Does Oceania ever offer "complimentary" beverage packages?

Thanks never noticed the other bars as we are usually watching the presentations if we go

Just read the daily Currents and it will say so. Also no problem getting anything you want to drink, not just what the staff carries on the treys. Plenty of staff and you can order doubles or triples as they do tend to give you a light pour.

Just read the daily Currents and it will say so. Also no problem getting anything you want to drink, not just what the staff carries on the treys. Plenty of staff and you can order doubles or triples as they do tend to give you a light pour.

Yes we have been on a couple of Oceania cruise so know the drill

DH always orders off the tray for something he prefers the wine on the tray is usually OK for me

we never noticed the light pours people speak of ;)

sometimes the drinks are so strong DH will leave it or ask for more mixer

I ordered a pina Colada one day the fumes from the rum in it were enough to knock me out ...I guess I am a light weight if that is a small pour :D

YMMV

I'm the OP.

 

Here's the most I would drink:

 

Glass of wine at lunch.

Cocktail at the pool.

Cocktail before dinner.

Glass of wine w/dinner.

After dinner drink (perhaps).

Drink before show.

Drink in casino (perhaps).

 

That's the most.

My dh would drink much less.

Beer at lunch.

Cocktail at pool.

Coke at dinner.

Drink before show.

 

I don't know if that's considered a lot or not.;)

 

Now 20 years ago.....another story!:eek:

Mafig, let's consider what your dh would drink. If you chose the drinks with meals package, only the beer at lunch would be included. The Coke at dinner is already complimentary and you would have to pay for the cocktail by the pool and the drink before the show. If you were out touring all day and dh stuck to Coke at dinner there would be no benefit at all from the package.

If you chose the premium package everything would be included but again on a port day where you might be out touring your dh would be paying premium package prices for the drink before the show. Could dh drink enough on sea days to make up the difference? Only you can tell.

If you take the OBC from the O Life choices you can, as LHT28 suggested, buy yourself the premium package and your dh can do pay as you go.

Usually on the Captain's cocktail party the open bar is from 6-8pm

You can get a drink from the tray or ask for your choice of drink

depends on the location how long it takes to get it ;)

 

On the past guest party I have not seen other areas of the ship with open bar just the lounge where the party is held

I could be wrong because we usually just go to see who gets the pins

On Riviera from 5:45 till 8. All 3 main bars were open for comp. drinks. The same on the night of the Oceania Club party where the pins are given out. :):):)

I've never seen any open bars on the repeaters night other than in Horizons where the party is held for repeaters. First timers don't get free drinks that evening. On the Captain's Welcome party all on board drink for free.

During a seven night cruise which night would usually have the captains cocktail party? Also if you were bringing one dressy cocktail dress, which would be the most appropriate night to wear it, the captains cocktail party or going to one of the specialty restaurants?

During a seven night cruise which night would usually have the captains cocktail party? Also if you were bringing one dressy cocktail dress, which would be the most appropriate night to wear it, the captains cocktail party or going to one of the specialty restaurants?

When and if you dress up is your decision, but I've heard that the shorter cruises are not as dressy and Oceania handles the "cocktail party" thing very differently than most Lines.

"Open bar" for a few hours in the main Cocktail Lounges, and the Captain, the social staff and perhaps an officer or two, circulate through them as best they can. No receiving line, and ultra relaxed and informal.

 

Also the rep who called me said that airfare was included, but if I didn't use it there would be a credit applied.

 

How in the world do you spend all of this credit?:D

I read through this thread rather quickly, but I don't believe anyone clarified that an airfare credit reduces the cruise fare and does not come to you as OBC.

I read through this thread rather quickly, but I don't believe anyone clarified that an airfare credit reduces the cruise fare and does not come to you as OBC.

You're right. It wasn't mentioned.

Good to know.;)

At the captain's welcome party dress runs the gamut from sequins to elegant cocktail clothes to capris and a simple top. Imo no one cares. Wear what you like.

I've never seen any open bars on the repeaters night other than in Horizons where the party is held for repeaters. First timers don't get free drinks that evening. On the Captain's Welcome party all on board drink for free.

