Something New (for us): Oceania Nautica

Oceania Nautica - 2023

I AM posting "out of order," if there is any such thing. So far, I have been working through our cruises in more or less chronological order, with some topical and background posts interspersed. I have only made it through 2015 so far. But all of my cruises have been on either Princess or Celebrity.

NOT THIS time. In January, we joined the Obrien Estate Winery's sponsored "wine cruise" to South Africa. Except for the first time on Celebrity Reflection, O'Brien doesn't usually schedule their cruises on larger ships. The small ship was new to us. This cruise was on NCL-owned Oceania Cruise Lines. The ship was the Nautica - one of Oceania's smallest ships. With a capacity around 650 (there were only about 400 passengers on our cruise), it is about one-quarter that of our usual ships. Along with that, it was a much physically smaller version of what we are accustomed to. It is easily the smallest ship we have ever sailed on. That made for some interesting contrasts to our usual experience.

CRUISERS TODAY may choose from among about 50 cruise lines and 270-some ships. That is a lot of choice! One online source classifies the lines into 3 categories. While a bit of an oversimplification, let's go with that for this post. 😐 They are, "mainstream," "premium," and "luxury." Using that criteria, Oceania Cruise Lines fall within the "premium" category. Oceania itself, characterizes their cruise ships as "small ship luxury" (as this blog matures, I may come up with my own classification system, as I am not sure this one fits my views).

OCEANIA OFFERS just 6 ships with a seventh to be debuted in just a couple months in April 2023. Of the six current ships, four have passenger capacities of about 650 passengers. The other three hold just double that at around 1200. The Nautica was recently refurbished (2022). The decor is really nice, with lots of classic wood and marble. It is generally a very comfortable ship, with spaces reasonably well thought out for such a very small overall footprint.

Single deck Pool deck on Oceania Nautica, with its small pool - 2023

BUT I have to chuckle a bit at their own rather grandiose description of the ship. They tout 4 "open seating" restaurants. Not sure what they mean by "open seating," but presumably they mean there is no "set" dining. But let's be honest. Most of us (I know I don't) do not count the buffet as a "restaurant. The online description of the Nautica does. There are really three true restaurants. The Grand Dining Room, which is the traditional style cruise ship dining room, covers an entire aft roughly quarter on deck 5. True to their literature, it is very nice. And the food is very good. Up on deck 10, there are two "specialty" restaurants, "Tuscana," and "The Polo Grill." They are small, but also very nicely appointed. But like all specialty restaurants, they require reservations. And, depending on circumstances, those reservations aren't easy to get. That stands to reason, as they are relatively small and there are over 600 passengers on a full ship - often without many alternative things to do. I wouldn't characterize that as "open seating," though. At least not without the "reservations required" caveat. Ironically, my single "mediocre to almost bad" meal on the ship was in one of the specialty restaurants. Again, the choices and quality of food in the main dining room was consistently excellent.

THE BUFFET? Well, it is a buffet. What more can I say. In fairness, the food on the buffet during the lunch and dinner hours is perhaps the best buffet food I have had, sometimes matching the quality of the food in the Grand Dining Room (of course, with less selection and a more down-to-earth presentation). Breakfast is pretty much what you get on any cruise buffet. They do a nice job with their eggs cooked to order stations (two of them during busy periods), and I found their eggs benedict to be as good as I have had on a cruise ship buffet. On the aft of Deck 9, the buffet serving area is rather small compared to the larger ships. Seating is on either side, with a rather generous outdoor seating area on the back. But I found that during busy periods (even with only 400 occupants), it was difficult to find a place to sit in the buffet. One problem was if it was windy, cold, or raining, the outdoor rear area was essentially unusable. The buffet serving area is also rather cramped and with a very narrow space between the two serving counters, often kind of difficult to navigate. I don't know what - if anything - could be done to ameliorate this. It just may be one of the limitations of a very small ship.

Martini's Bar is one of the nicest spaces on the ship - we spent some time there 😁

THE WAVE grill is adjacent to the buffet, on the way to the pool area. It is a nice space and oddly enough, comparable in size to the grill areas on larger ships. Again, I don't think it would be accurate to characterize the grill as an "open-seating" restaurant though. The food there is also good. Indeed, I think this grill handily beats the "poolside" grills I have experienced on any other ship. In addition to the standard "burgers and hot dogs," they have a few other nice options, including a salmon burger, and my favorite "surf & turf" (a sandwich with steak bites and lobster medallions). I just had them skip the bun. Grilled and very tasty. On our last couple Celebrity Cruises, the "Mast Grill" (where we used to anticipate a fresh grilled burger) has gone (extremely) downhill and offers steam table burgers with stale buns). The burgers and all other grill foods are done to order, fresh and excellent!

I think this grill handily beats the "poolside" grills I have experienced on any other ship

THERE IS a nice, quiet library space tucked away on the 10th deck. These ships seem to be very "activity" oriented, with lots of things going on in the casino, trivia sessions, bridge lessons, bracelet-making, etc.

Walking/Running Track - Oceania Nautica

I REFERENCED the nearly 300 cruise ship choices available earlier. There are many different variations and approaches to cruising. Style and size are pretty much all over the place. That is - in my view - a good thing. Something for everyone. Some folks like the very small, intimate approach we experienced on the Nautica. Some like the "floating city," 6000 passenger liners. Some like a more sedate cruising experience, while some seek a party atmosphere, and/or amusements like climbing walls, waterslides, etc.

THE NAUTICA has a nice, if small, walking/running track that is well positioned and out of the way of general ship traffic (better setup than our Celebrity ship experiences). They also have a nice spa and workout center for those inclined to work off the ship food. And, up on the top deck, forward, there is a small putting green and a shuffleboard court.

