My wife and I have gone on numerous cruise lines, and this was our second on Oceania. Our first Oceania experience was on the larger Marina, and this time we chose the smaller Nautica.

We had a wonderful experience. The ship had been refurbished a year earlier, and it was like a new ship. Relative to the larger Marina, there were some plusses and minuses. On the plus side, it was more relaxed, with absolutely no crowds or lines anywhere. We liked the more intimate feel...it was like a Four Seasons Hotel. On the other hand, we missed having four specialty restaurants, as was available on the Marina. Marina also had a full theater, while it was somewhat smaller but still nice on the Nautica. Net, we found the two size boats to be a wash.

The service on the Nautica was probably the best we have ever experienced, not only on a cruise, but anywhere. It was absolutely, consistently, perfect. Read more