Rooms are like prison cells. Bathroom is tiny you literally can’t move in it. For a ship of this capacity the swimming pool is the size of a bath. The outdated rules of no shorts gets boring especially when men are allowed to dinner in scruffy Adidas trainers. Not only are you woken up early with the annoying, pointless announcements but the ship is a dictatorship. Never cruised before and because we booked through a 3rd party we weren’t informed of the dinner attire rules, we was reprimanded for not booking direct with p&o but p&o still accepted the booking and happily took our money via 3rd party. Avoid this ship. It’s tired and lacking any character or luxury. You can hear every noise the cabin next door/ above makes also. Drawers constantly being pulled in and out. Entertainment was dated and not much for children in fact the only child’s disco that was organised what set at the same time of the black tie event so nobody showed up. When eating at the buffet you practically had to beg the waiters to take your drinks order otherwise they just avoid you. I went and asked one to order a drink and he told me to go to the bar. Many of the wait staff are arrogant and unhelpful. Would never cruise again and would advise anyone considering it to avoid the Oceana. Ports were efficient and no problems going through just don’t forget crew card. Upon disembarking you have to provide your crew card of which this was taken off of us when we checked out at reception. As stated before we have never cruised and as no information was given to us as they assume every passenger has done many cruises it caused a confusion and delayed us getting off the boat as we no longer had our cards. Then the man started shouting over me aggressively when I was pointing out that reception staff should not have taken my card if I needed it to disembark and leave the cruise. Read Less

Transfer from airport to cruise terminal very quick. Fast, efficient check in and luggage delivered quickly. Lots of other delayed flights so we left Valetta 4-5 hours later than scheduled. Oceana is showing its age now, especially in the cabins. Our balcony cabin (C409) , felt very cramped. Few stains on the carpet. Wall panels grubby and dull. Bathroom is very very small and very dated. Parts of the tap were missing ( but still worked though). Shower curtain - which I hate ( but it did look very clean and fresh). Toilet when flushed always had a sooty residue in the water. Balcony was tiny, glass sliding doors had seen better days and there is a lot of wear and tear. I was glad we had only booked a week because the cabin was very disappointing. Staff were lovely. Very hard working, polite and cheerful. Captain's 'thought for the day' were funny in a cringeworthy way but we all listened every day to see what he had to say. He came across as very nice. We attended a few pool side music quizzes which were fun - especially when Craig was hosting. We also attended a few quizzes in the compass pub before dinner which again were great fun. Poolside live music was good for the most part (we don't like Jazz so didn't enjoy that performance but the others were very good). Didn't see any shows - which is usual for us but our fellow guests at our dining table gave mixed reviews throughout the week - some good, some disappointing for them. On the whole, we had a nice week - nothing special. Felt like P&O are cutting corners any and every way they can. We had the second sitting in the Adriatic restaurant. The staff was very friendly and very hard working but we found the food to be bland -very often dry, as it was probably sitting around too long and the portions were a lot smaller than we remember on our previous cruises on this ship. The ship is definitely showing it's age which is a real shame as it has a nice friendly atmosphere with lovely staff. We were glad that we had only booked a week though. This was our third and very possibly our last time on Oceana. Read Less

It was our 24 Th wedding anniversary. So wanted to do a beautiful cruise in the Med as you can almost ensure perfect weather. We have been with P&O Many times brilliant ships. ENGLISH sterling and English plugs. Fantastic. The staff are so friendly and the cabins are clean and tidy. But a little on the small side but that's no problem really. We love the evening shows and Entertainment. The staff are all helpful And the good has a good choice and really nice. We prefer to eat at the buffets as it's so much nicer to pick what we wish. The only thing that rubies our holiday was the pool side singer called Frankie. She was awful, she had one of them voices which drones on and on and on the sound system was way too loud. She played guitar but only knew a few chords so it was like she strumned away the same rythem and sand different songs over it. It was so loud you could not read. Relax or talk to each other at all I walked around the deck and saw no less than 5 people with fingers in ears or hands over ears . this is surely not right. How come the volume was so loud when you are trying to relax. She played everyday and sometimes 3 or 4 half hour sets straight after each other playing the same songs.. So so boring. I had to get up and walk away each time she came in. Terrible like torture almost after a while. Read Less

Last year cruised on this ship and everything was first class. However, this year I felt something was missing!! The drinks package had changed and was very expensive and if you are only an occasional drinker , well too much. The entertainment was not very good compared with last year. Shows only 1/2 an hour long. However, enjoyed the lectures on forensic science - CSI on board ship. Cannot complain about the food and service they were of a very high standard. The prices of goods in the shops were too high and the market tables at night could have had a better selection of goods. The excursion was very good to Athens and I certainly had my monies worth as the courier never stopped talking. I had already booked another cruise on this ship to Dubai in November before going on this cruise so will write after to see if anything has changed. Read Less

