Prestige Beverage Package

[basor]

We were given the Prestige Beverage Package as part of a "move down" offer. On previous O cruises we have just brought on our own, paid corkage in MDR or ordered an odd drink at a bar so no history on this package. I know it is good everywhere including room service.....exactly what alcohol is on the room service menu?? Also, is it possible to receive a bottle of wine to take back to your room and enjoy on the verandah? Any hints, suggestions on how to take advantage of this amenity would be appreciated.

 

Thanks....

[LHT28]

Bottles of wine are not included in the beverage package but you can always bring one with you or order a bottle of your choice & have it sent to your cabin (fee based on price of bottle)

 

They also have a wine package where you buy 7 bottles for a set price

details on the packages @

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/experience/value/beverage-packages/

Edited June 12, 2015 by LHT28

[basor]

Bottles of wine are not included in the beverage package but you can always bring one with you or order a bottle of your choice & have it sent to your cabin (fee based on price of bottle)

 

They also have a wine package where you buy 7 bottles for a set price

details on the packages @

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/experience/value/beverage-packages/

 

 

Will we still be charged a corkage fee if we bring our own bottle of wine to the MDR with the Prestige Package?

 

For the room, can we order several glasses of wine to have for pre-dinner on the verandah?

Edited June 12, 2015 by basor

[LHT28]

Will we still be charged a corkage fee if we bring our own bottle of wine to the MDR with the Prestige Package?

 

 

If you bought the wine ashore & take it to a dining venue yes you are charged the corkage fee

 

Cannot help with the other question

[StanandJim]

For the room, can we order several glasses of wine to have for pre-dinner on the verandah?

 

Technically no, as the Package is supposed to be glass by glass, and if you're ordering through room service, you're probably out of luck, as the waiters are often different with each delivery.

 

Your Butler handles the Room Service, however, if you're in a Suite, and they know that their bread and butter lies in pleasing their guests.

What is that old saying about one hand washing the other?

[basor]

Thanks for the info....part of our "move down" meant saying good bye to our butler:( They had been sending offers daily lately and it finally was just too good so we are now in a A1.

 

Sounds like we will continue to bring our favorite bottles of wine on board to enjoy at leisure in our room and take advantage of the "package" while out and about.

 

With what we have been refunded, we will be able to book another O cruise back in our penthouse:D so all is good...

[wenjoyjack]

We are just off a cruise on Insignia and we had the prestige wine package. Strangely, if you wish to have a glass of wine in your stateroom, they will not bring a bottle but you can order up to 4 glasses per person at one time! 8 glasses! We tried every cocktail (I think) in Martinis. We thought it a great thing as we love our wine, cocktails, special coffees and liqueurs and would not take a cruise in future without the package. Enjoy!

[findacruise]

On our recent cruise we did the prestige package for the first time. When we were in Jacques we put our cards on the table and the sommelier came over immediately. He suggested we start off with a glass of champagne. He then told us as soon as we decided on our courses he would be back to suggest a pairing for each one. He worked in concert with our server and provided us with a fantastic wine paried dinner from the individual by glass wine list.

 

His name was Lucasj (sp) from Poland (on the Marina). Subsequently, we did this paring with a sommelier in several other venues. When Lucasj told us he was not going to be in Jacques again but in the MDR, we made sure to eat there a couple of times so he could pair our food again. He was outstanding. I would never have thought of asking a sommelier to do this for us. We also could ask for a partial glass without feeling we we wasting a glass we had paid for. I don't know if we would buy Prestige again on such a long cruise - 16 days. But the pleasure of doing the pairings and not thinking about getting to Happy Hour in time or how much liquor we needed to last 16 days was nice.

[StanandJim]

On our recent cruise we did the prestige package for the first time. When we were in Jacques we put our cards on the table and the sommelier came over immediately. He suggested we start off with a glass of champagne. He then told us as soon as we decided on our courses he would be back to suggest a pairing for each one. He worked in concert with our server and provided us with a fantastic wine paried dinner from the individual by glass wine list.

