drinks on Oceania

[chazaroo]

Ok so from what I've read drinks are expensive and the service charge/tip is automatically added to the bill. Same as Celebrity. So how much are the drinks? Do I need to get a second morgage before ordering at the bar? Or maybe I could sell off some of our furniture...

[goeurope]

Um....Just how much drinking do you intend to do? :-)

[chazaroo]

I guess that depends on the price.

[Merriem]

I did not drink at the bar, as we had wine in our cabin. That saved a considerable amount. At dinner I would order a glass a wine, small at that, and the cheapest white wine was $6.75. Plus the 18%.

Celebrity was not nearly that high.

[Brahmama]

I had read on another post that wine by the glass was a "large" glass of very nice wine for about $8.00

Of course I guess it depends on the size of "small" and "large" which can varry in everyone's mind.

I really do like to have a glass of wine with my meals. :D

[Jane110]

We were on the Oceania inaugural cruise and if memory serves me right, drinks were about $10.00 each. I thought that was extremely high and their defense was that it's the same price as in a classy bar in a city like NY, LA or Miami. Personally, I don't agree with the logic and it only caused us to buy less drinks.

We were on the Grand Princess last week and drinks were about $5. each. We had no problems with that and Princess made a lot more from our bar tab than Oceania did. Princess even offers a drink of the day daily, that was about $1.50 less than the usual price.

I don't recall the price of wine by the glass on Princess, but it was extremely reasonable. We chose to order bottles (again, very fairly priced) and keep anything not consumed for the next evening.

[ClaudiaF]

Welcome back Jane dahlink!
Tell all about the cruise and Zurich dining ;-)
I think by the glass wine was either $6.50 or $9.50 ( perhaps it depended on what was ordered..)
I know Martinis in Martini bar were the latter price..

[chazaroo]

YIKES!! OK I stand corrected $10.00 is way outta line for drinks at the bar. I don't recall exactly what we paid on Celebrity but I think Merriem is right. It was around $6.75. And I don't remember if that was after the automatic service charge or not. Come to think of it I don't remember much about it at all. Perhaps I spent too much time in the bar?

[Ernst]

I've read boards about Oceania since April, as I booked a trip on Insignia (08/17/04). In April I believed I did a great deal booking Oceania.
Although I know that beverage is quite expensive on American ships I couldn't imagine how expensive it is. A glass of wine for $6.00 - $10.00? Is Oceania going the same way as many other lines? Low fares for the trip and entering the ship you are fleeced?

I am really afraid of the beverage prices on board.

Please, get me right. I don't want to look at eache penny, but I am not willing to pay these exaggerated prices.

[digby]

"We were on the Oceania inaugural cruise and if memory serves me right, drinks were about $10.00 each. I thought that was extremely high and their defense was that it's the same price as in a classy bar in a city like NY, LA or Miami. Personally, I don't agree with the logic and it only caused us to buy less drinks."

A month ago I paid 19 Euros for one vodka tonic in Venice and have paid as much as $14.00 for one martini here in San Francisco. I usually find alcohol prices to be cheaper on cruise ships than at land resorts or fine restaurants.

[ClaudiaF]

Right. paid $42.00 for 3 cokes and a couple sandwiches ( of course we were at FLORIANS in St. Marks' a month ago.. so as it was written "That is the rub"
"a la grand vie"

P.S. could have walked around the block behind St. Marks and had the same for about 10 EU total.. but would we have anything to talk about a month later?
NAH
;-)

[mpslaw]

I can't believe the comments by people complaining about $8.00 glasses of wine. Anyone who has been to a first class restaurant knows that a glass of wine a nice "house wine" is going to cost from $7.50 to $10.00 plus tip. Go to a four or five star hotel and order their house wine which might in fact be La Crema and you'll see what I'm writing about. My own thinking is that those of you out there who are griping about the $8.00 to $10.00 charge should wander back to the Olive Garden where incidently they serve nice decent food for nice decent price and drink their house wine at $5.75. Don't bother cruising Oceania and don't continually embarass yourselves on this forum by griping about wine.

[Merriem]

Their drink prices are not in line with other cruise ships. At the Ritz Carlton in South Beach we paid $12 for a martini. A fine restaurant and a ship are not the same.

Most all cruises that we have been on offer reasonably priced drinks. IE a martini for $5-6.

You are not comparing two equal things. Also, this cruise line is not a Ritz Carlton.

[digby]

Their drink prices are not in line with other cruise ships. At the Ritz Carlton in South Beach we paid $12 for a martini. A fine restaurant and a ship are not the same.

Most all cruises that we have been on offer reasonably priced drinks. IE a martini for $5-6.

You are not comparing two equal things. Also, this cruise line is not a Ritz Carlton.

I can assure you that you pay much more for a martini in a top restaurant in Los Angeles, San Francisco,or NYC. I still say drinks are cheaper on cruise ships than places I frequent.

