1st Time Oceania, Good Ports but No Sea Days...
Riviera Cruise Review to Europe - Western Mediterranean
10 Night Cosmopolitan Retreats (Barcelona To Rome)
Sail date: May 22, 2015
Ship: Riviera
Cabin type: Balcony
Cabin number: 9108
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 9 years ago
Review summary
This was our first time on Oceania and I missed some of the aspects featured on other cruise lines; for instance, professional photographer photo-ops (not the cheesy pirate costume ones though) and dining with the same waiter each night so he can learn your personal preferences. The staff was amazing with service and friendliness and the food quality/presentation was great.
This particular route was very good and most ports had plenty to do nearby or on excursions. I typically do 50% cruise line excursion and 50% on my own. Both were successful except in St Tropez where taxis were impossible to find. I really wish there had been a sea day for rest midway through as I have a difficult time "wasting" a port day by hanging out on the ship. Most of our excursions allowed us to sleep in until 8am and meet by 9am, which was nice. There are several tender ports which are a pain as Oceania tends to prioritize disembark of their excursion guests leaving independents waiting for a tender seat (this didn't cause any major issues, just show up early). I really wish in Livorno that the port departure time was later than 8pm- Most try to do Pisa & Florence in the 12hr stop and it is a rush. I hired a taxi for the day and did the main Florence museums with plenty of time though.
Overall, VG cruise and VG cruise line.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Children's Programs
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ports of call
La Spezia (Cinque Terre), Italy
Livorno (Florence & Pisa), Italy
Traveler Photos
