New to the Oceania - looking for info/advice

[iaae22]

Hello! Oceania newbie here! We just booked our first Oceania (this will be our first luxury cruise). We have cruised before with Royal, Celebrity and Princess but I think we outgrow them. Looking for any recommendations you are willing to provide for us. We’ll be on Rivera for 10 night from Venice to Athens in the fall of 2023 in balcony cabin (B2). Thanks! Irina

[Mrs f.]

2 hours ago, iaae22 said:

Hello! Oceania newbie here! We just booked our first Oceania (this will be our first luxury cruise). We have cruised before with Royal, Celebrity and Princess but I think we outgrow them. Looking for any recommendations you are willing to provide for us. We’ll be on Rivera for 10 night from Venice to Athens in the fall of 2023 in balcony cabin (B2). Thanks! Irina

Go to the rollcall for this cruise. You'll meet others who will be cruising with you.  It's usually a wealth of information 

[iaae22]

7 minutes ago, Mrs f. said:

Go to the rollcall for this cruise. You'll meet others who will be cruising with you.  It's usually a wealth of information 

Thank you Mrs f. - already did that but roll call seems very quiet. Maybe because it's still kind off far out. 

[Woofa]

Hello and welcome to the Oceania family.  We are newbies as well with our first cruise a few months back on the newly remodeled riviera.  Looks like your cruise is port intensive with only one sea day so you should keep busy.  We thought boat looked great, service was amazing and for the most part food was very good.  Do try all of the dining venues.  So many things to talk about and lots of great threads and posters here with info.  Let us know what specifically interests you and we are here to help.

Do try Baristas for coffee.

Do try terrace buffet sitting outside if possible when they have grilled to order steak, lamb chops, x large shrimp, lobster tails etc.

Do take a tour of the ships artwork.

Do enjoy some time by the pool.

Do stop by the library for a book.

Edited March 8, 2023 by Woofa

[LHT28]

Have a look  through the threads here  for more info that others have asked  lots of new pax joining Oceania

 Go with no high expectations  & an open mind

Enjoy

Also lots of good info  at

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/

Have a read through

 

[iaae22]

17 minutes ago, Woofa said:

Hello and welcome to the Oceania family.  We are newbies as well with our first cruise a few months back on the newly remodeled riviera.  Looks like your cruise is port intensive with only one sea day so you should keep busy.  We thought boat looked great, service was amazing and for the most part food was very good.  Do try all of the dining venues.  So many things to talk about and lots of great threads and posters here with info.  Let us know what specifically interests you and we are here to help.

Do try Baristas for coffee.

Do try terrace buffet sitting outside if possible when they have grilled to order steak, lamb chops, x large shrimp, lobster tails etc.

Do take a tour of the ships artwork.

Do enjoy some time by the pool.

Do stop by the library for a book.

 thank you Woffa! we'll defiantly going to try Baristas for coffee and terrace buffet. How far in advance we should look into booking restaurants for dinner? WE booked via TA – can we book our dining or she will have to do it for us? Looking for info about laundry options on board and what drinks are included with the fare price.

[LHT28]

7 minutes ago, iaae22 said:

 How far in advance we should look into booking restaurants for dinner? WE booked via TA – can we book our dining or she will have to do it for us? Looking for info about laundry options on board and what drinks are included with the fare price.

The date you can book the Specialty restaurants should be noted on your Invoice

You can book on Oceania website  when the date opens up for you

see post #5

[PhD-iva]

24 minutes ago, iaae22 said:

 thank you Woffa! we'll defiantly going to try Baristas for coffee and terrace buffet. How far in advance we should look into booking restaurants for dinner? WE booked via TA – can we book our dining or she will have to do it for us? Looking for info about laundry options on board and what drinks are included with the fare price.

Oceania‘s cruise only fare includes all non-alcoholic drinks, including specialty coffees. There are two alcoholic drink packages that you can purchase. The lower cost package provides wine and beer at lunch and dinner. The more expensive drinks package includes most alcohol ( there are a few excluded top shelf items) at any time a bar is open or room services available.

Enjoy your cruise!

Edited March 8, 2023 by PhD-iva
Typo

[PhD-iva]

Another great thing about Oceania is you have the ability to bring alcohol on board for consumption in your cabin. For a reasonable $25 corkage fee you can take a bottle of wine to a restaurant and they will serve you during your meal and they will save any unused portion for later.

