Virgin O Cruiser. Regatta Nov. Miami R/T West Caribbean. What now?

[Funcouple]

So, while we've been on several cruises in the Caribbean this will be our very first Oceania cruise. WE are in our mid 40's. Been wanting to try Oceania for years and discovered one cruise that was affordable for us -- and we settled for an INSIDE cabin --- So, we will miss breakfast on the veranda but at least we get to experience Oceania.

 

 

What are some things that we can do to prepare for our Regatta cruise? Reservations for specialty restaurants, onboard events, excursions, etc.?

 

How about things to bring? Anything that would be needed that would be unique to an Oceania cruise as compared to a Celebrity cruise?

 

Any info would be helpful. Thanks....

[JimandStan]

So, while we've been on several cruises in the Caribbean this will be our very first Oceania cruise. WE are in our mid 40's. Been wanting to try Oceania for years and discovered one cruise that was affordable for us -- and we settled for an INSIDE cabin --- So, we will miss breakfast on the veranda but at least we get to experience Oceania.

 

 

What are some things that we can do to prepare for our Regatta cruise? Reservations for specialty restaurants, onboard events, excursions, etc.?

 

How about things to bring? Anything that would be needed that would be unique to an Oceania cruise as compared to a Celebrity cruise?

 

Any info would be helpful. Thanks....

 

Once you have made your deposit, you will be assigned a booking number.

With that number, you may set up an account on the Oceania Website through which you may generally "manage" your cruise:

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/alreadybookedlogin.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2falreadybooked%2fdefault.aspx

 

Through that account you'll be able to monitor when the Oceania Shore Excursions become available, and to book them in advance if you choose to (you'll have to pay up in advance if you do).

 

You will also be able to pre-book specialty restaurant and other onboard reservations, at some point after you've made final payment. The timing of that varies, depending on your accommodations, but you can read about that in your Oceania Account!

 

Otherwise, just pack what you would need for any upscale cruise, which doesn't require formal attire.

 

The entertainment is very low key and the lounges get quiet early, although the recent addition of all inclusive drink packages may change that. :rolleyes:

 

The food is beyond wonderful, pack some clothing which offers "breathing room" ;)

 

 

Have a great trip!

[hondorner]

What to bring? Sodas and other non-alcoholic drinks are included, so no need there. You are permitted to bring as much wine, beer or spirits as you like, both at embarkation and in any port, for consumption in your cabin. You can also take your own wine to dinner, but there will be a $20 corkage fee.

 

I also usually bring a multiple outlet extension to plug in phones, cameras, laptop, Ipad and Nooks.

 

The toiletries are replenished generously, there is a real hair dryer in each cabin, along with umbrlellas, and great robes and slippers.

 

I can't really think of anything else, unless you have a favorite candy or snack, but you probably won't have much tummy room for that! So, bring your happy face (or acquire one once on board, and enjoy! Always gopod to see Virgins on board ;).

[BPCruiser]

What to bring? Sodas and other non-alcoholic drinks are included, so no need there. You are permitted to bring as much wine, beer or spirits as you like, both at embarkation and in any port, for consumption in your cabin. You can also take your own wine to dinner, but there will be a $20 corkage fee.

 

I also usually bring a multiple outlet extension to plug in phones, cameras, laptop, Ipad and Nooks.

 

The toiletries are replenished generously, there is a real hair dryer in each cabin, along with umbrlellas, and great robes and slippers.

 

I can't really think of anything else, unless you have a favorite candy or snack, but you probably won't have much tummy room for that! So, bring your happy face (or acquire one once on board, and enjoy! Always gopod to see Virgins on board ;).

 

Hondorner,

 

We will be taking our first Oceania cruise on the Marina in May and I understand that it is ok to take wine on board for consumption in our cabin, but if we open a bottle in our room before Dinner for a glass and want to bring the remainder of the bottle with us to the Dining Room will they charge us a corkerage fee for a bottle that is already uncorked:confused:

 

Also, what is the plug in voltage in the electrical outlets, 110 or 220?

 

Thanks from a newbie:)

[Mura]

I believe that they WILL charge the corkage fee for the uncorked bottle if you start it in your room and want to continue!

 

My recollection is dual voltage outlets, although on the "R" ships there may well be more of the 110 type than 220. When we were on Marina in October I had more trouble finding 110 outlets than 220. Partly that was because of location -- in our Vista Suite some of them were on the floor which required crawling until furniture for access!

 

Mura

[hondorner]

Hondorner,

 

We will be taking our first Oceania cruise on the Marina in May and I understand that it is ok to take wine on board for consumption in our cabin, but if we open a bottle in our room before Dinner for a glass and want to bring the remainder of the bottle with us to the Dining Room will they charge us a corkerage fee for a bottle that is already uncorked:confused:

 

Also, what is the plug in voltage in the electrical outlets, 110 or 220?

 

Thanks from a newbie:)

Can't anaswer about the wine, although I've heard that some folks do exactly that -- carry the glass of wine as if they purchased in in a lounge before dinner. You could probably get away with it if you ask the stewardes for glasses, because they would look the same as those in a bar. However, to me, it comes pretty close to cheating, and I just couldn't do that.