Recreational Options on Board the Oceania Nautica

WE ARE somewhere in the middle of all this. We like the more sedate experience with nice bars, music, and evening shows. Our sweet spot is probably the around 2500 passenger capacity, and ships that house a few more amenities. For the most part, consequently, we were basically not compatible with the Nautica. Though we have to say, it was a cruise, we made wonderful new friends, and in spite of my negative observations, thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

BUT THE diminutive Nautica did have its shortcomings for us. The cost is significantly higher than we pay for what we consider to be an equivalent-itinerary cruise on Celebrity or Princess. We were also disappointed in the "premium" drink package. Interestingly, they have a couple of liquor tastings, offering "craft" liquors (most of which they do not then offer on the ship 😕). I was somewhat underwhelmed with their selection. Three gins (Tanqueray - but not T-10 😞, Bombay Sapphire, and one other standard gin), Two (pedestrian) bourbons, and no anejo tequila? Yet we paid for their "premium" package and this is a "luxury" line! The barista coffee bar was included for all cruisers (where it is covered only by the drink package on Celebrity). A nice touch, but then why is the "package" so costly? The do have some nice bar spaces, on the other hand, including the fairly large Horizons Lounge on the front of the ship on deck 10, and Martini's near the casino. We spent some good time in both places.

THE STATEROOMS were just plain small. As in "honey I shrunk the ship" small. 😎 We had a "concierge" class (means pretty different things on different lines), with a balcony. The balcony was small, but adequate for our purposes. We never seem to spend a lot of time in our rooms. The bathrooms, on the other hand, were just too cramped (though I hear they are a bit more generous in the suites and on the two larger, 1200 capacity ships). The shower was basically a wardrobe and for large people, a challenge.

ON OCEANIA'S site, under "things to do on board," they tout their boutiques. I have to laugh. Out loud. There are 2 (yep, just 2) tiny spaces between the elevator banks and the Martini's Bar and the Casino. One sells a small variety clothes, Nautica-badged merchandise, souvenirs, and a very limited selection of "sundries." The other is a jewelry and watch store. Pretty limited selection there, too.

THERE IS one approved cigar area (you knew I was going to go there eventually). It is, for lack of better description, adequate. It is a reasonably generous, covered area adjacent to the pool bar. There is another "goldfish bowl" smoking area, which is a totally glassed in room off of the Horizons Lounge, but it is cigarette smoking only. As always, I made some new friends in the cigar area. I really miss the sunset bar area on my "favorite" Celebrity ships though. There is no truly outdoor smoking area on the Nautica and at times we felt like we were being "punished." I get that we are in the minority.

I thought the entertainment on the ship was mostly decent. However, there was one outstanding act: this guy's 3-piece jazz/pop band.

THE OVERALL entertainment, while good, was - for us -underwhelming. The quality of entertainers and musicians, in our experience, is just plain excellent on all cruise ships. No exception here. There was a 3-piece jazz/pop combo that was my personal favorite, and they played out by the pool or up in horizons. Listening to them was a really nice experience. They also had a strings combo that did mostly classical music near the boutiques. They were very good, but not my personal cup of tea. The shows were good, but small. We are used to the more extravaganza type shows with the large orchestras, dancers and musicians of the larger ships. We also like more venues to sit, bars, lounges, coffee areas, etc. to listen to music and "people-watch." Again, it may well come down to personal preference.

working staff were - too a person - polite, friendly and attentive

I MUST comment, though, on the quality of the working staff. Bartenders, waiters, room stewards, the barista, and the staff in the buffet and Wave Grill are all outstanding. They were - too a person - Polite, friendly and attentive. The always had a smile and a greeting and would go out of their way to be of service. Bartenders quickly learned my "drink quirks and preferences," and made great cocktails. I often feel that all of these workers are the unsung heroes of a cruise - they don't get much recognition. And they are often much less economically fortunate in their personal situations. We try to tip generously, and very much appreciate them!

Bar and Wait Staff were top-drawer, friendly, and attentive

WHILE GENERALLY polite and courteous, management was not so good. My comments about them are less enthusiastic. Starting with boarding and embarkation, it seemed like there were a lot of "misses." The boarding process was among the most unorganized and inefficient I have ever experienced. Celebrity boards 2500 people efficiently and quickly. Even during the Covid issues, the boarding was efficient. Oceania, on the other hand, took an hour, in two different lines, to board 400 people, who presumably had been given specific boarding times. We arrived to stand in a "Disney-like" qeue, to go through security. There was only one screening station open, and they kept closing it, because the next qeue would back up. Once through security screening, we then stood in line to "check in." We had been given a digital boarding pass. No one ever asked to see it during any time in the process! We showed our passports, and they let us on the ship. Once on the ship, we were directed to (the wrong place!) another spot on ship, and when we got there, the person rather officiously asked us where our ship cards were. We didn't have them. This was not just us. We were in a group of about 20 people. She took us back to another waiting line (where we evidently should have been directed in the first place). There we were again asked to show our passports, and then to answer a series of questions. My person asked me to sign a blank tablet page. I asked what I was signing and she explained that I was signing that my answers to the questions were true and accurate. Before she asked me the questions? Nope. I'll sign it after I have heard and answered the questions, thank you. 😏 Finally, we were on the ship.

a high-visibility crew member, leaving for his own private excursion, basically just shrugged his shoulders and said, "try Google" as he jumped in his hired vehicle and left the port

THE OTHER "management" fiasco involved itinerary and ports. In fairness, nobody - management or not - can control some things, like weather and foreign port authorities or rules. But maybe they could learn from recurring events. One incident that stuck out to me was the cancellation (we weren't directly involved but friends aboard were) of a major, ship-sponsored excursion at the last minute (after some had been loaded on buses) involving 100 or so passengers. There was no "plan B." In fact, a high-visibility crew member, leaving for his own private excursion, basically just shrugged his shoulders and said, "try Google." The he jumped in his hired vehicle and left. I was part of a team that ran a business for many years. Even if it wasn't "my" problem, if a leak developed, I changed my own plans, and jumped in with a bucket to bail. I found the ship response mind-boggling. We missed a port because the weather was too rough to tender in. Later, I learned from some of the ship employees that this was the 3rd or 4th consecutive time this had happened. Oceania, do you think it is time to re-think that port?

