New to O, have some questions, appreciate any help

[NoWhiners]

Hi all

 

We have just booked our first O cruise—Amazon Interlude on Insignia in November. We will be travelling with another couple. We have cruised many times on HAL, Princess, RCI and Celebrity, so we have a general notion of how things will go but do have some questions:

 

Specialty dining—is it limited to a certain number of visits? Do I have to reserve early? Can I do it online? What if I wait and do it onboard?

 

What is the dinner buffet like (Insignia)? There may be times when we might prefer this to the MDR. I am assuming there is one, but maybe I have that wrong?

 

We are doing the Amazon river, late Nov to mid-December—will we be eaten alive by bugs? 

 

Does O accept the new Brazil e-visa? It seems like all lines do now, but I’m not sure.

 

Do we need to get the yellow fever vaccine? I think we do but, again, I might have this wrong.

 

Can anyone who has tried the bev package, the upgraded bev package (Prestige?), and the 7 bottle wine package give me some insights on each? We both always enjoy wine with dinner and can’t decide if we should both get the bev package, add a wine bottle package, or use the prestige package. We do enjoy sitting on the balcony at night, sipping wine and watching the world go by. 

 

What is the room service menu like? I don’t think we can order dinner in our room at night (in a B1 balcony) but what about breakfast room service?

 

Thanks for any help you can offer, we are really looking forward to the cruise and trying O.

 

ML

[Flatbush Flyer]

42 minutes ago, NoWhiners said:

Hi all

 

We have just booked our first O cruise—Amazon Interlude on Insignia in November. We will be travelling with another couple. We have cruised many times on HAL, Princess, RCI and Celebrity, so we have a general notion of how things will go but do have some questions:

 

Specialty dining—is it limited to a certain number of visits? Do I have to reserve early? Can I do it online? What if I wait and do it onboard?

 

What is the dinner buffet like (Insignia)? There may be times when we might prefer this to the MDR. I am assuming there is one, but maybe I have that wrong?

 

We are doing the Amazon river, late Nov to mid-December—will we be eaten alive by bugs? 

 

Does O accept the new Brazil e-visa? It seems like all lines do now, but I’m not sure.

 

Do we need to get the yellow fever vaccine? I think we do but, again, I might have this wrong.

 

Can anyone who has tried the bev package, the upgraded bev package (Prestige?), and the 7 bottle wine package give me some insights on each? We both always enjoy wine with dinner and can’t decide if we should both get the bev package, add a wine bottle package, or use the prestige package. We do enjoy sitting on the balcony at night, sipping wine and watching the world go by. 

 

What is the room service menu like? I don’t think we can order dinner in our room at night (in a B1 balcony) but what about breakfast room service?

 

Thanks for any help you can offer, we are really looking forward to the cruise and trying O.

 

ML

Use the CC search feature- tons of threads have already answered your questions.

Also: Sounds like you may not have used a TA familiar with Oceania (e.g., members of Oceania's Connoisseurs Club). Think about doing that next time around or (if you booked on your own) transfer now if within the allowable booking window (to get additional perks like commission sharing).

 

We just did the Amazon on O's Sirena in November. So, I will answer you query (this time). 

 

YF vaccine was recommended by O but not required. You should, however, get the official "yellow" card (available from most public health or other travel medicine clinics) used to document your vaccination or the waiver due to age over 70 or some other consideration. Also get the prescription Malaria prophylaxis med Malarone  (and talk to your doc about what else s/he may recommend (check the CDC website too).

 

Given the lines you've been on, you're in for a very pleasant surprise (and a world of difference) when it comes to the food and service. You get a pre-cruise time window to book a beginning number of specialty reservations (time and number are cabin category dependent). Do that the moment your window opens (the date is in your booking info in your  O account online). Once onboard, you can USUALLY add many more (never a charge) if you're flexible about time and sharing.

Buffet? There is no "buffet." There is the Terrace Café with food (often including GDR items) dished by staff, "a la minute" cooking and an option for al fresco dining.

