Drink Package

[LHT28]

I cannot figure out why O needs $60/day for this package. We have our first O experience in a few months and hope this package works better than what we had on Celebrity.

 

Ok I will play

How does it work on Celebrity & what do you think O should charge for their package ?

[Travelcat2]

Yeah, we get the message. How often need it be repeated? As an alcoholic, I cannot figure out why O needs $60/day for this package. We have our first O experience in a few months and hope this package works better than what we had on Celebrity.

 

While I do not know how the alcohol package works on Celebrity, it works extremely well on Oceania. You are not limited to low level brands and can ask for a double if you wish (note: we only did this in lounges where I felt the martini's were half the size of what we are used to). I think you should review the menu of drinks available on Oceania. You may be surprised.

 

In terms of the cost, alcohol is the top money maker in restaurants, bars and certainly non-inclusive cruise ships. Yes -- people can schlep alcohol onto the ship and sit in their staterooms and drink but, at least for us, we do not take a cruise to sit in our rooms and drink (we don't even do that at home unless we have guests). Oceania guests do not pay for specialty restaurants (as they do on Celebrity). It is up to each individual whether or not the premium alcohol package is worth it or not. No one is going look down at you if you decide against it. For us it is worth it (in terms of convenience -- not the amount that we drink) and we are comfortable with that decision.

[JimandStan]

While I do not know how the alcohol package works on Celebrity, it works extremely well on Oceania.

 

We just recently sent a niece who was graduating from Law school on a Celebrity Cruise in lieu of a Graduation Party, and the Celebrity Beverage package is a true nightmare.

 

One buys in at escalating dollar amounts (the levels are basic, deluxe or super deluxe) and each plan covers cocktails up to a given dollar amount.

 

If your plan covers a ten dollar drink and your cocktail order costs twelve, they give you the choice of either being served a half sized cocktail or having the additional two bucks added to your account.

 

Naturally, these rules require a great deal of explanation, so let us just say that the taverns aboard were seldom tranquil...

 

On a totally unrelated topic, can anyone offer a reliable way to get blood out of silk charmeuse? ;)

[hypercafe]

Once again, you post your knee jerk reaction, which is always a negative-

 

Has it ever occurred to you that NCL gets a far sweeter deal from the Tour Operator because they are dragging fifteen or twenty THOUSAND patrons through those Tours in a given week while Oceania can only promise (maybe) a few hundred?

 

The same goes for the beer, NCL pays a fraction of Oceania's base cost for buying millions of cans per year as opposed to O's tens of thousands.

 

I don't ask you to believe me when it comes to these facts, just look at the progression of the cruise business as a whole.

 

The reason why new Cruise ships continue to get bigger and bigger is that

costs drop DRAMATICALLY with volume, and that goes for absolutely everything from Shore Excursions to Tonic Water to Rug Shampoo.

 

Yes, Oceania fares are not inexpensive but you must add in the value of the smaller ship, plus the far flung ports and the far more upscale environment. It is unfair to ask such a company to compete price-wise, ON ANY LEVEL- with companies such as NCL which are offering 5 day cruises starting at $299.00.

 

It's like asking why La Cirque does not do a $2.50 hamburger

 

 

Once again you argument doesn't hold water. I forgot to mention the airport transfer from X that is 29$, from Oceania 69$. Of course the cruise fare for Oceania should be much higher than NCL and I do not feel anyone thinks Oceania should sell their cabins at 299$ but why should all the extras be so much more? Even Crystal is cheaper, example Internet .75 VS .95 with a 5$ set up fee which allows the computer to log you in, free washer's VS 2$ load.I an not being negative, facts speak for themselves. Like any other business Oceania charges what the traffic will take, I find it odd that the same people that advice me to find a new cruise line if I want cheap shore trips are the same ones that say they would never take them because they cost too much.

[orchestrapal]

Just sitting looking out over the port in Miami. There are 5 behemoths on one side and the little ,beautiful Regatta on the other. No need to discuss which will have the cheaper beer, internet and transfers and for very good reason.

 

Personally they would have to pay us a great deal of money to step on to any of the 5 giants.

[pacheco18]

Just sitting looking out over the port in Miami. There are 5 behemoths on one side and the little ,beautiful Regatta on the other. No need to discuss which will have the cheaper beer, internet and transfers and for very good reason.

 

Personally they would have to pay us a great deal of money to step on to any of the 5 giants.

 

I'm with you

Have a great cruise.

