Rare Stockjock Posted Sunday at 07:23 PM #1 Share Posted Sunday at 07:23 PM (edited) As mentioned previously, I’ll be taking my girlfriend on an upcoming cruise for her 60th birthday. She’s put up with me for 10 years, and it’s a milestone birthday, so I figured why not? This will be our first cruise on Oceania. We’re not entirely sure what to expect. I’m concerned that it might be a little boring for her, but there’s only one way to find out. Just got the documents and I do like how they do this. It’s kind of old school, but that’s probably a good thing. I guess my only really minor gripe would be that they give me pre-printed luggage tags and they don’t give them to her. I’m not talking about the tag itself, but the cardboard insert that goes into the tag. But other than that, I think it’s well done. I guess I make my specialty reservations next weekend, so this should be interesting. I hope she likes it, but if she doesn’t, the price is right for her, since I’m paying for it, lol. I wasn’t going to do the drink package, but I’m thinking about adding it. I booked under O Life and stripped everything out, but by the time I futz with bringing wine onboard and paying corkage charges, I don’t know maybe it’s better just to go with the drink package. I do have about $550 OBC that I could put towards it, so if anyone has any thoughts on that, let me know. Edited Sunday at 07:38 PM by Stockjock 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEFIowa Posted Sunday at 07:33 PM #2 Share Posted Sunday at 07:33 PM You should make your specialty restaurant reservations as soon as you can. Don't delay or delay any longer. IF you can make them, do it. Be advised that you will most likely find "better times" available if you share a table. Do note that you can bring beer and hard liquor on board, as well as wine. I do this at embarkation and in ports. But drink any beer or hard liquor in your cabin. And you're aware of the corkage fee to drink your own wine in their restaurants. Looks like you're on Sirena. Just spent 22 nights on her in the Baltic, a B2B, in an inside F and a big C. What cabin level are you in? (The bathrooms can be smallish and people often complain about the showers.) READ your CURRENTS each night, the daily "newspaper", that tells you what all will happen, when and where. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goletans Posted Sunday at 07:39 PM #3 Share Posted Sunday at 07:39 PM My advice exactly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stockjock Posted Sunday at 07:40 PM Author #4 Share Posted Sunday at 07:40 PM 5 minutes ago, MEFIowa said: You should make your specialty restaurant reservations as soon as you can. Don't delay or delay any longer. IF you can make them, do it. Be advised that you will most likely find "better times" available if you share a table. Do note that you can bring beer and hard liquor on board, as well as wine. I do this at embarkation and in ports. But drink any beer or hard liquor in your cabin. And you're aware of the corkage fee to drink your own wine in their restaurants. Looks like you're on Sirena. Just spent 22 nights on her in the Baltic, a B2B, in an inside F and a big C. What cabin level are you in? (The bathrooms can be smallish and people often complain about the showers.) READ your CURRENTS each night, the daily "newspaper", that tells you what all will happen, when and where. We're in one of the larger C1 oceanview cabins in the front of the ship. There was about an $800+ price differential from the C1 to the veranda, so I figured C1 would be "good enough", and I liked the larger size of the cabin. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEFIowa Posted Sunday at 07:44 PM #5 Share Posted Sunday at 07:44 PM 1 minute ago, Stockjock said: We're in one of the larger C1 oceanview cabins in the front of the ship. There was about an $800+ price differential from the C1 to the veranda, so I figured C1 would be "good enough", and I liked the larger size of the cabin. We were in 7055 (F) and 7006 ( big C1). The 4 big C1s are fantastic. So much extra room that I could just open my luggage and leave it mostly open laying on the floor. The launderette (6 washers & 6 dryers, free) is on deck 7, aft. Opens around 0700. Free laundry detergent. We were on vacation for 30 days, including the 22 nights on Sirena, so we did a lot of laundry on Sirena. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitraveler Posted Sunday at 08:15 PM #6 Share Posted Sunday at 08:15 PM Your girlfriend will probably get her own package. My brother got his a day after I got mine. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEFIowa Posted Sunday at 08:20 PM #7 Share Posted Sunday at 08:20 PM And one "small" thing, pun intended... The pool is small, more for walking around rather than swimming. (We didn't use it or the hot tubs near it on our recent Baltic cruise, though we did when we were on her in the E. Carib 11/2022.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMHuntFerry Posted Sunday at 09:04 PM #8 Share Posted Sunday at 09:04 PM (edited) @Stockjock It looks like we're on the same cruise! We booked in August since the spouse was needing a vacation to look forward to...should be fun! We usually avoid the 7-dayers since they tend to be a bit more "lively" than we like, but hopefully this means there will be some energy to keep your GF entertained. I also expect she'll get her luggage tags soon. WRT the drink package, there is the fiscal reason and the I-don't-want-to-think-about-it reason. If you just want to get what you want when you want it whether it's a "deal" or not, the package is the way to go (although it doesn't include high end things like high-year scotch or the tasting events). If you want to run the numbers, the package price includes the 20% grats; there is happy hour (2 of the same drink for the price of 1) at ~5-6pm and ~10:30-11:30 pm in Horizons and/or Martinis; most drinks are around $12-$14 plus 20% grat.; there is at least one evening (Capt.'s party on I would 99% bet on the first sea day, day 2 in this case) when drinks will be free at the party and at Horizons/Martinis; you can buy the package on day 3 if that makes more sense for you (e.g., you won't be sitting by the pool downing 2+ tropical drinks on day 1 and 2). Edited Sunday at 09:04 PM by AMHuntFerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ORV Posted Sunday at 10:58 PM #9 Share Posted Sunday at 10:58 PM Just got my documents also for a Dec cruise and there are two inserts with my name and two with my wife's name. Did you get 2 or 4 inserts? The problem with a drink package is that I drink too much. Oh wait, I drink too much either way. LOL. I kind of like the Simply More plan, I'm fine with the wine & beer at lunch and dinner and supplementing that with a drink in the room, Captain's Party, Repeaters Party, an upgraded wine when dining with officers or FCC, and an occasional 2 4 1 in Martinis at Happy Hour. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stockjock Posted Sunday at 11:38 PM Author #10 Share Posted Sunday at 11:38 PM 39 minutes ago, ORV said: Just got my documents also for a Dec cruise and there are two inserts with my name and two with my wife's name. Did you get 2 or 4 inserts? The problem with a drink package is that I drink too much. Oh wait, I drink too much either way. LOL. I kind of like the Simply More plan, I'm fine with the wine & beer at lunch and dinner and supplementing that with a drink in the room, Captain's Party, Repeaters Party, an upgraded wine when dining with officers or FCC, and an occasional 2 4 1 in Martinis at Happy Hour. 1 insert w/my name only. So far, she hasn't received anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare FetaCheese Posted Monday at 12:09 AM #11 Share Posted Monday at 12:09 AM 23 minutes ago, Stockjock said: 1 insert w/my name only. So far, she hasn't received anything. @Stockjock Curious, does your res include both pax? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stockjock Posted Monday at 12:12 AM Author #12 Share Posted Monday at 12:12 AM 3 minutes ago, FetaCheese said: @Stockjock Curious, does your res include both pax? No, we live separately. So far, she has not received anything at her address. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stockjock Posted Monday at 03:20 AM Author #13 Share Posted Monday at 03:20 AM Since I'll be booking the specialty restaurants next weekend, are there any particularly good or bad days to do this? I think I read that it was best to skip the first night, although I wasn't entirely sure as to why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ronrick1943 Posted Monday at 05:36 AM #14 Share Posted Monday at 05:36 AM 2 hours ago, Stockjock said: Since I'll be booking the specialty restaurants next weekend, are there any particularly good or bad days to do this? I think I read that it was best to skip the first night, although I wasn't entirely sure as to why. Sea days are a little busy--so you should make them asap. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMHuntFerry Posted Monday at 07:10 AM #15 Share Posted Monday at 07:10 AM 3 hours ago, Stockjock said: Since I'll be booking the specialty restaurants next weekend, are there any particularly good or bad days to do this? I think I read that it was best to skip the first night, although I wasn't entirely sure as to why. The advice goes along the lines of "it's easy to pick up an extra specialty rez on the 1st night so don't use an advance rez." However, it's a 7-day cruise and it's wait-listed so reservations are going to be on the difficult (to be picky) end of the spectrum even if you are a late (8:00+) diner (which may be OK since you will be on a PT eating schedule) and willing to share. I agree with ronrick that sea days are often the hardest to obtain. Normally we are just as happy to eat in the GDR (or Terrace if there is a good "chef's night"). We do not follow the don't-book-the-first-night rule since we like to start off the cruise in a specialty and don't usually care about getting additional nights. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoppyVelvet Posted Monday at 10:18 AM #16 Share Posted Monday at 10:18 AM We are on Insignia soon. The pack arrived a few weeks ago and had two pre-printed tags each in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islabahia Posted Monday at 10:40 AM #17 Share Posted Monday at 10:40 AM Our documents came Friday with 2 sets of luggage tags (2 for hubby and 2 for me). I was so excited and it was a great way to take a break from Hurricane Milton cleanup. 😀 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ORV Posted Monday at 05:42 PM #18 Share Posted Monday at 05:42 PM 18 hours ago, Stockjock said: 1 insert w/my name only. So far, she hasn't received anything. I have one sheet with 4 inserts. You only have enough inserts for 1 bag? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 1985rz1 Posted Monday at 05:43 PM #19 Share Posted Monday at 05:43 PM 17 hours ago, Stockjock said: No, we live separately. So far, she has not received anything at her address. Do you each have separate booking numbers, or are you both on the same booking number? Both of us are on the same booking number and our advance packets had always had 2 printed paper tags each. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruzin Terri Posted Monday at 09:19 PM #20 Share Posted Monday at 09:19 PM Just make some copies and insert them in the luggage tag. Not a big deal. Terri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare FetaCheese Posted Monday at 09:38 PM #21 Share Posted Monday at 09:38 PM @Stockjock Are you on the 19 NOV 2025 Sirena ? Have not seen you on Roll Call, but Roll call is really not well attended. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stockjock Posted Monday at 09:54 PM Author #22 Share Posted Monday at 09:54 PM 15 minutes ago, FetaCheese said: @Stockjock Are you on the 19 NOV 2025 Sirena ? Have not seen you on Roll Call, but Roll call is really not well attended. Thanks No, it's in December. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stockjock Posted Monday at 09:54 PM Author #23 Share Posted Monday at 09:54 PM 4 hours ago, 1985rz1 said: Do you each have separate booking numbers, or are you both on the same booking number? Both of us are on the same booking number and our advance packets had always had 2 printed paper tags each. Same booking number, but different addresses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stockjock Posted Monday at 09:56 PM Author #24 Share Posted Monday at 09:56 PM Another question, in the MDR are there some evenings that are "Gala" or special? When we cruise elsewhere, I try not to book specialty restaurants on the formal or gala nights, as I don't want to miss the better than usual food there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare FetaCheese Posted Monday at 10:02 PM #25 Share Posted Monday at 10:02 PM (edited) 5 minutes ago, Stockjock said: Another question, in the MDR are there some evenings that are "Gala" or special? When we cruise elsewhere, I try not to book specialty restaurants on the formal or gala nights, as I don't want to miss the better than usual food there. No formal or gala nights, but night prior to last night ( back in the day on other cruise lines, used to be called Captain's Farewell), they may have an upgraded menu. Edited Monday at 10:03 PM by FetaCheese 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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