We last sailed on Oceana in May 2018 and enjoyed it so much, we booked for a 7 night Adriatic trip from 27th to 4th July 2019. Oceana is just a beautiful, elegant ship. She may be classed as mid-sized but as you gaze up at her from the Malta cruise terminal, she ought to be big enough for anyone! We were so fortunate with the weather - we had wall to wall sunshine from beginning to end with calm, flat seas which was just perfect. Our route took us from Malta to Dubrovnik, Hvar, Venice and Split. Croatia was a revelation to us and we realized that the best way to visit this beautiful country is surely by ship. We were met with stunning landscapes at every port call. Venice was amazing and the early morning approach into this amazing city was unbelievable - sights that will stay in our memories forever. Oceana for us, is perfect. From the first step onboard looking up into her fabulous atrium, you’d have to be a cynic not to be impressed. The restaurants are all varied and serve delicious food. We had a slight problem finding a table for two in The Ligurian freedom dining restaurant (last year there were four of us and it was easier) but we had drinks while we waited for our handset to buzz! The food in the MDR (Ligurian) was perfect - lots of choice with P and O favorites (prawn cocktail and sirloin steaks) if you didn’t want to be more adventurous. The Beach House and Cafe Jardin (fee paying restaurants) were delicious, although I think they ought to rethink the Trio of Desserts in Cafe Jardin - not good. The sunbed situation needs sorting. So many people go out early and reserve their sun beds with towels and personal belongings. We thought this needs to be “policed’ as the area around the beautiful sun deck and pools is a no go area if you can’t sit anywhere. The promenade deck is good to sit on, but even this area gets crowded later on. There is an aft adult only area with its own plunge pool, but we had parents pushing buggies around eyeing up any available sun beds, so unfortunately rules and regulations don’t seem to matter onboard a ship! We had a balcony queen bed cabin. These aren’t massive, but most of our time was spent out and about but it was great to go back and sit on the balcony with a drink and a book! The room steward (Rose) was wonderful - in fact all the hard working staff on the ship need medals. They play a great part in enhancing the cruise and always with a smile. P and O are so meticulous in providing an amazing service for their customers - nothing is left out, even to the signage to the best viewing points for the early morning arrival into Venice that magically appeared overnight. Security is so tight when arriving at ports. Would we go again? Yes, yes and YES! In fact we have three more cruises booked with P and O. We really didn’t want to book with anyone else as this company get it so right. Oceana is a perfect, elegant ocean liner and it was a joy to sail on her again. Read Less

This was our fourth time on Oceana and the itinerary was Croatia,Italy and France.Our previous cruise was on Oceana in March this year on the Dubai cruise.Sadly there seems to be an issue with the vacuum on the toilets as our toilet would not flush properly on six occasions in 14 days and the bathrooms really need a makeover.Anyone who put a review on cruise critic and did not mention the toilet problem were either lucky they did not have a problem or did have a problem and did not wish to mention it but the truth is what is needed in reviews.Our steward Rose was brilliant and her appearance daily was impeccable. DINING- We were club dining eating at 8.30pm which suited us and we had some lovely people on the table.The waiters alternate these days between the Adriatic and the Ligurian.The food was good with a good selection but we thought the food on March cruise was better.We did not bother with lunch and had afternoon tea in the main dining room instead. ENTERTAINMENT-This was varied but the outstanding act were the Flyrights a motown group where there was standing room only if you did not get in early.Jon Clegg runner-up to collabro on BGT 2014 was good on his first show but not so good on the second.Richard Hadfield who used to be with Collabro,he is a brilliant singer more of the classical type of singer.Another show worth watching was Astonishing devised by Stephen Mulhearn of catchphrase.That is all that needs mentioning about it so as not to spoil it but well presented by the headliners. PORTS-dubrovnik-enjoyed it but we were there in the hot spell of weather-£25 to walk the walls,hard work in hot weather.ROME-You really need to be quite fit for the walk and river cruise as you will cover about 6 miles and not a lot of photo opportunity as you do not get off the coach by the colliseum-rather disappointing. Venice-Also a bit disappointing as we did Doge's Palace and the gondola ride was one of the most uncomfortable means of transport I have ever been on in fact a camel ride some years ago was more comfortable.The winery visit at Toulon was well worth doing as you go to a medieval village in the hills first. The service on all parts of the ship were excellent and do not miss the Captains gala party if you want a free drink.Do not think we are whingers we are just giving you the facts as we experienced it.Would we go on Oceana again probably not as it will probably disappear before we get chance unless it gets a reprieve doing the Dubai cruise but if the right itinerary came along yes we would. Read Less

7 day fly cruise around the Greek Islands with two restful sea days. Perfect itenary for us and although we have sailed many many times with P&O we had never been on Oceana. Firstly , we were aware of her size and age, so expectations were not high. However it has to be said the staff are excellent, friendly and provide excellent service. Nothing is too much trouble. The food was also of a very high standard, with an extremely wide choice and very accommodating waiters. The ships function rooms have been upgraded and create a very relaxed and inviting atmosphere. What really lets this ship down are her cabins. Not only are they very small , that also includes the balcony , but they are in great need of attention . Air conditioning is extremely loud througout the night, the bathroom is so small when using the toilet you can touch the door, the shower cubicle is minuscule and shower heads falling apart, drains do not seem to drain away properly and despite the cabin being cleaned extremely well each day, the cabin looks well worn. Despite this the itenary of the cruise around Greece did exceed expectations. Beautiful ports with easy access to sights. SoundaBay whilst remote, you can take a public bus from the port to Chania - 20 minutes away and what a gem. Santorini is wonderful. Pre hotel stay in Malta at the Excelsior was perfect. Read Less

