Helllo everyone, I am so sorry it has taken me so long to start writing about our Marina experiences. The trip from Palm Desert to Miami never happened and we had to drive back into LA to catch a flight to JFK and then Miami for a total of 33 hours up before we arrived at Marina..boarding was simple and our staterooms were ready so off we went for a shower and a nap before the Christening..the 2 hours of the ceremony flew by and was very moving..The ship was full to the gills and the champagne, caviar and shimp were in abundance..you could not walk one step without being offered a drink..Woolfgang is on board and told Stu and I that in the three days we went through 220 pounds of giant shrimp and 20,000 canapes. The weather was beautiful and the ship is exquisite, everywhere you look are more art pieces..it is amazing. I love the Penthouse but I must say I am disappointed that the drapes between the sleeping and sitting area are fake..they dont close..so if either one of us cant sleep we have to go back to the bathroom!! The bathrooms are beautiful, although I feel it is short on storage. I do not like deep drawers..my favorite are shelves and they only have a couple of those. Thje walk in closet is wonderful with lots of room. We took a tour of all the different kinds of staterooms and I have to say my favorites are in this order Vista, OS and Oceania. they all have Hot tubs on the veranda with flat screen tv’s over them a really nice touch, I do feel the verandas are really narrow for these large suites.
The beds are extremely soft and Stu and I had our wonderful stewardess, Tatiana, turn the mattresses to the firm side and now they are wonderful..The shops are much nicer and have some wonderful merchandise at great prices which is a pleasant surprise
Today the water was fairly rough and there were several pax that were seasick..I got lucky and met some old friends who played Mah Jongg so we did that for a few hours this morning.
More tomorrow..regards from Marina,
Jan

Hi all, After I wrote yesterday we went to do laundry and this was funny..the soap which usually goes right into the machine now goes into a four cup measure and without our realizing it, over the water and soap went and we had a minor flood..we called the desk and they sent up someone to explain to these newbies how to use the washer and dryer..
Last night we had dinner with some friends in Jaques and I must say I really enjoyed it more than Red Ginger (all a matter of taste) I had a wonderful butter lettuce and cheese salad and the best Dover Sole I have ever eaten..The coffee was stong and hot and for desert I had Apple Tartine..melted in my mouth..
Did not go to the show but wandered around through the boutiques and admired all the beautiful purses..Ladies lots of new Mary Frances.
Had my usual room service this morning (bagel and cream cheese) and quickly got dressed to and meet some friends to play Mah Jongg..We are going through the canal today and the weather is really beautiful..not to warm just perfect. The water is absolutely brown, funny I dont remember it that way.
Lunch in the Terrace Cafe, which I have always enjoyed and the selection of food was amazing..Oceania has really stepped up the food on the buffet quite a bit. They were carving whole turkey and it was absolutely delicious. The Ice Cream bar is wonderful but I do feel they need more help at meal time as the line tends to get long as people are asking for shakes and malts.
We are invited to a Vista Suite ate the front of the ship to watch as we go through the last set of locks (mira Flores) with Bob and Ann and a few other people. We are going back to Jaques tonight and I am going to try the veal stew that looked excellent last night.
I will be happy to answer any questions about the ship that I can, so please let me know what I can do to help you..
More tomorrow while we are at sea..
Regards,
Jan

Jan:  Thanks for posting.  Always appreciate your input.  Looking forward to sailing on Marina, though we’re not booked on her until next March. Can’t wait to hear more about the ship.  Marsha

Hi Jan
can you give us some pointers on the washing machine so we do not cause a flood