Maybe something new or just on the larger ships

There was nothing mentioned in the Currents for our 2 April cruises on Regatta about open bars other than the Captains Party

The repeaters party in Regatta Lounge where the presentations were was the only place I saw the free drinks

There was nothing in the CURRENTS about the Repeaters party .....people that were past guests got the invitation

I think they should ask to see the invitation why bother sending one if it is open to anyone

I thought it was suppose to be a special event for repeat cruisers ;)

jmo

moot point if people have the Prestige Beverage package

You're right. It wasn't mentioned.

 

Good to know.;)

Actually it was mentioned twice, on page 1. See posts #14 and #15, right above your post #16.

Good to know you're reading the advice we offer :).

Sorry, I did miss it.

Post 14 talked about the UK while I did miss the "it's the same in NA" post.

My apologies.

Giving serious thought to Sailing O next August, 10 day cruise, and have sailed Celebrity three times. I have read several threads covering the beverage package and gratuities. If I book a veranda or concierge with the current promo I have the option to choose between the free shore excursions, or the beverage package, or the $800 stateroom credit.

We are going to purchase a Prestige Select package, no debate about that.

Not going to consider the shore excursion offer.

Am I missing something? The beverage package offered in the promo is House Select, just under $400 pp for a 10 night.

As we intend to purchase the Prestige Package our best option would be to take the $800 credit and use it to offset the Prestige cost when we board, right? Save a whopping $1 :eek:

Am I missing something? The beverage package offered in the promo is House Select, just under $400 pp for a 10 night.

 

As we intend to purchase the Prestige Package our best option would be to take the $800 credit and use it to offset the Prestige cost when we board, right? Save a whopping $1 :eek:

The Prestige package would run approx $600 pp for a 10 day cruise x 2 =$1200.

less the $800 OBC you still will owe $400

if you take the House Select package as your CHOICE it will be $20 pp pd to upgrade to the Prestige package = $200 pp for a 10 day cruise x 2 will be $400

so it pretty much costs the same in the end ;)

The Prestige package would run approx $600 pp for a 10 day cruise x 2 =$1200.

less the $800 OBC you still will owe $400

 

if you take the House Select package as your CHOICE it will be $20 pp pd to upgrade to the Prestige package = $200 pp for a 10 day cruise x 2 will be $400

so it pretty much costs the same in the end ;)

Thanks LHT! I have read a good number of your posts and was hopeful you would see this. You have a great night.

Thanks LHT! I have read a good number of your posts and was hopeful you would see this. You have a great night.

no problem hope it helped

we are considering an 18 day cruise - it annoys me the perks are the same as a 10 day cruise. Definitely suggests the house beverage package is the best choice

we are considering an 18 day cruise - it annoys me the perks are the same as a 10 day cruise.

So that I may understand your position more fully, would you consider giving an example of a particular Cruise Line which differentiates "perks" dependent on an 8 (or even 10) day difference in the length of the voyage and describe what some of those benefits are?

As it stands, I am totally lost. :confused:

So that I may understand your position more fully, would you consider giving an example of a particular Cruise Line which differentiates "perks" dependent on an 8 (or even 10) day difference in the length of the voyage and describe what some of those benefits are?

 

As it stands, I am totally lost. :confused:[/quote

 

sure - NCL regularly offers different perk packages. One of these are speciality dining, they will adjust the amount of dinners you get depending on the length of the cruise. I regularly see OBC amounts differ depending on length of cruise. I also see length of internet packages differ with length of cruise. I have also seen the number of shore excursions offered on packages with Ponant or Silversea change with length of cruise.

Obviously where the perk is drinks package or gratuities this will only be for length of cruise. One needs to evaluate the perks being given to see which is more worthwhile. If the cruise is longer than a drinks package becomes more valuable than a standard obc rate or the same number of shore excursions.

Hope you are less lost?

So that I may understand your position more fully, would you consider giving an example of a particular Cruise Line which differentiates "perks" dependent on an 8 (or even 10) day difference in the length of the voyage and describe what some of those benefits are?

 

As it stands, I am totally lost. :confused:[/quote

 

sure - NCL regularly offers different perk packages. One of these are speciality dining, they will adjust the amount of dinners you get depending on the length of the cruise. I regularly see OBC amounts differ depending on length of cruise. I also see length of internet packages differ with length of cruise. I have also seen the number of shore excursions offered on packages with Ponant or Silversea change with length of cruise.