[pacheco18]

Once again you argument doesn't hold water. I forgot to mention the airport transfer from X that is 29$, from Oceania 69$. Of course the cruise fare for Oceania should be much higher than NCL and I do not feel anyone thinks Oceania should sell their cabins at 299$ but why should all the extras be so much more? Even Crystal is cheaper, example Internet .75 VS .95 with a 5$ set up fee which allows the computer to log you in, free washer's VS 2$ load.I an not being negative, facts speak for themselves. Like any other business Oceania charges what the traffic will take, I find it odd that the same people that advice me to find a new cruise line if I want cheap shore trips are the same ones that say they would never take them because they cost too much.

 

The WHY is because they can and this is the way they choose to run their business. Why do you think you should second guess how they run their business. it is not YOUR decision. They don't care what Crystal or NCL is doing, They lead,not follow. Obviously the business model is working. If you don't like the business model, cruise elsewhere. I do not understand why you feel you are owed an "explanation" of the prices. It is what they want it to be. Customers vote with their wallets. Don't pay for what you don't want.

 

AS for shore excursions, I never take the sip shore excursions but Oceania gives me the choice not to pay for them if I don't want them (unlike Regent). If O changed the policy, I would likely not cruise on Oceania. IF you want to take ship excursions and you want CHEAP ones, take a mass market line.

[orchestrapal]

I'm with you

Have a great cruise.

 

Thank you Laraine.:)

[Flatbush Flyer]

Once again you argument doesn't hold water. I forgot to mention the airport transfer from X that is 29$, from Oceania 69$. Of course the cruise fare for Oceania should be much higher than NCL and I do not feel anyone thinks Oceania should sell their cabins at 299$ but why should all the extras be so much more? Even Crystal is cheaper, example Internet .75 VS .95 with a 5$ set up fee which allows the computer to log you in, free washer's VS 2$ load.I an not being negative, facts speak for themselves. Like any other business Oceania charges what the traffic will take, I find it odd that the same people that advice me to find a new cruise line if I want cheap shore trips are the same ones that say they would never take them because they cost too much.

 

Hey hypercafe: from your profile, it looks like you're a New Yorker. I grew up in Brooklyn and expect that, like me, your mantra is "never pay retail."

That said, there is a question of quality here and you have agreed that Oceania should cost more than NCL. But, then you do an O comparison to Crystal as regards the amenities like airport transfers.

With quality equal, getting dollar value for any large purchase, whether it's a cruise or a car, all boils down to the "parking lot price," i.e., the best bottom line price "out the door."

 

We recently booked our first cruise since retiring and looked at lines including O, Crystal, Regent, etc.

In considering price, we created a bottom line with cabin, drink package, tips, ship excursions, etc.

I found that, while some individual items (like excursions and drinks) were more on O, the cabin prices, kept the "bottom line" significantly lower on O. As has been pointed out in previous posts, some lines build the profit into the cabin price.

 

In our case, this was an easy choice: great food, service, amenities etc. with a bottom line "ALL inclusive" price on O that is clearly cheaper than Regent et al.. Add a couple of thousand bucks in price reductions, credits, and OBC arranged by our TA and we're actually paying HAL or Princess prices for O including the drinks and everything else.

So, in the immortal words of my ancestors: fugetaboudit!

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[pacheco18]

Hey hypercafe: from your profile, it looks like you're a New Yorker. I grew up in Brooklyn and expect that, like me, your mantra is "never pay retail."

That said, there is a question of quality here and you have agreed that Oceania should cost more than NCL. But, then you do an O comparison to Crystal as regards the amenities like airport transfers.

With quality equal, getting dollar value for any large purchase, whether it's a cruise or a car, all boils down to the "parking lot price," i.e., the best bottom line price "out the door."

 

We recently booked our first cruise since retiring and looked at lines including O, Crystal, Regent, etc.

In considering price, we created a bottom line with cabin, drink package, tips, ship excursions, etc.

I found that, while some individual items (like excursions and drinks) were more on O, the cabin prices, kept the "bottom line" significantly lower on O. As has been pointed out in previous posts, some lines build the profit into the cabin price.

 

In our case, this was an easy choice: great food, service, amenities etc. with a bottom line "ALL inclusive" price on O that is clearly cheaper than Regent et al.. Add a couple of thousand bucks in price reductions, credits, and OBC arranged by our TA and we're actually paying HAL or Princess prices for O including the drinks and everything else.

So, in the immortal words of my ancestors: fugetaboudit!

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Hey -- I'm a native New Yorker too.

"Never pay retail" (my mantra) only works when you can get the IDENTICAL thing at a lower price.

If I want Oceania, I have to pay the price (and like you take advantage of whatever my TA can do for me). But I do not have to pay for their excursions or their transfers which are WAY more than retail. LOL

[Wendy The Wanderer]

...