THE VERDICT? Excellent food (as good or better overall than anywhere else). Wonderful working staff. Beautiful, clean ship. But very small, lack of things to do, and not the best logistics. Expensive overall. So, in terms of "bang for the buck," this is not the cruise line for us. I know you should never say never, but we won't likely cruise it again. We met many folks who have cruised Oceania multiple times and love it. So not "dissing" it. Just noting it is not our thing.

Port Pilot being picked up. Richards Bay, South Africa - 2023

WE HAD one interesting experience we had never seen before in our cruises around the world. It apparently is common in South Africa (and maybe other places and I have just not noticed it). I have many photos of the ports' Pilot Boats either dropping a pilot off or picking them up. In a couple of the South African ports, this process was done by helicopter. Pretty interesting to watch!

Back to Europe and the Mediterranean - The "Makeup" Cruise - 2015

Panoramic view of Barcelona

WE COULDN'T wait to get back "on our feet" so to speak and return to the Mediterranean. Unfinished business, you know.  And, we had a basically "paid" cruise package burning a "proverbial hole" in our pocket, with Princess Cruise Lines.

AND THEN something even better happened. One of my closest friends let me know that he and his wife would be interested in joining us on a cruise some time. I threw this one out to him and after looking at it, talking it over, and checking their schedule, they were in! We were excited not only to go back, but to share it with these two great friends.

The dominating influence of Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona architecture

EVEN THOUGH we (or maybe it was just me) had pretty much become Celebrity converts by this time, our "pre-paid" package was with Princess. So, Princess it was. They didn't have the exact itinerary we were looking for, but it was still a good one.

Gaudi Architectural Influence - Barcelona 2015

  

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By the way: Notice those prominently displayed flags? It would be natural to think they were the Spanish National Flag. But they are not. The national flag of Spain looks like this: 

The flag that is most often prominently and proudly displayed in Barcelona is the Catalan Flag. Catalan dates back to the 12th Century and was a political division of the Kingdom of Aragon. In the late 15th Century, a marriage between the crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon resulted in the formation of Spain. Like many nations, Spain is a conglomerate of several different cultures and regions. The Catalonians not only strive to retain their own culture, but often they speak the distinctive Catalan language (although Spanish is the official language of Spain). Since the 1930's there has been an active movement for Catalonian Independence. All has been peaceful, but 2 of the 3 times we spent any time in Barcelona, there were peaceful demonstrations involving thousands in the streets. Both times, it caused some disruption.

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IRONICALLY, THIS time we started out in Barcelona, a city we missed when our first Mediterranean Cruise was cancelled. That cruise was supposed to terminate in Barcelona. But this was probably better, anyway, because it gave us the opportunity to spend a few days in Barcelona before boarding our ship. This cruise ended in Athens. In between, we stopped in Provence, Livorno (for Pisa and Florence), Rome, and Montenegro.

Gothic Cathedral - Barcelona - 2015

WE LANDED in Barcelona and had hired a day tour of the city. Our guide met us at the airport and took us on a driving tour (with some short stops) of the highlights of the city. We saw the Olympic Village, a couple of viewpoints giving a high view of the city, the seaport, and the Arc de Triomf, and the Gothic Quarter, among other things, before our guide dropped us off at our hotel on Avenue Diagonal - more or less in the heart of the city.

La Rambla - Barcelona - 2015

FOR THE next couple days, we had an ambitious itinerary that would include a walking tour of the city highlighting the influence of Barcelona's most famous architect, Antoni Gaudi, Tickets to the Gaudi-inspired and designed Parc Guell, an evening "pub crawl" walking tour, tickets to the famed, La Sagrada Familia (also heavily Gaudi-influenced), and Barcelona's magnificent Palao de Musica. In between, we found a few moments to stop for lunch and some "window shopping" along the famous La Rambla, and dinner out at an excellent restaurant near the seaport and the Gothic Quarter.

Parc Guell - Barcelona - 2015

PARK GUELL, was originally conceived by Eusepi Guell, a wealthy Catalonian industrialist who was born in Barcelona. His "utopian" vision was of a "village" (kind of like a U.S. subdivision or "community") which had all of the comforts and conveniences of living, including park space, shops, etc. Designed and started by Gaudi, it never really came to fruition. But much of the infrastructure and a couple homes are intact. The concept apparently never caught on enough to attract other wealthy patrons to build homes and live there. Today, it is run as a private park - and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

La Sagrada Familia - Barcelona - 2015

THE LaSAGRADA Familia is probably the oldest unfinished Basilica in the world (perhaps in history). Usually credited as a Gaudi design, its construction began under architect Francisco de Paula del Villar in 1882. But he resigned in 1883, and Gaudí took over as chief architect, transforming much of the originally planned church with his own unique approach, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms. Gaudí devoted the remainder of his life to the project, and he is buried in the church's crypt. At the time of his death in 1926, less than a quarter of the church was finished. It remains unfinished to this day, and estimates are that completion could extend well beyond the late 2020's.

