Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Alcohol on Oceania

wally_bushy

By wally_bushy,
in Oceania Cruises

 Share

Recommended Posts

hondorner

hondorner

Posted
Posted (edited)
Can you carry a glass of your own wine that you pour in your stateroom into the dining venues at night without paying the corkage fee since there is no bottle involved? (Of course that limits you to one glass for the meal...)

There are nearly constant reminders in the daily Currents newsletter that personal alcohol is only for consumption in one's cabin. You're on the honor system.

 

However, there is nothing wrong with scoring a full glass of wine at the Captain's Welcome party or the Past Guest party and carrying that to the dining room. If you're in Concierge category or above and you get a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine, you can also take that to the dining room and they'll switch it for a chilled one, or switch for a bottle of house red or white, which is not bad.

Edited by hondorner
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Flatbush Flyer

Flatbush Flyer

Posted
Posted
Current FAQ on Oceania website says private alcohol will be confiscated, including purchases at ports. I'm not surprised at that being the official policy - the reports on this board may just indicate a general laxity of enforcement. Couple bottles of wine may be exception since they apparently do corkage fee in restaurants.

 

 

 

We have booked our 1st O cruise (TransAtl May'16) after 25 Celebrity. I saw Preisman's recent Riviera dailies and glad to see, besides the daily 2-4-1 Happy Hour 5-6pm, that the rotating 3 drinks-of-day are $5.50 before gratuity. These provide a reasonable option versus the $60-a-day beverage package - may find other cocktails I enjoy. Happy Cruising

 

For the top shelf brands (and not being tied to "drink(s) of the day which may include nothing you like), the "prestige package" makes sense to me. Including gratuity, double pours of "call" drinks, etc, the package price works out to no more than 4 drinks per day.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites
beardedshark

beardedshark

Posted
Posted
Always purple when I have visited but perhaps the Picasso prints on the walls distracted you! :)

 

Was in there on last cruise in April. The light colours change, I think controlled by the bar staff but may be on a timer. Options as I remember we're white, purple red and blue but I had had a few cocktails.

 

Only 18 days to go Pam, hope our paths cross on board but perhaps not in the casino bar;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

Posted
Posted
Current FAQ on Oceania website says private alcohol will be confiscated, including purchases at ports. I'm not surprised at that being the official policy - the reports on this board may just indicate a general laxity of enforcement. Couple bottles of wine may be exception since they apparently do corkage fee in restaurants.

 

We have booked our 1st O cruise (TransAtl May'16) after 25 Celebrity. I saw Preisman's recent Riviera dailies and glad to see, besides the daily 2-4-1 Happy Hour 5-6pm, that the rotating 3 drinks-of-day are $5.50 before gratuity. These provide a reasonable option versus the $60-a-day beverage package - may find other cocktails I enjoy. Happy Cruising

 

They do have that in one of the faqs sections which I found a tad confusing as a newbie as under shipboard services they have this?

 

Can I purchase bottles of wine at ports of call and bring them onboard?

A: Guests wishing to purchase wine in a port of call and bring it onboard with them may do so, limited to three (3) bottles per stateroom. Guests are welcome to enjoy their wine in the comfort and privacy of their stateroom or suite, or, if they prefer, may enjoy their wine in one of the ship's dining rooms. Any wine consumed in the dining room or a public area will be subject to a corkage fee of $25.00 per bottle.

 

 

So, I am assuming at the least, 3 bottles of wine are still permitted at ports of call?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hambagahle

Hambagahle

Posted
Posted

Seems fair to me - I cannot imagine walking around the ship clutching a bottle of wine anyway. But I am glad to see the written policy because we plan to buy a couple of bottles of Goslings Black Seal rum in Bermuda to bring home with us! (Here that costs about $40/bottle and I have to get it from a distributor in Basel...so the Goslings BDA prices seem like a fire sale).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RetiredFL

RetiredFL

Posted
Posted

I often buy the two for one wine at happy hour and take the second glass to the GDR. Never a problem and the waiter always takes the glass and carries it to the table for me on a tray. Same with the Club party. Others we know take their second happy hour drink to the GDR without problem.

We have never brought wine or drinks from the cabin, but on one occasion saw a couple bring a glass of wine to the GDR and halfway through their meal the wife took the empty glasses, left the dining room and returned a short time later with two full glasses, presumably from their cabin. Now that was tacky!

