I Test Oceania's New Ship To See Why Cruisers Are So Unhappy 

Liked your views but please, as a retired professional tv editor, i think there are too many shots with not enough time to take in what we're seeing. Often 2 or 3 shots when 1 would be fine. Slow down! I doubt any shot is more than 2 seconds if that. Too short. Good info though.😊 Sorry for this but it spoiled my viewing.

We were on the Vista this past February and your review is SPOT ON down to the issue with soundproofing. We could hear the couple on one side conversing (arguing, truth be told, to the point where we nearly ready to tell the husband, "You know, she's got a point.") We heard the TV loud and clear on the other side. We had never experienced this on the other Oceania ships we've cruised on. If Oceania hears enough about this, I'm wondering what they could actually do about it. The rest of the experience, as you pointed out, was quite wonderful.

We were on the tenth floor of the Vista as well and agree 100% with your likes and dislikes. The neighbor noise in the cabins is a deal breaker for us so we will be running back to their older ships that we love!

Chair hogging is something all cruise lines need to deal with. It ruins my holiday and others every time. How hard can it be to manage. Put a big noticable orange tag on a chair if stuff there but no person, 30-60 minutes later if still empty take their stuff leaving a big red tag with a number that the pillocks can take to an embarrassing place for their stuff back. If there is an empty chair with a red tag - sit down.

Must have been disappointing Gary! Noise from adjoining cabins is an intrusion which should not be a factor on this class of ship, particularly as we all know how fussy you are when choosing your stateroom!

The lack of sound proofing would be a serious issue for me too

I’m finding myself stepping away from “luxury experiences” like this. The fact that everything has to be booked so far in advanced is a huge no for me. Luxury isn’t knowing what I’ll want to eat weeks in advance and waking up at midnight to book it. That’s the kind of rush that I associate with budget purchases.

My motto is "Whats a holiday without good sleep and the choice of waking up late for breakfast". As a light sleeper that's a deal breaker as I'd really question the value of 'ultra luxury.'

I was on the Vista the trip just prior to your cruise. My wife and I have 10 cruises under our belt but this is the first on Oceania and we found it to be the quietest of the cruises. We had a standard stateroom just above the casino on deck 7. We had zero noise from the surrounding cabins, the hallway or from the casino below. We were really pleased. Some of this is due to the older clientele. Maybe the penthouse suites are different. We found the food to be amazing. Although I didn't think the Red Ginger lived up to the hype you and others have given it. It was above average but it wasn't the best asian I have experienced. The buffet was extremely good as was the Aquamar Kitchen. The entertainment was subdued but appropriate for the clientele and the performers were very good. I'm not into the big shows on other cruise lines mostly because if I wanted to see that Broadway show I'd just go to NY and get a top notch performance. My only complaint (which is true across all of cruising) is the hogging of deck chairs/lounges. During sea days you had to get your chair by 7am or you were screwed. The biggest irritation is that most of the chairs a left unattended for hours during the day with just a book to claim it.

I wish all reviewers of cruises and hotels would discuss this, even if to just say they didn't have noise intrusion problems. That's the number 1 issue why I don't travel much.

The ones that had no issue with noise, are most likely creating the most noise! Haha!

Noise was an issue on our Vista cruise in November, but not cabin-to-cabin. It was the incessant loud talk and raucous laughter of fellow cruisers poolside that disrupted our tranquility. We were with another couple - relative strangers - sharing one of the perimeter "cabanas" and the issue was in the adjacent space of defined, but open design. After enduring them a second day on the 19-day trip, I asked them if they could reduce the volume a bit. The response was defiant and aggressive. Some bad behavior ensued both ways, ending up with us in the purser's office a few hours later. We had no further issues with the group, but there were other occasions that guests were louder than what we've ever experienced on the more intimate 450 and 600 passenger Seabourn ships we've sailed. A lesson in ship size confirmed.

It blows my mind to see so much modern construction that just completely drops the ball on noise isolation. Also, when did the hospitality industry suddenly decide that it's acceptable to flood a room with LED lights that can't be switched off at night? This is why it's often so great to have a publicly visible billionaire founder and CEO of a hospitality brand, like a Steve Wynn, who is invested in the brand and will personally tour their facilities to stamp out details like this. Because if you leave it up to a bunch of anonymous MBAs in a boardroom, these details are totally glossed over in today's business climate of cost-cutting.

