Alcoholic drinks when dining

[LHT28]

5 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Many years ago on a business trip to California, someone had wine in their luggage. Bottles broke enroute, and when my checked bag appeared it was soaked in white wine (better than red, I guess, but still all of the clothes had to be cleaned/washed).

 

I wouldn't be tempted to risk that at the beginning of a trip. Maybe at the end.... 😉

Well for people that wrap the bottles in dirty laundry that is a chance they take  & poor people like you that suffer  at their hands

 

I have used the bottles bags  coming & going  to Europe  so far no breakage

Just  an option

[PhD-iva]

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Just my luck that my first Oceania cruise embarks in Reykjavik. 

 

You know -- that place with the most expensive wine prices in the world...  🤦‍♀️

 

https://www.tastingtable.com/1199231/2-nordic-countries-are-the-most-expensive-in-the-world-for-buying-wine/#:~:text=Iceland is the most expensive country to buy wine&text=Iceland is known to mark,might be just from tax.

Your post made me think. Hmmm, next year I have an O cruise Oslo to London - mostly Nordic ports. I quickly made a call to switch my OLife choice to the beverage package. That is not generally my modus operandi, but I believe it makes sense in this case.

[cruisemom42]

5 minutes ago, PhD-iva said:

Your post made me think. Hmmm, next year I have an O cruise Oslo to London - mostly Nordic ports. I quickly made a call to switch my OLife choice to the beverage package. That is not generally my modus operandi, but I believe it makes sense in this case.

 

That was my thinking too -- also got the beverage package.  With that and the occasional happy hour cocktail I should be just fine. 😁

 

 

[pinotlover]

4 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

Your post made me think. Hmmm, next year I have an O cruise Oslo to London - mostly Nordic ports. I quickly made a call to switch my OLife choice to the beverage package. That is not generally my modus operandi, but I believe it makes sense in this case.

Wise Move. Notwithstanding certain posters pushing O shore excursions, I have been preaching this for awhile. There are wine/alcohol deserts out there, along with extreme high tax areas, where picking up wine along the way isn’t practical. The beverage package provides the better option in those locations. I suppose with the new Simply More program all this will be moot.

[Peter Lanky]

 

6 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Wise Move. Notwithstanding certain posters pushing O shore excursions, I have been preaching this for awhile. There are wine/alcohol deserts out there, along with extreme high tax areas, where picking up wine along the way isn’t practical. The beverage package provides the better option in those locations. I suppose with the new Simply More program all this will be moot.

 

I have never heard of Simply More up to this posting, but as I result I looked into it. It seems that Oceania is moving closer to the luxury lines for inclusiveness. Shame that it has not thought to include the ridiculous gratuities in the brochure price, and start to put this practice to bed for ever.

 

It will be interesting to see how much the brochure prices change after this move.

Edited June 30, 2023 by Peter Lanky

[sunlover12]

16 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Many years ago on a business trip to California, someone had wine in their luggage. Bottles broke enroute, and when my checked bag appeared it was soaked in white wine (better than red, I guess, but still all of the clothes had to be cleaned/washed).

 

I wouldn't be tempted to risk that at the beginning of a trip. Maybe at the end.... 😉

We often travel with bottles of wine in our checked luggage. We’ll usually pack bubble wrap around it but sometimes just clothes. The key is to have enough items in the luggage so that they’re not moving around. We go to California 3 times a year and always bring wine home.  We’ll also take a bottle or 2 of our favorite wine on the cruise. Been doing this for 15 years and have never had one bottle break. 

[LHT28]

5 hours ago, Peter Lanky said:

Shame that it has not thought to include the ridiculous gratuities in the brochure price, and start to put this practice to bed for ever.

 

Let's not forget  the British started this practice  🤔

[Peter Lanky]

21 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Let's not forget  the British started this practice  🤔

Technically yes but that's hardly important today, however it was always a low key practice and definitely neither compulsory, nor at such a high rate. We are in 2023 now, not 1723, and the likes of Silversea, Seabourn, Regent, Azamara and even a few cheap lines have now scrapped it. I think Oceania is one of the few premium lines still doing it.

Edited June 30, 2023 by Peter Lanky

[basor]

3 minutes ago, Peter Lanky said:

Technically yes but that's hardly important today, however it was always a low key practice and definitely neither compulsory, nor at such a high rate. We are in 2023 now, not 1723, and the likes of Silversea, Seabourn, Regent, Azamara and even a few cheap lines have now scrapped it. I think Oceania is one of the few premium lines still doing it.

So you prefer they raise their prices and include pre-paid gratuities?  O includes pre-paid gratuities for Silver loyalty and above and many TAs provide pre-paid gratuities as a perk so not sure how many actually pay gratuities.