Do they still use tokens?
Thanks

Last night we had dinner in Jaques with Jim and Mary Baldwin, the Halls and the Mahers..it was so much fun meeting new people and trying new foods..I do believe it is unanamous among our group that Jaques is mediocre and Red Ginger is excellent..Toscana has some new dishes on the menu and the food seems better than ever, as is Polo..
Today was a really nice day..we were in San Jose, Costa Rica..loved the shopping down the pier..only problem was it was warm and humid..There was a mini train taking people from the ship to the shopping area..(not that far but nice because it was hot..) The buffet is the one area that never disappoints..it seems there are more people than ever eating there for lunch and dinner..I am a cold soup lover and today in the main dining room it was pineapple and coconut, so delicious it could have been dessert..We sat outside for several hours reading, lots of lounges available and a really pleasant breeze..
I have lunch tomorrow with Bob Binder and will probably go over some small problems we have found..
For all of you coming on the next few cruises please remember to bring jackets as the temperature is very cold in most of the public rooms..the card room is like an ice box.. (remember those??)
Tonite we were back in Red Ginger and all of the restautants gave out red roses to the ladies for Valentines Day..very nice touch..we had dinner with the Vanderhoefs and Hintze’s, very lovely couples and fun to be with..they were zip lining today and were telling us all about it..sounded like great fun..
Tomorrow another sea day and at 10:00am I will be playing Mah Jongg until about 12 :30..More later
Regards,
Jan

Shari - 15 February 2011 07:38 AM

For all of you coming on the next few cruises please remember to bring jackets as the temperature is very cold in most of the public rooms..the card room is like an ice box.. (remember those??)

Jan

Yikes
I hope they can regulate those rooms a bit better
I like cool but not that cool

Lyn

I was in the executive lounge for a while today and truthfully I am not sure why they have it on deck 11..there are a couple of computers in there but we have one in our room so that is not a draw..there are sandwiches and coffee but we can get that from room service..some magazines to read but the library is extensive so I dont need magazines..very interesting, if I find a use for it I will let you know..this morning played Mah Jongg with a few ladies I met on board who I knew and it was fun but the card room is freezing (called the boardroom ) and has one Mah Jongg set and several board games We had lunch in the main dining room today and the food and service was good. Tonight we are invited to Privee for Jims (of Jim and Stan) birthday so we are looking forward to that..
More tomorrow about Privee..
Regards, from Marina,
Jan

FYI…Red Ginger seems to be one of the only rooms that is not to cold….

Hi all..night before last we were invited by Jim and Stan (Jims birthday) to Privee. Now Privee is such a special room..it is 400 square feet with the most magnificent table and chandelier..the rug was designed at the Oceania offices and made in Denmark and the whole room was personally designed by Frank Del Rio.
The dishes and silverware cost $130,000, the chairs are magnificent ..the only problem is once you get in the chairs you are there forever unless someone helps you get out, they are that heavy!!
The dinner was the most magnificent array of specialty foods I have ever had in my life (and I am not a food novice) 7 courses with champagne and wine and each course more exotic than the one before!! The birthday cake was gold and as soon as I learn how, I will post a picture.
Yesterday we were in Chiapas Mexico and Stu and I got off the ship for about an hour..there was a grass palapa (very large) with several stores under the palapa. Prices were ridiculously high and they were fixed..so we wandered around for a short time and left.The funniest thing was going on around the ship..there were two gboats (rowboats with motors) going round and round the ship all day with 4 policeman in each..truthfully I was more worried about their guns going off by accident then us being under attack..we didnt even wave at them..so they didnt get us by accident.
The consensus is that the #1 restaurant on this ship is the Terrace..the seafood and food is magnificent each night..they have been serving between 200 and 300 dinners per night up there..The food is truly amazing..last night cold lobster tails, muscles and king crab legs as just starters..
Woke up this morning about 8am and went out on to the veranda and immediately figured out we had a problem..(nothing dumb about me, we were supposed to be docked and we are still sailing) Brilliant of me to figure that out, dont you think? On our door was a note from the Captain saying that he believes we have fishing line tangled in the propeller so we are passing Hualtulco and going straght to Acapulco tho we still get there in the morning as we are crawling along..
This is the 2nd time I have been on an O ship where we got tangled in a fishing net..last time was Norway but there we couldnt move..Hope they take care of it as there are to be 500 guests coming on for lunch in LA and SFO..It would not be funny if we did not get there..
Tonight we will be eating in Polo with a couple of people in our group so look forward to finding out what they think of Marina verses the smaller ships..
Thats it for now!!  off to play scrabble
Jan

Lyn - 14 February 2011 02:56 PM

Hi Jan
can you give us some pointers on the washing machine so we do not cause a flood

