When to purchase a beverage package on Riviera?

We will be first timers on Oceania/Riviera in 2016. When is the best time to purchase our beverage package? Pre-cruise, or once onboard?

Depending on where your cruise is departing from my advice would be to book pre-cruise. I think the cut off point for pre-booking is something like 2 weeks, you will need to check this. After the cut off date you can book on board, however this year we purchased on board and were caught out by an additional tax imposed by Spain, this applied to the whole cruise. Next year we will be sure to book before our departure.

Depending on where your cruise is departing from my advice would be to book pre-cruise. I think the cut off point for pre-booking is something like 2 weeks, you will need to check this. After the cut off date you can book on board, however this year we purchased on board and were caught out by an additional tax imposed by Spain, this applied to the whole cruise. Next year we will be sure to book before our departure.

On the other hand: if you have substantial OBC, waiting until you are onboard allows you to apply it to the liquor package purchase.

If you book beforehand you pay in Sterling. On board it's US Dollars

On the other hand: if you have substantial OBC, waiting until you are onboard allows you to apply it to the liquor package purchase.

Yes this is the way to go.

There is NO cutoff even during the cruise! I found on both Regatta and Marina, that you can go down to the desk and purchase the package at ANY time during the cruise! They suggest that there is a cutoff but that is just to get you to buy now...time sensitive the first rule of salesmanship...gotta do it NOW!!!!

It makes no sense to have it the first day as half the day is shot.

My suggestion is to use your OBC for bottles of wine at dinner as the package glass of wine deal is short pour and long time between refill. Too, take and extra day or two to determine just how much you are actually spending for booze....it might surprise you.

I found that my wife and I were spending about $78 a day total for wine and liquor a day. Compared to $120 for the package. I'd give it a day or so to be objective.

If you are on a 15 day or longer cruise Id not go for the package because after 8 to10 days of drinking your going to slow down a lot. ( just like food). The package really pays for the 7to10 day cruises in Europe or the caribe

There is NO cutoff even during the cruise! I found on both Regatta and Marina, that you can go down to the desk and purchase the package at ANY time during the cruise! They suggest that there is a cutoff but that is just to get you to buy now...time sensitive the first rule of salesmanship...gotta do it NOW!!!!

It makes no sense to have it the first day as half the day is shot.

 

My suggestion is to use your OBC for bottles of wine at dinner as the package glass of wine deal is short pour and long time between refill. Too, take and extra day or two to determine just how much you are actually spending for booze....it might surprise you.

I found that my wife and I were spending about $78 a day total for wine and liquor a day. Compared to $120 for the package. I'd give it a day or so to be objective.

 

If you are on a 15 day or longer cruise Id not go for the package because after 8 to10 days of drinking your going to slow down a lot. ( just like food). The package really pays for the 7to10 day cruises in Europe or the caribe

We usually purchase the pkg on board with OBC, however we may be doing a BCN to BCN next year and we will be purchasing the package before we leave home in order to avoid the extra tax Spain imposes. My TA informed me that if we plan to purchase before we board it MUST be purchased at least ONE WEEK in advance of the cruise. I think this is what one of the posters was trying to say. We do get a 10% discount buying in advance due to silver status.

We usually purchase the pkg on board with OBC, however we may be doing a BCN to BCN next year and we will be purchasing the package before we leave home in order to avoid the extra tax Spain imposes. My TA informed me that if we plan to purchase before we board it MUST be purchased at least ONE WEEK in advance of the cruise. I think this is what one of the posters was trying to say. We do get a 10% discount buying in advance due to silver status.

Maybe in the singular case of a Spanish to Spanish port you have to....but this is not the case in all the other places in the world... South pacific, Aisia, Alaska, Carribe, Med ( excluding Spain) that I have ever experienced...

If your travel agent requests that pre pay for other trips I would suggest its to get a bigger commission for him.

Maybe to get your 10% discount you need to purchase in advance but the lost first day will negate any real savings.... unless your real power drinkers who can put down 6-8 drinks between 3 to8.....

Maybe in the singular case of a Spanish to Spanish port you have to....but this is not the case in all the other places in the world... South pacific, Aisia, Alaska, Carribe, Med ( excluding Spain) that I have ever experienced...

 

If your travel agent requests that pre pay for other trips I would suggest its to get a bigger commission for him.

 

Maybe to get your 10% discount you need to purchase in advance but the lost first day will negate any real savings.... unless your real power drinkers who can put down 6-8 drinks between 3 to8.....

My TA never suggests that I prepay. I have always paid with OBC. That only covers one of us. So I will pre purchase mine and get 10% off versus paying 10% or more to Spain. We will be sailing to 3 different ports in Spain. I believe Brazil does this also.

For us the package is worth it.

I don't get what you mean by the lost first day?

by that I mean you get on the ship and get stowed away and its 4to 5 pm.... dinner at 7... gives you very little time to visit the bar and from 5 to 6 is usualy a happy hour....giving you very little time to drink enough to make the package a value as you don't have a full 12 to 14 hours to take advantage of the package only a few hours. at best since it takes a good 6 to 7 drinks to break even with the package cost if you look at it that way....