As a guilty pleasure I occasionally watch these reviews. Gary seems such a thoroughly decent chap and makes them so interesting and informative however I still have no desire to ever go on a cruise 🥴.

My husband and I went on the vista and had no problem with the sound. Our only complaint was that on all the other Oceania cruises ships we have been on we never had an issue with chair hogs. The staff always made sure people don't do this. Not so on Vista. They let people put a book on a lounge chair and go away for 3 to 4 hours. It was disappointing not to be able to relax by the pool on many occasions. We still love Oceania and are booked for another cruise but on the Marina.

Thank you, another excellent and complete review. We were in Oceania Vista Suite 10001 for 11 days in late January and did not have any noise issues. Like most we found the food excellent in all venues. However, we believe we were scammed by Oceania and our cruise travel agent-we paid an incredible amount of money for this excellent room on the front of the ship, but not once was it mentioned that you cannot use any deck furniture except in port. Not while cruising, not while sail out and not on arrival, meaning thousands and thousands of dollars spent for an incredible balcony that we could not use! Like buying a cabin and not being told it was an obstructed view! Let me again compliment you on your review though-as always the best online! Thank you.

Hi Gary, Great video, and again, it was fun to meet you on Vista! I mentioned this to you after you had already prepared this video, but just to let others know, apparently there is an active thread on the Cruise Critic Oceania Forum about a planned foam injection in certain areas on Vista. So at least Oceania seems to be aware of the soundproofing issue and is taking steps to try to address it. Hopefully there’s still time to get this fixed on Allura before her debut, and certainly on the 2 new, larger Oceania ships NCL has ordered that will hold 1,400 guests. We did hear our neighbors more than on our previous 4 cruises on Regatta. We’re very light sleepers so thankfully we had brought our sound machine that we cranked up at night which blocks almost all noise.

I sailed on Vista last May. I found the noise level in the restaurants was too much. We were unable to have a conversation. We had reservations at restaurants booked before sailing. However one evening we had to wait over an hour to be seated. The quality of the food has decreased since we first cruise on Oceania. I have cruised on 4 of Oceania’s ships. I missed Jacques on Vista. Ember was my least favorite restaurant.

My wife and I cruised the Caribbean on the Vista two months ago and we had NO issues with noise between cabins or even from the hallways. We were on deck 10 in cabin 10061. We thoroughly enjoyed the cruise and food options. Loved the cruise director and the staff in general. Have already booked two more cruise’s on the same ship.😊

I'm sorry you had that experience, that would be a total deal breaker for me too! I recall you said in a previous video that this cruise was the worst in your more than 100 cruises for cabin noise; would you consider a video on those ships with the best cabin, noise insulation wise? I'd be very interested as this would be the deciding factor for me and is exactly the issue preventing me from trying out cruising!

Hi Gary - I posted a comment about a month ago regarding my upcoming trip on the Vista. Sadly, the cruise has come and gone. I wanted to share my thoughts regarding the issue you raised regarding soundproofing or lack thereof. I'm a light sleeper, so I was concerned by your video. My stateroom (more on that later) was located on Deck 9. I had neighbors on both sides. At no point did I ever hear any noise coming from my neighbors. One afternoon, one neighbor turned on their TV. I could definitely hear it, but the sound was muffled. If I hadn't watched your video, I'm not sure I would have paid any attention to it. I could also hear a tiny bit of hallway noise, but no more than on any other cruise ship or hotel room. I packed a white noise machine, which proved unnecessary. The Vista is an absolutely beautiful ship and I found the stateroom to be perfectly quiet and comfortable. I look forward to sailing again as soon as my schedule allows! I shared my stateroom with my husband and young son, who was very comfortable on the sofa bed. Neither my husband nor my son noticed any noise issues. I think the term "stateroom" is somewhat misleading. It was much larger than some "suites" in which I've stayed. In my opinion, it's the square footage that matters, not whether it's called a "stateroom" or a "suite." This was our first cruise on Oceania partially due to your complimentary review of the line. It will definitely not be our last!! We loved it so much! No complaints whatsoever.

