oceania cruise critic forum

• Oceania Cruises

Oceania Riviera Review, July 2023

By PinonNoir , July 29, 2023 in Oceania Cruises

Recommended Posts

" Thank you for sharing your review with everyone at Cruise Critic. Please consider submitting it to the site for publication as well: Click: Write a Review . "

PinonNoir was awarded the badge 'Great Review'

I recently wrote a review about our stateroom experience on our Riviera cruise, and I wanted to write a review about our cruise experience overall.  This was our third Oceania cruise, so we had some experience and expectations going in.  I will try to remain balanced in my review.  We just disembarked 9 days ago, so I'm writing this while my memory is fresh.

First the positives:

1. The multitude of restaurant options is great.  There is something for everybody, and for a 12 day cruise it was nice to be able to eat in a variety of spaces.

2. The ship has a lot of common spaces to enjoy, and none of them felt overly crowded.

3. The Barista's spot makes excellent coffee....the best on the ship in our opinion.  We were regulars there.  Really fantastic...even staffed by an Italian!

4. The Oceania staff is excellent.  They always seem to go above and beyond with limited exceptions (sticking to positives here).

5. The ship was clean everywhere we went, including common area bathrooms.

6. Embarkation went smoothly, and we were in our stateroom quickly.  Our luggage showed up fairly quickly.

7. It seemed that the Bridge crew went out of their way to sail in such a manner as to keep the ship's movements minimized as much as possible.

8. We had dinner in Privee 3 times, and two of those times were outstanding (remember, this is the positives)!

9. Our Butler and support staff were top notch, cordial, professional and just outstanding in every way!

10. Fellow passengers all seemed to be well seasoned travelers, with mostly positive attitudes.  This is important to us.  We hate being around people who are "fun vampires".

Ok, now the negatives...which I'm going to be as honest as possible about.  I am not piling on here, just telling it like it is:

1. The food has slipped.  We noticed this in pretty much every restaurant, with the possible exception of Toscana.  However, on our last night , we ate in Toscana, and I ordered a Maine Lobster dish.  It was bad...very fishy...as if the lobster was way past it's prime.  I returned it immediately and ordered another pasta I had ordered previously, and it was of course excellent.  Why did they serve lobster that was unworthy of an Oceania customer?  It was really bad!  This is my last night on the ship, and it remains a solid memory.  Bad form.

2.  The wifi.  Holy mother of God what in the world is Oceania doing with this wifi?  I could hear my old 4400 baud modem clanging away as I tried to log in, but the wifi on the ship was no match for my 4400 bauds!  I write a travel blog for fun....and I couldn't even upload a photo without waiting an hour!  Fortunately we were near land on occasion and I could use my international plan to do some work, but I'm still a week behind thanks to their "Pony Express" wifi!  We had two "at sea" days due to canceled ports of call (coming up on #3), and I can't tell you how many hours I wasted trying to write one blog post!  Also, when you are logged in, you get logged out repeatedly.....over and over....never for more than a few hours at a time.  It was a constant struggle, almost like they would log you out on purpose!

3. Ok, here is a rant with a conspiracy theory.  Our ship pulled into the Faroe Islands, turned around in the harbor about a dozen times, very slowly, and then abruptly left.  The Captain said it was due to weather, but it was sunny and calm.  We were supposed to be there for two full days, and I had a private excursion planned (for 10 people) that I ended up losing over $2000 on.  A week prior to this the Faroe Island populace had a pilot whale hunt where they killed a bunch of them in front of another cruse ship.  It's my firm belief that Oceania Corporate told the Captain to pull into harbor, make a big show of the fact we were there, and then depart, sending a political message.  The company I was working with on the excursion advised me they had no idea why the Captain didn't dock, as the weather was calmer than usual.  If Oceania wants to take a political stance with the Faroe Islands, fine, but don't impact my cruise experience!  I was really looking forward to this port!

4. We had a habit of getting iced tea every day at the Waves Bar by the pool.  Our last day on the ship, we stopped by the bar and there was nobody there, during their opening hours.  We went up to Horizons to see if they could help us.  They told us they didn't have iced tea, go back to Waves Bar.  When we told them nobody was there, they said "oh well".  This was a group of 3 guys at the bar.  W T F?  This is not the service we have come to expect from Oceania!  One of these guys should have said "what is your stateroom number, I'll get some and bring it to you!"  I think the fact it was the last day on board lended itself to staff taking a lazy attitude towards the customers...."oh well, they are about gone, I'm done hustling for these guys".  I hope that's not the case, but it sure seemed like it.

5.  The Grand Dining Room.  We ate here for breakfast one time.  Once!  The food was cold, the coffee was cold, the service was terrible...and it wasn't even crowded!  Again, W T F?  Why is the service in the main dining establishment on the ship so crappy?  How can it be that hard to bring warm eggs from the kitchen to the table?  We ended up eating 10 of 12 breakfasts in our suite.

6. The "internet guy".  This guy had the worst attitude on the ship.  We couldn't get logged into the wifi (not that it was worth logging into) on our first day so we went to see him on our second day.  He really doesn't want to be there.  After taking care of us he walked away, and there was somebody waiting behind us.  We realized his "working hours" had ended at the same time he took care of us, so screw that guy behind you, he can wait until tomorrow.  Again, W T F?

7. The Best of Oceania!  One of the 3 nights we ate in Privee we picked the "Best of Oceania" dining menu.  It was terrible.  Every dish was lackluster.  It's been too long to remember details at this point, but the entire group of 10 was disappointed.  If you do Privee, stick with the Polo and Toscana menus.

8. The "Sommeliers".  The wine people on the ship, while they are nice, don't know how to pour wine in equal servings.  Now I know pouring one bottle for 10 people is difficult, but this is likely a common occurrence and it should be practiced. We always ended up with one person who had almost twice as much wine as another, and with high end wines and high end enthusiasts, this is not a fun vibe!

9. Dress code.  I know the dress code says no jeans to dinner, or around the ship after dinner, but this code is broken so often without consequence that I wonder why it's the dress code?  I would prefer to wear jeans every day....just my thing, but I didn't.  Kinda weird to see what was accepted in the restaurants in the end.  Maybe just allow jeans?  I know, you purists out there want us all in tuxedos.

10. Stemware.  Ok, this is just going to be me most likely, but stemware matters.  Double the amount of decent Pinot Noir glasses you currently carry.  Schott Zwiesel makes some excellent Pinot glasses that are actually made with Titanium, and they are super hard to break.  I know, these are my daily drinkers at home, and I've barely broken any over the last 15 years!  Buy a bunch of these so your high end red wine drinkers are happy.

Ok, I think I've mentioned everything here.  I'll have my wife review tomorrow....she has the good memory in the family...and will add anything she brings up.  Again, thanks for reading!

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

Thank you for your review. We travel O mainly for the food and hope it has not slipped too far.

This January on the Riviera it was amazing, but I don't eat any shellfish.

All up to who is the chef on board how staff interpret menus.

Last year 20.days on marina, the desserts were incredible in Terrace , half way staff changed, it became awful and saved me a lot of calories.

I have also noticed that O skips, shortens, misses more ports than any other line we have been on, without compensation. 

That is worrisome. 

Flatbush Flyer

13 minutes ago, PinonNoir said: I recently wrote a review about our stateroom experience on our Riviera cruise, and I wanted to write a review about our cruise experience overall.  This was our third Oceania cruise, so we had some experience and expectations going in.  I will try to remain balanced in my review.  We just disembarked 9 days ago, so I'm writing this while my memory is fresh.   First the positives:   1. The multitude of restaurant options is great.  There is something for everybody, and for a 12 day cruise it was nice to be able to eat in a variety of spaces. 2. The ship has a lot of common spaces to enjoy, and none of them felt overly crowded. 3. The Barista's spot makes excellent coffee....the best on the ship in our opinion.  We were regulars there.  Really fantastic...even staffed by an Italian! 4. The Oceania staff is excellent.  They always seem to go above and beyond with limited exceptions (sticking to positives here). 5. The ship was clean everywhere we went, including common area bathrooms. 6. Embarkation went smoothly, and we were in our stateroom quickly.  Our luggage showed up fairly quickly. 7. It seemed that the Bridge crew went out of their way to sail in such a manner as to keep the ship's movements minimized as much as possible. 8. We had dinner in Privee 3 times, and two of those times were outstanding (remember, this is the positives)! 9. Our Butler and support staff were top notch, cordial, professional and just outstanding in every way! 10. Fellow passengers all seemed to be well seasoned travelers, with mostly positive attitudes.  This is important to us.  We hate being around people who are "fun vampires".   Ok, now the negatives...which I'm going to be as honest as possible about.  I am not piling on here, just telling it like it is:   1. The food has slipped.  We noticed this in pretty much every restaurant, with the possible exception of Toscana.  However, on our last night , we ate in Toscana, and I ordered a Maine Lobster dish.  It was bad...very fishy...as if the lobster was way past it's prime.  I returned it immediately and ordered another pasta I had ordered previously, and it was of course excellent.  Why did they serve lobster that was unworthy of an Oceania customer?  It was really bad!  This is my last night on the ship, and it remains a solid memory.  Bad form.   2.  The wifi.  Holy mother of God what in the world is Oceania doing with this wifi?  I could hear my old 4400 baud modem clanging away as I tried to log in, but the wifi on the ship was no match for my 4400 bauds!  I write a travel blog for fun....and I couldn't even upload a photo without waiting an hour!  Fortunately we were near land on occasion and I could use my international plan to do some work, but I'm still a week behind thanks to their "Pony Express" wifi!  We had two "at sea" days due to canceled ports of call (coming up on #3), and I can't tell you how many hours I wasted trying to write one blog post!  Also, when you are logged in, you get logged out repeatedly.....over and over....never for more than a few hours at a time.  It was a constant struggle, almost like they would log you out on purpose!   3. Ok, here is a rant with a conspiracy theory.  Our ship pulled into the Faroe Islands, turned around in the harbor about a dozen times, very slowly, and then abruptly left.  The Captain said it was due to weather, but it was sunny and calm.  We were supposed to be there for two full days, and I had a private excursion planned (for 10 people) that I ended up losing over $2000 on.  A week prior to this the Faroe Island populace had a pilot whale hunt where they killed a bunch of them in front of another cruse ship.  It's my firm belief that Oceania Corporate told the Captain to pull into harbor, make a big show of the fact we were there, and then depart, sending a political message.  The company I was working with on the excursion advised me they had no idea why the Captain didn't dock, as the weather was calmer than usual.  If Oceania wants to take a political stance with the Faroe Islands, fine, but don't impact my cruise experience!  I was really looking forward to this port!   4. We had a habit of getting iced tea every day at the Waves Bar by the pool.  Our last day on the ship, we stopped by the bar and there was nobody there, during their opening hours.  We went up to Horizons to see if they could help us.  They told us they didn't have iced tea, go back to Waves Bar.  When we told them nobody was there, they said "oh well".  This was a group of 3 guys at the bar.  W T F?  This is not the service we have come to expect from Oceania!  One of these guys should have said "what is your stateroom number, I'll get some and bring it to you!"  I think the fact it was the last day on board lended itself to staff taking a lazy attitude towards the customers...."oh well, they are about gone, I'm done hustling for these guys".  I hope that's not the case, but it sure seemed like it.   5.  The Grand Dining Room.  We ate here for breakfast one time.  Once!  The food was cold, the coffee was cold, the service was terrible...and it wasn't even crowded!  Again, W T F?  Why is the service in the main dining establishment on the ship so crappy?  How can it be that hard to bring warm eggs from the kitchen to the table?  We ended up eating 10 of 12 breakfasts in our suite.   6. The "internet guy".  This guy had the worst attitude on the ship.  We couldn't get logged into the wifi (not that it was worth logging into) on our first day so we went to see him on our second day.  He really doesn't want to be there.  After taking care of us he walked away, and there was somebody waiting behind us.  We realized his "working hours" had ended at the same time he took care of us, so screw that guy behind you, he can wait until tomorrow.  Again, W T F?   7. The Best of Oceania!  One of the 3 nights we ate in Privee we picked the "Best of Oceania" dining menu.  It was terrible.  Every dish was lackluster.  It's been too long to remember details at this point, but the entire group of 10 was disappointed.  If you do Privee, stick with the Polo and Toscana menus.   8. The "Sommeliers".  The wine people on the ship, while they are nice, don't know how to pour wine in equal servings.  Now I know pouring one bottle for 10 people is difficult, but this is likely a common occurrence and it should be practiced. We always ended up with one person who had almost twice as much wine as another, and with high end wines and high end enthusiasts, this is not a fun vibe!   9. Dress code.  I know the dress code says no jeans to dinner, or around the ship after dinner, but this code is broken so often without consequence that I wonder why it's the dress code?  I would prefer to wear jeans every day....just my thing, but I didn't.  Kinda weird to see what was accepted in the restaurants in the end.  Maybe just allow jeans?  I know, you purists out there want us all in tuxedos.   10. Stemware.  Ok, this is just going to be me most likely, but stemware matters.  Double the amount of decent Pinot Noir glasses you currently carry.  Schott Zwiesel makes some excellent Pinot glasses that are actually made with Titanium, and they are super hard to break.  I know, these are my daily drinkers at home, and I've barely broken any over the last 15 years!  Buy a bunch of these so your high end red wine drinkers are happy.   Ok, I think I've mentioned everything here.  I'll have my wife review tomorrow....she has the good memory in the family...and will add anything she brings up.  Again, thanks for reading!  

