Last year my wife and I experienced a fine 10 day cruise with another couple. We appreciated the service and especially enjoyed our meals. Accordingly, we returned to the same ship and expected another excellent cruise. MISTAKE ! It seems the Cruise Line was purchased by Norwegian and everything has now changed. Our impressions were that the "bean counters" have taken over and cost savings are now required all over the ship with special emphasis given to lowering the quality of the food. What was once excellent food now is merely mediocre at best. Previously, Oceania Cruises prided itself upon a "gourmet culinary experience. Not now! The quality of the meals now offered left a great deal to be desired. Nightly Shrimp Cocktails were no longer offered or provided. Twice, the menu offered "Tiger Prawns". What was actually provided was not "Tiger Prawns" but instead just large shrimp.

Not even Extra Large or Jumbo Shrimp but just Large Shrimp! At" Toscana", an offering of "Mozzarella di Bufala Caprese" did not actually provide Bufala Mozzarella but offered an inexpensive poor quality regular Mozzarella. A serving of Pasta produced pasta that was badly overcooked and gummy. A meal at the "Polo Grill" offered a "Tomato and Sweet Onion" Salad. Instead of Sweet Onions, slices of cheap red onion was served. No Chef swhould serve red onion as a "sweet onion". The menu states that all meats are of "Prime Quality". Not true at all! My steak was full of fat and gristle and was neither peppered or salted. Just plain BAD! All in all, during the entire cruise, the meals offered are now bland, devoid of flavor, and were of poor quality.

As an indication of cost savings there is the issue of the Televisions in the cabin. All of them of low end brands of extremely poor picture quality. There was not a single day that there was full TV available. "No signal" was the rule each and every day rather then the exception. Of the five offered Movie Channels two were non-operable. As another indication of "cost cutting" the ship did NOT offer one of two NFL Championship games. Read more