Does Oceania ever offer "complimentary" beverage packages?

[mafig]

I'm the OP.

 

Here's the most I would drink:

 

Glass of wine at lunch.

Cocktail at the pool.

Cocktail before dinner.

Glass of wine w/dinner.

After dinner drink (perhaps).

Drink before show.

Drink in casino (perhaps).

 

That's the most.

My dh would drink much less.

Beer at lunch.

Cocktail at pool.

Coke at dinner.

Drink before show.

 

I don't know if that's considered a lot or not.;)

 

Now 20 years ago.....another story!:eek:

[Kristal Blade]

I take bubble wrap to pack it for the trip home ;)

 

 

Another great tip, thanks. I usually wrap stuff in a poly bag then pop them inside a pair of socks in the middle of the case!ha ha.[emoji79]

[LHT28]

I'm the OP.

 

Here's the most I would drink:

 

Glass of wine at lunch.

Cocktail at the pool.

Cocktail before dinner.

Glass of wine w/dinner.

After dinner drink (perhaps).

Drink before show.

Drink in casino (perhaps).

 

That's the most.

My dh would drink much less.

Beer at lunch.

Cocktail at pool.

Coke at dinner.

Drink before show.

 

I don't know if that's considered a lot or not.;)

 

Now 20 years ago.....another story!:eek:

 

For you take the prestige package :D

your hubby can pay as you go

[RJB]

For you take the prestige package :D

your hubby can pay as you go

I thought you both had to take the same package. No?

[Tansy Mews]

We tend to use happy hour when we want something other than waiting for wine at dinner. Or we have a drink in our room - something local that we bought at a cruise port, like lemoncello.

We get two of the same drinks for the price of one drink.

Also as is usual on cruise lines, they will save your wine bottle for the next meal.

 

Frances

[Hawaiidan]

If I take a drinks package I'd still have to pay gratuities and shore excursions anyway, right???

 

NO......

 

If you get an agent, who is doing a "group booking" he will be given extra things like free gratuities and extra OBC to offer his clients, that will NOT be offered to others

Your task is to find an agent who is putting together such "group" bookings and benefit from the relation....its a common practice. Shop around and save there are many-many agents all doing their own groups. Your task is to find them and save big time

[LHT28]

I thought you both had to take the same package. No?

If you take the O Life choice yes

 

she could take the OBC & BUY the prestige package is what I was trying to say

[mafig]

Thank you all for your excellent advice.:)

[Hawaiidan]

I'm the OP.

 

Here's the most I would drink:

 

Glass of wine at lunch.

Cocktail at the pool.

Cocktail before dinner.

Glass of wine w/dinner.

After dinner drink (perhaps).

Drink before show.

Drink in casino (perhaps).

 

That's the most.

My dh would drink much less.

Beer at lunch.

Cocktail at pool.

Coke at dinner.

Drink before show.

 

I don't know if that's considered a lot or not.;)

 

Now 20 years ago.....another story!:eek:

 

 

Here is the cost....as you quoted I used the cheapest, bar price, no call liquor like Grey Goose, Smirnoff, Hendrichs Bombay, etc just bar stock, Wine the cheapest in all cases and no drinks in the casino. With a 18% add on your looking at about $73.00 a day If you wish to pick sparkling wine, a nice port or sherry, and or upper quality liquor tou can add another $35 to that or $107 a day ! so 73-107 per day... add another $10 for the casino drink !!!

Your Husband drinking , again lowest price, beer and liquor available would be about $35 a day... Add $20 for a quality call liquor with tip so $55 a day for him..... So its a close call....if your husband has a favorite liquor or beer and every few days has some extras ( as is very likely) then the prem package is going to be a break even. for him.

 

You still need to consider where it is and for how-long before you make a final decision... Remember warm temps, and sea days will really tempt you to drink a lot more than you think..... Habits change at sea and social interactions will encourage you to drink more than you think.......

[babysteps]

Also, the $800 obc may have been per cabin (not per person) if it was O-life related.

 

I recycle most of the brochures quickly, so others correct me if I'm confused, but I swear some brochures have O-life pp and others per cabin - so on a given cruise some brochures say '4 excursions or beverage package or $400 obc' (all pp), and sometimes '8 excursions or beverage package or $800 obc' (excursions & obc per cabin)...

 

One other thought - in the past on longer cruises you could buy the beverage package a few days in, and it applied from that day forward (only). However, our last O cruise (Mar 2016) was just 7 days and I didn't notice anything in Currents promoting the beverage package - I assume because it was a short cruise, but maybe practice has changed?

[LHT28]

bottom line

only you know how much you may or may not drink when on a cruise

 

the Oceania OBC unless you have a very large one will not cover the drinks package & gratuities (unless you find a TA to include them)

the Preismans blog have a copy of the bar menu with prices (just add 18% to the price for pay as you drink)

you can compare & see what works best for YOU

http://www.thepreismans.com/riviera16_menus.htm#main_bar

 

[bisabella]

That's a lot of booze to drink at the bars. You are forgetting the fact that you can take spirits and wine on board to use in your cabin. Also twice during your cruise there is an open bar from 5:45 till 8 pm. Captains welcome party and Oceania Club party. Our last cruise of 17 days was a back to back so we had 4 days of open bars. We can not drink 1100.00 pp in booze, so no deal for us.

 

I am a newbie! Just booked the May 2017 Sirena cruise around Tahiti. Is the open bar standard on all cruises? This is the first I heard of that. That is a good thing! Also, with the non-alcoholic soft drinks being standard, would that include non-alcoholic cocktails, i.e., pina colada with no liquor?