Straightforward review with some excellent points.

FWIW: We’re currently on the last segment of the ATW (SF-NY) and I agree that the food service can have an occasional hiccup which I find is more an issue with newer staff.

As for the wifi dropping someone’s connection  “on purpose,” that’s usually intentional and due to a set inactivity limit (or possibly when you move from one “repeater” to another). IMO, it’s a good traffic monitor.  The dinner time “dress code” has gotten a touch lax (perhaps due to some ATW folks no longer seeing “specialty restaurants as “special”). And I wish they’d be a bit more consistent in enforcing some reasonable decorum. For men, a collared shirt and, at least, dockers and deck shoes wouldn’t kill anyone in terms of requiring them at dinner.

I agree with the Schott Zwiesel comment. That’s what we use at home.

20 minutes ago, jonthomas said: Thank you for your review. We travel O mainly for the food and hope it has not slipped too far. This January on the Riviera it was amazing, but I don't eat any shellfish. All up to who is the chef on board how staff interpret menus. Last year 20.days on marina, the desserts were incredible in Terrace , half way staff changed, it became awful and saved me a lot of calories.   I have also noticed that O skips, shortens, misses more ports than any other line we have been on, without compensation.  That is worrisome. 

I will say the best food on the ship was a Toscana special pasta that should be on the regular menu, and the key lime pie from Polo. Our butler was able to get us key lime pie on several occasions to match with a sauternes we had brought with us.  Really exceptional pie!

1 hour ago, PinonNoir said:   5.  The Grand Dining Room.  We ate here for breakfast one time.  Once!  The food was cold, the coffee was cold, the service was terrible...and it wasn't even crowded!  Again, W T F?  Why is the service in the main dining establishment on the ship so crappy?  How can it be that hard to bring warm eggs from the kitchen to the table?  We ended up eating 10 of 12 breakfasts in our suite.      

Thanks for your detailed review.  I am disappointed that your GDR breakfast was so crappy.  We will be on Riviera in September and the GDR has always been our favorite breakfast spot and a fine way to begin the day.  We hope that your experience was an anomaly.  Concerning the overall quality of the food, as others have said and we concur it does seem to have slipped.  Dress code is also loosely implemented and has been for years.  We do report our concerns to the General Manager, and have experienced prompt response and corrective actions when appropriate.

Thank You for a great review.

I have long lamented the lack of knowledge of the wine stewards. They are not Sommeliers and shouldn’t be referred to as such.   

I’m a Riedel man myself, but would gladly take your selection over what is currently used.

Our food experience over the last three cruises in the past nine months has been  a combination of excellent meals, mediocre meals, and the occasional poor meal. Truly a box of chocolates. We have essentially given up on lobster aboard ship. Our last attempt was on Vista in the Terrace. It was so overcooked it was inedible. Not even able to cut it with a steak knife. We heard reports the same as yours from the lobster in PG. We went to Maine last fall to eat lobster . Lots of food aboard ship, best to skip the lobster.

Oceania stopped enforcing the dress code pre Pandemic. Some like to push the limits. A child’s game.

Barrista on the Vista is tremendous. I wish they could/would upgrade the other ships to its standard.

The skipping of ports is a major issue with us. We cancelled a 35 day cruise on O because of the games they played with cancelling ports on two straight cruises. This is a new development we are watching closely. This issue takes on additional significance because of the new SM program. Will cruisers eat the credits for SM tours planned for missed ports that can’t be rebooked? 

Thanks for the detailed review.  We were on The Riviera in April and enjoyed the cruise. Never sat foot in the MDR but maybe just as well according to you. Definitely enjoyed room service breakfast brought by our butler every morning. We had excellent food every meal but did not have lobster. 

Did not notice anyone wearing, horrors of all horrors, jeans but not important to us. 

Thanks for the review.  We will be on Riviera in March in Japan.  Just off the Vista in June.  We would agree that the food ranged from great to good.  We had a couple of not so good meals.  I had lobster in PG which was terrible.  Inedible.  Took three bites and knew it was bad.  My stomach reminded me just how bad a few hours later.  No more lobster ships for me!

Barristas was fantastic! Room service breakfast on our veranda was a great way to start the day.   

All in all, a fantastic cruise on a beautiful ship.  Looking forward to the next one...

Stemware matters!! 🥂 🍷 🍸 🍺

I am very concerned to read that Toscana was the best of the restaurants.  We really dislike Toscana - portions are too large and food too "Italian American" for us.   Hopefully the overall standards will improve as time goes on.   If not - well as long as they have English muffins and corned beef hash for breakfast I will survive.  (Those two things are my favourite American foods and we can't get them in Europe!). 

7 minutes ago, Hambagahle said: I am very concerned to read that Toscana was the best of the restaurants.  We really dislike Toscana - portions are too large and food too "Italian American" for us.   Hopefully the overall standards will improve as time goes on.   If not - well as long as they have English muffins and corned beef hash for breakfast I will survive.  (Those two things are my favourite American foods and we can't get them in Europe!). 

Not all “American” food is that bad. We also like to eat Italian food while in Italy and French in France. Sorry, Swiss food wasn’t our favorite. But we have some fine American food here too and not just corned beef and muffins. Unfortunately, no food on any ocean liner can compete with local cuisine, especially the “fine dining” anywhere on land, but the food is not the main reason for us to go on the cruise.  

That being said, we always were satisfied with Oceania offerings. It wasn’t perfect all the time in all restaurants in the past, always depended on the ship and the chef who was in charge of the particular restaurant. We also noticed some inconsistency on our last cruise in April, but we are optimistic that it’ll improve going forward to match the overall Oceania standards.

I hope you are right.   I lived in the US for a long time (20+ years) - unfortunately not in your part of the country which I like a lot!  And I do know that there are some excellent restaurants etc there.  It is just that here we can't get English muffins and corned beef hash and I love them both!

"Swiss" food - ours is a country of four linguistic and cultural regions with four very different cuisines and lots - hundreds - of regional dishes.  Like all countries some things are better than others!  the Italian speaking region (and the north of Italy) has far better food than what we experienced in Toscana.  And one evening there we were with the GM so presumably they did their best.  Portions were far too big (though we asked for small) and the tastes just weren't there either.  So we crossed it off the list.   We make the reservations and then tell the butler they are his.  (Which usually makes him happy!).  We love Red Ginger and Polo and have had some excellent meals in the MDR.   So I am crossing fingers that in another 9 months Vista's chefs will have "found their way" !!

5 hours ago, mexicobob said: Did not notice anyone wearing, horrors of all horrors, jeans but not important to us. 

Actually my comment was more of curiosity regarding dress code enforcement. I would prefer to wear jeans myself, but opted to remain respectful to the code. I'd be happy if they changed the rule to allow clean un-torn jeans. We are spending three extra weeks in Iceland and I'd have preferred to not have to pack dress pants that I won't use the rest of the trip.

1 hour ago, Hambagahle said: If not - well as long as they have English muffins and corned beef hash for breakfast I will survive.  (Those two things are my favourite American foods and we can't get them in Europe!). 

Wait, English Muffins are an American invention?  I'm happy to say I had them most mornings for breakfast, so they remain available.  I can't comment on corned beef hash...not my thing. Hell, just the name is off-putting!

Update: I forgot to mention disembarkation issues.

The last day on the ship they have you head to the gangway in a color coded system, supposedly to make it more orderly. We were one of the last groups called, and I expected since we were called that the gangway wouldn't have much of a line. Wrong!  Holy crap, what a cluster-truck!  The line stretched back to the lounge!

