respect the opinion of a well travelled agent much more than one whose posts don't show very much of a record of even travelling on Regent more than a couple of times.

[bogie113]

We have sailed twice on Oceania and we are leaving Chicago today for a Regent Cruise.

 

Everyone keeps talking about the drinks, liquor, free, pay, whatever. I never thought the purpose of taking a cruise was to drink. My husband and I are not big drinkers. In fact, I really don't like to be around people who are, frankly, loaded!

 

Oceania is basically wonderful. Nice, although smallish, cabins. Best beds and linnens in the world. Teany tiney wash room, but nice products. Great food, and a really nice group of people, for the most part.

 

The really important thing to us is that there is usually one one sea day and the rest of the trip is really port intensive, with great ports.

 

I will write back on this thread in about three weeks when we are back from our first Regent/Radisson cruise.

 

Bogie

[richnot]

Having sailed on one of the R ships back in its Renaissance days, several things put us off. I would appreciate comments on one of those things: availability of dining seating for two. It was impossible to obtain that when it was a Renaissance ship and the lack was blamed on the size of the dining room, which seats a considerably smaller proportion of the ships capacity than a Regent ship. Seating fot two was just not available in the alternative restaurants. I understand that Oceania increased the seating for two after complaints, but wonder just how available it is given the space limitations. After unfortunate dinners with anti-social tablemates, this is important to us as who needs a bad dining experience on a cruise. Can anyone provide informaiton? Given the price increases at Regent, we must begin to consider alternatives.

 

Incidentally, the other issues are size of cabin, which we said we would not like to live with for more than seven days, but may have to change our minds, and the nickle and diming. It is not just free liquor, it is having to sign a chit for a bottle of water to take on an excursion, etc, etc., etc.

[nearly there]

With respect to bottled water the room we were in on Oceania had that as complimentary - I am not sure what rooms have to pay and which ones get it for free!!

Well, you had a different experience than we did, for sure. We were in a Vista Suite and charged for our bottled water. Perhaps there has been a change and that would be great, but we found it very petty and annoying.(The bottle stood on the table and "looked" complementary, but as soon as you opened it, it showed up on the bill).

 

nearly

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Richnot, we've never had trouble getting a table for two, although I admit we usually opt to share (despite the bad experiences, and yes, we've had them too.) I suspect in Signatures on Voyager it might be a problem, but maybe not.

[Gail C]

Richnot, is it possible to request a twosome table initially so it is available each night at the specified time? A twosome table is important to us also. On the SilverSeas, there was never a problem and it was open seating too. We didn't make an advance request, just never had a problem. This will be our first time on Regent.

 

Perhaps, to prevent a nightly problem, this might be something the butler could handle for you, if you have a butler. Seems better than a discussion each night at the maitre d' stand.

[Iamboatman]

I was told that on the Navigator they were very much in need for more tables for two and that it was hoped that during the refit they would be changing the seating arrangements to accommodate more couples.

 

I think there is more recent trend toward dining alone whereas in the past one of the great pleasures of cruising for most couples was meeting new people. I think the change has caused most cruise lines to be faced with a shortage of "deuces" to some degree.

[larablair]

Hi, was on the Oceania Regatta in June. No problem dining at a table for 2! In the specialty restaurants for a party of two they will reserve at either 6:30 or 8:30. One night we were able to reserve at 8p.m. In the grand dr they do not take res. Again we always had a table for two. On the P.G. same thing.

[JDRMYS]

We have spent a total of 97 days on RSSC (Mariner, Voyager & Navigator) and have never had any problem getting a table for 2 at dinner in the Compass Rose dining room. We've never even had to wait more than 3 or 4 minutes, no matter what time we arrive. This has had nothing to do with how full the ship was. Even on the Navigator when it was at virtually 100% capacity, we have been seated at a table for 2 as soon as we have arrived in the dining room.

[Gail C]

Wonderful to hear! We had such a horrible experience on the Princess trying to get a twosome table assigned. Finally after the third night, my husband asked, "How much?" He gave him the money and we had no more hassles. Horrible experience! Since then, we have enjoyed wonderful experiences on both the Crystal and the SilverSea and are really looking forward to the Regent.