In general myself and my husband were pleased with the cruise . We wanted a medium sized ship with good entertainment facilities and a variety of ports. This was our third cruise but first time on Oceana. Our main criticism was the subbed situation. We liked to have a fairly relaxing breakfast on sea days but once we got up to top decks, sun beds were very scarce! People had draped towels over them and gone off, and it took a few treks round the decks to find any free ones! Well, there were plenty free but all had towels left in them, books and bags etc left beside them! We felt that staff should be stopping this from happening somehow! I must admit that, had I known this would be that difficult I would never have booked this shop for a med cruise!!! Even down on deck 7 where you could sit in the open air without a pool, it was crazily busy and towels again draped in all seats! I used the pool one day out of the 14, and would have loved to have used it more, but was just not quick enough to get a subbed. Even when I did use it we had to sit on upright seats by a table! The food was consistently very good & we were able to easily get a table for two. Ports were lovely but very very busy! All staff were excellent! Our cabin was ok but not as roomy as the one we had last time on Oriana, and could have done with updating, plus only one socket which was a pain! Entertainment was good, and places to have a drink were fab! We found people in this ship very dressy, lots of sparky evening dresses which I wasn’t really prepared for, but would be next time! This was an enjoyable cruise around Greece and Croatia & we have booked to go with P & O again (on a different ship) as we found them very efficient! I personally would think twice before booking a med cruise on Oceana again unless I knew the subbed situation was better though unfortunately! Read Less

Food in the MDR was good. So was le Jardin and the Beach House. Also sampled the Asian lunch taster. The Headliners provided excellent entertainment as per usual. The room was clean however there was a constant odour from the toilet even after it had been evidently cleaned. (Suspect old piping etc) Travelled with a child who constantly used the small sports area with goals, a net for tennis and a basketball hoop. The weather was excellent throughout the cruise. The cabin was an outside cabin as no balconies available for families when I booked. The room was bigger than we had feared however there was no private area to get changed outside the bathroom, which was definitely to small to do so. All the crew were nice and friendly. The public areas were in good condition. Used the kids club once and the lad enjoyed. We would travel on the Oceana again. Read Less

Could not get a shore excursion as both my choices on wait list. So I put my name down for both. Rang up just before leaving and told no change so asked to come off wait list to book private. Told that not possible and it did not matter as I would be emailed and have 72 hours to reply if I did not reply it would just be dropped. Got on ship to find a ticket for one of the excursions, suddenly found seats only 36 hours after that call. But too late, I had booked privately. Went and stood in line, wasting my time, to give them their ticket back and they had to consult about cancelling it AND repaying the money to my onboard account. They then told me that I had another confirmed booking and been charged for the other wait list I had gone on the excursion was at the same time as the other one. They had to consult again to take me off and return my money and they had not even checked to see if we could do it. If you want this hassle then go on wait lists, but personally I was very cross that they had not told me anything a few hours before whilst on shore, that they refused to take me off the wait list, that they then booked me on both excursions WITHOUT asking me and took the money from my account and for all this gave me stress at the start of my holiday. Overshadowed and marred the whole experience., Dining was OK but I had to eat twice from the always menu rather than the daily one and two days of steak does not spell good food to me. Cabin was fine but we did have a mini-suite. Looked after well by Rosie. But all balconies are narrow in width and this was no exception, just that we had double the length. Just managed a chair. Entertainment was Ok but nothing outstanding. Thought the magician would be good, but whilst he got some very right he did a couple of tricks in such a way that gave them away. Did not do any day time activities and only one shore excursion, which was good, the issue was tendering, but that always can be a problem. Read Less

