Day 5 of a 16-day Panama Canal cruise from Miami to Los Angeles aboard Oceania Cruises new passenger Marina—a 1,250-passenger luxury liner deftly designed for seamless sailing.
Even hard to please, seasoned critics would be hard pressed to find fault with how Oceania’s newest luxury liner operates. Believe me; I’ve been looking since we boarded the ship on February 8th. She’s about as perfect as it comes.
The operative word is “operate”—which she does skillfully—however a few design elements need to be addressed. Bathroom showers are too short and narrow for the wide and tall; the phones aren’t working right and the Internet runs slow and costly (but this is true on most ships).
I ran across a man from Fincatierie Shipyard in Sestri Ponente,Italy,where the Marina was built, he had a book full of notes about design flaws the company was working on for the sister ship they’re building.
That aside it’s really hard to complain about anything—believe me, I’ve been on dozens of inaugurals and few if any run as smoothly as this. Also not many new vessels feature the unique touches of this one.
The Marina’s special trait include:
An accommodating, but not smothering, international crew that communicates easily (not always the case).
A variety of activities you want to do; 4 fantastic,free, alternative dining venues along with two specialty ones that cost $1000 (this is at Prive and includes up to 8 people); and $75 a person for wine pairing at La Reserve. There’s also room service, the casual, three meal a day Terrace, Waves for light lunches and the grand dining room.
An ultra modern fitness center; Canyon Ranch Spa with salon and pricey treatments (not unusual on ships) and with an outdoor lounge that if you don’t book a service sets you back $25—but the steam and sauna are complimentary.
There are more doors that open automatically than on any ship I’ve been on—this is especially nice when your hands are full; free espresso and cappuccino (some ships charge plenty for this; as well as for regular coffee, not the Marina. Soft drinks and bottled water are also free (this adds up on some vessels).
A long, inviting salt water pool perfect for swimmers. Special smoking sections to accommodate those who still puff and not poison those who don’t.
I could write a book, but it’s time for my afternoon workout. Going to the 6:30 show tonight—a Broadway musical—so need to budget my time.
More tk (to come) so come back. Also check out: www.oceaniacruise.com for more details.
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