We were in no hurry as we figured we couldn't check into our hotel right away, so we took a seat and waited the line out. Twenty minutes later the line was down to two dozen people, so we joined in.

When our number was called we were relaxing in Terrace Cafe, and could have spent at least 15 more minutes there without issue. Who is making the call on when they call the next batch for disembarkation?  They do this at the end of EVERY CRUISE, so you think they'd have it figured out by now. We are fairly fit so standing for 20 minutes wouldn't have been a huge issue, but there were people with walkers and canes in that line the entire time. 

Last note, twice while disembarking they stopped the line to get somebody in a wheelchair off...and this is a VERY slow process.  I think it took 10 minutes both times, with people clustered up behind them waiting to get off.  Simple rule, people in wheelchairs get off last. That may sound harsh, perhaps even ageist, but you are inconveniencing dozens of people for one person.  If there is a line at disembarkation, wheelchairs should wait it out.  Ok, putting on my flame retardant suit!

Thanks for review, boarding Riviera 8/5. Who was the band ? Not the ship band but the other one.  We like Sync Session band.

QuestionEverything

Thank you OP for your excellent review.

We sail on our first O cruise in early August on Insignia from Iceland.

We cruise for the ports.

I am well aware of O's legacy of being the cruise line with the most missed ports - O is on probation with us and how they deal with with port certainty will determine if, if we book O again.

The utterly disgusting O maneuver regarding your lost port has been entered into my O file. I have passed it to my TA who is very well connected. I trust you can use a credit card dispute to get your $2,000 returned to you. That O decision would be enough for me to Cancel O permanently. 

12 hours ago, jonthomas said: …..I have also noticed that O skips, shortens, misses more ports than any other line we have been on, without compensation.  That is worrisome. 

Perhaps you are unaware that missed/changed ports cost O $ expenses not passed on to passengers.

In addition to man-hours for renavigation and possible added fuel costs, there are the expenses associated with logistical changes (some $ commitments for a missed port must still be honored) and then there are the added cost of the new port (tugs, longshoremen, etc). Remember too the unanticipated costs of extra  F&B service when the ship misses a port.  None of those costs are passed on to you.

No ship’s Master or Chief Engineer wants any itinerary change.

Just a note on disembarkment. This is the same as embarkation. It matters little how much planning Oceania puts into planning those two events. Oceania’s customers ignore the instructions. They get into line when and where they feel like regardless of any announcements the CD may be making. They will line up, with luggage, in front of the elevators completely blocking them. They don’t care! If a mob is unruly, outside of extraordinary measures, there is little an organization can do. Unruly is a polite word for the situation. We typically board late and disembark late in the processes. Avoid the mob.

Depending upon the port facility, Oceania  normally allows those with mobility issues to disembark in Deck 4 away from the main crowds. The CD typically makes announcements directly them to Deck 4, but whoever listens to the CD on Oceania? Small group! 

14 hours ago, PinonNoir said: I recently wrote a review about our stateroom experience on our Riviera cruise, and I wanted to write a review about our cruise experience overall.  This was our third Oceania cruise, so we had some experience and expectations going in.  I will try to remain balanced in my review.  We just disembarked 9 days ago, so I'm writing this while my memory is fresh.   First the positives:   1. The multitude of restaurant options is great.  There is something for everybody, and for a 12 day cruise it was nice to be able to eat in a variety of spaces. 2. The ship has a lot of common spaces to enjoy, and none of them felt overly crowded. 3. The Barista's spot makes excellent coffee....the best on the ship in our opinion.  We were regulars there.  Really fantastic...even staffed by an Italian! 4. The Oceania staff is excellent.  They always seem to go above and beyond with limited exceptions (sticking to positives here). 5. The ship was clean everywhere we went, including common area bathrooms. 6. Embarkation went smoothly, and we were in our stateroom quickly.  Our luggage showed up fairly quickly. 7. It seemed that the Bridge crew went out of their way to sail in such a manner as to keep the ship's movements minimized as much as possible. 8. We had dinner in Privee 3 times, and two of those times were outstanding (remember, this is the positives)! 9. Our Butler and support staff were top notch, cordial, professional and just outstanding in every way! 10. Fellow passengers all seemed to be well seasoned travelers, with mostly positive attitudes.  This is important to us.  We hate being around people who are "fun vampires".   Ok, now the negatives...which I'm going to be as honest as possible about.  I am not piling on here, just telling it like it is:   1. The food has slipped.  We noticed this in pretty much every restaurant, with the possible exception of Toscana.  However, on our last night , we ate in Toscana, and I ordered a Maine Lobster dish.  It was bad...very fishy...as if the lobster was way past it's prime.  I returned it immediately and ordered another pasta I had ordered previously, and it was of course excellent.  Why did they serve lobster that was unworthy of an Oceania customer?  It was really bad!  This is my last night on the ship, and it remains a solid memory.  Bad form.   2.  The wifi.  Holy mother of God what in the world is Oceania doing with this wifi?  I could hear my old 4400 baud modem clanging away as I tried to log in, but the wifi on the ship was no match for my 4400 bauds!  I write a travel blog for fun....and I couldn't even upload a photo without waiting an hour!  Fortunately we were near land on occasion and I could use my international plan to do some work, but I'm still a week behind thanks to their "Pony Express" wifi!  We had two "at sea" days due to canceled ports of call (coming up on #3), and I can't tell you how many hours I wasted trying to write one blog post!  Also, when you are logged in, you get logged out repeatedly.....over and over....never for more than a few hours at a time.  It was a constant struggle, almost like they would log you out on purpose!   3. Ok, here is a rant with a conspiracy theory.  Our ship pulled into the Faroe Islands, turned around in the harbor about a dozen times, very slowly, and then abruptly left.  The Captain said it was due to weather, but it was sunny and calm.  We were supposed to be there for two full days, and I had a private excursion planned (for 10 people) that I ended up losing over $2000 on.  A week prior to this the Faroe Island populace had a pilot whale hunt where they killed a bunch of them in front of another cruse ship.  It's my firm belief that Oceania Corporate told the Captain to pull into harbor, make a big show of the fact we were there, and then depart, sending a political message.  The company I was working with on the excursion advised me they had no idea why the Captain didn't dock, as the weather was calmer than usual.  If Oceania wants to take a political stance with the Faroe Islands, fine, but don't impact my cruise experience!  I was really looking forward to this port!   4. We had a habit of getting iced tea every day at the Waves Bar by the pool.  Our last day on the ship, we stopped by the bar and there was nobody there, during their opening hours.  We went up to Horizons to see if they could help us.  They told us they didn't have iced tea, go back to Waves Bar.  When we told them nobody was there, they said "oh well".  This was a group of 3 guys at the bar.  W T F?  This is not the service we have come to expect from Oceania!  One of these guys should have said "what is your stateroom number, I'll get some and bring it to you!"  I think the fact it was the last day on board lended itself to staff taking a lazy attitude towards the customers...."oh well, they are about gone, I'm done hustling for these guys".  I hope that's not the case, but it sure seemed like it.   5.  The Grand Dining Room.  We ate here for breakfast one time.  Once!  The food was cold, the coffee was cold, the service was terrible...and it wasn't even crowded!  Again, W T F?  Why is the service in the main dining establishment on the ship so crappy?  How can it be that hard to bring warm eggs from the kitchen to the table?  We ended up eating 10 of 12 breakfasts in our suite.   6. The "internet guy".  This guy had the worst attitude on the ship.  We couldn't get logged into the wifi (not that it was worth logging into) on our first day so we went to see him on our second day.  He really doesn't want to be there.  After taking care of us he walked away, and there was somebody waiting behind us.  We realized his "working hours" had ended at the same time he took care of us, so screw that guy behind you, he can wait until tomorrow.  Again, W T F?   7. The Best of Oceania!  One of the 3 nights we ate in Privee we picked the "Best of Oceania" dining menu.  It was terrible.  Every dish was lackluster.  It's been too long to remember details at this point, but the entire group of 10 was disappointed.  If you do Privee, stick with the Polo and Toscana menus.   8. The "Sommeliers".  The wine people on the ship, while they are nice, don't know how to pour wine in equal servings.  Now I know pouring one bottle for 10 people is difficult, but this is likely a common occurrence and it should be practiced. We always ended up with one person who had almost twice as much wine as another, and with high end wines and high end enthusiasts, this is not a fun vibe!   9. Dress code.  I know the dress code says no jeans to dinner, or around the ship after dinner, but this code is broken so often without consequence that I wonder why it's the dress code?  I would prefer to wear jeans every day....just my thing, but I didn't.  Kinda weird to see what was accepted in the restaurants in the end.  Maybe just allow jeans?  I know, you purists out there want us all in tuxedos.   10. Stemware.  Ok, this is just going to be me most likely, but stemware matters.  Double the amount of decent Pinot Noir glasses you currently carry.  Schott Zwiesel makes some excellent Pinot glasses that are actually made with Titanium, and they are super hard to break.  I know, these are my daily drinkers at home, and I've barely broken any over the last 15 years!  Buy a bunch of these so your high end red wine drinkers are happy.   Ok, I think I've mentioned everything here.  I'll have my wife review tomorrow....she has the good memory in the family...and will add anything she brings up.  Again, thanks for reading!  

@PinonNoir  The word for the day is a balanced honest review.  These come in different forms.  The first is someone who has cruised the brand before and has a foundation of what to expect. The second is someone who has never cruise before and this voyage is a step up in cruising class.  No foundation above Mainstream Cruising.  The Third is someone who has cruise Ultra-Luxury and compares every aspect of any other brand based on the Ultra Luxury Experience. 

Your review falls into category #1.  You had a foundation of knowledge and you compared the reviewed experience to past experience. Very helpful both the Pro/Cons.  New cruisers to Oceania like myself have no foundation of knowledge from real experiences. What we do with reviews like yours is learn from them.  

Will we have lobster, yes but we will not on the last night.  If it comes out tough, will we be upset.  No, we knew that was a possibility when we ordered it.  Learned Behavior. 

Missed Ports are a thing.  Seems like to new folks a high likely hood of happening.  If it does happen, will we be disappointed, sure.  But knowing what we know now, we logically know it could happen.  If it does not, it exceeds our expectation. 

My point is, by knowing the down side, even if the experiences are debated by others on the same sailing, gives new people to Oceania, a frame of reference.  Don't do this, watch out for this,  let people all get off the ship on the last day and simply enjoy a longer lunch on deck if you can spare the time.  

"A cruise with NO issues does not exist.  If you know what some of the controllable issues are, you can avoid them.  That makes for a cruise with LESS issues."