We chose this ship/cruise because it was stopping over at the Monaco Grand Prix (although more of that later). The trip was out of Malta - a 1st for us - and arrival embarkation was faultless and well staffed. The ship is a bit 'tired' in parts but the cabins are of a good size (we were on C deck) and clean/tidy. So why only 2 points:- Drinks Package Unless you want to engage in a constant battle with staff my advise is stay well clear of the 'Ultimate Drinks Package'. Way too many rules and regulations. Diet Coke is not included but Diet Pepsi is (who makes these rules?). You can order a small bottle of water but not a large one. Don't try the "OK so can I have 2 small bottles then" because that will be met with "sorry I can provide one small bottle but you have to have drunk that one before I can supply another small bottle" (I guess that I should not blame the staff someone told them that this was a rule). You cannot order a large Pina Colada but you can get a small one and then order another when you have drunk that one........Really! Internet To be fair this is true on most cruises but only 2 words adequately describe the Internet access packages (there are 3 levels) and they are the words "rip off" Staff and Service Sorry P&O but your staff have to be amongst the most grumpy that we have ever encountered. Some exceptions of course but mostly in need of retraining in customer service and simply how to smile Activities Generally good. We went on some sort of adventure pretty much every day that we were not at sea. The only day that gave cause for complaint was ironically the day that mattered most. On the day of the Monaco GP the ship was docked in VilleFranche and therefore access to/from the port was via tender. The day before the daily newsletter announced that last tender back to ship would be at 5.30pm. Keep in mind that the GP didn't start until 3.15pm. There was very little chance that we could watch the entire race and get back to the tender for 5.30pm. I will acknowledge that we spoke to a number of officers and they all did the nod and wink thing and said don't worry I am sure that it will be OK; but no-one offered any sort of certainty. The only comfort that we drew was that the 'official P&O' trip to the GP was by coach (we were travelling by train) so we convinced ourselves that we would beat that trip. As it transpires the last tender was around 7pm; but really P&O; you promoted this cruise as one that offered an opportunity to attend the GP and then set the last tender return at 5.30pm and promptly gave rise to a worry (all day) that took the edge off the whole experience. Food I would rank the food as OK but the selection offered to casual diners at the restaurant on top deck (The Plaza) was pretty poor. I would include breakfast in this observation. Breakfast at Cafe Jarden on Deck 8 was waiter served, options limited but the poached eggs were excellent. We were 'free diners' for an evening so we were allocated a restaurant called the Liguarian. Wait times on a table for 4 was always around '1 hour' so we ended up sharing. I know lot's of people love sharing a table with strangers (my wife is one of them) but I would rather pull my teeth out with a pair of pliers. Hey ho. We spent most of the time at one of the extra fee paying restaurants which were fine (my personal favourite being the Beach House). Entertainment Good Disembarkation Was very good - probably the best we have encountered - they didn't insist upon you leaving cases outside of the cabin until mid-night - nice touch which meant that you could don your glad rags for one last evening of merriment and the whole trip to the airport - bags checked directly on to flight - staff at airport to point the way - was excellent - sadly in my case it did mean that I ended up sitting across the isle from my wife - who is not a good flyer - but this might have happened anyway. Smokers To be fair to P&O this is an issue that I could make of most cruises we have been on over the past few years - but do you have to make us smokers feel like 2nd class citizens. No smoking on balconies, few enough 'smoking areas' and those areas also had the crappy plastic garden furniture. Maybe the cruise we attended was the exception to the rule but of an evening the crappy furniture smoking permitted area was rammed and its sister area across the other side of the ship, an area with excellent furnishings was empty. Why make smokers feel so unwelcome and if that is the point then at least be honest and ban smoking altogether. Overall Not great and not sure that we will hold the provisional booking we have made on another P&O ship for next year Read Less

The overall ship was fine perhaps a little tired food was great could have had a bit better entertainment on the pool but over all the ship was ok The entertainment wasn’t to great but ok Staff as usual on a cruise very attentive no complaints with them at all The cabin was a different matter no paying passenger should endure the noise from the cabin every time we came into port or left the noise was terrible grinding noise and vibration there was no sleeping through it .the cabin was situated between a broom cupboard which was used at six in the morning and a crew staircase . and one morning in Athens we docked before four in the morning the first time it happened we thought we had run aground it was so bad, We were offered another cabin two days before we left the ship after Athens but at that point it wasn’t worth it as we are both in our seventies the upheaval would have been awful The receptionist said most people were up and about before eight so it would be ok They were selling off cabins at last minute cheaper then We both paid five months earlier Shame on you P&O in you won’t use them again Read Less