 

"Prestige package" is good in that the 18% tip is built in. Three to four high end drinks (doubles) daily will more than break even. However, once you have some O loyalty, you'll get invited to plenty of booze included events (and there are twofers at happy hour). 

Seven bottle wine package may occasionally have a "loss leader" or two. Otherwise - lackluster stuff. We usually bring our own wine (6-12 bottles to start- depending on embarkation port and cruise length. We replenish along the way). 

 

We do B cabins - continental breakfast on excursion days are fine. We never use room service for any other meals. 

 

As for bugs: yes -plenty of them. Get the mosquito/bug repellent recommended by your travel clinic and wash your touring clothes in the anti-bug stuff they recommend/sell (or buy preimpregnated hiking clothes).

Edited January 23, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[LHT28]

43 minutes ago, NoWhiners said:

Specialty dining—is it limited to a certain number of visits? Do I have to reserve early? Can I do it online? What if I wait and do it onboard?

I would book your allotted number of reservation  as soon as the booking time opens  for  a B cabin it is 45 days from sailing ..yes you can book online

Yes you can ask for more  reservations once onboard  subject to availability

Quote

What is the dinner buffet like (Insignia)? There may be times when we might prefer this to the MDR. I am assuming there is one, but maybe I have that wrong?

 

Yes  there is a dinner buffet  but not self serve 

called The Terrace ..no ordinary buffet

 

 

Can anyone who has tried the bev package, the upgraded bev package (Prestige?), and the 7 bottle wine package give me some insights on each?

Beverage package details

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/value/beverage-wine-packages/

 

What is the room service menu like? I don’t think we can order dinner in our room at night (in a B1 balcony) but what about breakfast room service?

for  B cabin it is Continental  breakfast option no hot food

There is a good menu selection for  other meals

Quote

Thanks for any help you can offer, we are really looking forward to the cruise and trying O.

 

ML

 

check through the FAQ's

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/

[NoWhiners]

6 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

We usually bring our own wine (6-12 bottles to start- depending on embarkation port and cruise length. We replenish along the way). 

 

Thanks for this. I am a tad confused. I read that Oceania only allows 3 bottles of wine, including initial boarding and later ports. Is there a charge to bring the additional bottles onboard?

[NoWhiners]

5 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

for  B cabin it is Continental  breakfast option no hot food

There is a good menu selection for  other meals

 

Thank you for this and the other info. I think I got the idea of a buffet from a deck plan--there was spot marked 'buffet'. I was surprised at the idea of a buffet, thus my question.

[Flatbush Flyer]

12 minutes ago, NoWhiners said:

 

Thanks for this. I am a tad confused. I read that Oceania only allows 3 bottles of wine, including initial boarding and later ports. Is there a charge to bring the additional bottles onboard?

That is their CYA statement. Again search CC and you'll see that many O regulars bring far more than 3 bottles AND some folks bring spirits too (must be consumed in cabin). No charge for bringing it onboard. You can bring your wine bottles to dinner for $25 corkage per bottle. We brought a case to start on the Amazon cruise (and will bring another starting case on our February cruise around Cape Horn from Rio to Lima).

But, whatever you do, please don't carry your own wine in a glass from your cabin into a public space/restaurant (very "bush league"). And, please, don't try to self-serve in the Terrace.  Your fellow passengers will let you know how unhappy that makes them.

Edited January 23, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[NoWhiners]

1 minute ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

That is their CYA statement. Again search CC and you'll see that many O regulars bring far more than 3 bottles AND some folks bring spirits too (must be consumed in cabin).

 

yes, I did see that many people brought their own wine on but it wasn't clear how much or if they were paying a corkage fee. I just read Oceania's new policy, which now says we can bring 6 bottles on  In the past, on other lines, we just brought wine on from a port, left it in our backpack and it was fine. Just not sure what to expect from O, so trying to get our bearings.

