Wine themed cruise impact on sailings

[Vineyard View]

We are looking at a few itineraries including a B2B next Spring in the Mediterranean. I was just reading a magazine about local food and wines, and noticed that one of the itineraries we are looking at is part of a ‘wine-themed’ cruise on Oceania, highlighting a specific winery. There are actually several different sailings on Oceania featuring different wineries from our area. This is not a hook that would set us to sail, but my concern is how this might impact the overall sailing?  I have read about different larger groups on various lines, and it can alter the energy…..has anyone experienced being on a ‘wine themed’ sailing with Oceania before?  Of so, did it affect your experience in any way?  I have no idea how many people might be capped on something such as this, which would obviously be a large factor. 
Thank you 

[robbie21]

We have been on both sides of this issue - as members of a wine group and as independents on board with a wine group. From our experience wine group sizes are generally in the 50-100 passenger size.  Like other groups they will be using part of Horizons for receptions and will take one specialty restaurant for a wine paring dinner one night. Unlike alumni groups in particular and also professional education groups they will mostly be strangers to each other and will not be crowding the bars or running up and down the halls in funny hats 🙄.  

[Vineyard View]

38 minutes ago, robbie21 said:

We have been on both sides of this issue - as members of a wine group and as independents on board with a wine group. From our experience wine group sizes are generally in the 50-100 passenger size.  Like other groups they will be using part of Horizons for receptions and will take one specialty restaurant for a wine paring dinner one night. Unlike alumni groups in particular and also professional education groups they will mostly be strangers to each other and will not be crowding the bars or running up and down the halls in funny hats 🙄.  

Excellent points, and what I was hoping to hear. Thank you for your first hand experience observations. Sincerely appreciate this robbie21. 

[jwindham]

I too have been on a sailing with a wine group. The nice thing was that I made friends with a woman who was part of the group and we were invited to one of the tastings which was great. They did not really cause any issues for any of the cruise and all seemed to be nice and just enjoying the cruise and wine. And when thanking the woman over the winery in Oregon on the way out of the tasting for including us she gave us a bottle of wine. Nice. Julia

[pinotlover]

I have been on two different F&WT winery sponsored cruises. We had several exclusive wine tastings and a reception away from the regular passengers, along with a few exclusive winery tours. None of those impacted any other Oceania cruiser. We did have one Group wine dinner, in the PG, that was paired with wine from the host winery. It did count as our guaranteed meal there. In that the wine flowed very generously, we may have become a little noisy! 🥸😇! 
 

I will add that , much like the GoNext cruises, our groups of 50-75 trended perhaps 25 years younger on average that the normal Oceania crowd. We were the oldsters in both Groups. So neither cruise may have been as sedate as some prefer, but by no means rowdy.

[Vineyard View]

Thanks for further info. I am not familiar with the winery, even though they are local. I might have to take a look at them! 
Pinotlover…..I can’t imagine being sedate at a wine inspired gathering…..how completely boring that would be!  
I think it’s more the industry group and corporate group impacts I was wondering about that take over large portions of a ship. I used to take customers on trips…..sometimes you would think that they never got out except for those trips! Oy!