Oceania - questions and comments

[suec12]

Well I got the be-a-u-tiful brouchure from Oceania yesterday and there was an Eastern Med. cruise just what I had been looking for - Greek Islands and Istanbul as the embarcation port. I had been considering a cruise on Celebrity's Solstice but it will be such a big ship and the itinerary started and ended in Rome. So I called Oceania and I must say, Celebrity's pricing is much more staight forward! The final price was waaay above what was listed in the brochure even with the (jibbity jibbity) FREE air - which if I do not use, then the cruise will be $1300 cheaper - so the air is free, how??? And taxes, TAXES? are $900??

 

Anyways the cruise and Oceania do look wonderful but it would be a big splurge for me and seemingly quite an upmarket leap. I am in my 50's but pretty laid back, style wise. Celebrity formal nights have always been a stretch for me, but I just put on black pants and a nice top. So feeling a little uneasy about "fitting in". Also the brochure was not specific about how the dining options work - do you decide ahead of time or can you really just show up at any of the several restaurants whenever you want and be seated? (during stated times, I assume). Also we are just a couple, actually mother and adult daughter, can we be seated with others?

 

The agent said there were few cabins left in our category so I have to decide soon. What to do?

[lcand1923]

I am in my 50's and travel with my father. You have to make reservations for Toscana and Polo. You are entitled to one reservation at each or two reservations at each based upon you cabin category. You can eat at the Grand Dining Room or Tapas/Terrace by walking up when they are open.

 

If you want a table for two, request it. If you want to join others, request that.

 

Dad and I like the "no formal night" atmosphere on Oceania.

[LHT28]

The final price was waaay above what was listed in the brochure even with the (jibbity jibbity) FREE air - which if I do not use, then the cruise will be $1300 cheaper - so the air is free, how??? And taxes, TAXES? are $900??

 

I have never booked a holiday, cruise or otherwise with the bottom line showing in the brochures.

Maybe different in Canada as the regulators here require everything to be spelled out base price + taxes + surcharges etc...

 

Also the brochure was not specific about how the dining options work - do you decide ahead of time or can you really just show up at any of the several restaurants whenever you want and be seated? (during stated times, I assume). Also we are just a couple, actually mother and adult daughter, can we be seated with others?

 

The agent said there were few cabins left in our category so I have to decide soon. What to do?

 

Yes it is that simple ...if you are hungry at 7 pm then go to the dining room or buffet & you will be seated, if you are hungry at 8 pm go then

we always ask for "sharing table" you meet so many nice people and everyday is someone new to get to know.;)

 

If it something you want to do & in your budget I would go for it....I am sure you will not be disappointed

[hezzy]

My husband and I picked Oceania for our first cruise in April. Everything we knew about the ship we learned from their brochures and from these boards. We went with open mind and an open attitude about what to expect. It turned out to be probably our favorite vacation ever and we cannot imagine cruising on any other line. We found the staff to be friendly and helpful at every turn. The negatives were so insignificant that I really can't remember what they were. The food was good and well presented, the ship clean and well cared for. Our room stewards were really great and our Butler was very helpful and available when we needed assistance. He also offered services when we didn't request any. You will love Oceania and will not mind the cost when you have such wonderful memories.

[Mura]

Sue,

 

You are asking the converted what to do! We're here because we love Oceania ...

 

Are you booking through the cruiseline or with an agent? If you use an agent who specializes in Oceania (and I'm deliberately naming no names) you can do better price-wise and perhaps get some perks.

 

As to the "free" air, we look at it this way. We have virtually always booked our own air because we like to go in early and come back late. We get a credit for doing our own air which in the past has pretty much paid for our air fare. (Today's fares are a different problem, I admit.) When we book our own air there is a second reason for going in early which is to make sure that we don't miss the sailing! If we use the ship's air, and the flight comes in late, we'll be okay. If we come in our own and miss the sailing ...

 

Also to the "free air", there's another reason to reconsider it ... the cruiseline air plans (depending on where you start out from) tend to not be the most convenient. If you want a non-stop flight, you probably won't get one. We fly from NYC, it's not such a problem. But even so we don't want to sit in Frankfurt waiting for a transfer.

 

Don't try to equate the credit you get for booking your own air with the "free air".

 

And if you decide to use the air fare (which is "free" but want to go on different dates, you can do that as well. Just ask for a deviation -- which the last I heard was $75pp.

 

I recently looked at a Crystal sailing and immediately ignored it because of the required dinner seating. That's enough for me to say "no way". You may feel differently! We love the informality of Oceania.

 

Look at the bottom line by all means. But apples are apples and oranges are oranges.

 

As others have said, yes, indeed, you can sit with others at dinner. Just ask to do so! You can also book a dinner in the specialty restaurants and say that you want to share. They will create a table for you. There are risks, but we've never been unhappy with the people we've met this way.

 

Hope you decide to give Oceania a try!