 

And I agree about bringing glasses of wine to the dining room, we've seen that a lot on past cruises. We won't be doing that 

 

thanks

[Mura]

Lots of people new to Oceania read that "3 bottle limit" and take it at face value.  You shouldn't.  It's one of those Cover Your Ass provisos that will allow them to punish people who may violate rules or just get obnoxious.  I personally have never heard of that actually happening.

 

Many regulars here have brought on CASES OF WINE.  I've never done that but I have brought on more than 3 bottles with no problem.  Just obey the "rules" that say "for consumption in your room".  If you want to take your own bottle of wine to a restaurant, there is a corkage fee.  If you don't finish that bottle, they will hold it for you.  You don't pay the corkage fee more than once.

 

(I see that as I was typing this Flatbush Flyer chimed in with the same info ... just more briefly!)

 

The buffet on Oceania, especially if you are on Marina or Riviera is quite wonderful.  Many people just go there ... We like the Grand Dining Room but if we don't see anything that particularly entices us, we'll just go to Terrace.   Sometimes we order dinner into our room because (I admit it, regulars already know) we are usually in a suite.

 

As to specialty restaurants, you can book ahead of time on line for your allocated numbers of reservations, but that doesn't stop you from trying to get additional reservations if you wish them once you are on board.  Don't think that if you can't exactly what you want booking online that therefore you are shut out.  They hold back a certain number of reservations for those people who don't go on the internet.  We ourselves tend not to use as many reservations as we are entitled to ... other passengers only want specialty reservations.  The amount of reservations you can get will depend on how many passengers are like US and how many are like those who only want to eat in a specialty.

 

But there are so many wonderful choices in Terrace, that the buffet can be a wonderful option for dinner!  You can get steaks or lobster (or whatever is on that night) grilled to your choice.  Many of the courses offered in the GDR will also be there.  Just don't try to pick your food up on your own at the buffet because they don't want you to do so!

 

I will admit that on a very few occasions I did so (not using my fingers!) because no server was in the area ...that was more for rolls and the like, not real food!

 

Mura

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NoWhiners]

7 minutes ago, Mura said:

Many regulars here have brought on CASES OF WINE.  I've never done that but I have brought on more than 3 bottles with no problem.  Just obey the "rules" that say "for consumption in your room".  If you want to take your own bottle of wine to a restaurant, there is a corkage fee.  If you don't finish that bottle, they will hold it for you.  You don't pay the corkage fee more than once.

 

The buffet on Oceania, especially if you are on Marina or Riviera is quite wonderful.  Many people just go there ...

 

As to specialty restaurants, you can book ahead of time on line for your allocated numbers of reservations, but that doesn't stop you from trying to get additional reservations if you wish them once you are on board. 

 

But there are so many wonderful choices in Terrace, ...

 

Mura

 

 

Mura

 

Thank you for this information, very helpful and explains this very well. I don't think we will be finding many wine stores along the Amazon, so we may just stock up while we are in Ft Lauderdale 

[Mura]

Just saw your comment before mine and I guess after Flatbush's...

 

Whatever the "official" limit is, you don't have to worry about that.  Many people new to Oceania get very nervous about this but you shouldn't.  They won't confiscate extra bottles and hold them to the end of the cruise as other lines do!  You don't need to try to hide them in your luggage!

 

As I said earlier, I'm not one to bring a lot of liquor on board -- we just don't drink that much.  (DH doesn't drink at all, unless he's sneaks a sip from my wine.)  But we've never had a problem.

 

Just for the record, we don't bother with the liquor package.  DH doesn't drink enough and while I might, I don't!  That's why we bring some wine and a bottle of vodka on board -- I have my cocktail in the room before dinner, we may take a bottle of our wine to dinner and pay the corkage OR order a bottle in the restaurant. I tend not to finish that bottle at dinner and they keep it for me to move to our next dinner venue.  We pretty much only go to a bar if there is a Meet & Greet set up.

