Twocoasts Posted August 25, 2013 #1 Share Posted August 25, 2013 I have cruised before but stopped because I didn't like the cattle calls, drunk passengers and blah food. I am hoping Oceania will be a very different experience for Istanbul to Athens in June! I have two questions: 1. Drink packages--I found the prices for the drink packages on the O website, but I can't find any info on individual drink prices. I'm like to have two drinks a day--at the most three. When I do drink it's usually a cocktail--not beer. Maybe a glass of wine with dinner. Do I need a package? 2. What is this "trivia" you speak of? Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitraveler Posted August 25, 2013 #2 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Welcome to CC & Oceania. There are 2 drink packages: Wine with meals or all you can handle. You really have to want to drink to use either. Wine with meals is from a wine by the glass menu. Individual wine by the glass is $9.00 + 18% gratuity. All you can drink includes most mixed drinks as well as the wine by the glass. Individual mixed drinks are $10.00 + gratuity. The charge on the program is all days, and may make it difficult to justify as you are on shore many days. The trivia thing is an almost daily afternoon group trivia game for "Big O Points" where groups gather to answer mixed trivia questions. There may also be evening sessions. The points are redeemable for various Oceania items-hats, shirts and so forth on the last day of the cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted August 25, 2013 #3 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Just a wild guess - if you don't know what trivia is, you are not an avid trivia player like many of us are :D Give it a try on your cruise - you might like it. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorisis Posted August 25, 2013 #4 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Oceania has a 2 for 1 happy hour in the Horizon lounge at 5PM and I think it lasts until 6 or so. You can share the drinks with you partner. If this suits your schedule it can save a little. I have seen some carrying glasses of wine out. Maybe they allow them to take it into the dining room or another lounge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted August 25, 2013 #5 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Unless you order a martini at 241. Then you need to order a double which will barely equal a normal size pour elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted August 25, 2013 #6 Share Posted August 25, 2013 1. Drink packages--I found the prices for the drink packages on the O website, but I can't find any info on individual drink prices. I'm like to have two drinks a day--at the most three. When I do drink it's usually a cocktail--not beer. Maybe a glass of wine with dinner. Do I need a package? Thank you! if you only have 2-3 drinks a day no need for the drink package Drinks range from about $5 for drink of the day & up plus the 18% gratuity As mentioned Happy Hour from 5-6pm where you can get 2 for the price of one You do not NEED a package Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare DOJO466 Posted August 25, 2013 #7 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Just a wild guess - if you don't know what trivia is, you are not an avid trivia player like many of us are :DGive it a try on your cruise - you might like it. :) Hi Paul, Not that easy getting on to a trivia team. Remember that woman who would not let me anywhere near your team? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twocoasts Posted August 25, 2013 Author #8 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Thanks all. I do play a mean game of Trivial Pursuit so I may have to check out the on-board trivia.:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted August 25, 2013 #9 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Hi Paul, Not that easy getting on to a trivia team. Remember that woman who would not let me anywhere near your team? Hi Deb, I do remember. We had a good time - as we usually do on Oceania (win or lose in trivia) :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveler916 Posted August 26, 2013 #10 Share Posted August 26, 2013 I have cruised before but stopped because I didn't like the cattle calls, drunk passengers and blah food. I am hoping Oceania will be a very different experience for Istanbul to Athens in June!Thank you! We have been on many other lines and disliked them for the cattle calls and bad food. I don't drink so I don't hang out in the lounges and wouldn't know if there are drunk passengers, but I can say that I have never found anyone in the restaurants to be drunk. And you will NOT find blah food on Oceania...trust me. The specialty restaurants are great and the Terrcae and Waves are absolutely superb. You will enjoy O I am sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legaleaglegreen Posted August 26, 2013 #11 Share Posted August 26, 2013 One useful thing to know is that if you buy a bottle of wine in one of the restaurants (and I find the prices comparable to those in a good US restaurant) and do not drink all of it at that meal, they will happily recork it, label it with your room number and serve it to you at another meal without any further charge. That being said, they did mislay a very nice bottle of brunello, but willingly made good for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKS Posted August 26, 2013 #12 Share Posted August 26, 2013 Since we're on the topic of alcohol, also be aware that Oceania does NOT have the silly rules about bringing alcohol aboard many other cruise lines do. Therefore, you can bring aboard alcohol when you embark, or if you find a bottle that hits your fancy in some of the ports, as long as you consume it in your cabin. You can request mixers from the room staff if you wish. If you bring wine aboard and choose to take it to one of the restaurants, there is a corkage fee, $20 per bottle I believe, but no additional charge if consumed in your cabin (yes, your cabin staff will also bring fresh wine glasses if you request). The official Oceania documents limit the amount you can bring aboard, but as long as you don't drink irresponsibly, I've never heard anyone on these