There were some unflattering reviews of passenger experiences of this ship which made my wife and I feel apprehensive as to what kind of holiday we could expect onboard. Thankfully though, our time with Oceana was fantastic and we should not have worried about some of the (possibly unnecessarily negative) reviews. This is not to say that everything was ‘perfect’, however, this was our third cruise with P and O and in all honesty, it was as good as the previous two. Although a few niggles, we have nothing major of concern to report. We were not disappointed with the holiday.

In brief, embarkation was quick and straightforward. The ship felt spacious - although it was not at capacity because of the time of year. It was comfortable and overall, a pleasant environment to be in. The attractive atrium was the hub of the ship. This is where all the shops were located and where people tended to gather in the evening for the Captains reception or to watch a band or people dancing. The staff and crew were all perfectly delightful and we did not encounter anyone that was at all unfriendly or unhelpful. This applies to the passengers also as we met some lovely, pleasant and interesting people. Maybe we were lucky, but we can only speak as we find!

We had a pleasant outside cabin on deck 5 which was kept in good order. The ships facilities such as the gym were good and the public areas such as various bars and theatre were all fine. The quality of the food (we had late sitting for two in the Adriatic restaurant) was very good indeed as was the quality of the wines on offer (if a little pricy!). We breakfasted in the self service Plaza restaurant most days which we found perfectly fine – if sometimes a little congested. Afternoon tea was very nice as was the ‘chocoholics buffet’! When it comes to food, we can be slightly fussy; however, we genuinely had no complaints about any of the meals we enjoyed. It must be said though that regrettably, on many occasions in the Plaza, it was very unedifying to see so many people gorging themselves on enormous quantities of food (especially cakes and biscuits). At times, we felt embarrassed as (sorry, but almost exclusively obese) individuals returned to their tables with plates stacked so high with food that it was a wonder they could carry it all. Some people obviously had little self-respect and seemed determined to consume as many calories as physically possible to get their ‘monies worth’. A sad sight. Read more