Tiny drinks

[sassyw]

We were just on a 10 day Riviera Caribbean cruise and did not take the drink package as we had $800 shipboard credit and being in a penthouse cabin our tips were $44 per day. We thought combined with a couple of drinks a day (including wine) we would be ahead of the $60 ++ for premium drink package per person.

The pour was 1 ounce!!! Watched the bartender!!! A double would be over $22!!! A $51 bottle of wine is $12 at Total Wine in Florida. The lounge was packed each evening (ship was full) because they had happy hour from 5-6 and people sat and sat after finishing.

Food was delicious--we managed to get into the specialty restaurants 8 out 19 nights. Ship is beautiful.

But when you add it all up not much cheaper than Seabourn (our favorite cruise line):(

Edited February 18, 2017 by sassyw
want it to be a post not a thread

[pete_coach]

Are you saying that the pours if you have the drink package are more or bigger? Not sure but a standard pour is 1 ounce in most bars.

[Noxequifans]

I am not sure comparing shipboard prices to land prices is a reasonable comparison (reference Total Wine).

[RJB]

Are you saying that the pours if you have the drink package are more or bigger? Not sure but a standard pour is 1 ounce in most bars.

I believe if you have the drink package the drinks are unlimited. You can order a double or even a triple which I order at the Captains party or the Oceania Club party. In most bars and restaurants around here the standard pour in much bigger than 1 ounce. At 1 ounce they would never see me again. 1 ounce is tiny, just a few sips. We usually have a drink in our cabin and then wine with dinner. When we do go to a bar on the ship it has to be a double. Oceania could do a little better.

[ORV]

Not sure if this is just an observation or complaint.

 

FWIW this information has been repeated here on the Oceania board multiple times. It's real simple, if you're a social, regular drinker, get the drink package. If you're a once in a blue moon drinker don't.

[Classiccruiser777]

All cruise lines, bars and restaurants are businesses and the money is in the drinks. All the rest are nearly break even propositions.

[RJB]

Not sure if this is just an observation or complaint.

 

FWIW this information has been repeated here on the Oceania board multiple times. It's real simple, if you're a social, regular drinker, get the drink package. If you're a once in a blue moon drinker don't.

I guess a combination of both. It will not stop me from cruising on O, But I think for the money they charge they can do a little better.

[robbie21]

The wine markups on Oceania are comparable to the fine restaurants on land. That's the way the world works. As stated above, wine is a big profit center - sometimes the only profit from a meal.

 

If you are a regular wine drinker buy the bottle(s) at Total Wines, carry them aboard and pay the $25 corkage fee. That generally works out to be a savings. You also get to enjoy wines that are not available on the wine list.

 

Relax and enjoy!!

[RJB]

The wine markups on Oceania are comparable to the fine restaurants on land. That's the way the world works. As stated above, wine is a big profit center - sometimes the only profit from a meal.

 

If you are a regular wine drinker buy the bottle(s) at Total Wines, carry them aboard and pay the $25 corkage fee. That generally works out to be a savings. You also get to enjoy wines that are not available on the wine list.

 

Relax and enjoy!!

That's what it is all about. WE do relax and enjoy most everything about Oceania. But we will carry the vodka and buy the wine. Whatever works for each of us. :):)

[PaulMCO]

Are you saying that the pours if you have the drink package are more or bigger? Not sure but a standard pour is 1 ounce in most bars.

OP is indeed correct. Standard pour is 1.5 oz.. O is certainly known by my DW as the cruise line with the "tiny" Gibson. That is why we bring a bottle/s of Hendricks onboad.

[RJB]

OP is indeed correct. Standard pour is 1.5 oz.. O is certainly known by my DW as the cruise line with the "tiny" Gibson. That is why we bring a bottle/s of Hendricks onboad.

Right on. Just checked Google and 1.5 oz. up to 2 oz in some bars. Do not see any 1oz. pours.

[I_r_a]

Hi S,

 

>we had $800 shipboard credit ....A double would be over $22!!!

 

 

On a 10 day voyage that's about 2 doubles pp/day.

 

 

If one drinks more than that, one should get the beverage pkg.

