Its been awhile...

[writer100]

We haven't been on Oceania in quite a while. Perhaps I could ask the experts here for some help in resolving a quandary. Whether to take the  the O Life  obc's or the drink package. We don't drink that much--a cocktail before dinner, a glass of wine or two at dinner. The calculation really comes down to the prices that O charges. Frankly, though we've been on several O cruises I haven't a clue about current bar prices. So, can anyone enlighten us as to the   cost of a cocktail and a mid-price glass of wine? And while I have your attention, can I also ask what news there may be about the refurbishment program Oceania Next coming to Riviera and Marina?  Recent O literature  reveals  essentially  re-launch dates for the smaller ships, but nothing about the larger ones.

Not to strain your collective patience, but here is one more query: On Riviera is  there a regular  110v outlet in the bathroom--that is, not a shaver outlet--and if not, where would the closest 110v outlet to the bathroom be? At the desk, or ?

 

Thanks so much for your help.

 

[Classiccruiser777]

Cocktails and house wines generally run in the $8 to $12 range. When we take OLife Choice we always go with OBC which gives us the most flexibility. We’re not big drinkers and usually do our own touring.

[Hawaiidan]

Actually  i'd go without O life at all  and  go for a cheaper fare.   In most cases O life is really the  lowest fare + the OBC !!!     All your doing is paying your own OBC  with O life !

The drink package is for beer and wine by the glass and only at dinner and lunch...  NO cocktails !  if you want cocktails its another $20 a day .       Be flexable and manage your own funds  when and where you see fit. not be bound by a package    See what your agent will do for you.... thats you best route

[Flatbush Flyer]

13 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Actually  i'd go without O life at all  and  go for a cheaper fare.   In most cases O life is really the  lowest fare + the OBC !!! 

Many cases but not necessarily most. This is particularly true if excursions are in the picture.

one of the best things about the "cart" in the most recent version of the O website is its intuitiveness. By doing everything but making the purchase, it will show you whether it is better to take excursions than OBC (in which case the value is more than the OBC.

Same thing holds true for those who like daily cocktails/wine and can upgrade to Prestige package for the $20/person.

Bottom line: do the math. 

[PaulMCO]

As DAN points out -- you are paying for the Olife at a rate of $100 per free tour.  So if you have 6 free tours in the package -- take $600 off plus the air credit and you get the cruise only price.   If you plan on using the O excursions then the "X FREE tours" are probably the best deal as most of the tours are more than $100 value.

 

Free Air, Free OBC, Free Tours, Free Beverage Package -- all FREE manure.  Not FREE -- you are paying for it.

Edited June 2, 2019 by PaulMCO

[Flatbush Flyer]

19 minutes ago, PaulMCO said:

As DAN points out -- you are paying for the Olife at a rate of $100 per free tour.  So if you have 6 free tours in the package -- take $600 off plus the air credit and you get the cruise only price.   If you plan on using the O excursions then the "X FREE tours" are probably the best deal as most of the tours are more than $100 value.

 

Free Air, Free OBC, Free Tours, Free Beverage Package -- all FREE manure.  Not FREE -- you are paying for it.

Yes, nothing's free. But, the right O excursion choices save significant $ over "cruise only".

 

Also, you're leaving out the booze option.

if you have an 18 day cruise with the option of $800/cabin OBC (the current average max) in O Life and you opt for the basic booze, it's $1440/cabin value. $20/person/day more ($720/cabin) gets you Prestige, which would cost $2160 had you taken the "cruise only" fare. Doing this 18 day Prestige package either way is "wash." But the basic booze O Life has value for "wine with meals" drinkers. 

 

Of course, the value of O Life assumes that one is going to drink booze and/or use some ship excursions. And, in that case, the longer the cruise the more valuable O Life becomes.

 

Forgive Amy math errors, I did the calculations in my head for a quick response.

 

Edited June 2, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[NorthCoastCruisers]

Just off Marina and there were no electrical outlets in the bathroom.  Electrical outlets were at the desk and then some European outlets bedside. 

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Yes, nothing's free. But, the right O excursion choices save significant $ over "cruise only".

 

Also, you're leaving out the booze option.

if you have an 18 day cruise with the option of $800/cabin OBC (the current average max) in O Life and you opt for the basic booze, it's $1440/cabin value. $20/person/day more ($720/cabin) gets you Prestige, which would cost $2160 had you taken the "cruise only" fare. Doing this 18 day Prestige package either way is "wash." But the basic booze O Life has value for "wine with meals" drinkers. 

 

Of course, the value of O Life assumes that one is going to drink booze and/or use some ship excursions. And, in that case, the longer the cruise the more valuable O Life becomes.