ANOTHER SITE that was recommended to me by a business associate was the municipal music and performance hall, Palau De Musica. Designed by a student of Gaudi and in the "Gaudi" style seen so ubiquitously in Barcelona, the venue is spectacular. It may have been one of the most impressive sites we visited in Barcelona.

Palau De Musica

Barcelona, Spain

THERE WAS so much to do in Barcelona, and we took walking tours, bar crawl tours, and sightseeing for a few days. The food was marvelous, and it was hard to leave. We would return to Barcelona several times more, over the years (most recently in October of 2022). But it was time to board the ship and cruise the riviera.

Chateau La Dorgonne, Provence, France

OUR FIRST stop on the cruise was Marseille, for Provence. We had scheduled a Provence wine tour, and our guide met us just off the ship. Having returned recently, I have to say that the countryside along the French Riviera, and particularly in the Provence Region, is among the most beautiful country our world has to offer. I think I enjoyed the drive up to the vineyards, through quaint little French villages as much as the vineyards themselves. Our first vineyard was Chateau La Dorgonne. Our guide was a sommelier herself and gave us some great insight into the wines of the region. The tasting was great and the vineyard very picturesque.

Chateau La Dorgonne, Provence, France

WE NEXT went to Chateau Vignelaure. At La Dorgonne, we had seen the vines and the exterior, which was very nice, and quaint. At Vignelaure, we saw more of the winemaking operations. I slightly preferred the Vignelaure wine. I lean toward the American taste for a bolder more robust wine, with generally a higher alcohol content. All the European wines I have tasted seem lighter. And, I suppose, in many cases, more refined. The darker reds at Vignelaure seemed to have a bolder taste and perhaps my bias showed there. Don't get me wrong. It was all good. 😀

Chateau Vignelaure, Provence, France

I AM thinking our friend, Linda must have liked the wine at Chateau Vignelaure better too. What do you think?

Chateau Vignelaure, Provence, France

BEFORE WE headed back to the ship, we stopped for a lunch and some exploring in the Provence Village of Aix-en-Provence. Walking back into one of the quiet squares, we had a very nice lunch. Along with that lunch came a very valuable long-term lesson for me. I will pass on some "wisdom." If at all possible, don't drink the local water in a strange place. 😰 I did. I regretted it. But not until a couple days later (it's possible it was something else, but I have thought it was the water ever since). My advice: drink bottled water whenever you can.

Chateau Vignelaure, Provence, France

WE WOULD return to Aix-en-Provence again in October of 2022. I remembered what might be the signature-image of Aix; the fountain in the roundabout. I made one of my favorite travel/stock photos here.

Aix-en-Provence, Provence, France

WE MOVED on to the Italian Riviera, and on to the Port of Livorno, Italy for our next stop. Our shore destinations that day were Pisa and Florence. I had always thought of Pisa as kind of contrived. I was wrong, of course (I mean, I knew the leaning tower was a real thing, but I underestimated the majesty of the entire complex). 

Pisa, Italy

OUR GUIDE was very good, and one thing he knew was that Pisa would get very crowded very fast. He quickly got us there (we were the first van of tourist there), and for the first hour or so, we had the place virtually to ourselves. I was very content to walk the grounds and make photos. Our friend, Paul, on the other hand, was ambitious and wanted to climb the tower. He was the only one of the three of us who did, but he thought it was worth the effort.

 

Pisa, Italy

THE MARBLE (Italian, of course 😉) was also very impressive to me. Intricate, and beautiful.

Pisa, Italy 

THOUGH WE have been to the region multiple times, now, for some reason, Florence has largely evaded us. Our only visit was on this trip. It was only part of the day (following a couple hours in Pisa, and the subsequent drive to Florence). It was also on Monday, the only day of the week that the Accademia Museum is closed. 😞

Florence, Italy

I HAVE come to the conclusion that to see Florence properly means spending at least a night or two there, giving us time to see all the sites, and the Accademia Museum. Ever since having read Dan Brown's Inferno, I have wanted to chase around that museum.

Duomo, Florence, Italy

WE WERE able to stop at the famed, Duomo (an item on my "list" is to climb to the top). And to spend a few minutes on the famed Ponte Vecchio Bridge. At one time, the only bridge across the Arno River in Florence (until 1218), it is a pedestrian bridge only. It is also the only bridge not destroyed by the Nazis as they were driven out of Italy toward the end of WWII. The unique bridge now has two levels. The lower level consists of the original bridge that has housed merchant and artisan shops since the 13th century (originally blacksmiths, butchers and other useful merchants - today, primarily souvenir shops). In the mid 16th century, the Medici Family commissioned a second level (with very limited access even today), which was known as Corridoio Vasariano, an enclosed passage dedicated to their own private use.

Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy

BUT THE drive back to the ship was a distance and we had to leave in order not to miss our sail-away. So: unfinished business in Florence. Our guide had been teasing all day for a "special treat," before we left Florence, we stopped for what he swore was the best gelato in Italy. So, there was that. 😁

Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy

OUR NEXT port of call for the cruise was Civitavecchia, for Rome. On arrival, we had arranged for a driver/guide from our (by then) favorite Italian provider, Rome-in-Limo, to pick us up at the port and give us a full-day tour of Rome. We had gotten a brief taste of Rome on our aborted cruise two years earlier. This one was much more thorough.

Rome, Italy

WE STARTED with a tour of the Colosseum. This time, we got inside and walked around the stadium, with some narrative about its history.

Roman Colosseum, Rome, Italy

IT REALLY isn't possible to "see" Rome in a one-day tour. In October of 2022, we would spend 3 nights in a VRBO, and see a much more detailed view of the city (and still probably only scratch the surface). But this was still a good overview.

