Recently returned from first Oceania Cruise aboard Marina and was greatly disappointed. This was the May 12 cruise from Barcelona to Rome heavily promoted by Oceania as a tremendous culinary trip with Bon Apetit chefs and the noted Jacque Peppin. I signed up for many of the cooking classes and was told early that some of market tours and classes were reserved for a special group...so did not get those. But I did sign up for four of the Peppin classes in the Culinary Kitchen, paid the fees, but was notified only on the day of arrival with a not in the cabin that the classes were canceled. I never received an explanation or apology.

The food aboard the ship was good but not great. Red Ginger and Toscano were very good but Jacques (served a spoiled and rotten shrimp) and Polo Grill were only fair. The other dining areas did not match the quality of the dining that we enjoyed on Celebrity or Windstar. Windstar was clearly superior.

Oceania touts room service but beware. While we enjoyed hot breakfasts on Celebrity and even Royal Carribbean the fare on Marina consisted of bread, coffee, juice, cereal or yogurt. The day time room service was no better. Read more