Dispelling a myth

We are currently on our first Oceania cruise. We signed up for the basic drink package and after 5 days on board could not be more pleased. We normally do most of our drinking with meals. So, we have not purchased the upgraded drink package. We might have a drink in our room or purchase a drink before dinner if we want more.

Most importantly all of the wine stewards are very attentive, they will discuss the wines, let us taste the wine, and most importantly keep our glasses full. There are no short pours and there is no difficulty changing wines during the course of the meal. They do collect our cards every time we have a meal with wine.

Overall, great cruise on the Sirena in a PH. Room is beautiful, staff great and food excellent.

Would like to see softer towels and outlets beside the beds. We very much dislike the tender ticket system which favors the cruise tours and prevents independent groups from easily disembarking.

After reading all of the posts regarding alcohol packages, I worried about my choice. Hopefully this will help others with their decisions.

After reading your post, which corresponds exactly to what we've experienced and read on these boards...

I'm wondering which myth you saw yourself as dispelling?

:confused:

I know some complain of the short pours & watered down drinks but we have not experienced that either

Do I detect a growing concern that Oceania is putting 'sand paper' towels in its cabin bathrooms? Oh Lordy Moi! What next, sand paper toilet tissue?

Ol' cleanliness is next to Godlessness a JMBobB

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Everyone is different...I've never understood all the mattress accolades, but loved the towels so much I went on a google hunt trying to find them.:)

Oceania official policy is not to favor ship tours for disembarkation. Occasionally a member of the excursion dept needs to be educated. Do not hesitate to do so

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Yes, it was the myth that we would not be treated well without the better drink package. It had worried me after reading this forum.

Thanks for the tip re tendering. I will have to see if I can find a way to fix this. I waited 45 minutes the 1st day for all groups to depart.

Yes, it was the myth that we would not be treated well without the better drink package. It had worried me after reading this forum.

 

Thanks for the tip re tendering. I will have to see if I can find a way to fix this. I waited 45 minutes the 1st day for all groups to depart.[/QUOTe]

 

I haven't run into this on my Oceania cruises. You go in the lounge, get a number, many times you are called before tours, or with them. Sometimes you wait.

 

Now, the Destinations dept is perhaps the rudest group that I've had the pleasure to interact with on Oceania. Reprimands should be in order for some of their attitudes.

Oceania official policy is not to favor ship tours for disembarkation. Occasionally a member of the excursion dept needs to be educated. Do not hesitate to do so

 

 

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Don't believe this. Source?

When we have had a tender port we go to the lounge when ready & get a ticket sometimes you are called quickly sometimes you wait

I try not to go just before the tours are departing .(times listed in CURRENTS)

They only allow so many people per tender & they do count bodies boarding

Oceania official policy is not to favor ship tours for disembarkation. Occasionally a member of the excursion dept needs to be educated. Do not hesitate to do so

 

 

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While that may be an official policy, it was not the case at Easter Island. All of the ships tours got tender numbers that got them off the ship first. Passengers were told that tender tickets would be given out on a first come, first serve basis in the lounge and were up before dawn to get in line to get tickets. Then due to sea conditions, it took several more hours for the non O excursion passengers to get on to the island. There were many unhappy sailors and nearly a mutiny before we got to Pitcairn. :eek:

You need to speak up and not let that happen. Or go up the food chain. That should not happen

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Re: tendering... it has been our experience, that when there are O tours that need to get off at a certain time (example 3 tours all begin at 0900 at dock), that those folks do depart first. However, if there is room on the tender, they seemed to take some of those folks that were not on O tours,that arrived first and received earlier tickets, or Were seated first. I believe it's all in the timing of the O tours and what time they are required to get them off the ship. If the O tours are spread out, more non O toured folks can get off. YMMV on different itineraries and ships (we only have experience on Regatta and Riviera).

Our experience is that if we have to be on first tender because we have tour guide waiting we get on the first tender

The destination staff will try to discriminate against those with private tours. Don't let them

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We have never felt discriminated against because of having an independent tour and have never failed to get off in a timely manner. In fact, we have most often been on the first tender - get to the lounge early, have your group all together, get your ticket as soon as they are available. Of course there are exceptions but I do not believe Oceania is deliberately delaying anyone's departure.

