Pre-Cruise comparison of Oceania Regatta - Vista Suite to Celebrity Millennium Royal Suite

[ORV]

56 minutes ago, SEA DOGY said:

 

I can tell there is some smugglers around here. But that’s beside the point

what I never understand people buying liquor in duty free  shops and carry them 

The prices are much higher  that you pay in the states especially  COSTCO 

Because A. You don’t have room in your luggage and B. We travel on a cruise line that allows us to bring on alcohol and have a drink in the room. Cost of one drink at the bar covers the whole cost of a you rum or vodka. 
 

Taking it home is another story. Unless it’s something you can’t get at home, like some single malt I picked up in Scotland that not available at home, the there’s generally no point. Years ago duty free prices could be a great deal, now not so much. 

[Harters]

6 minutes ago, ORV said:

there’s generally no point

Customs officers know the destinations where ordinary folk (not organised smuggling gangs) are likely to smuggle over the duty free limit. Tenerife, for example, has much cheaper cigarettes and booze than mainland Spain. And they'll be on the lookout for marijuana smuggling on flights from the Netherlands because of readily availability. 

[billc23]

1 hour ago, SEA DOGY said:

 

I can tell there is some smugglers around here. But that’s beside the point

what I never understand people buying liquor in duty free  shops and carry them 

The prices are much higher  that you pay in the states especially  COSTCO 

The point is to buy something that is not sold in the US or very limited US allocation. If I can buy it at home why buy it duty free to take it home? 

[iowananny]

First off, I don't consider my husband and I as smugglers.  We've always been upfront with what we're bringing into the country.  Lately, they don't even ask but when they did and you had to fill out a custom's form we always told them what we had.  No one seemed to care.  Once my husband brought back 8 bottles of wine from France and the customs agent said he envied him and then just let him through.  We're not bringing back truckloads of cigarettes and laundry detergent into the country.  If my husband had ended up in prison for bringing the wine in, I just have an image in my mind of him sitting with some of the cons. 

 

"What are you in for?"   

 

"Smuggling."  

 

"Meth, fentanyl, heroin?"

 

"Six bottles of wine."

 

Then they all move away and laugh at him.

 

We rarely buy at the duty free shops and when we do it's usually for candy to give the boys next door who water our plants when we are gone.  We buy stuff we can't get at home.  On our last trip my husband wanted a bottle of whiskey from Ireland.  He went into a shop that only sold Whiskey in Dublin.  He asked the clerk for a bottle that you couldn't get in the US and didn't cost a lot more than 50 euros.  The clerk found something for him and it was a great souvenir.  

 

My husband knows what wines are hard to get in the US, or not even available especially in Iowa and that's what he brings home.

 

I agree that duty free isn't that great of a deal unless you find something you can't get at home.  But you might find something real nice at a little wine shop that carries local wines or you visit some wineries on your trip.

 

But it is kind of exciting to think some of you think we're criminals.  Kinda like a 2024 version of Bonnie and Clyde.

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

10 hours ago, SEA DOGY said:

 

I can tell there is some smugglers around here. But that’s beside the point

what I never understand people buying liquor in duty free  shops and carry them 

The prices are much higher  that you pay in the states especially  COSTCO 

We personally don't usually buy Duty Free Liquor usually just bring home the Unopened Free bottles we receive as part of an Upper Suite perk.    I did however notice that often on Celebrity they have a 2 Liter Bottle Special on Grey Goose at $60 .    The Pre-Sales Tax (9.25% where I live)price at Costco is $57.09 (= $64.50 with Tax) for a single bottle, so if we were purchasing it would indeed be cost effective to purchase Duty Free. 

 

  

[CardowMD]

Jim Costco in Delaware cheaper…around $42-48ish and No state tax. Worth a short road trip for me.

[SEA DOGY]

7 hours ago, CardowMD said:

Jim Costco in Delaware cheaper…around $42-48ish and No state tax. Worth a short road trip for me.

