Insignia, 4/18/07 Athens to Civitavecchia

[farm girl]

This was the first Oceania Cruise for my husband and me. It was such a pleasure. There were no formal nights, no scheduled seating, no speciality nights for dress, no midnight buffett, no lines to wait in upon arrival or disembarking and the most spectaular food I have ever seen on a cruise. I don't know how they kept an endless supply of fresh produce. It was really amazing.

 

I can easily refuse pastry and cakes, but being an icecream lover, my weakiness was the fabulous daily assortment of icecream. I believe it is made on the ship.

 

About the ship in general, we had a balcony room on the 6th floor, near the stairs and elevator. We never heard and noise. (The clientele on this ship is very civil.) The room was very nice with a comfortable bed. Lots of storage. The bathroom was the smallest I have ever seen on a cruise ship, but I did not care. The wonderful cruise overshadows the bathroom.

We ate in all the restaurants and all of the meals were wonderful. We ate by ourselves sometimes and sometimes with others. We never had to wait. We would have enjoyed dining in one of the specialty restaurants more than our one alloted time for each, but they never had cancellations. We did try multipe times, so don't count on cancellations.

 

My husband and I are not the bus tourist type so we did our own tours.

We did three tours with people we met on cruise critic. Everything was wonderful. If you want to be off the ship first, be ready, there is a small window of time (about 5 minutes) for independent travelers to get off before the ship sponsored tours.

 

The staff was very nice and efficient. Very professional. I think they were the best I have ever seen on a cruise.

 

The gym was very nice for a ship this size and I enjoyed walking on the deck. I was too tired for most of the entertainment, but I did enjoy the Odessa String Quartet and Sheila at the Piano before dinner. They were so talented.

 

My husband and I were spoiled on Oceania. We would like to continue to be spoiled. I don't know if I can do a non-oceania cruise!

 

Have fun on Oceania

[eastwestbroker]

We were also on board the Insignia for the Athens to Rome cruise. I agree with all of your comments about Oceania and the crew could not have been nicer.

 

My only negative comment is regarding the advice we were given by the excursion desk regarding going to Positano from Sorrento. We were told it would be better to visit Positano from Amalfi than going from Sorrento. It turned out to be about the same distance from either. We had so much more time in port Sorrento to make the trip that it would have given us more time in Positano.

 

Overall, that is a very minor complaint. The trip was outstanding. This was our fourth cruise in the Med but our first trip that included Taormina and the Amalfi coast. We will definiitley return.

[GenXCruisers]

We were on that cruise as well. The service was incredible and the staff was always friendly. Our cabin stewards Marta and Freddy did an outstanding job and I never saw them without a smile on their faces. The food was always fresh and was absolutely outstanding. We usually ate dinner in the Tapas Cafe instead of the main dinning room and were surprised that the quality was just as good and with more variety.

 

The ship is wonderful and was the perfect size for us. The staff was very organized and efficient in letting passengers off at each port. They were well prepared in this area and passengers weren't standing around on the disembarkation deck like cattle waiting to disembark to go into port.

 

Oceania booked our flights for us and we found they did a great job in this area as well. We had good seats and the connecting flights were timed perfectly so we weren't waiting around in the airport too long and yet we didn't have to worry too much about missing a connecting flight.

 

We booked the Explorer Collection for shore excursions and they were very good in this area with a couple minor exceptions. We weren't real impressed with the Malta excursion. The excursion in Florence was good except Oceania tried to cram too many things in that one. The Florence part of the tour was alright but then we stopped in Pisa after. By the time we got to Pisa the tour guide told us we had 30 minutes there (10 minutes to walk to the Leaning Tower, 10 minutes at the tower, and 10 minutes to walk back to the bus). I would have preferred to spend more time in Florence and climbed the dome at the Duomo and eliminate Pisa altogether. All the other excursions were very good. Our tour guide George in Mykonos was great and we couldn't have asked for more.

 

I would highly recommend Oceania and we look forward to booking with them in the future. The are truly a top notch cruiseline.

[Logoladytcs]

I was on this cruise as well - HI Sharon and David and concur with everything said. so far.

 

The ship was lovely, the staff so helpful and attentive. We did some of the ship's tours and weren't unhappy with them.

 

My only complaint and I have voiced it over at the roll Call board - was the hotel we stayed at in Rome. It was arranged by Oceania and was one of two that they recommended. The Marriott Park had opened in December but they really didn't have their act together. The food and service were terrible - one nite we waited an hour for our dinner.

 

It's my fault that I didn't research it more, but the location was another problem - about 40 minutes from Rome - so you were confined as there weren't any restaurants within walking distance. The other hotel that they had recommended was around $200 more a night, but it was in Rome and obviously would've been a better choice. So be forewarned -

 

Enjoyed meeting all the cruise critic folks - a good group!!!

 

Barbara

[aunteemom]

farm girl,

can you explain the small window when one can get off the ship prior to the cruise tours? also, can you give some information regarding the private tours that you enjoyed.

[dkbustr]

We also were on this sailing. When I get time I am planning to write a full review of the cruise.

 

Oceania matched my expectations without a doubt, and my expectations were set very high because of all the comments on the board here. The food was excellent at every venue, and that is from the burgers at Waves, thru Tapas, the GDR, the specialty restaurants. And yes, I had fresh berries every morning at breakfast !!

 

We had private tours in many of the ports, and they were for the most part outstanding, especially with the group that had met on this board beforehand. The newfound friends from this group will be forever in our minds. Someone even figured out that I have some German ancestry in my background ...this would be a private joke, but one that will get commented on, no doubt.

 

aunteemom, the small window of opportunity is present for those who want to disembark before Oceanias tours. You need to be ready to go when they make the announcement...figure 15-30 mins before you are thinking, anfd then head for the tender deck. If you are in the restaurant and have to go to your cabin, you will NOT make it. You would then have to wait 45-60 minutes until the tours are finished.

 

It will be difficult to consider another cruiseline again. The ship size, the genuine concern of the staff, the itineraries, all add up to a great experience. In fact, I am soon going to start arm-twisting the group we met on this sailing to consider the April 13, 2008 sailing, Rome to Venice:D

 

Mike

[LHT28]

 

aunteemom, the small window of opportunity is present for those who want to disembark before Oceanias tours. You need to be ready to go when they make the announcement...figure 15-30 mins before you are thinking, anfd then head for the tender deck.

Mike

 

Do you not have to have a tender ticket?

 

We had to go to the lounge and get a tender ticket then in between tours they would call our number and we could go to the tender .

After the O tours are gone they just have open tenders.... no ticket needed

[dkbustr]

Some days we did have to get tender tickets in the Insignia lounge, and other days they sent us straight to Deck 3 to board the tender.

 

Mike

[ceetee]

Arm wrestling table set up,

ready,

set,

go,

 

O.K. Mike you win!!!!!

April 13, 2008

 

Frank & I were also a part of the April 18 Athens to Rome sailing on Insignia.

In our opinion, the trip of a lifetime.

We have been on 13 cruises and this wins, hands down.

The ports were extraordinary.

The time of year was perfect - no crowds and great weather.

Thanks to Mike for herding his flock of sheep to get to all the great sights on our private tours.

It would not have been the same without Cruise Critic and the feeling of family even before we met.

 

;) CC ROCKS ;)