Marina Review
Rating by category
Additional details
We started the cruise with a ATL-JNB flight aboard Delta. We stayed at the Oceania suggested hotel of 54 on Bath in JNB for two nights. The hotel is excellent. As part of our cruise we booked Oceania's pre-cruise tour to the Chobe Game Lodge in Botswana. Our only issue with the hotel stay was that we were not provided with information about the pre-cruise tour, even though I asked for it upon check in. We were supposed to have breakfast and dinner provided with the tour, but ended up paying for dinner as the hotel staff had no information as to what was provided as part of the pre-cruise tour. On our day of departure from the hotel to Chobe we met three other couples who were also on the Oceania tour. It appears we were not provided information as they were, including a special room for our meals, time of departure, etc.
The Chobe Game Lodge was great. Oceania did an excellent job in having the four couples transported to the airport going and returning. The lodge itself was really a neat experience and it seemed like the four couples had the place for ourselves. Food, room and service were great. We had the chance to see a number of different animals on the different drives or river cruise.
The travel from Chobe to Cape Town for ship embarkation was great. Then, we hit the second issue of our trip. When we arrived at the cruise dock in Cape Town, there was no Oceania personnel to check us in or direct us where to go. We found our way and passed through the security checkpoint dragging and carrying our luggage with us all the way to the Marina's reception desk for check in. The next day when we spoke to the concierge aboard the Marina, he indicated the reason we had to carry our luggage was because we arrived at 9pm and said it was our fault for arriving so late, even though our arrival was dictated by the Oceania travel itinerary. It has been two months and I am still not happy about his comments and even unhappier that nobody from Oceania has contacted me about the complaint I filed on board or on my post cruise survey.
Cabin Review
Oceania Suite
This was our second time aboard Marina and the second time we stayed in this same cabin, Oceania Suite 12009. The cabin's butler was Ravi and the housekeeper was Tetiana. Both were great at providing service for both us and the cabin. On days when we were in port, we would order breakfast the evening before using the card provided and Ravi would be there almost at the exact time we had requested breakfast. We ate in the cabin twice for dinner ordering from one the specialty restaurants. One night was from Red Ginger because my wife wanted the sorbet desert and was disappointed when it was served in regular ice cream bowls. We think passengers have been taking the bowls used in the restaurant. The cabin was always kept up, so no complaints in that area. We were unsure what six bottles of alcohol we wanted, so Ravi told us to order what we wanted when we were ready.
The one thing we noticed in the cabin that did not seem all that evident the last time we stayed in this cabin was the noise from the fitness room above the cabin. It could be the last cruise was port intensive so we were up and about very early. On this cruise with the sea days, the pounding would begin at 7am if not before.
Port Reviews
Rio de Janeiro
Vicente brought us to all the locations throughout the city. We never felt uncomfortable or unsafe in the city.
Rio de Janeiro
We visited this area and then ended up staying two nights at the JW Marriott post cruise. The beach was not crowded and there were a large number of restaurants to choose from.
Rio de Janeiro
Two day tour with Vicente and saw everything we wanted to see on the tour days. Christ Redeemer was crowded and even more foolish are people lying on the ground to take pictures of the statue.
Rio de Janeiro
Vicente had tickets for us and we spent time at the first stop awaiting the clouds to clear. When it did not appear the clouds were going to blow away we went up to the next level and saw beautiful scenery as the clouds parted.
Rio de Janeiro
We visited with Vicente Cardone and spent time driving through the forest and stopping along the way for photos