cruise-y Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 This may seem like a strange request, but I was wondering if the posters here are all devoted RC cruisers and never cruise any other lines? Or if you cruise a lot and move around? I'm not talking about Princess and Celebrity and all that ilk; I mean other European-based lines or luxury lines and river cruises. This is really a great forum. There's a lot of good info and it has a ton of activity so there are new posts all the time. You can learn everything here - shore excursions, food, hotels, port parking, how things work. Somebody will have an answer for you. It really is super. I'm taking an Oceania Mediterranean cruise in the fall and I can't find any forums for it like this one. There's a section on Cruise Critic but it's just a big long string of posts on a variety of topics. What do you think of Cruise Critic? I'm particularly looking for info on the Kotar, Montenegró port. I know nothing about these Eastern Bloc areas. You guys are great, thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 While I've cruised most on Royal, and have Royal cruises booked now through 2018, I always keep my options open and have sailed numerous times with Holland America (mainly because my son was inexpensive on that line), Carnival (which I initially hated but now really enjoy), Disney (which has gotten too expensive) and Norwegian (I liked the "freestyle" but most lines have gone to MTD and have become more casual, so it's lost its appeal). I've also sailed on Celebrity and Princess each once. Generally speaking, I wouldn't turn down a cruise on any of these other lines particularly if the itinerary was super appealing. What has drawn us back to Royal after a 10 year absence has been some unique itineraries out of San Juan and Europe as well as innovative ships. My wife really wants to try Oceania, but without a kids club it doesn't fit our family at the moment. My guess is that since it is such a smaller line, it hasn't received the attention that the major lines have and that's why you haven't found a forum yet. There are two German sisters that I've heard interviewed that are called Cruise Sisters. They have some information on Eastern and Mediterranean cruises that might discuss the ports you're interested in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGSLC5 Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 We need Billy AKA MonorailMedic to weigh in on this because he has been on Oceania quite a bit.. On the Group Cruise I talked to him about his experiences and he really enjoyed them.. Billy We need your expertise! DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 While I cannot help you with your question, I do appreciate the kind words about this blog. Part of why you are likely not finding much info about Oceania is that it is not a mass market cruise line, like RC is, so you have a smaller audience of possible enthusiasts. To answer your first question, I almost exclusively cruise Royal Caribbean these days. I really love the product and my family enjoys the experience, so it makes the most sense for us to continue to cruise with RC because we have become "loyal to Royal". Todd 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monorailmedic Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Hi cruise-y, First off welcome to the site. I've cruised Oceania a few times and in fact visited Montenegro while sailing on the Marina a couple years ago. Kotor was actually one of our favorite ports, perhaps in part because it was so unexpectedly pleasant. We did a walking tour (through Oceania). I don't recall the name of the tour, but I can see if I happen to have it at home. It *may* have been "Town Of Kotor & Bay Of Kotor Heritage (KOY-004)" on https://www.oceaniacruises.com/Mediterranean-cruises/port-kotor-KOY/excursions/#all. One highlight was a short (~3 min) boat ride to Our Lady of The Rocks, which is a tiny island/church/museum. I'd try and make sure any excursion you take visits this island. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_the_Rocks https://goo.gl/kgoqyK Oceania's excursions have, in our experience, been top notch. The groups are usually very reasonable in size, and the guides fantastic. Our guide on this excursion was incredibly knowledgeable and pleasant, and being obsessed with polyglots, I was amazed that she was fluent in English, Spanish, Montenegrin (actually called something more complicated, and the same as Serbian), German, French, Dutch, and she spoke conversational Portuguese. https://goo.gl/17NGGr -- Now, as far as Cruise Critic, I've been on that site for a long while, and for many reasons, it isn't quite the community that some other sites (including this one) are. That in mind, it does have the largest body of cruising experience you'll find, so if mining for very specific information, it can be a great resource, just watch your step/mind the drama that sometimes comes up. For Oceania information specifically, you'll find many cruisers on Cruise Critic, but Matt's right in that because their target audience is smaller, it's a bit different than the mass market lines. No lack of information though. Checkout the Oceania Excursions Facebook page too, they post frequently with neat information and amazing pictures. Let me know if there are any specifics you're looking for on Kotor (or anything else for that matter) and I'll dust of my brain...then ultimately ask a family member when I can't remember. Either way, I'm confident you'll find Kotor to be lovely, and Oceania to be an incredible experience every time. BH Matt, cruise-y and DocLC 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruise-y Posted March 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Thank you Billy! This was a great help. I really appreciate it. I think there is an Oceania tour that is just as you describe. Zadar, Coatia is another stop that I was wondering about. It's hard to tell whether to take a bus trip off somewhere or to stay and enjoy the port city. I never stay in the Caribbean port cities because there are too many great things to do on excursions. But in these small Eastern European cities, it seems it might be better to sometimes hang around and explore. I'd appreciate any tips on Zadar as well. Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asphodel Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Cruise Critic once upon a time used to be a fine and useful site but has suffered in recent years from "tragedy of the commons". Specifically the increasing tendency for mocking and abuse, especially for their own entertainment. To post an account of something and then have a slew of people gang up on you, mock and scorn, tell you you're wrong (on conjecture), Generally be rude and scathing and disrespectful. Does not make for a very constructive environment. It's a huge site, lots of fluff and dreck to sift through to try to find answers. People who quote long posts just to add "me-too" at the bottom. Many meta-discussions. Worth a look, I wouldn't call it a community anymore. An over-bloated monster washed up on the shore. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monorailmedic Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 Thank you Billy! This was a great help. I really appreciate it. I think there is an Oceania tour that is just as you describe. Zadar, Coatia is another stop that I was wondering about. It's hard to tell whether to take a bus trip off somewhere or to stay and enjoy the port city. I never stay in the Caribbean port cities because there are too many great things to do on excursions. But in these small Eastern European cities, it seems it might be better to sometimes hang around and explore. I'd appreciate any tips on Zadar as well. Liz Glad to be of assistance. I haven't been to Zadar, but on that same trip we did go to Dubrovnik and I think we just walked the city (though I also thought we did a tour in every port, so I'll check) - it was lovely. Many (certainly not all) of the smaller Med ports are very walk-able in that way. Not sure if anyone else on the boards might be able to chime in on Zadar. You could try opening a thread about the destination and see what comes of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruise-y Posted May 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2016 Cruise Critic once upon a time used to be a fine and useful site but has suffered in recent years from "tragedy of the commons". Specifically the increasing tendency for mocking and abuse, especially for their own entertainment. To post an account of something and then have a slew of people gang up on you, mock and scorn, tell you you're wrong (on conjecture), Generally be rude and scathing and disrespectful. Does not make for a very constructive environment. It's a huge site, lots of fluff and dreck to sift through to try to find answers. People who quote long posts just to add "me-too" at the bottom. Many meta-discussions. Worth a look, I wouldn't call it a community anymore. An over-bloated monster washed up on the shore. Asphodel - Wow. You are certainly "right on" with your comments about Cruise Critic. A lot of intense arguments and finger stabbing about nothing. This site is much friendlier and more helpful. IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Posted May 9, 2016 Report Share Posted May 9, 2016 I have cruise many lines over the years, but now mostly Royal. The cruise is based more upon my location than the cruise line itself. Living in Asia I have really only two cruise lines operating full time here. Royal is the largest and the second is Star Cruises, other companies offer a few cruises a year but no one else offers a complete cruise season. That said I do like Royal and the features and benefits offered by them. If I was able to cruise from other parts of the World I maybe would book some other lines. But as my fellow American Expat Posters here know, that while we may hold the Golden World Tickets (US Passports) our wives and partners many times do not and Visa issues limiting travel choices. Royal provides a product here in Asia that allows for several cruises each year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firegal2539 Posted May 9, 2016 Report Share Posted May 9, 2016 I have 12 cruises booked but not with any European lines. I have done, Carnival, (yuck), Princess, (love), Royal, (love), Norwegian, (UMMM), Celebrity, (love & love), Holland America, (love). I have also done two organized tours, Trafalgar and Tauck and really, really enjoyed that because like cruising everything is included. I had a cruise booked on Crystal but cancelled when I found out you must wear formal evening wear on certain nights, dress codes were crazy. If I am on vacation no evening wear for me. Since then Crystal has relaxed their policies and I have been looking at their cruises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michelle Posted May 10, 2016 Report Share Posted May 10, 2016 My simple thought - you will love Oceania and if you are a food and wine person, every more so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.