While that may be an official policy, it was not the case at Easter Island. All of the ships tours got tender numbers that got them off the ship first. Passengers were told that tender tickets would be given out on a first come, first serve basis in the lounge and were up before dawn to get in line to get tickets. Then due to sea conditions, it took several more hours for the non O excursion passengers to get on to the island. There were many unhappy sailors and nearly a mutiny before we got to Pitcairn. :eek:

It was the exactly the same for us at Easter Island. The ship tours went off first and the rest waited for hours! We were fortunate to have a seat in the lounge but many had to stand in line for hours. The second day wasn't as bad as a lot of pax didn't go ashore.

We are currently on our first Oceania cruise. We signed up for the basic drink package and after 5 days on board could not be more pleased. We normally do most of our drinking with meals. So, we have not purchased the upgraded drink package. We might have a drink in our room or purchase a drink before dinner if we want more.

Most importantly all of the wine stewards are very attentive, they will discuss the wines, let us taste the wine, and most importantly keep our glasses full. There are no short pours and there is no difficulty changing wines during the course of the meal. They do collect our cards every time we have a meal with wine.

 

Overall, great cruise on the Sirena in a PH. Room is beautiful, staff great and food excellent.

 

Would like to see softer towels and outlets beside the beds. We very much dislike the tender ticket system which favors the cruise tours and prevents independent groups from easily disembarking.

 

After reading all of the posts regarding alcohol packages, I worried about my choice. Hopefully this will help others with their decisions.

We returned yesterday from the Marina. Had intended to try the House Select package for a day or two. Found out very quickly, during our first lunch, that the wine and beer menu is limited.:( Could not get a Pinot Grigio at lunch...our choice of wine. Quite surprised as that is not an expensive wine and I don't remember reading on this forum that the choices of wine or beer were limited. We were told it was not on the House Select menu and we were given the limited menu to choose another wine. :rolleyes:

We just went ahead and upgraded. It was a struggle to meet the $$ mark each day. But I managed. :D I had to have at least 4 drinks a day to hit the mark. Ordered the Mirabel a few times and tried some martini's (Flirtini a favorite!). My go to was the Pinot Grigio (which the ship ran out of on the last day :rolleyes:), Margarita's (Perfect!) and banana daiquiri's (YUM!) The G&T's, Bloody Mary's and Mojitos were watery tasting and had very little ice.

We had a PH and had outlets beside our bed, but they were Euro. Also, there was a Euro outlet above the dressing table, but no US outlet! Luckily, I always take along 2 Euro adaptors and my hot curlers, hair straightener, iPhone and iPad are all dual voltage. There was only one US outlet and that was over on the desk near the balcony. We used it for our white noise machine which really needed to be closer to the stateroom entrance to drown out any hallway noise.

Biggest PH disappointment, and one of the main reasons I wanted to upgrade from our B3, was that the lighted make-up mirror in the vanity had been replaced during Mariner's drydock. The mirror now has no lights. As it turned out, the vanity stool was so high (and I am tall) that I had to bend uncomfortably down to even see in the mirror. So I had to stand up and use the large mirror over the counter top. did love being able to stash away all my make-up and hair supplies in the vanity, though.

Everyone is different...I've never understood all the mattress accolades, but loved the towels so much I went on a google hunt trying to find them.:)

The mattress we had on the Rivera last year was terribly uncomfortable. Our PH mattress this cruise was VERY comfortable.

I liked the towels, as well. DH and I both like a good ribbed towel, but did feel the towel could have been a little thicker. The bath sheets did appear thicker, but I only used it once as it was a little too long.

So what did you find in your Google search? :)

Hi, I thought that the wine by the glass menu was the same no matter the package. That said, I found a wonderful Rose, a very pleasant French Chardonnay and a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand for my white selection. My husband found a good Pinot Noir and s good Cab. I also enjoyed the cab with a steak. We have a big wine cellar st home but we have been pleased with the selection by the glass.

That is true- wine by the glass menu is the same for both beverage packages. Here a listing of by the glass from the Terrace Café from the Oceania website (so don't know if it the latest, but it is about the same as we had on our cruises in 2016): https://www.oceaniacruises.com/Documents/Menus/1700/Terrace-Cafe-Wine-list.pdf

Almost exactly the same as on the Sirena today.

