Cruise wi-fi

[ldubs]

9 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Maybe I misunderstood.

 

I thought you made some very valid points for doing comparisons.  No worries.   

[John Bull]

On 10/11/2023 at 4:24 AM, navybankerteacher said:

Some lines permit just one or two bottles of wine to be brought on board - and will charge corkage - regardless of where you plan to consume it.  Other lines have no limit on the number of bottles - and will not charge corkage if you drink it in your cabin: certainly IS a “differential perk” - a couple on a fairly long cruise might easily go through quite a few bottles.

 

Our experience is that cruise lines which permits wine to be brought on board (usually one bottle per adult or two bottles per cabin, and only at the embarkation port) don't usually charge corkage if it's drunk in the cabin or on the balcony - only if taken to a public room(restaurants, bars etc).

 

A  little while since we've sailed Princess, but at embarkation port we could take aboard any number of bottles of wine && pay corkage on all except the two.

Handy when sailing out of Sydney, where bottle-shop wine plus Princess corkage cost less than Princess' cheapest bottle

 

JB 🙂

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

 

Our experience is that cruise lines which permits wine to be brought on board (usually one bottle per adult or two bottles per cabin, and only at the embarkation port) don't usually charge corkage if it's drunk in the cabin or on the balcony - only if taken to a public room(restaurants, bars etc).

We are not big wine drinkers and don't often bring wine on board, but in our experience the corkage fees - which been an on and off policy over the years with our preferred lines - when stated as such have never been enforced regardless of venue.  Maybe we have just been fortunate, but the few times we have brought wine on board we have taken to the MDR (and other restaurants) and have never been charged a corkage fee.  Again, this has just been our experience - your results may vary.

[John Bull]

24 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

We are not big wine drinkers and don't often bring wine on board, but in our experience the corkage fees - which been an on and off policy over the years with our preferred lines - when stated as such have never been enforced regardless of venue.  Maybe we have just been fortunate, but the few times we have brought wine on board we have taken to the MDR (and other restaurants) and have never been charged a corkage fee.  Again, this has just been our experience - your results may vary.

 

The time we took a dozen bottles onto a Princess - we declared them & paid corkage when we boarded - then the sommelier in the MDR tried to charge us again two evenings running because it hadn't shown up on his systems. One very embarrassed & apologetic sommelier on the third evening 😛

Other times we've never dared on any ship to take a bottle to the MDR - but we often took in glasses of wine 😏

 

JB 🙂

[cruisemom42]

On 10/9/2023 at 8:04 PM, ldubs said:

 

 

I guess it might depend on what you call very close.    I've never been on NCL.  I've done the calculations for balcony and inside cabins a number of times over the years for our preferred lines.   I'll stand 100% behind my previous comment about these often made blanket statements.   Just to again clarify.  I'm not saying O isn't a great experience for many who choose that line.  

 

 

 

  

I have to agree. I’ve done comparisons many times and the fact remains thar for me (a solo traveler who is happy in an Inside or Oceanview), I cannot find a way to make Oceania prices “in line” with the other lines I would consider.

 

The problem with “apples to apples” comparisons is that they often make you include things in your non-premium fare that you would not voluntarily purchase, solely for the sake of the comparison.

 

I took a first cruise with Oceania in August and enjoyed it very much. That said, even in a dedicated solo cabin and on a good deal from O, the per diem rate is the highest I’ve ever paid.

 

I am on a BTB Azamara cruise right now that is about 40% less per diem; includes gratuities (which O does not); a free basic drinks package that includes mixed drinks and is available at all times (not just lunch and dinner, like O); and provided enough OBC to pay for my internet, specialty dining and several shore excursions. Plus the lecturer and entertainment is far better. All on exactly the same small ships. (Yes, imo, the food and decor is slightly better on O).

 

Will I sail O again? Yes  - but I’ll sail Azamara just as happily and more frequently.