Castel Angel, Rome, Italy

WE HAD also made arrangements for a tour of the Vatican. One of my favorite shots was made from a bridge over the Tiber River on the way to the Vatican, of the Castle Angel, commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The building was later used by the popes as a fortress and castle. At one time, the tallest building in Rome, today, it is a museum. It is photogenic, especially from the bridge.

St. Peter's Piazza, The Vatican

THE VATICAN, of course, is its own "nation-state." It is the smallest (by area and population) nation in the world. There is a plethora of world history surrounding it. Way too much to get into here. But the grounds, including St. Peter's Cathedral and The Sistine Chapel continue to be places where history is made. My first impression of the Vatican is that it may well have been the most crowded place we have ever visited in Europe (a few years later, I would think that Santorini, Greece would be as crowded - or a close second). When we entered the famous hallway in the Vatican, it was literally shoulder-to-shoulder with people. Seeing the sculptures, tapestries and paintings on the walls and sides - much less getting photos - was nearly impossible. Yet it is also one of the headiest experiences anyone who appreciates the Christian religion, or even a student of history, might ever have. And the Sistine Chapel might be one of the most reverent.

Fresco in Artists Hall, The Vatican

WHILE OUR trip to the Vatican seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime visit, it was oddly disappointing to me, primarily because it was just too crowded. Our guide was not encouraging, as she noted that basically this was what they experienced every day it was open. Everywhere. In the halls, the chapel and even inside the impressive cathedral. Fortunately for us, we would be granted another "lifetime," in the fall of 2022, with another guided visit. This time, in spite our prior intel, it wasn't crowded at all. This may have been due to post-covid travel. But we believe it was also because we were there early in the morning. As we left, there was a huge, long line of people standing in line to purchase tickets (in the rain, no less). We were fortunate. But back to this trip.

The Pantheon, Rome, Italy

FOR THE rest of our day, we saw just a view from above of The Roman Forum (again, in 2022, we would spend a couple hours with a guide, walking the entire forum), The chariot racing track, The Pantheon, and the Mayor's Palace, and The Spanish Steps. One of the of the main attractions in Rome is The Trevi Fountain. It is certainly one of the most famous fountains in the world - maybe the most famous. Sadly (for Paul and Linda, at least), it was closed for repairs. We had seen it two years earlier and would see it again in 2022. Each time it was packed with people, making it hard to really see, impossible to photograph from a wide perspective, and even a challenge to do the traditional toss of a coin over your shoulder (legend has it that this will ensure that you will see it again - worked for us 😀). While we did visit it, we obviously didn't get the full effect. The upside is that nobody was there.

The Mayor's Palace, Rome, Italy

BACK ON the ship, we had a couple days at sea, before visiting our last two stops. All was good. Our next stop would be Kotor, Montenegro. Sometime during the evening of our second at sea day, I wasn't feeling too well. I ended up not joining the group for dinner that night, and once in the port of Kotor, after participating in less than an hour of the day long tour, which began by walking around the walled city of Kotor, I couldn't go on. The other three did, and have a great day, going up into the mountains and visiting a farm, drinking local grappa, and seeing folk dancing by the daughters of the farmer. I am sorry I missed it. The French local water had caught up to me. It took me most of the rest of the trip to shake it off. Unfortunately. I went back to the ship, but the Kotor port was warm and sunny, and I found a bench where I could lay down and napped the entire time the rest of the group was gone. Don't drink the local water in a foreign place!

Kotor, Montenegro

KOTOR WAS a small, but beautiful country and I only wish I would have seen more of it.

 

The Acropolis, Athens, Greece

OUR NEXT and final port was Piraeus, Greece (for Athens). We have been to Athens 3 times. The first was before our first every Mediterranean Cruise was aborted. This time was two years later. The third time was just another two year later, in 2017, and our friends Paul and Linda were with us yet again. We had already been to some of the spots, but there are some that you just don't come to Athens without seeing. We visited the Acropolis a second time, this time with Paul and Linda. We never hesitate to visit a place more than once, if time permits. We love to show other people what we saw. We almost always learn more, and something new that we didn't catch the time(s) before. And I almost always find a new and different perspective or image for my photography. This serendipitous photograph of the young Greek soldiers marching through the Acropolis would not be something one might see on every visit. It remains one of my favorite images from our travels over the years.

The Agora, Athens, Greece

WE ALSO spent some time wandering around the Roman Agora, and saw a few other sights in the city, before finally being dropped off at our hotel, fully exhausted from a long, but very fun cruise.

I HAVE said this before here. There is usually a story or humorous anecdote on these cruises. When my friend, Paul, joins me, we laugh a lot. Our hotel was away from the city, as we had an early flight out the next morning. But we wanted one last experience in Athens. Good Greek food. Our concierge gave us the name of what turned out to be a fantastic restaurant, but it was back down in the city center. So, we took a cab. We had a spectacular view, up a terrace from the main street and overlooking the lit Acropolis off to our west. The food was excellent. Not really knowing what to order, and with a bit of a language barrier, the owner of the small restaurant said not to worry. He would take care of us. We just let him bring food. It was wonderful. And then, the cab ride back to the hotel. The ride was mostly through the very narrow streets of the old city. In many cases, there were parked cars lining both sides. Our cab driver - who seemed grumpy and communicated to us with grunts and single words - apparently fancied himself a grand prix driver. He tore through the streets at breakneck speeds, frightening the life out of us. Paul, intending to pay, sat up front with him. When he finally screeched up in front of the hotel, and we all sighed in relief, Paul asked him: "best time ever?" He looked at Paul without understanding, and just grunted. And then screeched off to the next fare. What a ride. What a trip. Until next time.

