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Privilege Beverage Package.


swabs
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Having previously sailed with Regent (totally all inclusive) we are sailing for the first time on Riviera in June. We are really looking forward to their dining experience and having been all inclusive have purchased the Privilege Beverage Package which I am sure will meet all our drinking needs...... Both alcoholic and non alcoholic!!

Please can someone explain how the system works?

I presume when ordering a drink we hand over our room card which is swiped and thus records we have the drinks package?

 

All info great fully received.

 

 

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Yes, when you order you give your card to the waiter. You do not need a package for non-alcoholic drinks as they are all included in the fare. The rule is if it has alcohol in it there is a charge, if not it is included. Have a nice trip!!!

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swabs, we are Regent loyalists that were first time passengers on the Rivera last May (and will be on the Riviera again in November). Like yourselves, we purchased the prestige alcohol package and were glad we did. At first we were confused as to when to present our card. The bartenders seemed to take it right away while in Red Ginger, they didn't pick it up until the end of the meal. So, we placed the cards on the table and noticed when they were taken so we would know for the next time. Although not as easy as Regent, it went quite well.

 

Enjoy your sailing on the Riviera. She is a gorgeous ship -- the service is wonderful and the food in the specialty restaurants is amazing!

Edited by Travelcat2
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We had pretty much the same experience. We cruised Oceania for the first time in Jan '13 on the Riviera and will be back on the TA next April also on Riviera. We just loved Oceania, the food and the ship! No complaints whatsoever.

 

We took the premium drinks package not so much because we drink a lot but because we hate the notion that we might associate a price going on our account when ordering a drink!! Our "World Card" - suite key card - had "BIB" on it. In some places we were asked for the card when the drinks arrived. The card was taken, I presume swiped, but we were not asked to sign anything. In other places (notably Horizons after dinner when we always went there for a Calvados (!) ) the waitress took the card, looked at it and said "Ah - the BIB". And gave us back the card!!

 

You can order wine by the glass but not by the bottle. We found the selection to be reasonably extensive (12 wines I think) and the quality quite good. There is a Champagne on the list. We particularly liked a Malbec! You can order any normal cocktails, drinks, beers etc and as I mentioned this also included our Calva.

 

The only difference between having this package and being on Regent is being asked for the Card. The drinks do not appear on your account... but the package cost does.

 

IMO (and that of others I know) Oceania has the best food afloat. I can't wait to go back! And if you are in a Suite you also get a Bar set up... 6 bottles of whatever. We had Vodka, Whiskey, Gin and Rum plus two bottles of wine. We asked to change the Vodka for Rum and this happened immediately. The Whiskey and Gin we took home with us!

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Thank you everyone for your very helpful advice. We enjoy a drink or two when on Hols and much prefer to have paid up front therefore no big surprises at the end of the cruise.

Thanks particularly to Hambagahle and Travelcat2. We really have enjoyed our cruises with Regent but this year the prices really seem to have increased ( or stayed the same but for 7 nights instead of 10)!

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We did the same on Riviera, where we had the Prestige package. We would take out our cards and put them in plain view, and someone would take them and swipe them at some point. I believe in some cases, this led us to getting larger-sized cocktails, more like doubles, to save them time I guess.

 

I enjoyed the wines that they offered by the glass--I tried most of the whites and some of the reds.

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This will be our first Oceania cruise (veranda on Regatta to Alaska) and we intend to do the prestige alcohol package. Since it appears everything needs to be ordered in individual servings, will room service handle late night requests just for a nightcap? I really want to avoid the trouble of transporting wine from home or ports.

 

 

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This will be our first Oceania cruise (veranda on Regatta to Alaska) and we intend to do the prestige alcohol package. Since it appears everything needs to be ordered in individual servings, will room service handle late night requests just for a nightcap? I really want to avoid the trouble of transporting wine from home or ports.

 

 

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It depends on where you are on the ship.

 

If we were leaving Martini's or Horizons, for example, and told the barman that we intended to have a nightcap, back in the cabin, we would generally find it waiting for us, when we got there.

 

Otherwise, Room Service handles all orders for the cabin.

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Excuse my ignorance but what does BIB stand for?

You're not alone; I've not seen it explained either.

Perhaps an O's mgmt reference for Bonus Improvement Benefit,

or a pax's Beverage Imbibing Bundle

or maybe refers to the article of clothing worn out of necessity around the neck of those determined to extract the fullest value from the Package

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It depends on where you are on the ship.

 

If we were leaving Martini's or Horizons, for example, and told the barman that we intended to have a nightcap, back in the cabin, we would generally find it waiting for us, when we got there.

 

Otherwise, Room Service handles all orders for the cabin.

There you go again, what a perfectly great suggestion.

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You're not alone; I've not seen it explained either.

Perhaps an O's mgmt reference for Bonus Improvement Benefit,

or a pax's Beverage Imbibing Bundle

or maybe refers to the article of clothing worn out of necessity around the neck of those determined to extract the fullest value from the Package ��

 

Excellent, or perhaps beer is best! :)

 

I like the package as it allows you to try out all different drinks that you probably wouldn't if you we're paying for them. There are some weird cocktails that I tried last time, some hits some misses but worth the experimentation. Expressotini, fantastic but 2-3 of those late in the evening prevented sleep!:eek:

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You're not alone; I've not seen it explained either.

Perhaps an O's mgmt reference for Bonus Improvement Benefit,

or a pax's Beverage Imbibing Bundle

or maybe refers to the article of clothing worn out of necessity around the neck of those determined to extract the fullest value from the Package ��

 

I LOVE this last bit!!! And I am sure that is exactly what it refers to...:)

 

"Best in Bar" - certainly logical and I am sure correct but the "bib wearing" is very very funny!

Edited by Hambagahle
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  • 1 month later...

Question: I am only familiar with the Premium beverage package on Celebrity which allows any wine by the glass up to $13 but also allows the purchase of other more expensive wines by the glass by paying the difference. Example would be a Pinot Noir for $17 which would be charged to your account for $4. Also we received a 20% discount on bottles of wine.

 

Are any of these scenarios accurate for the Prestige package on O?

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Question: I am only familiar with the Premium beverage package on Celebrity which allows any wine by the glass up to $13 but also allows the purchase of other more expensive wines by the glass by paying the difference. Example would be a Pinot Noir for $17 which would be charged to your account for $4. Also we received a 20% discount on bottles of wine.

 

Are any of these scenarios accurate for the Prestige package on O?

 

Neither of these is an option on Oceania.

Either the wine is 100% included in the Package, or you pay their retail price for it.

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Re producing the cards, if we frequent the same bar at the same time each day, will the crew eventually start to recognize us and tell us we no longer need to produce them, or do they need to swipe the cards for inventory purposes? We're on a 16 day TA.

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Re producing the cards, if we frequent the same bar at the same time each day, will the crew eventually start to recognize us and tell us we no longer need to produce them, or do they need to swipe the cards for inventory purposes? We're on a 16 day TA.

 

I believe they swipe them. But just once, sometime during your visit. We just left them out on the table, so the staff could see them, and they took them (once), as needed.

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I believe they swipe them. But just once, sometime during your visit. We just left them out on the table, so the staff could see them, and they took them (once), as needed.

 

 

 

Ours were taken and swiped each time, even by servers with whom we'd established a multi-day relationship. I'd assumed that was to make sure they were credited with the gratuity that's built into the Prestige Package.

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