Robjame

Happy to see that Oceania is sharing the price pain …. 🤣

These are thoughts from some of the CC roll callers: — everyone had a wonderful Christmas cruise and are looking forward to Dubai next year - mentioned most was the fantastic new friends - it was a tight group starting with our roll call and moving to the informal Meet and Greet - Decorations were very tasteful and understated - opinions varied on the service - — the Riviera refurb was a solid win - no misses that we noticed - Concierge lounge (A?) was never serviced - no concierge and disappointing or non-existent snacks. When asked, guests were told to go to open concierge desk on deck 5 - the breakfast times at MDR and Terrace were too short a window and too similar (the times) and did not match those published in Currents - Happy hours were not always published in Currents - new Baristas is fantastic - La Reserve Odyssey (cc group of 10) was a wonderful night. La Reserve Dom Perignon was not, neither the champagnes or the food - Embarkation was smooth and quick. Not the disembarkation. - Oceania excursions were hit and miss in price and experience. - Beverage package increase and gratuity increases mid-cruise were Ill- conceived though some of us found solutions - Terrace selections were reduced by a large table display pushing $10 Bloody Mary’s On a personal note - our toilet flooded 6 different times (the poop deck we called it) twice in the wee hours. Plumbers finally addressed it seriously (yesterday) and replaced key parts. We found $400 OBC added to our account as a courtesy. For the most part we all had a lovely time.

Yes I think you are right on. At 2 or 3 am it just feels stopped

Riviera and Marina - if you are going to floor 15 - Horizons - take the front elevators. Tha back ones don’t go to 15. You will be confused when you get off the elevators as some are bow facing and some are aft facing. A Quick check as you exit the elevator is to look for the telephone on the wall. The telephone is always on the Port side. A quick glance and you will look like a pro as you correctly turn to the side of your stateroom.

Here is a copy of the email we received. Someone can correct me, but what Riviera seems to be doing is shutting down the engines in the middle of the night and bobbing along without power. is this is a new tactic? The result is sufficient difference in motion to wake us. As well slamming noises are heard as waves hit the hull at undesirable angles. This might carry on for a couple of hours with brief bursts of power to correct the direction. Not impressed. Do cruise lines pay port charges by the hour? If not why not stick at port rather than drift?

3 wines which we have found quite useful are: Wente Vineyards Southern Hills Cab Sauv- Livermore Valley - California (Red) Villa Maria Sauv Blanc- Marlborough - New Zealand - (White) Poesie Soave Classico DOC - Veneto Italy (white) This last one we love as it is one of the few that goes well with salads Just suggestions We don’t like over oaked wines and ABC

Any drink you find on any bar menu or any wine by the glass or any beer is included in the Prestige menu as far as I know. However you might not find all drinks at all bars. For example Baristas has a limited menu suitable for aperetivos or after dinner drinks or drinks with coffee but not the fancy cocktails. Or - we like a pastis (cinquante et un or Ricard) before dinner but it may only be available at Main Bar. Having said that, we have ordered it from any restaurant and it arrives. Caveat: there are some specialty drinks only available in specific specialty restaurants - sake in red Ginger or a special after dinner liquor in Tuscan. We are in the habit of asking if in doubt “Is this included in the drink package?” - avoids surprises.

I did not upgrade for the $30 pp pd

Haven’t checked but if it is not on one of the bar menus, it is not included in a beverage package- I will check at one of the bars.

More to the point - has anyone posted any written communication from an official of Oceania? other than this one? Until such time, this is the only official position.

With the caveats and suggestion of FF, has anyone got a written communication more current, more updated or closer to the source than this one?

Unless you are on a beverage package. However I will talk to others (an easy thing to do with bartenders 😀) and we’ll weigh that with article that clearly states bartenders are salaried.

A little research will set you straight: https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=261 ”As mentioned above, not all members of the ship staff receive a share of the gratuities paid by passengers. Bartenders, main show entertainers and third-party shop employees are some of the more obvious ones, but they're not the only ones.” But then again you are the self-proclaimed expert

Good Thinking….. of course at $21.60 a 1 oz pour (to get a 2 oz.) that is expensive research.😉

And a higher percentage of CC experts aren’t the experts they think they are This is insulting. Until you have some creditable information, resist the impulse to type tripe.

Not necessarily. Check your favourite in the thread on new bar menu prices, add 20%, and then make up you mind.

6:30 to 9:00 in Waves Grill, not Terrace - Riviera now

These times differ on sea days. Today a sea day Waves - 9 am Horizons - 11 am Martinis - 1 pm Grand Bar/Casino Bar -12 noon

We have met several staff who are not joining Vista until the contract after Vista sails because, if they join before the first cruise, there are no gratuities to share.

Orv et al: The single malts that have been added to the bar menu are included in The Prestige Beverage Package. Catch 22 - not all are on board yet -Oban, Cragganmore, Balvenie - I did have a double Macallan $34 + 20% before lunch for research purposes

Horizons:

Hang on to your suspenders: We just spent a half hour talking to a bar tender Bar tenders and assistant bartenders do NOT participate in or share in the gratuities. They are salaried. If you tip within the system, they do not get any of that - none of the 20% drink fee, none of your 18 (23) % daily gratuity, none of the added tip you put on the bar tab when you order a drink. If you give the bar tender cash, he does keep that. The bar waiter DOES participate in the tips which is why a bar tender will encourage you to order through a bar waiter. Lesson - tip in cash - order through a bar waiter

As of this morning info - prestige package costs $30 pp pd after you have acquired the House Select Package whether by OLife or pre purchase or purchase on the ship.

Hang on to your suspenders: We just spent a half hour talking to a bar tender Bar tenders and assistant bartenders do NOT participate in or share in the gratuities. They are salaried. If you tip within the system, they do not get any of that - none of the 20% drink fee, none of your 18 (23) % daily gratuity, none of the added tip you put on the bar tab when you order a drink. If you give the bar tender cash, he does keep that. The bar waiter DOES participate in the tips which is why a bar tender will encourage you to order through a bar waiter. Lesson - tip in cash - order through a bar waiter

Orv I will check on that and report back.