OLife beverage package

[Woofa]

Most of us here feel that since O treats us like adults and gives us options not found on many other lines, everyone is expected to follow the rules and not try to take advantage in an effort to get just a little more.  The concern of course is that if enough people cheat, O will notice and if they believe enough money is being lost, they will close up the loopholes.  As these can be real money savers for some.  (If you choose to drink only in your cabin and bring on the liquor you want/need you can save alot.). 

Do people on O "cheat?". I have no doubts some do.  Seems a little absurd to me when someone is spending quite a bit already but I am sure it happens.  Those of us who are regulars on this board ask everyone, please follow the very reasonable rules so as not to ruin it for everyone.

enjoy your cruise.

Fyi, while we did not get a drink package, it is my understanding that you have to show your card for each drink to be rung up.  So, they should know if one person is using another's card.

[vlthom]

23 hours ago, AMHuntFerry said:

I think they may have done away with "drink of the day" with the new bar menus and other bar-features (e.g., bloody Mary bar) that debuted earlier this year. I haven't seen the usual ad in the Currents that have been posted; I'll know for sure in a few weeks if no one with better knowledge chimes in.

It's been a year since I've been on board any Oceania vessels but have an upcoming cruise next month so I will see then whether or not the "drink of the day" is a thing of the past.  It wasn't typically the type of drink that I'd order so I won't feel a great loss if it's gone.  

[Hambagahle]

On 5/16/2023 at 8:16 PM, forevertravel said:

Thank you. I guess the select package does not work for us. We cruise on Regent and are used to drinks at all times. I won't pay $69/day to upgrade. I would like to sail on Vista but I'm too used and like "all inclusive" on Regent ships. We all have different things we look for.

We have cruised both - currently booked on Vista in a Vista Suite next April.   On Oceania you will probably get the "limited" drinks package included in your fare.  This gives you wine and beer at meal times (as many glasses as you like).  You can upgrade to the full package which then gives you all spirits wine and beer any time on board.  Cost if you upgrade ON BOARD is $30/day.  So we have a 10 day cruise and the upgrade is $300 per person.   We (on vacation only!) drink a Bloody Mary or Margarita before lunch and have a martini or similar in the evening before dinner.   So for the the $30 pp/day makes sense.   If you then add this to the basic Oceania fare you have all drinks etc included.  (Soft drinks, espressos etc are all free anyway).   Then on O. you pay for your excursions.  We tend not to take many because generally we have been to the place concerned already and just want to do our own thing.   I "guestimate" for our cruise we will do 3 excursions.  And I will organise those myself.  

On Regent you pay an not inconsequential amount of money up front and then if you don't use all that is included - tant pis!  You pay anyway.  Plus in our experience the food on Oceania is a lot better than Regent.  (Though since O. bought R. the R. food has been upgraded).    So that's why we choose Oceania over Regent and perhaps gives you something to mull over..

[1985rz1]

9 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

We have cruised both - currently booked on Vista in a Vista Suite next April.   On Oceania you will probably get the "limited" drinks package included in your fare.  This gives you wine and beer at meal times (as many glasses as you like).  You can upgrade to the full package which then gives you all spirits wine and beer any time on board.  Cost if you upgrade ON BOARD is $30/day.  So we have a 10 day cruise and the upgrade is $300 per person.   We (on vacation only!) drink a Bloody Mary or Margarita before lunch and have a martini or similar in the evening before dinner.   So for the the $30 pp/day makes sense.   If you then add this to the basic Oceania fare you have all drinks etc included.  (Soft drinks, espressos etc are all free anyway).   Then on O. you pay for your excursions.  We tend not to take many because generally we have been to the place concerned already and just want to do our own thing.   I "guestimate" for our cruise we will do 3 excursions.  And I will organise those myself.  

On Regent you pay an not inconsequential amount of money up front and then if you don't use all that is included - tant pis!  You pay anyway.  Plus in our experience the food on Oceania is a lot better than Regent.  (Though since O. bought R. the R. food has been upgraded).    So that's why we choose Oceania over Regent and perhaps gives you something to mull over..