I have a few things on my bucket list, and visiting Croatia is one of them. I'm using cruises to identify the places that I'd like to spend more time in, in the future, so the Oceana itinerary suited me just fine. The itinerary was changed about a month before we sailed. Split was removed, to be replaced with Hvar, and the other ports were re-ordered - allegedly so that we could return to Malta from an EU port. Hmmm. This was my second cruise, and the first from a non-UK port. It went really well. I'd booked into a budget hotel at Gatwick for the night before embarkation (a purple hotel chain right next to Gatwick North - would recommend to anyone who needs for the convenience and for potential views from hotel room) so it was just a case of waking up in time and walking over the road to check in. From Malta it was a simple coach trip to the port and then the route to the ship was very well posted and every 100 yards or so there was a sign directing us in the right direction. We'd left Gatwick at 07:30ish and were onboard by 14:30ish, from memory. Valetta looks pretty and I wish I'd had more energy to explore. There's a fun lift, which only costs 1 euro, to take you from port level to the town. The Upper Barrakka Gardens, which are right off here, are quite attractive. I also visited St Paul's Shipwreck Church, which is a few streets away - has a couple of reliquaries of St Paul and is very impressive. I spent the rest of the afternoon just chilling out and familiarising myself with the ship layout, since it was the first time I'd been on Oceana. The next port was Kotor, Montenegro. Luckily I woke soon after dawn so was able to watch the sail-in - so quiet, I assume we were being tugged. And then came my first tender experience, which was enjoyable although it's a nuisance taking so long to get to/from the ship. I'd booked the Best of Montenegro P&O excursion, and enjoyed it thoroughly! My only complaint for the day would be that I would have liked to spend more time in Kotor. After the tour had finished we only had a couple of hours left before the ship left (around 1630ish I think), and I wasn't comfortable spending too much more time looking around the town when I knew I wanted to be back onboard in an hour or two. Would recommend this excursion though - we saw a lot of the countryside, learnt a lot about the town and also got to sample some of the local produce :) The next day was Zadar. I will be honest now and say don't bother with the Discover Zadar on Foot excursion. It took 4-5 hours and could quite happily have been done in around 2 hours, unless your hobby is Benedictine Nuns and their reliquaries (relics?). It was informative but spending an hour or more in the nunnery did not add to the experience at all in my opinion. There is also little of interest to see in the town itself: I will not be going back there. That evening I had my dinner in Cafe Jardin. It was most enjoyable! The staff were friendly and I liked the decor although I think P&O still struggle with ambience when they place these restaurants on mezzanines. Port 3 was Venice. I have never seen such rain! To add some context - the last time I owned an umbrella was 30+ years ago when I was doing my A-levels... I bought an umbrella in Venice! (I don't speak Italian. *Me pointing at an umbrella for 20 euros - I have no idea how much 20 Eu is - , saying "Poco"* *Shopkeeper erupting in Italian bringing out several models and quoting prices at me* *Me finding one for 7 Eu and subsequently finding out that's a pretty decent price for a functional umbrella *) Anyway. Venice was interesting. It was a way-point on the way to the Croatian ports so nowhere near any sort of highlight for me, but it was good to see. I would 100% recommend St Mark's Basilica to anyone. It is absolutely stunning and I wish I could have had more time (and fewer crowds) to appreciate it. If you're in Venice then you really should make the effort to see. Doge's Palace was nice but I had some 'gilded ceiling overload' - there are only so many you can see [around 3] before the wow factor is gone. Sorry to the Doges Palace artists x. Oh, the other note about Venice is get off the ship asap. I went out around 08:30ish. It was deserted and very pleasant [until torrential rain stopped play and I had to go back to change into dry clothes :P ] By the time the tour happened in the afternoon it was like Piccadilly Circus, not nearly so nice. The fourth, and final port, was Hvar. This was a late replacement for Split so I didn't know too much about it before I arrived there. I'd booked the Island Highlights tour, and enjoyed it hugely. We had a quick walk around Hvar then hopped on a coach and saw some of the island before stopping off in Stari Grad for a short visit, then did another quick tour of attractions before returning to Hvar. It might be because this was the first nice day of the cruise (the rest were all grey and/or chilly - we were so unlucky with the weather), but I really liked this town and it's on my list to revisit if I ever get the chance. Overall I enjoyed the cruise. I had concerns about Oceana but she's a lovely ship and there's nothing really wrong with her - I had a nicer vibe on this cruise than I had on Brittannia 2 yrs ago. I loved Montenegro and Hvar; could take or leave Venice and Zadar. But it was all enjoyable and would overall recommend to anyone else considering. Read Less

We have visited Malta previously and had the opportunity to spend some time in Valetta before the cruise.We found everything to be well organised with regards embarkation and disembarkation although Malta airport seems to struggle with the volume of passengers. We will be revisting Croatia in the future - enjoyed the shore trips and would like to see more. The ship itself was impressive and we had no complaints about the food and all of the staff were pleasant and helpful. Cabin was comfortable but a bit tight for space with suitcases etc. The rule about not reserving sunloungers could be more rigorously enforced as it took a few tours of the ship to find one that did not have a towel on it most of which remained unoccupied for hours or even for the full day. The entertainment provided by the Headliners cast was excellent - The London West End on the high seas. The cast speaking to members of the audience at the exits after each show was a nice touch - a very talented group! Read Less

We first cruised on Oceana in October 2013 and were not that taken by her. We booked our recent cruise as it fitted time off over the Easter period. We didn’t have any expectations and we’re just grateful to be away. Well, 6 years later, we are very much loving Oceana and can’t see what there was to dislike in the first place. We arrived in Malta and were transferred to the port. When we first saw her we were taken by her size and elegance. Embarkation was smooth and we were soon checked in and in the buffet by twelve thirty. She is a beautiful, elegant ship and we did not feel crowed in any area. We always managed to find a seat inside or out. The food was amazing in every dining venue, we ended up eating in the main dining room, buffet, cafe Jardin and of course the beach house. Every single meal was perfect, hot and tasty. There were people complaining about the food (each to their own but I’d like to know what they eat at home as the menus were full and varied. Staff were always more than willing to help and always cheerful. Captain Camby runs a smooth ship, very commendable. We had such a brilliant cruise, good shore times and great excursions. We loved her so much we have booked for October repositioning from Malta to Dubai and cannot wait. Well done to all Only sticking point is Malta airport after disembarkation, all I can say is its an absolute joke the airport cannot cope with the number of people coming through and this needs to be addressed soon!!! Read Less

