We chose this cruise because of the luxurious rooms and service, and the smaller number of people on board. We were very pleased with the service and accommodations, the food was superb in every restaurant, and the amenities such as spa, exercise room, butler service, etc was exceptional. We couldn’t ask for a better ship and crew. Our butler was extremely knowledgeable and helpful to us. All of the staff on the ship were very accommodating and pleasant at all times. We really felt like they were genuine in their actions. We took a cooking class and had a lot of fun learning how to cook Mediterranean food. The restaurants were exceptional and all gave a top class experience from the wait staff, food, wine, etc. the travel overnight to the next port was a great way to move from port to port each day. The embarking to port was easy and usually close to town for walking or catching a taxi. The tours were well planned and easy to access. A few shorter tours at each port (2-3 hours) would have been helpful to add to the tour options. Overall the cruise was exceptional and I will consider other cruises on Oceania! Read Less

In summary: - mainly cold og luke warm food in most restaurants - totally un-usable internet, and only one user at the time per stateroom - not acceptable in 2019 - Insulting missing invitation to captains coctail . although I have sailed with this ship twice before -they have no clue about former guests . a lot of errors in pour group booking, ended up in costing us over 600 USD extra - no will to sort this either from the ship og from the cruise line - arrogant reception crew - totally unsocial captain - Furniture too big for dining room - lest no room for walking in between Ship came from dock, and the cleanliness in the cabins was way below par - also a lot of noncense with the extra drink package that our group were promised - this cruise line are not keeping to their word. We were 44 people in our group - we will not travel with this cruise line again! Read Less

As repeat Regent users we thought we’d give a try to its sister company, understanding that given the larger size of Oceania vessels we would have a somewhat different experience. We had heard that the food and beverage in particular was considered superior to Regent’s. Most emphatically that is not the case. Oceania’s larger variety does not mean better quality offerings and definitely not better service. With the exception of Toscana and Jacques, meals throughout were average. With the exception of the Illy Baristas coffee bar, the quality of coffee elsewhere is remarkably uneven and poor. Overall, the sincere, uniform warmth and attentiveness ever present in Regent’s staff is glaringly absent here. And while this is not to say that Riviera’s service is poor, it can best be described as 4-star vs the Regent’s consistent 5 stars. The experience for independent cruisers is diminished by the proliferation of groups on board Riviera. Will stay with Regent or Crystal after this failed experiment with Oceania. Read Less

We booked this cruise as it included four countries we previously hadn't visited: Cuba, Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala. The timing worked well to have some family join us on this 7-night cruise. I would note that we are Oceania loyalists based on the cuisine, quality of the ships and their excellent crews, as well as the vast assortment of 7-12 day cruises on offer work for our busy lifestyle (in our early 40s and both working full-time). We're always being asked about being the youngest passengers on the ship (we are both fit and look like we're in our 30s), and our response is always "what's not to like, great vacations with interesting fellow passengers". One more disclosure - I'm Gluten Free (GF) and LOVE the way that Oceania tends to my dietary restrictions. Taking the stress out of eating all over the world is a game changer for me knowing that I can always have a safe breakfast and dinner in every port. This was our second time on Riviera and we really love this ship. The size works for us with the additional restaurants, cooking school, larger Baristas with great views, and larger cabins across all categories. We've previously sailed on Insignia and enjoyed the intimacy of the smaller ship but the PH cabins on these R-class ships are the size of standard veranda cabins on Riviera/Marina. The PH cabins on Riviera are as nice as our PH on a previous Regent SS Voyager cruise. On this cruise we took a cooking class "If it Swims" and really loved the class and the instructor - Stephanie Hersh. Stephanie was the long-time assistant of Julia Child and had great stories and a depth of knowledge that was greatly appreciated by everyone on the ship who interacted with her. We enjoyed the "La Cuisine Bourgeois" in La Reserve with wine pairings. We love the La Reserve team and the effort they put into these dinners. We also stopped in for a wine flight and they had excellent nibbles to go with that made it worth the supplement. The one thing we would do differently on the next Riviera/Marina cruise would be to go back to a PH on Deck 11. Being one of only 4 PHs on Deck 7 (all aft with huge balconies which is why we chose our cabin for this warm weather cruise) we felt a bit neglected as we rarely saw our butler. We also note that while it's not a written policy, passengers in suites tend to be seated at better tables in the restaurants. We noticed that unlike our previous cruises we found ourselves with less prime tables when giving a cabin number starting with '7' than '11' at the host stands. When I read Oceania reviews it seems like a lot of folks complain about NCL's ownership economizing on-board. I would note that it does seem like there's a bit less staffing in the MDR and around the pool, but we haven't noticed any other negative changes. We haven't noticed any cost-cutting in the food or prices for the wines by the bottle which are the key for us. I do wonder if Oceania will feel the need to match the included beer/wine with meals offered by Azamara and Viking as these main competitors have Oceania beat in this category. Read Less

We went on the Oceania Riviera because we wanted top of the line service, a smallish ship, and to see a different part of the Caribbean. As soon as we went to the buffet after embarkation, I knew we were in for a cruise with great service. At no time do your hands touch the buffet utensils. (I had read that this is the number one place on a cruise ship to "catch something") Everything is served to you. We had a penthouse suite which was spacious. This came with some perks including a butler, but I'm not sure what he did. But we allowed to use a seculded pool area located near the spa. There was also an executive lounge penthouse suite people can use. The food on the Riviera was excellent as well as the four speciality restaurants and afternoon tea. We had read that the shows on the Riviera weren't that good but wasn't our experience. It was varied and very entertaining. My husband took classes with the culiniary school and he loved them. There is also an artist and photograher who taught their skills. The decorating of this ship is extraordinary. IMPORTANT - the Riviera had a convenient and free laundry on every floor. So what were the drawbacks - Age - we are in our late 50's and we definately younger that most of the other cruises. Our first night's dinner companions fell asleep at the table. The good news is that there are no children on this cruise. Disembarkation - took a long long long time. Excursions - the western Caribbean offered a small variety of excursions. Read Less

