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Tank tops and swimwear are discouraged at all times from any of the restaurants, while shorts, jeans, T-shirts, sneakers and sandals are banned from all dinner venues except the Terrace Cafe. Men can't go wrong with blazers and slacks after sunset, while women will feel comfortable in dresses, nice pants outfits or skirts with blouses. On our Caribbean cruise, we found that people generally looked nice, but not overly fancy or fashionista at dinner; we saw more skirts or slacks with blouses than little black dresses at night. The ship visits new ports almost every day, so the schedule onboard is designed to accommodate early mornings. Consequently, the pace is a bit slow at night, and entertainment varies between live bands in the Horizons lounge to musical revues in the Riviera Lounge. All three ships in the Explorer class are about 55,500 gross tons, with Grandeur sporting a 744-guest capacity among its all-suite offerings.
How much does it cost to go on Oceania Vista?
Our photos below show the bed configuration in both queen-sized and twin layouts. Our veranda cabin was very comfortable—definitely a step up in quality, amenities and size from mainstream cruise lines. It was not, however, the size of entry-level cabins on Seabourn, Silversea, or Regent Seven Seas (by our measurements, the square footage Oceania claims for cabins is overstated). They’re also part of a new class of Allura ships, which feature more onboard amenities and features compared with the other six ships in the fleet. Some examples of this on the Vista include four new dining venues, concierge-level staterooms for solo travelers and larger standard staterooms with over 290 square feet of space. After a morning of shopping and an afternoon of Corsican charcuterie, I returned to my cabin and posted up on my balcony to watch as we pulled away from Ajaccio.
Extremely dangerous food hygiene practices
Oceania went all-out when designing the cabins aboard Vista, all of which offer private balconies. In fact, even the smallest room is still generously-sized at 261 square feet, and the bulk of cabins onboard hover around 300 square feet, leaving plenty of space to lounge around. Tour guides could hardly speak English and the itineraries were mostly uninteresting. Marina ship was old and dated needing new furnishings and carpets.
Overview of Vista
Tips are automatically charged to your onboard account at the rate of $16 per person, per day (half to housekeeping and half to dining staff). Passengers in suites with butler service (Penthouse, Vista, Oceania and Owner's suites) are charged an additional $7 per person, per day. You are welcome to give additional tips to individuals who go above and beyond at your discretion. It's expected that those bringing room service will be tipped (anywhere from $1 to $5, depending on what's ordered) as items are delivered. An 18 percent gratuity is automatically tacked on to bills for spa services, bar drinks and dinner at La Reserve.
Vista's bars are hopping before and after dinner because there's not much else to do on board at night. Storage is decent with a two-door closet, two deep drawers in the desk, two coat hooks on the wall and a few additional shelves. It was the perfect amount of space for me, but I could see how a couple might fight over the drawer space. Not only did Vista's large selection of eateries keep my meals interesting, but there wasn't a bad option in the bunch. Sure, sometimes I didn't order the right dish, but I enjoyed every meal I ate on board. Fans of the line will appreciate that Vista is modeled from sister ships Marina and Riviera, and the layout is strikingly similar.
Canyon Ranch Spa Club
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Many tables are next to or near the venue’s floor-to-ceiling windows, so it’s a good place to be parked for a scenic sunset sail-away. The selection of olive oils and vinegars alone is surprisingly inviting, sampled with bread and a roasted bulb of garlic. We were delighted to find the Grand Dining Room open for lunch daily, even on port days—what’s more, the menu changed daily. We found the salad Niçoise to be perfectly rendered (with a choice of tuna, salmon or halibut), and the hanger steak stroganoff with a paprika cream sauce was rich and satisfying. Other lunch items steered to burgers, sandwiches, and salads, with a number of lighter and vegetarian options available. The dinner menu changed nightly, featuring seven different entrées that were notable for their variety (an additional three entrées—steak frites, poached salmon and rotisserie chicken—were available every night).