Obviously where the perk is drinks package or gratuities this will only be for length of cruise. One needs to evaluate the perks being given to see which is more worthwhile. If the cruise is longer than a drinks package becomes more valuable than a standard obc rate or the same number of shore excursions.

Hope you are less lost?

Not me.

What amenity is the same for a cruise of x days and for y days? The number of excursions or amount of OBC on O-life promotions do vary by the number of days within a reasonable range and I suspect based on the number of ports (i.e no difference on an 8 port 8 day cruise and a 8 port 10 day cruise)

 

 

Perhaps if you gave the actual options that you are objecting to it would help us to understand your issue

sure - NCL regularly offers different perk packages. One of these are speciality dining, they will adjust the amount of dinners you get depending on the length of the cruise. I regularly see OBC amounts differ depending on length of cruise. I also see length of internet packages differ with length of cruise. I have also seen the number of shore excursions offered on packages with Ponant or Silversea change with length of cruise.

Obviously where the perk is drinks package or gratuities this will only be for length of cruise. One needs to evaluate the perks being given to see which is more worthwhile. If the cruise is longer than a drinks package becomes more valuable than a standard obc rate or the same number of shore excursions.

Hope you are less lost?

I am still lost

On Oceania you get free unlimited internet if you book the O LIfe perk for the whole cruise

You get certain number of Reservations in the Specialties depending on the length of the cruise & cabin Cat

Yes if you are a drinker taking the beverage package can work out as a better option for longer cruises

however for those that do not drink or drink very little then maybe the excursion option or the OBC works better for them

Everyone must choose the option that works best for them

sorry for confusing everyone. The 800 obc is applicable to either a 10 day or 18 day cruise so that benefit is not as high relative to a drinks package on the longer cruise. So if you are not a drinker the alternative options are not as valuable on a longer cruise. So Yohoho please tell me where you see those obc or shore excursion options extending for a cruise that is almost twice as long?

As mentioned on other cruiselines (NOT Oceania) I have seen such alternatives (for eg speciality dining) extended per the length of the cruise.

This was not supposed to sound like a rant simply something that needs to be considered by us if we do book on Oceania. It appears we may be better to get a base rate than an Olife offer on a longer cruise.

sorry for confusing everyone. The 800 obc is applicable to either a 10 day or 18 day cruise so that benefit is not as high relative to a drinks package on the longer cruise. So if you are not a drinker the alternative options are not as valuable on a longer cruise. So Yohoho please tell me where you see those obc or shore excursion options extending for a cruise that is almost twice as long?

As mentioned on other cruiselines (NOT Oceania) I have seen such alternatives (for eg speciality dining) extended per the length of the cruise.

This was not supposed to sound like a rant simply something that needs to be considered by us if we do book on Oceania. It appears we may be better to get a base rate than an Olife offer on a longer cruise.

Your logic has one significant faulty assumption:, which is:

Everyone taking the booze package will drink the daily value of it ($60 for prestige package) every day.

While this may be true on shorter cruises of 7 to as many as 18; I am convinced that many folks can't/won't keep up that pace of consumption on cruises exceeding 3 weeks. (Number of sea days may be a factor as well). Of course, for some folks , it's convenience more that the cost value that is most important.

BTW, on "extended" and "grand" voyages, you can buy the packages per segment.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I thought that this discussion might lead here.

Hawaii Dan and I have often discussed this subject, and my position is that the Cruise Line can only give us OPTIONS.

Drinking enough to "justify" the package makes for a false equivalency, just as eating more to "make money" on the food budget is something that few of us would consider.

Comparison of apples to apples is fine, but at a certain point there IS a value built into just sitting back and enjoying. :halo:

sorry for confusing everyone. The 800 obc is applicable to either a 10 day or 18 day cruise so that benefit is not as high relative to a drinks package on the longer cruise.

Yes weigh your options

Remember the Beverage package offered under the O Life perk is just wine/beer at lunch & dinner

If you want the Prestige package then add $20 pp pd to your decision

Some of the main stream lines you will get more bang for your buck than Oceania

Enjoy what ever cruise you choose