 

On a totally unrelated topic, can anyone offer a reliable way to get blood out of silk charmeuse? ;)

 

Start by getting cold water into the stain as quickly as possible, if you haven't done that already, and if it's washable. The rest is voodoo, as far as I'm concerned. Perhaps just wash the stain gently by hand with something like Woolite. Or take it to the dry cleaners if it's not washable.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Hey -- I'm a native New Yorker too.

 

"Never pay retail" (my mantra) only works when you can get the IDENTICAL thing at a lower price.

 

If I want Oceania, I have to pay the price (and like you take advantage of whatever my TA can do for me). But I do not have to pay for their excursions or their transfers which are WAY more than retail. LOL

 

Of course you can mix and match.

 

My point to hypercafe was a bottom line price if you used everything as supplied by the cruise line. O makes out on amenity charges while Celebrity makes out on cabin prices. In your post above, you make my point even stronger: you don't have to use (or pay for) O's excursions or drink packages (thereby lowering your costs further) while on other luxury lines you are paying for them in an "all inclusive" price, whether you want them or not.

Perhaps, an analogy is in order here:

If you price out a Mercedes 8 cylinder XXX model vs the 6 cylinder version of the same XXX model including the addition of all the factory options on the 6, which happen to be standard on the 8, you'll notice that the price is almost the same. Luxury line is the 8 cylinder while O is the 6. Only in this case, the 6 with all the factory options costs far less than the 8. And you can decide whether you want some of the options from the factory or (for some items like a high end stereo system) added on as aftermarket from the vendor of your choice.

As you have said before, the price is the price. All I'm saying is that: if you do go ahead and compare oranges to oranges (I.e., everything supplied by the cruise line whether included or optional), O is less expensive than Regent ey al.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[pacheco18]

Start by getting cold water into the stain as quickly as possible, if you haven't done that already, and if it's washable. The rest is voodoo, as far as I'm concerned. Perhaps just wash the stain gently by hand with something like Woolite. Or take it to the dry cleaners if it's not washable.

 

Clorox 2 is great at getting out blood stains. just put some on with a Qtip

[LoveBora]

We will be going on our first Oceania cruise next April. We are trying to understand the drink packages. Am I correct in that bottles of wine are not included in the Prestige package, only glasses of wine? Does anyone have a list of the wines that are available in the Prestige package? Typically, we prefer to order bottles of wine so can someone give us the price of just one bottle, of say a Russian River Pinot Noir. Any type of wine will do but we'd like to know what varietal and the winery. Thanks so much for your help.

[Flatbush Flyer]

We will be going on our first Oceania cruise next April. We are trying to understand the drink packages. Am I correct in that bottles of wine are not included in the Prestige package, only glasses of wine? Does anyone have a list of the wines that are available in the Prestige package? Typically, we prefer to order bottles of wine so can someone give us the price of just one bottle, of say a Russian River Pinot Noir. Any type of wine will do but we'd like to know what varietal and the winery. Thanks so much for your help.

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/documents/wine-lists/Terrace-Cafe-Wine-List.pdf This appears to be the basic wine-by-the-glass list. Don't know if they sell the likes of Gary Farrell or other higher quality NorCal or Oregon Pinot Noirs. But, if they do, I'm betting we're talking monster markup. Though not exactly what you're looking for, try the Frescobaldi Tuscan and the DonnaFugata white. Both are very good wines. Also, I seem to remember seeing a spirits list somewhere and they do have hendrick's gin and some other premiums.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[LHT28]

We will be going on our first Oceania cruise next April. We are trying to understand the drink packages. Am I correct in that bottles of wine are not included in the Prestige package, only glasses of wine?

 

You are correct only wine by the glass in the drink packages

Here is a list but always subject to change

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/beveragepackages/

 

As mentioned elsewhere in the forum they do have a list of wine by the bottle a certain discount % depending on how many you purchase

Some cruises also have a wine bazzar with single bottles for sale discounted prices

Edited April 19, 2014 by LHT28

[pacheco18]

We will be going on our first Oceania cruise next April. We are trying to understand the drink packages. Am I correct in that bottles of wine are not included in the Prestige package, only glasses of wine? Does anyone have a list of the wines that are available in the Prestige package? Typically, we prefer to order bottles of wine so can someone give us the price of just one bottle, of say a Russian River Pinot Noir. Any type of wine will do but we'd like to know what varietal and the winery. Thanks so much for your help.

 

In case you are not aware, you are not required to decide whether you want the drink package before your sailing. You can decide once you get on board when you will have a chance to look at the updated offerings.

