We love cruises, but haven't been on as many as Dargo. We did our first cruise in 1980 on one of the original Carnival ships, the Mardi Gras, and again in 1981 on the Carnivale. Those were converted ocean liners -- the Empress of Britain and the Empress of Canada -- and were nothing like today's ships (The Carnivale is still sailing as the Topaz, leased to Japan Peace Ships, It's 51 years old). We didn't cruise again until 1995, again on Carnival. There wasn't a heck of a lot of time or money while our family was growing up.
Now that we're semi-retired (I'm retired; DW is still working but with flex time), we're getting our cruising fix. We eased back in last February with a bargain 12-day cruise to Panama on the Costa Allegra. The Allegra was a mid-size ship, only 33,000 tons and a little more than 700 passengers. We had an inside room (to see if we liked a real bargain) and hated it -- we felt like we were in a cave. We will never book an inside again. The rest of the trip was great -- the food was decent, the staff was friendly and competent, the shows were OK (small ships have cabaret-type shows, not Cirque du Soleil). But, the best part was because it was NOT a megaship, there were no crowds, no waiting (not even for an elevator), and we got so we could at least recognize everyone.
The Allegra was an older ship with few balconies and a little rougher ride because the stabilizers weren't as modern. I came back with a plan. Find another cruise line with mid-sized ships, only newer, with more balconies, etc. Somehow, I discovered Oceania Cruise Lines (Oceaniacruises.com). They have three nearly identical ships, all left over from Renaissance Cruises when that line went bankrupt. They are 30,000 tons, maximim 684 passengers, constructed in the '90's and refurbished since, elegant, beautiful and with 70% balconies. Oceania is reputed to have the best food on the ocean, even compared to ultra-luxury like Seabourn, Regent, etc.
We sailed on Oceania's Regatta between Thanksgiving and Christmas on a 26 day, epic voyage from Miami to Manuas, Brazil (1,000 miles up the Amazon) and return. We are hooked. I doubt we will ever sail anything but Oceania, again. We have booked a cruise on their Insignia in November, '07, 16 day trans-Atlantic from Barcelona to Rio de Janeiro, and have just booked another cruise on their Nautica in April, '08, a 35 day journey from Hong King to Athens, including stops in Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Oman, Jordan, the Suez Canal, Egypt and finally Athens.
There are few cruise lines left which are all-inclusive, primarily Seabourn and Regent. They are fearsomely expensive. One would have to drink beyond one's capacity to justify the cost. Betsy and I drink about a thimble-full in comparison, and the cost would be a total waste, for us. Oceania includes unlimited lemonade, iced tea, tea and coffee, and offers free cappuchinos for meals, but charges for beer, wine, liquor, soft drinks and bottled water. It isn't cheap, a can of Diet Coke is over $2 with the gratuity tacked on (they all do it). I solve that probelm by bringing my own soda on board -- I brought 3 cases (72 cans) of Diet Pepsi on board for the Amazon trip, and ran out near the end, but found more in grocery stores in the ports. Oceania will allow passengers to bring beer, wine and liquor on board for consumption in the privacy of one's cabin. Most other cruise lines prohibit liquor, but some will permit beer or wine, if not consumed in public places. Many will allow carry-on wine to be served at dinner, with a corkage fee ranging from $10 t0 $25 -- Oceania's is $20. Most cruise lines will allow the unused portion of a bottle of wine to be corked and served again at the next meal -- which is good, because wine prices tend to equal those of the best restaurants. The lowest price on Oceania was $26 per bottle (it was a good New Zealand wine).
Most cruise lines still have fixed seating for dinner (same table and tablemates for the entire cruise), and most still have one or more formal nights. Oceania has adopted open seating -- eat when, where and with whom you like. Oceania has also adopted country club casual attire; there is no need to bring a sports jacket unless you want to, never a need for a tie, and certainly never a need for a suit or tux. Many ships now have alternative restaurants; there is usually a cover charge for the specialty restaurants. Oceania has the Grand Dining Room, Tapas on the Terrace (an elegant buffet that offers Spanish-style Tapas, made-to-order pasta and the same menu items and carvings as the Grand Dining Room). Polo (a top choice steak house) and Toscanna (fantastic northern Italian cuisine). Reservations are required for Polo and Toscanna, but there is no extra charge. We ate 5 times in each of them on our 26 days cruise, perhaps 5 times on the terrace buffet, and the rest of our meals in the GDR.
Norwegian has also adopted the open seating, which I like -- it's a good way to meet people. Just tell the maitre 'd you're willing to share a table. As Dargo said, it may be difficult to get the time or table you'd like on a megaship, but I can't imagine it being as bad as his experience. I think NCL has also adopted country club casual while retaining formal nights as an option. If I never have to pack for another formal night, I will be at peace.
Wow, I'm rambling, but I love to share our experiences. Any specific questions, just ask.
