My wife and I have been on numerous cruises (17+) throughout the world on various cruise lines over the years. This was our first cruise with Oceania. The 11-day Seaside Medley Cruise started in New York City on Sunday, August 20, 2017. The Port is easy to get to by taxi and is a good location on the Hudson River (west side) of Manhattan at 12th Avenue and W. 48th Street. .

Boarding the ship was very easy. We got on board around 3 pm. Our room was towards the rear of the ship on deck 6, room 6072. This was a good location because we were able to take the stairways to 5 for dinner and the Insignia Lounge. Most points of interest are on 5, 9 or 10. The ship was around 20 years old and was very nice; very clean. It was remodeled recently. The staff was great and the food was good; although not as good as I was made to believe. The specialty restaurants were good, especially the Italian. The desserts were generally very good. The dining rooms were very nice and easy to get into for dinner.

The alcoholic drinks and wine appeared to be very over priced (average price per drink, any drink, around $15, including tip). This appeared to discourage alcohol consumption. The entertainment was good, better than I anticipated. If you want to see the show, not just hear it, you must get to the Insignia Lounge about 30 minutes early for a good seat. The ship provided complimentary water, soft drinks, shakes and malts, smoothies and ice cream. They even had a special smoothie of the day. The complimentary spa included a nice steam room and a very nice fitness center. Read more