Can you bring wine/alcohol on board and consume in cabin?

[DGF]

I noted many comments on being able to bring wine/alcohol on board and corkage fee of $20 if consume wine in dining room.

 

However, in Oceania 2008 brochures under General Information it states "Alcohol Policy- "Oceania Cruises reserves the right to prohibit and retain all alcohol bought ashore for consumption onboard the vessel"

 

Can my anyone help by providing your experineces in 2008

[Rob & Beckys mom]

I noted many comments on being able to bring wine/alcohol on board and corkage fee of $20 if consume wine in dining room.

 

However, in Oceania 2008 brochures under General Information it states "Alcohol Policy- "Oceania Cruises reserves the right to prohibit and retain all alcohol bought ashore for consumption onboard the vessel"

 

Can my anyone help by providing your experineces in 2008

 

Just pack it in your checked luggage. Roll in bubble wrap & put in ziploc bags. :)

 

Jan

[pondnana]

I noted many comments on being able to bring wine/alcohol on board and corkage fee of $20 if consume wine in dining room.

 

However, in Oceania 2008 brochures under General Information it states "Alcohol Policy- "Oceania Cruises reserves the right to prohibit and retain all alcohol bought ashore for consumption onboard the vessel"

 

 

This will be our 4th Oceania cruise - Miami to Rome - and we have always brought our own liquor on board. We have bought wine is ports of call, ordered wine glasses from room service, and had it in our room. There is a $20 corkage fee in the dining rooms and they treat your wine the same as if you had purchased it, putting your state room # on it and keeping the left over for another day. That is one of the reasons we like Oceania. They only ask that you not consume your own liquor in public areas.

[nowornever]

We took 9 bottles with us on the Amazon trip, 2 in carry on, the rest in checked. Never a question about it. There was no corkscrew in our cabin but we took one along. I heard that others had theirs uncorked in the bar & taken back to the cabin with no problem. Those little bags that our newspapers are delived in at home work nicely for the "final" wrap on wine in a suitcase. We also bought some "wine skins" made of bubble wrap & shaped to fit a wine bottle perfectly. Great to travel with & re-usable.

[Leonid]

We've done 3 O sailings and on each one we have brought vino & spirits when embarking. I also get off at every port and look for a wine shop. Have yet to be disappointed except in Copenhagen. We were there on a Sunday & every wine shop was closed.

What's really fun is when you don't speak the native language, as happened to me in Poland this past spring, and they don't speak English. Pointing sure works.

Especially when you have the Polish currency.

[lahore]

Absolutely no problem, and I also got lots of soft drink to have in the cabin (stuff they don't have on board, like yummy Chinotto from Italy). Oceania, in my experience, wants you to have a good time. They refrain from doing anything to upset you whilst you are a guest if they can possibly avoid it.

[PVCruiser]

I don't know if the policy has changed since early 2007 but in general at port calls, Oceania will allow you carry beer and wine on board without confiscation. Hard liquor if visible on their X-Ray machine will be taken and held until you disembark.

[Leonid]

PV Cruiser - Spring of 2007 cruise we bought spirits in several ports between Rome & Stockholm...did not have a problem bringing them aboard. Did you actually have spirits confiscated or is this another cruising tale?

[eandj]

We pack something minimal to take on board. Then buy things at the ports that we might enjoy in the cabin. No need to lug bottles in the suitcases with Oceania. It's great! Altho we aren't really big drinkers, it's nice to have a "favorite" wine or bourbon on hand for a pre dinner drink on the veranda. Altho, we found we stopped in at Martinis or Horizon too for a change of atmosphere.

[msn123]

Never a problem bringing wine or hard liquor on board...we bought lots of vodka in Russia and the Ukraine to enjoy in our cabin and to take home. Same with wine.

[lahore]

Even though I don't drink alocohol at all as a rule, we bought bottles of Limoncello in Italy and a bottle of Absyinthe for a friend. Nobody even looked at them when we went through security.

[DGF]

Thanks for the help

[dalton]

No Problem! We brought several different types on board for the Amazon River cruise back in November '07. When our initial supply ran out, we purchased more at duty free shops in ports we visited. Again, no problem. We only consumed this stuff in our cabin and did not bring any drinks outside our suite. :)

[lord of the seas]

Are the prices very high for wine on board? if not why go to all the trouble of bringing it on.

[hrprof]

Are the prices very high for wine on board? if not why go to all the trouble of bringing it on.

 

For us, it is not completely a matter of price. We are not into lounge sitting and much prefer a drink (or two) in our cabin before going to dinner - relying on room service for this is a pain. So, we like to stock up before we board. We'll simply pay for wine at dinner We have done most of our cruising with Regent where none of this is an issue.