This is actually the first that I've seen of Oceania - the ship itself looks absolutely stunning! Entertainment-wise, I expected a bigger theatre on here, and interesting to see that they seem to be going really close to copying NCL with their Choir of Man show. Re: your deal breaker issue, I'd be absolutely devastated if I spent all of that money to then find I could hear all of my neighbours - I just wouldn't expect it at that price point, especially when not in an adjoining cabin!

This has got to be one of the best looking cruise ships I've ever seen, every interior is top shelf

A digital class would be very interesting. Cooking and art no thanks. I like eating food, not cooking it.

We went on Vista on her 3rd cruise I believe, beginning of June last year. 10 day Med cruise in concierge cabin. She was so lovely and new. Our first trip with Oceania. In brief we loved the specialty dining but were disappointed with Red Ginger, poor service and chaotic. I actually really enjoyed Ember, didn’t feel like we were on cruise ship! We also loved waves grill for lunch, Aquamar for breakie and the main dining room, well for everything! We did not like the terrace cafe, found it too small, too many tables so it was actually hard to navigate through outdoors and chaotic. Room service was a definite miss sadly for us also. The ship was beautiful, we loved the spa and the nice sunbeds on upper deck. The bars were lovely. I thought the bathroom was the star of show in our cabin. I can’t say about the noise as I am deaf in one ear so that proves handy at times in hotels , cruises etc😂 What I did not like was the fact the cushions were pushed down the side of sofa at turn down and curtains closed making it a pain to go out on the balcony even though it was still light which I love doing. I was disappointed in the lack of things to do, I am not a fan of those kind of shows and beyond that, well there was nothing. We could not get in the culinary school either. I did think that an acoustic duet would be well received and have enjoyed those on Celebrity. It was always just a string quartet, who worked very hard but that is not my scene. The ship was full but very quiet. Overall a good holiday, good service but as of yet I have not booked again with Oceania. I do think if it had been noisy that would have been a deal breaker for us going forward. Thanks for showing us the cabin, penthouse suites are definitely way bigger! Cheers!

Thanks for this review, Gary. I really hope the soundproofing issues can be fixed as the ship seems to have so much going for it otherwise. I especially love that they have informal dining options throughout the day, and I may be one who likes the more 'academic' enrichment talks😉

Is it only due to the walls being 'thinner' or is there also a possibility people aren't as mindful and respectful of others as they used to be? People don't care if they bother others in stores, neighborhoods, or any venue.

The issue could be advanced age guests with hearing loss so televisions etc are at max volume which bothers non hearing impaired. On the flip side the hearing impaired don't hear other cabin noise so its no issue. I worked in geriatrics and this is usually the case in tight spaces.

TBH we had no problems with noise transfer between cabins on board and thought it was a great ship. We have now booked Allura on the strength of how good Vista was.

I just returned from a voyage on Vista (Colonial America, March 16-27). The ship is stunningly beautiful, the food was very good and our stateroom was quiet (11034). Two things I found troubling: we had what I thought were mild swells yet the ship seemed to roll quite a bit. And second, I think another set of elevators are needed. There are just two sets placed quite far apart and older cruisers might find the distance between the two sets a challenge. I like Oceania, but will probably gravitate to Seabourn and Silversea in the future.

We are on the Vista now and experienced the noise issue coming from the neighboring cabin. We heard voices and the TV was blaring. Very disappointing from Oceania.

That was informative. Like Gary, I also book rooms between two decks of staterooms and away from venues. It's done for the same reason - noise isolation. I like quiet enough that on land I don't favor hotels, instead opting for traditional bed and breakfasts, or vacation rental houses where there are no shared walls. Oceania is probably not the right cruise line for me at this point in my life, but things may change.

Gary, can you tell me. A family of 4 non drinkers vs a solo passenger who drinks. Doesn't the solo passenger provide $$$ for the cruise line ? Don't see what children bring to cruising !

The lack of soundproofing really puts me off this ship.