 

Back to the liquor package, if you think you will have wine/beer at lunch, a drink around the pool, go to the bar before dinner and then have some wine at dinner, maybe an after drink later ... then (as far as we are concerned) the prestige package is worth it.  But you have to drink a lot to make it worth it!  I should add that some people just prefer to get that package regardless of the cost because it's easier.

 

If I WERE to take the package, it would be the prestige.  But the main reason I don't ... is because where wine is concerned I'd rather be able to order a bottle from the list, and I can't.  I'm limited to a selection of wines by the glass, and while I don't think they are undrinkable ... I just would prefer to be able to order a bottle from the list.  And they won't let me!

 

Many passengers are quite happy with the wines that are available by the glass and so it works for them.

 

In fact, I probably would be happy with them as well.  I just prefer to select the specific wine, NOT that I'm an expert!  I have noticed that the cabernet sauvignon that is offered as a "free" bottle in the top suites is also one of the house wines.  It's quite nice ... Not great but certainly drinkable.  (Pinot might disagree, though ...)

 

Just some of my comments ...

 

Mura

 

 

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 minutes ago, NoWhiners said:

 

Mura

 

Thank you for this information, very helpful and explains this very well. I don't think we will be finding many wine stores along the Amazon, so we may just stock up while we are in Ft Lauderdale 

Total Wine in Miami has a great selection. We bring these collapsible wine carriers (from wineries near us) in checked bags and toss them after the cruise.

[NoWhiners]

3 minutes ago, Mura said:

Whatever the "official" limit is, you don't have to worry about that.  Many people new to Oceania get very nervous about this but you shouldn't.  They won't confiscate extra bottles and hold them to the end of the cruise as other lines do!  You don't need to try to hide them in your luggage!

 

Thanks for this note. I was just thinking we might bring a case on with us, just for sitting on the balcony. Can we check it with our luggage? 

 

3 minutes ago, Mura said:

Back to the liquor package, if you think you will have wine/beer at lunch, a drink around the pool, go to the bar before dinner and then have some wine at dinner, maybe an after drink later ... then (as far as we are concerned) the prestige package is worth it.  But you have to drink a lot to make it worth it!  I should add that some people just prefer to get that package regardless of the cost because it's easier.

 

If I WERE to take the package, it would be the prestige.  But the main reason I don't ... is because where wine is concerned I'd rather be able to order a bottle from the list, and I can't.  I'm limited to a selection of wines by the glass, and while I don't think they are undrinkable ... I just would prefer to be able to order a bottle from the list.  And they won't let me!

 

We both already have the regular bev package. I may upgrade to Prestige. Wine is so subjective. We like reds, mostly merlots and cabs and the house wine will likely be fine. But we weren't sure if we should just get the 7 bottle package, which might be more convenient. Plenty of time to check it out!

 

3 minutes ago, Mura said:

 

Many passengers are quite happy with the wines that are available by the glass and so it works for them.

 

Just some of my comments ...

 

Thanks for all of them, it's very helpful. It's always a bit uncertain when cruising a line the first time, no matter how many cruises we've taken.

 

3 minutes ago, Mura said:

Mura

 

 

 

 

[NoWhiners]

5 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Total Wine in Miami has a great selection. We bring these collapsible wine carriers (from wineries near us) in checked bags and toss them after the cruise.

 

We LOVE Total Wine, it's like Disneyland for wine ! They opened one in Albuquerque about 3 years ago and it has been great. Before that we had only been to the one in Ft Lauderdale. We always stop there before a cruise and pick up our favorites. Now that I know we can bring more than the 6 bottles, we can plan a longer stop there! I'm pretty sure they will pack it up for us too. As long as we can check it with our luggage?

[LHT28]

10 hours ago, NoWhiners said:

 

Thank you for this and the other info. I think I got the idea of a buffet from a deck plan--there was spot marked 'buffet'. I was surprised at the idea of a buffet, thus my question.

why would  they not have a buffet

Theirs is not  an ordinary buffet   they have  grill where you can get cooked to order  steak, lobster, pork chops & other items  every night   as well as the regular  offerings  but  the staff serve you rather than people reaching in & getting their own

Much more sanitary  IMO

[riffatsea]

It is confusing when folks on this thread say "It is not a buffet".