Considering the total cost of a cruise a $25 corkage fee in not that excessive especially since you can make the bottle last several nights (if you have will power).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hondorner

hondorner

Posted
Posted
They do have that in one of the faqs sections which I found a tad confusing as a newbie as under shipboard services they have this?

 

Can I purchase bottles of wine at ports of call and bring them onboard?

A: Guests wishing to purchase wine in a port of call and bring it onboard with them may do so, limited to three (3) bottles per stateroom. Guests are welcome to enjoy their wine in the comfort and privacy of their stateroom or suite, or, if they prefer, may enjoy their wine in one of the ship's dining rooms. Any wine consumed in the dining room or a public area will be subject to a corkage fee of $25.00 per bottle.

 

 

So, I am assuming at the least, 3 bottles of wine are still permitted at ports of call?

Yes.

 

The "rule" is confusing. We are telling you, on the one hand, to ignore the part of the rule about bringing alcohol on board (unless you are an obnoxious drunk). On the other hand, we're saying the rest of the rule, about consuming personal alcohol on board only in your cabin, and about the exception of wine in dining rooms with a corkage fee, is serious and not to be ignored.

 

But, think about it. Would they have rules about personal wine on board if it were to be confiscated, like on NCL? By the way, one MAY bring personal wine aboard NCL; they just charge a flat $15 per bottle fee just to bring it aboard, regardless if it never leaves your cabin.

 

The harder part to understand is regarding beer and hard liquor. In practice (again, the rule is there in case it is necessary to enforce), you may bring aboard, at any port, anything you like, but other than the exception for wine in the ding rooms, it must all stay in your cabin.

 

Try it. It's easy to understand when you see it in action. Buy some vodka and wine (more than 3 bottles), leave it in the liquor store bag (plainly marked) and obvious what it is, and lay the bag on the Xray conveyor, perhaps with the necks if the bottles peeking out. Brag to the security officer about what a good deal you got. They'll look at the Xray screen to be sure you don't have any guns or knives (they may hold your Ulu knife in Alaska until you depart), bur pass you on through with a smile.

 

Then, try weaving loudly and obnoxiously around the pool deck, obviously drunk and offending everyone, and see how fast the rules are enforced. I'm just guessing, because in all my time aboard Oceania, I've never seen such behavior.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

Posted
Posted
Yes.

 

The "rule" is confusing. We are telling you, on the one hand, to ignore the part of the rule about bringing alcohol on board (unless you are an obnoxious drunk). On the other hand, we're saying the rest of the rule, about consuming personal alcohol on board only in your cabin, and about the exception of wine in dining rooms with a corkage fee, is serious and not to be ignored.

 

But, think about it. Would they have rules about personal wine on board if it were to be confiscated, like on NCL? By the way, one MAY bring personal wine aboard NCL; they just charge a flat $15 per bottle fee just to bring it aboard, regardless if it never leaves your cabin.

 

The harder part to understand is regarding beer and hard liquor. In practice (again, the rule is there in case it is necessary to enforce), you may bring aboard, at any port, anything you like, but other than the exception for wine in the ding rooms, it must all stay in your cabin.

 

Try it. It's easy to understand when you see it in action. Buy some vodka and wine (more than 3 bottles), leave it in the liquor store bag (plainly marked) and obvious what it is, and lay the bag on the Xray conveyor, perhaps with the necks if the bottles peeking out. Brag to the security officer about what a good deal you got. They'll look at the Xray screen to be sure you don't have any guns or knives (they may hold your Ulu knife in Alaska until you depart), bur pass you on through with a smile.

 

Then, try weaving loudly and obnoxiously around the pool deck, obviously drunk and offending everyone, and see how fast the rules are enforced. I'm just guessing, because in all my time aboard Oceania, I've never seen such behavior.

 

thanks very much:D I was guessing the confiscation was in case of such behaviour as you outlined. I've never seen it on my cruises either ;)

 

Appreciate the confirmation. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
critics0001

critics0001

Posted
Posted
Yes.

 

The "rule" is confusing. We are telling you, on the one hand, to ignore the part of the rule about bringing alcohol on board (unless you are an obnoxious drunk). On the other hand, we're saying the rest of the rule, about consuming personal alcohol on board only in your cabin, and about the exception of wine in dining rooms with a corkage fee, is serious and not to be ignored.

