Flatbush Flyer

OP: Head to Polynesia.

This is the “new” process since the restart of cruising: on line check-in and choose available time.

Pay attention to the actual/significant difference: See Robjame’s above post listing ALL the ingredients in Rose’s: Roses lime juice - Water, Lime Juice from Concentrate (5%), Sugar, Citric Acid, Flavourings, Preservative (Sodium Metabisulphite), Colours (Carotenes, Green S). What is green S? Green S is a green synthetic coal tar triarylmethane dye.

Duh! What do you think is used to make Rose’s?

While Rose’s was popular many many (did I remember to say many?) years ago, no self respecting bartender would use it today.Fresh line with a little simple syrup is widely preferred now. https://www.liquor.com/recipes/gimlet/

New “poster child” for “cruise to nowhere.”

The big picture: Once you’ve reached O Club Silver status, O will start giving you complimentary gratuities. Until then, it is a perk most TAs will cover -either on their own (perhaps from their commission) or (often most likely) from “incentive” funds provided as specified by O directly for use by the TA and/or by a TA Consortium to which your TA belongs. When it is these O incentive funds, you’ll see the designation “OCAPP,” which stands for “Oceania Cruises Amenity Partnership Program,” next to the TA or Consortium name). In some cases (e.g., with multi-segment cruises) you may receive OCAPP gratuities coverage involving both the TA and Consortium. So, what should you do if your O Club status gets you comp. gratuities but your TA/TA consortium have OCAPP funds that will cover them completely? Accept that OCAPP coverage (Oceania and remind your TA (or O if you book direct) that you normally get O Club comp gratuities. When done correctly, your newer O invoice will show complete gratuities coverage by OCAPP $$$ as well as an added line that says something like “O Club $250* (per cabin) SBC “in lieu” of O Club PPG” (per person gratuities). *It is my understanding that, years ago, O varied that “in lieu” SBC amount (even to the point of the entire actual amount of the gratuities!). But, apparently that is long gone and it’s now a flat $250 (unless someone here knows otherwise?).

How about trying all fresh lime juice with a little simple syrup instead?

When the second A Class ship comes online, Marina really needs to focus on the entire Pacific Rim and concentrate on a mix of long and short segments that can be built into custom cruises by passengers. Beyond a selfish desire, I would like to see her home base in San Francisco because she be able to make the shorter seasonal runs as far north to Alaska and as far south to the Mexican Riviera while, along with Sydney, enjoying the ideal start/end points of TransPacific itineraries.

Oops!

One only needs to reread OP’s first line of his/her first post (Oceania cancelled our February 2022 Santiago to Buenos Aires cruise a few weeks ahead of time) and then read the rest of the thread to understand why some folks would reasonably tend to be unsympathetic about such a stretch of the truth.

...nothing.

If you’re unhappy with the G&Ts you’ve been served in the past, you may want to change whatever gin you specify (if any) and stick with fresh squeezed lime juice plus Fever Tree Tonic. FWIW, O’s Martini’s Bars now have Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin. Try it. Of course, they also have old standards like Bombay Sapphire and Hendricks (though, with Hendricks, you may want to swap out the lime and try cucumber - which is a better compliment to its flavor profile. Related to this: Though not easy to find in the US, there are other excellent Irish gins - each very distinctive in flavor. My favorite is Dingle (with the added bonus that it’s relatively inexpensive - though very hard to find).

Could be a glitch OR we could start a rumor about the “for sale” sign being taken down.😉

Remember to stop by the Booze table and get a copy of the Bin End list and “7 bottle wine package” choices.

The first round of reintroduced Grand Voyages (three of them for late 2022-23) were announced at the same time.

Top closet shelf is usually for life jackets (close to door and easily accessible). Rest of space is hanging bar and floor space beneath.

The Zoom type preview is tomorrow 9/7/22 (different times available). If interested, you probably still can register. https://ocievents.com/voyagepreview/register

I really don’t care about what may impress you (and BTW, the person who asked the question was hardly “drowning”). I use the opportunity of overgeneralized and/or unclear posts to provide a vast array of readers with expanded information that may help them (or others who read the thread) with their decision making. What you may not comprehend is that many questions here are catalysts for expanded discussions. But, at the same time, I understand that concrete thinking may not grasp that concept and/or not see it’s value. Bottom line: If my posts don’t help YOU, you can always choose not to read them.

So - this may not be true any longer. There was a CC thread regarding with an O policy citation a few weeks ago. But posts here are saying there was no charge.

there was a thread here w/i the past few weeks and someone did post the O citation. But, I’m not going to look for it. Best bet: bring a cocktail from a bar with you and/or ask about policy before ordering spirits in a specialty restaurant

The O website says no. But, as you found out, all sorts of restart rules have been modified.

Cocktails ordered while in specialty restaurants are not included in the Prestige Package. However, like the corkage fee, there may be occasions when you’re “unofficially” not charged.

Though all of the items you mention are certainly better than the “well swill” you’d get if you don’t specify your booze preference not one of those are “top shelf” Scotch, Cognac or Gin (unless it’s some limited edition or the best product they make). For example, there’s a vast difference in Cognacs - Hennessy VS at <$40 retail in the US and Hennessy Beauté du Siecle at $245,000 (if you could even find one of the 100 bottles made). Premium booze like Hendricks & Bombay Sapphire gins, Lagavulin single malt scotches or even El Tesoro Anejo Tequila are all included in the Prestige Package. It’s always a head-shaker when someone with the prestige package orders, for example, just a SideCar, which gets them some cheap brandy, triple sec and citrus mixer. They could’ve specified the contents for a true Side Car (Hennessy VSOP cognac, Cointreau and squeezed lemon juice- BTW, “make it a double”) at zero additional charge.

Perhaps you’re missing the point of my post, which is meant to inform others (new to O) who may be reading the thread. My reaction to the last line of your post (“So, for us it is Cruise Only Fare (no airfare, excursions, drink packages, OBC, etc.), with wording that could easily be misinterpreted by a newbie, suggests that “only DIY” is an example of erroneous “one size fits all” thinking. BTW: where do you get the idea that I’ve ever said “money is no object.” There are those of us on CC who cruise a lot (perhaps 100+\- nights - pre-pandemic) who have figured out that long cruises on a premium line (with added land travel at each end) is, for our travel preferences, far more efficacious than mortgage payments for a second home in Tahoe or the North Coast and/or varied land only travel -each usually with its own associated air travel (plus ground transport plus meals plus activities - Blah blah blah). One of the things I like most about O is it’s clientele, the demographic of which includes many many people who have worked very hard for their money and, beyond wise saving/investment and/or excellent benefits, knew/know how to best save and plan for retirement. Does any of that description fit you (now or in the future)? I’m betting at least some of it does.