1westover Posted February 10, 2014 #1 Share Posted February 10, 2014 First time cruisers on Oceania Marina. We are headed to French Polynesia. My question is about wine in our cabin for use on our veranda. We had planned on purchasing several bottles in Papeete prior to embarkation. I have recently been told that if we buy "3" bottles of wine onboard the ship, there is a 30% discount on this multiple purchase. This would be for use in our cabin. I have not read this in other postings. Can someone speak from experience? Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted February 10, 2014 #2 Share Posted February 10, 2014 No personal experience on the wine package discount but I would think they would send it to your cabin if that is your choice or just have it for the dining venues We usually just take a bottle onboard for our cabin Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted February 10, 2014 #3 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I bought three bottles of wine on our recent cruise on Marina. Our butler delivered them to our suite but without a butler it would have been simple enough to pick them up myself. They weren't immediately ready -- I bought them upon boarding the ship. If you bring one of these bottles to a restaurant there will not be a corkage charge. Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted February 10, 2014 #4 Share Posted February 10, 2014 We have always bought the discounted wines and just left them in the system. That way they can be brought to you in any dinning venue or to your cabin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted February 10, 2014 #5 Share Posted February 10, 2014 First time cruisers on Oceania Marina. We are headed to French Polynesia. My question is about wine in our cabin for use on our veranda. We had planned on purchasing several bottles in Papeete prior to embarkation. I have recently been told that if we buy "3" bottles of wine onboard the ship, there is a 30% discount on this multiple purchase. This would be for use in our cabin. I have not read this in other postings. Can someone speak from experience? Thank you. During the First day(s) of a cruise, the Wine Staff usually has a table set up in the foyer outside of La Reserve where wines are sold at somewhat discounted prices. As with any Sale, the amount of the discount is determined by how badly the retailer wants to move the merchandise, so one cannot really count on any specific level of cost savings. Much depends on how thirsty the passengers before you were, but I have seen the discounts vary from 10 to 40 percent. As the Sale goes on, less popular bottles are often bundled with those which selling faster, so those who are willing to buy more MAY save more. Purchased Wine will either be delivered to the Cabin, or remain in the Oceania Cellar until called for by the passenger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShopperfiendTO Posted February 10, 2014 #6 Share Posted February 10, 2014 First time cruisers on Oceania Marina. We are headed to French Polynesia. My question is about wine in our cabin for use on our veranda. We had planned on purchasing several bottles in Papeete prior to embarkation. I have recently been told that if we buy "3" bottles of wine onboard the ship, there is a 30% discount on this multiple purchase. This would be for use in our cabin. I have not read this in other postings. Can someone speak from experience? Thank you. If you are going to be drinking wine in your cabin only, you would very likely be better off just buying the wine in Papeete and drinking that (unless the retail prices in Papeete are even more insane than restaurants' general wine pricing). Why? Because you will not have to pay the 18% automatic gratuity for beverage purchases on-board or a corkage fee ($25/bottle, maybe more now?) on that wine if you consume it in your cabin only. If you drink that wine you brought on board outside of your cabin (i.e., bring it to drink at a dining venue), you will be charged the corkage fee. If you buy wine onboard at one of the sales, the 18% automatic gratuity will apply and if it does, you might as well consume it at a dining venue instead of in your cabin since you basically paid for that privilege. If what you're really asking is if the discounted wine sold onboard works out cheaper than buying wine in Papeete at retail and then bringing it on board, then I think you'll have to figure out what the pricing is of wine generally is in Papeete and then work from there. keeping in mind that the discounted price on board is off the restaurant selling price (or close to it), plus 18%. If you want to drink elsewhere on the ship, then it may make sense to pay the corkage fee on the wine you brought on board versus buying the discounted wine sold on board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Luxury Posted February 10, 2014 #7 Share Posted February 10, 2014 During the First day(s) of a cruise, the Wine Staff usually has a table set up in the foyer outside of La Reserve where wines are sold at somewhat discounted prices. As with any Sale, the amount of the discount is determined by how badly the retailer wants to move the merchandise, so one cannot really count on any specific level of cost savings. Much depends on how thirsty the passengers before you were, but I have seen the discounts vary from 10 to 40 percent. As the Sale goes on, less popular bottles are often bundled with those which selling faster, so those who are willing to buy more MAY save more. Purchased Wine will either be delivered to the Cabin, or remain in the Oceania Cellar until called for by the passenger. Do they include bottles of wine in the $200-$750 region in the sale? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie60 Posted February 10, 2014 #8 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Do they include bottles of wine in the $200-$750 region in the sale? The most expensive bottle we ever saw on the sale was at a wine bazaar midway through a very sea day intensive cruise. It was a 2002 Dom Perignon that was listed at $210 on the Oceania wine list. We purchased it for $150 (it was my birthday wine). Upon arriving home, we found the same vintage Dom at retail for $149 so not a bad deal. But to answer your question fully - Oceania doesn't have bottles that go up to that price range under most circumstances as they probably wouldn't sell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1westover Posted February 10, 2014 Author #9 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Thanks to all for your replies. I only wanted a couple of bottles for use on our veranda for early Happy Hour. At the bar or with dinner, I intend to order what I want, wherever I am. I have been told about a store in Papeete called Carrafours, that has a decent selection. Also, the marketplace is suppose to have a wine shop. I appreciate all your information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted February 10, 2014 #10 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Oceania doesn't have bottles that go up to that price range under most circumstances as they probably wouldn't sell. All of the Oceania Ships carry quite a large selection of wines in that price range, and although the newer ships have larger Cellars, you will find that that the quality of the selections have more to do with who is acting as Cellar Master. The full Wine Lists are so voluminous, I'm thinking that you may have seen an abbreviated one. The full list could easily act as a door stop :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buggins0402 Posted February 10, 2014 #11 Share Posted February 10, 2014 We have always bought the discounted wines and just left them in the system.That way they can be brought to you in any dinning venue or to your cabin. Thank you, I now somewhat understand how the bottled wine packages work - happy to hear that they can be put in system!!!! One question - can they be accessed from the lounges? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie60 Posted February 11, 2014 #12 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Thank you, I now somewhat understand how the bottled wine packages work - happy to hear that they can be put in system!!!! One question - can they be accessed from the lounges? Yes, it sometimes take a bit longer as the bartender/waiter has to have time to go get it - but it can be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie60 Posted February 11, 2014 #13 Share Posted February 11, 2014 All of the Oceania Ships carry quite a large selection of wines in that price range, and although the newer ships have larger Cellars, you will find that that the quality of the selections have more to do with who is acting as Cellar Master. The full Wine Lists are so voluminous, I'm thinking that you may have seen an abbreviated one. The full list could easily act as a door stop :eek: Had no idea there was a list beyond the list - thank you Jim & Stan! Our next cruise is on Insignia but we'll see what happens when we request 'the big list' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Luxury Posted February 11, 2014 #14 Share Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) All of the Oceania Ships carry quite a large selection of wines in that price range, and although the newer ships have larger Cellars, you will find that that the quality of the selections have more to do with who is acting as Cellar Master. The full Wine Lists are so voluminous, I'm thinking that you may have seen an abbreviated one. The full list could easily act as a door stop :eek: I have been thinking,if I buy a bottle of wine from the list for around $500 which I often do in a restaurant. I will be charged $90 on an Oceania ship just for the Sommelier to open and pour it. The gratuity is far more than a lot of people will be paying for a bottle of wine on the ship. Will the Sommelier look kindly on me,it's only fair as he will sell me much more wine in the process. I can understand it if I was buying a bottle of wine for $20 They surely must do something to encourage people to buy expensive wine from the list otherwise it will just sit there and that does not seem like good business to me. Edited February 11, 2014 by Mr Luxury Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted February 11, 2014 #15 Share Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) I have been thinking,if I buy a bottle of wine from the list for around $500 which I often do in a restaurant.I will be charged $90 on an Oceania ship just for the Sommelier to open and pour it. The gratuity is far more than a lot of people will be paying for a bottle of wine on the ship. Will the Sommelier look kindly on me,it's only fair as he will sell me much more wine in the process. I can understand it if I was buying a bottle of wine for $20 They surely must do something to encourage people to buy expensive wine from the list otherwise it will just sit there and that does not seem like good business to me. Naturally, the Sommelier will do everything that they can to encourage your interest in the higher end of the wine list, but I hope that you will agree with me that it would be unspeakably gauche to suggest that their level of service is, or should be, linked to the dollar amount of your purchase. There are some things that one simply does not say, old scout :o Edited February 11, 2014 by JimandStan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Luxury Posted February 11, 2014 #16 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Naturally, the Sommelier will do everything that they can to encourage your interest in the higher end of the wine list, but I hope that you will agree with me that it would be unspeakably gauche to suggest that their level of service is, or should be, linked to the dollar amount of your purchase. There are some things that one simply does not say, old scout :o Not at all,i was wondering how the Sommelier would attract a guest to buy expensive wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playtennis Posted February 11, 2014 #17 Share Posted February 11, 2014 The OP was informed about wine sales on the O ships. I'm presuming that there are also sales on the R vessels. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare terry&mike Posted February 11, 2014 #18 Share Posted February 11, 2014 It is usually the wines themselves that attract guests to buy more expensive wines, not the anticipation of the level of service one would receive when buying it, correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted February 11, 2014 #19 Share Posted February 11, 2014 The OP was informed about wine sales on the O ships. I'm presuming that there are also sales on the R vessels. Sent from my iPhone using Forums There are, usually they set up the Sales in the foyer outside of the Terrace Cafe, or (if they want more foot traffic) in the foyer at the top of the Grand Staircase. All of this will be well advertised in Currents. the Daily Newspaper on the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvmovielover Posted February 12, 2014 #20 Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) We put 3 bottles of wine in our checked bag in something called a "wine diaper" I got from amazon and then got a bottle of gin at LAX having heard that the French wine in FP was not that cheap. Wine in Intl Terminal in LAX was not especially cheap either (had to chose cheap gin). I did look in grocery stores on Moorea and Raitea. Wine was indeed French but not cheaper than wine I brought from home. I did not recognize the makers but there was a large choice. Pastis was less expensive if you like that and there was a lot. I am very fond of New Zealand and Australian wines but only saw them a few times and they were more than French wines. The sommeliers were very kind about my not that fancy wines that I brought to dinner and they were served very promptly when carried over from the night before. I did not notice the 30% off wines on our late arrival or the next day but probably they would have worked out something like my everyday wines + corkage in price since I paid $11 for a glass of a favorite inexpensive New Zealand wine on the last night. There are several options but I would be a little leery of the buy French optionwhen you get there unless you know for sure how long it has been waiting standing on the shelf. Edited February 12, 2014 by tvmovielover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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