Oceania Cruises Pros And Cons Of Cruising With Them
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ม.ค. 2020
- What are the pros and cons of cruising with Oceania Cruises? I explore what the line does best, well and also what things to watch out for and consider when choosing an Oceania Cruise. Finding the right cruise line for you is key to having a great cruising vacation. This should hopefully help you decide if Oceania is right for you. I explore the type of cruise experience, ships, dining options, fare inclusions and exclusions, type of cruise passenger best for and more.
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Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers aims to help you make more of your precious travel time and money on land and when cruising the oceans or rivers of the world. To help you, in every video I draw on my first-hand tips and advice from travelling every month for over 20 years and 60+ cruises.
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The no children facilities is a pro. I don't think it is a con. Especially for someone looking for peace and relaxation
Try i
Yeah the go karts, roller coasters, laser tag .....all musts for Cruising!!! More upcharge activities PLEASE!!!
But kids are still allows though aren’t they? So without clubs where are the kids going to go when they’re in the ship?
Sail on when you died
Gary is by far the best cruise vlogger. Although I subscribe to others, Gary's vlogs are more informative, insightful, and critical. And by critical, he shares the pros and cons in an objective and thoughtful way. He is very transparent when he is expressing a personal opinion. Gary is the BEST!
This is the best and most accurate cruise review ever for Oceania. It is spot on for the pros and cons. One pro item worth mentioning is the self service laundry with a minimal charge that is a nice bonus. There also are 2 for 1 happy hours every day. A con is the level of the gratuities that are added to your bill that are at the high end for cruise lines. Lastly is the gratuity service charge that is added to your drink purchases. And you get onLy one night dining in the specialty restaurants, however you can be added to a wait list and will probably be able to dine early or late as reservations are cancelled. The food is so good in the grand dining room however we did not take time to dine in the specialty restaurants. Oceania is our favorite cruise line!!!
What are the gratuities costs like?
It’s the Best line for FOOD and ITINERARIES, NOT for Entertainment or nonstop excitement or for Families. The Accommodations are Very Good.
Thank you.... very informative. Many of your "cons" (i.e. not geared towards children) sound like pros to me!
Abby ... Were you ever a child?
If so....Did you hate yourself?
Just wondering..................
@@cruisecrazy7066 that has nothing to do with it. A person can grow up, decide to actually enjoy their adulthood in the manner they choose, as well as decide given the state of the world that it would just be cruel to bring another human into it.
Also...we didn't ask to be born.
@@andream9470 Fair comment.
That was just the impression I got watching the video.
And you hope that your children will help to take care of you when you get old and frail.
@@cruisecrazy7066 lol a person that has children with the direct intention of making them care for them while they're "old and frail" is a person whose children will probably go as far out of contact as possible when it's time.
Also...the childfree don't really age like people who had kids. Just so you know.
@@andream9470 Having your kids care for your aging self may not be the reason you have kids, but it is part of tradition.
And... I cannot believe that the child free age differently.
We all get old, and eventually frail, and need assistance. Then we die.
That's life.
I love to get dressed up on a cruise, so I get dressed up every night on our Oceania cruises. We have been on 14 of them. Nobody has ever made fun of me!
Great review Gary. My wife and I have taken 3 cruises on Oceania and they have been memorable. One thing my wife and I really like is to schedule our port days so we eat lunch in the Grand Dining Room. It is not very crowded and the staff are very relaxed, you get incredible service and you are not rushed to complete your meal.
We enjoyed the main dining room on Regatta for lunch, also. We only rarely eat in buffet restaurants. The special restaurants on Regatta are higher up on the ship, which can be less comfortable if the ocean is rocky. We are not "buffet people," in general, and usually only dine there on embarkation day or when there is a special themed menu. We also enjoyed dining in our suite, and took most meals there.
We easily worked around the one device wifi limit. We had a laptop with 2 wifi cards sharing the wifi at the cabin, so whoever was in the cabin shared the wifi. As well as we could share wifi with others on the mobile so whoever was close also had wifi though it.
My suggestion is to take an Oceania Suite - you get 7 bottles of liquor/wine per cruise; laundry; preferential treatment for as many speciality restaurants as you wish/ butlers/ 3 cleaning crew/ and in the time of Covid, it’s behind a glass door and accessible only to the Oceania Suite guests. Yes, the shows are not Oceania’s strong point, but Oceania Suites have their own private en-suite video rooms. Also painting classes and the cooking classes are great.Most people cruise with Oceania for Jacques Pepin’s incredible cuisine!!! My husband and I dress every night for dinner. We don’t care if others do or not. Sometimes people look at us, and then we find that they too start to dress at dinner. The ships DESERVE that people dress beautifully in the evening. Again there are never children, which is a huge plus for most of us. Cruising doesn’t have to be only for the young, who have to do something every single moment of the day and night. It can also be a relaxing respite away from work and the stresses of daily life - and that is what you will get with Oceania. Riviera and Marina have incredible, huge spas onboard. We stick with those two ships, as we want a suite with two bathrooms. Also, you might want to mention that Oceania has the largest suites in the industry, even the “normal” suites.