[Mura]

I've seen many complaints about the small pour on Oceania ... given that when I make a drink I just pour the liquor into the glass and add a couple of ice cubes, I suppose I should complain as well ... but I don't. Maybe it's because on the few occasions when we go into a bar on board I do get a double, which is fine.

 

Since DH doesn't tipple, we normally have booze in the cabin for my cocktail. We'll buy wine at dinner, usually by the bottle but occasionally by the glass. So we don't buy the package. For us it just isn't worth it. (Regulars will know that from my previous posts!)

 

As to the prices, it doesn't seem to me either that O's prices are higher than a restaurant on land. Then again, we live in NYC ... the markups are incredible on land as well as on the ship.

 

If we're in one of those high class suites that gives you the liquor set-up -- and as we get older, we're more likely to be there than before -- we'll bring on 2-3 bottles of wine for a cruise and pay the corkage. Otherwise we'll buy off the list. If we have a lot of OBC, which has also happened recently, we don't worry about the cost. (The wine steward was most impressed when I ordered a Montrachet for DH on a recent cruise ... I'm not sure Howard appreciated the difference between that and an average Pinot Grigio, though.)

 

We all have to make our own decisions in these realms ...

 

Mura

[RJB]

I've seen many complaints about the small pour on Oceania ... given that when I make a drink I just pour the liquor into the glass and add a couple of ice cubes, I suppose I should complain as well ... but I don't. Maybe it's because on the few occasions when we go into a bar on board I do get a double, which is fine.

 

Since DH doesn't tipple, we normally have booze in the cabin for my cocktail. We'll buy wine at dinner, usually by the bottle but occasionally by the glass. So we don't buy the package. For us it just isn't worth it. (Regulars will know that from my previous posts!)

 

As to the prices, it doesn't seem to me either that O's prices are higher than a restaurant on land. Then again, we live in NYC ... the markups are incredible on land as well as on the ship.

 

If we're in one of those high class suites that gives you the liquor set-up -- and as we get older, we're more likely to be there than before -- we'll bring on 2-3 bottles of wine for a cruise and pay the corkage. Otherwise we'll buy off the list. If we have a lot of OBC, which has also happened recently, we don't worry about the cost. (The wine steward was most impressed when I ordered a Montrachet for DH on a recent cruise ... I'm not sure Howard appreciated the difference between that and an average Pinot Grigio, though.)

 

We all have to make our own decisions in these realms ...

 

Mura

So tell me, do you know when you are making a drink how much you are pouring? 1oz. or 2 or 3 ? Sometimes very hard to tell without a measuring glass. Don't think in Brooklyn they charge 22.00 for 2 oz. As I said before we bring our vodka to drink in the cabin and order wine for dinner by the bottle. As an aside, grew up in Brooklyn and still miss it a lot. Best place in the world as a kid to grow up. Still after many years very proud to call Brooklyn home.

[Mura]

So tell me, do you know when you are making a drink how much you are pouring? 1oz. or 2 or 3 ? Sometimes very hard to tell without a measuring glass. Don't think in Brooklyn they charge 22.00 for 2 oz. As I said before we bring our vodka to drink in the cabin and order wine for dinner by the bottle. As an aside, grew up in Brooklyn and still miss it a lot. Best place in the world as a kid to grow up. Still after many years very proud to call Brooklyn home.

 

Of course I don't! I have no doubt it's a LOT MORE than 1-2 ounces! I do a liberal pour, but then I'm not a bartender. And when a guest wants a mixed drink, I say "do it yourself! Here's the stuff ..."

 

When we go out for drinks (which isn't often) it's probably not in Brooklyn. We do have a favorite restaurant in Brooklyn Heights (our neighborhood) but we haven't ordered cocktails there. Wine and beer prices are what one would expect in NYC. But maybe even in Manhattan they don't charge $22 for 2 oz! I'm not the one to ask, however ...

 

DH grew up here as well, although I'm an expatriate from L.A. It's still a great place to live ...

 

Mura

[RJB]

Of course I don't! I have no doubt it's a LOT MORE than 1-2 ounces! I do a liberal pour, but then I'm not a bartender. And when a guest wants a mixed drink, I say "do it yourself! Here's the stuff ..."