 

We bring liquors aboard to use as a before-dinner drink or a late evening "settling" drink (for Betsy, I usually have a Diet Cola), and we usually one or two local beers in each port which goes well with some pizza for lunch in the cabin, but we now rarely bring wine aboard. We enjoy our wine with our meals, generally not before or after, and we find the onboard pricing acceptable for the amount we drink. Also, the wines we tend to drink at home would be considered by oenophiles to be of poor quailty compared to the wines available on board; just like the gourmet food compared to what we eat at home, we like the chance to "stretch" a little (at home, we like 2 Buck Chuck when we can get to a Trader Joes, although at our closest TJ in Charleston it's 3 Buck Chuck due to shipping costs).

 

As to the outlets, there is both a 110 and a 220 easily accessible in all the staterooms; I think there is more than one 110 on Marina (and presumably Riviera). I bring a power strip for all the chargers. I have an adaptor for the power strip that will plug into the 220v plug (dual round prongs), and I often use that because all my chargers runb on either voltage. However, I discovered that if I do so, the stewardess will unplug it, because their vacuum cleaners run on 220 (I assume they do so in order to avoid unplugging the 110 outlets, as most US folks don't use 220).

[JimandStan]

f we open a bottle in our room before Dinner for a glass and want to bring the remainder of the bottle with us to the Dining Room will they charge us a corkerage fee for a bottle that is already uncorked

 

Is nobody going to mention what a tacky maneuver that would be?

[orchestrapal]

Is nobody going to mention what a tacky maneuver that would be?

 

Your right as usual!:D

[Mura]

GUYS!! He can't know an answer if he doesn't ask the question. That means he/they want to do what is right! At least that is the way I read it.

 

Otherwise, they'd just take their glasses into the dining room ... which wouldn't help, I suppose, if they want more than one glass during dinner!

 

I myself find it easiest just to buy a bottle of my favorite wine at the outset. DH doesn't help me with it so I usually nurse it out over 3-4 evenings. It's so easy to ask the sommelier to bring it to me, in whatever restaurant we are in.

 

At home I drink at a slower pace but that's because our dinners don't last 2 hours at home! So one glass is fine at home whereas on board the ship I'd prefer two ...

 

When we were in the Vista on Marina and had that lovely liquor set-up I'd have a vodka before dinner (hubby likes OJ). We did bring one of the supplied wine bottles into the restaurant rather than drinking it in the room. We did so because I prefer to drink wine with dinner rather than as an aperitif. In that situation, there was no problem. (As there isn't with the provided bottle of champagne in your room). It's just the wine that YOU bring on board that is subject to the corkage fee.

 

Mura

[First Time 2008]

Is nobody going to mention what a tacky maneuver that would be?

 

Sure it is. But then, so is O's maneuver of charging a corkage fee when they are not corking. None of this matters to me because I seldom if ever drink wine. But for a luxury line to not include even a basic wine with a meal just sounds wrong. Nickel and dining that is uncalled for and deters from the luxury cruise experience. Even Azamara includes wine with meals.

[LHT28]

Nickel and dining that is uncalled for and deters from the luxury cruise experience. Even Azamara includes wine with meals.

HMMMM

You are paying for the wine whether you drink it or not on Azamara

 

I prefer to pay as I go ... so Oceania works for us

 

It is a personal choices

[JimandStan]

Even Azamara includes wine with meals.

 

Even Azamara indeed. That one statement speaks Worlds.

 

Oceania may not do everything exactly as we would wish it, but they are almost universally seen as the standard against which other "upper premium" lines are judged.

[Mura]

Okay, Renaissance really nickeled and dimed. Where Oceania has charged fees, I haven't considered that nickel and diming. Just me.

 

Yes, other lines include wine with the fare but far from all do.

 

I just don't understand attacking someone because the question was asked: if the bottle is already opened, can I take it to the dining room without paying the fee. For those of us who have traveled on O before, we know the answer.

 

Why is it so terrible to ask?

[JimandStan]

I just don't understand attacking someone because the question was asked: if the bottle is already opened, can I take it to the dining room without paying the fee. For those of us who have traveled on O before, we know the answer.

 

Why is it so terrible to ask?

 

Honestly, Mura, I think that your mistake is in choosing to take the original post at face value.

 

Since you asked again, however, this is how I see it

 

Most adults would never dream of "brown bagging it" in a restaurant dining room, even if that restaurant was MCDONALDS. Why? Because it is innately wrong to use the facilities of that restaurant if one is not buying the services that they are selling in order to make their living.

 

Why does Oceania deserve less respect?

Is nothing common sense anymore?

[ksps cruise fan]

We will be taking our first Oceania cruise on the Marina in May and I understand that it is ok to take wine on board for consumption in our cabin, but if we open a bottle in our room before Dinner for a glass and want to bring the remainder of the bottle with us to the Dining Room will they charge us a corkerage fee for a bottle that is already uncorked?

 

The corkage fee isn't really about the fee for the service of pulling a cork out of bottle of wine. It's just a nicer name than "we've-got-to-charge-you-something-since-you're-drinking-your-own-wine-instead-of-buying-something-from-our-cellar."

 

Expect to pay a fee for bringing a bottle into the dining room regardless of the location of the cork.