Oceana Cruises
Apr 21st, 2006, 11:19 AM
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Oceana Cruises
Has anyone travelled on one of the three OCEANA cruise ships? We are booked for December (Christmas Time) to go to South America and the Horn. I am required to pay in full June 1, and I am wondering if this is appropriate. I heard that they were the best cruise that people have been on while in Europe. Any information or suggestions will be appreciated.
Apr 21st, 2006, 12:17 PM
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Deposit requirements do not differ with agents, they are set by the cruise lines. (I own an agency).
Oceania provides a document to the TA to be forwarded to the client that details the dates payment is required. I just booked one today as a matter of fact and received the paperwork from Oceania immndiately.
I suspect the early payment is being required due to the holiday sailing date. The only other explanation is that it is a group rate.
There are several reasons Oceania is so highly regarded in Europe (and elsewhere). The smaller ships allow for open seating dining, the stays in portn are longer (with some overnights) and the smaller # of passengers means fewer lines, etc.
Great choice!
Oceania provides a document to the TA to be forwarded to the client that details the dates payment is required. I just booked one today as a matter of fact and received the paperwork from Oceania immndiately.
I suspect the early payment is being required due to the holiday sailing date. The only other explanation is that it is a group rate.
There are several reasons Oceania is so highly regarded in Europe (and elsewhere). The smaller ships allow for open seating dining, the stays in portn are longer (with some overnights) and the smaller # of passengers means fewer lines, etc.
Great choice!
Apr 21st, 2006, 12:33 PM
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Kfusto, I can't thank you enough for your information. I will send copies of this to my (new) agent at Cruises of Distinction. My daughter is an agent and could not get the price that I got from said agency. They are aparently a discount agency and do a lot of business on the net. I am concerned about Agencies and Cruise Lines going bankrupt.
Apr 22nd, 2006, 03:10 AM
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Carolisle, do not be concerned about
Cruises of Distinction. I have done a
couple of cuises w/them before they
got w/the program and created a web site. I asked why to the agent & no plausible answer was forthcoming.
Owners must have finally realized they were losing revenue due to internet-based agencies.
So do cruise w/ease!
Cruises of Distinction. I have done a
couple of cuises w/them before they
got w/the program and created a web site. I asked why to the agent & no plausible answer was forthcoming.
Owners must have finally realized they were losing revenue due to internet-based agencies.
So do cruise w/ease!
Apr 26th, 2006, 07:57 AM
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Rhea: Thank you for your imput on Cruises of Distinction. I will find out why they want payment so far in advance when I call Oceana today. I am mostly concerned about Oceana's short history. I have heard nothing but praise for this Cruise company. Any other info will be appreciated.
Apr 26th, 2006, 09:15 AM
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I can't give you any information about payments, but I can tell you all you would ever want to know about Oceania!
My husband and I took a cruise with them for our honeymoon around the Mediterranean (in their first year of operation - 2004)...WOW is all I can say! The ships are beautiful. The food is amazing. The service is impeccable. The ports/shore excursions are fabulous. Can you sense a theme here?
We loved the open seating for dining. It made it so easy to not have to stick to any kind of schedule.
There are 2 restaurants that require a reservation...Polo Grill and Toscana. I recommend that you make these in the first day or two aboard the ship so that you can get in. My husband's favorite restaurant was the Polo Grill. I loved Tapas on the Terrace. Beautiful to sit outside in the balmy air and watch the boat pull away from your port.
The only thing that the boat may have been lacking was the lavish entertainment. I'm not really a fan of the typical cruise extravaganzas anyway, so I was happy to not have to sit through any of that. But my husband kind of missed the big shows.
The art auctions are kinda fun. Free champagne!
Take advantage of high tea with the fabulous string quartet.
The rooms are lovely and the beds are Oh-So-Comfortable.
We never felt like the ship was crowded, even though it was sold out.
Oceania has really spoiled us for any other cruise line. We went on a trip with hubby's family on Royal Caribbean last May and we couldn't stop comparing everything (only to each other, of course). But not even a contest. We're in the process of figuring out where we want to go with them next...I'm thinking China.
You're going to have a wonderful time! Let me know if you want any more info.
My husband and I took a cruise with them for our honeymoon around the Mediterranean (in their first year of operation - 2004)...WOW is all I can say! The ships are beautiful. The food is amazing. The service is impeccable. The ports/shore excursions are fabulous. Can you sense a theme here?
We loved the open seating for dining. It made it so easy to not have to stick to any kind of schedule.
There are 2 restaurants that require a reservation...Polo Grill and Toscana. I recommend that you make these in the first day or two aboard the ship so that you can get in. My husband's favorite restaurant was the Polo Grill. I loved Tapas on the Terrace. Beautiful to sit outside in the balmy air and watch the boat pull away from your port.