I'll be on this ship for the first time for a 21 day cruise from Venice to Rome beginning 8 days from now. Really enjoy Oceania and am stoked to try the new ship. Cheers!

As you already know, I am one that moved my month long reservation on Vista to the Marina in the fall. I love the Marina and Riviera and will admit the Vista is gorgeous but the cabin noise….we were a PH 1 on deck 11 with no noise from the pool deck but our neighbors chatting was too intrusive. We missed Jacques and found that unless you were having a bone in rib eye or fish and chips Ember was no comparison. That combined with the elevator issue, the chair hogs and the inability to see over the person in front of you in the showroom due to the layout were dealbreakers for us. On the positive side with the exception of Ember we found the food to be even better than our other Oceania cruises. They have some tweaking to do and hopefully it’s not too late to do it on the next ships being built because overall the Vista is beautiful.

I'd say silence and calm when in your quarters, are the very basics. If it ain't then I'm not going. It would ruin my whole trip If I had to adapt to noisy cabins. You want to wake up in the morning, and leave in a good mood, and also come back to you quarters, knowing you can relax and wind down from all the ppl, all the noise and chaos.

We were on deck 8 mid ship aft balcony room. No noise at all on either side of our stateroom. Enjoyed everything about Vista including the four speciality restaurants.

Hi Gary Hope you and Mark are well. I’d like to share this recent interaction I’ve had with Oceania. I called yesterday to inquire about the Newest ship Allura coming out next year. I deal with the same representative every time I call. I asked are there any major differences between the Vista and Allura I should know about. He stated minor decor change and the relocation of the library. He stated the biggest change will be the addition of increased sound proofing because of pax feedback .. How about that , he said your point so maybe someday you can review the Allura and let us know. Cheers Wayne Your the best 👍

Personally, noise doesn’t bother me much. But I am outraged - outraged! - on Gary’s behalf. Out of solidarity I pledge to never book a penthouse suite on Oceania.

Clips of the food sure made me hungry 😅

We took the Oceania Sirena in April 2023 with a group of more than 20 passengers. In one of the oceanview cabins, the headboard which was attached to the wall above the bed, fell off. That piece was quite heavy. Luckily, my friend was not hurt as she was sitting at the other end of the bed. When we informed the reception, there was no apology and the staff just shrugged her shoulders. When we returned home, we informed the agent in Singapore…..their reply was there’s nothing they could do…..no apologies too. We will never consider Oceania again…never again.

Greetings Gary From Oceania Regatta

The noise situation really sucks. Taking ear plugs is standard for any hotel/cruise/train, but there should be *some* sound-proofing so you don't hear your neighbours toooo much. Unfortunately, I don't think this is fixable, in any reasonable timeframe. These cabins were designed with very tight tolerances... they slot in against each other, so there's no room for insulation to be applied afterwards. It really sounds like they've forgone proper insulation, in order to maximise space.

jump to 9:40 if you want to see the point of the video (based on its title)

What is the camera you use in your hand which shows you almost full length while walking?

Thank you for sharing what is and what is not on this cruise. I can see how it would appeal to some, but being an engineer by day, the last thing I want on a cruise is one of the main attractions being the chance to be in a class or meeting type setting. That would be the deal breaker, not the sound. Again, thank you for the review!

Thanks for the review, Gary, love your videos. I feel that I have to put my two cents’ worth in here though. We sailed with Oceania in 2021 and had a bad experience with the cuisine. As a vegetarian, I felt definitely left out of the “finest cuisine at sea” situation. I had two evening meals where the only vegetarian options were the appetizers and sides. Trying to make the most of it, I asked if the various sides could be put on a single plate, so I didn’t look like the kid at the adults table. This they would not do. In addition, because of bad weather we missed three ports, I realize this can happen, but it was the first time the port fees were not refunded. After the cruise I wrote to Oceania to complain about the lack of vegetarian options and was told, “We haven’t had this complaint from anyone else.” I replied that those people probably just decided to never cruise Oceania again, as we had.