 

Bravo to Lucas for a magnificent idea, and wonderful customer service, as well as to you for taking the time to share the fact that he did it!

I wish that there were more of both of you around!

[newbie60]

Bravo to Lucas for a magnificent idea, and wonderful customer service, as well as to you for taking the time to share the fact that he did it!

I wish that there were more of both of you around!

 

We've been fortunate to sail with Loucas (I think is the spelling but could be wrong) twice - once on Insignia, then on Marina. He is perhaps the finest Somm in Oceania's fleet. His knowledge of wine is quite amazing.

 

We hope that Oceania knows what an asset he is to the dining venues.

[turnip eater]

Another thumbs up for Lucas. :)

 

Very knowledgable and helpful.....and kept a eye on our wineglasses, refilling them when necessary, without having to look out for him.

Edited June 12, 2015 by turnip eater

[kekilia]

On our recent cruise we did the prestige package for the first time. When we were in Jacques we put our cards on the table and the sommelier came over immediately. He suggested we start off with a glass of champagne. He then told us as soon as we decided on our courses he would be back to suggest a pairing for each one. He worked in concert with our server and provided us with a fantastic wine paried dinner from the individual by glass wine list.

 

His name was Lucasj (sp) from Poland (on the Marina). Subsequently, we did this paring with a sommelier in several other venues. When Lucasj told us he was not going to be in Jacques again but in the MDR, we made sure to eat there a couple of times so he could pair our food again. He was outstanding. I would never have thought of asking a sommelier to do this for us. We also could ask for a partial glass without feeling we we wasting a glass we had paid for. I don't know if we would buy Prestige again on such a long cruise - 16 days. But the pleasure of doing the pairings and not thinking about getting to Happy Hour in time or how much liquor we needed to last 16 days was nice.

 

Do you believe you received this fine service just because you had the package? Or, can we who do not purchase one expect to have this great service as well. There is no way I can drink enough to justify the price for a 10 day cruise. But I will gladly pay for excellent wine paired to my meals by a knowledgable sommelier.:)

[newbie60]

Do you believe you received this fine service just because you had the package? Or, can we who do not purchase one expect to have this great service as well. There is no way I can drink enough to justify the price for a 10 day cruise. But I will gladly pay for excellent wine paired to my meals by a knowledgable sommelier.:)

 

We have never purchased a beverage package, only bring bottles from our home cellar or purchase full bottles on board. All the Somms have treated us with utmost respect, whether purchasing a $34 Rose for lunch or a $120 Cabernet for dinner. They do a fine job and we have made friends with many of them.

 

Having said that, Lucas is head and shoulders above the rest and he's only been at sea with Oceania since last November -- his first cruise line. He and the others will do a fine job for you whether you have purchased a package or not.

[findacruise]

We've been fortunate to sail with Loucas (I think is the spelling but could be wrong) twice - once on Insignia, then on Marina. He is perhaps the finest Somm in Oceania's fleet. His knowledge of wine is quite amazing.

 

We hope that Oceania knows what an asset he is to the dining venues.

 

It is an unusual spelling and I think it ends in a J. But no matter, he is the best we have ever had. Both DH and I gave him great reviews on our cruise comments.

[Juneteach]

I was considering getting the package but not sure if it is worth it for me. Could you give me an idea of the price of a glass of wine, vodka , scotch or beer? Thank you.

[Toranut97]

I was considering getting the package but not sure if it is worth it for me. Could you give me an idea of the price of a glass of wine, vodka , scotch or beer? Thank you.

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/experience/value/beverage-packages/

 

You will find links for sample bar menu and wine list.

 

Preismans to the rescue with menus that include prices!

 

http://www.thepreismans.com/riviera_mayan_menus.htm

Edited June 14, 2015 by Toranut97
Added menus link

[PSULion]

I was considering getting the package but not sure if it is worth it for me. Could you give me an idea of the price of a glass of wine, vodka , scotch or beer? Thank you.