The only thing that the boat may have been lacking was the lavish entertainment. I'm not really a fan of the typical cruise extravaganzas anyway, so I was happy to not have to sit through any of that. But my husband kind of missed the big shows.
The art auctions are kinda fun. Free champagne!
Take advantage of high tea with the fabulous string quartet.
The rooms are lovely and the beds are Oh-So-Comfortable.
We never felt like the ship was crowded, even though it was sold out.
Oceania has really spoiled us for any other cruise line. We went on a trip with hubby's family on Royal Caribbean last May and we couldn't stop comparing everything (only to each other, of course). But not even a contest. We're in the process of figuring out where we want to go with them next...I'm thinking China.
You're going to have a wonderful time! Let me know if you want any more info.
Apr 28th, 2006, 06:53 AM
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TRAVGRL, Thank you so much for your comments on the Oceana Cruise we will be taking in Dec. Why not join us on this cruise! Any other comments from you or anyone will be greatly appreciated. I still want to make a final payment 90 days before departure and not 6 months before.
May 11th, 2006, 04:17 PM
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Carolisle,
We have stayed at the Marriott Plaza in Buenos Aires and it has great service and is in a good location to see the sights. Ask for a room overlooking the front of the hotel and you'll have a beautiful view of the park below (it's kinda like Washington DC w/ all of it's statues and blossoming trees). Nearby is Calle Florida where you can find many items of leather and rosetta stone heavily discounted. It takes them 2 days to make you a "custom made" leather coat. We had dinner in the Marriott - order the steak, they're known for their beef in Argentina. Don't miss the Recoleta cemetery where Evita is buried - you could spend hours looking at the huge unusual monuments. The upscale stores are also in the Recoleta. Enjoy.
We have stayed at the Marriott Plaza in Buenos Aires and it has great service and is in a good location to see the sights. Ask for a room overlooking the front of the hotel and you'll have a beautiful view of the park below (it's kinda like Washington DC w/ all of it's statues and blossoming trees). Nearby is Calle Florida where you can find many items of leather and rosetta stone heavily discounted. It takes them 2 days to make you a "custom made" leather coat. We had dinner in the Marriott - order the steak, they're known for their beef in Argentina. Don't miss the Recoleta cemetery where Evita is buried - you could spend hours looking at the huge unusual monuments. The upscale stores are also in the Recoleta. Enjoy.
May 12th, 2006, 07:02 AM
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Dolciani: Thanks a bunch for your comments on the Marriott Plaza Buenos Airies Hotel. We will probably book this hotel as a pre-cruise hotel stay with Oceana Cruises. We plan to do the tours that you suggested. Any other comments will be appreciated.
May 14th, 2006, 02:47 AM
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Also on Calle Florida are many small cafes that serve "cafe con leche" which is somewhat like a cappacino and very addictive - better than anything Starbucks can offer. Also, we went to a Tango show (kinda corny but the dancing was awesome) in La Boca (you'll have to take a cab here - that part of the city is colorful (each resident paints their homes in a unique bright color - it has something to do w/ the sailors being able to see them from afar, I think) and has some interesting shops and a market on certain days. The Marriott is very good about giving you information and maps. Enjoy
May 17th, 2006, 11:36 AM
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Dolciani: Thanks for your info, it will come in handy. Just booked the Marriott for 3 nights but do not know if I should go to an air deviation since the flight(s) are so long. Any advice as to AM flights(the day of hotel reservation or PM over-night before the hote stay. Any suggestion anyone. Thanks
Nov 17th, 2006, 06:43 AM
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Bookmarking - we have this booked for January 07
so carolisle,
How are your plans? When do you leave? Have you found others going on your cruise? The people on our cruise must not know about this board or cruisecritics as nothing is happening.
I'd love to read a review after you return.
so carolisle,
How are your plans? When do you leave? Have you found others going on your cruise? The people on our cruise must not know about this board or cruisecritics as nothing is happening.
I'd love to read a review after you return.
Nov 17th, 2006, 12:30 PM
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I am getting excited as our trip is just 28 days away. We are staying in Buenos Aires for 3 nights before the cruise. I got lots of info from Scarlett in BA on a Fodor's Latin American forum. I hope I have time to write something about the Oceana Cruise Line.
Nov 17th, 2006, 04:47 PM
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I read all of Scarlett's very large thread too! And I took lots of notes. Where are you staying in Bue? What are you planning to do? Do you have private tours scheduled? We have one for Montevideo and Puerto Montt and working on others. We think the ship's tours are really expensive but we may take one of them.
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