Bad Business - Drink To It.

[pinotlover]

Drink package questions vary depending upon the cruise. Our last cruise was a combo of a 7 & 10 day cruise. That meant two Captain Parties and two repeater parties in 17 days. Few sea days. We had one overnight in a port, and thus ate ashore, plus most importantly we were in a tremendous wine production area. No drinks package required. The bin end list was the worst and most unreasonably priced I’ve ever seen on an O cruise.

 

Next cruise is a 20 day single segment cruise. One captain’s party and one repeater party. No overnights and not even a late departure, with six sea days. The math changes. 

 

Add to that, we’re social people. We enjoy meeting people and talking with fellow cruisers. We are not in that crowd that only wants to eat alone in restaurants and drink alone in their cabins. That affects the math also.

 

Additionally, there are wine and booze deserts. Places you can’t pick up something ashore to bring back to the cabin. That affects the math.

 

A lot to go into the formula, and we’ve never found the same math on any cruise. There are multiple variables for different people to consider.

[Robjame]

3 hours ago, mauibabes said:

that extra charge for the remaining days of your cruise is insignificant. IMHO

$648 US - $880 CAD 

Congratulations

[LHT28]

4 minutes ago, Robjame said:

$648 US - $880 CAD 

Congratulations

The letter you posted  did not say it was mandatory to upgrade  so  during the next segment

just don't upgrade  then see how much you drink outside of  the House select package 

it probably will not be  $648 USD

[Robjame]

Lynn this is exactly our plan and I think you are right in your calculations. A visit to Total Wine and More in Miami prior to the second leg is in order.

I still can’t believe the number who accept this as standard operating procedure for O. I wait eagerly for the time when changes affect other areas of the Oceania experience and to see if attitudes change.

‘The Italian purser said he and others had voiced concern over a mid-cruise change - ‘like me going to the theatre and finding they wanted more money for me to return to my seat after the break.”

[pinotlover]

Rob;

 

I never realized your occurrence was an option. When we upgraded, in the past, it was always for the remainder of our cruise. I never knew that only upgrading to the end of somebody else’s segment was an option. 
 

So upgrading for possibly only two days, in the middle of your cruise, losing the upgrade for a few days because some segment ends, and then upgrading again is a possibility? Never explained to us that way! Always learning!! 

[LHT28]

12 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Rob;

 

I never realized your occurrence was an option. When we upgraded, in the past, it was always for the remainder of our cruise. I never knew that only upgrading to the end of somebody else’s segment was an option. 
 

So upgrading for possibly only two days, in the middle of your cruise, losing the upgrade for a few days because some segment ends, and then upgrading again is a possibility? Never explained to us that way! Always learning!! 

I think multi segment cruises you need to upgrade again  or decline 

 

I know some have opted out after one segment as it was more port intensive  & they would not  be drinking enough to breakeven

I agree  they could have given more notice to those continuing on to the next sailing  & at least given them the lower rate

 

Will see what other changes are in the works  for 2023

[Flatbush Flyer]

While the “basic booze package” is one of the optional O Life perk selections for an entire single booking (I.e., one segment or multi-segment extended journey or custom cruise - each with only a single booking number), the upgrade to “prestige” can be done for each segment within the entire itinerary. This is sort of like the specialty reservations where the total allocation for a multi-segment booking is disaggregated to X per segment length.

It may be some of these per-segment “rules” are nothing more than default limitations of the software involved - all of which can be overruled by the right manager. Another example is the ship excursions O Life perk which also must be booked as X tours per segment and requires managerial approval when you want to make replacements/refunds across segments for O cancelled tours.

[Robjame]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

When we upgraded, in the past, it was always for the remainder of our cruise.

We didn’t twig to what was coming down. When we upgraded on embarkation day we asked if we could upgrade for the whole cruise or at least for that segment. We were told that was not possible? In retrospect they already knew about the increase.

[Robjame]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

the upgrade to “prestige” can be done for each segment within the entire itinerary.

As I mentioned to Pinot, this was not an option. We could only upgrade for the one leg. Now we know why.

[ORV]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

Rob;

 

I never realized your occurrence was an option. When we upgraded, in the past, it was always for the remainder of our cruise. I never knew that only upgrading to the end of somebody else’s segment was an option. 
 

So upgrading for possibly only two days, in the middle of your cruise, losing the upgrade for a few days because some segment ends, and then upgrading again is a possibility? Never explained to us that way! Always learning!! 

I've always done this on the multi segment cruises I've been on. I usually wait until at least after the Captain's Party to upgrade, and sometimes later depending on the port or other things, like possibly going to La Reserve on the 3rd or 4th day. 

[Robjame]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

I've always done this on the multi segment cruises

We asked when we embarked and were denied. Now we know why.

[Host Jazzbeau]

5 hours ago, LGW59 said:

I get what you are saying but to me it’s a conundrum, as I think it is exactly how the cruise industry wants the consumer feel, badly.  Making the consumer have to decide if they want to feel bad possibly stiffing the crew for something they (the cruise line) should ultimately be responsible for.

I too wish all restaurants and cruise lines included service changes in the quoted prices, but apparently there are tax and accounting reasons why such charges are often kept separate.  I find it very hard to believe that wanting to make their customers feel bad is one of them.

[Flatbush Flyer]

58 minutes ago, Robjame said:

As I mentioned to Pinot, this was not an option. We could only upgrade for the one leg. Now we know why.

Actually, that was what I was trying to say: you usually do the upgrade at each segment - that was always somewhat of a “perk” - that you could choose not to renew the upgrade. But, that was then and this is now.

All these price/tips increases are catching folks already on a cruise by surprise.