The video room is a huge innovation. Even the fanciest suites on the biggest ships usually don't dedicate much effort to private viewing. What's it like? Screen type (projector or OLED or other tech?), screen size, how many surround speakers, etc? Also, is it well soundproofed?
The Owner's Suite looks very impressive too.
I like the idea that everyone on a smaller ship goes to the show together after dinner. Feels like an evening program with new friends and community.
I would not want to be part of a herd of cattle going to some show, even if that meant I would be in the company of new friends. The only time I would want to be part of a herd is for an included shore excursion at a port of call. Instead of the evening's scheduled show, my preferred evening entertainment will include singing along with a piano player, followed by a few minutes at the Internet cafe, a couple hours of gaming at the ship's casino, and then a nightcap in a bar someplace.
I too travelled solo on Oceania for 3 weeks and I LOVED it
Good to hear!!
"If you are really into food, and that really turns you on.."
Sign me up.
Why haven't I heard about this at all ?? But yet I'm supposedly attached to this company ? And have people missing there !
Booked for December hope it happens!
Am so looking forward to cruising with Oceania Marina in January 2023 and then Vista for five back to back cruises commencing in July. I was lucky and have my gratuities paid for as a perk so at times you can get these . Hope to meet some wonderful Oceania travelers soon. Thanks Gary love your work.
FYI, Chef Pépin is mostly adored in the USA, and he has the approachable demeanor of someone's jolly grandfather (who just happens to make a mean béchamel sauce.)
Thank you for the detailed information you provide. I appreciate that it is not sensationalized like so many other TH-cam channels. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for watching. Great to hear you feel is detailed and in-depth :-)
Happy New Year Sir! Thank you for your outstanding productions!
Thanks :-)
Really love Oceania. Thanks for your incredibly professional and informative videos. In our opinion, the very best cruising reviews. May you have a wonderful 2020.
Thanks! Appreciate you watching my videos. Good to hear you enjoy them !
@@tipsfortravellers is there unlimited alcohol on oceania or not, on seabourn its unlimited included alcohol
Thanks Gary, always concise and well presented!
Great to hear! Thanks. Appreciate you watching my videos
TYVM! Very appealing. For me, the only downside to Oceania is not as solo-friendly pricing as some others.
Since I’ve cruised NCL I now get Oceania brochures all the time! Like weekly. Kind of annoying. I don’t think it’s for me even though I’m 55 just for the fact I might get bored w lack of things to do. What appeals to me on this line is the food experience and the enrichment classes.
As somebody whos been the asshole kid on a cruise (we all grow up one day) i genuinely think its a plus, at least on some lines, to not have a bunch of kids running around screaming, using the hottubs as the teen hangout/kiddy splash pool ect. Of course if you go on royal Caribbean you expect that stuff but I hate when companies try to be everything to everyone. Have an identity.
Me too!
LMAO great review
Just booked a 30 day Oceania South America, Patagonia and Antarctica cruise so I found this very informative.
Very honest review. Fully agree with all points Gary made.
We got returned from sailing on the MARINA/ Oceania: 16 Day Baltic Cruise. Relaxed, it was like our home-away-from-home, much more relaxed cruising these days: no Captain’s Dinner, no gowns, cocktail dresses sometimes in the specialty restaurants only. One correction though: Gary’s comment as referring to the dressed down feeling as “country casual” should have said “COUNTRY CLUB CASUAL”, as in golf country club look to the clothing worn by almost all…
Did not see one baseball cap, lol, not on the ship anyway, and only saw ONE CHILD on the whole cruise, who was visibly very unhappy every time we ran into her, as no one to play with in the pool, etc. These cruise ships do not attract parents with children. There are no games, no water slides, no belly flop contests, etc. The excursions visited incredibly historic places, cities and parks that may not mean anything to kids….or to some adults for that matter! The highlight for the child would be seeing The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, and she was wowed! It was something I always wanted to see, so this 7 yr old shared the same delight as this 70+ yr old. I was happy and happy for us both.
