O Life House Select Beverage Package Question

[Hawaiidan]

Re the Premium Package, I was informed last night in the Polo Grill by the sommelier that with the Premium package I got a 15% discount on the bottles of wine. Not sure if he said that was just in the Specialty venues or whether it applies to the GDR as well. Will check later

 

 

Cheers

 

Michael

 

Yes... it applies to bottle purchase. AND if you go to La Reserve, and have the package, you will get a 20% reduction in the price of the wine dinner as I recall. !!!

[SSCAF001]

I have just booked my first Oceania cruise aboard Nautica for May 2023. It is still a long time to go. I have a question regarding champagne : is it really included in the standard house select drink package? Because my Oceania cruise advisor tells me that this package only includes wine and beer. Thanks for your clarification.

[LHT28]

10 minutes ago, SSCAF001 said:

I have just booked my first Oceania cruise aboard Nautica for May 2023. It is still a long time to go. I have a question regarding champagne : is it really included in the standard house select drink package? Because my Oceania cruise advisor tells me that this package only includes wine and beer. Thanks for your clarification.

The  O Life perk is the House Select Beverage package

Champagne & wine by the glass  what ever brand is listed on the menu "by the glass "  plus beer only during Lunch & dinner ONLY

You can upgrade to the Prestige package to include other drinks & anytime

 

a previous bar menu  at

https://www.thepreismans.com/marina19_menus.htm#Bar

 

[pinotlover]

Champagne is wine. It is a sparkling wine. It is included with the package.

[SSCAF001]

54 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Champagne is wine. It is a sparkling wine. It is included with the package.

I am French and I know perfectly what champagne is. And champagne is never listed in the wine section of a drink menu!

[SSCAF001]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

The  O Life perk is the House Select Beverage package

Champagne & wine by the glass  what ever brand is listed on the menu "by the glass "  plus beer only during Lunch & dinner ONLY

You can upgrade to the Prestige package to include other drinks & anytime

 

a previous bar menu  at

https://www.thepreismans.com/marina19_menus.htm#Bar

 

Thank you very much. Appreciate. 

[Clutj]

19 hours ago, SSCAF001 said:

I am French and I know perfectly what champagne is. And champagne is never listed in the wine section of a drink menu!

Welcome to an American cruise line.  We are a little more flexible and less literal in our communication, and that was what you experienced with your Oceania advisor.  You will see on the menu above that there are 5 categories of what we broadly call “wines” on the drink menu.  All 5 are included in the package.  You will note that no category is simply called “wine”.  But they all contain the word “wine”.  I hope that helps you. 

[SSCAF001]

2 hours ago, Clutj said:

Welcome to an American cruise line.  We are a little more flexible and less literal in our communication, and that was what you experienced with your Oceania advisor.  You will see on the menu above that there are 5 categories of what we broadly call “wines” on the drink menu.  All 5 are included in the package.  You will note that no category is simply called “wine”.  But they all contain the word “wine”.  I hope that helps you. 

Thank you! But as far as I can see, Champagne is clearly indicated as a separate item from red or white wine. That's the reason why I am wondering whether it is part of the wine and beer package. I guess it makes sense and my question is still relevant! Anyway I am not an English-speaking guy thus I will not argue on that any further. My only concern is to make sure I can get a glass of champagne should I opt for the standard package which seems to be the case following both answers I got. Thanks again.

[LHT28]

55 minutes ago, SSCAF001 said:

Thank you! But as far as I can see, Champagne is clearly indicated as a separate item from red or white wine. That's the reason why I am wondering whether it is part of the wine and beer package.

The description of the House select package for Oceania website  (this is the O LIfe perk option less the pd pricing)

If you look on Oceania website under ultimate value then beverage packages

House Select+

Enjoy unlimited Champagne, wine and beer with lunch and dinner from $39.95 per guest, per day.

[Robjame]

Some bar questions - Prestige Package

1. Can you get a Bloody Mary/Caesar - don't see them on the Bar menu?

2. Can you get all bar offerings at all bars? Scotch at Martini? Draft beer at all bars? same selection of beers? or do they vary by bar?

3. What time do the bars open?

4. Is Baristas included?

[pinotlover]

40 minutes ago, Robjame said:

Some bar questions - Prestige Package

1. Can you get a Bloody Mary/Caesar - don't see them on the Bar menu?

2. Can you get all bar offerings at all bars? Scotch at Martini? Draft beer at all bars? same selection of beers? or do they vary by bar?

3. What time do the bars open?

4. Is Baristas included?

1. Bloody Mary’s are readily available at all bars. Don’t expect quick service, if any service, for mixed drinks in the dining venues, ie BM with Breakfast.

 

2. No. Not all offerings are offered at all bars. 
 

3. Different bars have different hours of operation. Part of the difference is dependent upon whether it’s a sea day or port day. If the pool is closed, the Pool Bar is often likewise closed. Read your daily Currents for opening times.

 

4. Baristas is included free for everyone and not part of the drinks packages. I personally don’t believe alcohol coffees ( Irish coffee, or a ***** of Baileys, for example) is available at Barista, but must come from a bar. Perhaps others know the answer to this.

Edited May 30, 2021 by pinotlover

[Robjame]

Thanks Pinot for the information

- I have seen photos of liquor bottles on the shelves of Baristas and I have read Barista menus with booze coffees and after dinner liquors, which prompted the question.

[pinotlover]

5 minutes ago, Robjame said:

Thanks Pinot for the information

- I have seen photos of liquor bottles on the shelves of Baristas and I have read Barista menus with booze coffees and after dinner liquors, which prompted the question.

If they have the liquor then those will be on the Premium Package. I rarely drink coffee after mid morning, so have never noticed the alcohol selections there. 