Having been on the Britannia and really enjoyed the ship we thought we would give P&O another chance as we really wanted to see Venice and Dubrovnik. The ship was fine but not at the same standard as the Brittania, quite crowded, no quiet places and lack of specialist dining being the obvious differences. Dining in the main restaurant was very good with a menu whereby you could always find something to choose, sadly the Italian specialist restaurant was very forgettable, both from a location viewpoint and the standard and variety of food on offer. The self service area was badly organised and the choice on offer did not come close to matching Britannia. The ports we visited were excellent and the guided tour of Venice as a first timer was well worth it, as indeed was walking the walls of Dubrovnik. The staff on the ship were excellent, our fellow passengers were a good crowd, so why did I not give it more than 3 stars, simply because I was laid up for a day due to a dodgy piece of smoked fish I was served for breakfast, and that really should not happen. Did I report it, no way, I have heard about being confined to your cabin and I was not having that. Read Less

I chose to go on the Dubai to Valletta cruise onboard MV Oceana because having cruised so much I wanted new ports, the ports were restrictive for powerchair and Wheelchair users but still a good time. The ship is probably the worst in P&O,s fleet as it has poor access to open decks and some of the disabled toilets are difficult to open and some toilet seats don’t stay up but temper this disappointment with a friendly staff and first class food. My own cabin B312 had two broken lights, one faulty one and the bedside lights were erratic at best, service in the dining room was slow though this did improve. I just wish the ships accessibility had been addressed at her last refit, the captain and crew are a gem and need a better fitted resource. The theatre has an area at the back for wheelchairs and scooters but latecomers to the theatre consistently crowd you and spoil the experience, time the entertainment staff did something about it and I also had concerns over safety due to it ( is it a fire safety breach) Read Less

This was our first time with P&O and we certainly had a great relaxing holiday. Our inside cabin was better than we were expecting. It was reasonably spacious and very comfortable. Our cabin steward changed at the first Malta. Both were very friendly and efficient. Service was great. Oceana might be getting on in years, but she is in excellent condition. This really is down to the dedication of the crew. We found the size of ship and number of passengers to be just right. All crew were friendly and couldn't do enough for you. Cant fault. We dined at 20:30 on a table for 8. Whilst the food was very good, it was nothing outstanding. But we were always able to have an enjoyable meal. Our table companions were friendly. The staff were brilliant. We found the entertainment to be fairly good and enjoyable. However, some of the venues i.e. the pub and outside venues had the volume turned up so much that it was impossible to think. We sat on the sofa's outside of the pub after dinner, which was about right. We took a couple of organised tours. The sights were great. On one the guide was a complete waste of space which effectively ruined the tour. The other was better but no one had anticipated spending around a total of 5 hours sat on a coach. We did our own thing afterwards. Things to improve - they must ensure that people do not "hog" the sun loungers all day. At times, especially on the sea days in particular, it was crazy. Reserved loungers everywhere but empty !!!! We also found that there are just too many announcements. It was like being at a holiday camp at times. Take a lesson from Cunard on this please. Overall ship - excellent cabin - excellent food - very good crew - amazing, a credit to all Best bits - has to be the Suez Canal transit which was beyond expectations. Along with Venice. What a place to just wander around. Breathtaking. A very enjoyable and relaxing cruise and holiday. Just what the doctor ordered. Read Less

If you are a regular browser of this site then you would have known what to expect with Oceana so there is no need to whinge. SHIP-It is ageing but most of the public areas are in tip top condition. CRUISE-This was a new venture for us in this part of the world but you have to have your wits about you finding your way through Dubai airport as we did landing at terminal 3 with emirates.Keep your wits about you and follow the instructions form the airport staff because it was a real trek to baggage collection.Overall the cruise was interesting and the excursions were well organised.The free shuttles at ports was a real bonus and whether that continues next year is not known. FOOD-This is always a big talking point.We were in the Adriatic MDR 8.30pm sitting.On the menu are 5 starters,10 mains and 5 desserts each day plus ice cream and cheese and if you cannot find something that suits you then you must be really fussy or from a different planet.We did not use the Plaza buffet as to us the atmosphere is like a works canteen. SEADAYS-There was only one sea day and of course you had what I call benidorm cruisers.Out at 7.30am reserving their favourite sunbed even with high winds across the decks no doubt going through the same ritual as when they used to go to benidorm. ENTERTAINMENT-Gary Barlow show,excellent-the 4 tunes very good-headliners-I do not know how much of this singing is live apart from the lead.If they are singing and dancing then they are doing a good job.Steve Day,comedian dire. PORTS-The only port we did not enjoy was Khasab which really was a waste of time unless you were doing a dhow cruise.It is a small town with a few shops a few goats wandering around. SUMMARY-Enjoyed the cruise and all the lovely people we dined with.Would we do it again-no. Read Less