Gary, very well done, the videos you do are excellent, Dreaming of my next cruise, saving saving money,,,
Thanks! Appreciate you watching my videos
We have sailed on both Oceania and Viking. I love both but I have to say that Oceania definitely gets the nod on the food. While Viking certainly has very good food, it just cannot compare with the menus from Jacques Pepin on Oceania. Maybe Viking could consider hiring someone like Marcus Samuelson!
Thank you Gary, Excellent video very well Presented .
First time I've watched one of your videos. I find it to be very fair, balanced, and informative. Having sailed on Oceania about 20 times, the only "bone that I'd pick" with you relates to extra costs. You need a better travel agent. In 20 cruises, I have never paid gratuities. They were always comped. [And, once you reach Silver status -- 11th cruise and up -- there are no gratuities under any circumstances.]. Otherwise, you are completely accurate. The entertainment isn't great, and the dress code is VERY forgiving. It's not a cruise line for your grandchildren, but it is absolutely fabulous for people looking for great food, exceptional service, and a relaxed atmosphere. You didn't mention the gyms, which are well appointed and offer many specialized classes. It is my fervent hope that Norwegian Cruise Lines (Oceania's owner) survives the apocalypse, and that I can get back onto either the Marina or Riviera. [Having sailed on Disney, Carnival, Celebrity, Viking, and Princess, it's my opinion that NONE of these companies should be mentioned in the same breath as Oceania.]
November 7 will be my 20th cruise with Oceania Riviera. Before that I cruised solely on Regent Voyager (Regent used to own Oceania -now it’s the other way around), and I did the world cruise twice on Voyager, because I loved Captain Dag and the World Cruise directors, Dana and Jamie. However, once on Voyager, we “blew” one of the engines; almost got hijacked in the Gulf of Oman (luckily we had taken on Israeli security guards, and it was the Maersk Alabama the Somali’s took instead), and we limped at half speed through the Middle East and into the Mediterranean and had to disembark and cut the last third of the cruise. Then Oceania came out with Marina and Riviera and we never looked back. My husband and I did the Baltic on Marina, and absolutely loved the huge Oceania Suite with 2 full bathrooms, 2 jacuzzis (one on the terrace) and its’ own private theatre en-suite. Now the OC is all we book. Mostly on Riviera in the Med. Also Jacques Pepin’s food in every restaurant was a huge plus for us. We don’t care about the entertainment. We go for the relaxation and the fabulous cuisine. I don’t go in the sun, so unless in port, I lounge in the huge suite during the day, and dress for evening. We both have high powered jobs, and this is our respite twice a year. We had 3 cruises cancelled on 2020, so we cannot wait for the Monte Carlo to Rome, and back to back Rome to Miami cruises this coming November. Yes, they are expensive, but once you have been on Oceania, you simply cannot go to another ship - especially a mega ship, ugh, because the amenities and the no children are worth every single dime. Always book through American Express Platinum Travel, and there will be no gratuities, ever. However, I tip our cleaning crew (3 men) every single day, as well as our butler. For a 28 day cruise, that adds another $1100, but it’s well worth it, for the level of care. I’m a very fastidious person - the type who straightens the sheets before the crew comes in every day to change them - but they work hard, and they deserve the extra money, and I know exactly to whom it is going. And I agree with you 100% that NO other cruise line should ever be mentioned in the same breath as Oceania! (And the spa and hairdressers are fabulous, plus we get $1200 shipboard credit with every 12 day cruise plus $300 spa credits. Add the Amex cruise credits, and we have $3600 onboard credits to spend in the spa, gift shops or excursions (tho’ we rarely do them having cruised the world so many times). Also, we are given 7 bottles of wine or spirits for each cruise - no need to buy drinks. Ever. Oceania; Vista and Owner’s Suites always have those amenities. We just prefer the Oceania because of the private theatre.
@@TerryEbertMendozza Yep, Oceania is truly "a find". Our next trip begins out of Miami on October 30th, and ends in Barbados. Notably, the cost will total about $1000. This is due to the fact that we were on a South American voyage (Buenos Aires to Lima) when the COVID scare arose, and ended up being denied entry to Peru, Chile (where we'd just been), etc. Ultimately, Oceania paid to sail through the Panama Canal, and we ended up in Miami about 10 days later than the putative conclusion of the trip. EVERYTHING on board was comped during the extension, Oceania paid for all the adjusted flight plans and arrangements to get a bunch of Australians and Brits home, and then gave us a huge "credit" for our "inconvenience"--an extra week+ of free food and drink, wonderful service, entertainment, etc. etc. [When we arrived home, our friends and family were expressing their condolences at our "harrowing experience," while we bit our tongues.]. Perhaps we'll meet on an Oceania cruise in the future. I certainly won't be seen on any other cruise line.