Cruising and Cigars

WHAT BETTER way to ring in the new year than with cigars and Champagne, right? Personally, I don't much care for Champagne, but I'll take a Martini (or an Old Fashioned, or just a Gin & Tonic, or . . . well, you get the picture). 😃

FROM TIME-to-time I mention cigars here on the blog. I enjoy a hand-rolled cigar, and it has become part of my personal cruising tradition. Following a couple different pages on Facebook for cruising, recently, I have seen several posts about smoking on ships. Not surprisingly, the majority of posters are not in favor of smoking. And that's o.k. But what does surprise me is the degree of vitriol from a lot of commenters. Look, I get that it is not the healthiest thing (neither is drinking and eating too much, being out of shape and/or overweight but you don't see the vitriol about these habits). I get that the smoke bothers non-smokers. I get that they think it is stinky. But that is why there are areas specifically designated for smoking. Unreasonably, I believe, these commenters want it to be completely banned from any area of the ship and generally talk about what a vile thing it is, often implying that the smoker must also be vile. And I would bet that many of those folks are often the ones loudly proclaiming their rights to do anything they think is o.k. There is a balance in most of our world between our rights and consideration for others. And consideration goes both ways, my friends. Just a day ago, a guy was boasting about how he smokes right out on his veranda/balcony. First of all, I seriously doubt he really does that (easy to say stuff behind the curtain of the internet). Smoking hasn't been allowed on cruise ship balconies for over 20 years. Second, if he really does, he is monumentally inconsiderate, and one of those that give us all a bad rap. C'mon, man! But it is equally true that non-smoker can be considerate, and just live and let live. There are many areas on board a cruise ship. Room for everyone. And some of us honestly enjoy it and are not doing it to torment those who don't. 🙆 Really. We can co-exist. Without vitriol. As the popular saying goes: "Don't be a Hater." Or another way to look at it: We are doing our part for social distancing 😁

I WAS looking for a good opportunity to work this post into the chronology. Since I we will be leaving for a cruise on a brand new (for us) cruise line (Oceania), I will be taking a handful of cigars along. It will be interesting to see where the designated smoking areas are, and the new cigar-smoking friends I will make. So, with the new year celebration, it seemed like an opportune time.

WE CIGAR smokers are really a pretty small handful of "cruisers" (and likely diminishing, particularly as smoking of any kind has fallen out of favor of the masses).

I enjoy a hand-rolled cigar and it has become part of my personal cruising tradition

THIS IS not "Cigar Afficionado." I am not going to tell you all about the "best" cigars. In my personal view, cigars are much like wine. I have had some very expensive wine and cigars that were, frankly, not that good. I have had some very reasonably priced wine and cigars that were anywhere from quite good, to very good. With that gem of wisdom, I'll leave the subject of "choice of cigar" to others.

INSTEAD, LET's just talk about cigars and cruising. There are a few things a dedicated cigar smoker needs to know about cruising and smoking cigars. I will touch on a few here, based primarily on my personal experiences.

Dedicated Smoking Area on Celebrity Reflection

CAN I smoke cigars on the ship? Experienced cruisers know the answer to this question is a qualified "yes." Years back, smoking was permitted in many places outdoors on the ship, including your stateroom balcony, if you had one. By the time I started cruising in 2012, that was no longer the case. Smoking of any kind these days is restricted to only designated areas on the ship. This is the case for every cruise line (though, in my experience, they have different approaches). In most cases, it is important to realize that this means outdoors. That is not universally true but is something you will need to research on the particular individual ship (some ships, for example, still allow smoking in their casino - but others, like Celebrity, no longer do). On the Princess Royal Class (and some of the Grand Class) ships, there is a "humidor room," which is just off of the Casino. I have been in them on both the Royal Princess and the Regal Princess. I think they are cold, isolated and uncomfortable. And they are not as well ventilated as they could be. I kind of feel like I am smoking in a fishbowl, so they are not my favorite smoking destination. 

Churchill's Cigar Lounge - Princess Cruises

On some of the Princess Grand Class ships they have a cigar bar (Churchills) which is indoors. Churchills has been eliminated on the Royal class Princess ships, however, and the only place indoors is their humidor room. My own experience has been that the humidor room is not the most pleasant atmosphere. There are, of course, designated outdoor areas on Princess ships, too. In my experience, they seem to be more oriented toward cigarette smokers (and in fairness, they outnumber us cigar smokers).

As far as I am aware, there are no indoor smoking areas on any Celebrity Ships. The closest they come is that on the larger, Edge Class ships, the forward smoking area near the pool is covered. It is not completely enclosed, and wind and cool temps can still affect it. But you can get out of the rain there.

I also think the dynamics of the smoking areas vary by cruise location. When we sailed on the Regal Princess (Royal Class) in Europe in October 2021, there was a higher incidence overall of smokers, in my perception (though mostly cigarette smokers). I think that is true of Europe in general (as opposed to the U.S.), so with a larger population of Europeans, we will see more smokers in general. The Regal had a designated smoking area on the rear deck where there was a bar - much like the Celebrity Solstice Class ships. But instead of 1/2 of the deck, it was confined to a small area just in the middle, up against the bulkhead. Most of the time, though, that was fine. Staying with the location comment, I thought cigars were more prevalent on our Caribbean cruises than on the other locations.