I just read a really good description and it sounds like a buffet where staff hands you your selection at each different station.

You don't sit at a table and order. You walk to the stations and are served from each one.

Perhaps the grill station brings steak or other items to your table? Not sure about that but otherwise it does sound like a buffet area.

Edited January 23, 2019 by riffatsea

[LHT28]

13 minutes ago, riffatsea said:

It is confusing when folks on this thread say "It is not a buffet".

I just read a really good description and it sounds like a buffet where staff hands you your selection at each different station.

You don't sit at a table and order. You walk to the stations and are served from each one.

Perhaps the grill station brings steak or other items to your table? Not sure about that but otherwise it does sound like a buffet area.

 

OK  it is  a buffet   but more cafeteria  style  service  but no trays

The  staff  will ask you what drinks  you want when you are at the table  & bring them to your table

no need to juggle beverages & food like on some other lines

https://www.cruisecritic.com/photos/ships/riviera-607/terrace-cafe-311054/terrace-cafe--v14122675/

 

 

[riffatsea]

Hmm? Ok no trays? Soo if you go to 2 different stations for food you are carrying 2 plates to your table ?

[LHT28]

1 minute ago, riffatsea said:

Hmm? Ok no trays? Soo if you go to 2 different stations for food you are carrying 2 plates to your table ?

YES

 or some of the waitstaff  will carry them for you

[riffatsea]

Thanks for explaining it more clearly.

[babysteps]

7 minutes ago, riffatsea said:

Hmm? Ok no trays? Soo if you go to 2 different stations for food you are carrying 2 plates to your table ?

What LHT28 said.

 

Also, if your plate isn't full after station 1, the server at station 2 will place your additional selections on your existing plate.

 

You can always go to station 1, sit down and eat, and then visit station 2 later - small plate style (or, not so small if you are hungry lol).

 

Don't worry too much, it may be different than many other lines but it all works out okay ime.

[riffatsea]

It really doesn't sound that different except for the fact that there are no trays and all food is handed to you.

There are stations on other lines where you are also served the food and you don't take it yourself.

The variety and quality of the food is what I am looking forward to experiencing!

[sunlover12]

10 hours ago, NoWhiners said:

 

I'm pretty sure they will pack it up for us too. As long as we can check it with our luggage?

Yes, the airlines allow you to check a case of wine as luggage. 

 

We like the 7-bottle wine package. It's been a topic of discussion here in the past and there have been many different opinions on it.  Like you said, wine is very subjective. We've been happy with all of the wine we've bought from that package. Haven't been disappointed.  At around $49/bottle it's a very good value. 

[GeezerCouple]

15 minutes ago, sunlover12 said:

Yes, the airlines allow you to check a case of wine as luggage. 

 

We like the 7-bottle wine package. It's been a topic of discussion here in the past and there have been many different opinions on it.  Like you said, wine is very subjective. We've been happy with all of the wine we've bought from that package. Haven't been disappointed.  At around $49/bottle it's a very good value. 

 

Does "a case of wine" when checked as baggage actually arrive on the other end intact?

GC

[tommy]

11 hours ago, LHT28 said:

I would book your allotted number of reservation  as soon as the booking time opens  for  a B cabin it is 45 days from sailing ..yes you can book online

Yes you can ask for more  reservations once onboard  subject to availability

for  B cabin it is Continental  breakfast option no hot food

There is a good menu selection for  other meals

 

check through the FAQ's

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/

Thank You

[NoWhiners]

27 minutes ago, sunlover12 said:

Yes, the airlines allow you to check a case of wine as luggage. 

 

 

I just realized i wasn't clear what I meant here. I was talking about checking the case of wine at the pier, with our other bags. I believe it would be OK to hand it over at the pier but i would love to have confirmation of that!