Bad Business - Drink To It.

[LHT28]

3 minutes ago, Robjame said:

Hang on to your suspenders:

 

We just spent a half hour talking to a bar tender

 

Bar tenders and assistant bartenders do NOT participate in or share in the gratuities.

 

as I have posted before  the daily gratuity is  for wait staff in dining venues & Housekeeping

 

[Robjame]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

daily gratuity is  for wait staff in dining venues & Housekeeping

We have met several staff who are not joining Vista until the contract after Vista sails because, if they join before the first cruise, there are no gratuities to share.

Edited January 6, 2023 by Robjame

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, Robjame said:

Hang on to your suspenders:

 

We just spent a half hour talking to a bar tender

 

Bar tenders and assistant bartenders do NOT participate in or share in the gratuities. They are salaried. If you tip within the system, they do not get any of that - none of the 20% drink fee, none of your 18 (23) % daily gratuity, none of the added tip you put on the bar tab when you order a drink. 
If you give the bar tender cash, he does keep that.

The bar waiter DOES participate in the tips which is why a bar tender will encourage you to order through a bar waiter.

 

Lesson - tip in cash

- order through a bar waiter

I've told you on the other thread why this information is highly likely to be inaccurate. Naturally I expect the same angry hostile response here that you were so kind to provide on the other thread.

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, LHT28 said:

as I have posted before  the daily gratuity is  for wait staff in dining venues & Housekeeping

 

Correct. 

Bar crew salaries are funded from the 20% auto gratuity on beverage purchases.

[pinotlover]

Robjames;

 

Part of the bartender story isn’t accurate. 1. All drinks come with the gratuity added.

 

2. All such gratuities are pooled.
 

Therefore, it doesn’t matter whether one orders from a waiter or bartender. 
 

I do agree with the bartender on one issue and often repeated it. Cash tips on Oceania given to any employee are retained by that employee and not pooled. 
 

I also agree in essence with NJhorseman. All the funds, including gratuity, received by O are fungible. One shouldn’t compare how their favorite restaurant back homes operates to how Oceania does.

[Robjame]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

All drinks come with the gratuity added.

Unless you are on a beverage package.

 

However I will talk to others (an easy thing to do with bartenders 😀) and we’ll weigh that with article that clearly states bartenders are salaried.

[1985rz1]

9 minutes ago, Robjame said:

Unless you are on a beverage package.

 

However I will talk to others (an easy thing to do with bartenders 😀) and we’ll weigh that with article that clearly states bartenders are salaried.

Technically, the beverage packages includes gratuities.

[roadmaster]

We are cruising on the Regatta next month for 33 days and thought we had reasonable obc of $1600 but looking at the new price list, it won’t go far.

Perhaps an option is to take the Olife House select package instead of the obc and pay the $30 for the Prestige when on board.
Unfortunately we have to convert this to AUD which makes it a rather large sum to spend on drinks but can’t go thirsty.

Noticed on the first post that it mentioned this Prestige package does not include spirits at the speciality dining options. Guessing that is correct??
Cheers

[Robjame]

1 hour ago, roadmaster said:

Noticed on the first post that it mentioned this Prestige package does not include spirits at the speciality dining options. Guessing that is correct??

No roadmaster, that is not correct. Prestige package pays for all but a few spirits at all bars, restaurants at any time thy are open.

The exceptions are XO brandy, some specialty liquors - a high end limoncello at Tuscana specialty restaurant, sake at Red Ginger. However single malts, all cocktails are covered.I had a double Oban 14 yr single malt tonight @ $18 a shot that is covered. All wines by the glass, beers etc are covered. If in doubt ask but if it appears on the bar menus it is covered.

‘Your drink gratuity of 20% is covered. Check the thread NEW BAR DRINKS PRICES AND MENUS. I posted the new bar menus - if you see it, it is covered.

Edited January 9, 2023 by Robjame

[roadmaster]

Thanks for that, and happy about that.

I misread you initial post with the upgrade option showing the exclusions.

cheers

[Pigin]

Please can anyone confirm if they have been able to pay the $20 upgrade prior to boarding when on the House Select O Life option.

 

 

[roadmaster]

I was speaking to Oceania Sydney today and that is not available unfortunately and it’s $30 to upgrade.

Please inform us if you have the $20 option.

[PhD-iva]

On 1/5/2023 at 2:13 PM, ak1004 said:

Our first cruise with Oceania was in September 2018, 10 nights Rome to Barcelona on the Riviera. We paid $4,399 CAD for the inside cabin. Booked 20 months in advance.

 

Checking prices for similar cruises today, on the same ship, a typical price for the inside cabin is around $3,200-3,500. 

 

We recently booked two cruises for similar price (around $4,400-4,600) in the same region, but OV.

 

So at least with Oceania, based on this (limited) sample, the prices are actually down compared to pre Covid.

By quoting prices in a foreign currency (CAD), you’ve introduced another variable- foreign exchange. I’m thinking a comparison using the base currency (USD) could be more informative. Not that I have any available myself.

JMO.

[ak1004]

1 hour ago, PhD-iva said:

By quoting prices in a foreign currency (CAD), you’ve introduced another variable- foreign exchange. I’m thinking a comparison using the base currency (USD) could be more informative. Not that I have any available myself.

JMO.

 

Very good point. However, in case of USD/CAD, the exchange rate is in 1.25-1.35 range since 2015, and I believe Oceania is using 1.25 rate for years, so this is not the reason.

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

By quoting prices in a foreign currency (CAD), you’ve introduced another variable- foreign exchange. I’m thinking a comparison using the base currency (USD) could be more informative. Not that I have any available myself.

JMO.

when I compared the price on Oceania site  in CAD (we do not see USD)   then go & look at a TA site that has it in USD  then do the bank rate conversion

O's rate  has been  very good 

as mentioned it had been  good compared to the bank rate  for several years now

[mexicobob]

On 1/5/2023 at 6:09 AM, Robjame said:

With the increase in the packages and the increase in the bar menu prices, I can’t see a continuation of the generous policy of bringing wine and spirits aboard. We’ll see.

Hope you are wrong at least until April 7, when we board The Riviera.