Smoking Area - Sunset Bar - Celebrity Edge - Caribbean

My own experience leads me to say that Celebrity ships are more "cigar-friendly." Again, I am willing to own my overall bias in favor of Celebrity. But on two of the three classes (Edge and Solstice), they have done a very nice job of creating welcoming designated space for smokers. The main (and generally most popular) area - particularly for cigar smokers, is at the Sunset Bar on the back of the ship. On both the Solstice and the Edge classes, there are designated areas for smokers and for non-smokers back there. The Sunset Bar/rear deck is popular because it gets sun all afternoon and is a great place to watch the sun set. The bars are also well stocked and attended. The older (Millenium Class) ships are not quite as well as well set up for cigar smokers. I think we have only sailed on one of them, though, and I know I had no problem finding an outdoor spot to smoke a cigar. I think on those ships the area is on one side of the ship (port side) on either deck 4 or 5. It is the narrow area along the side of the deck. There is also an outdoor area near the "Mast" pool bar, but I rarely see cigars there.

On my most recent cruise on the Celebrity Apex (Edge Class), I learned about a new area that I never realized existed. The Celebrity ships actually have 3 different designated smoking areas. On the Solstice Class: Sunset Bar, upper deck on the starboard side near the pool area (there is a bar there too) and on deck 5 forward and outdoors (but covered). On the Edge Class, they are essentially the same (Sunset Bar, forward on deck 5 - just adjacent to the Eden Lounge, and the pool area. But the pool area smoking section (which I had never used previously), has its own, generously sized, mezzanine deck that is covered and at least partly sheltered from the wind. This was a welcome addition when the weather prohibited enjoying a cigar on the rear of the ship.

We are scheduled to cruise on the much smaller, upscale, Oceania line in January 2023. I have read that there is a dedicated smoking area on the ship we will be on (Nautica), which is - I believe - covered, but outdoors. I think the takeaway, here, is to do some "homework" before you book. If smoking a cigar is a deal-maker/breaker for you, then it is important to know what your options are. I would always check the cruise line website, the deck plans, and other resources like Cruise Critic or Facebook ship-specific cruise pages.

It is probably pretty obvious that cigar and cigarette smoking have some significant differences. Generally, a cigarette is something that smokes rather quickly, and a large number of smokers come to the area to have a cigarette, and then leave. A cigar, on the other hand, is a longer-term experience. Depending on the cigar, I can often smoke one for an hour. So having a comfortable space to sit for a longer period is perhaps more of a premium for a cigar smoker. I am not sure that ship designers always get that, which is why sometimes the designated smoking areas are not as hospitable as others. Again, this is where I think Celebrity does a really good job with their rear deck - Sunset Bar designated area. 

You won't be lighting a cigar this way on the back of a cruise ship 😏

ITS WINDY out there. In any of the outdoor areas where you can smoke on board, you are going to need a torch lighter. By nature, the deck of a ship (even in the sheltered areas) is going to be windy. I have lit a cigar with a flame lighter on the deck, but it is a challenge and generally only possible in light winds. The torch - unfortunately - presents another challenge. Most of us fly to our cruise embarkation point or country. U.S. airlines do not allow torch lighters (in either carry on or check bags). It always presents a challenge for me. Hopefully I am in a city enough time before we board to find one (or a couple) of the disposable torch lighters on shore. There may be other approaches, but I leave them to your own judgement. 😓It really surprises me that, knowing there will be at least some smokers aboard, the onboard shop doesn't sell them. Cruise lines, are you listening?

"Windproof" Torch Lighter

In keeping with the above observation (and I have learned this the hard way), always - always - bring a windbreaker. In 2019, we cruised in the UK in late June. Unlike the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, warm, sunny weather is not a given in the UK, Baltic, or Alaska. We sat out to smoke one late afternoon and even though the ambient outdoor temperature was around 80F (27C), with the wind blowing and even with a fleece on, I just couldn't stay out there. My brother-in-law had one of the nice golf wind shirts on over his fleece and he was toasty. Lesson learned. I don't travel without one now. Maybe just make sure it is one you don't mind having a cigar burn or two on. 😀

BRING ENOUGH cigars. I usually plan that well. But not always. A couple of cruises back, I underestimated how many I might smoke, because we had more at sea time than I was used to. I bought some cigars in one of the ports, but as I will note below, that is generally a bad plan. I think it is a good idea to give some thought to what kind of a cigar smoker you are and think about the days you will be on the ship and which days are at sea, versus off-ship excursions. I know some folks who are occasional smokers and might smoke one or two the entire cruise. I am not really addressing them here. I know others who smoke multiple cigars a day. I usually count on having at least two for each day I know I will spend significant time on the ship (generally, at-sea days, but sometimes you know you either aren't getting off at a port, or not staying off long). The one conclusion I can make is it is easier to bring more than you need and take some home, than it is to try to acquire them if you run out.

Here is a piece of what I believe to be sound advice: Don't buy cigars from the ship. There are at least 3 good reasons for this. First, they will be unreasonably expensive. Second, they have very limited selection - usually not very good. And third, they are virtually guaranteed to not have been conditioned or humidored properly. I have tried it. Twice, with a few years in between. They both cracked. And I am not a novice at cigar cutting. You are destined to be disappointed if you buy cigars from the cruise ship.