Remember that the limited drinks package available as an OLife option is an add-on cost to the basic cruise-only fare, so the true cost of the full package is $30 per day plus the pro-rated daily cost of OLife.

Edited May 20, 2023 by 1985rz1

[Hambagahle]

And with the O-Life package that came with our suite I just booked 4 excursions.  Total bill after the O-Life package was counted was $138 which is not much at all.   We will buy the full "Beverage package" to cover our drinks, be they wine/spirits or whatever, before we sail.   Frankly I think that excusions to Ephesus, two in Istanbul and one to Delos are worth far more than the "credit" I was given.  And I am a "happy camper" as you say in american.

[1985rz1]

27 minutes ago, Hambagahle said:

And with the O-Life package that came with our suite I just booked 4 excursions.  Total bill after the O-Life package was counted was $138 which is not much at all.   We will buy the full "Beverage package" to cover our drinks, be they wine/spirits or whatever, before we sail.   Frankly I think that excusions to Ephesus, two in Istanbul and one to Delos are worth far more than the "credit" I was given.  And I am a "happy camper" as you say in american.

In the end, that's all that really matters, isn't it?  Happy cruising!

[PhD-iva]

On 5/16/2023 at 3:26 PM, pinotlover said:

They absolutely do not bring both drinks during Happy Hour at the same time! Would you want to sit and be enjoying a gin and tonic while watching the ice melt in the second one? Or, sit drinking your beer as the other one warms up before you?

 

They are brought one at a time at your leisurely convenience.

 

Important notation from above. Drinks from the Premium Package are available when the bars are open. No bars are open until around 11:00, so that Scotch won’t be available until then either. There isn’t 24/7 bar service.

One other option, which I take advantage of during happy hour, is to order a double. During HH I order a double vodka cranberry, and that is my two-for-one price.
On my last cruise that would set me back about $13 daily, along with the $25 corkage fee every other day to open my brought-on-board wine bottles. Along w Captain’s welcome and repeaters party, I think I come out ahead, along w no “pressure” to drink more to “get my money’s worth”.

YMMV.

[phil1107]

The Oceania website shows a sample bar menu with some very expensive drinks on it. It is hard to believe that these are covered by the Prestige Select package but I haven’t seen anything to say otherwise.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, phil1107 said:

The Oceania website shows a sample bar menu with some very expensive drinks on it. It is hard to believe that these are covered by the Prestige Select package but I haven’t seen anything to say otherwise.

There  are lots of sample drink menus   care to share witch one you are talking about ?

[phil1107]

There is a ‘View sample menu’ link at the top of the beverage package page:

[basor]

20 minutes ago, phil1107 said:

There is a ‘View sample menu’ link at the top of the beverage package page:

When I click on the link it shows the drinks menu that we have seen/used on all O ships recently and does not include the special mixology drinks on Vista......all of the drinks, etc. listed on the sample menu are included in the Prestige package (most expensive I see on the list is $14.00 plus gratuity)

[phil1107]

The link must lead elsewhere. The menu I see has nothing under $14. I am in Canada and I assume I default to their Canadian site

[basor]

8 minutes ago, phil1107 said:

The link must lead elsewhere. The menu I see has nothing under $14. I am in Canada and I assume I default to their Canadian site

Yes - I see USD  ..sorry I should have put USD after the $14 (USD)

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/sites/default/files/2023-04/general-bar-menu-oceania.pdf

 

Bar menu from Martinis - all included

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/sites/default/files/2023-01/Oceania-Martinis-Menu.pdf

 

If you are looking at the Premium Spirits menu than no those are not included in the beverage package......

