First Timer P&O Oceana - advice/alcohol/dining

Hi all - have just taken the plunge and booked Oceana for May this year round trip from Malta to Dubrovnik/Split/Hvar/Venice

First time booking an inside cabin too - price was too good to miss so we'll give it a go! Booked B231 - anyone have any experience of this deck/cabin?

Usually have a 2nd seating with table of 8 and have done the same on P&O - we would usually have a drinks package - any suggestions? Are there packages anyway?? Do P&O allow alcohol to be brought on board?

We're traditional cruisers so will adhere to formal dress and make an effort to dress for dining every evening - will we be in the minority? Not bothered if we are just wondering.

Curling tongs/travel irons? Guess not allowed but do people take anyway?

Thanks in advance

Hi all - have just taken the plunge and booked Oceana for May this year round trip from Malta to Dubrovnik/Split/Hvar/Venice

 

First time booking an inside cabin too - price was too good to miss so we'll give it a go! Booked B231 - anyone have any experience of this deck/cabin?

 

Usually have a 2nd seating with table of 8 and have done the same on P&O - we would usually have a drinks package - any suggestions? Are there packages anyway?? Do P&O allow alcohol to be brought on board?

 

We're traditional cruisers so will adhere to formal dress and make an effort to dress for dining every evening - will we be in the minority? Not bothered if we are just wondering.

 

Curling tongs/travel irons? Guess not allowed but do people take anyway?

 

Thanks in advance

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As for dress, there tends to be two formal nights a week with the majority of male diners in black tie or at the very least, suits and ties. Other nights are more relaxed with open neck shirts being the norm.

Hi....we have been on B deck...B325 I think..... The cabin you have chosen is same size but I think they are longer but slightly narrower cabins. Our first cruise was on Oceana so I do have a soft spot for it.

You will certainly not be in the minority dressing formally....at least 90% will be but only on the formal nights which if it is a 7 night cruise there will be 2 of. The other nights you will dress more casually.

You are not allowed to bring irons on board and there is no need at all to bring one as on every deck there is a launderette complete with washing machines/dryers and irons and ironing board....no charge.

Not sure but there may bottles of wine packages.

Hi....we have been on B deck...B325 I think..... The cabin you have chosen is same size but I think they are longer but slightly narrower cabins. Our first cruise was on Oceana so I do have a soft spot for it.

You will certainly not be in the minority dressing formally....at least 90% will be but only on the formal nights which if it is a 7 night cruise there will be 2 of. The other nights you will dress more casually.

 

You are not allowed to bring irons on board and there is no need at all to bring one as on every deck there is a launderette complete with washing machines/dryers and irons and ironing board....no charge.

 

Not sure but there may bottles of wine packages.

Brilliant - a self service launderette, just like Princess yay!! Do you know if anyone has uploaded a picture of the wine lists/drinks menu with prices?

Brilliant - a self service launderette, just like Princess yay!! Do you know if anyone has uploaded a picture of the wine lists/drinks menu with prices?

https://ask.pocruises.com/help/PO/life-on-board/drink_cost

If you go onto the Menu section you can choose links to various menus.

We too have a soft spot for Oceana and don't forget that she was once a Princess ship --- hence the stunning atrium !

Most people will dress for the formal nights and most smart casual for the other evenings.

Not sure about a drinks package but the price of drinks is on a par with a 4 star hotel in the UK. NO service charges.

If you want a change from the MDR give the Café Jardin a go for a nice meal as you are at the top of the atrium and it is only about £8 per person extra. The Beach House is worth a try too :-)

I do hope that you enjoy Oceana - a lovely friendly ship - the crew all told us that they love sailing on her.

:-)

https://ask.pocruises.com/help/PO/life-on-board/drink_cost

 

If you go onto the Menu section you can choose links to various menus.

Thanks - saw the menus but they don’t have prices! I know lots of other forums have photos of the most recent bar menus and wine lists (I’m most interested in this) and wondered if anyone here has done the same?

First time booking an inside cabin too - price was too good to miss so we'll give it a go!

Inside cabins are excellent and as you have seen can be bargains, but give you exactly the same access to the amenities on ship as outside and balcony cabins.

Although a balcony cabin can in some circumstances be worthwhile, an outside cabin is a waste of money.

What do you need a window for? Are you really going to sit in your cabin if you don't have a balcony.

Personally I use the cabin for three things, and none of them need a window.

Thanks - saw the menus but they don’t have prices! I know lots of other forums have photos of the most recent bar menus and wine lists (I’m most interested in this) and wondered if anyone here has done the same?

Ah sorry missed the bit about prices!....

Does this help.?

