I posted this elsewhere on the bottom of another thread but I had some calls asking me to put this under Oceania. All I did was tour the Regatta. That is not the same as sailing so it is not fair for me to judge a ship or line on a quick visit. These were just my observations.


Positives:
Great public rooms, the Library in particular is really quite stunning, alternative dining rooms were really lovely. Nice feel in the rooms with a bar in each dining room. The Terrace cafe (casual) was nicely done with a really excellent looking buffet. The Grand dining has a plush feel but I also felt the low ceiling in that room. The menus for all the restaurants looked really good. The Cabanas I personally did not think much of, not worth it in my mind, might be for others though. Good size and you can have a cover or open, well designed for shade or sun. There is a covered area at the back of the pool deck with big lounge chairs that is covered. That was kind of a neat area.

Negatives: The basic cabins were very small and the bathrooms tiny with a small shower. The Penthouse suites were larger with a bathtub/shower combination. I cannot imagine sailing in a cabin any smaller than the Penthouse - but then I am spoiled. The cabins are just not in my colors or decor but that is ONLY my personal opinion. Blues and dark wood. Carpet is red with blue. The ceilings are low that struck me throughout the ship. The main lounge has bad sight lines and appears to be too small and the seating is not tiered. Not sure how the sight lines would work for a show. Same with the Horizons lounge, lovely room, great furniture but the stage or dance floor could not host any type of show as it would be impossible to see the stage.

Certainly a cut above a mass market ship. Two big factors, open seating dining and fewer passengers. These are BIG advantages in my opinion. The food looked good on the buffet. Itineraries are different also. However, if you go in a standard cabin you are in a mass market cabin - I do not see any difference here at all.

Ngaire, I agree with a lot of what you say..a few comments,
Horizons is basically used as a disco at night and there are not shows there ever..I have been using the cabana and have been enjoying the quiet and food service there..The ship was built in 1998 or 1999 so not sure what older is..Stu and I always take a PH and enjoy the size and the balcony very much..there are outside staterooms with windows on the ship that are extra large and sell quickly...
Jan

How many catagories must you upgrade to til you have a balcony?

Karen - there are balcony staterooms, category B, then the balcony category A which are concierge level and you get lots of amenities with those, but they are the same size as the B category. Then from there you go to PH level, which are larger than the A, and have even additional amenities plus a Butler. After that, its Vista suites and then Owner suites.

I just looked at the deck plans for the Regatta. While I love Oceania's unique itineraries, I am too cheap to upgrade 6 categories to have a balcony, lol!

Gosh 6 catergories for a balcony? $$$$ ouch!! We really enjoy balcony would not cruise without one - I agree itineraries are very appealing - Joanna

We have to have a balcony as well, no one wants to look at me during their breakfast.......probably even David, but he's used to it. We have breakfast room service every day.
Cindy

Cindy, I'm with you on the room service thing, have never had breakfast in a restaurant other than on the PG in all my cruises, and prefer to keep it that way. Now, if I could just swing that Owner's Suite that Claudia gets, I could have a real attitude adjustment about Oceania, as I do love their itineraries! Not too long, not too short.

I think once on the Mariner, I had to have breakfast in the main dining room on disembarkation morning but other than that, I eat breakfast in my room with my bed head!

We order coffee and juice (tea for me) every morning (6:30 am?) and then decide to call in for breakfast food or go to La Veranda - never CR

I use room service breakfast as my wake-up call. Imagine my humiliation on the 1st morning out on 008 - they didn't show. I had an early morning tour. Do I shower? Do I start getting dressed? Do I roll my hair? They'll be here any minute. Finally called. "Mrs. Whitehead, you didn't put down a time on your room service sheet." Oh! Could it have been all that arrival champagne, dinner wine & sail away party drinks? Probably.
My hot order arrived within 10 minutes.
I think this is one of the many things RSSC does best.

Owners suite? Just looked it up, might not leave the balcony at all.......Yes, I too love their itineraries, and was on when the ships were Ren. Very pretty.
Cindy

The Owners suites are beautiful and the balcony is a wrap around. Lots of space. The Owners suites have a nice separate dining and living area where one can read and the other one can be resting in the bedroom. The closet space and vanity in the bedroom are great.

The balcony on the OS is so large, I couldn't find my husband one day!!!!! We are booked in a VS and I hear it's the same as the OS, just forward. And lots and lots and lots and lots of closet space!!!!
Esther

Esther,
The Vista Suites are very similar to the Owners suites but with just a few differences. The closets are arranged a little differently and it is a bit smaller. I couldn't decide which I liked better and actually ran from the front of the ship to the back twice to compare and never did really decide which I liked better. They both are great. Lucky you. Have a great time!

Ngaire:

Thanks for you observations on the Regatta. One statement that you repeated a couple of times caught my atention, and that is about how low the ceilings seemed to you. Did it seem that they were lower than on, say, the Mariner?

Thanks,
Richard