We picked Oceania because friends had commented that its food was among the best of all cruise lines. That wasn't our experience, especially compared with Silver Seas.

When the ship set sail from Lima, it was already loaded with sick crew and a few sick passengers. Code Red, Level 2 CDC precautions were in place. Some public areas were closed but others weren't and that made no sense. Why weren't books available from the library, when common slot machines touched by countless were?

My husband was one who came down with Influenza A symptoms soon after boarding. I was healthy but we were both understandably quarantined - first, for 48 hrs. and then ultimately for 72 hours. No sympathy from room service, who refused us ice until I complained to the nurse and she finally called room service and authorized our getting ice. No books or magazines, until I finally insisted that the front desk "ask via e-mail to other passengers if some would be willing to part with read books or magazines that they wouldn't need to have returned." With my threatening to leave the room if the front desk didn't at least try to get me some reading material, I got four magazines. And later I was told that the front desk person who did that for me was chastised for doing so. Read more