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2507620

It's from Britannia Oct 2017 but I assume costs are the same across the fleet and hopefully prices haven't changed.

We find the wine prices very reasonable. These pictures are I think only the wines available in the bars but will give you an idea of prices. There is a very comprehensive wine menu in the main dining room with a corresponding range of prices but we find the selection good and cost very acceptable compared with restaurants at home.

we would usually have a drinks package - any suggestions?

 

Curling tongs/travel irons? Guess not allowed but do people take anyway?

P&O don't do drinks packages in the same way as the American lines, which cover soft drinks, spirits and cocktails (to a certain value). They do a Costa coffee card, and a soft drinks package (mainly aimed at children) which only covers Coke, Fanta and Sprite, but no fruit juices, mineral water or mocktails. We priced it up a couple of years ago for our son and to be honest you got about one drink free - it wasn't worth it. P&O do wine packages but again, the savings aren't great.

My daughter's taken hair straighteners and there's never been a problem, after all they're only on for a short time and we make sure she's unplugged them before she leaves the cabin.

We did 35 nights on Oceana earlier this year and loved her, I think she may have been spruced up since then? Very nice ship with plenty of character. We had an inside on B deck which was fine for us. Drinks prices very fair, especially when comparing to American lines. They don't generally bother too much regarding the alcohol policy, we carried 3L on with us when leaving the Caribbean, however we didn't exactly wave it about. We are quite traditional and like to dress up for formal nights, sometimes even on casual if it is a birthday or other anniversary, everybody to their own, I say.

Nice itinerary too, the weather will have nicely warmed up in May in the Med too. Have a great cruise.

...They don't generally bother too much regarding the alcohol policy, we carried 3L on with us when leaving the Caribbean, however we didn't exactly wave it about...

The reason you didn't have a problem is that the one lire limit only comes into force on the 1st February. Previously there hadn't been a limit.

We too have a soft spot for Oceana and don't forget that she was once a Princess ship --- hence the stunning atrium !

 

Most people will dress for the formal nights and most smart casual for the other evenings.

 

Not sure about a drinks package but the price of drinks is on a par with a 4 star hotel in the UK. NO service charges.

 

If you want a change from the MDR give the Café Jardin a go for a nice meal as you are at the top of the atrium and it is only about £8 per person extra. The Beach House is worth a try too :-)

 

I do hope that you enjoy Oceana - a lovely friendly ship - the crew all told us that they love sailing on her.

 

:-)

Thank you

Inside cabins are excellent and as you have seen can be bargains, but give you exactly the same access to the amenities on ship as outside and balcony cabins.

 

Although a balcony cabin can in some circumstances be worthwhile, an outside cabin is a waste of money.

 

What do you need a window for? Are you really going to sit in your cabin if you don't have a balcony.

 

Personally I use the cabin for three things, and none of them need a window.

Mmm I’ll let you know - time will tell.

It is nice to get up and have breakfast/cuppa on your balcony - it’s also nice to come back late afternoon and have some quiet time watching the waves..... but we’ve never used the balcony instead of main decks so more reason to give the inside cabin a go. I’ve had an ocean view once - I would say it’s nice to see daylight when you wake but maybe not so much if it’s £200pp more for the privilege

Ah sorry missed the bit about prices!....

 

Does this help.?

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2507620

It's from Britannia Oct 2017 but I assume costs are the same across the fleet and hopefully prices haven't changed.

 

We find the wine prices very reasonable. These pictures are I think only the wines available in the bars but will give you an idea of prices. There is a very comprehensive wine menu in the main dining room with a corresponding range of prices but we find the selection good and cost very acceptable compared with restaurants at home.

Thanks ☺️

Hi....we have cruised in balcony/outside/inside and yes they are all ok but if the price difference per night is acceptable then balcony is best. We prefer outside over inside because of the natural light in the cabin and they don't feel " closed in". I always feel that inside cabins don't quite have enough lights to " flood" the cabin with light. Having said that we don't hesitate to book an inside cabin if it is a " bargain" price.

Hi....we have been on B deck...B325 I think..... The cabin you have chosen is same size but I think they are longer but slightly narrower cabins. Our first cruise was on Oceana so I do have a soft spot for it.

You will certainly not be in the minority dressing formally....at least 90% will be but only on the formal nights which if it is a 7 night cruise there will be 2 of. The other nights you will dress more casually.

 

You are not allowed to bring irons on board and there is no need at all to bring one as on every deck there is a launderette complete with washing machines/dryers and irons and ironing board....no charge.

 

Not sure but there may bottles of wine packages.

Confirmed by P&O on their Facebook page today that you can take travel irons onboard but I think they have to be electrical safety checked first by them.