Edited May 22, 2023 by basor

[LHT28]

43 minutes ago, phil1107 said:

There is a ‘View sample menu’ link at the top of the beverage package page:

Yes I think that menu we see in Canada  is not included  in the package

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/sites/default/files/2023-01/Oceania-Premier-Spirits-Menu.pdf

It is  their new Premier  drinks

[basor]

10 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Yes I think that menu we see in Canada  is not included  in the package

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/sites/default/files/2023-01/Oceania-Premier-Spirits-Menu.pdf

It is  their new Premier  drinks

Thanks - I did find that menu (and edited my post) but thought he was asking about drink costs not the high end shelf spirits that have never been included

 

You were correct in asking for a link to the menu he was looking at then there would have been no confusion .....this menu is not for drinks but high end "spirits".  I.E. - I want a whiskey on the rocks but with one of these specific high end whiskies.   I have posted a topic asking for a copy of the Founders Bar menu with pricing and mixology menu with pricing and if someone on board was able to use their prestige package.  This way we will have the definitive answer to price and inclusion., 

Edited May 22, 2023 by basor

[LHT28]

Just now, basor said:

Thanks - I did find that menu (and edited my post) but thought he was asking about drink costs not the high end shelf spirits that have never been included

Well it is confusing  as that is the bar menu  at the top of the page  for  the Beverage package  on the Canadian site  not sure  what the US site looks like  😉

[basor]

3 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Well it is confusing  as that is the bar menu  at the top of the page  for  the Beverage package  on the Canadian site  not sure  what the US site looks like  😉

Interesting because that is not what shows up on the US site.....I had to search hard to find and it was specifically labeled as "Premier Spirits Menu"

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/value#value-packages

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/sites/default/files/2023-04/general-bar-menu-oceania.pdf

[basor]

5 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Well it is confusing  as that is the bar menu  at the top of the page  for  the Beverage package  on the Canadian site  not sure  what the US site looks like  😉

Can you open the links I posted or does it send you back to the CAD site?

[LHT28]

1 minute ago, basor said:

Can you open the links I posted or does it send you back to the CAD site?

The PDF file works fine but the page link reverts to the CAD site

no wonder Phil  is confused  LOL

[basor]

Just now, LHT28 said:

The PDF file works fine but the page link reverts to the CAD site

no wonder Phil  is confused  LOL

I agree !!   Hopefully he will open the .pdf and see that there is a long list of included drinks using the beverage package.  I will keep an eye on my question on this board to see if we get an answer about the high end mixed drinks at Founders Bar....

[LHT28]

1 minute ago, basor said:

I agree !!   Hopefully he will open the .pdf and see that there is a long list of included drinks using the beverage package.  I will keep an eye on my question on this board to see if we get an answer about the high end mixed drinks at Founders Bar....

yes looking forward to  checking that place out   after the bakery of course 😉

 

[basor]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

yes looking forward to  checking that place out   after the bakery of course 😉

 

I agree - if worse comes to worse, we will just have to meander up to the Founders Bar and order something exotic and either be charged or not!   I am so in trouble if they have almond croissants at the bakery every day....and we are on deck 12 so way tooooo close to the bakery in the AM

[1985rz1]

28 minutes ago, basor said:

Interesting because that is not what shows up on the US site.....I had to search hard to find and it was specifically labeled as "Premier Spirits Menu"

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/value#value-packages

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/sites/default/files/2023-04/general-bar-menu-oceania.pdf

Interesting, because what I see on the US site is exactly what Lyn sees on the Canadian site.

[AMHuntFerry]

2 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

Interesting, because what I see on the US site is exactly what Lyn sees on the Canadian site.

Try clearing your cache. The US site used to have the wrong menu but now it has the $12-18 (USD) menu.

[DachshundsRule]

On 5/22/2023 at 6:19 PM, basor said:

You were correct in asking for a link to the menu he was looking at then there would have been no confusion .....this menu is not for drinks but high end "spirits".  I.E. - I want a whiskey on the rocks but with one of these specific high end whiskies.   I have posted a topic asking for a copy of the Founders Bar menu with pricing and mixology menu with pricing and if someone on board was able to use their prestige package.  This way we will have the definitive answer to price and inclusion., 

Did you find the answer to this? My husband likes a Dewars White Label as a cocktail and a single malt scotch after dinner. I'm trying to determine if upgrading to Prestige will cover these. If not, it probably makes more sense just to pay-as-we-go.