I wonder whether Gary uses travel agents to help him book his cruises, or if he doesn't use TAs, then he probably books directly with the cruise lines. Sometimes, I wonder whether I have a really good TA to help me find deals that would include gratuities, but if I did have a great TA, sometimes the cruise lines might or might not offer those deals except to anybody who is in a higher frequent cruiser program tier than me with either RCCL or Celebrity. Celebrity now offers the Everything Included promotion that includes beverages, gratuities, wifi, and something else. I don't know whether RCCL offers the same kind of promotion.
@@gatorcock79 we will be on the Monte Carlo to Rome, last Mediterranean cruise. We are a few days in Monte Carlo first and a few days in Rome afterwards. We were booked to do the back to back from Rome on to Miami, and only have to fly one way. However, my husband can’t be gone 36 days (including the before time), so I cancelled the Rome to Miami and switched it to Miami to Rome in April. I’m kind of easy to spot on the ship. I don’t sit by a pool - I hibernate in the Oceania Suite during the day, and then dress at night, so please, if you see us, say hello. Yes, it’s Oceania for me forever. Especially Riviera and Marina, because of the Oceania Suite! Happy travels!!!
@@shepwillner7507 I imagine Gary does his own booking. I used to with Regent, and as long as I used my American Express Platinum Card, Regent allowed the same perks as if Amex Travel were booking. When I switched to Oceania (who owns Regent), I started using American Express Travel, because they can be reached 24-7, and that fee is redeemed on one fine hotel stay or one cruise (not even a night); the perks of the Platinum Card are so great. I “don’t leave home without it!”.
Thank you for all the great tips... have a wonderful 2020.
Thanks! Appreciate you watching my videos. A great 2020 to you too
Gary, you nailed it…!!!
Fantastic food! Lousy entertainment. Another pro - some good itineraries. Also, somewhat more often than others with overnights in port. It’s been a while since I cruised with them, but essentially all that you said was my experience also.
Happy New Year Gary!
Hugs and wishing u a great year!
Love ur vlogs as always.
Looks very classy that ship. Love the food...mmm my kind of ship for sure!
Thanks for sharing.
Xoxoxo
Thanks! Appreciate you watching my videos. happy New Year to you too
We love Oceania. About to do our 11th with them. Couple of extra points: “O” has a good loyalty program. Your Travel Agent may offer incentives like free gratuities or travel rebate. One thing to highlight is O’s fantastic staff. Smaller ships means docking where big ships must tender. Or visiting ports the big ships can’t. You can go upriver to Bangkok or Saigon or St Petersburg, for example. They also offer discounts for unlimited excursions or for getting a minimum number. There beds are unbelievably comfortable. Finally all the smaller ships have been completely redone with modern cabin amenities you find on the new mega ships such as bedside USB ports, multiple dual voltage outlets and smart new TVs. And they don’t nickel and dime you to death. Free water for excursions, sodas and snacks. To sum it up: yes the entertainment is only “fine” but usually 50-60% of the passengers are repeats.
Sorry for the iPhone autocorrect idiocies in the post 😱
Thanks for watching. Great to hear your input and thoughts! I agree :)
@@charlesredick9424 You have just about nailed it. Plus the small Library for a peace and quiet read.
And the Canyon Ranch gymnasium/ sauna /massage / spa but I believe the franchise has been transferred. Anyway we love Oceania too!
No entertainment s fine with me and not many activities- perfect! Maybe I will try this ship.
We have been on many cruises with Oceania (small and larger ships) and we absolutely agree with your list of cons and pros and other comments. And yes, not having programs for kids is definitely a Pro...I also agree that the emphasis on port stay should also be a pro...
Excellent review, as always.
Thanks for watching. Great to hear you enjoyed it
Just revisited this video after booking a 12 night Oceania Cruise in 2022. Invaluable information, thanks Gary
Great to hear :-) Thanks!
Pepin is a Master. Hello. His pastry books alone are amazing. He is a wow factor.
Agree :-)
Thank you for all the wonderful videos! Love watching them but i'm a simpel guy all i want in a cruise is good food a decent room and enjoy the time off visit the islands. Entertainment is not a big deal for me.
very helpful and honest. thankyou
Since Princess just canceled our 10 day Tahiti cruise on the Pacific Princess we've been looking for another option & I think this just might be it. Thank you for your insight!
We have been on the Oceania cruise line (the Riviera) and you are absolutely correct when you say the food is excellent We have also cruised on the Regent Seven Seas- THE premium cruise line and the food is very good on that ship as well but Oceania is the best for the food over all. The service and accommodations on both ships are also great.
