Beverage Package

[firefightermom007]

Can just one person in a cabin purchase the package? If there are 2 people in a cabin can 1 person purchase the House and the other purchase the Prestige?

[LHT28]

Can just one person in a cabin purchase the package? If there are 2 people in a cabin can 1 person purchase the House and the other purchase the Prestige?

 

Yes

One person can purchase either package & the other person does not have to purchase the package like other cruise lines do

 

But of course you cannot share ;)

[firefightermom007]

Thanks for the quick response.

 

Kinda figured that;)

[Two Happy Cruisers]

Can just one person in a cabin purchase the package? If there are 2 people in a cabin can 1 person purchase the House and the other purchase the Prestige?

 

Absolutely! My DH and I just returned from a 14-day TA on the Riviera. I had the beer-and-wine package as I don't drink hard liquor (except for an occasional after-dinner drink) and he had the Prestige package.

 

No problems with that, except we soon found out that I could not have a drink outside of meal hours, so for example between 4:00 and 6:30 p.m. I had to pay for my drink. I learned pretty quickly though to get a glass or two of wine in one of the lounges before 4 o'clock, bring it to the room and then enjoy it while getting ready for dinner.

 

Did not like the hassle of that though, so if we sail with Oceania again I will not be getting either package, but just pay for whatever and whenever I do drink. ;)

 

~Benita

[hondorner]

...I learned pretty quickly though to get a glass or two of wine in one of the lounges before 4 o'clock, bring it to the room and then enjoy it while getting ready for dinner...

You're the perfect candidate for picking up some wine (in any port) and bringing it on board to enjoy in your cabin. There are no enforced limits to how much you can bring aboard; beer and spirits, too! They just don't like you imbibing your own stuff out in public.

[JimandStan]

except we soon found out that I could not have a drink outside of meal hours, so for example between 4:00 and 6:30 p.m. I had to pay for my drink. I learned pretty quickly though to get a glass or two of wine in one of the lounges before 4 o'clock, bring it to the room and then enjoy it while getting ready for dinner.

 

Frankly, I'm surprised that you were served in a Lounge at all, as the terms of the House Select Package are quite clear:

 

" this package offers a wide selection of Beer, Champagne and Wine by the glass during meals in any dining venue including room service."

 

That sounds very much to me like you should only have been served during your meal while IN one of the Restaurants, or ordering Room Service.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Yet another topic that had been done to death.

For $60/person/day (actually closer to $50 without the included same tip required if you buy individual drinks), you don't have to do a math quiz every time you decide to have a drink.

If you have wine with dinner, remember that a 750ml bottle represents 4 glasses of wine (or 2 per each person in a couple). Add 2-3 other drinks per day (breakfast eye opener and/or wine at lunch plus pre/post dinner cocktail) and you've saved money with the prestige package (if cost is your bottom line).

 

 

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[oregon50]

You don't have to be a math wiz to know that $60 is $60....not more like 50.

And you have to be happy with whatever cheapo wine they wish to serve if drinking the off the included list.

[JimandStan]

You don't have to be a math wiz to know that $60 is $60....not more like 50.

And you have to be happy with whatever cheapo wine they wish to serve if drinking the off the included list.

 

Actually, although I had not even considered it before Flatbushflyer made the statement, he is correct about the pricing of the Package, in that one must pay a drink by drink 18% gratuity without the Package, but within the Package Price, all such gratuities are included.

 

The Wine List is quite extensive and anything but "cheapo"

[SellaVee]

Any maths wiz can tell you that if you spend $50 at the bar you'll be charged $59 once service is included. I'd call that nearly $60. If you spend $50.85 that equates to $60 so that's the equivalent per diem amount for 'buy as you go'.

 

I love numbers but it can make me a bit of a geek. I love logic too. Give me a sudoku puzzle and I'm a happy bunny. Give me a glass of wine and I'll fall asleep while I'm doing it.

 

Oops, JimandStan can type faster than me. Our posts crossed.

Edited April 24, 2014 by SellaVee

[hypercafe]

Frankly, I'm surprised that you were served in a Lounge at all, as the terms of the House Select Package are quite clear:

 

That sounds very much to me like you should only have been served during your meal while IN one of the Restaurants, or ordering Room Service.

 

Maybe they are following the same lose interpretation method as they do for bring all kinds of booze onboard at any port. Sounds fair!! After all if you have a drink package you are at least giving Oceania money, if your drinking your booze in your room they are loosing money!

[ShopperfiendTO]

Maybe they are following the same lose interpretation method as they do for bring all kinds of booze onboard at any port. Sounds fair!! After all if you have a drink package you are at least giving Oceania money, if your drinking your booze in your room they are loosing money!

 

Not a spelling n@zi but :)

[Two Happy Cruisers]

Frankly, I'm surprised that you were served in a Lounge at all, as the terms of the House Select Package are quite clear:

 

 

 

That sounds very much to me like you should only have been served during your meal while IN one of the Restaurants, or ordering Room Service.

 

I was definitely allowed to have a drink in any lounge at any time, but could only take advantage of my drink package DURING meal hours. In other words, the one and only time I did request a glass of wine in a lounge between meal hours (around 4:30 p.m.) I had to sign for it and it was charged to my account at roughly $14.

 

There was no problem in picking up a glass or two before 4 p.m. or after 6:30 in a lounge or requesting some delivered to the room.

 

Please remember this was our very first Oceania cruise and definitely a learning experience. Until now we had only cruised with all-inclusive Regent and were not expecting to have certain hours excluded on Oceania.