I don't think Jim or Ian are boozers or smugglers they have a very large Costco by their house Rengstorff Road  and 101. That’s the Costco we go shopping  and yes I buy when the offer 2 for the price of one or buy one and pay $5 for the second one no duty-free shop can match that 

Chears 

 

[Harters]

15 hours ago, iowananny said:

But it is kind of exciting to think some of you think we're criminals.  Kinda like a 2024 version of Bonnie and Clyde.

I hadnt previously but now you mention it.................

 

😀

[Jim_Iain]

9 hours ago, SEA DOGY said:

I don't think Jim or Ian are boozers or smugglers they have a very large Costco by their house Rengstorff Road  and 101. That’s the Costco we go shopping  and yes I buy when the offer 2 for the price of one or buy one and pay $5 for the second one no duty-free shop can match that 

Chears 

 

Yes... we have no problem with availability of Costco's.   Within 10 miles of our house we have 4 Costco's  -   I probably go to the one on Lawrence Expressway -  

 

One thing that is interesting is that many people assume all Costco's carry the same product.  All of them carry many of the same basic product but they each tune their offering to the demographics of the customers.   The Costco in Fremont (near where I worked) has a large middle eastern population and often have things like a 1/2 of a Goat.  I definitely took a double take first time I saw one in a shopping cart.

[Mike981]

Jim have you ever had goat? I don't think I have, but would certainly try. I love lamb if that is close.

[billc23]

I have met passengers who use their NR OBC to buy alcohol on board. I would rather use it in the casino - and maybe leave with some cash - or tips for the crew members.

 

Since some have brought up their local deals on alcohol... My state (NH) liquor store is similar pricing to Costco with a much wider variety. The state liquor store offer a few programs with stackable gift card promotions that allow $100 to purchase $150 worth of product. No sales tax and no income tax. Much better than any duty free that I have seen.

[SEA DOGY]

Go for it 

what ever you do make sure is a young goat 

[Jim_Iain]

4 hours ago, Mike981 said:

Jim have you ever had goat? I don't think I have, but would certainly try. I love lamb if that is close.

Mike - I've had Goa before in while in Greece.   I would say it is rather like Lamb in taste.   I would expect like Lamb that the important part is that it is young or may be like mutton.

Edited September 10 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

Well I was successful and got both my Covid and Flu shot today.   Unlike yesterday (first day available) with 100's on line,  today there was Zero line and I was in and out in about 3 minutes.

[Mike981]

3 hours ago, billc23 said:

I have met passengers who use their NR OBC to buy alcohol on board. I would rather use it in the casino - and maybe leave with some cash - or tips for the crew members.

 

Since some have brought up their local deals on alcohol... My state (NH) liquor store is similar pricing to Costco with a much wider variety. The state liquor store offer a few programs with stackable gift card promotions that allow $100 to purchase $150 worth of product. No sales tax and no income tax. Much better than any duty free that I have seen.

 

That sounds much better than what we have here in Minnesota. Every city has a different sales tax and then must add 2.5% sin tax on top. Most stores are privately owned, with smaller cities having municipal stores. I believe both stores would have a hard time competing with Costco.

[Jim_Iain]

On 9/10/2024 at 3:31 PM, Mike981 said:

 

That sounds much better than what we have here in Minnesota. Every city has a different sales tax and then must add 2.5% sin tax on top. Most stores are privately owned, with smaller cities having municipal stores. I believe both stores would have a hard time competing with Costco.

 

Interesting to hear.    I think what increases our Costco prices higher than other areas is that due to the cost of living the Minimum Wage in Santa Clara County is $17.75 but Sunnyvale has raised theirs to $18.55.  

 

Currently California has a $16.00 minimum wage and Federal minimum is only 7.25

 

While it may seem high,  one has to consider the medium Rental is $3,200 a month and the Medium home price is $1.6 Million.   

[Jim_Iain]

I'm going to be ending this thread today and will be starting a Live Post shortly.    It will be interesting how effective I will be without Starlink.    My live posts are generally graphic intensive.  

 

If unable to upload pictures I will try to just go with text.

[calicakes]

Hi Jim

 

Late to the party but I'm following along. We jumped ship from X to Oceania in Feb 2022.  We had a wonderful Caribbean cruise on Marina.  The food was great, the service was fantastic as well.  We were in a lower level suite.  The cruise only had 348 people.  

