Aweigh to Alaska

Item: Regatta
Rating: 4.3
Author: Morfrost2

Regatta Cruise Review to Alaska

Morfrost2

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 24

Overall rating:

4.3 out of 5

Verified Review

7 Night Alaska Wayfarer (Seattle Roundtrip)

Sail date: June 09, 2023

Ship: Regatta

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 7076

Traveled as: Large Group

Reviewed: 11 months ago

Review summary

Overall, this was a very good cruise. We had a lot of fun, were never bored but were able to relax, and didn't want it to end quite so soon. It was our first on Oceania and we will try them again. I will say that one should do their research and know what to expect because this line fills a pretty narrow niche. Don't expect all the activity and partying one gets on bigger ships (our 30-something children missed that a bit) nor the level of service, space, and luxury one gets on much more expensive lines (my wife and I missed that a bit).

Embarkation

5 out of 5

Smooth, efficient, seamless.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5

The quality was often quite high, especially for a ship. My complaint was with the selection--there wasn't as much variety as I'd expected. In a nutshell, it was very much like going to a seafood restaurant--a great variety of seafood and a couple of 'meh' selections for the non-seafood eaters brought along. The three seafood eaters in our group seemed to be in foodie heaven, the four non-seafood eaters not so much.

Onboard Activities

4 out of 5

We had a lot of fun on the ship. The Cruise Director and his staff were fantastic. The games and activities were well-organized and fun, the pool, hot tubs and fitness center were clean and well-appointed, and the public spaces were spacious and pleasant (especially the library). Keep in mind this is a small ship catering to an older crowd--there are no rock-climbing walls, go kart tracks, etc.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

We enjoyed the entertainment. Getting to interact with the performers during the cruise is a lot of fun. My musical tastes run to classical and jazz, so I thoroughly enjoyed the classical string trio.

Children's Programs

5 out of 5

The kid's program is not available on all Oceania cruises--it is a special addition to some of their voyages to Alaska. We chose this particular cruise because is was offered. There was not a dedicated kid's area, they basically took over the game room. Our grandson had an absolute blast. The counselors were terrific and were able to keep the kids occupied and having fun with the limited resources available.

Service and Staff

3 out of 5

The service was good but not excellent. Sometimes it was a little slow/hard to get the attention of the waitstaff, we had a few instances of almost comical foul-ups (one example: my son-in-law asked for a diet ginger ale, they brought him non-diet and told him the only diet option was Sprite, which he took. A few minutes later, my wife arrived and asked for a regular ginger ale, and was told, by the same waiter, there are no regular ginger ales. Meanwhile, the people at the table next to ours were brought a mixture of both diet and regular ginger ale). Overall, the service and staff were fine but did not perform at the level we've experience on other 'luxury' cruises.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

It is a small ship so some of the corridors/stairways are a bit narrow. The cleanliness and maintenance of the ship in all areas was exceptional.

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5

Cleanliness was exceptional. The bed was incredibly comfortable. The size of the cabin was an issue, especially in the bathroom. The shower was tiny--you basically have to get wet, turn the water off and open the shower doors to soap-up, then close the doors to rinse off. Getting around the bed/TV from the bathroom to the sitting area without bumps required flexibility and agility that we no longer have.