I’m from Las Vegas. The entertainment to me is not necessary and the dressing up is not necessary but the food is a must. That’s why we cruise this cruise line. We love it and love the specialty restaurants. We will be boarding in September from Copenhagen and our final destinations will be Amsterdam. And we are staying in a suite so we are very fortunate.
Been on 4 Oceania cruises - 2 Regatta, 1 Riviera, 1 Nautica - and are planning two more. Gary, your commentary is spot on!
Thanks! Appreciate you watching my videos. Good to hear you such Oceania fans and agree
Hello Mr&Mrs. Hutchison.. i hope you remember me. Take care always and hopefully i will see you on your next cruise. Mr. Gary take care and see you too.
Excellent review.
I did the Olife with airfare once and will not do again. I had to pay extra for a different departure day, extra for choosing my own itinerary (and even then some of my choices were unavailable), extra again if my itinerary wasn't within their budget. But I'm an Oceania fan and it's always my first choice. Plus my TA can get extra rebates and gratuities included.
At around the 11 minute mark, that is my wife and I dancing in the center of the picture! We thoroughly enjoyed this cruise.
Thank you for the video!
Another great review, I am booked on the Regatta next month Darwin to Singapore. Looking forward to it. Living in Penang I am faced with getting to the departure port. Darwin is not too difficult from Penang. Over the last few years I have travelled with NCL with mixed results, like you I do not drink nor does my companion a full time employed care giver. Really enjoy your channel, keep up the good work. I notice Oceania offer some ‘halal’ food choices which is great for us.
Im here because my dad wants to go on this cruise, and he is a chef, massive food fan, and im more on the side of FUN and activities, so its probably gonna be the experience of his life and the most boring time of mine hahaha, but the locations seem super fun.
love love Insignia,Oceania.
Gary, we love your videos and would love for you to start including coverage of how special dietary needs like Gluten Free are handled on these different cruise lines. For me it's one of the principal aspects of cruising since it's very difficult or impossible for me to eat safely in many destinations. There is really very little information about this on the premium lines, and the quality of their GF offerings can vary greatly.
That is a beautiful ship and the review is very informative
Thanks! Really appreciate you watching!
Thanks Gary, would love to try them, but they are expensive. I keep checking prices.
R Class generally may carry 684 passengers. O Class 1,350 guests. However with the average age of the cruisers more than a handful may be solo. And with very very few children you probably have about 600 in the r Class and 590 on the o Class. Never crowded.
this review sounds amazing. i absolutely have to look into one of these cruises, however i get the sense that it's not really for a solo traveler.
I’ve booked my first ever cruise with OC next year, travelling solo. The smaller ship is definitely a big appeal. I’ve travelled through Europe several times solo and I mean solo, not on a group tour, and I never feel lonely and enjoy doing my own thing. Paying for single supplement isn’t great, but I’ll be flying on points so with the savings in flight costs I can sort of justify. OC do have some single occupancy rooms but pretty small and no window/balcony so I’m going full on balcony and what the hell!
Jacques Pépin is well known in the US. He has had shows on PBS, including one with Julia Child.
Thank you for your commitment to providing such well-presented and informative videos. Your wealth of experience in travel is a treasue for us all.
Is there plenty of opportunity for dancing on Oceania? That's one of the things my wife and I enjoy most. Much more than the shows, we like the low-key entertainment options, like piano bar, small instrumental enembles for listening, and dancing, dancing, dancing! 🙂 Everything you said about Oceania sounds like the perfect cruise line for us, if, of course, this level of entertainment is available.
There is dancing available every evening yes!
@@tipsfortravellers Thanks again!
When we first started considering cruising I was still a Chef and in my research of course Oceania stuck out with Jacque being the head chef....Then I started looking at the prices. Man oh man. One day but not today my friend. We are also not the typical
Age group for that brand. Early 30s.
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I just came back from a wonderful cruise to the Amazon on Insignia!! It was fabulous! Loved it. My only complaint is the phone booth sized shower in the bathroom of my suite!! The bathroom over all also was very small!
Yes, the shower is small on those R-class ships!
Oceania has become our favorite cruise line. We are now at cruise 18 with them - the last being 48 days from Barcelona to Miami. (i'm at about a total of 47 cruises on all the lines) the frequent cruise perks are pretty cool and at 20 we get a free 14 day cruise. Everything said is mostly true with pros and cons, but I haven't found another line with such consistency and benefits overall. Yes, the evening shows were a little light, but with the merger to NCL the talent has gotten so much better, the artist loft is a really nice feature. Even their larger ships Marina, Riviera and Vista top out at 1270 passengers, so still small enough for smaller ports, but large enough to feel expansive. A tip from me: Get a penthouse suite, they are 1.5 times wider than a standard suite, walk in wardrobe, larger bathroom, nice seating area, wider terrace, butler service, a dedicated sun deck, and often you can get extra specialty restaurants through your butler. Another tip: be nice to the staff, it's amazing what saying "please" & "thank you" and being kind will get you (a lot of free wine and drink top-ups come to mind along with some free laundry), they're staff not servants.