We choose this for the itinerary not the ship as we have been on it 3 times before. Flights with Virgin we're acceptable and embarkation not as slick as before but we put this mainly down to UAE customs regulations. Cabin was ready by 12 so that was good, cabin steward was polite and friendly. The ship is unchanged really still old , tired but functional, can't say anything was ever out of action but as others state its seriously showing age related wear, in the whole thought kept clean and tidy i thought. Food is also the same, buffet is small and old school and seems to suffer curry as ever most days but on the whole the food tastes fine and is restocked quickly. Drinks service as ever is very slow in the buffet and invariably arrives after you've eaten ! MDR is a pleasant space, menus varied and again on the occasions we used it food was hot and tasty with a good choice. Entertainment is a bit hit and miss, poorer this time we thought but we still enjoyed some good shows, a/c in Starlight's is fierce ! and the tub chairs too close for comfort. We used predominately organised tours due to never having been to these countries, as expected overpriced but delivered as advertised. On the whole for the price and itinerary a good solid cruise but dont expect any frills or glamour , budget cruise for a budget price, shame about the cabin noise. Read Less

We have been cruising with smaller ships for the last few years - Viking and Oceania - but really liked the itinerary on this cruise and felt it was very good value for money. We really enjoyed our experience and loved Dubai and the UAE so much that we are going again next year. We were busy on this cruise with an excursion every port day and had booked most activities via P&O. Two, in particular, were very memorable - the Bahraini food trail in Manama and the day at Al Ain from Abu Dhabi. I had a very funny close encounter with a camel which was caught on camera and amuses me every time I look at it. We also loved the fjord dhow cruise to see dolphins and The Frame in Dubai is incredible. For those like us who had pre-booked excursions, the whole process was very organised. We wanted to go up the Burj Khalifa but didn’t want to queue so we booked high tea at the Atmosphere Lounge on Floor 123 in the Armani Hotel. Whisked straight up and had a window table all to ourselves with amazing views. Pricey of course but a unique experience. We were on second sitting so after dinner and a nightcap, we were usually ready for bed by 11 pm and therefore didn’t see many shows or talks but what we did see was very good. There was good music around the ship. For us, the food in the MDR for breakfast, lunch and dinner was consistently good with lots of choice and excellent service. We are not so keen on buffet eating but, when we did, it was again a wide choice and food was generally good. I can understand the choices wouldn’t be to everybody’s taste but it suited us as we like to eat a diverse range of foods. Oceana is one of P&O’s smaller ships and her atrium is beautiful. We found the officers and crew very efficient and friendly. The sun deck was very crowded as so many people had chosen this cruise for winter sun and sunbathed for long periods. As we don’t sunbathe, this didn’t bother us. We did hear some people moaning or just being generally negative but really couldn’t find fault with anything ourselves. It would be nice to have lobster on offer every day as Oceania Cruises do but then we would have to pay a lot more. All in all, we feel that we had an amazing time in an area we hadn’t visited before and met some lovely people whose company we enjoyed. Read Less

Chose this cruise because of destination, (Arabian Gulf) and the warm weather. The guests were mostly retired, and talking to many of them, only sailed with P & O, never anyone else, "because P & O are the best". Nonesense. The Oceana is a tired, smallish vessel, and P & O expects their clients to want to go to bed early, and indeed many do. By 11 p.m. the ship was quite deserted. We were (eventually) given first sitting and we had a nice table for 8. The service was good, but the quality of the food left a lot to be desired. I do believe they had a glut of squash, asparagus and mushrooms, because that was on the menu all the time. The buffet is small, but never much of a queue, except when the tours returned. However the food was poor and repetitive. The onboard Headlines were awful! Two of the lady singers couldn't "sing". One struggled to find a tune and the other just screamed down the microphone. The dancing looked more like an old-school PE session, with lots of jumping about with lots of energy, but no finesse. The visiting acts were mediocre, the comedians were telling jokes from the 60's. Again all past their sell by date. The magician was good but dragged out his performances. There was a pianist in the atrium, and without actually checking, he either had 6 fingers on each hand, or only 2. He was dreadful. However people sat in rows, like an old folks home, listening to him. Can't for the life of me think why. The seating in the show lounges was poor. In the Starlight theatre there were bucket seats crammed together and behind them were a sofa seating. The buckets seats were higher than the softas, and the distance between them was so tiny, that people were climbing over the backs of the sofas to get to their seats. The Footlights theatre seating was all sloping forwards, so not very comfortable. We had an inside guarantee cabin which was perfectly adequate, B624. No complaints there. However there were sequins on the floor when we arrived, and still there when we left. Obviously never vacuumed. The price of alcohol is expensive. A 250ml glass of house red/white wine was £5.65. A Peroni on draft was £4.80 a pint. Can't comment on any other drinks. The ship was always cold, from the air conditioning. Read Less

