"Free" drink nights?

[boblerm]

I seem to remember reading some reviews that said that on the first night of the cruise drinks were free during certain hours. Is that pretty much standard on O cruises?

I'm thinking that if that is the case, the bars and lounges are likely to be jammed, and might be a good night for a leisurely evening in a specialty restaurant.

[LHT28]

Well if they are you are the only one that knows about it :D

 

The drinks are free during a few hours on the Captain's Welcome party evening & for the Past guests party

As far as I know all other times you pay for the drinks

 

 

Lyn

[Toranut97]

Lyn is correct. The only other discount time is the daily Happy Hour,I think.

[corpkid]

Lyn is correct. The only other discount time is the daily Happy Hour,I think.

 

Martini's has a 1/2 price happy hour ($5 martini's) in the early evening before dinner and that was always very busy. Correct me if I'm wrong as I had quite a few of them 1/2 priced drinks! :)

[boblerm]

Thank you all for clarifying.

[DavidTheWonderer]

I seem to remember reading some reviews that said that on the first night of the cruise drinks were free during certain hours. Is that pretty much standard on O cruises?

I'm thinking that if that is the case, the bars and lounges are likely to be jammed, and might be a good night for a leisurely evening in a specialty restaurant.

 

I've only sailed with Oceania once (Riviera, trans-Atlantic Barcelona to Miami in November 2013) and early on in the cruise there were free drinks in all the bars and lounges one evening for a few hours. But only once in a two-week cruise. It is a good time to avoid the bars and lounges! They are absolutely packed. If I had known, booking a specialty resto would have been a good idea as suggested. Other posters to this seem to indicate that our cruise was an exception, so your mileage may vary.

[Toranut97]

I've only sailed with Oceania once (Riviera, trans-Atlantic Barcelona to Miami in November 2013) and early on in the cruise there were free drinks in all the bars and lounges one evening for a few hours. But only once in a two-week cruise. It is a good time to avoid the bars and lounges! They are absolutely packed. If I had known, booking a specialty resto would have been a good idea as suggested. Other posters to this seem to indicate that our cruise was an exception, so your mileage may vary.

 

David, I think you are referencing the evening of the Captain's Welcome Party, described by Lyn, above. During that time drinks are free all over the ship.

 

I wanted to add also that the Happy Hour in Martini's is 2-for-1, all drinks. And yes. Martini's gets real busy then!!!

 

(Looking forward to further -ahem - "research" --- next week!)

[DOJO466]

Martini's has a 1/2 price happy hour ($5 martini's) in the early evening before dinner and that was always very busy. Correct me if I'm wrong as I had quite a few of them 1/2 priced drinks! :)

 

The drinks at happy hour are 2 for 1. Not half price per se. You pay the regular price but get a second one, or you may ask for a "double".

[Mura]

As to the second part of OP's question, yes, it's usually good to go to a specialty restaurant on the first night. I suppose many people are tired after a day of travel (assuming they didn't come in to the departure city a few days early).

 

On our first Marina cruise I tried to get a reservation for six in Jacques that night but couldn't get it because I didn't have the other parties' room numbers. So we just went to the GDR. When we got there, the maitre d' asked us if we'd like to go to Jacques!

 

So we did ... and it was relatively empty all night. That doesn't always happen, of course.

 

Mura

[pinotlover]

A bit of an issue, slightly off thread. Many groups want to plan meet and greets the first evening on board. I've never been a fan of that, but it is what it is. I often schedule a specialty the first night to relax and get away from the commotion and crowds. Doing so typically means I miss the M&G's.

 

What that then requires, especially if the M&G is of a group that I will be doing tours/land excursions with, starting the next day, is that I make arrangements to meet at least one of that Party during the evening so to have a familiar face.

 

Something to think about!;)

[JimandStan]

A bit of an issue, slightly off thread. Many groups want to plan meet and greets the first evening on board. I've never been a fan of that, but it is what it is. I often schedule a specialty the first night to relax and get away from the commotion and crowds. Doing so typically means I miss the M&G's.

 

What that then requires, especially if the M&G is of a group that I will be doing tours/land excursions with, starting the next day, is that I make arrangements to meet at least one of that Party during the evening so to have a familiar face.

 

Something to think about!;)

 

I've been organizing Meet & Greets for a decade, and even after lengthy discussions of where/when/why on the Roll Call, the simple fact is that there is seldom a date and time that will work out to be good for everyone.

 

Saying that the group will "Meet for Cocktails before dinner one Evening" sounds easy peasy, until you realize that half the group swears that they are medically required to eat dinner as soon as the restaurants open, and the other half have just finished luncheon at that time. :o

 

At best, we manage to stay out of the way of major events like the Captains' Cocktail Party and the Oceania Club Party, then hope for the best :p.

[LHT28]

Most of our M & G's have been after muster drill usually we meet between 5:30 to 6:30 pm

Some people linger beyond 6:30 pm

 

Dining venues do not open until 6:30 pm anyway

you are under no obligation to stay at the M & G ...some just show up for a few minute make the rounds then go off for the evening

 

It is nice to meet up with those you have private tours with even if it is only 5 minutes

 

To each his own

 

JMO

Lyn

[pinotlover]

Lynn;

 

Those are reasonable hours for the M&G, and we typically will attend those. However the ones I have trouble with are the 6:30 to 8:00 starting ones.

 

Always staying Concierge and above, I make my specialty reservations X days in advance, when the option opens up. My experience has been that it is almost always several weeks later before the M&Gs are planned.

