A sampler platter is the easiest way for Hideaways Staff Writer Andrew Thiel to describe cruise travel. On a cruise vacation, you get a sampling of destinations, ports, and cultures, while on board the cruise ship you get a choice of restaurants, activities, and dining companions. Travel to Europe and get a taste of the Mediterranean with Andrew and his wife, Jenn, on their first cruise. Read about Andrew's pre-cruise concerns, including formal attire, small accommodations, and dining with strangers, and how he was pleasantly surprised. Discover the benefits of a cruise ship much smaller than the average and get Andrew's tips on how to choose a cruise line that's right for you. Get a taste of some of your dining options on board and the stops you'll be making along the Mediterranean coastline if you do choose this cruise ship and itinerary . . . and Andrew recommends that you do!
Before I tell you about Oceania Cruises, let me first get one admission out of the way: I am not an experienced cruiser. I follow the industry closely, and my position at Hideaways allows me to tour cruise ships occasionally, but prior to boarding with Oceania this past April, I was pretty much a cruising neophyte.
Until very recently, I would have considered myself to have had a well established, if not altogether well informed, wariness toward cruising. Having spent many a vacation bareboating, I had found myself apprehensive on more than one occasion as I'd sailed into a quiet Caribbean port, only to have a cruise ship dock shortly thereafter and unload thousands of tourists. In my mind's eye, I still see too many stereotypical cruisers making a mad dash to the nearest rum shack or trinket stand in their precious few hours ashore.
The cruise industry has continually struggled to overcome misconceptions held by first-time cruisers who, personally speaking, have developed strong opinions based on clichés that date back to The Love Boat. Truth is, the cruise industry of today is a far cry from the one that employed television character Gopher. Cruising is no longer just for "the newly wed and nearly dead." Regimented social schedules aboard cruises are fast becoming a thing of the past. And on many of the lines, you can leave your black tie at home. Cruising is experiencing a renaissance, and one of the lines leading the way is Oceania.
The fact that Oceania is at the forefront of the cruising industry's rebirth is no coincidence. Founded in 2002, Oceania is one of the youngest cruise lines in operation. The three ships currently in its fleet were purchased from Renaissance Cruises--an upscale line that went the way of the dodo bird after unsuccessfully swimming against the "bigger-is-better" tide that's been sweeping the industry. Perhaps Renaissance was ahead of its time. Or perhaps Oceania is just better at what it does. Either way, the ships that used to sail half empty under the Renaissance banner are now one of the hottest tickets in town.
My wife, Jenn--another cruising novice--and I were lucky enough to sail aboard Oceania's Insignia during its first Mediterranean departure of the season, from Barcelona to Athens. Not only did we get to sample a number of Europe's most alluring ports of call along the way, we also challenged our cruising preconceptions first-hand. While some of my notions on cruising did prove true, many were debunked. At the end of a thoroughly enjoyable and educational ten-day cruise, I was happy to say that Oceania could add me to their long list of cruising converts.
Life Aboard Oceania
At 30,000 tons each, Oceania's ships--Insignia, Regatta, and Nautica--are a far cry from the behemoths the more mainstream lines are operating (Royal Caribbean's new class of ships weighs in at 154,000 tons). But they're not exactly small, either. The ships are just large enough to offer all the amenities we cared to have. They don't boast rock walls or wave pools, but they do have four primary restaurants, a generously sized gym, a spa, a pool with two whirlpools, a library, a salon, a lounge, a casino, and my personal favorite, a top-deck bar called Horizons which, as the name implies, offers far-reaching views.
Staterooms are amply sized by cruising standards--ours was not so large that I would mistake it for a hotel room, but not so small that I was constantly tripping over Jenn. The decor was simple and elegant, and most important, the bed was comfortable. Many of the staterooms, ours included, come with verandas. But if you're like me, most of your time will be spent enjoying the ship's public spaces.
Oceania's mid-sized ships offer up some luxuries the larger liners will never be able to. For starters, thanks to their size, Oceania's vessels can dock in many small ports where bigger vessels can only anchor offshore--so you'll waste less time tendering in. And with only 680 passengers on a ship, you'll find that smaller ports are much less apt to feel overrun when Oceania's guests do go ashore. Lastly, the line's smaller ships mean significantly more personalized service. Oceania's staff was outstanding; many of the 400 crew members knew Jenn and me by name midway through the cruise.
To Dress, or Not to Dress
Perhaps my greatest trepidation prior to boarding Insignia-and one of the concerns most frequently voiced by Hideaways Aficionado(r) Club members prior to booking with a new cruise line--was Oceania's on-board atmosphere. Choosing a cruise line is something like selecting a breed of dog--you should opt for one that matches your personality. For the record, I own a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, known for being fun-loving, friendly, and not at all stuffy or aloof.