We arrived in Dubai after an overnight flight. transfers were smooth and arrived at cruise port by 10.30am Cabins were ready by 11.15am- Great start to the holiday. Day 1 First port of call was Bahrain - a very enjoyable excursion to the F1 Track. Second Stop was 2 days in Abu Dhabi - first day Shuttle bus took us to a newly finished Mall on the outskirts of town, quite disappointing as there was no way of walking to the main part of town, bit of a wasted day really. Second day we went on a cruise excursion to Grand Mosque- a visit to a traditional handmadecrafts village, great opportunity to buy local crafts - trade in Diram, Euro's and Dollars. Very friendly and look out for the man that does weaving really worth a visit.A drive around the sites of Abu Dhabi and then a final visit was to a Fort .. this was a superb tour and I would really recommend it as we saw lots and it was good value at £40 each. A day at sea followed . Our next visit was to Muscat , here the shuttle bus took us to a market and we explored the town and the harbour. It was a little confusing at the port we had to get off the bus and go through a security check before re-boarding the bus to get to the town. If you are feeling a bit more adventurous there is a beautiful beach a short taxi ride from the port. We then visited Kushab, a lovely little town where goats roamed the streets and there was a wealth of electronic shops selling allsorts... My daughters bought a pair of airpods that work great for £20, from a shop in the square where the shuttle bus dropped us off. We also found a beautiful beach just next to the port and the sea was really warm, there is no pavement to get there so you need to bear right out of the port and follow the track ..walk behind the crash barrier to the beach , it's less than 1/2 a mile walk. We then enjoyed a fun day on the beach at Sir Ban Yas Island- The ship provided a great packed lunch and drinks on the beach. Our final stop was a return to Dubai, where we arranged our own excursion through Arabian Nights Tours, we had a great great time our guide was called Ramzan and he took us camel riding ( just a quick walk around a pen but good photo opportunities), Sand boarding and Dune Bashing these were both brilliant. He also told us loads about Dubai and its culture. We then took a taxi to the Miracle Gardens, this is a must see for anyone visiting Dubai. The shuttle bus took us to the Dubai Mall where we walked to the burj khalifa and the dancing fountains - we also saw the amazing huge fish tank in the Mall with sharks, stingrays and dozens of amazing fish. Our final day a thick cloud descended on the whole area so it scuppered our plans to visit the palm as we would not have been able to see anything- but we feel this is a good excuse to visit again. Great holiday, excellent value with P&O , having sailed with Princess, Celebrity, Cunard and Royal Caribbean in the past, I would have no hesitation in sailing with P&O again , the Oceana was very friendly and offered really good food. We traveled as a family of 6 with 2 teenage girls, we felt extremely safe throughout our holiday and everyone was very friendly. Read Less

Wanted to give P&O another try after a really bad experience on Britannia. Oceana used to be Ocean Princess so, as our first ever cruise was on her sister, Sea Princess, we were familiar with the ship, layout and facilities. Embarkation in Dubai was simple and stress free with the usual pre authoristation on my credit card (more of that later). Yet again we found the food to be very average and actually quite boring; perks of being aimed at the older British market I suppose but I don't go to hot parts of the world to have things like shepherds pie for lunch! The staff were okay but again, being predominantly from the Indian sub continent, they tend to be very straight laced to the point of appearing uninterested. We only used the main restaurant twice as the meals did not excite us, thankfully the themed buffets were generally very good. The entertainment was, on the whole pretty good with guest entertainers of a Gary Barlow tribute and a Soul / Mowtown act that was that good we saw on all of their shows. The house entertainment was okay, the Killer Queen theatre show was entertaining without being spectacular. House bands / musicians kept people entertained around the ship The UAE is a strange place to visit, blatant oppulance tempered by a very low paid workforce, a wide chasm of have and have nots which makes for a fascinating visit. Sir Bin Yassi Island was the only place we were disappointed with as there is nothing there so why bother. You take your chances with all ships excursions and these were no different really, not exactly exciting but something different to do. Post cruise is where it all went wrong and highlighted the poor service from the company. On every other cruise I have done, I have received my post cruise email with questionnaire before I have got to the airport or home, here I am three weeks later still waiting for it! Also, the pre authorisation of my credit card is still showing on my account and all I get from them is a standard reply, it's as if they don't even read the original message properly. Can't say I'll be rushing back to P&O Read Less

I had looked at a few reviews prior to our middle east cruise which looked a bit negative. However I shouldn't have worried as we enjoyed a really good 10 day cruise. Boarding was straightforward and quick and we were on the ship by 11am having had an overnight flight from Glasgow and the cabins were released at 12pm. Our cabin was L343 on deck 12. The cabin was a wee bit dated but clean and tidy and always tidied up very quickly in the morning. Because we had a corner cabin the shower was quite big, i was initially a bit concerned when i noticed that we had a service corridor backing on to our cabin but you only heard a bit of noise just after 8am apart from that it was great. We ate in the main dining room the food was excellent and always piping hot, I found the buffet for breakfast and lunch very good and had no problem getting a table at any time. Ports were good and trips from the ship were of a reasonable price and standard, the free shuttle buses at the ports were a real plus. Found that if you were going to the starlights theatre you had to get there really early to get a seat as people were reluctant to move along the rows which was quite annoying. The comedians were good as were the musicians and dancers although i felt that some of the singers voices werent strong enough for some of the songs that they sung. All in all a first cruise with P+O and found it really good. Read Less