 

My comment was to only point out to the OP that if attending the M&Gs is something they may want to do, they are probably best off not scheduling a specialty the first night out. Or, if they do so, make it a late reservation. :)

[LHT28]

Lynn;

 

Those are reasonable hours for the M&G, and we typically will attend those. However the ones I have trouble with are the 6:30 to 8:00 starting ones.

 

 

I would miss those times also

 

We tend to eat 6:30 to 7pm

[Hawaiidan]

Over the years I have found that the meet and greets have become very frustrating and non productive.

When the numbers rise over 50 it becomes a zoo and no one meets any one. Some groups of friends from repeat cruises all knot together in tight cliques . Others there to brag about this or that. Others wander like zombies in search of something. Dosent work for me...too many adgendas in one room.

 

I have found, from past experience to contact the people I want to meet and set up a quiet time to meet and chat. Or people as you meet as the cruise progresses have a sit down drink or dinner.

 

Want to meet someone from these boards.... drop then a line. Set up a time. Trying to meet the whole herd is futile in my estimation.

[orchestrapal]

+1. We have not attended a M&G since our second or third cruise on O.

At that time we had about 12 people and that was totally pleasant but we do not enjoy 50 people stand- a - rounds.

[corpkid]

+1. We have not attended a M&G since our second or third cruise on O.

At that time we had about 12 people and that was totally pleasant but we do not enjoy 50 people stand- a - rounds.

 

+2

 

One cruise I was on (Azamara) we had about 35 people in our M&G and the cruise director facilitated. Was actually quite fun as he made everyone go 'round the table and introduce themselves (and answer a pretty silly question). Really broke the ice. That's the ONLY M&G I've ever really enjoyed.

[pinotlover]

M&Gs could be a thread on it's own! A lot of them we don't make!

 

JIm and Stan's post was correct however. For the coordinatior, it's very hard getting all the people in the group to meet at one time. We normally eat by 7ish, and would prefer the M&G before that. It's amazing the number of people that won't come out of their rooms until 7-7:30 for drinks and then eat at 8:30-9:00. Each to their own, and it's a good thing everyone isn't wanting to hit the dining facilities at the same time. However, it makes it difficult scheduling a M& G.

 

So back to the OP, I think you understand your options a bit better now on day of embarkment! :D

[RJB]

Well if they are you are the only one that knows about it :D

 

The drinks are free during a few hours on the Captain's Welcome party evening & for the Past guests party

As far as I know all other times you pay for the drinks

 

 

Lyn

Just the way I remember it 3 weeks ago on Marina. Nice touch. :):)

[Mura]

I guess this thread HAS devolved to a Meet & Greet thread. Okay, I'll play.

 

I've never been on a cruise where there was a 6:30-8:00 parameter for a M&G. Almost all of them have been at 6pm, and people leave as dinner time approaches. Some at 6:30, some later. A group of 8 of us once closed the place because we had dinner reservations at 8 so we just stayed until then.

 

Way back when I set up one on Regatta with a very small group, perhaps only 12 people, and it was suggested that we have lunch at Waves. So we did ... but it was not satisfactory as far as I was concerned. We were all seated at tables for four, and no mingling happened. So I wouldn't suggest doing that again! (Especially since we didn't exactly "bond" with the other couple at our table.)

 

Most of the ones I've set up have been for 25-35 people and I agree that is a good size. You at least have a chance of meeting everyone.

 

We have about 120 acceptances (although not everyone showed up) on the BCN-Rio cruise last November, and that was just too large for me. I was so busy passing out name tags that I hardly talked to anyone as it was ... although people did come up to talk to ME as the organizer. So I suppose I shouldn't complain.

 

It looks like the May 2014 NYC-Dover cruise is going to be even larger and I must admit I'm having second thoughts. Although someone suggested that it will be a morning thing, and not cocktail hour. I'm not sure how that will work out but it's not my job!

 

Mura

[Glenndale]

I have to agree with Mura, the group on the BCN to RIO was just too big, not helped by the fact that there was another large group meeting at the same time.

With regards to free drinks there were plenty to be had at both the welcome aboard party and the past passenger get together.

On some ships, at these events, the cocktails tend to have minimal alcohol but the Oceania ones were pretty good :D

[JimandStan]

I have to agree with Mura, the group on the BCN to RIO was just too big

 

Whom would you have suggested dis-inviting? :p

[Mura]

Ourselves!!!!!!! :D

 

Mura

[Hawaiidan]

Ourselves!!!!!!! :D

 

Mura

 

As a suggestion to mingling.... try setting up several small shore trips that encompass things and desires that you hold dear.

It stands to logic/reason that persons wanting to participate in those activities with you would have the highest affinity with you.

During the course of those activities see who or is of interest and vice a versa. Birds of a feather flock together and water seeks its own level.

 

That has worked well to find kindred sprits rather than a mass gathering... like getting to know people in your section in the super bowl... Meet and greets without a deeper commonality than just being on the same ship are rather empty. Like a sea going "face Book"..... oh friend me,!!!!

 

 

( I am not on Face Book or tweeting either)

[pinotlover]

I agree with HawaiiDan on the issue. Doing a M&G with everyone that ever made a post on a Rool Call Forum doesn't generate a lot of excitement for many.

 

However, I saved the Day for a fellow cruiser on our first day in St. Pete once. He and his wife were late and slow getting through customs. So late that the STP guide was departing without them. As we were pulling away, I caught a glimpse of his face desperately trying to find us, and got the van stopped. Had we not meet in our small tour group M&G, and I recognize his face, they would have been left at the dock. In St. Pete. that really limits one's options!