Change in alcohol policy

One of the many reasons we love Oceania is their policy of allowing liquor bought in ports to be brought on board and consumed in your cabin. We do love to try local stuff and start off the cruise with duty-free from our air trip. We have never had an issue with that and last sailed with O through the Panama Canal last November. Now we're booked (and paid in full) for our next cruise and have just read that no liquor bought in ports can be consumed on board. There is conflicting information on Cruise Critic and most of it isn't dated so don't know the real story. Does anyone know if the policy has been changed this year? We are extremely upset if the policy has been changed, especially without notification to booked passengers. If this is true it's another step down for Oceania in our view. :confused:

It seems odd that you are so upset about "reading" about this, yet never cite your source. :cool:

I have not heard of any such change, and don't believe it to be true.

It seems odd that you are so upset about "reading" about this, yet never cite your source. :cool:

I have not heard of any such change, and don't believe it to be true.

My source is my cruise documents for my November cruise on Riviera that arrived from Oceania today. It is the Ticket Contract section, Number 15 "Alcohol Policy". The exact wording is "Carrier reserves the right to prohibit and retain all liquor brought aboard the Ship. All liquor purchased ashore must remain in bond until disembarkation."

That looks correct. Checked it with our upcoming Riviera cruise and it does say that "All liquor purchased ashore must remain in bond until disembarkation." Article #15 in Terms and Conditions of Contract of Carriage." :-(

I've just checked the conditions of carriage for all my "O" cruises, and article 15 has not changed from the above.....note that it says they "reserve the right to prohibit and retain all liquor brought aboard".......it doesn't say they WILL. "O" are just giving themselves a get out clause and means to deal with passengers who are disruptive due to the influence of alcohol.......it's a very adult way of doing things IMHO

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Legalese, not any change in policy. You may still bring and take with you alcohol.

Tempest in a teacup...

Did you read the T & C for the cruise last year?

I believe it has been the same wording for a few years now

I looked back through my "O" docs which go back as far as 2006.....no changes as far as I can see....

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We have been taking a bottle on board for some time now. I think the terms mean that if you abuse the system then they will take it off you. Or if they think that you are drunk etc. then again they will take the bottle from you and give them back at the end of the cruise. Nothing has changed.

We were on the Black Sea cruise from July 25 - Aug. 6. While in Sochi, Russia, a couple on our excursion purchased two bottles of vodka. They had no problems taking it on board to enjoy in their stateroom. As previously stated, the wording is to protect Oceania and enable them to legally take action should someone abuse the policy ~ or other passengers.

Harriet

I repeat from my original 2 postings on this thread. There HAS been a change in the wording in the documents that you receive once you're fully booked. I know the first sentence has always been there giving them the 'right' to refuse, but the 2nd sentence is NEW and I have quoted it below. I have written to my Oceania Travel Agent and will post her response here. Clearly I'm not the only one who has been surprised by this change but the sentence leaves no room for doubt. "All liquor purchased ashore must remain in bond until disembarkation". We've never had a problem taking it on board either, as recently as last November, but this sentence was not in the policy then. I have incidentally looked at the Cruise Critic alcohol policy summary and it also now indicates that you can't bring liquor on board other than 3 bottles of wine at embarkation.

See http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=38

If they wanted you to bring liquor on board in unlimited amounts they would not have a policy at all. Since they have one you can not assume they will not enforce it. If you get stopped do not be put out.

This must be a very new policy ..they have not updated the website to show the new wording

Maybe someone will test the policy before your Nov cruise

Lyn

I don't have any T&C docs to hand prior to 2011; however the docs for my summer 2011, spring 2012 & autumn 2012 cruises all clearly show the phrase "All liquor purchased ashore must remain in bond until disembarkation" in section 15.

Out of those 3 cruises my partner and I must have taken on board 6 litres of gin on boarding alone....add to that the 4 bottles of port, various beers from microbreweries along the way, a case to a case and a half of wine etc. etc. Have I had any confiscated/put into bond?? No.........

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For what it's worth - we just got off the Marina here in the Baltics a few days ago and had ZERO problems with bringing liquor/wine aboard. We bought two liters at duty free on our flight out from NYC... no problem at all. Then in St. Peteresburg, we bought some wine at the duty free at the pier (literally right outside the ship) and again, no problem. Then again we did this in Gdansk, Poland and again, absolutely no problem (and also right at the pier). They don't seem to care one bit as all our new friends were doing just the same.

Of course, we consumed this all in our stateroom sans the one bottle of wine we had corked in Polo grill for a nominal charge. This has been a fun trip! :)

One of the many reasons we love Oceania is their policy of allowing liquor bought in ports to be brought on board and consumed in your cabin. We do love to try local stuff and start off the cruise with duty-free from our air trip. We have never had an issue with that and last sailed with O through the Panama Canal last November. Now we're booked (and paid in full) for our next cruise and have just read that no liquor bought in ports can be consumed on board. There is conflicting information on Cruise Critic and most of it isn't dated so don't know the real story. Does anyone know if the policy has been changed this year? We are extremely upset if the policy has been changed, especially without notification to booked passengers. If this is true it's another step down for Oceania in our view. :confused:

This may have been partially in response to one of the segments I was on. It seems that people that brought on their own hard liquor were bringing it to the pool deck by the 1.5 liter bottle and near slamming it down. There were a few reminders that you weren't supposed to do that with alcohol you brought on board.

