Day 2 - At Sea - Oceania Insignia - September 2023 - NYC to Bermuda

We were up early and decided to try some luck in the casino after grabbing two coffees from Barristas.  It was super quiet with about three other patrons.  I heard a yell of “you’ve got to be f—in kidding me” and some cheers.  This was due to a $12,000 jackpot.  I helped her out by telling her she’d have to call someone to pay her since the casino was closed.  It was so much fun seeing her excitement. 

We headed up to the buffet for breakfast.  The buffet is very compact so it seems congested in the serving area but they pack lots of choices into the area. We both tried the Eggs Benedict but my egg white was very under and basically liquid.  I did enjoy the bacon and hash browns though and the croissant was fantastic too.  We ate outside with views of the wake and planned the rest of our day.  

First up, was wacky putting in Horizon Lounge. It consisted of three holes with different ramps and challenges.  You get three tries to get a hole in one and get one “Big O” point for each.  It was a quick activity but we had fun and some laughs.  Both of us scored a point for each hole.  We killed a little more time in the casino before our next activity which was trivia.  We sat alone but were quickly adopted to join a delightful team of friends who met on an Oceania world cruise.  Our team came in second place and felt we did contribute to the win.  We made plans to meet up for tomorrow. 

With all the activities, we worked up quite an appetite.  After perusing the menu for the main dining room, we opted for a sit down lunch.  The Taste of World sampler intrigued up both and we ordered one to share as a starter.  The flautas were light and flakey with delicious filling.  The fish ceviche was flavorful and fresh.  The braised short rib mole melted in your mouth.  I had the Cancun power bowl with an outstanding plant based dressing.  I will be copying this dish for sure.  I am very impressed with the plant based creativity as someone who only cooks this style.  Chris had the chimichurri grouper and he loved it.  He made me try the fish and the sweet potato and it was amazing.  For dessert, we had to try the Humphry Slocombe ice cream called Elvis the Fat Years.  It was banana ice cream with bacon and peanuts.  The ice cream is ridiculously creamy with great flavor.  I’d highly recommend any ice cream lover to try it. 

After our relaxing lunch, we decided to head up to the pool but unfortunately we couldn’t find a single chair together or even one alone. This was surprising to us but I am noticing that although the ship is small the space ratio but not be as high as a luxury ship. The pool deck seemed to be home to the dreaded chair hogs as well since we noticed way more chairs with items than people in the pool.  We did find a quiet spot with loungers on deck five where we enjoyed sea views while writing and reading.  

Our trivia team came by and told us we could go earn more “Big O” points up on the  Sports Deck. Although listed at different times, all the activities were available. First, we tried shuffleboard which felt like you needed brute strength to slide it to the opposite side. Chris beat me easily. Next up, bean bag toss or cornhole.  You score two rounds and Chris won that too.  Finally was putting on the greens where you score a point if you can get in the hole in three or less strokes.  We tied at this activity.  

All the sports worked up a thirst and we went to Martinis to try some new cocktails.  I had a Big O which is their signature drink and Chris had a gimlet. The Big O was very sweet and juice forward.  It is martini for a new martini drinker and not something I would likely order again but I had to try the signature drink.  Chris had a classic choice of a gin gimlet.  While we were sipping, a woman sat at the piano and played beautifully.  Earlier, a gentleman was playing many songs while we were in the casino.  He did some amazing arrangements of Billy Joel songs.  Both passengers were asked to stop playing and there is a sign stating that the piano use is reserved for onboard entertainers.  The woman did seem upset with the crew member who asked her to stop playing and Chris heard the gentleman complain as well. We both enjoyed hearing them play as both were very talented but rules are rules.  I am sure it would not be enjoyable to hear a novice play or the piano could get damaged.  We think a better remedy might be to lock the piano or remove the bench to prevent staff from having to confront passengers. 

We took turns getting ready for dinner since the cabin is small.  I tried a Mermaid pink gin while Chris went to get ready.  Mermaid pink is raspberry flavored and has a strong berry taste without the usual botanicals in gin.  I had a few sips but it was not the best choice for a martini.  I think it would work better with tonic.  

This evening before dinner was the Captain’s Welcome party.  We wanted to attend since this is our first Oceania cruise. We waited at Martinis for the line to die down and ordered our drinks to take to the party.  Canapés were served at the bars as well as the party and we thought they were excellent.  Huge tempura shrimp, crab salad, and cheese puffs were some of the selections.  The captain introduced his staff and the show band was there playing music.  The dance floor was empty so we decided to make use of the space and did a rumba as well as a foxtrot later.  We received about five compliments on our dancing on the way to dinner. 

The menu tonight looked very much to our liking and we were seated at a table for two by the window.  I noticed the Versace chargers on the tables which seem to be an NCL and Frank Del Rio theme (the outgoing CEO of NCL Cruises which is affiliated with Oceania as well as Regent Seven Seas.  A potato fritter with gravlax was our first starter and it was a nice bite to get your palate ready for a meal.  We also both chose the Serrano ham and both thought the quality was great.  I had the Cornelia salad that had coconut curry croutons and a plant based dressing.  The salad was a winner and if I wanted to stay plant based the whole trip, I would not be sad about that dish.  Chris had a shrimp cocktail and was pleasantly surprised by the level of horseradish in the cocktail sauce.  We also both tried the lobster bisque to see if it was the same as Polo Grill and we think it is the same with the exception of the lobster morsels.  Chermoula butter-roasted lobster was both our entrees and we thought the lobster was cooked nicely and liked the risotto with the brown sauce that accompanied it.  For dessert, I was going to order the 20th anniversary raspberry and lime macaron until I heard the soufflé of the day was pistachio.  We each chose the soufflé and shared the macaron.  I truly couldn’t tell you which dessert was better.  The soufflé was flavorful and cooked to perfection which is not an easy feat.  The macron had huge juicy raspberries and amazing lime filling.  This was close to a superb fine dining dessert in my opinion. 

After our delicious dinner, we went to the theater to see a comedian, Cory Kahaney.  She drew a big crowd and had a very good set with a nice variety of jokes. We headed upstairs to Horizons afterward for some dancing with the show band.  It was a fantastic sea day.  We returned to sleep in our cozy cabin to rest up for our arrival to Bermuda tomorrow.😂