[Peter Lanky]

2 minutes ago, basor said:

So you prefer they raise their prices and include pre-paid gratuities?  O includes pre-paid gratuities for Silver loyalty and above and many TAs provide pre-paid gratuities as a perk so not sure how many actually pay gratuities.

Well yes I do, just like I have recently done on Silversea, Azamara and Emerald. It's so easy and tidy and means I pay the correct price for the cruise before I sail. I'm never likely to be silver loyalty, so that's off the radar.

[susiesan]

Has anyone thought about this effect once the simply more beverage package goes into force: I always do cruise only and purchase cocktails at happy hour and the occasional bottle of wine to go with dinner. I rarely drink wine by the glass with meals. If I will have an included beverage package that I had to pay for then I will use it. I will start ordering wine with all meals and will not buy any extra bottles. I'm not picky about wine. Will the dining room servers be able to keep up with the demand? Almost everyone will be asking for a glass of wine or 2 or 3 with their dinner, far more people than do now. O will need to add more wine servers to all of the dining venues to keep up with the demand. I predict a service decline in this area.

[susiesan]

56 minutes ago, sunlover12 said:

We often travel with bottles of wine in our checked luggage. We’ll usually pack bubble wrap around it but sometimes just clothes. The key is to have enough items in the luggage so that they’re not moving around. We go to California 3 times a year and always bring wine home.  We’ll also take a bottle or 2 of our favorite wine on the cruise. Been doing this for 15 years and have never had one bottle break. 

Are you still going to bring extra wine now that it will be included with simply more? is it going to be worth the hassle?

[LHT28]

4 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Are you still going to bring extra wine now that it will be included with simply more? is it going to be worth the hassle?

If your cruise is booked before July 1st   as our is  I will bring some bottles  with us

But we can buy some in the ports  so no need to pack any in luggage

 

YMMV

[Peter Lanky]

8 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Has anyone thought about this effect once the simply more beverage package goes into force: I always do cruise only and purchase cocktails at happy hour and the occasional bottle of wine to go with dinner. I rarely drink wine by the glass with meals. If I will have an included beverage package that I had to pay for then I will use it. I will start ordering wine with all meals and will not buy any extra bottles. I'm not picky about wine. Will the dining room servers be able to keep up with the demand? Almost everyone will be asking for a glass of wine or 2 or 3 with their dinner, far more people than do now. O will need to add more wine servers to all of the dining venues to keep up with the demand. I predict a service decline in this area.

I have recently sailed with Silversea and Azamara where all drinks were included. I never once felt that people were cramming in drinks at dinner and overburdening the wine waiters. Drinks were topped up regularly, and we maybe ended up with 4/5 glasses each during a meal lasting 2 hours. I would expect Oceania to offer a similar service.

 

I have heard stories of wine waiters disappearing after the first fill, but as I've never sailed Oceania, I can't comment. If this did happen, I would always ensure I made an appropriate member of management know about it.

[sunlover12]

5 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Are you still going to bring extra wine now that it will be included with simply more? is it going to be worth the hassle?

The majority of the wine we have packed in our luggage has been returning home from California. Don't know yet if we'll still bring a bottle or 2 on cruises. We drink it in our cabin, not the dining room.  It's not a hassle at all. 

 

I'm wondering if the wine that will be served at meals will be from any wine from the list that is served by the glass. Or will it just be a choice of whatever red or white they're serving that day.  If so, the servers would walk around with the bottles which shouldn't be hard to keep up with demand. 

[basor]

Just now, sunlover12 said:

The majority of the wine we have packed in our luggage has been returning home from California. Don't know yet if we'll still bring a bottle or 2 on cruises. We drink it in our cabin, not the dining room.  It's not a hassle at all. 

 

I'm wondering if the wine that will be served at meals will be from any wine from the list that is served by the glass. Or will it just be a choice of whatever red or white they're serving that day.  If so, the servers would walk around with the bottles which shouldn't be hard to keep up with demand. 

It has been stated the it will be the Select Beverage package that will now be included so a selection from the wine by the glass menu

[susiesan]

5 minutes ago, basor said:

It has been stated the it will be the Select Beverage package that will now be included so a selection from the wine by the glass menu

So the servers won't be walking around with 2 bottles, they will have to take orders and keep running off somewhere to fetch everyone's different wine by the glass choice. Maybe O will set up a self serve wine bar in each dining venue so people can help themselves and take the extra burden off of the overworked servers.

[LHT28]

9 minutes ago, sunlover12 said:

I'm wondering if the wine that will be served at meals will be from any wine from the list that is served by the glass. Or will it just be a choice of whatever red or white they're serving that day.  If so, the servers would walk around with the bottles which shouldn't be hard to keep up with demand. 