 

Even though, we get gratuities paid by O Club, I will next week have my TA get a new O invoice showing O Club coverage of any increased gratuities. (And we’ll get the latest prepurchased excursions math PDF too though we’ll just call the O rep from whom we buy them for that (he’s a valuable Miami asset in the event we run into any onboard problems around O cancelled tours). TA will also receive it and be kept “in the loop.”

[emd138]

I looked at my reservation for a June cruise, and it is showing $29.95 for House Select, and $59.95 for the upgraded one, so it is indeed showing a $30 difference now.  Wasn't the House Select $39.95 before, though?  If so, it looks like the O Life beverage package will no longer much of a benefit, like when you pick the pre-paid gratuities.    Thanks for the heads-up on this!

[pinotlover]

FF;

 

Will our in lieu of PPG OBC perk still be a perk going forward? Have you heard anything official? 

[ORV]

27 minutes ago, emd138 said:

I looked at my reservation for a June cruise, and it is showing $29.95 for House Select, and $59.95 for the upgraded one, so it is indeed showing a $30 difference now.  Wasn't the House Select $39.95 before, though?  If so, it looks like the O Life beverage package will no longer much of a benefit, like when you pick the pre-paid gratuities.    Thanks for the heads-up on this!

Yes, this is one of the little oddities I've noticed also on the website. 

 

The pre paid gratuity is not an option to pick on the Olife. Or am I misunderstanding what you're saying?

[Flatbush Flyer]

45 minutes ago, emd138 said:

I looked at my reservation for a June cruise, and it is showing $29.95 for House Select, and $59.95 for the upgraded one, so it is indeed showing a $30 difference now.  Wasn't the House Select $39.95 before, though?  If so, it looks like the O Life beverage package will no longer much of a benefit, like when you pick the pre-paid gratuities.    Thanks for the heads-up on this!

It was $39.95 previously.

Ore-paid gratuities are not one of the regular O Life perk options (I.e., SBC, booze or tours). Rather, gratuities are an O Club perk deke ding on your membership level.

[Flatbush Flyer]

50 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

FF;

 

Will our in lieu of PPG OBC perk still be a perk going forward? Have you heard anything official? 

Not a clue. But, remember that we once got the entire grats “in lieu” when TA paid them. The current $250 is ok. But, we may see that disappear. 

[emd138]

30 minutes ago, ORV said:

Yes, this is one of the little oddities I've noticed also on the website. 

 

The pre paid gratuity is not an option to pick on the Olife. Or am I misunderstanding what you're saying?

Oops, I meant to say onboard credit!  My bad!  The PPG were from my travel agent.

Edited January 2, 2023 by emd138

[mexicobob]

Perhaps off topic..........our next cruise will be in the Mediterranean, leaving from Italy. We plan to purchase some nice wine to enjoy in our suite/balcony. Would also like to maybe, take a bottle to one of the dining rooms, and pay $25 corkage. Will be our first Oceania cruise so is this frowned upon, unusual, many others bring wine???

Thank you for any advice.

[JRIH]

10 minutes ago, mexicobob said:

Perhaps off topic..........our next cruise will be in the Mediterranean, leaving from Italy. We plan to purchase some nice wine to enjoy in our suite/balcony. Would also like to maybe, take a bottle to one of the dining rooms, and pay $25 corkage. Will be our first Oceania cruise so is this frowned upon, unusual, many others bring wine???

Thank you for any advice.

Not unusual or frowned upon.  Enjoy your wine.

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, mexicobob said:

Perhaps off topic..........our next cruise will be in the Mediterranean, leaving from Italy. We plan to purchase some nice wine to enjoy in our suite/balcony. Would also like to maybe, take a bottle to one of the dining rooms, and pay $25 corkage. Will be our first Oceania cruise so is this frowned upon, unusual, many others bring wine???

Thank you for any advice.

Depending on the embarkation port, we pretty much always bring 6-12 bottles onboard and replenish along the itinerary if good wine sources are available. Thus, we often bring our own wine to dinner and pay the $25 corkage (which includes the gratuity). 
Sadly, there are some real cheapskates onboard who pour glasses of their own wine and carry them to dinner (or to other public spaces). This “low rent” practice violates Oceania’ very liberal booze policy (you’ll see occasional reminders in the daily Currents stating that personal wine/spirits purchased ashore are meant for in-cabin consumption - though bottles of wine can be taken to meals/public spaces as long as the $25 corkage is paid). If you don’t finish your bottle, wine stewards will store it for retrieval at your request.

[ak1004]

On 1/2/2023 at 1:35 AM, Robjame said:

These additional costs amount to $648 US beyond our budgeted amount.

‘What would you do?

Is it $648 for both of you? What was the total cost of the cruise?

[Jim and Monika]

Finding this out at the airport on our way to Miami. Sounds like a bait and switch lowering the cost of the base beverage package by $10 and putting the $10 on to the bonus part of Prestige. Booking the Olife beverage choice was a value when you do the math.

When we book, we usually go with Olife and beverage package because there was value in taking the perk planning on upgrading to Prestige for $20 each. Seems like the Olife perk with beverage package is the same non value as getting onboard credit as a perk.

The Olife perk cost us $600, adding the $600 for each of us to upgrade makes the liquor cost of $1,200.

We have never taken advantage of bringing on our own liquor, going to the free drink parties, our the happy hours. Not sure what to do, but we will try to get the price of $20 each which was the cost when we made final payment.

Other cruise lines have raised onboard perks, but they make you aware well ahead of time to take away the sticker shock. They also gave you the option to pay the old price ahead of time to be more transparent with pricing being consistent when cruise is paid in full.

[LHT28]

I could never see the value of the  House Select package   @ $39.95 pd pp

How much wine/beer do people actually drink at lunch??

Dinner maybe you would drink enough to break even

 

We are  big drinkers so  packages  do not enter our  thoughts  when planning a cruise 

JMO