 

With the beverage prices on Oceania, it seems like the beverage package can work out to be a very good value if you drink a bit extra on vacation.

 

YMMV.

 

John

[Juneteach]

Thank you .You have been so helpful.

[Mura]

June,

 

Just in case you need a view from those of us who do NOT partake of the package ...

 

People who like the package seem to like to have wine/beer at lunch, cocktails before, wine with dinner, after dinner drinks ... in other words they drink a lot more than we do.

 

Okay, DH doesn't drink at all ... well, a glass of wine MAYBE at dinner. He's more likely just to take a sip or two from my glass. If we go into a bar he has orange juice, no ice. But while I do drink more that he does, I don't drink enough to justify the package. (Maybe if we were into pre- and post-drinks it would be different!)

 

My personal objection to the package -- and I may well be in the minority here -- is that I might well take it if I could buy bottles of wine that are on the list with the package. But I cannot. I do not want to be limited to the available wine-by-the-glass choices.

 

If that doesn't bother you, maybe the package is for you.

 

We prefer to bring our own liquor on board for consumption in the room, and we either buy a bottle of wine at dinner which I nurse over a few days or pay the corkage fee on something we brought on board. On those few occasions when we were in a top suite with the liquor set-up, we took advantage of it!

 

In that case, you can take a bottle of wine that was delivered to the room to the restaurant and NOT pay the corkage fee.

 

Hope I haven't further confused you as to what you want to do.

 

For me the main difference is that (aside from the amount of liquor to be consumed) is that I want to be able to choose from the wine list ... rather than choosing from a fairly limited selection of wines by the glass.

 

Not everyone agrees!

 

For another wrinkle ... recent comments about how a sommelier gave guests with the package suggestions for paired wines with the courses ... that's very attractive as well! But I do suspect that if we'd ever bothered to ask the sommelier to do that from the regular wines available by the glass, he could/would have. That's something that never would have occurred to me before. A kind of do-it-yourself La Reserve wine-paired meal.

 

Bravo Lucas, or however he spells his name!

 

Mura

[kekilia]

I am planning to do exactly as Mura described, initially. Bring on some wine and liquor, take my included bar setup wine to dinner, etc. Then, if I find I'm actually not getting the choice or it's costing me too much, I will buy the package. You do not have to commit on Day 1, I understand from others. However, once you do commit, it is for the remainder of days of cruise.

 

Does the corkage fee include a gratuity for your own bottle? I know this was covered before, but I forgot.

[Mura]

You just pay the corkage fee.

[StanandJim]

You just pay the corkage fee.

 

I have to disagree, Mura.

 

The Corkage Fee is the only required component, true, but after it has been paid, Oceania staff will both supply the appropriate chilling equipment and glassware as required; as well as filling and refilling those glasses as the night unwinds.

 

Under normal circumstances, the gratuity for those services would be earned on the basis of the cost of the wine bottle purchased.

 

As no money beyond the Corkage Fee changes hands on a bottle which is brought into the restaurant, (either from the Suite bar, or independently) I personally feel that some sort of gratuity would be in order, particularly if the service has been good.

[Mura]

Stan,

 

I defer to your wisdom. All I know is that we've only been charged the $25 corkage fee when we brought our own wine to the table. If it needed chilling, we'd already done it! And I often end up refilling my own glass because they aren't always that prompt at doing so ...

 

Maybe we're tightwads but we've never "tipped" under that situation.

 

Okay, forget the "maybe". I guess we are.

 

Mura

[casakey]

We thought Lucas was fantastic. We hope he is on the 0TW 2016

[phillygirl63]

Hi, everyone! I was reading through all of your posts on the excellent service provided by Lucas(sp?), and was curious. DH and I are booked on Marina for 12 days in August. Prepaid gratuities were included in our booking. We plan on purchasing the prestige beverage package. If we are lucky enough to receive the same great service from Lucas or another sommelier, I would want to give an extra gratuity for such service. So, my question is did you give an extra gratuity how much $$ would be acceptable.

Edited June 22, 2015 by phillygirl63