I do not think it  will be like Viking  where you get  a choice or red or white

[basor]

16 minutes ago, susiesan said:

So the servers won't be walking around with 2 bottles, they will have to take orders and keep running off somewhere to fetch everyone's different wine by the glass choice. Maybe O will set up a self serve wine bar in each dining venue so people can help themselves and take the extra burden off of the overworked servers.

It will be the same as it is now with the Select package - bottles of the wine by the glass offerings are kept at a serving station and it is a quick trip to grab the bottle requested and return to fill your wine glass.  We often have had our waiter remember our choice and simply bring the bottle to fill or refill our glasses.  

 

Also included is our FREE Champagne, Wine and More which includes three dozen premium label wines and Champagnes and two dozen beer selections from around the world during lunch and dinner. 

Edited June 30, 2023 by basor

[EJL2023]

20 minutes ago, basor said:

It will be the same as it is now with the Select package - bottles of the wine by the glass offerings are kept at a serving station and it is a quick trip to grab the bottle requested and return to fill your wine glass.  We often have had our waiter remember our choice and simply bring the bottle to fill or refill our glasses.  

 

Also included is our FREE Champagne, Wine and More which includes three dozen premium label wines and Champagnes and two dozen beer selections from around the world during lunch and dinner. 

The wine serving as you noted above is what we experienced on our recent cruise. Really never had too much of a problem at all.  In fact sometimes they were topping it off quite frequently!! The worst was typical in Terrace Cafe I’d say but even then not all the time. I’d say out of our approximately 24 meals on the cruise perhaps an issue maybe twice.  Certainly nothing to get upset about and much better than restaurants these days. 

Edited June 30, 2023 by EJL2023

[susiesan]

20 minutes ago, basor said:

It will be the same as it is now with the Select package - bottles of the wine by the glass offerings are kept at a serving station and it is a quick trip to grab the bottle requested and return to fill your wine glass.  We often have had our waiter remember our choice and simply bring the bottle to fill or refill our glasses.  

 

Also included is our FREE Champagne, Wine and More which includes three dozen premium label wines and Champagnes and two dozen beer selections from around the world during lunch and dinner. 

Thanks for that tidbit of info. I did not know that since I have never ordered wine by the glass with meals. Is there a list of what kind of wines are in the current select package? I don't like beer or champagne, I only like sweet white wine like riesling, moscato, and white zinfandel. I know, I'm a wine slob ; )

[EJL2023]

Just now, susiesan said:

Thanks for that tidbit of info. I did not know that since I have never ordered wine by the glass with meals. Is there a list of what kind of wines are in the current select package? I don't like beer or champagne, I only like sweet white wine like riesling, moscato, and white zinfandel. I know, I'm a wine slob ; )

Yes, go on their website and click on the Grand Dining Room on one of the ships. Then click on the wine tab. 

[basor]

5 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Thanks for that tidbit of info. I did not know that since I have never ordered wine by the glass with meals. Is there a list of what kind of wines are in the current select package? I don't like beer or champagne, I only like sweet white wine like riesling, moscato, and white zinfandel. I know, I'm a wine slob ; )

The wine menus have been posted numerous times on CC - I do know that there have been several sweet white wines on the menu so you should have np problem finding something you will enjoy.

 

Here is a link to a Grand Bar menu and on page 5-6 are wines by the glass (same as you will find in the dining areas) - https://www.oceaniacruises.com/sites/default/files/2023-01/Oceania-Grand-Bar-Menu.pdf

Edited June 30, 2023 by basor

[Hambagahle]

18 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Well for people that wrap the bottles in dirty laundry that is a chance they take  & poor people like you that suffer  at their hands

 

I have used the bottles bags  coming & going  to Europe  so far no breakage

Just  an option

We used carriers from "Bottle wise" which were phenomenal to bring wine from Switzerland to friends in the USA.   

 

My parents in law once learnt to their horror that bottles just put into suitcases break.  They went to a "dry" resort in Maine a long time ago... bottle of bourbon broke and their clothes stank of booze.  Got lots of strange looks in that resort as a result!

[Robson1]

4 minutes ago, basor said:

So you prefer they raise their prices and include pre-paid gratuities?  O includes pre-paid gratuities for Silver loyalty and above and many TAs provide pre-paid gratuities as a perk so not sure how many actually pay gratuities.

 

For their websites and TAs that is the preferred option. It wouldn't affect US customers or TAs. Other lines that still have gratuities as a separate service charge have region-specific websites that conform to international norms and local advertising laws. I think it is more of an annoyance for the non-Americans to see a listed price then have to go through multiple steps of a dummy booking to get to the end and see the 'real' price with tax, then also manually calculate the gratuities.