 

Our second O cruise was a year ago, on Insignia.  It was a Bermuda cruise and I found a few things to have declined in quality since Feb 2022.  I noticed a definite downgrade in quality.  I did vlog about that cruise. 

 

We have 1 more X cruise booked and that is Galapagos on Flora in 2025.  I really want to take the TA on Cunard.   

[FetaCheese]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

I'm going to be ending this thread today and will be starting a Live Post shortly.    It will be interesting how effective I will be without Starlink.    My live posts are generally graphic intensive.  

 

If unable to upload pictures I will try to just go with text.

Will be following along on your live from.  Will be on same cruise, and if it's ok with you will Also post some comments.  Was on nearly same voyage last year, and I did a live from that was well received.  I think yours will also be followed by many others.

 

I had no issues with O Wi-Fi last year, even with uploading photos.

Edited September 12 by FetaCheese

[Harters]

On 9/10/2024 at 11:05 PM, Jim_Iain said:

I would say it is rather like Lamb in taste

I've had goat a number of times, both in Spain and here in the UK (the latter both at home and in restaurants). It's sort of like lamb but with much more flavour. More mutton than lamb, I reckon, and all the better for it. For my taste, it lends itself more to stew type dishes. It's certainly more forgiving cooked that way. although chops and roasts are fine if you take good care not to overcook it. Pretty much the same as cooking mutton or hogget in that respect. 

[iowananny]

We live on a small acreage and yesterday coming home from the grocery store was a goat having the time of his or her life running around our lane.  Maybe we should have put it in the back seat and brought it home for some good eating but we knew it was the neighbor's kids 4H project so we make a call and the goat is now at home.

 

But when loose they can go through vegetation faster than you can believe.  They will eat anything and everything.  

 

We have eaten goat and found it to be good.  Most goat cheese around here is chevre but when in the Netherlands we bought some Old Age Goat Cheese at a cheese shop.  It was really good and thought it related to us as we're old age people.

[LuAnn]

56 minutes ago, iowananny said:

We live on a small acreage and yesterday coming home from the grocery store was a goat having the time of his or her life running around our lane.  Maybe we should have put it in the back seat and brought it home for some good eating but we knew it was the neighbor's kids 4H project so we make a call and the goat is now at home.

 

But when loose they can go through vegetation faster than you can believe.  They will eat anything and everything.  

 

We have eaten goat and found it to be good.  Most goat cheese around here is chevre but when in the Netherlands we bought some Old Age Goat Cheese at a cheese shop.  It was really good and thought it related to us as we're old age people.

In San Diego and CA they are using goats to eat the dry vegetation on the hills and in the canyons. Entire "herds" of them!! 

[iowananny]

Oh, they can eat.  I just don't want them to eat my flowers and small trees.

[Harters]

The  North Wales town of Llandudno, is often "invaded" by goats which usually live on the nearby headland. They started coming in to town  during the Covid lockdown when there were obviously very few people around.

 

We visit the town fairly often but I've never seen a goat on the streets.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-66108809

[Jim_Iain]

22 hours ago, calicakes said:

Hi Jim

 

Late to the party but I'm following along. We jumped ship from X to Oceania in Feb 2022.  We had a wonderful Caribbean cruise on Marina.  The food was great, the service was fantastic as well.  We were in a lower level suite.  The cruise only had 348 people.  

 

Our second O cruise was a year ago, on Insignia.  It was a Bermuda cruise and I found a few things to have declined in quality since Feb 2022.  I noticed a definite downgrade in quality.  I did vlog about that cruise. 

 

We have 1 more X cruise booked and that is Galapagos on Flora in 2025.  I really want to take the TA on Cunard.   

 

Thanks Randi and Julie

 

I recall reading you Vlog and was one of the reasons we decided to try Oceania.  

 

One good thing about being a virgin Oceania cruiser is we have nothing to compare.   Across the board I've notice a common theme that food quality and selection has declined, prices have increased and perks have been cut.   I understand that and have to believe that Covid had a major impact on all cruise lines and all are trying hard to rebuild.

 

I would have to say that many of these changes are very apparent on Celebrity and is partially the reason for us jumping ship.