What is included in the O Life Drinks package?

[Hawaiidan]

5 hours ago, sunlover12 said:

I believe that if you purchase the drinks package, the service charge is included in the price. If you purchase drinks separately without the package, you're paying the price listed plus a service charge.  In that case, it might not be hard to get to $40 or $60. 

 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong on this. 

No your very right.....  best to drink a day or so without the packages and then see just what an impact in might have...  You can start the packages at any time on the cruise...    Don't have to get them in advance.

 

6 hours ago, terrydtx said:

I have to agree the drinks package doesn't compare to some other premium cruise lines. We had a Viking Ocean cruise cancelled last September and beer and wine was included with all meals in the fare. We had added their unlimited Premium drinks package that was $17.99 pp per day which included all premium wines by the glass and all spirits. If we book our cruise with Oceania for 2022 we will get the Olife drinks option and then upgrade to the  Prestige package, no way we would pay $60pp a day for both packages, we just do not drink that much in a day. I like a Bloody Mary with breakfast and a martini with a glass of wine for Dinner. This cruise is in a port every day, so I doubt we will be having lunches on the ship.

 

I want to thank all of the CC members who helped clarify this for us. It has been very helpful and we now know which way to go.

For those 3 drinks with  service charge you will be $50 to $55 !!      No margin for error.

 

[jagoffee]

40 minutes ago, Rob the Cruiser said:

 

Here is a link to a menu that lists drinks that are usually available on the Premium package. Bar menu.

 

I was unable to copy/paste the list. Sorry.

Thanks.  A lot of good choices for my DW and I.  The only thing missing for me is B&B in the evening.   I do like to try different local beers.

 

We will not be disappointed with the choices, especially now that I know the package is from a list.  Good to know in advance.

[1985rz1]

Folks shouldn't forget the daily 2 for 1 Happy Hour in all bars.  If that works for you, it's a great cost saver and impacts the calculation in the comparing costs.

 

Edited December 4, 2020 by 1985rz1

[1985rz1]

6 hours ago, terrydtx said:

I have to agree the drinks package doesn't compare to some other premium cruise lines. We had a Viking Ocean cruise cancelled last September and beer and wine was included with all meals in the fare. We had added their unlimited Premium drinks package that was $17.99 pp per day which included all premium wines by the glass and all spirits. If we book our cruise with Oceania for 2022 we will get the Olife drinks option and then upgrade to the  Prestige package, no way we would pay $60pp a day for both packages, we just do not drink that much in a day. I like a Bloody Mary with breakfast and a martini with a glass of wine for Dinner. This cruise is in a port every day, so I doubt we will be having lunches on the ship.

 

I want to thank all of the CC members who helped clarify this for us. It has been very helpful and we now know which way to go.

Remember you are already paying a base level for the regular package, the cost of the O-Life perk.  So that also need to be included in the cost comparison, as well as the 2  for 1 Happy Hours.

[Flatbush Flyer]

42 minutes ago, Rob the Cruiser said:

 

Here is a link to a menu that lists drinks that are usually available on the Premium package. Bar menu.

 

I was unable to copy/paste the list. Sorry.

So, using the regular bar menu: If I wanted to make the most of the Prestige Package, I would order a double "side car" and specify VSOP Cognac (I prefer Hennessy) and Cointreau. And I 'd politely ask for the bartender to use squeezed lemon and not ruin the drink with some citrus mixer. Ask the retail price of that drink and you'll see why the Prestige Package can be a bargain.

 

It would only take a couple of that kind of "call" cocktail with the included 18% gratuities to make the package worthwhile. At the very least, don't order drinks made with the "well swill." And don't fear "doubles" since the regular drinks average 1 oz pours of the booze.

(So - for your Margarita order El Tesoro Anejo Tequila and Cointreau instead of Cuervo Gold  and Triple Sec "rot gut."

 

But, once you've got several O cruises under your belt and get some officer dinner invites, in addition to one or more O Club and/or Captain's Welcome events (multiple ones on "extended journeys") AND you like the happy hours (at least the ore-dinner one if Covid doesn't nix their future offering) AND you start bringing your own wine onboard (particularly on cruises of two weeks +) augmented as needed from the "bin end" list, you will quickly find that the Prestige Package is no longer the great value it was for your first, short cruises on Oceania.