[chazaroo]

Geez, Didn't mean to start all this. I just wanted to know how much drinks are. And I'm still not sure I know. But if it is $10.00, that seems high by cruise ship standards. As for all the comparisons to Ritz... kind of absurd.
Oceania, as nice as I'm sure it is, isn't a Ritz Carlton. And as for the comments of mpslaw, a special message: Calm down, there's no need to be rude.

[chazaroo]

And another thing. In an effort to put this thing to bed, I contacted Oceania and asked them. Drinks are $6-$9. Which pretty much puts them in the same range as the other cruise lines. Cheers!

[spindrift]

Well, this really dates me, but just a few years ago and having taken many, many cruises, I used to pay less than a dollar for a Pina Colada, and .75 for a bourbon and water. Remember folks, there are no taxes on liquor at sea, and that is what raises the cost of liquor at home. Most people don't know that.

The cruise lines have decided to equate themselves with the "upscale" restaurants to be able to charge the very high prices. Even my Country Club doesn't charge these rates on their drinks.

But what can I say. Look at the prices they are charging you for sailing--peanuts for what they are giving you--so they are making it up on the liquor, etc. etc.

Just figure you are going on a vacation, plan the costs as you would on land, and you will have your total.

[ClaudiaF]

MPSLAW,
Forgive me.. as I think we have discussed other things before.. but ...............for the life of me
I don't know why you keep comparing Oceania to Olive Garden Restaurant..you keep saying that you usually pay some price for a glass of wine at such and such a great restaurant and you are okay with that.. hey, I am okay with whatever you pay too.. I have just stated my feelings about a 10 buck "glass" of wine..
a 20 buck corkage.
on this ship..
what I pay at a restaurant in SF or LA or Zurich is another matter.. we are talkin' about ships.. on Silverseas, Seabourn and ummm
Radisson I never paid for wine.. oh oops I forgot it was included
I don't understand what you are trying to convey here.. that we are all cheapin' out..sorry not .
p.s.
never been to Olive Garden, so I guess since you have - u win

[goeurope]

on Silverseas, Seabourn and ummm
Radisson I never paid for wine.. oh oops I forgot it was included

True, it was included--in the higher fare.

[jazzsea]

Just back from Insignia and can quote actual prices.

Regular small martini: $6.50 plus 18% = $7.60
Larger premium liquor martini $8.50 plus 18% = $10.03

Most premium liquor was $6.50 plus 18% (Johnny Walker Black)

Glasses of wine varied from dining room to dining room. The prices were the same ($6.50 - $11.00) but the glass sizes were different. Smallest wine glasses are in the Grand Dining Room. Largest were in the Polo Grill.

This is not a deluxe cruise line or ship. They overcharge for the drinks and for the shore excursions. Internet costs were 50% more per minute than on Holland America in Europe. Go figure.

[digby]

"Even my Country Club doesn't charge these rates on their drinks."

Is your country club a for profit business?

[Sculpta]

People should complain to Oceania directly. Perhaps someone there will listen and make a change- could there be success if enough people boycott????? All it takes is a little time. No one wants to be nickeled and dimed, especially on vacation-.

[goeurope]

Even my Country Club doesn't charge these rates on their drinks.

I'll bet it charges more for initiation and monthly dues than Oceania does. :-)

[FrankLasVegas]

In all the wine & Liquor costs being passed around.

Anyone know what they charge for a can of soda or a bottle of water?

Just curious.

[Choocom]

We have just returned from cruising the Atlantic on Insignia. It was divine! I must say we found drink prices to be much as we would expect from a good hotel . Soft drinks ranged from $4.50 for virgin cocktails to $2.50 for mineral water (plus service). I don't drink but my husband does and he found it a good idea to have a tipple in the room befor dinner. It didn't seem the type of company in which to drink all that much in any case.

[Andee]

In addition to the regularly priced drinks, every day there were several "drinks of the day" that were less expensive, $4, I think.

[karen8484]

have just sailed on regatta barcelona/venice ,we had an amazing time, the ports were fabulous,we did our own thing and booked driverinrome for florence and rome ,i highly recomend them.drinks on regatta are priced over the top by far! everyone brings back wine from ports because the wines offered on board just are not worth what oceania are charging .the wine list has selections from the premium wine growing countries i.e.france and australia but they have only two or three different varieties,very disappointing!corkage is also outrageous!everyone we met on board was unhappy with the liqour charges and we all made it known on the questionnaire at the cruise end.we loved regatta but felt the noise and overworked staff in the grand dining room took something away from a totally great holiday.

