Insignia Review

4.5 / 5.0
231 reviews

Great Small Ship Experience - Happy Holidays

Review for the Caribbean Cruise on Insignia
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BrocktonCruiser
10+ Cruises • Age 60s

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Additional details

Sail Date: Dec 2019
Cabin: Penthouse Suite

We originally booked this cruise intending to spend the holidays visiting Cuba, but when those plans were disrupted we opted to stay on Insignia to visit the Caribbean. We are glad we did. Ports included St. Barths, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and San Juan, Puerto Rico. We booked private tours ashore and enjoyed the ports.

It was our first time on Oceania, and on a cruise with so few passengers. We were unsure what to expect, but found the experience very pleasant. Due to the size of the ship, there was a lack of some excitement and entertainment options, but convenience, relaxation and service made up for that in our opinion. This is generally not a ship for kids or those wanting lots of options for shows and daytime fun. But, if you want a more relaxing experience, we found there were always plenty of comfortable lounges at the pool, the spa was very nice and there were many quiet nooks to read, including an impressive library. The casino is very small but we had a fun time there nonetheless.

The ship was recently renovated and was very nicely appointed. There were tasteful holiday decorations everywhere. Service was excellent. Boarding was quick and disembarking in ports was easy, given there were just over 600 passengers.

Cabin Review

Penthouse Suite

Elegantly, yet comfortably, appointed. Bathroom a bit small, but functional and well organized with a large shower. The bed was comfortable. Plenty of closet and other storage space. Large HD TV, with good on demand entertainment options and other information guides. Butler and cabin service were excellent. Mini fridge was always stocked with preferred beverages. Afternoon canapes delivered daily. We opted for room service one night and it was nicely served by the butler.

Port Reviews

St. Barts

Although we were fascinated by the many elaborate and expensive yachts in the harbor, we found the upscale island to be to chi-chi for our taste. Since it was early afternoon when we went ashore, many shops were closed for extended lunch break. Tendering was a bit challenging due to sea conditions.

San Juan

It was Christmas day and our port time was limited. We opted not to disembark, since we had visited the port several times and expected many things to be closed due to the holiday. Sailing in and out of San Juan is always impressive, though.

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