[LHT28]

34 minutes ago, Robjame said:

Thanks Pinot for the information

- I have seen photos of liquor bottles on the shelves of Baristas and I have read Barista menus with booze coffees and after dinner liquors, which prompted the question.

I believe the  coffee with Alcohol are included in the Prestige package  

 

[ORV]

2 hours ago, Robjame said:

Some bar questions - Prestige Package

1. Can you get a Bloody Mary/Caesar - don't see them on the Bar menu?

2. Can you get all bar offerings at all bars? Scotch at Martini? Draft beer at all bars? same selection of beers? or do they vary by bar?

3. What time do the bars open?

4. Is Baristas included?

Beer is a low spot on the Oceania bar offerings. Don't expect really any craft beers, with the exception of occasionally a local beer on Alaska sailings. I think the only place to get a draft beer will be at the Waves Pool bar. It is fairly limited. If I remember the last time I think they had Newcastle & Heineken. Since it's not a food venue I don't believe the draft beer is available for the basic drink package during lunch and dinner. Of course on board you might find out something different. Past experience is no indicator of future offerings. 

 

Scotch. There are some higher end scotches(Oban, Balvenie) in Horizons and Polo that are not on the Premium drink package. Here is the best rule of thumb to go by. If it's on the BAR MENU, or can be made from any alcohol on the bar menu then it's available on the Premium Package. 

 

There have been reports in the past here that some people are not able to get a Bloody Mary or Mimosa at breakfast because there are no bars open, or if they did they had to pay for it. If that's truly the case that is something that needs to be addressed and fixed. 

 

While I like Oceania better and usually at some point in the cruise get the premium package, I've said time and again here that Celebrity has a superior drink package plan. That is something that Oceania really needs to think about, especially with more and more cruisers with past Celebrity experience looking to try Oceania. 

[basor]

WAVES is a food venue and so if you are eating there for lunch, you can get beer, wine and champagne from the pool bar.

 

Usually eat breakfast at outside deck of Terrace and have no problem ordering mimosas or bloody marys.....there is a bar inside of Terrace so not an issue...

[Robjame]

Thank you all for answering my many questions.

Cheers.

[ORV]

18 hours ago, basor said:

WAVES is a food venue and so if you are eating there for lunch, you can get beer, wine and champagne from the pool bar.

 

Usually eat breakfast at outside deck of Terrace and have no problem ordering mimosas or bloody marys.....there is a bar inside of Terrace so not an issue...

You can get the beer that's on the bar menu. If the draft beer is on that then you can get it, otherwise it's not included with the package. A lot depends on the F & B manager as to whether you'll get an early drink. Different ships have different rules, shouldn't be but sometimes they do. Good luck getting that mimosa at breakfast in the GDR. We rarely eat breakfast in the Terrace so really don't have experience on that. 

 

And yes, Waves is a food venue, on the other hand Waves Pool bar is not. Depending on the weather the bar is not necessarily always open. At least this is what I've noticed on the 2 or 3 times I've been on Oceania.🙄

[pinotlover]

In addition to what ORV has stated: On either drinks package, it’s what’s on the “ Bar Menu”, not what’s available. Especially in the Terrace and Pool Bar, Oceania will be running special beers or wines of the day. One will see them displayed as the enter the Terrace. Those beers and wines are not on the bar menu and cost extra regardless of the package. Ask first.

Edited May 31, 2021 by pinotlover

[jeno]

If we have the House Beverage package as part of OLife, is it written somewhere that the upgrade to the Prestige Package will be $20 a day? Or are we just assuming it will be the same cost as the last time Oceania sailed? The same with the ability to upgrade the package at any point in the cruise? 

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, jeno said:

If we have the House Beverage package as part of OLife, is it written somewhere that the upgrade to the Prestige Package will be $20 a day? Or are we just assuming it will be the same cost as the last time Oceania sailed? The same with the ability to upgrade the package at any point in the cruise? 

Pre covid   but I guess  no one will know for sure  what post covid  sailings will be like

 

[janecambridge]

AND if you go to La Reserve, and have the package, you will get a 20% reduction in the price of the wine dinner as I recall. !!!

 

This is true if you originally bought the prestige package and didn’t get is as O life. We chose the  O Life  package and upgraded on embarkation to prestige.This did not count towards a discount.🤨

[jeno]

1 hour ago, janecambridge said:

AND if you go to La Reserve, and have the package, you will get a 20% reduction in the price of the wine dinner as I recall. !!!

 

This is true if you originally bought the prestige package and didn’t get is as O life. We chose the  O Life  package and upgraded on embarkation to prestige.This did not count towards a discount.🤨

Good to know, although I don’t really like the message.  That’s what we are planning to do and the La Reserve discount would be an extra bonus!
Happy to sail and happy to pay full price for La Reserve! Just get me on the ship! 

[Robjame]

1 hour ago, janecambridge said:

AND if you go to La Reserve, and have the package, you will get a 20% reduction in the price of the wine dinner as I recall. !!!

 

This is true if you originally bought the prestige package and didn’t get is as O life. We chose the  O Life  package and upgraded on embarkation to prestige.This did not count towards a discount.🤨

That is really disappointing to hear. One of our reasons for choosing the OLife beverage package (and planning for the subsequent upgrade) was for the discount as we had been counting on a few La Reserve visits. Back to the drawing board.

 

Judicial timing of the beverage package purchase might be in order as the OLife onboard credit for our 10 day leg is $600.

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, Robjame said:

Judicial timing of the beverage package purchase might be in order as the OLife onboard credit for our 10 day leg is $600.

Do the math

 If you purchase the Prestige  package   for the 10 days  $600  PP 

You save approx  $20 PP  off the dinners 🤔