Beverage package

This will be our first cruise on O after 14 on Celebrity. We are on the 26 day, Rome to Miami. Would someone please explain the O beverage package. We have a choice of $1200 on board credit, 12 tours or the beverage package. Thanks for the help. Bill

wine and beer at lunch and dinner. You can add to it on board $20 per day PP so it covers you at happy hour or for cocktails.

Without a liquor package, don't kid yourself, the drinks are ridiculously small and they add 18% to each ticket.

I personally would take the OBC and use it either for spas or tours (which you can book on board). Then I would buy my own liquor package. We don't drink a lot, but it doesn't take much to at least break even on the good Prestige Package which it not what O-Life offers.

Other will post their preference. This is mine.

The Standard Beverage Package provides beer and wine for Lunch and Dinner, in one of the restaurants, with a caveat. They will not allow you to enter at opening and drink until close on the package. They will not allow you to sit around at Waves and drink most of the afternoon claiming to be having Lunch.

The crew will always continue to serve you and meet your requests, they will not cut you off. However, at the end of each meal they will request your key card which contains all the Drink Package info. If the waiter believes your imbibing has exceeded the reasonable meal time, he will allocate part of the drinks to the meal, and the rest they will bring a ticket for you to pay. Having a piece of pie, sitting in front of you for an hour, while taking an occasion bite, does not constitute having dessert, thus eating! It's ugly watching cruisers fight with the wait staff over this as they attempt to "work" the system.

The above can happen anywhere, but where do you see it most often? In the Terrace at the outdoor seating, on a beautiful day(either lunch or dinner), when certain cruisers have bogarted a table for hours and then expect all the drinks to be on the standard package. :rolleyes:

Let me add to the above. I wrote " at one of the restaurants". One can have dinner in the MDR, or any restaurant, then go to the Terrace for dessert or more dinner, if they are so inclined. However, if they utilize their drinks package, at the first restaurant, they will not be able to do so in the second. It's all on the computer. ;)

wine and beer at lunch and dinner. You can add to it on board $20 per day PP so it covers you at happy hour or for cocktails.

 

Without a liquor package, don't kid yourself, the drinks are ridiculously small and they add 18% to each ticket.

 

I personally would take the OBC and use it either for spas or tours (which you can book on board). Then I would buy my own liquor package. We don't drink a lot, but it doesn't take much to at least break even on the good Prestige Package which it not what O-Life offers.

 

Other will post their preference. This is mine.

Just to clarify, if you choose the OLife beverage package, which, as stated above, includes beer and wine at lunch and dinner, then the Prestige Beverage Package would cost an additional $20pp/day and would allow you to have as many drinks as you wish at any time of the day, not just happy hour. Both packages include the 18% gratuity to the bar staff.

As a couple who, while vacationing, love to have an afternoon cocktail at the pool bar after our daily excursion, another at happy hour and then more before, during and after dinner, we love the Prestige Beverage Package because we get no surprises when we see the final bill at the end of the cruise. Without a drink package, the cost of those cocktails can add up quickly, especially with 18% gratuity added on.

Do both passengers in the suite have to take the prestige package as my wife does enjoys the wine.

Do both passengers in the suite have to take the prestige package as my wife does enjoys the wine.

If you are buying the Prestige package the answer is NO

If you have the OLife Choice deal & choose the house select package as your perk both have to take the same option but I think if only one wants to just have the wine/beer at meals deal you can do that & the other person can upgrade once onboard

I am sure someone will have the answer

The package is well worth the price if you have a few drinks. At least it was for us awhile back-now we don't drink.

We don't drink that much so it doesn't work for us. We took OBC and it covered our gratuities and cocktails before dinner, wine with dinner and occasional drink after show at Horizons. We were on a port intensive cruise. If on ship more, we could have possibly had a drink at lunch but often we had that drink ashore, as we like to explore a bit.

Also, consider if you will drink what you plan to each and every day for full 26 days of cruise. Package is for every day. If you took OBC you could buy it on board anytime I think. Though I tend to drink most at start of a holiday then slow down a bit towards end!

Each to his own!

Just to clarify, if you choose the OLife beverage package, which, as stated above, includes beer and wine at lunch and dinner, then the Prestige Beverage Package would cost an additional $20pp/day and would allow you to have as many drinks as you wish at any time of the day, not just happy hour. Both packages include the 18% gratuity to the bar staff.