Barbara

[thunderbird56]

I am a newbie! Just booked the May 2017 Sirena cruise around Tahiti. Is the open bar standard on all cruises? This is the first I heard of that. That is a good thing! Also, with the non-alcoholic soft drinks being standard, would that include non-alcoholic cocktails, i.e., pina colada with no liquor?

Barbara

 

Yes. The easiest way to think of it is, no alcohol, no cost. Enjoy that extra-thick milkshake!!

[Hawaiidan]

I am a newbie! Just booked the May 2017 Sirena cruise around Tahiti. Is the open bar standard on all cruises? This is the first I heard of that. That is a good thing! Also, with the non-alcoholic soft drinks being standard, would that include non-alcoholic cocktails, i.e., pina colada with no liquor?

Barbara

 

Yes non alcohol drinks are all included...coffees ...juices..soda...sparkling water... Now for the open bar.... I dont recall the bar being open for more than an hour or so like 5:30 to 6:30 and waiters circulate with pre-made drinks and they are nor very strong....if you get my drift! They have canapes too...

To be real,you can also order a drink.... but service will be slow and seldom will you get more than 2 because the demands are high and the staff isn't to heavy.

The Happy hour is a crazy time as well... yes 2 for 1 and again seating and service will be at a premium. Pours will be on the lite side. Its tough to get a seat.

They also have a happy hour at 10 pm... Both happy hours are 1 hour long not longer

Seriously, after a few adventures into these feeding frenzies...and they are frenzies ,may test your tolerance and give you pause to question your sanity.

Speaking for myself, I take the prem package and enjoy a relaxing sit down, calm and relaxing as opposed to the special-times madness.

By the way, Tahiti is home to the 15 beer and 25 cocktail on shore...like everything else in Tahiti... and consider buying booze in Tahiti may require a co-signer ... and the hot humid weather is going to really up your drinking.....

 

Yes you can save a few dollars, but at a price to you.......Is it really worth it? You may come to a meeting of the minds in short order...after all its a vacation not black-friday sale...

Edited July 30, 2016 by Hawaiidan

[LHT28]

I am a newbie! Just booked the May 2017 Sirena cruise around Tahiti. Is the open bar standard on all cruises? This is the first I heard of that.

Barbara

 

Usually on the Captain's cocktail party the open bar is from 6-8pm

You can get a drink from the tray or ask for your choice of drink

depends on the location how long it takes to get it ;)

 

On the past guest party I have not seen other areas of the ship with open bar just the lounge where the party is held

I could be wrong because we usually just go to see who gets the pins

[RJB]

Usually on the Captain's cocktail party the open bar is from 6-8pm

You can get a drink from the tray or ask for your choice of drink

depends on the location how long it takes to get it ;)

 

On the past guest party I have not seen other areas of the ship with open bar just the lounge where the party is held

I could be wrong because we usually just go to see who gets the pins

On Riviera from 5:45 till 8. All 3 main bars were open for comp. drinks. The same on the night of the Oceania Club party where the pins are given out. :):):)

[bisabella]

On Riviera from 5:45 till 8. All 3 main bars were open for comp. drinks. The same on the night of the Oceania Club party where the pins are given out. :):):)

 

What are the pins? Sorry if this is a dumb question!

Barbara

[LHT28]

What are the pins? Sorry if this is a dumb question!

Barbara

When people reach a certain loyalty status they receive pins to mark the occasion

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/experience/oceania-club/levels/

Edited July 30, 2016 by LHT28

[bisabella]

Do passengers dress up more for the Captain's party (as being a formal night on other ships)?

Barbara

[LHT28]

On Riviera from 5:45 till 8. All 3 main bars were open for comp. drinks. The same on the night of the Oceania Club party where the pins are given out. :):):)

Thanks never noticed the other bars as we are usually watching the presentations if we go

[bisabella]

When people reach a certain loyalty status they receive pins to mark the occasion

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/experience/oceania-club/levels/

 

Oh, thanks. That won't be me though - this is our first Oceania cruise. Previously cruised on Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Viking. Not nearly as much as other CC members.

Barbara

[LHT28]

Do passengers dress up more for the Captain's party (as being a formal night on other ships)?

Barbara

some make more of an effort but no formal wear unless you want to wear it

men will pull out the jackets (if they brought one) women may wear a more fancy outfit

[LHT28]

Oh, thanks. That won't be me though - this is our first Oceania cruise. Previously cruised on Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Viking. Not nearly as much as other CC members.

Barbara

who knows maybe one day it will be you :D

 

 

enjoy your cruise

Lyn

[bisabella]

who knows maybe one day it will be you :D

 

 

enjoy your cruise

Lyn

 

One could hope!

[Hawaiidan]

Do passengers dress up more for the Captain's party (as being a formal night on other ships)?

Barbara

 

People dress smart casual for the cruise pretty much the same every day...Maybe for guys a sport coat and a tie. for the captains or the Mariner party..... But thats pretty much it....if they go at all, I usually miss the captains welcome as a non event...just pr. Rather visit with others.

 

Seldom will you see the extent of dress up as on "the mass market lines HAL. Celeb, Princess. The casual nature and the ambiance is what many come for on O

Low key, great conversation, wonderful cuisine and wonderful fellow passengers.....who dont need to dress up to impress others or themselves.

Its just a very comfortable relaxed experience without hype or window dressings.