 

When we go out for drinks (which isn't often) it's probably not in Brooklyn. We do have a favorite restaurant in Brooklyn Heights (our neighborhood) but we haven't ordered cocktails there. Wine and beer prices are what one would expect in NYC. But maybe even in Manhattan they don't charge $22 for 2 oz! I'm not the one to ask, however ...

 

DH grew up here as well, although I'm an expatriate from L.A. It's still a great place to live ...

 

Mura

L.A. Don't worry, we won't hold it against you. Brooklyn Heights, a pretty fancy place. Good for you. If you know where Kings Highway is, that's me. All kidding aside, Anywhere in Brooklyn is great.

[Sabbycat]

Aren't most an ounce?

 

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[RJB]

aren't most an ounce?

 

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? ? ?

[Mura]

L.A. Don't worry, we won't hold it against you. Brooklyn Heights, a pretty fancy place. Good for you. If you know where Kings Highway is, that's me. All kidding aside, Anywhere in Brooklyn is great.

 

I know where Kings Highway is! When I was first here I was singing at a temple down there ... Just a couple of blocks from the subway stop.

 

We moved to Brooklyn Heights in 1972. Howard had an apartment at 75th and First Avenue in Manhattan. We were looking for a new place -- either the Heights, because we had friends there, or on the west side. We ended up in the Heights. At the time our rent was $300 ...

 

Time have changed!

 

Mura

[Pet Nit Noy]

Aren't most an ounce?

 

If you're talking about a standard pour, no. The standard pour is 1.5 ounces, but 2 ounces is not rare. And that's for the base liquor in a cocktail.

[RJB]

I know where Kings Highway is! When I was first here I was singing at a temple down there ... Just a couple of blocks from the subway stop.

 

We moved to Brooklyn Heights in 1972. Howard had an apartment at 75th and First Avenue in Manhattan. We were looking for a new place -- either the Heights, because we had friends there, or on the west side. We ended up in the Heights. At the time our rent was $300 ...

 

Time have changed!

 

Mura

They sure have. Got married in 64 and first apt. on E . 19th Street near Ave M was $85.59 a month. rent control. Good times. No Oceania then, or any other cruise lines.

[YoHoHo]

Aren't most an ounce?

 

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Yes, I agree with you. US tends to serve stronger drinks. The standard pour they are referring to is larger than the standard pour where I live.

 

Liquor laws here were very controlling, slowly getting more open. Could not be served two doubles at not-so-happy hour here as 4 oz. exceeds the legal limit for one serving. We've just recently been allowed to sell wine & beer in grocery stores but the licensing restrictions are so tight there are only a handful of locations even considering it the entire province.

[Travelcat2]

Yes, Oceania has very small pours (and they carefully measure them). Had the TS (formerly known as OP) asked questions on this board prior to making the decision not to purchase the Premium Alcohol Package, they would have known this. We live near the border of Canada and would never order a drink there due to small pours (or in the U.K. for that matter). When you look at the cost of a tiny drink plus tip vs. the Premium Alcohol Package (tip included) there is no comparison!

 

In terms of taking my own bottle on board, this will never happen. We rarely drink at home (only wine with dinner on Saturday nights) and would never drink in our cabin unless we had guests. I would much rather pay the price to be able to sit in a lounge, watch the seas and chat with other guests.

[Caroldoll]

LOL, I agree with TC. The Premium Package is the way to go, even if you are a lightweight drinker. The size of the drinks on O are not generous. Just get the package and consider it part of the cruise.

[RJB]

Yes, Oceania has very small pours (and they carefully measure them). Had the TS (formerly known as OP) asked questions on this board prior to making the decision not to purchase the Premium Alcohol Package, they would have known this. We live near the border of Canada and would never order a drink there due to small pours (or in the U.K. for that matter). When you look at the cost of a tiny drink plus tip vs. the Premium Alcohol Package (tip included) there is no comparison!

 

In terms of taking my own bottle on board, this will never happen. We rarely drink at home (only wine with dinner on Saturday nights) and would never drink in our cabin unless we had guests. I would much rather pay the price to be able to sit in a lounge, watch the seas and chat with other guests.

That is what makes Oceania so good. We have choice that most other lines do not give us. We enjoy having a drink in our cabin while getting dressed for dinner. Each to his own.