We have never felt discriminated against because of having an independent tour and have never failed to get off in a timely manner. In fact, we have most often been on the first tender - get to the lounge early, have your group all together, get your ticket as soon as they are available. Of course there are exceptions but I do not believe Oceania is deliberately delaying anyone's departure.

Agree

It is usually one rogue member of destinations who mistakenly believes that folks who buy expensive excursions from the cruise line also purchased an added perk -- priority disembarkation on tenders

It is not true and if you come across such a person from destinations, go up the food chain. We only had to do it once

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That is true- wine by the glass menu is the same for both beverage packages. Here a listing of by the glass from the Terrace Café from the Oceania website (so don't know if it the latest, but it is about the same as we had on our cruises in 2016): https://www.oceaniacruises.com/Documents/Menus/1700/Terrace-Cafe-Wine-list.pdf

The menu you link to is a list for all cocktails available to buy or if you are on the Premium plan. The list we were given was one single card with a limited selection of beer and wine, only. The card said House Select. We were in Waves Grill. We specifically asked if this was only because we were eating in the grill and the beverage guy said that the list was the same all over the ship for dining with the House Select during dining hours, only. I wish I had taken a photo.

And since I have trouble with migraines, the Pinot Grigio is the only wine that I have found does not bother me. Chardonnays are too strong for me. Many other liquors will also cause headaches. I always ask for lite pours.

DH just recently started drinking wine. In Tuscano, when they said they were out of Pinot Grigio, the sommelier offered up two other suggestions. My husband tried them. He said that one tasted and smelled nasty. The other he liked, but I was afraid to try it for fear of a headache flying home the next day. :(

BTW - We were not pressured into upgrading the package. We did that on our own at the Guest Services desk after lunch.

The menu you link to is a list for all cocktails available to buy or if you are on the Premium plan. The list we were given was one single card with a limited selection of beer and wine, only. The card said House Select. We were in Waves Grill. We specifically asked if this was only because we were eating in the grill and the beverage guy said that the list was the same all over the ship for dining with the House Select during dining hours, only. I wish I had taken a photo.

 

And since I have trouble with migraines, the Pinot Grigio is the only wine that I have found does not bother me. Chardonnays are too strong for me. Many other liquors will also cause headaches. I always ask for lite pours.

 

DH just recently started drinking wine. In Tuscano, when they said they were out of Pinot Grigio, the sommelier offered up two other suggestions. My husband tried them. He said that one tasted and smelled nasty. The other he liked, but I was afraid to try it for fear of a headache flying home the next day. :(

 

BTW - We were not pressured into upgrading the package. We did that on our own at the Guest Services desk after lunch.

I believe you are only person I've ever seen report this. This definitely was not the case on Marina in January. Our traveling companions had the basic package and were able to get any wine on the "by the glass" menu at meals.

It either a brand new roll out or a misunderstanding.

I only have the select plan and that list is what we receive whenever we order wine. I have not seen a list entitled select wines in Waves or anywhere else onthe Sirena. I can't comment on the other ships.

The menu you link to is a list for all cocktails available to buy or if you are on the Premium plan. The list we were given was one single card with a limited selection of beer and wine, only. The card said House Select. We were in Waves Grill. We specifically asked if this was only because we were eating in the grill and the beverage guy said that the list was the same all over the ship for dining with the House Select during dining hours, only. I wish I had taken a photo.

 

And since I have trouble with migraines, the Pinot Grigio is the only wine that I have found does not bother me. Chardonnays are too strong for me. Many other liquors will also cause headaches. I always ask for lite pours.

 

DH just recently started drinking wine. In Tuscano, when they said they were out of Pinot Grigio, the sommelier offered up two other suggestions. My husband tried them. He said that one tasted and smelled nasty. The other he liked, but I was afraid to try it for fear of a headache flying home the next day. :(

 

BTW - We were not pressured into upgrading the package. We did that on our own at the Guest Services desk after lunch.

Based on my Oceania experiences and the comments from ORV and Aquidneck1- Jean (currently on Sirena) I would surmise that the list you were given on the Marina was developed for your specific cruise due to the ship being sold out of the normal wine list. The Oceania standard "bar drink and wine by the glass list" is pretty much the same, except for after dinner fortified wines added.