[twine]

Maybe we should look at it this way. Is $100.00 a lot of money if you are spending $ 3,000.00 to $6,0000 for your cruise??? If Oceanias drinks are overpriced by $2.00 and you drink 50 drinks while on your cruise. You spent $100.00 more than you would on another cruise line. Does this make it a little better to get the liquid down??? I know when I am shoping while cruising I never think twice about buying that $20.00 poor quality silk screened T shirt that probably cost the vendor $3.00 to make. Talk about a rip off.
The money you save in Oceanias laundry compared to sending your clothes out to the ships dry cleaning service more than offsets the difference in the drink prices.
Here is another nice way to avoid drink costs. While having dinner with new found friends they wonder what is up when I leave the table with empty wine glasses and come back with them full two or three times during dinner. I pray my cabin is not far from the dining room.
ROTFLOL.
BYOB if the high drink prices are going to be what you remember about your cruise.
Tom

[foreverr]

So many complaints!!! Why travel at all. A lot of cruise ships charge less because they are marketed to a different demographic than Oceania. If you want to not worry about the price of beverages, may I suggest an all inclusive cruise like Silversea? If it's too late to do that, just enjoy and stop worrying.

[Rickey 88]

I wholeheartedly agree!! I don't know what part of Outer Messopotamia these people who expect cheap drinks live in, but out here on the West Coast, the days of $1.00 disappeared years ago! At any fine restaurant or club, drinks range from $5 and up depending on brand.

If you're willing to pay thousands for a perfectly beautiful cruise and yet moan that you may have to shell out for a cocktail, then take time to remember that you're getting your Oceania cruise at a substantial discount. However, if you're still bothered, then I agree that maybe your should go and book on Silversea - but be ready to pay a hefty cruise price!!!

[goeurope]

Here is another nice way to avoid drink costs. While having dinner with new found friends they wonder what is up when I leave the table with empty wine glasses and come back with them full two or three times during dinner. I pray my cabin is not far from the dining room.

Or wear one of these under your sport jacket, if you don't mind looking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame:

http://www.platypushydration.com/h2only.asp

[joan24]

We paid $10 for a martini on Celebrity, so Oceania is not out of line with other cruise lines. We're not big drinkers but the peach martinis on Regatta were wonderful.
Joan

[Joe and Ivan]

On Oceania ships, on the average, how much does a bottle of ordinary wine cost? I'm thinking of typical labels such as Rosemount and Mondavi, not rare vintages.

Ivan
South Padre Island, Texas

[ClaudiaF]

least expensive wines on their very extensive wine list were Chilean "red table wine" for about $27.00..
Up from there..

[Joe and Ivan]

least expensive wines on their very extensive wine list were Chilean "red table wine" for about $27.00..
Up from there..

Thanks, Claudia. In that case (pun), it might be well to bring your own stock aboard and then pay the corkage fee of $20.

[merryecho]

Sounds like you pay the corkage fee (in effect) whether you bring your own wine or drink their $5 Chilean table wine. Does anyone know if there is any thruth to the rumor that the corkage fee is now $25?

[SeaPeaInn]

While on the booze subject. Can you buy licquor on the ship by the bottle for consumption in your room?

Some lines allow this by paying an extra fee over the usual price.

[Leonid]

Just returned from a trans-canal cruise on the Regatta in January (LA to Miami). The cheapest glass of wine was an imported Pinot Grigio for $7.00. Unfortunately, they ran out it several days before we disembarked.Never in 28 cruises has a cruise ship run out of a wine...tend to think it was planned.
For you martini drinkers, they are up to $9.00 plus 18% tip...did see many people imbibing.
Ate in all the restaurants and did not see a difference in the quantity of wine poured...very generous.
If you can get by the price of alcohol, a very nice line on which to cruise...and they let you bring alcohol on board, which we did at every opportunity. Too many cruise lines won't allow it...too bad!

[Jane110]

PNickel,

There is no liquor to be bought on the Oceania ships, though feel free to bring some with you from duty free.

The corkage fee was $20.00 as of last week.

The same bottle of Shiraz we enjoyed last year for $30. is now $36. and so $42. with the added gratuity.

Jane

[merryecho]

THere is a gratuity added for a bottle of wine? How about the wine you bring aboard, is there a gratuity charged in addition to the corkage fee?

[pamwham]

We are going on Insigna August 13 from Barcelona and my question is since we are not drinkers can we bring our own bottled water on board..I think it looks cheap, but I want to have a few bottles available in our room..I hope that wouldn't be a problem..this our first trip on Oceania and it was a tough decision, but we decided to try it over Galaxy and Celebrity which we have sailed before..thanks Pam:)

[meow!]

Of course you are free to bring bottled water on board. However, water is very heavy, and to bring several bottles in addition to your other stuff will be difficult. You may as well buy their 1 litre bottles on board for roughly $4 per bottle. Once you have spent the large sums of going on a cruise, such "tag-ons" are "inevitable expenses", unless you go on a true boutique ship, in which case they don't charge for drinks (of any kind) but then they charge you more up front. One way or another, being a tourist, we have to pay!