The ship was beautiful and well maintained. The pool deck furniture was a little tired, particularly in the spa area, but that's a nit pick. Otherwise, the Riviera is a beautiful ship! The crew, almost to a person, was friendly, outgoing, and helpful. This cruise, for us, was for relaxation and to get away from the cold weather up north. We did not participate in any of the ships excursions so we can't evaluate them. Due to "strong winds" we had to skip the stop in Belize. So instead , we spent the day cruising around the Gulf of Mexico. The on-board entertainment, particularly the evening shows in the theater ("lounge"), was as expected. Not to the same level or quality that we have enjoyed on Celebrity or Princess but not bad. The comedians and magicians were very good. It was nice to be on this size ship. No problem getting a deck chair, no waiting in line to embark or dis-embark, no problem finding a table in the "buffet". But, "buffet" probably isn't the best way to describe this venue. Yes, you do go to various counters to pick what you would like to eat but the staff plates it for you, no 500 hands on each serving utensil. At the grill you can order rib-eye, lobster tail, LARGE shrimp, lamb chops, etc. What surprised me was the standard question, "how many lobster would you like?". In any case, the food was excellent. Not perfect, but I don't know how Oceania could have catered to the varied tastes of 1250 passengers in a better way. All the specialty restaurants, particularly the Polo Grill and Toscano, were excellent. Read Less

Finally got to take another cruise from my bucket list. Sailed on Riviera and found the staff very enjoyable. Everyone were more than happy to help in anyway to make my stay with them an enjoyable one. I had dinner at Red Ginger (get the Sea Bass), Polo Grill, Toscana and the Main Dining room. All the meals were delicious and I found the wait staff very friendly. I can’t wait for my next cruise. Being a solo traveller, I decided to sign up for some of the ships tours. The kayaking experience was very interesting with our tour guide filling us in on the sea life around Great Stirrup Cay. I think the group thoroughly enjoyed his talk. Another day found me on a trolley train in St.Lucia. It was a great ride and our conductor was a very funny man. We got to see through the town of Castries, as well as a ride to a lovely beach, it was a fun day for everyone. We were never far from areas to shop at any of the islands that we visited. I did overdue it a little bit at the jewelry table on the ship, but that’s what vacations are all about. Touring by day, shopping by night! The catamaran sail at Sr. Bart’s was a wonderful way to spend time there. While many found the shopping very expensive, I found the sailing and swimming in the cove to be a wonderful way to spend the day. I would highly recommend any of these tours. Disembarkation was smooth and timely. A shout out as well to Judy for all her hard work. Read Less

This is our 12th cruise on Oceania. We have been on Rivera a total of 3 times and have just disembarked the ship on March 6. The food, service, and and attention to detail were excellent! I noticed a slight "wear and tear" on the ship and was informed that the ship will receive an update this April. We had been on Riviera when it was a new ship so I was able to notice any changes. We had a Penthouse 3 cabin which was huge with plenty of storage. There was a separate shower and bathtub, two vanities,and also a huge walk in closet. The room stewardess and butler were also excellent. The cabin was kept spotless and they were very accommodating. Oceania asks for a Mid-cruise evaluation. They really pay attention to your comments. If there is a negative comment, the appropriate department follows up concerning your comment and tries to make you happy. The entire staff is friendly and professional. We love Oceania and now only cruise with this company. Read Less

We like the atmosphere on Oceania cruises. The Riviera was our second Oceania cruise this year. We were in the Caribbean and liked having a larger ship on this itinerary. We do prefer the smaller ships for touring itineraries. We had a Concierge Cabin. Since it is basically the same size as a balcony, it probably isn’t worth the difference in price. The only amenity that was worth it was the opportunity to book specialty restaurants further in advance. I know that the Riviera is being renovated soon and I could see where it needs it. The specialty restaurants are phenomenal on this ship. For those who have not done this line before, they probably have the most comfortable pool chairs of any line. If you like a quiet upscale atmosphere, you won’t be disappointed. The only turn off to me was that they pushed bingo, which brought the line down a notch in my opinion. Read Less

With the mainstream ships getting bigger and bigger, we decided to think small and are very happy we did! The Riviera's the perfect size, food is exceptional, service is outstanding. And we like what it doesn't have - no screaming kids, hairy-man contests, climbing walls and so on. The ship's decor is low-key, elegant rather than glitzy with some very unusual works of art. Come to think of it, the passengers are also low-key and elegant, rather than glitzy, and also very friendly. Riviera allows you to bring on @ 6 bottles of wine when you embark.(though not for the dining room unless you pay a corkage fee). Their own wine list is pretty pricey but all non-alcoholic drinks are included. I prefer low-sodium dishes when cruising and they are available by request. They were excellent. My husband, on the other hand, felt a few dishes on the regular menu were too salty. Somewhat disappointed in our cabin (see below) and the limited choice of shore excursions. (we booked some on our own) Entertainment was good and Dottie, the cruise director, was great fun All in all, a very pleasant experience. Read Less