boards indicate O has confiscated it. We usually bring one bottle of good vodka (for DH) and one of good gin (for me) and a little container of lime juice, and ask for tonic water to be stocked in our mini-frig (no charge for the non-alcoholic drinks in the frig - but they do charge for the alcoholic ones stocked there). That way we can enjoy a cocktail while we get ready for dinner, or when just enjoying time on our verandah. That cuts the bill down too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spindrift Posted August 27, 2013 #13 Share Posted August 27, 2013 O has a fabulous alcohol policy. They are very fair. We bring onboard scotch and bourbon for an evening drink before dinner, but then again we go out for drinks sometimes before dinner at happy hour in Horizons, and we buy all of our wine by the bottle from the ship for consumption at dinner. O respects what you want when you are on vacation, and they let you have a true vacation. :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted August 27, 2013 #14 Share Posted August 27, 2013 We were new to Oceania and did not want to join the crowds at "Happy Hour" for the $5 drinks. We found the average price for a glass of wine to be $10. Martinis were also $10 but you need to order a double in order to equal what you would receive in restaurants. We purchased the Premium Package and were able to enjoy cocktails in the lounges and wine with lunch and dinner without worrying about the cost:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted August 27, 2013 #15 Share Posted August 27, 2013 Martinis were also $10 but you need to order a double in order to equal what you would receive in restaurants. What you failed to realize (probably because you were drinking doubles) is that not every Martini on Oceania is created equal. The Martini's in Martini's are served in larger glasses and contain a more generous pour, on top of which they almost always leave the rest of the Shaker as back up. If you need a larger Martini than that, you must want to swim in it. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitraveler Posted August 27, 2013 #16 Share Posted August 27, 2013 On Nautica this summer, the mini fridge only was stocked with n/c beverages. I assume this is a company wide change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted August 27, 2013 #17 Share Posted August 27, 2013 On Nautica this summer, the mini fridge only was stocked with n/c beverages.I assume this is a company wide change. seems like a good plan Does anyone drink those bottles of liquor anyway?? If people buy the drink package they are not included so it is confusing for them I think it is a good move IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKS Posted August 27, 2013 #18 Share Posted August 27, 2013 Hope you're right Sitraveler. If not, we just ask our cabin steward to remove them and leave what we want stocked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted August 27, 2013 #19 Share Posted August 27, 2013 If not, we just ask our cabin steward to remove them and leave what we want stocked. Ditto here. No sense in having things in the fridge that you will not be drinking taking up "valuable" space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arusha Posted August 27, 2013 #20 Share Posted August 27, 2013 On Nautica this summer, the mini fridge only was stocked with n/c beverages.I assume this is a company wide change. Ditto on Regatta in May. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted August 27, 2013 #21 Share Posted August 27, 2013 What you failed to realize (probably because you were drinking doubles) is that not every Martini on Oceania is created equal. The Martini's in Martini's are served in larger glasses and contain a more generous pour, on top of which they almost always leave the rest of the Shaker as back up. If you need a larger Martini than that, you must want to swim in it. :rolleyes: Wow - there are sure a lot of exceptions on Oceania. How is someone new to the cruise line suppose to know all of this? Martini's was a beautiful lounge but we avoided it because it was so crowded. Maybe there should be a sticky explaining the alcohol packages - how they work -- where the best drinks are, etc. I do wonder why the drinks in our favorite lounge are so tiny? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted August 27, 2013 #22 Share Posted August 27, 2013 JimandStan, I am well aware that the martinis on Oceania are not created equal. The ones in Martinis are what I call a normal size and what I receive in pretty much every restaurant I frequent. The ones in the rest of the ship are ridiculous to say the least. My question is why is there such a difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted August 27, 2013 #23 Share Posted August 27, 2013 Ah, Wripro, How I wish that we could discuss this over a smart cocktail... No matter HOW ODD it seems to us, we must concede that not everyone has descended (Ascended?) to our particular level of dipsomania. Hailing as you do from the land of milk and honey, where a three olive Martini is often viewed as binge eating, I'm sure that you have met as many "persons of a petite nature" who actually prefer a smaller, more manageable cocktail, as we have. On a more serious note, I'm sure that the size difference has to do with Oceania wanting Martini's to be the go-to place for....well....Martini's. Personally I don't care why, as long as they are as good as they are. Then again, I'm an old school type, who likes his Martini's wry as well as dry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jertom Posted August 28, 2013 #24 Share Posted August 28, 2013 I have cruised before but stopped because I didn't like the cattle calls, drunk passengers and blah food. I am hoping Oceania will be a very different experience for Istanbul to Athens in June!Thank you! Sorry, but I don't know what is meant by cattle calls? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadaTraveller Posted August 28, 2013 #25 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Then again, I'm an old school type, who likes his Martini's wry as well as dry: Excellent clip, thanks for sharing. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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