Well, we've made deposits on 2 b2b Oceania cruises for 2010....Bangkok-Beijing-Hong Kong in March and Amsterdam-Dover-Copenhagen in July. We decided on the Asia cruises after deciding/realizing we had very little probability of clearing the waitlist for the Mariner cruise 17 October and actually, the March date might be better for us anyway.

I'm very excited about the itineraries and pleased with the fares, even if there's no complimentary wine at dinner and we'll have to pay for internet use.

We've received wonderful customer service and expert care from Susan W and Lisa while Susan was away. Many thanks!

Do you have to pay for internet in your penthouse suite? J

Well, we're not in a Penthouse! so can't answer. In the Concierge Cats where we're booked, one has to pay.

Excursions, adult beverages, self-serve laundry, internet, telephone are extra. Cabin is smaller with a reportedly smaller bathroom....no hot breakfasts under Penthouse Cats nor is there full dinner room service from the Main Dining room....if what I'm reading on another board is accurate.

Yep, these "extras" add up but hopefully we'll still have a great experience and again, hopefully we'll not pay more for less..... The itinerary is good and fellow cruisers who've posted sound nice.

Vaitape:

You can get full dinner - from any of the restaurants as room service in Concierge. It's not course by course like Regent - but then Regent does combine a course or two and it's not much different. Internet is extra onboard. The cabins in Concierge are very similar to the cabins on the Paul Gauguin.

ChatKat, you are so helpful....thank you. What's the deal about comments regarding the shower....it it really that small?

Typical - small shower. But between the sink and shower not much room either. But the cruise is so port intensive, you will be happy to be clean and out exploring. I am not petite and it was acceptable to me. No, it's not the Mariner/Voyager/Navigator. You aren't buying the ship - just the use. It's way better than any Holiday Inn.

Hey, Vaitape, good news! We haven't booked anything for 2010 yet, good to know that there are great itineraries out there! Oceania is sure tempting, and it would be better for the liver!

Kathy, the small shower--is it a tub/shower combo like the PG?

Just a shower...

Wendy: Liver comment LOL!!! but dang, sure did like the ease of just ordering something like those Mimosas or the odd Midori without wondering what the balance was on our room charges.

Gotta say it's the internet charges that bug the heck out of me... that and =/-$30 a dinner for wine.....and there is no way we have dinner without wine...a crisp Marlborough Sound Sav Blanc really enhances a grilled ham and cheese sandwich (or Croque Monsieur for those of you north of the border!)

When you board, find the wine steward up in the Windjammer and ask to see the reserve/package wine menu. There you can buy wine ahead of time - 3 bottle minimum - mix and match - and they will bring you from your collection to any bar or restaurant. We bought a bottle for each night of our cruise and we made a Regent experience out of it. They pour our wines in Martini's and in each restaurant we dined in without any problem and we had really good wines for a reasonable price.

Thanks ChatKat.....valuable info.

We're surprised to learn that soft drinks and bottled water are not complimentary on Oceania... at least not during our Asia cruise in March/April anyway. Supposedly they will be included after the repositioning cruises in the spring.

My way around that was that I ordered water and soda for my room the first day of the cruise. I generally drink a large bottle of water every day and sometimes two. Then I just took what I wanted from my supply. I bought in port a few diet Cokes and had those in the fridge. It was not terrible signing for drinks the few times we did.

ChatKat, the water and soda you ordered for your room...were they a one-time gratis provisioning or ?

Not sure how easily one obtains bottled water and sodas while in Asian ports. We aren't big soda drinkers but do consume heaps of water.

I've read on the Oceania board over at CC that there is good quality water available from taps on the ships, so you can probably refill your bottles that way if you like. I'd check to find out which water is potable first though.

I thought that water and soda were complimentary. Our last Oceaia cruise they had bottled water at the gang planks. Can't remember our room supply but the beds were the most comfortable at sea. i think the Insignia is a beautiful ship with wonderful food! Judy

The water was Evian and you just had your attendant bring you however many bottles you wanted to store on hand and you signed for them to your room account. For me, it was good because I had them there and was able to pack what I wanted for my daypack. If you took water at the gangplank - you signed for them. The water out of the tap is potable. I just prefer bottled water. I think we got a 6 pack of soda at the store on the pier and brought it to the room to have on hand or I ordered it from the waiter and signed for it when I was not in my cabin.

We were in an OS for a 28 day B2B last year - there was a laptop in the suite, but a charge was made for internet access. However, bottled water was included.

Bottled water and sodas are complimentary in 2010.

The bathrooms are adequate but not enough room for two at a time. If you are not concierge level or above the hair dryer is inadequate so would recommend taking your own dryer.

Susan W, water and sodas complimentary in 2010....even in concierge level? Sorry if I've posted inaccurate info here!