[mnocket]

9 minutes ago, PhD-iva said:

For a reasonable $25 corkage fee

I was thinking I'm just an old curmudgeon, but the truth is I've always thought corkage fees were unreasonably high.  I guess like all things, what's reasonable to some people is unreasonable to others.  We all have our pet peeves🙃 

[LHT28]

3 minutes ago, mnocket said:

I was thinking I'm just an old curmudgeon, but the truth is I've always thought corkage fees were unreasonably high.  I guess like all things, what's reasonable to some people is unreasonable to others.  We all have our pet peeves🙃 

Just  drink the wine in your cabin  then 😃🍷

[MEFIowa]

3 hours ago, iaae22 said:

Oceania newbie here! We just booked our first Oceania (this will be our first luxury cruise). ... Looking for any recommendations you are willing to provide for us. We’ll be on Rivera for 10 night from Venice to Athens in the fall of 2023 in balcony cabin (B2). Thanks! Irina

We're on Riviera 10/30-11/9, 2023 Trieste (Venice) to Athens. Inside F. We sailed O first time on Riviera 12/13-23/2021 and our 2nd on Sirena 11/18-28/2022. We loved both ships, both cruises.

 

To prepare, read your contract with O that came with your booking. Also, study O's web pages. See their FAQs, for example. Study the threads here. Read some reviews here. And you'll get a full cruise packet from O about 6 weeks or so before. Study that material carefully.

[MEFIowa]

8 minutes ago, mnocket said:

... I've always thought corkage fees were unreasonably high....

We brought our 6 bottles on board at embarkation on both our previous O cruises (Riviera and Sirena). We don't buy any drink packages. And I buy beer, hard liquor and wine when in port, which we drink on our veranda in the evening after dinner before bed. We cruise for the excursions, so we're off the ship when she's in port! And we don't come back till the end, when we have to be back on. Dinner at 6:30 in the Terrace Cafe buffet, when not doing a speciality restaurant, and the comic at 9:30, but not the other shows. 

[YoPhilly]

53 minutes ago, mnocket said:

I was thinking I'm just an old curmudgeon, but the truth is I've always thought corkage fees were unreasonably high.  I guess like all things, what's reasonable to some people is unreasonable to others.  We all have our pet peeves🙃 

I agree.  $25 is high.  I know they should charge a fee but $25?

[WayneLaR]

43 minutes ago, MEFIowa said:

We brought our 6 bottles on board at embarkation on both our previous O cruises (Riviera and Sirena). We don't buy any drink packages. And I buy beer, hard liquor and wine when in port, which we drink on our veranda in the evening after dinner before bed. We cruise for the excursions, so we're off the ship when she's in port! And we don't come back till the end, when we have to be back on. Dinner at 6:30 in the Terrace Cafe buffet, when not doing a speciality restaurant, and the comic at 9:30, but not the other shows. 

I'm curious about your statement about beer and spirits when in port.  O's FAQ says wine only when embarking, and they also say that any alcohol purchases made in port will be held for you "in bond" until the end of the cruise.  It would appear they don't enforce those restrictions, or their FAQ is incorrect and needs to be revised.

[WayneLaR]

4 minutes ago, YoPhilly said:

agree.  $25 is high.  I know they should charge a fee but $25?

Same.  $10 bucks should cover twisting the screw cap off the stuff I drink.  😀

[LHT28]

42 minutes ago, WayneLaR said:

I'm curious about your statement about beer and spirits when in port.  O's FAQ says wine only when embarking, and they also say that any alcohol purchases made in port will be held for you "in bond" until the end of the cruise.  It would appear they don't enforce those restrictions, or their FAQ is incorrect and needs to be revised.

An unwritten perk  you can bring spirits/beer for incabin use

 so far ... until people start abusing the privledge

 

.

[MEFIowa]

49 minutes ago, WayneLaR said:

I'm curious about your statement about beer and spirits when in port.  O's FAQ says wine only when embarking, and they also say that any alcohol purchases made in port will be held for you "in bond" until the end of the cruise.  It would appear they don't enforce those restrictions, or their FAQ is incorrect and needs to be revised.

The O FAQ on their alcohol policy discusses bringing 6 bottles of wine at embarkation. Many others here have stated as fact that they've brought MORE than 6 bottles on then. I stuck to just 6 on both cruises, in an open top fabric-carry with 6 bottle slots. I was the only person I saw obviously doing this for both our Riviera (12/2021) and our Sirena cruise (11/2022). People chuckled and pointed at me as I pushed the 6-bottle bag with my foot as we inched in line at embarkation. I'd smile and say, "Saving a fortune bringing my own on board."