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said: Perhaps you are unaware that missed/changed ports cost O $ expenses not passed on to passengers. In addition to man-hours for renavigation and possible added fuel costs, there are the expenses associated with logistical changes (some $ commitments for a missed port must still be honored) and then there are the added cost of the new port (tugs, longshoremen, etc). Remember too the unanticipated costs of extra  F&B service when the ship misses a port.  None of those costs are passed on to you. No ship’s Master or Chief Engineer wants any itinerary change.

Yes I am definitely unaware of any of this. With over 50 cruises all over the world with celebrity, have never missed a port. Did private tours,  never had to cancel. Only one with RCL, missed Nasau, got a goodies basked delivered to stateroom.

2 hours ago, Plainfred said: Thanks for review, boarding Riviera 8/5. Who was the band ? Not the ship band but the other one.  We like Sync Session band. thanks.

I can't answer about the band. We went to a comedy show one night and that was it. When you dine with a group of 10 dinners tend to go quite late.

2 hours ago, QuestionEverything said: The utterly disgusting O maneuver regarding your lost port has been entered into my O file. I have passed it to my TA who is very well connected. I trust you can use a credit card dispute to get your $2,000 returned to you. That O decision would be enough for me to Cancel O permanently. 

I filed a claim with my credit card, and their initial response was "no".  I plan on filing an appeal, just haven't had time to do so yet. Thanks though!

34 minutes ago, jonthomas said: Yes I am definitely unaware of any of this. With over 50 cruises all over the world with celebrity, have never missed a port. Did private tours,  never had to cancel. Only one with RCL, missed Nasau, got a goodies basked delivered to stateroom.

Missing a port was a first for me.  I've been on 5 cruises before this one and hit every port. Hell,  I was in the Navy and we never missed a port!  We missed two on this cruise. Two days in Faroe Island, and one day in Eskifjordur, Iceland. 

The second one the Captain said it was too rough to use the tenders  I call bull pucky on that one as well, the seas were calm outside the fjord, I can't see how it's worse inside. This Captain is so risk averse I'll bet he wears two condoms. I should find out his name so I can ensure he is not on any future cruises I might select.

BTW, our Butler told us they missed 3 ports on the prior cruise. I guess I should be thankful it was only 2?

6 hours ago, PinonNoir said: Wait, English Muffins are an American invention?  I'm happy to say I had them most mornings for breakfast, so they remain available.  I can't comment on corned beef hash...not my thing. Hell, just the name is off-putting!

"English muffins" are definitely an American invention.  The English have "muffins" but they are very different.  Corn beef hash is absolutely delicious and normally served with a poached egg on top.  And ketchup.  In fact it is the only thing I use ketchup with!   It is a breakfast dish...like the English muffins.  We cannot get either here and importing meat is illegal.  I can (and do) import Thomas' English muffins but it costs me a lot !!

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in

• Welcome to Cruise Critic
• New Cruisers
• Cruise Lines “A – O”
• Cruise Lines “P – Z”
• River Cruising
• Cruise Critic News & Features
• Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
• Special Interest Cruising
• Cruise Discussion Topics
• UK Cruising
• Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
• Canadian Cruisers
• North American Homeports
• Ports of Call
• Cruise Conversations

Announcements

• New to Cruise Critic? Join our Community!

Write Your Own Amazing Review !

Click this gorgeous photo by member SUPERstar777 to share your review!

Features & News

LauraS · Started Yesterday at 03:25 PM

LauraS · Started Thursday at 04:36 PM

LauraS · Started Thursday at 03:57 PM

LauraS · Started Thursday at 01:42 PM

LauraS · Started Thursday at 10:13 AM

• Existing user? Sign in OR Create an Account
• Find Your Roll Call
• Meet & Mingle
• Community Help Center
• All Activity
• Member Photo Albums
• Meet & Mingle Photos
• Favorite Cruise Memories
• Cruise Food Photos
• Cruise Ship Photos
• Ports of Call Photos
• Towel Animal Photos
• Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos
• Write a Review
• Live Cruise Reports
• Member Cruise Reviews
• Create New...

• Cruise Lines “A – O”

Oceania Cruises

Continue your Oceania Cruises search

Find a Cruise

Find a Roll Call

Read Reviews

• Write a Review
• Oceania Allura
• Oceania Insignia
• Oceania Marina
• Oceania Nautica
• Oceania Regatta
• Oceania Riviera
• Oceania Sirena
• Oceania Vista

21,205 topics in this forum

• Recently Updated
• Most Viewed
• Most Replies

Mother’s Day

Shampoo, soap, lotion 1 2.

• Cruisedreamer1

Marina Refurbishment Question. 1 2 3

Internet service aboard nautica, symbols on aft cabins deck 9 marina.

• Vineyard View

Hop on, hop off buses in Oslo, Bergen

Poker onboad

Poker tounaments, dressing up for dinner aboard the nautica 1 2 3.

Santorini Shore Excursion 1 2

Oceania club membership pins 1 2, no ship tours to d day beaches or mont st. michel 1 2, executive culinary director tv interview, allura - big increase in fares in 2026 1 2, ship excursion or on our own - sorrento/capri, problem using safari browser.

• ronrick1943

First Oceania Cruise...21 Days on Regatta...No Thanks...Back to Celebrity 1 2 3 4 6

• 138 replies
• Sojourner02

Cancelling a cruise booked on board

Booking excursions 365 days ahead, just returned from sirena 1 2 3.

Oceania Vista PH1

New Oceania ships ordered for 2027 & 2029 1 2

• MarkWiltonM

Considering an Owners Suite

Japan travel during Golden Week

Hiroshima berth.

• Welcome to Cruise Critic
• New Cruisers
• Cruise Lines “P – Z”
• River Cruising
• Cruise Critic News & Features
• Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
• Special Interest Cruising
• Cruise Discussion Topics
• UK Cruising
• Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
• Canadian Cruisers
• North American Homeports
• Ports of Call
• Cruise Conversations

Announcements

• New to Cruise Critic? Join our Community!

408 What should a first-time cruiser pack for Alaska?

1. what 3 items would you tell first-time alaska cruisers to pack.

• Hiking Boots
• Insect Repellent
• Good Photo Gear
• Motion-Sickness Medicine
• Collapsable, Easy-to-Pack Day Bag or Backpack
• Something Else (Please let us know in 2-3 sentences)
• Please sign in or register to vote in this poll.

Click this gorgeous photo by khiori466 to Write a Review!

New Member Photos

• Existing user? Sign in OR Create an Account
• Find Your Roll Call
• Meet & Mingle
• Community Help Center
• All Activity
• Member Photo Albums
• Meet & Mingle Photos
• Favorite Cruise Memories
• Cruise Food Photos
• Cruise Ship Photos
• Ports of Call Photos
• Towel Animal Photos
• Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos
• Live Cruise Reports
• Member Cruise Reviews
• Create New...

• Start new topic

Welcome to Cruise Critic

• Need Help Using the Forums? Check Here!
• Announcements
• Pack a little extra love
• By scruffy164 , March 28, 2005

Q&A with InsureMyTrip - January 2024    (1,526 visits to this link)

Compare Cruise Insurance on   InsureMyTrip .com .

Stay tuned; insuremytrip will be monitoring this forum and all your questions!

Please ask your questions now!

New Cruisers

• Ask a Cruise Question
• Cabin Selection Tips
• First Time Cruisers

Best advice for first-time cruisers; learn how to pick a cabin, find the best cruise bargain, tips on what to pack.

• First Timer - Seasickness/Anxiety Advice
• By SbbquilterUT , February 22

Cruise Lines “A – O”

• AIDA Cruises
• Ambassador Cruise Line
• American Cruise Lines
• American Queen Voyages
• Atlas Ocean Voyages
• Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line
• Carnival Cruise Lines
• Celebrity Cruises
• Celestyal Cruises
• Costa Cruises
• Cunard Line
• Disney Cruise Line
• Explora Journeys
• Fred. Olsen Cruise Line
• Hebridean Island Cruises
• Holland America Line
• Hurtigruten
• Island Cruises
• Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic
• Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)
• Margaritaville at Sea
• MSC Cruises
• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Oceania Cruises
• Other Cruise Lines

• The Fleet Report and Daily for Thursday February 22nd, 2024
• By rafinmd , February 22

Cruise Lines “P – Z”

• P&O Cruises ( Australia )
• Paul Gauguin Cruises
• P&O Cruises ( UK )
• Princess Cruises
• Pullmantur Cruises
• Regent Seven Seas Cruises
• Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
• Royal Caribbean International
• Saga Cruises
• Scenic Luxury Cruises
• Seabourn Cruise Line
• SeaDream Yacht Club
• Star Clippers
• Viking Ocean
• Virgin Voyages
• Windstar Cruises

• Princess - PLEASE help, outsourced customer service is absurd
• By TRLD , February 22

River Cruising

• Tips You Should Know For Your First River Cruise ~Sponsored by Viking

• The ever increasing popularity of river cruising
• By notamermaid , February 22
• AIDA Roll Calls
• Atlas Ocean Voyages Roll Calls
• Azamara Roll Calls
• Carnival Roll Calls
• Celebrity Roll Calls
• Costa Cruises Roll Calls
• Crystal Roll Calls
• Cunard Roll Calls
• Disney Roll Calls
• Fred Olsen Roll Calls
• Holland America Roll Calls
• Marella Cruises Roll Calls (formerly Thomson)
• MSC Roll Calls
• Norwegian Cruise Line Roll Calls
• Oceania Roll Calls
• P&O Cruise Lines Roll Calls - Australia
• P&O Cruise Lines Roll Calls - UK
• Paul Gauguin Roll Calls
• Princess Roll Calls
• Regent Seven Seas Roll Calls
• Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Roll Calls
• Royal Caribbean Roll Calls
• Scenic Luxury Cruises Roll Calls
• Saga Cruises Roll Calls
• Seabourn Roll Calls
• Silversea Cruise Line Roll Calls
• Viking Ocean Roll Calls
• Viking River Roll Calls
• Virgin Voyages Roll Calls
• Windstar Roll Calls
• All Other Ocean Cruise Lines Roll Calls
• All Other River Cruise Roll Calls

You can browse our list of Roll Calls, but you must be registered and logged in to read and post . 

Not a Member?    Register Now!

