Kudos for Oceania for really delivering on the promise of a "no hassle" cruise experience. Aboard Riviera, you dine when you like, embark and disembark without (significant) line-ups (including at ports), and experience a minimum of announcements and hassles. Unlike other ships we have cruised, we were not reminded from about day 3 that we would eventually have to leave; all "administrative details" and interruptions of our vacation were kept to a minimum. Both my husband and I really appreciate this style, and feel that Oceania does it remarkably well.

The activities are available if you want them, but you are not pressured to participate and your relaxation isn't interrupted by them (eg. no "pool volleyball" etc). The environment really does reflect the "country club" idea, from relaxed (but not sloppy) dress code to the general sense that one is treated as an adult and not a kid on spring break. Incidentally, there were few actual kids and those few seemed to be well supervised.

Travel and hotel: we arranged independently since the O air service could not deliver a direct flight. Great hotel in Istanbul (Pera Palace) where we stayed 4 nights before cruising - hardly enough time to experience this superlative port. Read more