We just returned from the 10-day Caribbean Hideaways cruise on the Riviera. Our last cruise had been on Azamara's Journey, an 'R' ship that is about half the size of the Riviera -- both in terms of size and passenger count. One of our curiosities was whether or not we'd experience that 'small ship' feel on Riviera that we so enjoyed on the Journey -- and we were not disappointed! Our overall experience was wonderful, and we'd gladly recommend an Oceania experience to anyone on the fence.

Embarkation: Very fast and uneventful, although our ID cards had been misplaced at the check-in counter and couldn't be located. The concierge escorted us aboard and had new ones printed for us on the spot. With a 6:00pm cast-off from Miami, we had about 4-5 hours to become acquainted with the ship before watching our departure.

Cabin: We had sailed in one of the aft Owner's Suites on the Journey, and completely fell in love with the aft-view on the ship. Outside of the three Owner's suites on the Riviera -- that span the entire width of the ship, and the two Oceania Suites on deck 11, the only other aft-facing cabins are the two Penthouse Suites (PH3) on deck 7 on the port and starboard sides. The cabins are 'side-facing' and have an enlarged veranda -- as do the other Penthouse suites on deck 7. But what sets these two cabins apart is the 'wrap-around' extension of the veranda that faces directly aft and provides an unprecedented amount of privacy. The trade-off is a slightly narrower cabin and slightly less closet space than the other PH3s, but the added veranda space and privacy more than made up for it. (In fact, we held a gathering in our cabin one evening for 6 and while it was 'cozy' it was not uncomfortable.) We'd asked for two full sized recliners to be placed on the aft extension, and we spent many an afternoon and evening just watching the ocean go by. We had a large veranda on the Journey as well, but one noticeable difference was that the bulkhead on the 'R' ships extends up about 3 ft from the deck, whereas there are railings on the Riviera -- giving you a more open and full view of the ocean when you're lying in a recliner. This cabin is a true hidden gem and may well be the best bargain on the ship. Read more