 

And, for those of you who are newer to O (or have yet to realize it): When you are at the ship sponsored celebrations that include complimentary booze, you can order your preferred cocktail rather than settling for the drinks passed out by the wait staff.

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

30 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

Thanks.  A lot of good choices for my DW and I.  The only thing missing for me is B&B in the evening.   I do like to try different local beers.

 

We will not be disappointed with the choices, especially now that I know the package is from a list.  Good to know in advance.

Want a spirit not on the menu (e.g., B&B?)? Bring you own. But, it must be consumed in your cabin (unlike personal wine which can go elsewhere if you pay the $25 corkage per bottle). Note that unfinished bottles brought to dinner will be stored for you (though I've never figured out how two people cannot finish a good bottle of wine at a single seating.🍷👀

[Flatbush Flyer]

40 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

Remember you are already paying a base level for the regular package, the cost of the O-Life perk.

.... which is whatever the value of the O Life SBC is for your specific cruise. 

So, since we already know that the "cruise only" fare is the same as the O Life w/o air fare less the value of the O Life SBC offer, your base O Life cost is whatever is the SBC option $.

And we also know that, unless you drink a ton of booze with the O Life booze (upgraded to Prestige Package for $20 pp/day), the best O Life option value will always be selecting the most expensive of the allowable excursions (<$200) which effectively doubles that perk's value (while it also helps you to achieve the minimum number of tours required on your cruise to get the 25% YWYW discount for one you actually buy out-of-pocket.

[Silver Sweethearts]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Want a spirit not on the menu (e.g., B&B?)? Bring you own. But, it must be consumed in your cabin (unlike personal wine which can go elsewhere if you pay the $25 corkage per bottle). Note that unfinished bottles brought to dinner will be stored for you (though I've never figured out how two people cannot finish a good bottle of wine at a single seating.🍷👀

 

We have found it nice on ships of other lines to use some of our OBC on wine that we order ahead of time through the cruise line, have them deliver it to the ship and have the sommelier hold for us.  The staff will bring a bottle to us in whatever restaurant we are in.  More fun than spending the OBC at the boutique.  Would anyone know if Oceania will do this?

[Mura]

3 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

 Note that unfinished bottles brought to dinner will be stored for you (though I've never figured out how two people cannot finish a good bottle of wine at a single seating.🍷👀

Good point, but in our case I am the one drinking the wine.  DH occasionally will take a sip from my glass but he is definitely not helping me finish the bottle.  (I will confess that on occasion I HAVE finished the whole bottle, but these days I prefer to restrict my consumption.)

 

It doesn't help that I prefer red and he prefers white ... So that's one reason why we don't take the package.

 

Another is that as you must have noted, DH is not a drinker.  So we don't go to the bars in general unless someone invites us to join them.  So we tend to bring on some of our own, and if we are in a top suite with the 6 bottles provided, we don't need to bring much.

 

My objection to the package is primarily that we are limited to the glasses on the list as opposed to being able to get a full bottle.

 

So we've never taken a package ... not on any ship.  I agree that other lines we've been on have had better packages ...

 

There was an Oceania cruise some years ago when we took advantage of the "end of bin" sale when we boarded (for wine), but they have changed the parameters since then so we haven't done so for quite a while.

 

Given the current situation, I don't know if we'll be cruising again... I would like to, DH doesn't want to (because of serious vision problems), and while I'm willing to cruise alone I'm waiting for the virus to be totally abated.

 

Mura

 

 

[LHT28]

4 hours ago, jagoffee said:

Thanks.  A lot of good choices for my DW and I.  The only thing missing for me is B&B in the evening.

 

I am not  a drinker  so what is  a B & B?

 If they have the ingredients  they will make it for you

 

As people have said  most drinks are included in the Prestige package   some top Scotches & top Cognacs may not be   just ask before you order

[Silver Sweethearts]

11 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

I am not  a drinker  so what is  a B & B? 

 

Benedictine and brandy.

[babysteps]

4 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Note that unfinished bottles brought to dinner will be stored for you (though I've never figured out how two people cannot finish a good bottle of wine at a single seating.🍷👀

Well if we bring a nice white for the opening courses and a lovely red for the main course we might not finish off both bottles, that's our excuse 🙂

[Flatbush Flyer]

8 minutes ago, babysteps said:

Well if we bring a nice white for the opening courses and a lovely red for the main course we might not finish off both bottles, that's our excuse 🙂

But that would only be one bottle per person.🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🤔

[jagoffee]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

I am not  a drinker  so what is  a B & B?