Read: What is a ROLL CALL?   and  Learn How To Create a New Roll Call

• March 30 - April 13, 2024: Westerdam Japan Explorer 14 days
• By Mandalay1903 , February 22

Digital Photography & Cruise Technology

• Cruise Videos
• Photo & Camera Discussions

• Celebrity Cruise Group Photo
• By Guest, February 22

Special Interest Cruising

• 55+ Cruisers
• Adults-Only All-Inclusive Cruising
• Eco & Expedition Cruising
• Disabled Cruise Travel
• Family Cruises
• Fitness, Spa & Sports Cruises
• Freighter and Other Non-Traditional Cruise Travel
• LGBTQIA+ Cruisers
• Honeymoon & Wedding Cruises
• Luxury Cruising
• Military Cruisers
• Residence Ships
• River Cruises
• Singles Cruises
• Solo Cruisers
• Small Ship Cruising
• Theme Cruises
• Transatlantic, Transpacific, Repositioning & Trans-Ocean Cruises
• World Cruising
• Repositioning Cruises - Florida to South America - Any suggestions?

Cruise Discussion Topics

• Cruise Fashions & Beauty
• Cruise Memorabilia
• Cruise/Travel Insurance
• Q&A Library
• Saving Money on Your Cruise - Tips & Advice
• Scuba and Snorkeling
• What Ever Happened To........???
• intl business class fare
• By mr_reiter , February 22

UK Cruising

• UK Cruisers
• Special Event: Q&A with Baggex - Luxury Travel for your Luggage!

• By John Bull , February 22

Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

• Royal's ships 2023/24
• By springaussie , February 22

Canadian Cruisers

A spot for our Canadian Cruise Friends to share cruise chats and information

• Canadian $ vs U.S. $ in Caribbean
• By d9704011 , February 22

North American Homeports

• East Coast Departures
• Florida Departures
• Gulf Coast Departures
• West Coast Departures

Hotel, Transportation, Dining & Embarkation Info

Guide to Cruise Ports You Can Drive To

• Fort Lauderdale Airport
• By Midwest Sunseeker , February 22

Ports of Call

• Africa & Middle East
• Australia & New Zealand
• British Isles/Western Europe
• California Coastal / Pacific Northwest
• Canada (Alaska/Pacific Coastal)
• Canada/New England
• Mexican Riviera
• New Orleans
• Pacific Islands, All
• Panama Canal
• Private Islands
• South America
• United States
• Margaritaville Ocho Rios
• By hammer76 , February 22

Cruise Conversations

• Cruise Blogs & Websites
• Cruise Casinos
• Cruise Foodies
• Cruise Rituals
• Lose Before You Cruise
• Favorite Seafood
• By lenquixote66 , February 22
• Existing user? Sign In
• Find Your Roll Call
• Community Help Center
• All Activity
• Member Albums
• Live Cruise Reports
• Favorite Cruise Memories
• Cruise Food Photos
• Cruise Ship Photos
• Ports of call photos
• Towel animal take-over
• Amazing Cruise Photos
• Browse Reviews
• Write A Review
• Create New...

• Vacation Rentals
• Restaurants
• Things to do
• Things to Do
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travelers' Choice
• Help Center

Oceania cruise - Cruises Forum

• Tripadvisor Forums    
• Cruises Forums

Oceania cruise

• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Canada Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Vacation Rentals
• Cruises forum

Where can I find menus for Oceania ship restaurants and their wine lists?

I like the idea of a smaller ship, but wonder how well they travel in rough seas?

36 replies to this topic

It was the best cruise I have done. The service is excellent, the staterooms comfortable, the food delicious with all restaurants free plus the incentives for Aussies are great with just about everything included in the fare including gratuities, etc.

The other advantage of a smaller ship is that they can do ports that the bigger ships can’t. The stabilizers they use means that you don’t notice any movement at sea.

https://eatsleepcruise.com/oceania-cruises-restaurant-guide-with-menus/

https://www.oceaniacruiseseventsapac.com/

Anyone know where to find alcohol prices on board so I can see if their drinks package is worthwhile?

Also found a suggestion that their excursions are not very good. Any comments?

https://www.theluxurycruisereview.com/oceania-beverage-packages/

https://www.thepreismans.com/riviera_21_menus.htm#main

You can also take a couple of bottles on board. We also picked up alcohol while ashore several times and there was no problems

WE are fans of Oceania but we rarely do excursions preferring private ones

The drink packages are pretty good if you are a drinker $60 PP PD for the premium package includes most drinks except some of the top Scotches/Cognacs excludes the Sake in Red Ginger

My go to guy for photos

https://www.thepreismans.com/riviera_21_menus.htm

just a mention that on the R ships cabin below PH level are fairly small & H/C cabins at insides

If you can spring for a PH that would give you more space

Sirena have some H/C cabins that have a balcony or window view

The O class ships Marina & Riviera have more H/C cabins if you need one plus they have the Extended balcony cabins on deck 7

The new Vista will be sailing in 2023

Yrs you can usually take wine onboard & if you take it to a dining venue you pay the Corkage fee $25 per bottle

Spirits can be taken onboard for use in your cabin

Check out the forum on CC

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/29-oceania-cruises/

iht28, thanks for your post. Drinks packages are more than I need. So, if I take wine aboard, do I pay corkage if I consume it in my cabin?

I don't understand some of your suggestions for cabins. (I'm an inexperienced cruiser, so far, though it looks like that might change).

PH is Penthouse, which I definitely can't afford, especially as a solo traveller. But what is H/C?

Not interested in the obstructed oceanview cabins or the interiors.

I'm looking at Verandah cabins on Insignia, which are classed as A1,A2,A3, B1,B2 and Oceanview classed as C1,C2, D and E. As a solo traveller, they will be big enough for me. Any learned opinions on which are the best decks and cabins in those categories?

H/C cabins are accessible or handicap.

You only pay corkage if you take your own wine to dinner. If you buy a bottle of wine and don't finish the bottle, they will keep it for you and serve it on subsequent nights regardless of where you dine.

I would recommend a veranda cabin over ocean view as the nicest part of cruising is sitting on the balcony watching the whales go past or the coast as well as when coming into & out of port.

It is generally recommended to get a cabin on a deck that has cabins above and below, as there is nothing worse than deck chairs being moved above you at 6am or the disco below you raging on till 3am. Generally midship is better but I would just get the cheapest available in the balcony category, although when we were on Insignia I splurged for a butler cabin, which was nice but unnecessary. Another consideration is that you don't want your balcony cabin being anywhere near a designated smoking area, of which there are few but there nonetheless.

• Help choosing - first time cruiser 3:19 pm
• Booking an MSC Cruise from the USA website as a non-American 1:57 pm
• Update for Celebrity Constellation? 12:26 pm
• Australians using 'Vacations To Go' yesterday
• Arcadia P&O - Dress code yesterday
• Regional dining options - variations in quality/ experience yesterday
• Food Poisoning on P&O ship May 23, 2024
• Ambassador cruise May 23, 2024
• excursions:private or by Princess? May 22, 2024
• Princess Cruise in Oct 2024 $$ Qs May 22, 2024
• Carnival shares May 22, 2024
• St Maarten May 22, 2024
• Alaskan cruise misses the mark May 22, 2024
• Unforgettable Greece cruises — any reviews? May 22, 2024
• First, tell us WHERE YOU LIVE if that info isn't in your profile!
• Can I remove the auto- gratuity? I want to tip only a few ... how much should I tip?
• What's the best cruise/ship?
• Is a cruise an all inclusive vacation?
• How do I even get started picking a cruise?
• How can I find a cheap cruise?
• How much are alcoholic drinks? Can I bring my own alcohol?
• What are the odds of an upgrade?
• What should I know about the cruise contract?
• What are the noisy locations to avoid on a cruise ship?
• What's the best way to see the ports on my cruise?
• What are cruise dress codes? Do I have to follow them to get in the dining room?
• What kind of insurance do I need? Can I skip that expense?
• What do you wish someone told you before your 1st cruise?
• Cruise Reviews and Reports for cruise lines operating from Australia / New Zealand
• Australia / South Pacific - things I wish I knew before I cruised including port info
• What should you order for the best food on board?
• What you should know about river cruising
• Regional pricing - at what cost?

US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)   UK: 020 8133 3450  AUS: (07) 3102 4685   Everywhere Else: +1 530-562-92 32

• The Best of Goldring Travel’s Making Waves Blog
• Seabourn’s Antarctica and Patagonia – Goldring Travel’s Third Expedition – Part I
• Seabourn’s Antarctica and Patagonia – Goldring Travel’s Third Expedition – Part II (Anticipation)
• Seabourn’s Antarctica and Patagonia – Goldring Travel’s Third Expedition – Part III (South Georgia Island)
• Seabourn’s Antarctica and Patagonia – Goldring Travel’s Third Expedition – Part IV (Hope Bay, Cuverville Island, Lemaire Channel and the Iceberg Graveyard)
• Seabourn’s Antarctica and Patagonia – Goldring Travel’s Third Expedition – Part V (Paradise Bay, Torgersen Island & Half Moon Island)
• Seabourn’s Antarctica and Patagonia – Goldring Travel’s Third Expedition – Part VI (Patagonia)
• Seabourn’s Antarctica Revisited – Part I (Pre-Cruise Perspectives and Santiago)  
• Seabourn’s Antarctica Revisited – Part II (Desolation, Getting the Party Started and Perspective – Chilean Patagonia)
• Seabourn’s Antarctica Revisited – Part III (Ushuaia and The Drake Passage – Are We There Yet?)
• Seabourn’s Antarctica Revisited – Part IV (First Days in Antarctica: Revelations, Deception and Ansel Adams)
• Seabourn’s Antarctica Revisited – Part V (Antarctica Weather, Wonder & WOW!)
• Seabourn’s Antarctica Revisited – Part VI (The Falklands – It’s Ain’t Over Till Seabourn Says It Is Over!)
• Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part I
• Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part II (Falkland Island Penguins)
• Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part III (Drake Passage and Greenwich Island-Yankee Harbour)
• Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part IV (Torgersen Island/Neko Harbor – “The Lifting of the Fog!”)
• Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part V (Peterman Island)
• Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part VI (Captain Larsen and Class, Crossing the Southern Polar Circle & Breaking Records)
• Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part VII (Waterboat Point, Kayaking…and Sadness)
• Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part IX (Punta Arenas & Goldring Travel Goes Local and Culinary)
• Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part X (El Brujo Glacier, Galley Market Lunch and Castro, Chile)
• Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part XI (Reflections + Puerto Montt and Heading Home)
• Seabourn Sojourn in Alaska – Part 1 (Getting There)
• Seabourn Sojourn in Alaska – Part II (Calm Seas, Great Views, but a Rough Start)
• Seabourn Sojourn in Alaska – Part III (A Seabourn Moment and “Such a Hike. Oy!”)
• Seabourn Sojourn in Alaska – Part IV (Tourism, Tracy Arm, Kayaking and a Duck)
• Seabourn Sojourn in Alaska – Part V (Seabourn Ventures: Inian Islands, Icy Strait and College Fjord)
• Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural Cruise -Part I (Getting There…Oy Vey…and Copenhagen)
• Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural Cruise -Part II (Seabourn Signature Suite & Gothenburg, Sweden)
• Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural Cruise -Part III (Olso & Sandefjord, Norway…Getting Culinary – Norwegian, Sushi and Earth & Ocean…and Discussing Whaling!)
• Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural Cruise -Part IV (Newcastle upon Tyne, Thomas Keller and Complimentary Wines)
• Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural Cruise -Part V (Invergordon, Scotland – Glenfiddich Whisky!)
• Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural Cruise -Part VI (Scrabster, Scotland and Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland – Who Knew?)
• Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural Cruise -Part VII (Goldring Travel Grand – Scottish & English – Culinary Event, Galley Market Brunch & More)
• Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural Cruise -Part VIII (Bremerhaven and The Kiel Canal, Germany)
• Goldring Travel’s 2018 Culinary & Cultural Cruise – Part I (Getting Ready and Looking Forward)
• Goldring Travel’s 2018 Culinary & Cultural Cruise – Part II (Barcelona and Mahon, Menorca)
• Goldring Travel’s 2018 Culinary & Cultural Cruise – Part III (Monaco and Portovenere, Italy)
• Goldring Travel’s 2018 Culinary & Cultural Cruise – Part IV (Rome and Amalfi, Italy)
• Goldring Travel’s 2018 Culinary & Cultural Cruise – Part V (Syracusa, Sicily and Crotone, Italy…and Chef David )
• Goldring Travel’s 2018 Culinary & Cultural Cruise – Part VI (Corfu, Greece – A Culinary & Cultural Day to Remember!)
• Goldring Travel’s 2018 Culinary & Cultural Cruise – Part VII (The Seabourn Chefs Let Loose! and Katakalon, Greece)
• Goldring Travel’s 2017 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Part I (Getting There and Getting On With It)
• Goldring Travel’s 2017 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Part II (Tangier, Morocco: Why It Is “Culinary & Cultural”; Not “Food & Wine”)
• Goldring Travel’s 2017 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Part III (Cadiz and Portimao : Sherry, Cocktails, Cheese…and a Mixology Competition!)
• Goldring Travel’s 2017 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Part IV (Incredible Private Cooking Demonstration and Fireworks in Gibraltar)
• Goldring Travel’s 2017 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Part VI (Tapas…And I Mean Tapas!)  
• Goldring Travel’s 2017 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Part VII (The Famous Food & Wine Event: Chef’s Nine Court Tastin g)
• Goldring Travel’s 2016 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise on the Seabourn Quest – Part I
• Goldring Travel’s 2016 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise on the Seabourn Quest – Part II (British Wine Tour and More)
• Goldring Travel’s 2016 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise on the Seabourn Quest – Part III (Torquay, Pokémon Go and Little Things)
• Goldring Travel’s 2016 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise on the Seabourn Quest – Part IV (Stornoway, Scotland and Smoked Salmon)
• Goldring Travel’s 2016 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise on the Seabourn Quest – Part V (Kirkwall, Ullapool, Whiskey and the Kindness of a Stranger)
• Goldring Travel’s 2016 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise on the Seabourn Quest – Part VI (Oban, Greenock and Belfast – Seabourn Moments!)
• Goldring Travel’s 2016 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise on the Seabourn Quest – Part VII (Belfast, Liverpool – And Another Seabourn Moment!)
• Part I (A Look Back and A Look Forward)
• Part II (Copenhagen & The First Day)
• Part III (Flam & Alesund)
• Part IV (Slovlaer and Tromso)
• Part V (Honningsvag) – Ventures By Seabourn
• Part VI (Sea Days & Private Culinary Events)
• ​Part VI (Bergen, Stavanger & The Last Two Culinary Events: Shopping with the Seabourn Chef and A Cheese Tasting)
• Preparations and a Plan…Sort Of! 
• Take Off…and A Fresh Perspective 
• Air Travel, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Meat! 
• The First 24 Hours and Ihhabela, Brazil 
• The Little Things (Paranagua and Porto Belo, Brazil) 
• Seabourn Quest’s Chef Creates An Incredible Tasting Event 
• The Event: Montevideo, Uruguay- Caviar, Caviar and Sturgeon ​
• Part II (Perspective)
• Part III (Storms A Brewing…And A Double Rainbow!)
• Part IV (Fish & Chips…And A Great Beer)
• Part V (Cork, Ireland and a Lucky Leprechaun Named Darina Allen)
• ​Part VI (A Day at Sea with Special Events…And Then A Most Charming Port )
• Part VII (Bordeaux- Day 1)
• Part VII (Bordeaux- Day 2: Chateau Margaux and Chateau Lynch-Bages)
• Part VIII (Relaxing and “Basque”ing)
• Part IX (Shopping With The Chef)
• Part X (The Goldring Travel Food & Wine Tasting)
• The Beginning…Almost .
• The Beginning…Leaving On A Jet Plane
• Oy, Such Problems!
• Doing So Much and Doing Nothing
• A Sea Day and Some Thoughts About The Dining Experiences
• Shopping with the Chef and Sicilian Seafood Experiences
• Malta and Food for Thought
• Pizza or the Wintergarden Suite’s Spa? Let’s Try Both!
• The Food & Wine Tasting to Die For!
• Finding Pizza and What It Means to “Travel”
• 2009 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit
• Some Pre-Cruise Thoughts and My Plan
• The Start: It’s All About The Clothes???
• Walking With Wine In Venice
• Finally Onboard…Err, I Mean, Home!
• Split, Croatia: Shopping With the Chef & Chilling Out Seabourn Style
• Its About The Fish!
• Meeting Up With The Big Sister & Chef’s Surprises
• Some Final Thoughts
• Travelogue Part I
• Travelogue Part II
• Travelogue Part III (The Food & Wine Tasting!)
• Goldring Travel’s 2007 Seabourn Food & Wine Cruise
• Part VI – The Photos!
• The Inaugural & Maiden Voyage Travelogue
• The Inaugural & Maiden Voyage Travelogue – Part II
• The Inaugural & Maiden Voyage Travelogue – Part III (The Seabourn Sojourn Has Been Delivered!)
• Seabourn Sojourn Inaugural and Maiden Voyage – Part VI
• Seabourn Sojourn Inaugural and Maiden Voyage – Part XII – Some Videos and Photos
• The Ca’ Segredo Hotel Starts The Sojourn
• First Impressions
• Cuisine, Venues, People
• The Standard Suites – Part I
• The Standard Suites- Part II
• The Upper Suites
• (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part I
• (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part II
• (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part III
• (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part IV (Georg Breuer Riesling Tasting)
• (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part VI
• (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part VII (Bamberg Brewery Tour and Beer Tasting)
• (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part VIII
• (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part IX (Food & Wine Tasting on the AmaCerto)
• (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part X
• (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part XI – The Tokaji Wine Tasting
• Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part VI (Hualien, Taiwan and Okinawa – The Kindness of Strangers)
• AmaWaterways Mekong River Cruise – Radio Interview
• Part V (Getting There & Day 1: Hanoi)
• Part VI (Let the Tour Begin!)
• Part VII (Halong Bay…and A Monk)
• Part IX (The Ship)
• Part X (The Egg)
• Part XI (Happy Pizza)
• Part XII (The Killing Fields)
• Part XIII (Our Last Days)
• Review and Reflection of the 2012 AmaWaterways AmaLotus Vietnam and Cambodia Tour and Cruise

         – Avalon Myanmar – Myanmar River Cruise – April 2017

• Avalon Waterways Myanmar – Part I (March 2017
• Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part II (Getting Here & Getting It On)
• Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part III (Yangon – Day 2)
• Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part IV (Bhamo to Katha)

Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part V (Katha to Tigyang)

Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part VI (Kya Hnyat to Kyauk Myaung)

• Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part VII (Mingun to Mandalay)
• Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part VIII (Sagaing to Bagan)

Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part IX (The Ship: Avalon Myanmar)

Avalon Waterways – Myanmar (Burma) – Reflections: “Isn’t This Amazing!?”

   *Azamara Club Cruises – Azamara Journey – Singapore to Dubai (April 8, 2018)

• Azamara Club Cruises – Azamara Journey – April 8, 2018 (Singapore to Dubai) – Revisiting the (Upgraded) Experience
• Azamara Journey Asian Adventure – Part I (Getting There and Getting Set)
• Azamara Journey Asian Adventure – Part II (Initial Impressions and Myanmar)
• Azamara Journey Asian Adventure – Part III (“Cruise Global, Go Local” in Sri Lanka)
• Azamara Journey Asian Adventure – Part IV (The Culinary Experience)
• Azamara Journey Asian Adventure – Part V (Cochin, Goa & Mumbai, India)
• Azamara Journey Asian Adventure – Part VI – Reflections (Azamara Journey vs. Regent Seven Seas Voyager)

* Azamara Quest – Southeast Asia and Japan (February 2015)

•  Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part I
• Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part II
• Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part III (Bali and Komodo Island) 
• Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part IV (Upscale Meets ????)
• Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part V (Manila, Philippines – By Day and AzAmazing Evening) 
• Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part V (Perspectives on Experiencing Developing Ports)
• Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part VI (Hualien, Taiwan and Okinawa – The Kindness of Strangers)
• Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part VII (Doing It On Your Own – Part A – Dontonbori, Osaka)
• Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part VIII (Doing It On Your Own – Part B – Kyoto – Why You Can’t Rely Only On Guidebooks or TripAdvisor!)
• Celebrity Xperience – The Galapagos- Part I
• Celebrity Xperience In The Galapagos- Part II (Getting There, Pre-Cruise, Baltra & Black Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz Island
• Celebrity Xperience In The Galapagos- Part III (More Than You Expect)
• Celebrity Xperience In The Galapagos- Part IV (Sea Lions & Boobies & Penguins, Oh My!)
• Celebrity Xperience In The Galapagos- Part V (The Attack of the Flightless Cormorant…and Other Cool Stuff!)
• Celebrity Xperience In The Galapagos- Part VI (Incredible Birding, Baby Sea Lions and So Much More)
• Celebrity Xperience In The Galapagos- Part VII (Reflections & Updates on the Ships – Including the new Celebrity Flora – and What to Consider.)              

