Premium Beverage Package

[PSR]

We may be going on an Oceania cruise in June 2022.  We have selected the basic beverage package but found out it can only be used for meals and may want to upgrade to the higher (premium (name?)) package. If we choose that, is there a price limit for the cocktail/wine by the glass choices, such as $12+/-? I did find a 2019 bar price list online to get an idea for beverage prices. We are newbies.  Thanks for any info!

[basor]

32 minutes ago, PSR said:

We may be going on an Oceania cruise in June 2022.  We have selected the basic beverage package but found out it can only be used for meals and may want to upgrade to the higher (premium (name?)) package. If we choose that, is there a price limit for the cocktail/wine by the glass choices, such as $12+/-? I did find a 2019 bar price list online to get an idea for beverage prices. We are newbies.  Thanks for any info!

We have taken the basic beverage package as our Olife choice and then upgraded once on board.  With the upgraded package you can order any alcoholic drink at any time (including room service) with only a few high-end cognacs and single malt whiskeys excluded.  This last cruise we did not upgrade upon embarking because the first 11 days were port intensive, and we knew we would only be drinking wine during mealtimes.  Our idea was to upgrade to the prestige package once we started our trans-Atlantic portion of the cruise (one nice thing about O is that you can upgrade at any time during the cruise and both people do not have to upgrade but once you upgrade it is for the remaining days of the cruise).  Surprisingly we found no need to upgrade -  the basic package is available during meal service hours and includes beer, wine, champagne and port.  We could order champagne with breakfast while sitting out on Terrace, wine with lunch at Terrace, Waves or the GD and then more wine at Waves before closing at 4, then wine and port at any dining venue in the evening.   Pair that with the liquor we had brought on board to enjoy out on our balcony, we did not need to upgrade.  Of course, that only works if you do not drink spirits and do not want to sit at one of the bars and enjoy a glass anytime of the day or night.  Add in the happy hours with BOGO, we could enjoy the occasional martini or other spirit for less than the $20.00 per person per day to upgrade.    I hope this helps you understand

[Clutj]

I can never get the search function to work…

[ORV]

One thing you will find in other topics on this is that the wines by the glass are the same whether you're on the Basic or Prestige package. There are no better choices on the upgraded package by the glass. The difference is you can get them anytime you want, and are not limited to meals. 

[Clutj]

No price limit on the cocktails or wine.  Unlike some lines that charge you the extra over $14 or whatever.  You can also get doubles on cocktails.  Package includes the 20% tip, a real savings, so included that in your evaluation.  Only drinks not included are sakis in Red Ginger and some scotches in Polo.  Some high cost brandies ARE INCLUDED.  Also you get 15% off bottles of wine, but there is a 20% tip that gets added on those bottles. 
 

Recent BTG list:

 

IMG_1533.HEICIMG_1533.HEIC

[ronrick1943]

1 hour ago, basor said:

We have taken the basic beverage package as our Olife choice and then upgraded once on board.  With the upgraded package you can order any alcoholic drink at any time (including room service) with only a few high-end cognacs and single malt whiskeys excluded.  This last cruise we did not upgrade upon embarking because the first 11 days were port intensive, and we knew we would only be drinking wine during mealtimes.  Our idea was to upgrade to the prestige package once we started our trans-Atlantic portion of the cruise (one nice thing about O is that you can upgrade at any time during the cruise and both people do not have to upgrade but once you upgrade it is for the remaining days of the cruise).  Surprisingly we found no need to upgrade -  the basic package is available during meal service hours and includes beer, wine, champagne and port.  We could order champagne with breakfast while sitting out on Terrace, wine with lunch at Terrace, Waves or the GD and then more wine at Waves before closing at 4, then wine and port at any dining venue in the evening.   Pair that with the liquor we had brought on board to enjoy out on our balcony, we did not need to upgrade.  Of course, that only works if you do not drink spirits and do not want to sit at one of the bars and enjoy a glass anytime of the day or night.  Add in the happy hours with BOGO, we could enjoy the occasional martini or other spirit for less than the $20.00 per person per day to upgrade.    I hope this helps you understand

Yes if you drink the better package works. 

[PSR]

Thank you all! On cruises we drink more cocktails in the evening than wine, so the prestige package will probably be a good choice. We only have a glass of wine with dinner at home, and don't usually drink much more on a cruise. We usually don't drink in the AM or afternoon, even on a cruise.

 

 

[PSR]

4 hours ago, Clutj said:

I can never get the search function to work…

 

The search function is a little hard to use; you have to be pretty specific in your search words. Use "and" to search for 2 words. Like "beverage and package" instead of "beverage package". With the latter you get everything with beverage OR package. The best thing to do is when it asks you to "search in", choose "This Forum" if you want to search Oceania, for example, or choose "This Topic" if you want to search within a certain thread on the Oceania (I think this is the right order). Hope this helps. I am not a real expert in this.🙂

[Host Jazzbeau]

7 hours ago, PSR said:

 

The search function is a little hard to use; you have to be pretty specific in your search words. Use "and" to search for 2 words. Like "beverage and package" instead of "beverage package". With the latter you get everything with beverage OR package. The best thing to do is when it asks you to "search in", choose "This Forum" if you want to search Oceania, for example, or choose "This Topic" if you want to search within a certain thread on the Oceania (I think this is the right order). Hope this helps. I am not a real expert in this.🙂

There is another way to accomplish this:  choose the 'All of my search term words' option.

[beardedshark]

the bottom line is if you want 2 or more drinks outside of meal times it is really worth it

[Flatbush Flyer]

13 hours ago, Clutj said:

I can never get the search function to work…

It uses Boolean search.