 If they have the ingredients  they will make it for you

 

As people have said  most drinks are included in the Prestige package   some top Scotches & top Cognacs may not be   just ask before you order

 

1 hour ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

 

Benedictine and brandy.

Correct.  It comes in the bottle and it is not a mix.  Just Benedictine is usually available as well.

[jagoffee]

2 hours ago, Mura said:

Good point, but in our case I am the one drinking the wine.  DH occasionally will take a sip from my glass but he is definitely not helping me finish the bottle.  (I will confess that on occasion I HAVE finished the whole bottle, but these days I prefer to restrict my consumption.)

 

It doesn't help that I prefer red and he prefers white ... So that's one reason why we don't take the package.

 

Another is that as you must have noted, DH is not a drinker.  So we don't go to the bars in general unless someone invites us to join them.  So we tend to bring on some of our own, and if we are in a top suite with the 6 bottles provided, we don't need to bring much.

 

My objection to the package is primarily that we are limited to the glasses on the list as opposed to being able to get a full bottle.

 

So we've never taken a package ... not on any ship.  I agree that other lines we've been on have had better packages ...

 

There was an Oceania cruise some years ago when we took advantage of the "end of bin" sale when we boarded (for wine), but they have changed the parameters since then so we haven't done so for quite a while.

 

Given the current situation, I don't know if we'll be cruising again... I would like to, DH doesn't want to (because of serious vision problems), and while I'm willing to cruise alone I'm waiting for the virus to be totally abated.

 

Mura

 

 

Mura, do the bottles in your cabin (on the higher end suites) need to come from the Prestige package list?

 

Thanks

[hmorrow]

Reading this thread with interest. Curious about the time of the bar happy hours?

Thanks

[1985rz1]

45 minutes ago, hmorrow said:

Reading this thread with interest. Curious about the time of the bar happy hours?

Thanks

I think HH is 5 to 6 pm.

[ORV]

10 hours ago, jagoffee said:

Mura, do the bottles in your cabin (on the higher end suites) need to come from the Prestige package list?

 

Thanks

It's a list just for the suites, this is Oceania Suite and up, not PH. It has nothing to do with the bar menu that determines what is on the drink package, although there is a lot of overlap. I found it unbelievable that there were no Single Malt scotches on it. Hopefully they have rectified that. 

[jagoffee]

Just now, ORV said:

It's a list just for the suites, this is Oceania Suite and up, not PH. It has nothing to do with the bar menu that determines what is on the drink package, although there is a lot of overlap. I found it unbelievable that there were no Single Malt scotches on it. Hopefully they have rectified that. 

Thanks

[LHT28]

13 hours ago, jagoffee said:

 

Correct.  It comes in the bottle and it is not a mix.  Just Benedictine is usually available as well.

They carry both  spirits  I am sure the bartender could  mix  them to get you the right combination 🙂

 They are pretty good compared to  a Luxury line we tried 🙄

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

They carry both  spirits  I am sure the bartender could  mix  them to get you the right combination 🙂

 They are pretty good compared to  a Luxury line we tried 🙄

Close but no cigar on substitute B&B.

IMO, it's the real thing or no thing.

[Flatbush Flyer]

4 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

I think HH is 5 to 6 pm.

Pre-dinner 5-6 pm. Also, after the evening show (10-11 pm?).

[1985rz1]

5 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Pre-dinner 5-6 pm. Also, after the evening show (10-11 pm?).

I think that some venues had an after evening show HH, but not all.  Maybe only one, Horizons?  Memory is out to lunch.

[Flatbush Flyer]

11 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

I think that some venues had an after evening show HH, but not all.  Maybe only one, Horizons?  Memory is out to lunch.

Yes, you may be correct that the late one is Horizons only.

[Hawaiidan]

15 hours ago, jagoffee said:

Mura, do the bottles in your cabin (on the higher end suites) need to come from the Prestige package list?

 

Thanks

No ....well let me clarify...  In the top suites you get a rather restricted list to choose from.... nowhere as large as the bars stock and the prestige package might include...