We were really disappointed in Ember. Our cabin on deck 9 near the concierge lounge and had no issues with noise. We were disappointed in the storage in the cabin, not well laid out. The main show lounge sight lines are terrible and this shouldn't have been an issue. On our cruise there were very limited lectures and most were not great. One of the speakers who did talk about destinations what just terrible and quoted so many wrong facts about Canada.

I'm hard of hearing. So that works for me :)

Random intrusive noise would be a deal breaker for us as well Gary. Good to know. The ship did look marvelous and food choice were great too.

Perhaps they can include Bose noise-cancelling earbuds or headphones in the price. 😁

I am like you & need a quiet room - how disappointing!

Had a very similar pro/con experience on Viking Sky. Especially being left out of “included” tours and on board activities due to passengers with early access booking those things. Viking also had only one enrichment speaker, so the presentations were repetitive in style. I am also sensitive to sound and that would be a major issue for me too, but I had no issues with that on Viking Sky.

We were in veranda B2 cabin on 7 th deck🎉 K and no adjoining noise. Most complaints in user groups seem to be penthousecabins

it's an elegant looking ship! I hate crowds. Cooking classes, a library. I lost my mojo 8 yrs ago-I wouldn't want to hear a couple's loud sex, and every word of a conversation. Still not as annoying as smoke.

The worst sound issues I had at sea were on the Renaissance class cruise ships, that you find at Azamara and Oceania. The inside cabins are always near heavy machines that cause extreme noise and sometimes even vibrations - making it impossible to sleep.

We just finished ten days in the Mediterranean on Vista, our first cruise so we didn't know what to expect. For us personally, things got off to a very rocky start from a traumatic experience in the Polo Grill. A few things were off within the first 36 hours so we decided to disembark. That became very difficult so by day five we decided to stick out. The staff was great and did everything they could to turn things around for us. The only poor experience we left with and will remember is the poor food quality; "The Finest Cuisine at Sea" was a big part of choosing Oceania. As first time cruisers we now have the impression that quality food at sea on any cruise line must have a pretty low bar, and don't cruise if only for the food. Upside, we did not experience issues with cabin noise, however I hope it can be resolved as we would consider Vista again. Despite the inside decor of a high-end assisting living community the finishes and build quality are great, especially the pool area, - especially at night. Just wish we could have those first 36 hours back!

My wife and I were on a 17 day December 2023 Caribbean cruise and had no problems with noise around us. We loved the Vista. Our issue now is with Oceania's new cancellation policy. Now, instead of getting all our deposit back if cancelling before 180 days, they keep $150 for each of us. And I thought Azamara's $75 per person was bad.

Since Oceania Tends to draw a more Senior crowd, many may be hard-of-hearing. Thus accounting for More raised voices and louder tv'

Should not have bought that cheap Chinese ship.

I love quiet as well - thanks for the caution

I'm calling today to cancel my O cruise. Between the reviews of the ship and the attitudes of the O loyalists, I'm out. I'll spend my thousands on any other line than that one.

I wonder if the ship could be overhauled to have better sound insulation in the cabins. Even for me as a non-cruiser, I could see how this would be a major deal breaker.

Thank you for sharing this cruise ship.😊😊

I am rather deaf so the noise wouldn't bother me, but my partner can hear a penny drop 50ft away, so that would be a no go.

I was just on the Riviera on Japan cruse and felt the experience was dumbed down from before COVID. The food in the specialty restaurants was poor, especially the steak house. The food in the main restaurant was quite good. The enrichment speaker was terrible, talking about the geography of Japan instead of the place we were to visit . I think he needed to go back to Australia! The ports and tours were fabulous. I think next time I would choose a different cruise line.

We have been on the Vistas and there were no noise issues. Loved the ship and love the cruise line.

We are considering a Grand Voyage on her in 2026 (really like the itinerary and the fact that there are no long international flights involved). We watched videos of this beautiful ship last night.. Stunning! Personally, the bigger concern for us is the elevator situation. This definitely is a design flaw.

The Oceania ships are the exact same as Regent, except Regent has 300 fewer passengers so that could be the reason for the noise.