[SteveS]

We are on the Aug.6 sailing of the Insignia. When booking I ask our agent how much of an allowance we would get if we did not us their "free" air. As I remember it was $1100 per person so I booked a non stop on Delta from JFK to Barcelona and a non stop from Istanbul for $1250 for my wife and used mileage for my ticket. We were able to go 5 days early and stay 2 days after. Delta is the only direct each way. Last time we had to be at the airport in Istanbul at 7 AM. Last year we used Viking's "free" air to China and almost missed our connection in Detroit.

[Jancruz]

We are on the Aug.6 sailing of the Insignia. When booking I ask our agent how much of an allowance we would get if we did not us their "free" air. As I remember it was $1100 per person so I booked a non stop on Delta from JFK to Barcelona and a non stop from Istanbul for $1250 for my wife and used mileage for my ticket. We were able to go 5 days early and stay 2 days after. Delta is the only direct each way. Last time we had to be at the airport in Istanbul at 7 AM. Last year we used Viking's "free" air to China and almost missed our connection in Detroit.

 

Remeber if the air credit is $1150..and the air taxes are $900 you are saving $2050..always add the air taxes into the credit for the "real credit"!

Jancruz1

[Southerngent630]

First time cruisers on Oceania. 2 princess and one caunard and will be looking forward to it. We are level 6 B2 and was wondering how hard it is to make reservations for eating. There are 4 in our party and know 4 more traveling with us. Everyone has b2 rooms. I am used to early or late seating. We will arrive Rome on the 18th and was wondering what the best way to the City from the airport and from the City to the ship.

[LHT28]

First time cruisers on Oceania. 2 princess and one caunard and will be looking forward to it. We are level 6 B2 and was wondering how hard it is to make reservations for eating. There are 4 in our party and know 4 more traveling with us. Everyone has b2 rooms. I am used to early or late seating.

 

For the main dining room & Buffet you just show up at the time you want to eat...if you want to all sit together just have everyone ready when you get to the Maitre'd station.

They open at 6:30 pm to 9 pm

For the specialty dining rooms have one person go line up in Horizons (usually the place) on Embarkation day with all the cabin numbers of those in your party that want to seated together and the dates & times you want .

They will do their best to seat you.

Also you can check in the mornings at the podium in the Terrace to see if any openings for that evening in the specialty dining rooms.

 

Enjoy the cruise

[hondorner]

And, if you find it difficult to decide in advance which evenings you might want to reserve for the specialty restaurants, don't panic. Everyone is entitled to the minimum number of reservations for their cabin. In a B2, each cabin is entitled to one reservation in each restaurant, Toscanna and Polo.

 

However -- if you are traveling in a group, unofficially, you can pool the reservations. For example, 4 couples are entitled to a total of 8 reservations. If you reserve for a table of 8, the staff will tend to consider that as one reservation, and you have 7 to go.

 

That is not a written rule, and there is no guarantee they can do it, but they will try their best to accommodate you. We met two other couples on our Amazon cruise with whom we enjoyed the specialty restaurants, and we had a total of 5 visits to Polo and 5 to Toscanna.

 

Instead of trying to make decisions on the first day, which you might regret later, simply go to the maitre'd during the breakfast hours at the Terrace buffet (they have a podium near the bar on the port side) and tell them when you want to make a reservation. The worst they will say is "no", choose another time or another day, but in our experience that has nver happened. Keep going back as many times as you like until sooner or later they might say "no".

 

Remember that while the menu in the Grand dining room has many different offerings and changes every night, the menus in the specialty restaurants change little, if at all. In a total of 10 visits (over 26 nights), we found ourselves repeating our previous choices.

[RetiredFL]

Our experience was different.

We booked the speciality restaurants for our cabin and another, four of us eating together.

They took both cabin numbers and said that counted for the one guaranteed visit for both cabins.

It may depend on the staff and availability.

On our Panama Canal cruise they were offering Polo and Toscana tables to people arriving at the GDR. We went one night and both were "empty".

I suspect that those on a tropical cruise wanted a more relaxed setting as Tapas was always active.

Bottom line it doesn't hurt to ask.

[Hayward2]

Can you book the first night (sail away) in one of the Speciality restaurants and not have it count against the guarantied number of specialty reservations you can make based upon you room class?

[LAexNY]

Can you book the first night (sail away) in one of the Speciality restaurants and not have it count against the guarantied number of specialty reservations you can make based upon you room class?

 

No, the first night counts.

[PurpleCow]

As far as the specialty restaurants, if you're not picky about time you can usually get as many reservations as you want. Stop by the maitre 'd podium in the morning and ask. On ships as small as O's, you won't be standing in any long, winding lines. (For anything!)

[LHT28]

Can you book the first night (sail away) in one of the Speciality restaurants and not have it count against the guarantied number of specialty reservations you can make based upon you room class?

 

Sometime they promote the specialty dining room as most people are tired & just want to eat in the buffet and it will not count towards your quota.

All depends on if they a booked up or not that day.