Its not of value the first day... You could use your OBC the first day just ala cart and spend much less than the package would cost.

Not everyone who buys the packages drinks to get their monies worth daily :eek:

this is not one of the "FUN SHIPS"

Of course as always

YMMD

by that I mean you get on the ship and get stowed away and its 4to 5 pm.... dinner at 7... gives you very little time to visit the bar and from 5 to 6 is usualy a happy hour....giving you very little time to drink enough to make the package a value as you don't have a full 12 to 14 hours to take advantage of the package only a few hours. at best since it takes a good 6 to 7 drinks to break even with the package cost if you look at it that way....

 

Its not of value the first day... You could use your OBC the first day just ala cart and spend much less than the package would cost.

On our first day we board about noon, head to the library then to the Terrace for Lunch where we will have 2 glasses of wine with lunch (usually a small 4-5 oz pour depending on server). After lunch we head to the pool bar to meet others where we may have a cocktail. At dinner we may have a cocktail, perhaps wine and then afterwards maybe a cognac. This is per person.:D

wine X 2 = 22.00

cocktail = 12.00

predinner = 12.00

aperitif = 15.00

TOTAL $61.00

So we do not lose on day one.

Not everyone who buys the packages drinks to get their monies worth daily :eek:

this is not one of the "FUN SHIPS"

 

Of course as always

YMMD

It is just that I spend my money for value I don't spend it for fun. This is why I cruise Oceania because the value of small ship,well mannered fellow passengers, haut cuisine and overall ambiance.

I have what I have because I spend it for value not convenience. I don't see for me spending $10 FOR a $5.00 item as a good idea, hence my opinion

Aint got a trust fund I got where I am the old fashioned way...I worked for it.

On our first day we board about noon, head to the library then to the Terrace for Lunch where we will have 2 glasses of wine with lunch (usually a small 4-5 oz pour depending on server). After lunch we head to the pool bar to meet others where we may have a cocktail. At dinner we may have a cocktail, perhaps wine and then afterwards maybe a cognac. This is per person.:D

wine X 2 = 22.00

cocktail = 12.00

predinner = 12.00

aperitif = 15.00

 

TOTAL $61.00

So we do not lose on day one.

And if you add in the 18% gratuity which is included with the Package, but is otherwise charged per beverage, then you are even further ahead. :D

 

Aint got a trust fund I got where I am the old fashioned way...I worked for it.

As I am sure many of us did :rolleyes:

People are entitled to spend THEIR money however they see fit ...just my opinion

My opinion as well, Lyn.

I've said many times that one reason we don't take the package is that DH drinks barely nothing at all (okay, he'll take a sip of my wine at a meal but his usual order in a bar is orange juice no ice) ... Since we don't go to the bars, the package is really wasted on us. We've often been in a suite recently (not always!) that gives us the liquor set-up which works out well for us on a 14-21 day cruise. With that, we don't have to buy much in the restaurants. But we aren't always that lucky to be in such a suite! As well, I prefer to have more leeway than just choosing from the wines by the glass that are available on the package. So we opt out.

(Okay, guys, if you want to point out that it would be cheaper to be in cabin where we don't get the liquor set-up, booking the lower room would be cheaper even if we got the package for both of us -- you're right. And if the package allowed me to select a bottle off the wine list, I'd be with you.)

I usually have my tipple in our room and order wine with dinner, but I don't want to be limited to the "by glass" options for wine at meals so I prefer to buy from the wine list if I must. And I bring on a few bottles to use during the cruise, maybe buy some on land, maybe not.

I think the real point here from previous posts is that if you are leaving from Spain it's advisable to buy in advance OR ELSE wait until you are out of Spanish territory. (Or is that EU territory?)

Leaving from areas that don't charge that ridiculous VAT surcharge, then it doesn't matter. So check your departure port and then make your decision about when to buy.

On our last cruise the package was available throughout ...

I agree with those who suggest that the package really isn't worth it if you are on a very port intensive cruise. If you are on a cruise with a fair number of sea days, it becomes another ball game. So sometimes it can make sense to consider your itinerary and how much you are likely to want to drink on a given day.

Many people who post here opt for the package because they just don't want to bother worrying about it. And that's a valid approach as well ... not for ME, but very valid for many of you.

Mura

On our first day we board about noon, head to the library then to the Terrace for Lunch where we will have 2 glasses of wine with lunch (usually a small 4-5 oz pour depending on server). After lunch we head to the pool bar to meet others where we may have a cocktail. At dinner we may have a cocktail, perhaps wine and then afterwards maybe a cognac. This is per person.:D

 

wine X 2 = 22.00

 

cocktail = 12.00

 

predinner = 12.00

 

aperitif = 15.00

 

 

 

TOTAL $61.00

 

So we do not lose on day one.

Actually, you're ahead of the game since your drink prices don't appear to include the 18% tip, which is part of the $60 prestige package price tag.