– How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? – Part I – How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? Part II – How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? Part III – How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? Part IV – How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? – Some Final Observations and Thoughts

– The Prologue to the Travelogue – The Adventure Begins…With a Bump or Two – Settling In Made Easy – Luxury Touches Here, There and OK, Not, Everywhere…But There Are Lots of Them! – Asian Flair Onboard and On Shore – Private Tours, Israel and Conflicts in Perceptions and Perspective Celebrity Equinox 2009 – Egypt…Impressive and Depressing – Dining With the Captain and the Reidel Wine Seminar – The Last Dinner (Tuscan Grille) and Disembarkation – What Happens When A Class Act Meets Highly Discounted Cruise Fare

– How Upscale to Luxury is a Celebrity Cruise Experience? – Part I – How Upscale to Luxury is a Celebrity Cruise Experience? – Part II – How Upscale to Luxury is a Celebrity Cruise Experience? The Review – Part III

– Celebrity Solstice 2008 Inaugural Cruise – Part I – Celebrity Solstice 2008 Inaugural Cruise – Part II

Celebrity Summit “Solticized” – A Ship Inspection (2012)

– Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part I – Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part II – Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part III – Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part IV (Food & Wine!)

– Part I – Part II – Part III – Part IV – Part V – Part VI – Part VII – Part VIII – Part IX – Goldring Travel’s Pacific Exploration of Crystal Cruise’s Luxury Experience – “Reflections”

– Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 – A Winter Transatlantic Crossing on Her 10th Anniversary

– Immersing In fathom’s Social Impact Programs

– Cruising the Peruvian Amazon With G Adventures – Part I – Cruising the Peruvian Amazon With G Adventures – Part II – Cruising the Peruvian Amazon With G Adventures – Part III – Cruising the Peruvian Amazon With G Adventures – Part IV (What Group Travel Should Really Be About!)

– Norwegian Gem – Budget Cruises Pitching Luxury: You Don’t Get What You Pay For, You Only Think You Do.

– Paul Gauguin (2007)

– Princess Cruises Doesn’t Treat You Like Royalty; Celebrity Cruises Does! Which is a Better Value for the Upscale Cruise Guest? Part I – Celebrity Silhouette vs. -Royal Princess – Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part II: The Standard Veranda Staterooms – Celebrity Silhouette vs. Royal Princess – Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part III: Treating You Right From The Start – Celebrity Silhouette vs. Royal Princess – Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part IV: The Wine Lists Speak Volumes (As Do The Beverage Packages)

   Regent Seven Seas Voyager – August 2017

• Goldring Travel Revisits Regent Seven Seas Cruises (Seven Seas Voyager: Rome to Barcelona – August 1, 2017)
• Goldring Travel Revisits Regent Seven Seas Cruises (Seven Seas Voyager: Rome to Barcelona – August 1, 2017) – Getting There and First Impressions
• Goldring Travel Revisits Regent Seven Seas Cruises (Seven Seas Voyager: Rome to Barcelona – August 1, 2017) – Part III (Florence and Ajaccio: Starting to Drill Down on the Regent Experience)
• Goldring Travel Revisits Regent Seven Seas Cruises (Seven Seas Voyager: Rome to Barcelona – August 1, 2017) – Part IV (La Spezia and Monaco: Consistent Inconsistencies and Misses)
• Goldring Travel Revisits Regent Seven Seas Cruises (Seven Seas Voyager: Rome to Barcelona – August 1, 2017) – Part V (Antibes and Marseilles: The Ensemble Experience, Cultural Wine “Tasting” and Sette Mari – Luxury Experiences for Sure)
• Goldring Travel Revisits Regent Seven Seas Cruises (Seven Seas Voyager: Rome to Barcelona – August 1, 2017) – Part VI (Palamos, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca & Valencia: Culinary Bliss..and Consistent Inconsistencies)
• Goldring Travel Revisits Regent Seven Seas Cruises (Seven Seas Voyager: August 1, 2017) – Caveat Emptor! Consistently Inconsistent: Not a “Six Star Luxury” Cruise Experience

– Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas Travelogue – Prologue – Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas – My First 24 Hours – Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas – A Hurricane Runs Through It…Almost – Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas Travelogue – The Last Days …

– Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part I – Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part II (Getting There, The Stateroom and First Impressions) – Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part III (“You Can’t Teach Five Star Service” and Bonafacio, Corsica) – Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part IV (Calvi, Monaco, Portofino, Porto Azzurro…and Stale Bread) – Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part V (My Last Day…and How The Chef’s Team Makes It Happen)

• Silversea Expedition Cruises – Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part I
• Silversea Expedition Cruises –Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part II (Singapore & Raffles Hotel)
• Silversea Expedition Cruises – Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part III (Ship Happens: Singapore Day 2)
• Silversea Expedition Cruises –  Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part IV (The Ship Arrives)
• Silversea Expedition Cruises –  Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part V (The Expedition Begins – Orangutans & Jimmy Buffett)
• Silversea Expedition Cruises – Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part VI (What is an Expedition Cruise? Why am I Here?)
• Silversea Expedition Cruises – Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part VII (Myanmar – No Complaints!)
• Silversea Expedition Cruises – Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part VIII (Myanmar – Developing Tourism & Finding Nemo Again)

• Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review – Part I
• Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review – Part II
• Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review – Part III
• Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review – Part IV
• Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review – Part V
• Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review – Part VI
• Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review – Part VII

– A Few Days in Taipei, Taiwan – Who Knew? – Part I – A Few Days in Taipei, Taiwan – Who Knew? – Part II – A Few Days in Taipei, Taiwan – Who Knew? – Part III (Spa, Beauty and Fashion) – A Few Days in Taipei, Taiwan – Who Knew? – Part IV (Cuisine: Street, Sublime & Surreal)

– Windstar Cruises’ Star Breeze Inaugural Cruise – Part I – Windstar Cruises’ Star Breeze Inaugural Cruise – Part II – The Transformation of A Cruise Line – Windstar Cruises’ Star Breeze Inaugural Cruise – Part III – The Windstar Experience 2.0

– Windstar Cruises – Star Pride Black Sea Cruise – Part I – Windstar Cruises – Star Pride Black Sea Cruise – Part II – Windstar Cruises – Star Pride Black Sea Cruise – Part III

Windstar’s Wind Surf – Caribbean – January 2014

• Luxury Hotels
• Cruise Line Referral Program
• Testimonials

Goldring Travel Blog – Making Waves

Cruise & travel news, reviews, opinions, deals & more.

• May 21, 2024

Goldring Travel

Oceania riviera in japan – discovering a premium experience: reflections (what does one problematic cruise tell me).

I really wanted my Oceania Riviera cruise experience to be exceptional, albeit I did take its “ Finest Cuisine at Sea ” with a bit of a marketing over substance approach. Unfortunately, things fell short; and not just a little short. 

At the outset, I need to mention that my Reflections articles normally reflect back on the entirety of my travel journey. But I am not doing that here because my experience in Japan was pretty much totally independent of my Oceania Riviera experience. (I don’t feel one should color the other either positively or negatively.)

How many of you have heard me say to be careful about listening to folks on Cruise Critic or elsewhere because they go on one cruise and deem themselves “experts”. Well, I am pretty confident my experience was not the typical Oceania experience in some regards, but enlightening in quite a few. Hence, some of my observations are not going to be consistent fleetwide or even on Oceania Riviera months from now.

Here are my prior articles on my Oceania Riviera cruise experience:

• Oceania Riviera in Japan – Discovering a Premium Experience – Part I

Oceania Riviera in Japan – Discovering a Premium Experience: Getting There & Tokyo Part I I

Oceania riviera in japan – discovering a premium experience: tokyo part iii, oceania riviera in japan – discovering a premium experience: part four (rough seas), oceania riviera in japan – discovering a premium experience: part five (getting on, the penthouse suite plus nagoya, kochi, kagoshima, cooking class & la reserve), oceania riviera in japan – discovering a premium experience: part six (nagasaki & busan), oceania riviera in japan – discovering a premium experience: part seven (hiroshima and beppu, japan), oceania riviera in japan – discovering a premium experience: part eight (kyoto & shimizu + internet & culinary issues update).

I invested in my Oceania Riviera experience in every way possible to upscale my Oceania Riviera cruise; hopefully showing off Oceania at its best. I paid to upgrade to a suite, paid for the premium beverage package, paid for the faster internet, paid for the La Reserve dining experience, paid for a tour, paid for bottles of premium wines, and paid for a cooking class. But as you will read, most of it was not a good investment. 

In fact, I had a client sailing on Oceania’s sister line, Regent Seven Seas, on essentially the same itinerary at the same time, and Regent was thousands of dollars less expensive!

My Oceania pre-cruise experience was – reflecting back – filled with frustrations and disappointments from the outset.  That is, in part, due to the category you book affecting your access to pre-cruise options.  When I was booked in a Veranda stateroom I could not make dinner reservations or book tours until after Suite and Concierge level guests had access to them. By the time I could book them, virtually all of the tours were sold out (yes, there were waitlists, but I only cleared one), and times and dates for dining were less than optimal (usually the last two seatings).  

When I boarded I found my suite to be quite nicely updated, but definitely buffed up with an older design. The marble bathroom was nice but the shower had poor waterflow and the “glasses” by the sink were plastic.  The amenities were Bulgari; a nice touch.

My original butler was basically worthless. He called me “Goldring”; not “Eric” or “Mr. Goldring”, and couldn’t get a breakfast order correct. Assistance with a tour was feeble. However, my second butler was perfect!

The biggest problem was that there was no internet in my suite. After three days of being told the issue was with my laptop (you know, the one that has been on how many ships), the internet manager finally came to my suite to find that t here was virtually no signal in my suite …and there was no one on board that could fix the problem. I was relegated to sitting in a bar with my laptop to get any real work done. 

But even then, as it was eventually explained to me, while Oceania Riviera has Starlink internet, each passenger’s account is so restricted as to the amount of data that can flow (think of a hose that is pinched almost closed), service onboard was the worst I have encountered in years. In fact, when we had to go through immigration onboard in Hiroshima, it was delayed hours because Japanese Immigration couldn’t get enough signal. (The following cruise they did it onshore.) 

I also found that all of my dinner reservations had been changed to dining with others (a concept I haven’t dealt with for decades) and having them changed back was incredibly frustrating. This was mostly because I came to find those in charge of dinner reservations just didn’t care; letting the telephone go unanswered and promised resolutions just not happening.  Yes, after three days and numerous visits but only after assistance from both Reception and Guest Services were they sorted.