Do they still use tokens?
Thanks

At this time the machine is taking quarters only..$2.00 for the washer and $2.00 for the dryer. Unlike the small ships when you push the soap button the water comes out into a four cup pitcher under the soap machine and you pour it in the space reserved for soap right on the machine..Make sure the measuring cup is empty..that was my problem..LOL
Jancruz1

Thanks Jan
I will watch for the cup
I do not want to flood the new ship

Lyn

Well spent a lot of time reading this aftternoon and I found 2 ladies to play scrabble with and really enjoyed it, won one game by 10 and another by 30 points..We are crawling along and the Captain said we should be in Acapulco by 11am tomorrow..wonderful hamburger at waves for lunch..I swear I have never had such good hamburger. as I did at Waves today..food is really getting better..
After scrabble I read and relaxed outside on the pool deck..lots of chairs available and fell asleep for a short time. Tonight had dinner in Polo with the Horners and Gilberts..they are all such lovely people. It was a delightful dinner. I had the 7 oz filet with asparagus and mixed berries for dessert..After dinner, Stu and I went to the casino for the first time..put in $20 in the Poker Machine and made one bet of $1.25 and got 4 queens, won $50 and I was out of there..Looking forward to Acapulco tomorrow and seeing my friend Shelly who owns the restaurant Su Casa. Spending time with her and then on to Cabo I love the shopping in Cabo only..
Hard to believe (I always say the same thing) how fast this cruise is going..Let me know the questions you have and I will be happy to answer..
Regards from Marina,
Jancruz1

Another day at sea and water is very calm and weather is warm..Last night was dinner in the Terrace just Stu and I..it was an amazing dinner and the food and service outstanding..After dinner we went to our first (and probably only) show..it was a really good show with Mark Friedman and Rodi Alexander..he is an excellent pianist and she is a really good singer and does great imitiations of singers..last nite she did Catherine Zeta Jones..
After a good nites sleep..and breakfast (bagel and coffee) in our stateroom I have been thinking back over the trip..in a way I am glad I did not know much about the ship..I hadn’t read many of the reviews, and each different area brought with it pleasant or not so pleasant surprises.
I have found the food for the most part to be excellent..they have changed the menu in Jaques 3 times and one of these times will get it right..the staff is all about listening to what you have to say and correcting any problems.
I have eaten in all of the restaurants a couple of times and my preference is still Polo, with an improved Toscana right behind but each person has their own favorites..Come on board with a open mind and dont have your expectations so high that they can’t be met. As I have said before, nothing is perfect!!
Stu and I will be having lunch in the dining room with Captain and Mrs. Flokos so if there is anything more I can tell you after this lunch I will. Captain Flokos is leaving the ship for a well deserved rest as he has been away from home with Marina for over a year.
I am getting dressed, taking my book( from the beautiful Library) and going up on deck to read until lunch..
More tomorrow
Jancruz1

Lunch yesterday with the Captain and his wife..found out it was not fishing net in the propeller, it was a log and the divers got it out immediately and all is well.
Had dinner last night in Polo..Paul the head maitre’d is wonderful and we always have so much fun with him..Not sure what happened last night but it was over a 3 hour dinner..over an hour after our salad we were served our main course.  I asked the Captain if our group would be able to see the bridge and he said of course so we are all going up there at 10am tomorrow morning (another sea day). Today we are in Cabo and we are tendering..they are just starting the tenders so it will be interesting to see how long it will take to get all of the tours off the ship..We are going off at noon with Denise Flokos (we both love to shop). We will be here until 11pm tonight not sure why so long but I’m sure lots of people will have dinner off the ship..
The weather is 72 and beautiful..there is a private boat anchored near us that is so large it carries a helicopter on baord..really something to see..I have bought very little on this whole trip..but I do like shopping in Cabo so lets see what kind of trouble I can get into today..
More later
Jancruz1