 

My husband, who had the Prestige package, could have a drink at any time, anywhere, with no questions asked. He did, however, have a bar staff member once tell him he could take only ONE drink at a time back to the room, which didn't sit well with him at all. Long story, but it was eventually explained that this was a misunderstanding and he could take two back to the room at a time. I assume this was to prevent him from sharing with others.

[Two Happy Cruisers]

You're the perfect candidate for picking up some wine (in any port) and bringing it on board to enjoy in your cabin. There are no enforced limits to how much you can bring aboard; beer and spirits, too! They just don't like you imbibing your own stuff out in public.

 

Many people we spoke with during the cruise, most of them having sailed with Oceania before, said that's exactly what they do. Bring a few bottles on board to enjoy in their cabin.

 

I have to say though that we encountered a couple who apparently brought filled glasses of wine from their room into the Terrace restaurant during dinner, and proceeded to enjoy it during their meal. We were surprised to see the staff ignore it, although it was obvious the glasses were from their room, but I guess they didn't want to offend the couple!?

 

I do agree with Jim and Stan that the wine-by-the-glass choices are definitely not "cheapo" and I was actually impressed with the selection offered. If it wasn't for the few hours between meals that I was "excluded", I would have absolutely no complaints re: the House package.

[LHT28]

I was definitely allowed to have a drink in any lounge at any time, but could only take advantage of my drink package DURING meal hours. In other words, the one and only time I did request a glass of wine in a lounge between meal hours (around 4:30 p.m.) I had to sign for it and it was charged to my account at roughly $14.

 

There was no problem in picking up a glass or two before 4 p.m. or after 6:30 in a lounge or requesting some delivered to the room.

 

 

I guess it is the way you said it ... it implied you got drinks outside of meal times as part of YOUR package

 

I wondered about it as well

 

so are you saying if you went to the bar before 4 pm or after 6:30 it was part of your package & you did not get charged for the wine???

Edited April 24, 2014 by LHT28

[Mura]

I have to say though that we encountered a couple who apparently brought filled glasses of wine from their room into the Terrace restaurant during dinner, and proceeded to enjoy it during their meal. We were surprised to see the staff ignore it, although it was obvious the glasses were from their room, but I guess they didn't want to offend the couple!?

 

It may be similar to not accosting the pool people who leave their possessions on chairs for very long periods, assuming no one will remove them ... and that is often the case (from what I hear). And MIGHT they have been bringing the wine glasses from a bar, not the room? it can be hard to tell ...

 

I just hope these people who abuse the process are few and far between, so that O doesn't decide to ban bringing on your own bottles of whatever.

 

We're about to do a TA from NYC (where we live) to Dover, and so I'm planning on bringing on 5-6 bottles of wine, which I never would do if we were flying to Europe for a cruise. But we'll use that wine in a restaurant (with the corkage fee) or in our room without.

 

Mura

[Two Happy Cruisers]

 

So are you saying if you went to the bar before 4 pm or after 6:30 it was part of your package & you did not get charged for the wine???

 

That's correct - all I had to do was show them my card and they processed it as part of my package, and I didn't have to pay for it separately.

 

Took us a couple days to figure out what exactly was their policy. Asked a few staff members and each of them gave a different answer, but after checking with higher-ups it finally became clear to us.

[Two Happy Cruisers]

And MIGHT they have been bringing the wine glasses from a bar, not the room? it can be hard to tell ...

 

I just hope these people who abuse the process are few and far between, so that O doesn't decide to ban bringing on your own bottles of whatever.

 

We're about to do a TA from NYC (where we live) to Dover, and so I'm planning on bringing on 5-6 bottles of wine, which I never would do if we were flying to Europe for a cruise. But we'll use that wine in a restaurant (with the corkage fee) or in our room without.

 

Mura

 

The red wine they brought into the Terrace was in the short drinking glasses from their room (old-fashioned style), NOT in regular wine glasses. Very obvious what they were doing, but it wasn't our place to question it, and the staff I'm sure noticed it as well, but didn't care.

 

Pretty tacky in my opinion, but these were the only two we saw out of 1,100 or so passengers, but I definitely hope it doesn't become a trend either.

 

Oceania does not seem to mind at all if/when people bring their own bottle(s) on board and many people we spoke to had done just that.

 

Enjoy your TA! :)

 

~Benita

[LHT28]

That's correct - all I had to do was show them my card and they processed it as part of my package, and I didn't have to pay for it separately.

 

 

Interesting

I thought it was only in the dining venues at meal time & if your ordered room service at meal time

 

I guess they are more flexible on the rules ;)

[CAG]

Well, if you think about it, Waves is open for dining until 4:00pm and then the other restaurants open usually at 6:30pm so technically they are being served beer and wine during dining hours.

 

Cenia

[agnesd]

Hate to beat a dead horse but were all the bars even those in areas not serving food OK (wine package). Such as the Grand Bar, etc. My husband and I only drink wine but felt it too restrictive if only while eating my lunch and dinner. Thanks.

[Two Happy Cruisers]

Well, if you think about it, Waves is open for dining until 4:00pm and then the other restaurants open usually at 6:30pm so technically they are being served beer and wine during dining hours.

 

Cenia

 

Cenia - you're absolutely right - as long as it's DURING dining hours (lunch and dinner, NOT breakfast) it's OK to have wine or beer in a bar; don't even need to have any food with it.

 

Agnesd - we only visited the Horizon and the Martinis bars, where it was just fine, but I'm sure it would be in any other bar as well. Also via room service, as long as it's DURING meal hours.

 

~Benita