 

While on Riviera the Currents nightly newspaper made mention of bringing back beer, hard liquor and wine from ports. So I did. Pretty much at every port. Did the same on Sirena. I used my nice O-provided heavy-duty tote bag (we were A4 Concierge on Riviera). I'd slide it thru the scanner when coming back on board and they never said anything either time. I suspected a couple times the Filipino security staff monitoring the scanner said something about my alcohol, but they never opened the tote or said anything to me.

[ORV]

5 hours ago, WayneLaR said:

Same.  $10 bucks should cover twisting the screw cap off the stuff I drink.  😀

If you really think the corkage fee is for opening the bottle it's easy to understand why you think it's high. Not picking on you, but it's not about opening the bottle. 

[alcpa1]

I have seen mention of the $25 corkage fee a number of times on the O forum. I am trying to recall when the same fee began on some of the other 6 lines we have sailed. Oceania is not alone in the corkage rate.

 

To the OP,

The Riveria has laundry rooms on passenger decks. There are washers, dryers, two ironing boards, a folding table and seating. Soap is also provided. 

 

[mauibabes]

We have sailed Oceania for over 15 years and I honestly do not recall ever paying anything but  a $25 Corkage Fee.  We have always brought a case of “Good” wines, stuff that might sell for $50-100 from a Napa or Sonoma or Amador county wineries because it makes no sense to pay $25 for a $20 screw cap wine. A nice bottle is always a great way to enjoy a fine dinner in a Specialty restaurant or GDR or TC. 
Enjoy your wine, beer and spirits and the Finest Cuisine at Sea.

Mauibabes 

[jennybenny]

1 hour ago, mauibabes said:

We have sailed Oceania for over 15 years and I honestly do not recall ever paying anything but  a $25 Corkage Fee.  We have always brought a case of “Good” wines, stuff that might sell for $50-100 from a Napa or Sonoma or Amador county wineries because it makes no sense to pay $25 for a $20 screw cap wine. A nice bottle is always a great way to enjoy a fine dinner in a Specialty restaurant or GDR or TC. 
Enjoy your wine, beer and spirits and the Finest Cuisine at Sea.

Mauibabes 

We have always done the same, especially on our 15 day cruises out of San Francisco. We even bought a 12 bottle wheelie bag from Amazon to make it easier to carry on. You can't check it or anything, its not bundled enough, but it works to walk on! Can't say we travel with wine, but in a USA port we usually find somewhere to buy a few bottles. Internationally.... hadn't thought about it, but why not?  

[GregoryPaul]

1 hour ago, jennybenny said:

We have always done the same, especially on our 15 day cruises out of San Francisco. We even bought a 12 bottle wheelie bag from Amazon to make it easier to carry on. You can't check it or anything, its not bundled enough, but it works to walk on! Can't say we travel with wine, but in a USA port we usually find somewhere to buy a few bottles. Internationally.... hadn't thought about it, but why not?  

We also used the wheelie bags for awhile, found them cumbersome and have since moved on to one of these. Have flown plenty with wine. Can also remove all or half of the inserts and use as a regular suitcase. Am on Riviera now enjoying each of the 12 bottles we brought on board (6ea X 2 cabins).

[WayneLaR]

7 hours ago, ORV said:

If you really think the corkage fee is for opening the bottle it's easy to understand why you think it's high. Not picking on you, but it's not about opening the bottle. 

Steady, ORV.  It was a bit of lighthearted, self-deprecating humour about the quality of wine I drink.

[shepherd really]

5 hours ago, mauibabes said:

We have sailed Oceania for over 15 years and I honestly do not recall ever paying anything but  a $25 Corkage Fee.  We have always brought a case of “Good” wines, stuff that might sell for $50-100 from a Napa or Sonoma or Amador county wineries because it makes no sense to pay $25 for a $20 screw cap wine. A nice bottle is always a great way to enjoy a fine dinner in a Specialty restaurant or GDR or TC. 
Enjoy your wine, beer and spirits and the Finest Cuisine at Sea.

Mauibabes 

Going to disagree with you on part of this.  A decent $20-25 retail wine ashore is going to be $75-100 (or higher) on the O wine list if they even have something acceptable to me in that price range.

 

I'd rather choose a wine myself for $20 retail, pay the $25 corkage and know it  has not been shaken up on the ship for weeks or months before I order it.   

 

Related question: how does O store it's wine onboard besides the display racks in the specialty restaurants?