Lets go on a cruise...on the Oriana (Princess Cruises)

Member Name: Hitman

Product:	Princess Cruises
Date:	23/08/01 (407 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Get to see lots of places in one trip

Disadvantages: Bathrooms are not "brilliant" quality

Following the popularity of my Celebrity Cruises opinion, I though it was time to follow that on and give everyone a taste of the Oriana.

While reading this, just imagine yourself walking aboard, the beautiful sunshine, plam trees, sunsets - sorry if I'm making you all jealous.
Anyway here goes;

Oriana was built in Germany, and entered service in 1995.
Costing £200M it wasn't cheap either!

Oriana is a brilliant ship, only to be beaten in quality, service and food by Galaxy, Zenith and QE2.

Cabins aboard Oriana are quite good, and come in a variety of categories, some able to accomodate 4 people. There are quite a few cabins for single people as well.
Other cabins include a trouser press, iron, and ironing board, binoculars, umbrella and an atlas.The decor in the cabins is a warm cherry wood which makes them very inviting.
The bathrooms are a bit of a let down though.
There is no marble sink, and the sides to the whirlpool bath are quite high.Electrical current in cabins in 110 or 220 AC.
Overall, the rooms are the biggest let down in this ship, but do not let that put you off in anyway.

Depending on which cabin grade you choose, you are allocated to a certain dining room.
Peninsular or Oriental are both very nice and have tables for 2,4,6 and 8, and the chandeliers in both are amazing.
There is also a 24hour self service beverage stand, which also offers breakfast and lunch.

For anyone worried about sea-sickness while on Oriana, this is usually a thing of the past now-a-days.
Oriana is so big it is just like a floating city at sea, and it also has the largest stabilizers of any ship covering an area of 231 sq ft.

There is a large amount of outdoor deck space, and wide passageways ensure good passenger flow throughout the ship.
With a passenger:space ratio of 35, it is the largest ratio of virtually any ship.
3 outside pools are great for cooling off in,
and if that wasn't enough, there are 5 whirlpools to go with it.
Keeping fit is easy with a gymnasium, which is very clean and well kept.
Relaxing afterward is always important, and is easy done with a sauna, steamroom and massage parlour.

There is a 4 deck high atrium with waterfall topped by a dome of Tiffany glass, which is very elegant.
The Theatre Royal is superb on Oriana decorated in rich reds with individual air conditioned seats.
Anderson's Lounge is also very popular at night, although this has no fireplace.

To top it off, the library is very well stocked with books and the chairs are so comfortable you could sit there all night.

The artwork on Oriana is also excellent some by all British artists.
One of the other things people tend to notice is the quality of the carpets.
They are 100% wool!

Whilst on Oriana, the biggest cost you will notice is tips. They recommend a charge of £3 per person per day.

Movement around the ship is also pretty good, due to 10 elevators that are very nice too.

As with all large ships, expect a few delays at excursions.

Overall though Oriana is a top ship that very few ships come close to beating.

Summary: