Dining and drinks for suites?

[39august]

Do suites have a dedicated dining room on O, please? If so, what is it like. Do suites get the premium drink package?

[LHT28]

2 minutes ago, 39august said:

Do suites have a dedicated dining room on O, please? If so, what is it like. Do suites get the premium drink package?

NO  you have to eat with the peons

You can have course by course meals served by the butler in your suite  for dinner

you can purchase the Prestige package  like everyone else

Top suites get  a 6 bottle  (wine or spirits)  in their suite 

[Flatbush Flyer]

23 minutes ago, 39august said:

Do suites have a dedicated dining room on O, please? If so, what is it like. Do suites get the premium drink package?

Wrong cruise line for a caste system. 

[ORV]

6 hours ago, 39august said:

Do suites have a dedicated dining room on O, please? If so, what is it like. Do suites get the premium drink package?

Yes, they do, it's called your suite. 

 

FYI, the Presidents Circle in the Oceania Club get the Premium package. I think that kicks in at 60 Cruises. 

[osandomir]

It looks like you have never been on the Oceania ship. To make it simple, there’s no class system on Oceania. With very few exclusions it’s the same for everyone outside of their accommodation. 
 

On the other hand, as it was mentioned above there’re many perks for those who cruise more with this line. Though, separate dining isn’t one of these things. Most of Oceania passengers like it this way.

[GeezerCouple]

24 minutes ago, osandomir said:

It looks like you have never been on the Oceania ship. To make it simple, there’s no class system on Oceania. With very few exclusions it’s the same for everyone outside of their accommodation. 
 

On the other hand, as it was mentioned above there’re many perks for those who cruise more with this line. Though, separate dining isn’t one of these things. Most of Oceania passengers like it this way.

 

One of the few differences "per cabin/suite category" is access to the outside Spa Deck.  I'm only familiar with the setup on the O class ships (the relatively larger Riviera and Marina at this point).  It's automatic for PH and up suites, and I *think* there is one category of regular verandah cabin that has access, but I'm not certain.  Others apparently can pay a daily fee; there may be restrictions.

 

Other than that, it's just about impossible to know if someone is in a top suite or an inside by the way they are 'treated' or where they eat or sit.

 

In suite dining is a real treat, for those with Butlers (PH + up).  But that's not anything that others "see" when you or they are "out and around" on the ship.

Because we love the Specialty restaurants and it can be difficult (sometimes) to get extra seating there, requesting dinner in the suite very nicely solves that problem.  It's also nice if one is just tired after an active day, and one just wants to relax but still enjoy the wonderful food.

 

GC

[Flatbush Flyer]

A related important item for those folks new to O:

On many other cruise lines, you pay extra to get the “better” food in their “specialty” restaurants. On Oceania, the quality of ingredients and preparation is equally excellent across all dining venues. The only difference in the specialty restaurants (which are no extra cost) is the menu focus and ambiance of the room.

[Sthrngary]

20 hours ago, 39august said:

Do suites have a dedicated dining room on O, please? If so, what is it like. Do suites get the premium drink package?

@39august It seems you and I are both NEW to Oceania Cruises.  When I read your simple post/question I fully understood what and why your were asking it.  I am NO expert on Oceania however some of what you post represented is why I choose to take "O".  So here is a "Newbie" perspective based on the extensive research I have done.  What you will find out is that the folks here on this board are really good about correcting statements made so we all are accurate.  That will happen to this and other posts.  

 

I have cruised and VERY familiar with the NCL Haven, MSC Yacht Club and the Celebrity Retreat.  These mainstream "Ship-with-in-a-Ship" concept has been my choice for quite some time now.  All those options have private dining rooms with upgraded quality in both food and personalized services.  The reason is the Main Dining Rooms are not great on most of those ships. Each stated brand has a few nights of Specialty Restaurants or the ability to purchase them if you like. The above mentioned brands usually are packaged with a drink program and some allow you to upgrade that drink program.  It seems, that is what you and I are used too.  That is my assumption.

 

Oceania seems to take a different tack and the more you read on this board, the more you will see path being taken.  The best approach is to establish that regardless of your stateroom cabin, once you leave it, everyone is treated the same.  The cabin you choose will give you some enhanced amenities in that cabin.  That depends on the stateroom category you choose.  For example only.  Penthouse and above has a butler like the Haven, Yacht Club and Retreat.  Penthouse and above can make their specialty restaurant reservations earlier then stateroom categories below it.  To play fair with all guests, each guest get four guaranteed specialty restaurant reservations yet you can dinning in those restaurants every night on a waitlist basis based on availability.  I am specifically outlining a 10 day cruise on the the bigger of the current ships.  If you have a penthouse or above, you can have your butler serve you by course in your suite from any specialty restaurant if you can't get a reservation.  I must also report that most of the reviews of the Oceania Main Dining Room are excellent which is nice for you and I to know. 

