As an avid cruiser who has been cruising for 31 years (my first cruise at age 13) I have fond memories of days gone by when cruising was considered a luxurious and special way to travel. Memories on board were described upon return by those lucky enough to experience the magical mystique of being at sea. Stories, of sumptuous food, over the top service, and special moments while cruising captivated the attention of friends and family who listened with envy and intrigue.
Unfortunately, enter mass market cruising, consolidation of the industry and then the mega ships. Sure - this made cruising more attainable for many, but first time cruises would likely never get to live the dreamy magic experienced in years gone by. So many lines have compromised food, service and luxury to accommodate the masses, nickel and dime passengers and ultimately improve their bottom line to answer to shareholders while losing site of the spirit of cruising that so many of us avid cruisers thirst for.
After becoming increasingly disappointed and frustrated with cruise experiences that didn't meet or match my expectations we questioned whether cruising was really for us anymore. My wife and I and another couple were even really disappointed by Seabourn and Azamara despite our excitement and enthusiasm that these lines might be the one. Was something wrong with us? Was our appetite of what once was insatiable? Enter Oceania and our first cruise on this line on the Riviera's maiden season in the Summer of 2012 with our two children. We were so in love with everything Oceania that we cruised on the Riviera again in the Summer of 2013 and just recently returned from a fabulous 14 night Mediterranean cruise - again on Riviera - from Barcelona to Istanbul. This time there were 17 of us in total including family and friends. My parents even celebrated their anniversary on board. As an aside their accommodation was an Oceania Suite - one the most beautiful suites at sea reminiscent of a Manhattan apartment. What a great place to entertain :)