ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – Tour guide Teiva moved over, thinking he was blocking my picture. But he was my picture. The tattoos on his arm and neck were fascinating. When I told Teiva I would like to photograph them and learn more about the art. Teiva was happy to oblige. “These are in honor of my family and my heritage,” he said, gesturing to the designs on his left arm, hand and fingers. A shark tattooed …
ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – When Matteo Ribecco was a little boy – “maybe three or four years old,” he says, the youngster told his parents he was going to be a world traveler when he grew up. “I have wanted to do that for as long as I can remember,” Matteo said. However, his parents were not sure how their son could fulfill such big goals. Born and raised in Reggio Emilia, a small city in …
ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – I don’t want to spoil the surprise but I’ve never seen this happen. Maybe I just haven’t eaten in the right restaurants. Oceania Sirena has two specialty restaurants where reservations must be made. There is no extra charge – in fact, there are few extra charges at all on this cruise ship. Most passengers can expect to dine at least once in Red Ginger and once in Tuscan Steak. If the restaurants …
ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – For my first lunch aboard Sirena, I was escorted to a window seat overlooking the panoramic Pacific. When I told maître d’ Susan Lingao that I thought I had the best seat in the Grand Dining Room, something surprising happened. Every time I entered the dining room after that, I was lead to that same special table. Even when the dining room was full and window seats were at a premium, I …
ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – A friend asked me what there is to do on the Sirena cruise ship. A lot. Or nothing. The choice is up to each cruiser. The four-page Oceania Currents that is placed on our beds each night at turndown is filled with activity listings and information. The daily newsletter announces where we will be the next day, the weather forecast, when the sun will rise and set, and what time the ship …
ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – My cruise had just started when I returned to my stateroom and saw an evaluation form about my journey. Now, I am accustomed to getting evaluation forms at the end of a cruise but not at the beginning. It does make sense though. If my cruise is over and there is something I could suggest that would have made it more enjoyable for me, it wouldn’t help much to make note of …
ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – Today, shall I go scuba diving, swim with a stingray, watch for dolphins, take a catamaran sail, ride in a glass bottom boat, do an off-road safari or hike the Three Coconuts Trail? Of course, I could just relax on a balmy Tahitian beach or stay aboard the beautiful Oceania Sirena. Every day is an adventure on this cruise. When I boarded, I was given a seven-page brochure with about 50 shore …
ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – Now I know why there was a mutiny on the Bounty. After sailors saw Tahiti, they didn’t want to leave. Can’t say that I blame them. Shaped like a turtle, the island of Tahiti is the largest of the 118 islands that make up the archipelago of French Polynesia. Created millions of years ago by volcanic eruptions, Tahiti really is two islands – Tahiti Nui (the larger part) and Tahiti Iti (the …
ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – If Goldilocks were to board the Oceania Sirena, I think she would find the ship is not too big. It is not too small. It is just right. Even though our cruise is booked close to capacity, it does not feel crowded on the ship. Debuting in April 2016, Sirena can carry a maximum of 684 passengers. Our cruise has 613 passengers and 400 crewmembers, executive concierge Matteo Ribecco told me. Of …
ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – “Sometimes you have to go through hell to get to heaven,” Giuseppe Bagnato said. He certainly had that right. General manager of the Oceania Sirena, Giuseppe was welcoming me aboard the beautiful cruise ship docked in the Tahitian capital city of Papeete. I must have looked very bedraggled because I had been flying for two days. Getting from Indiana to Tahiti is not easy. Flying is no fun anymore. Planes are overcrowded …
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