So, while I don't mind getting dressed to the nines on occasion, I don't enjoy arbitrary formality. Oceania's dress is what they call "country-club casual." By day, this often translates to something as relaxed as a pair of jeans and a golf shirt--fairly common attire for many of the guests. At night, the restaurants are a bit more formal, and some of the guests dressed very smartly. But the ambiance was never overly starchy, and when I left my sportcoat in our stateroom and opted to dine in an open-collar shirt, I didn't stand out.
Diversity in Dining
Of course, you can't talk about a cruise without mentioning the food. For many guests, dining is such a central experience to cruising that it's even more important than the destinations. Such foodies will not be disappointed with Oceania, whose executive chef just happens to be Jacques Pépin, former personal chef to three French heads of state (including Charles de Gaulle). As Jenn and I discovered, Chef Pépin's creations are served in four distinctly different restaurants.
The Terrace--which goes by the name Tapas on the Terrace in the evening--is the only buffet-style restaurant. The Grand Dining Room offers a more formal atmosphere and serves Continental cuisine. Both these restaurants offer open seating and plenty of interesting selections for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Two of Oceania's restaurants--Toscana and Polo Grill--are only open for dinner and require reservations. Toscana specializes in Italian cuisine, while Polo Grill offers seafood and aged prime beef. We ate at each restaurant twice, and almost invariably there was at least one "wow" dish--the kind you're still talking about the next day at breakfast. Maybe that's why reservations were so hard to come by. If you want to try either restaurant, I would suggest making reservations very early in your cruise, particularly if you want a desirable table for two.
Another aversion I had toward cruising was the idea of having to dine with complete strangers. With Oceania, it turned out I didn't have to worry. The Terrace and Grand Dining Room had a number of tables for two, so if we weren't feeling particularly gregarious on any given evening, Jenn and I could enjoy a quiet dinner. Of course, dining at a shared table is a great way to meet new people. We gave it a shot on several occasions, and for the most part we had a nice time getting to know our fellow cruisers.
After dinner, Oceania's entertainment team swings into high gear. I didn't have any Charo sightings while aboard, but I did have a Love Boat flashback during one of the musical reviews; though a bit cliché, it was still fun. For those seeking a more edifying experience, Oceania offers a guest-lecture series on each cruise. Topics typically revolve around the next day's destination, everything from history to touring advice.
A Sampler of Destinations
The entertainment most of us came to enjoy was exploring the variety of ports Insignia called on during our cruise. If you've cruised before, you know the ports of call are really just a tease. With a tight schedule of nine stops on our particular itinerary, I felt like we never had enough time ashore--eight hours on average. Even for some of the smaller towns we visited, like Positano, that's barely enough to scratch the surface.
I decided to look at cruising as a sampler platter, so to speak. It's a great way to taste a number of regions without filling up on just one. In this case, we tried several destinations I probably would not have made it to anytime soon, if ever. One such stop was Messina in Sicily; the visit was enough to confirm that it won't be added to my travel "to do" list anytime soon. While I wasn't particularly enamored with the city, I'm still glad I saw it; one of the most interesting things I took away from the experience was seeing how the locals parked anywhere and everywhere--three abreast, on the sidewalk, even in the middle of a busy intersection.
In the case of Malta, my brief time ashore was enough to open my eyes to a country I'll want to explore more thoroughly in the future. Sailing into Valletta--Malta's capital built aside one of the most stunning harbors I've ever seen--was a dramatic, almost mystical experience. With its unique history, its confluence of cultures, and an old-world feel, Malta is a fascinating country that's not on many Americans' radar. Thanks to Oceania, I got a taste and will definitely be going back for seconds.
[Ed. note: For more on Malta, see "Islands in the Mediterranean Sun," page 16.]
Of course, when I do return, it probably won't be on a cruise. I'd like more time--a few days at least--to explore. But there are a number of other regions I'd like to get to know better--South America and the Baltic, to begin with--for which a cruise would be the perfect introduction. Hopefully, I'll be lucky enough to hitch a ride with Oceania again.
HL
Andrew Thiel is Hideaways' Manager of Business Development.
AT A GLANCE
Oceania CruisesTHC
SHIPs: Three 5-star sister ships, each with 280 staterooms and 62 suites, many with private verandas.
Amenities: Four restaurants, library, pool, spa, Internet café, casino.
Outstanding Feature: The staff; they seem to really enjoy working for Oceania, and it shows in the top-notch service they provide.
Rates: Call your Hideaways Travel Consultant at 877-843-4433 for itineraries and fares.
Aficionado Perk: $100 spa credit on select sailings and a gift membership in the Hideaways Aficionado(r) Club.
Further Info: www.Hideaways.com/oceania
Booking Oceania
As I mentioned earlier, Oceania is one of the most popular tickets in the cruise industry right now. The line is adding two new ships to its fleet to keep up with demand--the first slated for delivery in the fall of 2010--but for the near future, most of their departures will likely be running at very high occupancy.
If you're interested in exploring an Oceania cruise, call your Hideaways Travel Consultant at 877-843-4433 (+1-603-430-4433 internationally).
July 2007