2017 Around the World Quilt: A Patchwork of Memories

By David & Anna Smith, Guest Lecturer & ATW Quilt Coordinator

With 36 guests participating during the 180-day Around the World voyage aboard Insignia this year, the colorful ATW quilts have been beautifully completed and raffled. This year, guests created more quilt blocks than expected so two quilts were created, one with 72 blocks and the other with 25 blocks. Each block represents a world port of call visited on the world voyage or life on board. About $2000 was raised in the raffle for the Around the World quilts and was donated to the Insignia crew welfare fund. 

Oceania Cruises: 3 Insider Ship Tips

By Guest Lecturer Sandy Cares

The more you cruise aboard Oceania Cruises, the more you get to know the ins and outs and little secrets that make life on board feel like home. Since I’ve been lecturing aboard the ships since 2010, I have a few secrets to share that I’ve picked up along the way. Whether it’s your first time sailing or your tenth, these insider tips will help make your time on board and ashore a breeze.

1. There’s a simple trick to figure out which way to turn to find your stateroom when you exit the elevator. I see it over and over again. For the first few days of a new cruise, guests emerge from the elevators and ask, “Do we go right or left to our corridor?” I have a simple tip – look for the telephone. The phone is on the side of the even room numbers.

2. The complimentary Bulgari amenities in your stateroom have a flip-top lid. I can’t tell you how many times I have squeezed and shaken and pleaded with them to release the contents only to end up with a big blob at my feet. One day I put my glasses on in the shower for a closer inspection. That’s something I don’t usually do in the shower but it paid off – I discovered the bottles of shampoo, conditioner and lotion all have wonderfully convenient flip-top lids! All you have to do is flip the lid and voila! The contents will pour out like silken honey.

3. Plan ahead in getting small bills for your time ashore. I hear about it all the time. Guests don’t bring enough small bills for tips and tchotchkes before going ashore and the Reception desk can run out of small bills. Go to the casino the night before and ask the casino cashier to help you break big bills. They will also help toward the end of the cruise when you need small –or big – bills for tips for the fantastic crew!

Stay tuned for more insider ship tips from me in the coming months! 

 

 

 

 

Holiday Cruises: 3 Things to Look Forward To

By Sandy Cares

If you should wake up one morning and find yourself surrounded by a holiday fantasy, chances are you are aboard an Oceania Cruises voyage in the midst of the most festive season of the year.

A Passion for Travel: Part II

As it is for many of you, our passion for travel at Oceania Cruises is endless, shaping so much of what we do each and every day. In a continuation of our recent post on our new video series, A Passion for Travel, we’re sharing what makes our team members, officers and staff so passionate about travel. Read on for more travel inspiration.

My passion for travel started when I was very young and I’m so happy to now being sharing this lifelong interest with my three young boys as they grow up and our family travels together. I feel so fortunate, both personally and professionally, to be able to do what I do each and every day – share that passion for travel with others.

James Rodriguez | Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing

 

I have always believed that in life one should always have a story to tell. When you travel, you get that opportunity to tell a story and hopefully, through your story, you can inspire others to travel and see the beauty created in so many different cultures everywhere. I continue to travel as I simply feel that I have not collected enough moments and I am always yearning for more stories to tell.

Randall Abrahams | Executive Concierge

Ultimately, we travel to experience the unseen and to create lifetime memories. Those that are passionate about travel also want to share this passion with others. Just as our guests are creating memories, so are our crew members. On the Insignia we are very fortunate to be on the Around the World journey and experiencing so many destinations. We’ve been able to organize more and more tours for the crew and they really love to explore new parts of the world. I just asked a crew member that was signing off the other day if he had enjoyed it. He told me it was just incredible, he said “I’ve never seen so much of the world – it’s been my best job ever.”

For me, Seville, Spain was incredible. I felt so much pride to be able to take our guests up the river into the heart of the destination. That was unforgettable.

Maroje Brajcic | Captain

 

I travel for the excitement of the unknown and remote, exploring faraway places with cultures very different from my own. It’s exciting not knowing what’s in store and feeling outside of your comfort zone. It makes life more interesting.

Jen Lihos | Vice President, Creative & Brand Management

My passion is learning about life through traveling and exploring new things. It excites me when I visit new places, learn different cultures, and see other people live a life that is different from mine. I love to travel because it makes me realize that the world is an amazing place and there is so much to admire and treasure. Traveling gives me the chance to learn more about myself and expand my horizons.

Thierry Tholon | General Manager

Traveling is about people and people love food, so I enjoy immersing myself in each country and discovering how a culture is defined by their culinary customs. Naturally, I am passionate about new flavors – every single place I have traveled to has a special taste that inspires me and all that I bring to the kitchen.

Alban Gjoka | Senior Executive Chef

Share why you’re passionate about travel in our Facebook contest for the chance to win a $200 Shipboard Credit!

 

Oceania Cruises Shares Their Passion for Travel

We each have a different, personal story for why we travel and what we’re seeking on our explorations – and at the heart of each is passion. From the allure of exotic lands to learning the secrets of centuries-old recipes, our exciting new documentary-style video series A Passion For Travel captures these compelling stories and all that distinguishes Oceania Cruises in three special installments: “Why I Travel,” “Heart of Service” and “A Chef’s Passion.”