The final specialty restaurant is Red Ginger, a pan-Asian dining experience. Perhaps it's because I love Asian food, but I have a hard time choosing what to eat at Red Ginger because everything looks so good. All the previously mentioned restaurants allow you to dine at will, but Vista has four reservations-required dinner spots that are the stars of the show. Three return from sister ships Marina and Riviera, while one is new, replacing French restaurant Jacques.
There were 12 cooking stations shared by two students, and the charge for the two-hour classes was $69. We signed up for one based on food from the ship’s restaurant Red Ginger, preparing three of the venue’s most popular dishes (and receiving recipes for several others). The class was enjoyable and fast-paced, and we look forward to crafting the lobster pad Thai at home someday. We were impressed by the careful attention to health and sanitation requirements.
About Oceania Cruises
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Its dining system doesn't work so well on weeklong cruises, forcing passengers to miss out on the much-touted specialty restaurants or eat rather late. While we enjoyed every meal and loved the variety, we weren't always blown away by main courses (though some are standouts), and desserts were lacking. Spa treatments and shore excursions seem overpriced for the industry, and service is not as proactive as one might expect on so small and nice a ship. Many on our cruise complained about long waits for service for food and drink.
A light-filled grand foyer opens onto the living, dining and bar area on one side and the enormous master bedroom with king-sized bed, walk-in closet and generous bathroom with soaking tub and ocean-view shower. Other amenities include a welcome bottle of Champagne, pashmina-style cashmere lap blankets for use in your cabin and a tote bag. The noteworthy Grand Lounge sports geometric chandeliers and glass shelves of vases and glass sculptures, while the faux wood paneling on the pool deck sets it apart from any cruise ship Lido you've ever seen. The glam settings make you feel like you're a movie star and add to the decadent feeling of being on vacation. Don't bother wasting your money if you are Asian.Our experience was marred by instances of what seemed to be racial bias. It seemed that there was a clear bias in the service, with what appeared to be preferential treatment given to white customers.
Vista, like all Oceania Cruises vessels, draws a mostly English-speaking passenger that typically hails from North America. Passengers are affable and well-travelled, and are generally drawn to the line for its semi-inclusiveness and focus on destination-driven cruise itineraries. Oceania full embraces its "upper premium" pedigree and runs with it, crafting cozy and inviting spaces -- both indoors and out -- that exist only for the pleasure of passengers aboard Vista.
As the ship is on the smaller side, you can expect to recognize crew members quickly (some may pop up in more than one dining venue). The hero of our sailing was Pablo at the shore excursions desk, who was incredibly patient and helpful when we showed up on day one without a clue what we wanted to do, and a long line behind us. During the christening sailing, passengers consisted of journalists from around the world, travel agents, longtime fans of the brand, and friends and family, with nearly every decade accounted for. Typically, Oceania guests tend to be 55-plus, with a mix of couples, solo travelers, and families with adult children looking for a food and beverage-focused experience, and a mix of well-known and off-the-beaten-path ports of call. While children are allowed onboard, there is no kids’ programming. Oceania has long prided itself on being a culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, and Vista upholds that reputation.
Unlike most of the mainstream lines, bottled water, soft drinks, cappuccino, espresso, coffee, iced tea, dispensed juices and milk were all included in the cruise fare. However, unlike most of the luxury cruise lines, alcoholic drinks involved a surcharge. It's the kind of ship where you can book an inside cabin, but still enjoy four specialty restaurants with no additional fees and never have to wait in a long queue.
Save your money and book elsewhere as this is not NOT a luxury cruise line. Guests in Concierge Level cabins also get perks like priority embarkation, a welcome bottle of Champagne, and free laundry service (up to three bags). With 2 to 4 credits—Blue level—members are invited to a cocktail reception, receive members-only offers and receive a 10-percent discount on Oceania logo merchandize.
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