I intend to post a full review if you like, and some pictures (if i can manage...)-

The cruise was fantastic, wonderful weather, interesting ports, wonderful ship, 1391 passengers and some 560 crew.

The Spanish was indeed a bit of a problem - together with English we managed to get the message clear. However the passengers were for more than 95% (or even more I guess, I heard two women speak english, and a couple were dutch, and the three of us Belgian...), Iberians...social interaction with the other passengers was very minimal (I bow my head to ernie and Malcolm), but I guess that is the spanish way : I didn't see much other fraternising, but I can be wrong.

There was a lot of smoking aboard, but the A/C was working heavily so it didn't hinder. On one point it was asked through the intercom to abstain from smoking on the open deck and smoke only inside (crew was painting).

The atmoshpere was clearly Latin : lots of noise and a different musical choice, but all in a mostly goodtempered way. Lots of nationalities in the crew, mostly from spanish speaking countries (including the philippines) and latin america like honduras and nicaragua and colombia. T

The service was very friendly and efficient, at least at our table and in our cabin. Our steward was a very friendly man from India, who worked on Oceanic since 8 years, even under Premier, he said Pullmanturs was the european partner of Premier, and that was the reason they took over, when premier went out of business.

The Captain was croatian.

Passenger age was different, but there was a general young public aboard, 20-50's, many young families with children, some in perambulators. Also many newly weds I think, but also some older people. Middle-of-the-road Spain I thought.

I wondered if a "miss drag queen" is normal passenger entertainment onboard cruise ships ? Also gala buffets at 1.45 AM (with was a bit too late for me).

the ship is well maintained, constantly being painted and scrubbed and cleaned, there were some lamps broken on the covered promenade deck, and the next day they were all fixed. The magrodome was just very intensely (often closed on the nights). We liked to sit mostly in the coverd promenade, or the open aft deck, which, by the way, is totally covered by teak, and has some beautiful copper instruments.

The public rooms were changed by Premier, but (I think) the stairways with beautifull metallic wall panels of famous men (on the port side) and women (on the starboard side), and the cabins were original. At least, there was quiet beige formica, and the A/C unit was made in Italy. Also the theater very deep in the bows of the ship seemed to me original, but also the most shabby part of the public rooms - it didn't seem used - I went once down when a film was showing and the whole room including the balcony was empty a strange experience.

I'll try to post a full review later, and also the pictures (I took at least one picture of every public room except the childrens room), but i m not very clever in posting the things...it takes time.

The Oceanic sailed very smoothly. The first half of thye cruise you couldn't even feel she was moinvg. Later there was some wind, and she rolled from one side to the other, but very very slowly. A pleasant sea voyage.

As the ship is a steamship soot was dropping on the aft deck.

I ll try to tell more later, or if you have questions, I ll try to answer them.

I sailed on her years ago under Premier when she was still "Disney-fied". I remember how well she sailed and loved her long bow ... just beautiful.

While I've never been fond of her interiors, her exterior is simply lovely.

Johan

oceanic exteriors

oceanic interiors I

oceanic interiors II

shipboard life and destinations

passenger ships in the mediterranean

[ 07-14-2004: Message edited by: joe at travelpage ]

I saw some speculation of her being used in Brazil.

Other ships of Pullmantur are chartered (R-6), so they will need the Oceanic to keep their succes.

Many of the interiors are virtually unchanged from my Premier cruise in 1986. Some look completely unfamiliar. The covered promenade was completely bare on my cruise. Hot, too, even at night. The metallic stairwell sculptures must be original. I've got a photo of Shakespeare!

I can't believe what great condition Oceanic is in. She looks in better shape than when I sailed on her with Premier.

You lucky sea dog!

Wonderful. Thanks again.

The bronze sculptures in the stairwells are original. And it appears that much of the interiors are still from the Premier days. It does look like much of the older darker panelling has been changed to a lighter panelling. Oceanic had two-tone interiors, light and dark panelling. It looks better with the brighter.

Oceanic is a very solid and smooth. Her hull is in extroadinary shape for her age. The A/C on her was always cold, but she had plumbing problems and brown water. I remember the soot too...we called them "Funnel Bombs".

While I like to consider myself well-versed on the Oceanic, there is one question I have yet to find an answer to. Who was her original godmother when launched for the Home Lines in 1965? Some readers on this board seem very familiar with Oceanic, so hopefully an answer will be easy to find. Thanks in advance!

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rego007:
Who was her original godmother when launched for the Home Lines in 1965?

---

Although I cannot say who christened Oceanic, I can tell you that she was not launched in 1965. Oceanic was launched on January 15, 1963 and was originally intended to make her maiden voyage as a trans-Atlantic liner (Cuxhaven to Montreal) in late 1963. Home Lines' decision late in the summer of 1963 to abandon trans-Atlantic in favour of full time cruising necessitated a considerable upgrading of her facilities and delayed her entry into service until the spring of 1965.

I stand corrected, as I misspoke myself regarding the Oceanic's launch date. You did, however, answer another question I had regarding why she was launched in 1963 and didn't cross until April of 1965. I guess now I know why. Thanks!