We are embarking at some point this year on Vista. Penthouse suite. First cruise for me. Hoping for a great experience.
Don't know if you look at comments for 4 year old videos. I'm doing oceania in September. They have small solo cabins now! Thank goodness! I've also got a deal cheaper than a comparable cruise on celebrity
"They do have a library onboard", first book I see is titled "Rising Star" nice and omenous :-)
Gary, I just watched this video and liked it very much. Researching for our first Oceania late next year. Having been on Azamara Pursuit and Pacific Princess, this will be our third R-class ship over three different lines 🙂 I’m going to look for a cabin tour video in case you have done one.
Rewatched last night. Good info :)
Glad it was helpful! And that you booked ! Hope you enjoy...
Need to update. O-life is gone. So are free shore excursions. You're offered $1200 for shore excursions. On my cruise, the main feature was the Amazon River. The main shore excursion into the jungle, etc. cost more than $1,000. All wine and beer is free. No drink packages. So you pay for hard liquor.
Similar to Regent which we usually book. Oceania seems a little cheaper but I find it hard to compare because of all the choices you have to make. Ships and food look comparable.
Well that was a very interesting review, Gary. Could you please do a similar one on the Crystal ships? Thank you!
Thanks. Appreciate you watching. Am keen to do one on Crystal but been a while since last cruised one they and need to get back as lots of changes !
Definitely need a Crystal Cruise review! Maybe one of their Africa cruises?
While no kids are a major plus, Jacques Pepin is the pearl for a foodie. I want to do a Transatlantic crossing on Cunard desperately but, Oceania may have to be the next cruise if I don't get seasick. 😁🤣
Sailed Regatta to Alaska twice, Caribbean, once, Sirena to Tahiti, and Greek Isles, and most recently the British Isles on board the Nautica. Loved all or them, even though BA lost our luggage some where in London. Ten days living out of a back pack and roll aboard was still very doable on Nautica, kudos to the Captain and crew who made us very comfortable and even provided special accommodations for us in the Ships shopping store!!! Will never use another line.
Thanks! Appreciate you watching my videos. Good to hear they looked after you so well!
Re: airlines losing my luggage--that happened to me over 25 years ago in San Juan during Xmas weekend. Not BA, but AA; I had to walk around Old San Juan to shop for new clothes until AA found my luggage and put it in my San Juan hotel. The only international airline line that lost my stuff was Air Canada, which didn't store my walker aboard its AMS-bound plane. I had to limp around my AMS hotel and my ship for nearly 5 days until a Celebrity Guest Relations desk person tracked down the walker and put it aboard my ship when we reached Scotland. Air Canada, never again! AA, you're better than AC.
Great report. How about the Casino?
In other videos, you mention very clearly that Oceania, Seabourn & Regent are among your top picks of luxury cruise lines. I see videos for Pros & Cons aboard Oceania & Seabourn. Do you have a similar "Pros & Cons" video for Regent? If so, please reply with link as I'm unable to find it using the TH-cam search engine. Thank You, in advance, for considering my question.
Just returned from April 20, 2023 Oceania Mediterranean cruse. Their food service was super indeed, but not the excursion service : They cancelled key destination excursion in last minute for reason not rooted; the excursion service staff provided no good explanation but a lot of attitude. So be aware!
Excellent and very informative. Perhaps you could mention the areas of the world that they operate, to save us going through pages of Google. Thank you.
Everything you listed as a con was a pro for me except the solo travel thing. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I'm going to have a harder time traveling because I'm alone. Why am I penalized for that? I'm just trying to get home to Finland from Washington USA. Trains busses and boats. No plane. My dream trip, I'm just looking for passage to UK. I'm going to have a lot more going on than just a boat ride,
I guess I'm looking for a modern version of a classic ocean passage.
Somewhat fancy, but not "Tux Required".
Oceanic is sounding like it's bon my shopping list.
Thanks for the info, you have brought up a lot of things I didn't know to look at and for.
Hope you and yours are warm and well, Have Fun.
How is the O Life Air, do they choose your flights? Can you fly in a few days pre or post trip? I really like Viking but would like to try Oceania. I can see an up charge for solo travelers but it shouldn’t be full fare as they are saving on the food cost.