But, as with my suite, that wasn’t the biggest issue. It was the dining experience which, honestly, was the worst I have encountered, possibly ever. While I discounted the “Finest Cuisine at Sea”, the number of literally inedible meals was shocking. Yes, the backbone of Oceania’s culinary team departed en masse, but that was well over a year ago.  

While I was disappointed with undercooked pasta and strange preparations (you can read about the specifics in my other articles), my experience at La Reserve was inexcusable. It started with reused menus with pencil erasures changing the vintages of wines…that were sparingly poured (shocking!). Dishes were undercooked to the point of raw. But the one that that really angered me was being served a weird Portobella Mushroom and Black Truffle Risotto (with no black truffles; only truffle dust) and two days later find the same Portobella Risotto in the buffet! Don’t take me for a fool and hit me up for $180 per person for that!

However, as poor as the cuisine was, the waitstaff was excellent. In Jacques, especially, it was true teamwork that was a pleasure to experience and made the dining experience far better than the cuisine. (I am confident the waitstaff was aware of the culinary issues because I was never asked if there was an issue when the plates were removed hardly eaten.)

Similarly, the bar staff also were top-notch. The bartenders made consistently good cocktails, and the servers were solid. (They could have used a few more during peak times!)  However, Oceania places unfortunate constraints on both. There is a “pour count” on the spirit bottles, so overpours are not an option. (For example, a scotch on the rocks, is one measure and no more…not premium!) On the other hand, the servers only earn based on the cocktails they sell, so you regularly hear, “Would you like to make that a double?”. (No, I prefer a well-made G&T.)

One big issue is trying to get a glass of champagne, or a cocktail, or even a beer before 3:00 p.m. There is only one bar open: The pool bar…unless the weather is bad (as it was) and then the Horizon bar forward was the only option (though not publicized!)…for 1,200 passengers and no real servers. The only other option is to sit in the buffet or an open restaurant and order a drink there. (Room Service?)

And that brings me to the Premium Beverage Package. Included with an Oceania cruise is the Simply More package which offers you – honestly, just OK – wines and beer at lunch and dinner in the restaurants. If you want something better, you pretty much have to purchase a bottle…but that creates another issue: With the Premium Beverage Package you get a 15% discount on bottles, but then are hit with a 20% gratuity!

Further, combining that with the limitation on relaxing access to alcoholic beverages and balancing them against the cost of the Premium Beverage Package, my recommendation is to save your money and purchase them ala carte…unless you spend your afternoons and evenings seriously drinking.

As for shore excursions, I noticed upon boarding the ship a very long line for the shore excursion desk. I can’t imagine wanting to spend my first moments queued up for over an hour. I used my butler to avoid the line (a mistake because all he did was drop off an order form for a tour the next day), but my issue was resolved late that evening. Unfortunately, I wish it hadn’t, as the shore excursion’s guide could not speak even decent broken English, so we were basically on our own. There were numerous complaints about Oceania’s shore excursions, but I only experienced one.

Overall, I found there were two kinds of staff and crew on the Oceania Riviera: Those that really cared and took pride in their work and those who were just going through the motions, caring little about delivering a quality guest experience. This was not only my observation, but that of quite a few of the caring staff and crew…who felt a bit more appreciated when I complimented them by saying how their approach was refreshing and appreciated.

As for the ship overall, the best I can say is that it appeared to be well-maintained – other than public area furnishings – but dated both in design and decor. I found the dining venues to be a bit more upscale and modern

Whew! That was a lot…especially when I my expectation was that my Oceania Riviera experience was going to be a good one.  Oh well.

Now, that said, Oceania has its new Vista (May 2023) and Allure (2025) are more modern ships but with the same 1,200 passengers and 67,000 gross tons.  There are no plans for more new ships until 2027 and 2029 which will increase capacity to 1,400 passengers and 86,000 gross tons.  By that time the smaller R-Class ships will truly be getting long in the tooth, but I have no idea if Oceania plans on keeping them or shifting its overall capacity to the newer, more environmentally and economically appealing ships.

Reflecting on my Oceania experience, I can say that I feel I should give Oceania a second chance because I honestly can’t believe the Oceania product is as poor as what I experienced. But I also need to moderate my expectations as its pricing structure and the numerous extra charges fit well within its parent company, NCL Holdings’ expressly being “Laser-Focused on Cost Management”.  I can’t tell how much that “laser-focus” affected my recent experience, but I do have concerns over what it means into the future from actual high-speed internet access, to food costs, to beverage management, to – most importantly – staff and crew compensation.

And with all of that, I do have to conclude by stating that I have a number of clients who love Oceania Cruises. There has to be a reason that I was cheated out of!

Interested in a Luxury Journey by Cruise, Expedition, or Land?

Contact goldring travel for truly expert advice, email:  [email protected] , us: (877) 2go-luxury or (530) 562-9232, uk: 020 8133 3450, aus: (07) 3102 4685, whatsapp: +1 732-693-8797, facebook:  goldring travel.

Waves We’ve Made

Automatically receive articles.

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 3,505 other followers

Goldring Travel LLC 12177 Business Park Drive, Suite 6,  Truckee, California 96161

US:   (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898) UK:   020 8133 3450 AUS: (07) 3102 4685 Everywhere Else: +1 530-562-9232  Email:  [email protected]

California Seller of Travel No. 2127458-40

Contact | Privacy Policy | Sitemap

© 2023 Goldring Travel.

Click one of our contacts below to chat on WhatsApp

Social Chat is free, download and try it now here!

• Vacation Rentals
• Restaurants
• Things to do
• Things to Do
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travellers' Choice
• Help Centre

Oceania cruise - Cruises Forum

• Tripadvisor Forums    
• Cruises Forums

Oceania cruise

• Canada Forums
• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Vacation Rentals
• Cruises forum

Where can I find menus for Oceania ship restaurants and their wine lists?

I like the idea of a smaller ship, but wonder how well they travel in rough seas?

36 replies to this topic

It was the best cruise I have done. The service is excellent, the staterooms comfortable, the food delicious with all restaurants free plus the incentives for Aussies are great with just about everything included in the fare including gratuities, etc.

The other advantage of a smaller ship is that they can do ports that the bigger ships can’t. The stabilizers they use means that you don’t notice any movement at sea.

https://eatsleepcruise.com/oceania-cruises-restaurant-guide-with-menus/

https://www.oceaniacruiseseventsapac.com/

Anyone know where to find alcohol prices on board so I can see if their drinks package is worthwhile?

Also found a suggestion that their excursions are not very good. Any comments?

https://www.theluxurycruisereview.com/oceania-beverage-packages/

https://www.thepreismans.com/riviera_21_menus.htm#main

You can also take a couple of bottles on board. We also picked up alcohol while ashore several times and there was no problems

WE are fans of Oceania but we rarely do excursions preferring private ones

The drink packages are pretty good if you are a drinker $60 PP PD for the premium package includes most drinks except some of the top Scotches/Cognacs excludes the Sake in Red Ginger

My go to guy for photos

https://www.thepreismans.com/riviera_21_menus.htm

just a mention that on the R ships cabin below PH level are fairly small & H/C cabins at insides

If you can spring for a PH that would give you more space

Sirena have some H/C cabins that have a balcony or window view

The O class ships Marina & Riviera have more H/C cabins if you need one plus they have the Extended balcony cabins on deck 7

The new Vista will be sailing in 2023

Yrs you can usually take wine onboard & if you take it to a dining venue you pay the Corkage fee $25 per bottle

Spirits can be taken onboard for use in your cabin

Check out the forum on CC

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/29-oceania-cruises/

iht28, thanks for your post. Drinks packages are more than I need. So, if I take wine aboard, do I pay corkage if I consume it in my cabin?

I don't understand some of your suggestions for cabins. (I'm an inexperienced cruiser, so far, though it looks like that might change).

PH is Penthouse, which I definitely can't afford, especially as a solo traveller. But what is H/C?

Not interested in the obstructed oceanview cabins or the interiors.

I'm looking at Verandah cabins on Insignia, which are classed as A1,A2,A3, B1,B2 and Oceanview classed as C1,C2, D and E. As a solo traveller, they will be big enough for me. Any learned opinions on which are the best decks and cabins in those categories?

H/C cabins are accessible or handicap.

You only pay corkage if you take your own wine to dinner. If you buy a bottle of wine and don't finish the bottle, they will keep it for you and serve it on subsequent nights regardless of where you dine.

I would recommend a veranda cabin over ocean view as the nicest part of cruising is sitting on the balcony watching the whales go past or the coast as well as when coming into & out of port.

It is generally recommended to get a cabin on a deck that has cabins above and below, as there is nothing worse than deck chairs being moved above you at 6am or the disco below you raging on till 3am. Generally midship is better but I would just get the cheapest available in the balcony category, although when we were on Insignia I splurged for a butler cabin, which was nice but unnecessary. Another consideration is that you don't want your balcony cabin being anywhere near a designated smoking area, of which there are few but there nonetheless.

• Help choosing - first time cruiser 15:19
• Booking an MSC Cruise from the USA website as a non-American 13:57
• Update for Celebrity Constellation? 12:26
• Australians using 'Vacations To Go' yesterday
• Arcadia P&O - Dress code yesterday
• Regional dining options - variations in quality/ experience yesterday
• Food Poisoning on P&O ship 23 May 2024
• Ambassador cruise 23 May 2024
• excursions:private or by Princess? 22 May 2024
• Princess Cruise in Oct 2024 $$ Qs 22 May 2024
• Carnival shares 22 May 2024
• St Maarten 22 May 2024
• Alaskan cruise misses the mark 22 May 2024
• Unforgettable Greece cruises — any reviews? 22 May 2024
• First, tell us WHERE YOU LIVE if that info isn't in your profile!
• Can I remove the auto- gratuity? I want to tip only a few ... how much should I tip?
• What's the best cruise/ship?
• Is a cruise an all inclusive vacation?
• How do I even get started picking a cruise?
• How can I find a cheap cruise?
• How much are alcoholic drinks? Can I bring my own alcohol?
• What are the odds of an upgrade?
• What should I know about the cruise contract?
• What are the noisy locations to avoid on a cruise ship?
• What's the best way to see the ports on my cruise?
• What are cruise dress codes? Do I have to follow them to get in the dining room?
• What kind of insurance do I need? Can I skip that expense?
• What do you wish someone told you before your 1st cruise?
• Cruise Reviews and Reports for cruise lines operating from Australia / New Zealand
• Australia / South Pacific - things I wish I knew before I cruised including port info
• What should you order for the best food on board?
• What you should know about river cruising
• Regional pricing - at what cost?