 

 

 

As a couple who, while vacationing, love to have an afternoon cocktail at the pool bar after our daily excursion, another at happy hour and then more before, during and after dinner, we love the Prestige Beverage Package because we get no surprises when we see the final bill at the end of the cruise. Without a drink package, the cost of those cocktails can add up quickly, especially with 18% gratuity added on.

The prestige package works out to approx. four drinks/day. It has been mentioned that the pours of spirits are small (usually one oz.). Just order doubles and select better spirits. For example, you'd only need to order two margaritas with a double shot of El Tessoro Anejo and Grand Marnier (along with the tip) to just about break even with the prestige $60/day cost.

I believe the beverage package for a 26 day cruise has a value of almost $2,100.

We just switched from the OBC to the beverage package and will be paying the $20 per person per day to upgrade to the Prestige package. The OBC was less of a value for us as well.

Is's our first cruise so I'm sure hoping I did this right! Both this post (my first!) and the drink package.

I believe the beverage package for a 26 day cruise has a value of almost $2,100.

We just switched from the OBC to the beverage package and will be paying the $20 per person per day to upgrade to the Prestige package. The OBC was less of a value for us as well.

 

Is's our first cruise so I'm sure hoping I did this right! Both this post (my first!) and the drink package.

Well done on both counts!!!

Your cost analysis was correct and your first post is first rate!

I believe the beverage package for a 26 day cruise has a value of almost $2,100.

 

We just switched from the OBC to the beverage package and will be paying the $20 per person per day to upgrade to the Prestige package. The OBC was less of a value for us as well.

 

Is's our first cruise so I'm sure hoping I did this right! Both this post (my first!) and the drink package.

The only problem with the Bev packages for more than three weeks is keeping up that pace of consumption (if it's all about the value). If yours is a "grand voyage," you might be able to split the purchase into two segments and see how it goes. It takes some pre-cruise conversations to get that option. And I'm betting the answer would be "no" if it involves your O Life decision.

Some other folks value the excursions as the best deal. However, if circumstances are such that any tour days are missed (sea conditions), you only get $100/person credit back if it was an O Life choice.

We generally take the OBC on any O cruise longer than 18 days - prefer the flexibility (same reason we always take the air credit).

I believe the beverage package for a 26 day cruise has a value of almost $2,100.

 

We just switched from the OBC to the beverage package and will be paying the $20 per person per day to upgrade to the Prestige package. The OBC was less of a value for us as well.

 

Is's our first cruise so I'm sure hoping I did this right! Both this post (my first!) and the drink package.

Smart move. I need to reevaluate my 18 day transatlantic next year. Hi Jim (and Stan)

Smart move. I need to reevaluate my 18 day transatlantic next year. Hi Jim (and Stan)

Each cruise can be significantly different when it comes to O Life. We've got a 23 day one next March and we took the $1800 O Life OBC vs the $1840 value of the lower booze package. First half of the cruise is transatlantic. Second half is all ports. Got permission to split the grand voyage into segments regarding booze pacs. Excursions? We mix and match.

Everyone needs to sit down with a glass of wine and do the math for O Life options.

Each cruise can be significantly different when it comes to O Life. We've got a 23 day one next March and we took the $1800 O Life OBC vs the $1840 value of the lower booze package. First half of the cruise is transatlantic. Second half is all ports. Got permission to split the grand voyage into segments regarding booze pacs. Excursions? We mix and match.

Everyone needs to sit down with a glass of wine and do the math for O Life options.

I'm torn on this too we're looking at a 19 day cruise with no sea days so it's not just the value of the $1,000 OBC vs the select package value it's also adding in the $20 pd pp on top of it as we certainly wouldn't get any lunch value out of it. I'd have to shell out another $760 to upgrade. So now you're looking at a cost of $92 a day for 19 days for the two of us with no sea days. It's a toss up

I'm torn on this too we're looking at a 19 day cruise with no sea days so it's not just the value of the $1,000 OBC vs the select package value it's also adding in the $20 pd pp on top of it as we certainly wouldn't get any lunch value out of it. I'd have to shell out another $760 to upgrade. So now you're looking at a cost of $92 a day for 19 days for the two of us with no sea days. It's a toss up

You could always take the OBC & just pay per drink

You could take some wine or spirits for you cabin to have something while getting ready dinner or a nightcap

depends of course on how much you drink whether this a good option

You could always take the OBC & just pay per drink

You could take some wine or spirits for you cabin to have something while getting ready dinner or a nightcap

 

depends of course on how much you drink whether this a good option

Exactly. It's also a cruise visiting some great wine country so having the option of corkage and taking a great bottle to dinner is enticing.