For what it's worth - we just got off the Marina here in the Baltics a few days ago and had ZERO problems with bringing liquor/wine aboard. We bought two liters at duty free on our flight out from NYC... no problem at all. Then in St. Peteresburg, we bought some wine at the duty free at the pier (literally right outside the ship) and again, no problem. Then again we did this in Gdansk, Poland and again, absolutely no problem (and also right at the pier). They don't seem to care one bit as all our new friends were doing just the same.

 

Of course, we consumed this all in our stateroom sans the one bottle of wine we had corked in Polo grill for a nominal charge. This has been a fun trip! :)

Have you posted about your cruise? Just wondering how you liked the Baltics..our favorite

Have you posted about your cruise? Just wondering how you liked the Baltics..our favorite

We are still here (in CPH). :D Love this place and cruise. When fly out tomorrow and I'll post up a full review. Really loved our first O cruise and the Marina. What a fantastic operation in a fantastic place! More to come... Time to sadly pack for the AM flight.

That may only apply to hard liquor and not to wine.

One of the many reasons we love Oceania is their policy of allowing liquor bought in ports to be brought on board and consumed in your cabin. We do love to try local stuff and start off the cruise with duty-free from our air trip. We have never had an issue with that and last sailed with O through the Panama Canal last November. Now we're booked (and paid in full) for our next cruise and have just read that no liquor bought in ports can be consumed on board. There is conflicting information on Cruise Critic and most of it isn't dated so don't know the real story. Does anyone know if the policy has been changed this year? We are extremely upset if the policy has been changed, especially without notification to booked passengers. If this is true it's another step down for Oceania in our view. :confused:

I respect your views, but at the same time, I believe you are becoming alarmed over nothing.

The disclaimer you have just discovered has been in Oceania's "Conditions of Travel" since inception. It is a standard clause used by many cruise lines, but, in the case of Oceania, is rarely, if ever, enforced. However, it gives "O" the option of enforcing, IF the conduct of any passenger would ever cause concern.

Passengers, ourselves included, have been boarding with whatever beverages we wished, without any problem , since Oceania was formed. And we will continue to do so.

I hope this sets your mind at ease..... :)

That may only apply to hard liquor and not to wine.

The use, or more accurately the non-use, of the policy has always applied evenly to wine, hard spirits and beer, for consumption in one's stateroom (or wine with corkage in the dining rooms). In contrast to almost every other cruise line, Oceania has always treated their guests as responsible adults regarding alcohol. The written policy has always been there in case it is needed for obnoxious guests. The wording has changed a little over the years but the enforcement (or lack thereof) has never wavered.

I started this thread and said I would let everyone know the 'definitive' answer from Oceania. Well, it's not very definitive. There is no change to what has been the policy of allowing liquor, of any sort, to be brought on board either at embarkation or at a port stop. The wording has always been there that they "reserve the right" to hold anything brought on board.

However, they couldn't explain why the wording is different in all their brochures (even the most recently received 2014 ones) when compared to the ticket contract that you get with your tickets and that was the source of my concern. The wording in the contract that comes with the travel documents is much more severe and direct and not in any way subject to interpretation. It's there, they can enforce it but they haven't chosen to as yet. I do hope a few don't ruin it for the majority of us who just want to enjoy a quiet drink in their cabin of something new they've bought onshore.

So we will arrive with our duty free in our hand luggage and hope for the best. Thank you to all who have replied, particularly those who seemed to understand the details of my concern. :)

How is it that you are confident that the wording is there for obnoxious passengers rather than those who aren't obnoxious?

It would be very disappointing to front up to the ship with wine/spirits in hand that were purchased at winery/distillery on shore and learn that oops, times and policies have changed.

One of the many reasons we love Oceania is their policy of allowing liquor bought in ports to be brought on board and consumed in your cabin. We do love to try local stuff and start off the cruise with duty-free from our air trip. We have never had an issue with that and last sailed with O through the Panama Canal last November. Now we're booked (and paid in full) for our next cruise and have just read that no liquor bought in ports can be consumed on board. There is conflicting information on Cruise Critic and most of it isn't dated so don't know the real story. Does anyone know if the policy has been changed this year? We are extremely upset if the policy has been changed, especially without notification to booked passengers. If this is true it's another step down for Oceania in our view. :confused:

My husband & I just got back Aug 7 from a back to back cruise - Venice-Istanbul, Istanbul-Athens. We bought wine at almost every port (and drank it in our cabin) and were never told we couldn't bring it on board. I just checked our books and the wording you talked about is in there. We hadn't seen it before sailing and didn't know it was there until mentioned here.

Sue & Arvi

How is it that you are confident that the wording is there for obnoxious passengers rather than those who aren't obnoxious?

Because we have traveled 12 times on Oceania and have always brought alcohol on board, including wine, beer and spirits. And, because we have become friends with fellow passengers who have carried as much as a case of hard spirits on board to entertain, and have met others who have carried several cases of wine on board.

The key is "for consumption in your cabin". There will be several reminders in the daily "Currents" newsletter about consuming your own adult beverages in public areas. Someone mentioned seeing others with 1.5 liter bottles of the hard stuff onto the pool deck; that's a no-no and will most likely get your drinks confiscated if it's seen.

Personally, I drink very little except wine with dinner, but Betsy enjoys getting a local beer and bringing some pizza back to the cabin for lunch, and enjoys a nightcap in the cabin. We buy wine on board for dinner, but sometimes have a glass in the cabin before dinner.