Regarding OLife Air, I would be very wary if I allowed the cruise line to choose my ticket class, routing, schedules, fares, etc., because the choices offered to you might not be the ones right for you. Instead, I would probably ask the cruise line for an airfare quote and proposed routing. Then upon receipt of that info, I would comparison shop with Travelocity and SkyLux. I would not be surprised if either booking engine had better fares than whatever Oceania offers. As for a pre-or post-cruise hotel package, also ask the cruise line what they offer, and whether the offer includes complimentary breakfast and pier and airport transfers. Again, comparison shop for the chosen hotel rates, but with a grain of salt: the hotel rate might offer complimentary breakfast, but not the included transfers.
I did see when I looked up Oceania Alaska cruises they had solo cabins in just one category. Of course they were sold out.
would you do a world tour on one please
I think Oceania May bê my choice, my first choice.
The new ship (Vista) in 2023 will have single cabins.
OLife includes flights, certain number of excursions per cabin not passenger. do your math, and only use excursion to get to destinations 2-3 hours or more one way, far from port. within an hour train ride, just use public transportation. always take an excursion if you wish to visit : Florence- Uffizi, Accademia (la Spezia, Livorno), or Siena; Vatican, Rome, Orvieto , Assisi (Civitavecchia); Paris (le Havre, Honfleur); Mont st Michel (St malo , Cherbourg); Figueres for Dali (Palamos); Seville (Cadiz); Alhambra Granada (Malaga, Motril, Almeria, etc); Cordoba (Malaga); Brussels (zeebrugge, Antwerp); St Petersburg Russia; Berlin (Warnemuende); London (Southampton, Dover, Harwich) not if Tillbury though. Most river cruises do not require excursion or include them in your fare. With OLife, often Oceania is in fact comparable to Norwegian, Celebrity, Princess, Carnival, Royal Caribbean in price when you add excursions and flights. Without OLife, Oceania seems too pricey, almost compelling you to purchase the OLife upgrade. Definitely not complete destinations- best wide selection of choices for shore excursions goes to Royal C and Princess for Ocean cruises and Viking for River cruises, at least in Europe. Avalon, Ama, Scenic, Emerald are all fine reasonable priced river cruises, also Gate1Travel has river cruises along with bus, train tours for American travellers\ passengers, including flights. Wingbuddy has limited number of excellent budget options for Canadian passengers, again including flights. AirCanada, Airtransat, also have unescorted flight-train
ental car- hotel-attractions packages.
Can you do one on Viking (Ocean)? (I write from a Viking cruise hehe)
Bon voyage 🍾🍻🚢🎊
I do want to do one. I need to get a Viking cruise sorted.....
I'm being seduced by all the cruise brochures that keep coming through my door. There's a particularly good value cruise to South Pacific and Hawaii with Oceania. Thank you for explaining the O Life benefits, it was difficult to find out exactly what was included. I'm guessing you'd recommed Paul Gaugin over Oceania?
The Nautica Concierge rooms are smaller than on Norwegian Regent ships. Is there room to have two twin beds with some space separating them in the Concierge rooms?
do a video about the new oceania ship vista😁👌
I will do though only in March 2024 as that when I’ve booked as not got a chance with other trips before then
One cruise on Sirena ... will never plunge like that again. Way too $$$$$$$ ... still can't believe I did that. Plus, I cannot get off their mailing list. Great ports of call, though.
They are very prolific with their mailings for sure...
My only complaint with them is the shows start too late in the evening. We are normally asleep by the 2130 start time.
Yes, if there are busy days in port I too was heading off to relax and bed and missing the shows :-)
Dave Pratt agree about the too late start for the shows.
On Oceania, there are not enough passengers on board to justify two performances nightly. The shows are probably scheduled later on the assumption that everyone will have finished dinning and therefore will get the opportunity to see the show.
Agree with Anglo about the too few passengers for two full shows, but at least a third of Oceania’s passengers are early to bed types. So we never get to see the shows. How about this: on nights when the show is mostly guest artist centered (a comedian or soloist) do an EARLIER show for those of us who never get to see them. Particularly on sea days.
My wife and I have the Vista suite on the Marina reserved for an upcoming cruise. Can someone show me some current photos of it? The internet and Oceania website have differing images, making it frustrating to get an accurate picture.
Excellent review....too bad the higher price cruises do not offer better entertainment and night life. I still prefer Princess or I guess Holland America. Plus I do like children.
No kids, HUGE PRO
Is there an “executive lounge” on Regatta on the Suite level?