Exactly. It's also a cruise visiting some great wine country so having the option of corkage and taking a great bottle to dinner is enticing.

Passing up the opportunity to have some great local wines, perhaps not even available at home, would be a shame.

When trying to evaluate the value of a drinks package vs. OBC it is hard to not to consider squeezing every nickle out of the drink package. It is like you are turning away money. But there is a huge value to enjoying a local wine on board. It can be a reason to pick a certain itinerary over another or even an excuse to travel in the first place. That opportunity is one of the pleasures of sailing on O. A bottle of Madiera when on Madiera ...

Even if it costs a few more dollars think of what you will recall of the trip. Perhaps that nice bottle of wine you selected in <name the port> and enjoyed on your balcony or professionally served in a dining room, or the size of the martinis that you had included in the package.

Disclaimer: our next cruise is in the Caribbean, I'll be taking the drinks package.

Passing up the opportunity to have some great local wines, perhaps not even available at home, would be a shame.

 

When trying to evaluate the value of a drinks package vs. OBC it is hard to not to consider squeezing every nickle out of the drink package. It is like you are turning away money. But there is a huge value to enjoying a local wine on board. It can be a reason to pick a certain itinerary over another or even an excuse to travel in the first place. That opportunity is one of the pleasures of sailing on O. A bottle of Madiera when on Madiera ...

 

Even if it costs a few more dollars think of what you will recall of the trip. Perhaps that nice bottle of wine you selected in <name the port> and enjoyed on your balcony or professionally served in a dining room, or the size of the martinis that you had included in the package.

 

Disclaimer: our next cruise is in the Caribbean, I'll be taking the drinks package.

Very well said and yes, beverage package in the Caribbean makes sense and I elected it for our Hawaii cruise too. Brittany, Bordeaux, Spain and Portugal, not so much ;)

Lots of good information. Thanks to all. I think the Prestige package is the best buy for us...before dinner cocktails, a couple of glasses of wine with dinner, after dinner wine, and sometimes a beer with lunch.

Very well said and yes, beverage package in the Caribbean makes sense and I elected it for our Hawaii cruise too. Brittany, Bordeaux, Spain and Portugal, not so much ;)

I agree depends on port and sea days...and the climate sailing into such as warm and cozy. Too after 17 days with the package I din not want any more and taking the package for more than 20 days.....Dont think thats wise

I am taking the Liquor package for Norway Denmark and Sweden where prices for anything are $$$$$$$$ there are no bargins in liquor ashore or for anything

 

I am taking the Liquor package for Norway Denmark and Sweden where prices for anything are $$$$$$$$ there are no bargins in liquor ashore or for anything

Alcohol in Sweden is expensive but when it comes to fine wines, the price is often very compatible to other countries. The expensive here is the tax on the alcoholpercentage not in the quality of the wine, and that makes quality wines are often really good buys in Sweden.

And the government run shops(Systembolaget) has a great selection of wines i every store!

Alcohol in Sweden is expensive but when it comes to fine wines, the price is often very compatible to other countries. The expensive here is the tax on the alcoholpercentage not in the quality of the wine, and that makes quality wines are often really good buys in Sweden.

And the government run shops(Systembolaget) has a great selection of wines i every store!

Totally agree, picked up some very nice wines at reasonable prices in their store in East Stockholm prior to our Baltic cruise a couple of years ago.

$60 per day per person for unlimited drinks. Sounds like a lot, but on my last Oceania cruise I thought the drinks were on the light side. One ounce? I think the drinks cost close to $10 with the service.

Bean counter service:You have to average 6+ drinks a day to break even. While it goes against my grain, IF I were sign up for this deal, I would be leaving a LOT drinks half full around the ship just like they do in the movies.

The $40 deal isn't any better IMHO.