Hello ,
I must tell you I was really surprised at how well the tendering went today..it was the first time the crew had tendered and they were amazing. Each tender holds 100 passengers and they were running four with only 70 on each..These tenders are different from the R ships as there are benches running forward to aft as opposed to the shorter ones that run from port to starboard..I did not find these quite as comfortable but Oceania made it a very simple project. It was about 10 minutes from the ship to Cabo at 7 knots and a little choppy.
Cabo hasn’t changed much in the last couple of years except for 3 or 4 buildings which have been started to be built but left unfinished, which is a little depressing.
Although I love to shop in Cabo there really wasn’t a lot to buy that would be easy to transport home, so I bought an inexpensive bracelet which I wore today and several people stopped me to ask where I had bought it.
Walking around was really hot so when Stu and I came back to the ship we had the most delicious hamburger in Waves..I have to tell you their meat is outstanding…After lunch (about 3pm) we took a nap and woke up after 6..we did not have a date last evening so decided to treat ourselves to an evening alone in our stateroom..I ordered the Porterhouse steak (so I could pick up the bone) and Stu ordered the King cut bone in so he could do the same..it was a wonderful evening.

This morning we had made arrangements for our group to go up to the bridge with the Captain. Stu took them and everyone loved it..I saw the pictures and it is amazing!!
Today they had a Caviar Brunch in the main dining room. It was crowded and delicious..I had my caviar and then ordered Eggs Benedict off the menu..wonderful..
It is getting really cool here and I am hearing people say they have no warm clothes..anyone getting on in SFO should bring a couple of sweaters or a jacket. You will use them.
Tonight we are invited to Polo with Bruno the concierge who I love and Nicola Volpe who I have known for years..he was the GM on the 3 day cruise but stepped down so he could concentrate on the things that needed looking after.
Only a few more days on board so if you have any questions, please feel free to ask while we are still on and we can check out answers for you!!
Jancruz 1
At sea on Marina

Thanks Jan for keeping us updated
Hope you enjoy the rest of the cruise

Lyn

Hi ,
Last night was really fun, we had dinner in Polo with Nicola Volpe (GM) and Bruno (concierge). I know Nicola from Renaissance Cruise Lines and Bruno from the first year of Oceania. We were trading stories about when Ren went out of business and how all the Captains had to hide all the money in the safe so they would have money to pay the crew and how I found a woman at Amex that personally took care of all our clients that were booked on Ren when it went under (about 200) . Bruno was working at Silver Seas and he got a call from Oceania asking him to come to work..considering they only had one ship and a prayer he had a lot of confidence to take the job with O and leave SS. I told them the story of how Oceana became Oceania and we were all laughing all evening..I had the special Kobe Beef hambuirger and it was absolutely out of this world..I have already started cutting down on the food so no Shrimp Cocktail (darn) and no salad and no dessert..yes I did have a glass of red but that was for medicinal purposes..LOL and if you believe that I have this bridge to sell you in Brooklyn!!
After dinner we went to our 2nd show and it was the Platters..I dont think any of them were original but someone said one came to the group in 1962. Also I didnt remember a woman with the group but they did have one last night. Do any of you remember who the original group were?? Anyway it was a wonderful evening of nostagia which Stu and I really enjoyed. Tomorrow we are in LA and decided we are renting a car with another couple and taking our luggage home so we only have carry-ons when we get on the plane to go to Palm Desert to pick up our dog, Bandit. Jim and Mary Baldwin live near us in Oxnard so they are happy to share the cost to get rid of the luggage..it is probably cheaper this way then bringing 3 pieces on the airplane..
Tonight we are having dinner upstairs in the Terrace with Barbara Silverberg and Don Harris and that will be fun. I think it’s amazing that I seem to eat less at the buffet. ..at 6pm the show is Rodi Alexander and her husband Mark Friedman. She will be playing Barbra..the 9:45 show is the Platters again because they missed their first night..(they had the incorrect music with them..but I dont think we want to see them again..
Tomorrow in the morning in LA everyone has to be off the ship to clear customs (the first point of entry) and then those who are not going on a tour or have rented a car will get back on.Personally I prefer to be off as there are 500 Travel agents coming on to look at the ship and have lunch..it should be a madhouse on board.
Thats it for today, I am still waiting for questions..
Regards from Marina,
Jancruz1