 

I know you will like that fact that the water/soda's in your stateroom are complementary.  Now when you book a higher category then Penthouse, Oceania provides choose of spirits/wine in predetermined quantities.  For you and I, this is like the Owners Suite in the NCL Haven.  Oceania made a marketing decision that their guest are not the huge drinkers as one might find on Mainstream brands.  So they offered many choices for a perk.  This can get complicated so if you want a beer and wine package at lunch and dinner, "O" can give you that option.  If you don't drink, "O" can give you the option to skip a drink package and apply the value to OBC or Excursions.  You choose and design the cruise with what suites you and your needs.  It you want what we know to be a unlimited beer, wine and spirits package you can buy it, or upgrade your drink perk option.  

 

The real key here is choices which allow you to only purchase what suite your personal needs better.  I wrote a book here because I have been studying Oceania for quite some time and will be cruising at the end of 2023.  I hope my relating to what I assumed was your question and the reason helps you.  I call Oceania the NCL Haven on Steroids, LOL.  I hope I helped in some way.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[MEFIowa]

12 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

One of the few differences "per cabin/suite category" is access to the outside Spa Deck.  I'm only familiar with the setup on the O class ships (the relatively larger Riviera and Marina at this point).  It's automatic for PH and up suites, and I *think* there is one category of regular verandah cabin that has access, but I'm not certain.  Others apparently can pay a daily fee; there may be restrictions.

Access also comes to those in A1-A4 Concierge Verandas on the O-class. Who can also use their Concierge Lounge on deck 9 (not unlike the Executive Lounge for PH and above.) (We were on Riviera 12/2021 in an A4 and had access to the spa deck with our card. No such ready access from our B2 on Sirena 11/2022. And I enjoyed using the Concierge Lounge daily.)

[GeezerCouple]

3 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

Access also comes to those in A1-A4 Concierge Verandas on the O-class. Who can also use their Concierge Lounge on deck 9 (not unlike the Executive Lounge for PH and above.) (We were on Riviera 12/2021 in an A4 and had access to the spa deck with our card. No such ready access from our B2 on Sirena 11/2022. And I enjoyed using the Concierge Lounge daily.)

 

Thanks for clarifying that.  I was pretty sure there were some non-suite cabins that had access to the Spa Deck.

Isn't there some access for a daily(?) fee?  And are those capacity controlled or otherwise might not be available?

 

GC

[LHT28]

6 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

Thanks for clarifying that.  I was pretty sure there were some non-suite cabins that had access to the Spa Deck.

Isn't there some access for a daily(?) fee?  And are those capacity controlled or otherwise might not be available?

 

GC

You can pay  to have access  if in a B to G  cabin category

just ask the spa manager

[MEFIowa]

12 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

... Isn't there some access for a daily(?) fee?  And are those capacity controlled or otherwise might not be available?

Yes, I believe there is a way to purchase access to it.

 

The "capacity" would be from the available loungers and the size of the pool versus those in it. Never saw anyone monitoring the area.

 

The spa deck "pool" on Riviera is larger than the one on Marina.

[GeezerCouple]

11 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

Yes, I believe there is a way to purchase access to it.

 

The "capacity" would be from the available loungers and the size of the pool versus those in it. Never saw anyone monitoring the area.

 

The spa deck "pool" on Riviera is larger than the one on Marina.

 

We've never seen the Spa deck anything close to "crowded", but perhaps we were lucky.  I *hate* cold water (except to drink), so it's a rare "pool" that appeals to me.  (Ah, one pool in Barbados was *really* warm; what a treat! 🙂 )

 

And on the Riviera, that Therapy Pool is definitely a winner.  For those who haven't seen it, it is *much* bigger than a regular "hot tub", a very different experience.  But it's not really "swimming" size.  And it is nice and warm!

 

From advance deck plans, it seems the Spa deck on the newer ships might be even more appealing.

 

GC

[Woofa]

Just a few notes on the Spa for newbies. We were just on Riviera for our first cruise last month and when we got on we walked around and asked for a tour of the Spa which they were happy to give.  The Spa deck with Therapy pool/hot tub is really the only area where all cruisers cannot go.  The showers, saunas, etc.  Are available for everyone free of charge.  As we were in a B3 we would have had to pay for daily use of the Spa deck but never did so.  Most importantly for us we had an extended balcony already for sunny lounging and the Spa deck really does not have much shade.  No doubt a little quieter than the main pool but really, nothing is all that noisy on Oceania.  Shaded lounge chairs are only available around the pool deck and a few on 13 as well.  These were sometimes hard to get but if you could handle the sun, even sea days you could always find sonething.