[hypercafe]

Hey hypercafe: from your profile, it looks like you're a New Yorker. I grew up in Brooklyn and expect that, like me, your mantra is "never pay retail."

That said, there is a question of quality here and you have agreed that Oceania should cost more than NCL. But, then you do an O comparison to Crystal as regards the amenities like airport transfers.

With quality equal, getting dollar value for any large purchase, whether it's a cruise or a car, all boils down to the "parking lot price," i.e., the best bottom line price "out the door."

 

We recently booked our first cruise since retiring and looked at lines including O, Crystal, Regent, etc.

In considering price, we created a bottom line with cabin, drink package, tips, ship excursions, etc.

I found that, while some individual items (like excursions and drinks) were

more on O, the cabin prices, kept the "bottom line" significantly lower on O. As has been pointed out in previous posts, some lines build the profit into the cabin price.

 

In our case, this was an easy choice: great food, service, amenities etc. with a bottom line "ALL inclusive" price on O that is clearly cheaper than Regent et al.. Add a couple of thousand bucks in price reductions, credits, and OBC

 

arranged by our TA and we're actually paying HAL or Princess prices for O including the drinks and everything else.

So, in the immortal words of my ancestors: fugetaboud

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums[/quote

 

 

Yes I am a born and bread New Yorker and I still live here, I never could get used to being dependent on a car and I like walking to the cruise port. After 911 the cruise industry here has really expanded to getting a trip to the warm weather in the middle of Janruary. I cruise Oceania along with many other lines. I buy their drinks, take their shore trips, use their Internet and in general give them lots of money per trip. I was trying to say that they are overpriced on all things that are not included IMO and I am not so sure they are such a great value for the money but my wife likes the art class so we go!! I challenge all the cheerleaders to show me one thing they are cheaper than other lines no matter what type. They charge what they do and fill their ships so more power to them. To cover all bases I like the shows, in fact think some are great and feel the food is good to excellent. The problem I have here is I say negative things about them and that is a no,no for some but FDR likes me because I keep giving him my money, go figure!!

[las313]

We want to bring some wine for our cabin in June. What is the best way to bring it aboard? If we send a box thru or a soft ice chest, will it go ok? Or should I worry about the bottles breaking?

[Flatbush Flyer]

I think no one is disagreeing with hypercafe regarding the high cost of O amenities. However, if they lowered the amenity prices and then raised the cabin prices to make up the loss, O would still be less expensive than the "luxury" lines. That said, I understand the grunting. I grunt too when I find something is overvalued AND then I eventually find a better deal afterwards. Recognize, however, that by "better deal" I'm not always looking at price alone. The right vendor can make a world of difference with service despite a higher price.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Flatbush Flyer]

We want to bring some wine for our cabin in June. What is the best way to bring it aboard? If we send a box thru or a soft ice chest, will it go ok? Or should I worry about the bottles breaking?

 

 

You can buy styrofoam bottle containers (used for shipping) in different quantity sizes at wine shops. However, they are bulky. Also, if you know anyone who is a "club member" at a winery, you could ask them for the packing spacers that their recent shipment used.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[oceanbill457]

LoveBora

We are in San Diego and were on the March 26 Tahiti cruise if that is the one you are taking next April. I would be glad to fill you in on the details including the drink package. Contact me at oceanbill@san.rr.com if interested.

[bonefishbruce]

We will be going on our first Oceania cruise next April. We are trying to understand the drink packages. Am I correct in that bottles of wine are not included in the Prestige package, only glasses of wine? Does anyone have a list of the wines that are available in the Prestige package? Typically, we prefer to order bottles of wine so can someone give us the price of just one bottle, of say a Russian River Pinot Noir. Any type of wine will do but we'd like to know what varietal and the winery. Thanks so much for your help.

 

I see that others have provided links to the wine by the glass menu. If you want to see the full wine list, navigate to Oceania, click your ship, and "Fine Dining", restaurant name, and then click on wine list. The basic menu is the same in all restaurants but the specialty restaurants do have a few additions. Unfortunately, prices are not given. My experience last year was that glasses ran from $8.00 to $12.00 and the corresponding bottle price was around $30 to $52.00. I would expect an increase this year. Perhaps some recent cruisers can provide an update. I'm used to drinking wines at that price point and found the selections well chosen and quite enjoyable. Those who are used to spending more seem less impressed. Don't lock yourself into a plan unless you're sure you will enjoy the product.

[LoveBora]

Thank you everyone for your very helpful responses to my questions. It looks like a drink package may be the way to go. We know wine retail prices here at home and certainly expect markups, but it sounds like wines by the bottle on Oceania would be a rip off.