wine or spirits in Asian ports

HI, we are travelling in March 18 from Shanghai to Tokyo on O, and was hoping someone could let me know how easy it is to find alcohol to bring on board, at Asian ports. It will help me decide between the O Choice choices.

TIA.

In Shanghai, you will find wine at reasonable prices in the upscale grocery and department stores. Spirits will be expensive. You will have trouble finding nice wine, along the way, in Japan. Unless you're buying sake, expect to pay a high price for spirits, because of taxes. The Japanese own 4 Roses Bourbon, made in KY, and it's readily available , but still relatively expensive because of taxes. All in all, you'd probably be better off using the ship's package on that cruise.

As pinotlover said, unless you are looking to buy something that is domestic to Asia, either bring your own or pay for the Premium Bev package. I found the premium bev package was well worth it and everything except for wine was extremely expensive in the ports of Italy and France. I finally broke down on the last night at Polo Grill and paid $20 outside of my bev package for what was maybe a 2 finger pour of Lagavulin 16....when a full 750ml here costs me just $60. In the EU ports that same bottle ranged from 80E-110E.

Slightly off topic but where to buy liquor in Barcelona?

Supermarkets or "food hall" of large department stores. Supermarkets will be cheaper.

Oh thanks, but the bev package is a bit of a waste as my hubby doesn't drink that much, and you have to get it for both passengers, so I have never bought it. I just use OBC on drinks, but this cruise has $800 and wondered if I could choose the 4 tours each and bring booze on. I think also you can't bring duty free bottles to a foreign country, just your own country. I will think on this.

Oh thanks, but the bev package is a bit of a waste as my hubby doesn't drink that much, and you have to get it for both passengers, so I have never bought it. I just use OBC on drinks, but this cruise has $800 and wondered if I could choose the 4 tours each and bring booze on. I think also you can't bring duty free bottles to a foreign country, just your own country. I will think on this.

we can get duty free when leaving the Country you just need to read the rules for taking alcohol to the Country you are landing in

You could take the O Life OBC perk & then buy the bev package for yourself

we can get duty free when leaving the Country you just need to read the rules for taking alcohol to the Country you are landing in

 

You could take the O Life OBC perk & then buy the bev package for yourself

Thanks for that, will check.

Can you buy one person's worth of drinks package? Otherwise its cheaper to buy drink by drink for one (ignoring the severe price!)

It is 18 days, with 4 sea days, booze will be drunk!!

Thanks for that, will check.

 

Can you buy one person's worth of drinks package? Otherwise its cheaper to buy drink by drink for one (ignoring the severe price!)

 

It is 18 days, with 4 sea days, booze will be drunk!!

I think this is what you are asking

If you are take the beverage package as your O Life perk choice both parties have to take it

but it is just wine & Beer at Lunch & dinner

you can then upgrade when onboard for $20 pp pd to the Prestige package but both do not need to upgrade

Or if you just want to take the OBC then when onboard you can buy the Prestige Package for $60 pp pd both parties do NOT need to buy the package

Wow, how does that work? I thought they never split the drink line, and it is cheaper to purchase once on board?

You have to get the same OLife package for both, but you can absolutely only have just 1 cruiser buy the package and the other just go ala carte. I got the premium package but my wife only usually has wine at dinner and maybe 1 cocktail so we just bought a bottle of wine for her that followed her around most of the cruise.

Since you have OBC you can apply that to the bev package for one of you and then apply it to ala carte drinks for the other supplemented by whatever you bring aboard.

Also, the price is the same if you purchase the bev package before or onboard although you will be paying possibly months in advance.