My comment above about buying cigars on shore is a corollary. If you can possibly help it, don't buy cigars on shore. While the odds are somewhat better, they are still not in your favor. I bought cigars for a friend in a "cigar shop" in St. Thomas years ago. When I asked him about them, he noted that they were o.k., but he basically had to re-condition them in his humidor. And they were - as I expected - expensive (even though the salespeople in these places try hard to make you believe you are getting the deal of the century). In October of 2021, the trip where I under-planned and ran out, we went on shore in one of the ports in Spain. First of all, it is not easy to find a true "fine cigar" shop anywhere anymore. The larger cities have them, but they are usually in an out-of-the-way location. And though there are shops that have them, they don't have great selection - and they are overcharging for what they do have. Ironically, the shop we found had some Cohiba cigars for which they wanted 40 euro a stick. I asked him if he had anything else, and he reluctantly went in back and came out with a cigar brand I was unfamiliar with, but same ring gage and size as the Cohiba. 5 euros for them. I bought 3 of the cheaper ones and one of the Cohiba's, just to "treat" myself. Back on ship, the 3 "cheapies" smoked nicely and were really decent cigars. The Cohiba wouldn't stay lit at first, and eventually cracked and unraveled. Again, if you are an experienced cigar smoker, you are going to be disappointed. Bring your own. You know what you have and what you like. Just be sure to bring enough. 😀

PACK CAREFULLY. Everybody is going to have their own approach to traveling with cigars. The thing is a cruise will usually be at least 7 days and often near double that. You have to think about how to pack a larger number of sticks. I will put it right out there that I am not a fan of the "travel humidors." As emphasized in an earlier post here about packing for a cruise, I pack light! Humidors are bulky and awkward to pack. And for their bulk, they just don't hold enough cigars. And I don't think they work that well as a humidor. The only thing I think they excel at is protecting the cigars from being crushed or otherwise damaged. But that really hasn't been an issue for me.

I pack my cigars in heavy (like freezer), quart-sized zip-lock bags. Depending on the size of the cigar, I can get 6-10 in a bag. In each bag, I put a Boveda humipack. A little bit expensive, but cheaper than trashing the cigars. I pack each zip-lock around in the soft clothes portion of my luggage. It works really well. My cigars have traveled and kept this way for up to 20 days. And I have been packing them that way for a number of years now. I have never had a cigar damaged.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL. It is a good idea to look at the rules for flying with cigars, and for taking them into other countries and bringing them back to the U.S. It is pretty likely that some part of your cruise will involve being outside the U.S. Most of the information I have read says that the U.K. limits what you can bring in to no more than 50 cigars. U.S. Customs allows up to 100 to be brought back. I am only dealing with the cigars I want for personal consumption during the cruise, so the other numbers and rules are not important to me. If you are planning to buy them and bring them home, I think it is a good idea to do a little homework.

You may have cigars either in your carryon or in checked luggage. I have done both and have never had any issues. Customs may or may not ask if you bought any Cuban cigars. I don't buy them, so it has never been a problem for me.

CAN I buy Cubans and bring them home? Good question. As a legal matter, no. There is a fair amount of confusion about this topic. Cuban products, including cigars, have been banned from the U.S. as a political matter, for many years. For a brief period between 2014 and 2020, these rules were relaxed, and it was possible under some circumstances to bring Cuban cigars home. The Obama administration relaxed the rules, announcing its intention to begin the process of "normalizing" relations with Cuba. But it was complicated. At first, you could only bring them if you purchased them in Cuba and brought them back directly - for personal consumption only. The visit to Cuba had to be "authorized," and there was a $100 value limit. I was actually the beneficiary of the relaxed policy, as a client of mine who was conducting educational seminars in Cuba, purchased and brought me back some "street cigars." They were o.k., but not life changing. 

Since the ban, it has never been legally permissible to purchase Cuban products in any other country (or on a cruise ship) and bring them home. But in late 2016, the rules were further relaxed. You may recall that by then, trips to Cuba were allowed, and even Cruise Ships were docking in Havana for day excursions. In keeping with this "warming" of U.S. - Cuba relations, the rules after October 2016 now allowed U.S. citizens to bring Cuban cigars back into the country no matter where they were purchased. The rule allowed for up to 100 cigars not exceeding $800 in value, duty free. This circumstance, however, was short-lived, as one of the first things the Trump Administration did was to turn back the clock and re-instate the strict ban on Cuban products being brought back into the U.S.

As a practical matter? Well. I used to be in the business of giving legal advice. I never, ever advised a client to break the law. But I sometimes explained the consequences of breaking a law to them. One question that always seems to arise is: "what is the risk?" That is not a clear call. The law provides for penalties up to $50,000. There could also be criminal prosecution. Likely? Probably not. But do you really want those Cubans badly enough to risk those stakes? Pretty expensive cruise! 😓And in my view, certainly not worth it. If you buy them, consume them on board.

Cubans are overrated

For me, that's the thing. I have smoked Cubans. Some were pretty good; many just "o.k." And at least one was not very good at all. Most are overpriced. And, unless you go to the factory in Cuba, there is always the question of provenance. When Castro took over (and even before) most of the top cigar makers fled Cuba to safer parts of the world. They took their seeds with them. They found equal, if not better growing conditions. They did not forget how to make a fine cigar - and have proven for years that they can do so in other parts of the world (probably Honduras and Nicaragua primarily, but also Brazil, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Equador, Mexico - heck, even way over on the other side of the world in Sumatra). I cannot say that the finest cigar I have ever smoked is from Cuba. But I have had (formerly) Cuban famous cigars from other parts of the world (TTT Trinidad, Cohiba, Monte Cristo, H. Upmann, Romeo & Julietta, and the like - as well as some "lesser" brands) and a couple of them are probably the best I have smoked. My personal taste leans toward tobacco from Nicaragua. But my point is "Cubans" are overrated. If you do purchase a Cuban cigar while on a cruise (either on shore - I have done so - or on board), probably the best approach is to consume it before returning to the U.S.

SOMETHING I discovered a few years back. We meet the best, and most fun people back in the smoking area of the ship. Maybe it's because we spend so much time there, with the same people, that we get more opportunity to engage, socially. Maybe it's because we have something in common - at least to break the ice. I am not saying we haven't met nice folks in other places and for other reasons on cruises. But I may have enjoyed the socialization as much or more than the cigars. Enjoy!