Shame about the noise. That would be a problem for me. We have just come back from a cruise on Oceania Riviera from Bangkok to Hong Kong and it was stunning. We loved the balance of what was on offer across the ship. Never feeling full, never feeling empty, never having to wait for anything. The Riviera went through a recent refurbishment and very much in the modern style found on Vista. The food, without exception, was outstanding. We felt the main dining room was an absolute gem of a restaurant and better than speciality restaurants on other cruise lines. We noticed some suite guests only going to the speciality (which were all stunning) but felt they were missing a trick by not going to the main dining room for some evenings.

Based on this video, I actually may give Oceania a try next. I'm not a big fan of the entertainment options on cruise ships anyway - I get migraines at live shows and tend to avoid them - but I absolutely love lectures, small live classes, and learning opportunities. And food. And the usual things like crazy golf. (Although I don't gamble so the casinos exist as a stinky smoke pit I'd rather avoid entirely. I refuse to enter one until they ban smoking entirely, so I guess my wallet is safe unless they actually start doing that.)

Thanks for the Vista review; I’m intolerant of poorly implemented sound insulation, especially on ships. Sounds like someone’s cutting corners; I’ll take a pass.

Thanks for that. My wife and I are booked on regatta (Alaska) in Sept. for our first cruise. Noise is a big consideration for me, so I hope this will not be an issue here. We do have a restaurant above us, so we’ll see if this is an issue. What upscale cruise lines or ships offer the best “quiet” cabins?

Wow... just looking at those menus and I can tell vegetarians and even moreso, vegans probably should avoid. Actually just went to their site and checked out all the sample menus and yeahhhhh.... Bring lots of bags of chips and sandwiches. :)

I’ve never sailed on Oceania but it looks lovely. I’m hard of hearing, so the soundproofing would not be such a dealbreaker for me. I take out my hearing aids at night and I could add earplugs.

Love love love your videos though I have never cruised. my first cruise will be this fall from Edinburgh up around the notth to the western isles, west coast of Ireland ending in London. Any suggestions or ideas???? it is an A &k expedition cruise. i couldnt find any videos from you on this but would love your thoughts! thsnk you Gary!

Last year my wife and I did a Panama Canal cruise on Insignia, and we were quite disappointed with the food. Some of it was deliberate ---- a Pad Thai was made with just a hint of fish sauce, with perhaps a tenth of the amount that you would expect at a real Thai restuarant. We talked to the Executive Chef, and he said that the receipes were dictated by corporate, and we surmised that it was because if you are targetting US Midwestern folks in their 80's (my wife and I are in our 50's and we were one of the youngest couples on board), they don't have very adventurous palates. We could ask them to make the dishes as if they were meant for their own crew, and so they were able to create dishes that were properly seasoned, but the only way we could get decent food was to only eat dinner in the main dining room, and they sent us menus the day before, and we'd make our selections so they could know in advance what dishes to make just for us. Kudos for them for trying to accomodate us, but it was a bit exhausting to have to do that, and of course it meant that we couldn't eat at the Terrace Cafe. Other failures were of execution. For example, the soups were placed in a heated serving dish, and towards the end of service, enough water had evaporated out that they were so salty as to be inedible. (And that's saying something, because many other dishes were vastly underseasoned, with not enough salt.) And when they served us a cheese course at the Terrace Cafe, the person who served it allowed the soft chesese, especially the blue cheese, to be touching, and smearing against, the other cheeses. That was clearly just a staff training issue. And last month, my wife and her sister went on the Korea to Japan cruise on Riviera, and they apparently so over-cooked the lobster in the lobster pad thai that it was "an insult to the lobster" (as my wife put it). Essentially the food was so awful that they preferred eating on shore rather than on board the ship, and we will probably not cruise on Oceania again. Here's to hoping that our Viking cruise to the Norweigian Fjords will be better in the food department! We're definitely looking forward to the destination!!

When Solas made the Old Ladies of the Ocean Mothballs I retired from sea travels These new products are 100% faux mass market offerings I have zero interest being flogged arts and tours while soaking in the age old traditions of seafaring, bye bye you classic vintage 600 pax Ocean rollers.

I was just on the Vista in a penthouse suite on the 10th floor. I never heard anything from my neighbors. I loved Vista. It would be hard to go on the other ships now. I have been on Marina and Riviera 5 times and even though I loved them I believe Vista is superior. I do prefer Jacques to Embers.

good review informative level headed accurate ---- another tick .... /// good job ..