 

I've asked this question before - where is the best place in Santiago/ Valparaiso/Vina del Mar to stock up?

[Mparis184]

I guess we would also be allowed to bring beer on the ship to drink in our cabin.

 

I was thinking about purchasing 2 six packs in Rio and bringing them with us when we board the ship - do you think that would be a problem?

 

Thanks!

[hondorner]

I guess we would also be allowed to bring beer on the ship to drink in our cabin.

Absolutely. Beer, wine, liquor or cordials -- have at it, with no limits. Do not consume it on deck in a manner that is obvious you brought it from your cabin, and do not try to take it to dinner. I find it easiest to follow the rules and consume it only in the cabin.

[RetiredFL]

However drinks bought on the ship are OK to walk around with. We bought wine at the two for one happy hour and took the second glass into dinner with no probem. The waiter took the glasses from us, put them on a tray and put them on our table. Same with mixed drinks.

[DGF]

Thanks for the additional info

[kruznfool]

For us, it is not completely a matter of price. We are not into lounge sitting and much prefer a drink (or two) in our cabin before going to dinner - relying on room service for this is a pain. So, we like to stock up before we board. We'll simply pay for wine at dinner We have done most of our cruising with Regent where none of this is an issue.

 

I've asked this question before - where is the best place in Santiago/ Valparaiso/Vina del Mar to stock up?

I would highly recommend a stop at the House of Morande winery in the Casablanca Valley between Santiago and Valparaiso. Their wines are delicious and if you can arrange to have lunch there, the food is excellent as well. We stopped there as part of our private tour (arranged by Santiago Adventures) and found it to be spectacular. They have both reds and whites that were very good and very reasonably priced. Also, they have olive oil!

[hrprof]

Kruzn

 

Thanks for the lead. We have arranged a pick up and tour from the Santiago airport to Vina del Mar. While it will be a tad early for lunch on the way, will definitely make a stop.

[Mparis184]

Absolutely. Beer, wine, liquor or cordials -- have at it, with no limits. Do not consume it on deck in a manner that is obvious you brought it from your cabin, and do not try to take it to dinner. I find it easiest to follow the rules and consume it only in the cabin.

 

 

Thanks. We will pick up some beer for the cabin before we leave on our transatlantic cruise out of Rio in three weeks!

 

Marion

[lilybug]

Are the prices very high for wine on board? if not why go to all the trouble of bringing it on.

 

Well, my husband isn't a wine drinker and red wine is my favorite ... however, I am rather particular and love chianti, bordeaux, followed by other Italian reds. So to pay $8 or $9 a glass for a wine (merlot, cab) that I really don't enjoy ... and I guess I feel overindulgent to buy myself a nice bottle at dinner. Also, if you know anything about wine, even though they may offer a huge selection from their "cellar", the motion of the ship is not a good situation for storing wine so even the fine wines are probably not in tip-top shape - only tip-top prices~ Now to find places to buy wine in Athens, etc.!

[DGF]

I would highly recommend a stop at the House of Morande winery in the Casablanca Valley between Santiago and Valparaiso. Their wines are delicious and if you can arrange to have lunch there, the food is excellent as well. We stopped there as part of our private tour (arranged by Santiago Adventures) and found it to be spectacular. They have both reds and whites that were very good and very reasonably priced. Also, they have olive oil!

 

Thank you. Will do and I am sure enjoy

[JimandStan]

I guess I feel overindulgent to buy myself a nice bottle at dinner. Also, if you know anything about wine, even though they may offer a huge selection from their "cellar", the motion of the ship is not a good situation for storing wine so even the fine wines are probably not in tip-top shape - only tip-top prices~ Now to find places to buy wine in Athens, etc.!

 

Lilybug,

Remember that on Oceania, they'll store the wines for you , and even serve it to you in any of the lounges, if you are so inclined. It's one ofthe BEST things about Oceania, if you're a wine person.

 

I would also like to say that , with an unopened bottle of (even really, really good) wine, it takes a great deal of time for the motion of the ocean to affect the flavor of the bottle, so that it is noticable to you or I.

 

Granted, I'd play it safe with a $5000.00 bottle, but on the $100 to $500 level, I'd say you're safe.

 

Honestly, rather than lugging (or even sending) bottles of wine to the ship, I'd make friend out of one of the Sommelier, at an early lunch or dinner. Then, I'd explain my preferences, asking them to guide me through their cellar.

You'll get more flies with honey, as the saying goes ;)

 

We were offered the most amazing '88 Châteauneuf du Pape in Polo on our last cruise for $80, and we never see it at home for under $200.

 

Hope this helped, Have a wonderful cruise

And if you find a great wine shop in Athens, let us know, we're pre cruising there in '09.