[tlmlb]

Not that it stopped me from having them, but the stuff adds up. $10 for a martini for a couple of drinks before dinner runs up to $40+, then wine with dinner, and a drink after dinner. It adds up; $40 + $40 - $70 for wine + $20 for after dinner drinks? Thats 100-130 a day or 1400 - 1820 for 14 nights. another thing was that I ordered wine just about every night but brought a bottle the last night and they had the nerve to charge the corkage after all I spent.

[ClaudiaF]

While on the booze subject. Can you buy licquor on the ship by the bottle for consumption in your room?

Some lines allow this by paying an extra fee over the usual price.
They don't sell it in the ship store.. best to buy t on shore and bring it on..there is no problem doing that

[warburg]

People should complain to Oceania directly. Perhaps someone there will listen and make a change- could there be success if enough people boycott????? All it takes is a little time. No one wants to be nickeled and dimed, especially on vacation-.

Oh, they already do boycott. Oceania bars are notably under occupied at cocktail hours. If you go to the Horizons lounge before dinner you may very well have the place almost entirely to yourselves. I've been amazed by this in comparison to similar lounges on other cruise ships, often crowded at these hours.

[Windrunner I]

I also found Horizon's rather empty, but it was always a nice change. As a contrast, the martini bar and the Grand Bar always seemed rather full and lively. And martini's was typically SRO after dinner. I think it's more a matter of location.

As to the prices, I found them a wee high but not out of line with what I'd pay in a hotel or bar in NYC, San Francisco or Miami. I also found that the pours are stiffer/larger than other lines and the house brands a notch above, which can account for some of the price differential.

[Jane110]

MerryEcho,

Yes, there is a gratuity of 18% added to the purchase price of a bottle of wine. As I stated in an aralier post, a $36.00 bottle of Shiraz became $42. once they added the tip.

I don't recall if they added a tip to the corkage fee.

[lahore]

I have an incredibly simple solution to this issue, and it's the one my husband and I use - don't drink (booze that is). I no longer do anyway, but if my husband is going to pay so much for a drink that he's going to resent it, where's the enjoyment in that. Much easier to do our alcohol drinking elsewhere - sheesh it's only a couple of weeks. If you can't do without then you have ta pay - it's that simple.

[stebul]

I can definitely attest to the $9 martini in Martini's being strong! One was more than enough to keep us staggering down the passageway to dinner and the conversation freely flowing!

[goeurope]

Maybe Oceania should lower its drink prices by a couple of bucks and impose the "no BYOB" rule that some other cruise lines have. (It's easy to charge less at the bar when thirsty passengers can't imbibe in their cabins!)

[spindrift]

Well, I hope that Oceania managment does not see fit to restrict bringing personal liquor on board. Oceania is above the "mass market" class, and I hope they continue with their current policies. It is a wonderful line, and one to which I have become loyal because of their policies.

[Joe and Ivan]

Check out the other item about April-December 2006 Schedule for wonderful news on the wine front!

Ivan

[herbalsoaplady]

Join Oceania's Yahoo group.
Sign up for the cocktail party (:) free drinks)
Min of 20 guests for the event to take place.

Name of the group = Oceanacruiser @ yahoo groups dot com
note: spelling is not Oceania but oceana

Hope this helps to cut down on your bar bill.

Bobbi ~

[merryecho]

Joe and Ivan, thanks for the link- what an impressive response from a cruise line! Many passengers have a reasonable complaint, cruise lines listens and remedies the problem. Unheard of! Oceania, thank you, this is what earns our cruise loyalty.

[Jane110]

>>>>>Maybe Oceania should lower its drink prices by a couple of bucks and impose the "no BYOB" rule that some other cruise lines have. (It's easy to charge less at the bar when thirsty passengers can't imbibe in their cabins!)<<<


If we're comparing Oceania to other cruiselines in terms of alcohol, I think that Princess has the best policy.
You're free to bring all the liquor aboard that you want, however, they'll sell you bottles at prices so cheap, why bother? I preordered a bottle of Grey Goose vodka to be waiting in our cabin and I think the charge was about $3.00 more than the duty free shop at the airport. Big deal!
The drinks from the bars are under $5.00, so we bought a couple of them every day. The corkage fee is $10.00 and there were some terrific wines to purchase in the dining room for under $30.00.
Overall, a win-win situation in my opinion.

On a related topic, Princess had a wine tasting one seaday at about 3:00PM, while Oceania scheduled their wine tasting at 11:00AM. I can't look at wine while I'm still digesting breakfast!

[ClaudiaF]

Oceania also scheduled that 11 am wine tasting at the same time as their cooking demonstration..
which to me go sort of hand in hand.. should have been scheduled one after the other..