Riviera Review
Rating by category
Additional details
We enjoyed Oceania on past cruises, especially the specialty restaurants, the smaller ship sizes and the service. Other cruise lines are cheaper, but the crowds are larger and the food is not as good as Oceania.
Our cruise was 19 days and covered a number of ports we had previously been to, but we wished to visit Turkey, Israel and Cyprus.
Embarkation at Port Piraeus, Athens ran smoothly. It took less than 30 minutes and we were on the ship.
Cabin Review
Verandah Stateroom
We thought our cabin was not as super clean as it had been on previous cruises. Not big issues, but finger marks all over the bathroom door, the cupboards and the drawer. Room was also noticeably dusty on areas such as mirror surrounds, inside the clothing drawers and the bottom of the wardrobe.
Outdoor furniture was falling about. We did ask them to repair / replace but nothing happened.
Port Reviews
Athens (Piraeus)
We spent a couple of days in Athens prior to the cruise, which we organised our self. Our hotel was in the city and is only a short cab fare to the Port (around Euro25).
Haifa (Tel Aviv)
We spent two days in this port. Ideal if you are interested in Bible stories, travelling to the Dead Sea etc. We left the ship and wondered to the local shopping centre which was shortlived and possibly not worth the effort.
Limassol
Limassol have a fantastic new cruise terminal, possibly the best we have ever seen in Europe.
We took the port bus into the town and looked around for a while. We visited the medieval castle which was well worth a visit - entry fee was Euro4.5 per head.
Rhodes
I visited this town almost 30 years ago and had fond memories. Again this town did not disappoint.
Rich in history with castles, a walled city, a great place to wonder around.
There is also lots of quality shopping, good places to eat and drink. We didn't struggle to fill in our day walking around Rhodes.
An easy walk from the port into the city.
Santorini
We have spent 4 days on Santorini two years ago, but it was a nice place to visit again.
There was a short wait for the cable car from the port up to the town as there were two cruise ships in port that day. Cost each way on the cable car was 6 euro per person.
They have alot of souvenir shops and some quality shopping.
This is not the place to go if you have difficulty walking as all the streets are cobblestones.
Gythion
I am unsure why Oceania would go to this port as there is almost nothing there. There are a few cafes near the port area and a few shops, but nothing worth noting.
A bit of a waste of time.
Sorrento
Another pretty town with alot of quality shopping and nice eateries every where you look.
We caught the lift from the port area up to the top of the hill. It is quite a strenuous walk otherwise. The lift costs 1 euro each way and is very efficient.
This is the place to buy Limoncello, table linen, shoes etc.