No sufficient soundproofing on a luxury ship? Maybe the neighbors were particularly loud.

I dislike cabin noises so much that I too will not consider cruising on this ship. Thanks again for an excellent review!

Thank you for this. Noise is an issue for me and if there's noise, it will make my stay and sleep less memorable and more likely to avoid the cruise line completely

Just hire your own yacht if you can afford real cruising (i cant)....cant think of anything worse trapped in a floating travelodge/marble shopping centre with people who like that sort of thing.

There is no excuse for a lack of soundproofing in cabins. Guests should be able to hold conversations and watch television without worrying about disturbing their neighbors. Guests should be able to enjoy peace and quiet in their own cabins at any time of the day or night. When fitting out a ship, trimming costs by not using soundproofing materials shows that Oceania has no dedication to customer comfort. It makes you wonder what else they’ve sacrificed in order to save a bit of money. I’m glad to know this about Oceania. I’ll never make the mistake of cruising on any of their ships.

Hi, would like to make world cruise in 2026 but solo. Do you have some advices ? Thanks

I dislike all the shiny surfaces on ships, they all look alike and remind me of the current line of RVs and trailers. They are monotonous in color and materials.

You appear not to bellyfeel Newspeak: Oceania is doubleplusgood!

Thanks for the informative review. The noise is a deal breaker for us to so we will not consider Oceania. Thanks again

you are always very fair in your reviews ❤

How strange that guest spend thousands of dollars to go on a cruise, and spend their time earning points to redeem for $2 golf balls! So many better ways for the wealthy to spend their money.

Enjoyed high tea,customer service was amazing,

Just returned from 2 weeks on the Marina (May 30, 2024): the first group of guests on the ship after the boat’s refit in dry dock. The food, as expected throughout the ship, was impeccable! But a big upgrade was in the entertainment as compared to 2017 when we did the Baltic on the Marina. Over the two weeks, the entertainment crew (excellent singers and dancers all) consistently got very warm applause and even standing ovations for some shows. Two special standouts were surnamed “Bateup and Commander”. Their voices were the icing-on-the-cake! Simply divine. Bateup much like Frank Sinatra in quality; and Commander who has focused on operatic arias over the past four years. Her performance of a Mozart Aria from the Magic Flute got everyone in the audience up on their feet for an extended standing ovation! Truly a magical performance! Overall, we had a great time. In particular as well were the ship’s tours. We took them all in this port intensive cruise to bucket-list destinations such as Malta, Santorini, Toaromina, and Capri. All the tour guides were very well prepared, highly knowledgeable and very attentive to getting us all back to the ship - on-time!

Gary you make me feel better. I will never get on a cruise so through you I can really get a feel of cruising. You are the best ❤

it's really upsetting that this issue wasn't taken into account when building the ship.

I have been reading about thin walls/TV & neighbor noise issues on Vista for months now. Does not seem to be an issue for every room, but when it is bad, it is bad and it seems to occur on every floor. I hope they will finally take steps to place sounds diverters on TVs and spray foam insulation in between walls for problem rooms (or whatever it takes to soundproof). Oceania is not a cheap motel, the rooms throughout the entire ship should be properly soundproofed.

Totally agree with you. Noise would be a deal breaker for me as well.

I am also very sensitive to sound, so the sound issue between cabins would be a huge issue for me.

We were on the Vista over last New Years. We could hear the TV from the cabin next to us. But still were able to sleep. I thought the entertainment was very poor. And it seems like after 9:00, there wasn’t much going on nor were many people even at the venues that did have something going on. We did love the buffet very much. And we enjoyed the Specialty Restaurants. What I truly consider a deal breaker was the saving of chairs by the pool. I got up one day at 7:00 to get a chair and there wasn’t anything on the lower deck available. As I was standing looking, a man came up to me and said he was looking also, but said they were all reserved at 6:40 when he got there. That’s just ridiculous!!!!! Oceania needs to do something about reserving chairs. Especially people who block off the under hang areas with chairs! Yes people actually did that!