 

But, think about it. Would they have rules about personal wine on board if it were to be confiscated, like on NCL? By the way, one MAY bring personal wine aboard NCL; they just charge a flat $15 per bottle fee just to bring it aboard, regardless if it never leaves your cabin.

 

The harder part to understand is regarding beer and hard liquor. In practice (again, the rule is there in case it is necessary to enforce), you may bring aboard, at any port, anything you like, but other than the exception for wine in the ding rooms, it must all stay in your cabin.

 

Try it. It's easy to understand when you see it in action. Buy some vodka and wine (more than 3 bottles), leave it in the liquor store bag (plainly marked) and obvious what it is, and lay the bag on the Xray conveyor, perhaps with the necks if the bottles peeking out. Brag to the security officer about what a good deal you got. They'll look at the Xray screen to be sure you don't have any guns or knives (they may hold your Ulu knife in Alaska until you depart), bur pass you on through with a smile.

 

Then, try weaving loudly and obnoxiously around the pool deck, obviously drunk and offending everyone, and see how fast the rules are enforced. I'm just guessing, because in all my time aboard Oceania, I've never seen such behavior.

This is more likely to happen when you pay for an unlimited drink package. We experienced it on a O cruise at a deck party when they had an all you could drink deck party package.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LHT28 Holiday Sharing Rare

LHT28

Posted
Posted
This is more likely to happen when you pay for an unlimited drink package. We experienced it on a O cruise at a deck party when they had an all you could drink deck party package.

 

Is this a special package or are you referring to people with the Prestige Package just drinking to excess ?

 

I can honestly say I have not seen any drunkenness on our O cruises like on some of the main stream lines

Maybe we were just lucky

 

Lyn

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Travelcat2

Travelcat2

Posted
Posted (edited)

We have also not seen drunkenness on an Oceania cruise. We do buy the prestige package because we enjoy sitting in a lounge, sipping drinks and chatting with others instead of drinking inside the stateroom. If someone wanted to get drunk, having bottles in their room would make it pretty easy to do. Having measured pours (even a double is only 2 ounces -- not a huge amount by any means) in a lounge is fine for us.

Edited by Travelcat2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ChucktownSteve

ChucktownSteve

Posted
Posted
For the top shelf brands (and not being tied to "drink(s) of the day which may include nothing you like), the "prestige package" makes sense to me. Including gratuity, double pours of "call" drinks, etc, the package price works out to no more than 4 drinks per day.

 

My Johnny Black doubles were $32 each. Since a single is a true measured one oz, a double equates to a regular rocks drink at home. The coffee liquor, Tia Maria, double up after dinner with a cup of coffee hit the spot and was included. At two drinks I was ahead.

 

The package worked for me and I didn't have to carry on liquor. Thank you TA for the OBC. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
StanandJim

StanandJim

Posted
Posted
We are scheduled to go from Seattle on May 29th to Alaska. In lieu of carrying liquor on board is there a way to purchase liquor once we land either at a store, the airport or terminal. We will be taking the O shuttle from airport to dock.

 

I'm not following your logic. If you buy liquor in a store, airport or terminal, you'd still have to carry it onto the ship....

 

What exactly are you tryng to be "in lieu" of?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ORV "Live from...." Rare

ORV

Posted
Posted
We are scheduled to go from Seattle on May 29th to Alaska. In lieu of carrying liquor on board is there a way to purchase liquor once we land either at a store, the airport or terminal. We will be taking the O shuttle from airport to dock.

 

There are generally no places in airports in the U.S. to purchase liquor when you are arriving. Where are you arriving from?

 

Odds are pretty good the transfer driver will not stop at a liquor store between the airport and cruise port.

 

The one time I embarked at Seattle it seems like there wasn't a lot activity at the port. I really don't remember if there is a store there or not. I would study the North American Homeports boards section, the one you want is here.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=413

 

I'm sure you could pick some up at a port stop somewhere but it's probably not going to be cheap with the itinerary you're on.

 

There's always the drink package.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Flatbush Flyer

Flatbush Flyer

Posted
Posted
Thanks for the idea

 

 

Also, if you're a higher level "frequent flyer" at Marriott, you might be able to talk the concierge at the waterfront marriott (across from the pier) to receive the package for you (though they might charge you or not be willing to do it if you're not staying there).

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...