[LHT28]

sometimes it is just as easy to answer the question  even if it has been ask a thousand times before 🤔

 If you do not want to answer just move on ..no need to be snarky

JMO

[govanguy]

Great Stirrup Cay. If you purchase the upgraded package onboard, can this be used to facilitate alcohol abuse on Great Stirrup Quay at no further cost?

[Hawaiidan]

A suggestion     Do not sign up for the full package till  the 2nd or day   ( you can)  You do not have to pre purchase.    Your purchase/ up grade can be done at any time during the cruise.

 

See what you actually  drink and  compare it to the package value.   In this way you have a "base line" of actual costs to compare  your savings and if it is going to work for you.     See what you really do VS  what you think you might.     We are all different   

 

 Be aware too that once you sign up you can not cancel till the cruise is over.      In calculation consider cruises  linger than 14 days, there is a tendency to drink  less and less the longer your on the ship.    

 

By the way  the added gratuity is 18% not 20.       Too be advised when in Spanish  waters there will be VAT  tax added to you purchases.   ( some other countries may also l do this...  be aware.

 

[Hawaiidan]

5 hours ago, govanguy said:

Great Stirrup Cay. If you purchase the upgraded package onboard, can this be used to facilitate alcohol abuse on Great Stirrup Quay at no further cost?

it is for  on th the ship jimmie.

[PhD-iva]

Another good reason to wait until the second or even third day of the cruise before you sign up for the beverage package is that you are charged the full cost on the first day, even though you’re not on board the ship until early afternoon. Also, there is a captains welcome event when alcohol flows freely at the bars at no cost. Not sure if everything is included, but it’s widely available (unlike on celebrity where it was so hard pre-covid to access a bartender, IME). 
Enjoy!

[LHT28]

10 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

By the way  the added gratuity is 18% not 20.      

Are you  sure?

 On recent posted bottled wine menus it is noted 20% gratuity

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 minute ago, PhD-iva said:

Another good reason to wait until the second or even third day of the cruise before you sign up for the beverage package is that you are charged the full cost on the first day, even though you’re not on board the ship until early afternoon. Also, there is a captains welcome event when alcohol flows freely at the bars at no cost. Not sure if everything is included, but it’s widely available (unlike on celebrity where it was so hard pre-covid to access a bartender, IME). 
Enjoy!

You can order pretty much anything at captain’s and o club parties.

[Flatbush Flyer]

10 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

A suggestion     Do not sign up for the full package till  the 2nd or day   ( you can)  You do not have to pre purchase.    Your purchase/ up grade can be done at any time during the cruise.

 

See what you actually  drink and  compare it to the package value.   In this way you have a "base line" of actual costs to compare  your savings and if it is going to work for you.     See what you really do VS  what you think you might.     We are all different   

 

 Be aware too that once you sign up you can not cancel till the cruise is over.      In calculation consider cruises  linger than 14 days, there is a tendency to drink  less and less the longer your on the ship.    

 

By the way  the added gratuity is 18% not 20.       Too be advised when in Spanish  waters there will be VAT  tax added to you purchases.   ( some other countries may also l do this...  be aware.

 

Bar gratuity is now 20% (got plenty of receipts for proof!).

Pretty sure spa is 18% and “cabins” (at least Bs) are still 16% pp.

[LHT28]

3 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Bar gratuity is now 20% (got plenty of receipts for proof!).

Pretty sure spa is 18% and “cabins” (at least Bs) are still 16% pp.

Spa is now 20%

 16%  pp that is  a hefty gratuity 😉

 

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005307374-How-much-are-Gratuities-and-can-they-be-prepaid-

 

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

Spa is now 20%

 16%  pp that is  a hefty gratuity 😉

 

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005307374-How-much-are-Gratuities-and-can-they-be-prepaid-

 

 

Oops - make that $16 USD pp not % for the B cabin.
Both my and DW’s spa receipts this week say 18% service charge. Perhaps the 2% difference is the “good looking” bonus discount and also the reason why the young lady kept calling me Mr Clooney(?).

[ORV]

17 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

You can order pretty much anything at captain’s and o club parties.

Well no, my drink of choice is Single Malt scotch. I haven't been able to get one of those at either function in 6 or 7 years. Used to be no issue. 

10 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

it is for  on th the ship jimmie.

Not sure how this works at all of the private islands, but my one experience when I did have the package and we stopped at a private island(forget which one, that happens when you have the drink package) was that we did have drinks included there. Instead of running your card they wrote your name and cabin number down. 

[navelgunner]

I find these threads on drink packages fascinating.  They remind me of the old trope that if you can afford a very expensive car, you can afford the price of premium gasoline to run it. 😃

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Bar gratuity is now 20% (got plenty of receipts for proof!).

Pretty sure spa is 18% and “cabins” (at least Bs) are still 16% pp.

Thanks for the correction.....  20% !!!                What is the PH pp/pd?       $$  not % ?    

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, navelgunner said:

I find these threads on drink packages fascinating.  They remind me of the old trope that if you can afford a very expensive car, you can afford the price of premium gasoline to run it. 😃

Ya....I see your point  people lay out 8000-12,000 a week  but scream at a  drink cost.     At the local Mercedes dealer, in the waiting room, they have coffee , soda and cookies.      Some ladies  bring in a shopping bag and take home bottles of soda and cookies while their 600SE/ANGMG  is being serviced........ amazing  about people. .......       

 

 Navalgunner....here is Pix to warm your heart 

Edited January 27, 2022 by Hawaiidan