Quick question. You mentioned you do O-Life and take the OBC. But, in my case, O-Life is an extra $400. One receives $400 OBC which I presume is non-refundable. So you're paying $400 to get $400, but that $400 becomes non-refundable. I don't see the advantage here. I must be missing something.
I love it, and I want to go....
Also their market is for an average age of 77 year old passengers, and the company knows that and NONE of their ships are equipped with gangways appropriate for scooters, wheelchairs, or walkers. So you have to be mobile which is why you choose to travel, to go to places. The crew are extremely pleasant and courteous, I saw fellow passengers (unfortunately disabled due to age issues) making a rant and tantrums because the pier is long! Just because older people go on luxury cruises that does not mean the cruise ship will bubble you off the ship & about to see places around in port. Nowadays Oceania has wheelchair appropriate tours for the disabled, but again, the ships are not wheelchair/scooter friendly 🤔. Oceania has small ships, so small accommodations. Oceania is a great experience for the relaxed traveller and the food is the greatest in the cruise ship industry. Oceania has done amazing around the world itineraries that go up to 6-7 months. But be careful, you are there to SEE places, travel with your kindle or a project to do, because their ships LACK on board activities. Again, is for an older crowd so not much going on as you saw on this video, a lot of people just laying around, sitting or getting their money’s worth at the restaurants. Overall great for the avid cruise ship life lover. Thank you for the informative video and safe travels.
On our last Oceania cruise , a Transatlantic November 2021, the passengers were much younger (in their 50's or even40's!).
We cruised on the Marina from NYC to London with stops in Canada, Ireland, Normandy France April 2019. While it was a pleasant experience, I will never chose Oceania again. Food was mediocre, as was service in the main dining room. We had a large stateroom with a butler, a tub AND shower, all luxury. But honestly Princess cruises are just as nice, at far less cost.
Sorry to hear you had a poor experience. But good you have a line you now know you prefer and can stick to them!
Tips For Travellers Actually, besides Princess, we’ve cruised on Holland America, Carnival, & Crystal - certainly a higher end line. All were better than Oceania.
If you payed for "two people" did you get twice the drinks?
G'day Gary, considering a Tahiti cruise......Oceania or Gaughan?? I know youre familiar with both. Cheers
I love both! Paul Gauguin is more $$ but real experts in the area so that for that region probably just pips here
Tips For Travellers cheers Gary. Appreciate the advice.
Gary. What you thought was a pro or con might be quite different for others. I didn’t think you were the dress up to the 9’s kinda guy, haha.
Yes, agree that pros and cons will be personal, and hopefully this gets people thinking about what they rate! I like dressing up on a cruise but other than on Cunard find most lines are pretty casual.....
I was puzzled when I read their brochures and saw "Premium Luxury". I consider Premium Luxury (Crystal, Regent Seven Seas) where almost everything is included like drinks, gratuities, etc so when I saw drinks and gratuities are not included in the cruise price, I said Huh?? I'm still scratching my head on this "Premium Luxury".
In Gary's 2017 youtube video "Cruise Tips: 4 Different Cruise Line Classes and Grades (and which line is in each)" [q.v.] he divides it into four tiers: (mainstream, premium, luxury and ultra-luxury) And Azmarar and Oceania are the ones mentioned for the second tier, above the Celebrity/Holland/Princess tier and below the top Seabourne, Crystal, Regent Seven Seas tier.
Many lines charge extra for soft drinks, bottled water, specialty coffees, snacks, in-room movies , room service and specialty dining. Oceania does not.
I’m confused all the food and drinks free or just for suite ..anytime can i eat and drink or not . All i have to book room no extra money for food drinks or not ..same question in different ways
Included in the fare (food) but drinks cost extra
So NCL's premium line is doing Free at Sea as well (while using another name of course)? I'm really curious how much extra money they end up making on those deals.
Me too!
I wouldn't be surprised if Oceania made a whole lot of $ from making the aforementioned kind of deals, which is why I don't allow cruise lines to book my air. I know those fares are probably not the best ones available, so they're probably the fares that make the most moolah for the cruise line.
never take an excursion if travelling to Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Amsterdam, Tallinn, Riga, Barcelona, Venice, Athens, Naples, Lisbon. exceptions- Caserta Palace for Naples, Pena Palace in Sintra from Lisbon, but often trains make cruise excursions unnecessary anyway. Glasgow(Grenock), Edinburgh (Rosyth, Leith, South Queensferry), are also easy to arrive by public transport. Giants Causeway, Killarney\Muckross are possibly worth excursion. as are of course Giverny, Bayeux, Versailles, Fontainebleau, Vaux le Vicomte, Potsdam...