We took our 7th cruise on Oceania,(I've taken 47 cruises all tolled) and our first on the Marina. Though we prefer the smaller ships, we were curious to see if the Marina was as exceptional as many said. We had a concierge balcony cabin on the 9th floor. Although the cabin was bigger than on the small ships, it was poorly laid out. We had a twin bed configuration, which put one bed so close to the closet you practically stepped into it if you got up at night in the dark. Also, only one person could access the closet area at a time. The 2 power outlets in the desk area were so close together that you could only use one at a time. The bathroom although larger than on the Regatta (etc.) was a joke. The tub was useless, except to hang laundry. Older people generally have trouble stepping over the side of the tub, and if there is any ship movement it could be a disaster waiting to happen.

The shower enclosure was as small as on the small ships, only less convenient to move around in or exit. The area in the cabinwhere the couch was located was about the same size as on the smaller ships. In short, it did not feel like a more spacious stateroom, with the exception of the balcony, which did feel a bit larger.

The public rooms weren't much better, as far as furniture and configuration were concerned. Horizons was like a barn with extra heavy chairs that were difficult to move around--much like the chairs in most of the bars. The color schemes left me cold, and the venues couldn't hold all the people who wanted to use them if there was a large function. The Marina Lounge design was a disaster as far as sight-line was concerned. The library was another problem--if people were sitting in the chairs it was hard to access the book shelves behind them. And the coffee bar was next to the library, so you often heard loud conversations when you were trying to quietly read. Read more