Calling Oceana Lovers

Discussions about anything related to Oceana

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katiecrunch
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Calling Oceana Lovers

#1

Post by katiecrunch »

Eight weeks today we'll be in Southampton ready to board Oceana the following day. We've been on Aurora and Azura and enjoyed both especially Aurora. The anticipation is building now but just to help it along I wondered what people especially like about Oceana and in what ways it's different from the others we've sailed on.

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davecttr
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Re: Calling Oceana Lovers

#2

Post by davecttr »

katiecrunch wrote:
Eight weeks today we'll be in Southampton ready to board Oceana the following day. We've been on Aurora and Azura and enjoyed both especially Aurora. The anticipation is building now but just to help it along I wondered what people especially like about Oceana and in what ways it's different from the others we've sailed on.
For me friendlier and more intimate than Azura (actually Ventura) where I found all the entertainment venues crowded in the evening. During the summer Oceana is the most relaxed ship in the fleet with 2 dress codes and most venues accepting evening casual on all evenings. This does not mean she is full of yobs, far from it!

I have two cruises booked on her and maybe another next year.


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katiecrunch
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Re: Calling Oceana Lovers

#3

Post by katiecrunch »

Thanks Dave, sounds good!


CaroleF
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Re: Calling Oceana Lovers

#4

Post by CaroleF »

We have been on Oceana three times - plus one on the old Adonia (same design) - and we still love her. I was very disappointed looking at the new cruises to see that she's been limited to either Fjords/Baltic cruises - most 7 nights and some 12 nights in the Western Mediterranean - no Caribbean which is what we love. She's a friendly ship, easy to find your way around. Try Cafe Jardin for breakfast (no cooked) and lunch - don't like it in the evening. It's at the top of the atrium on Deck 8. We liked Magnums - the champagne bar on Deck 7 - for early drinks before dinner, and after too! We also liked having a coffee at Tiffanys, in the atrium, deck 7. Do book at Horizon - the Select Dining venue at the top of the ship - if it's good weather make sure you book early and ask for a table by the front rails, there are undercover tables if it rains. Try the fillet steak it's wonderful. There is a supplement but it's quite small compared to some of the select dining venues on other ships. We really didn't like the Cafe Jardin evening menu (the only one in Cafe Jardin that incurs a supplement). An average meal - we thought the main dining room was better. I have read recently that they are now serving mainly pizzas in the evening.

I'm sure you will say "Wow!" when you go into the atrium when you board - it's fabulous! Enjoy your cruise.

Carole

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barney
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Re: Calling Oceana Lovers

#5

Post by barney »

We loved it Katie

Very relaxed with a good mix of passengers

The atrium is stunning. Two different show lounges/theatres. When we where last on (2010), the evening entertainment was very good

Enjoy
Empty vessels .. and all that

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Silver_Shiney
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Re: Calling Oceana Lovers

#6

Post by Silver_Shiney »

Hi Katie

We've just been on our fifth Oceana cruise. Our "other" ships have been Sundream, QM2 and Oriana. IMHO, Oceana is by far the nicest (that's not, in any way, to do down the others).

I'd heard that Cafe Jardin was now mainly a pizza parlour in the evenings, so I posted elsewhere on the forum the two menus that they use (week A and week B). While there are 5-6 choices of pizza in the evening, there are also 5-6 alternative main courses, so to say it just does mainly pizza is doing it a disservice. However, looking at the overall evening menu, I would venture to suggest that it is nothing special and not worth paying £5.25 a head. In addition, as I was warned by other forumeers, as it is located at the top of the Atrium, you have music wafting either up from Tiffany's, just below, or the dance floor at the bottom, or coming through from the Winners' Bar. Peaceful it ain't. Also, some people use it as a shortcut from the Atrium to their cabins on Deck 8. We didn't have breakfast there this last cruise but went for lunch nearly every day. We also went every evening at 2230 for a bedtime drink, when they serve light, hot snacks (we didn't look at the menu for these, plus some salady bit and cakes on the self-serve buffet counter.

We've never been to the Plaza late in the evening, so can't say what that's like. They have a different themed evening every day with a different style of cuisine (Indian, Italian, British, Mexican, Thai etc) - only been to the Indian, which was very good first time (2009) but not so good in 2011.

My daughter paid for the Lady C and I to have a meal in Horizons. That was very nice - superb steak - and they block off part of the Plaza buffet restaurant (this wraps round both sides of the front of Deck 14) and make it really nice, so you can eat indoors if it's too cold to eat outside.

If you are on Club dining, you'll be in the Adriatic restaurant on Deck 6. If you are on Freedom dining, you'll be in the Ligurian on Deck 5.

We've never used any of the outside bars so can't comment on them. We usually sit in Tiffany's of an evening and Magnums, alongside Le Club, during the day. Both are great places to relax and "people watch".

There were 80 kids on board when we sailed last month. I think I saw 4 of them.

Every member of staff we encountered was marvellous (especially Denis, the head waiter in Cafe Jardin) but I know that others met some members of the crew who weren't as good as the ones we had the pleasure of meeting.

If you decide not to go, do please send me your tickets!!
Alan

Q-CC-KOS
Q-CC-TBM


Topic author
katiecrunch
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Re: Calling Oceana Lovers

#7

Post by katiecrunch »

Thanks everyone, lots of useful info there. We want to try everything but not sure 7 days will be enough. It'll be hard work but someone has to do it!


Jessyr1903
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Re: Calling Oceana Lovers

#8

Post by Jessyr1903 »

We love Aurora and I find Oceana is very similar in deck plan, so it's easy to orientate yourself. They seem very similar in size. Oceana is more 'modern', she has astro round the pool instead of the lovely wood on Aurora. I miss the floor to ceiling windows in Aurora's restaurants but love Magnum's bar for cocktails & people watching. It's a busy throughfare unlike Anderson's. Also miss the Crow's Nest from Aurora.
The mid pool doesn't have a cover but there is a sheltered dip pool at the back.
Nip through the library & the disco during the day to bypass everyone looking at the photos!!
(ps if you're a jigsaw buff, it's still in the library but sadly not as accessible being on a side table instead of a big round one!)
Have a fab time!

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sunseeker16
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Re: Calling Oceana Lovers

#9

Post by sunseeker16 »

CaroleF has said everything I would have - in fact I could have written that - but I'll also put in a word for the Starlights cabaret lounge which is a really, really, comfortable venue to watch a show. Cosy, well upholstered seats and a raked auditorium to allow everyone a decent view.

I'll also add that there are a couple of 'cooked specials' available at Cafe Jardin breakfast. Eggs Benedict, sausage baguette, omelette - that sort of thing. Order them from your waiter, at the same time as requesting your beverage, and help yourself from the buffet to juice, meusli, yoghurt, whilst you wait for it to come

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