 

Forgive Amy math errors, I did the calculations in my head for a quick response.

 

As with  the phrase...too much of a good thing.    If your on a 14 day or longer cruise it is worth of considering, can I  really keep up a drinking schedule for long enough to be of value.    OR  will I drink compelled by  my schedule  or can I ?     If your on a cruise with many sea days  you may   But, if it is a port port port schedule there is less opportunity to drink  and just want to rest after long days ashore.

  Also worthy to ponder is that you can purchase  the liquor package well after the start of the cruise for less than the entire cruise and likewise up grade too.      However, once you start  you can not stop till the cruise ends.   

   So.... what is the worth too you?    Keep track for the first few days of what and now much you drink and then  make an informed decision.

To be honest, the reason that O offers the  liquor package is that they know the average person will day by day drink less and less just like eating.   They know that in the long run they will make more from most passengers who take the package than those who do not.  Thats why they offer it!!!

Edited June 2, 2019 by Hawaiidan

[tvmovielover]

For moderate drinkers, most days there is a 2 for 1 happy hour.  My sister-in-law and i have enjoyed our two glasses of wine each many days on a couple of cruises.  And remember you can bring your own wine or spirits and keep it in your room or bring the wine to dinner for a corking fee.  It will be there for as many meals as it lasts.  Nobody tell me if happy hour is gone-I am counting on it for our cruise next year!

[Petoonya]

Last few O cruises I drank the Kool Aid and took O Life $800/OBC not realizing I'd paid for it upfront. Thanks to several here who wisened me up. (My husband who doesn't get all this will be sad he doesn't get all the "free money" to buy a watch next cruise.)

 

A question related to all this though...what is the "wine by the bottle" package? We're not wine connoisseurs. On an upcoming 18 day cruise we'd usually go through 10-12 bottles the whole cruise, and usually don't pay more than $40/bottle. Is this package worthwhile for drinkers like us and is it purchased onboard?

Edited June 2, 2019 by Petoonya

[PaulMCO]

28 minutes ago, Petoonya said:

Last few O cruises I drank the Kool Aid and took O Life $800/OBC not realizing I'd paid for it upfront. Thanks to several here who wisened me up. (My husband who doesn't get all this will be sad he doesn't get all the "free money" to buy a watch next cruise.)

 

A question related to all this though...what is the "wine by the bottle" package? We're not wine connoisseurs. On an upcoming 18 day cruise we'd usually go through 10-12 bottles the whole cruise, and usually don't pay more than $40/bottle. Is this package worthwhile for drinkers like us and is it purchased onboard?

7 bottle package,   Averages around $50 per bottle.  Mostly closeout items.  Occasionally a decent one, but mostly fair to poor quality.  We generally bring wine onboard and pay the $25 corkage fee.

[Petoonya]

4 minutes ago, PaulMCO said:

7 bottle package,   Averages around $50 per bottle.  Mostly closeout items.  Occasionally a decent one, but mostly fair to poor quality.  We generally bring wine onboard and pay the $25 corkage fee.

It's Papeete so not cost effective to buy wine there to take onboard. Thanks for the word about the wine package too- sounds like we need to pass on it.

Appreciate the help.

[Mura]

Well, some of the oenophiles here will bring a number of bottles with them in protective cases they have purchased for reasonable prices.  If you are flying non-stop, this can be an option for an itinerary like yours ... if it's worth it to you to carry that much wine with you, of course.  I get that your itinerary is not conducive to buying locally.

 

I have managed to pack 3-4 bottles of wine in my luggage, again using protective coverings that I have purchased at Magellan and Amazon.    (I do NOT qualify as an oenophile, but I do know what I like!  And even with the corkage fee I can spend less on what I bring myself than I would if buying on board.)

 

We haven't tried that wine package purchase on board given what I've read from the cognoscenti about the quality of these wines.  Before this package became the norm, I occasionally would buy 1-2 of their closeouts for a good price -- and was never disappointed with their quality -- but this option no longer exists.

 

Mura

 

 

[Petoonya]

Thanks for your very thoughtful reply 🙂  Yes, too far to drag wine for the interest we have in it. Buying onboard will be fine.

[Mura]

In that case, just from my perspective ... one reason I avoid the liquor packages (aside from knowing we'd never drink enough to justify the price) is that I prefer to buy my wine by the bottle rather than having to make my choice from a small list of "by the glass" options.  So if I haven't brought on my own, I'll buy from their admittedly overpriced list.  A few times we've had a lot of OBC that came in handy for buying wines that I'd never willingly pay for on my own!  (Like a lovely Montrachet we once ordered.)

 

On some occasions we've been in a suite that offered the 6 "free" bottles (wine or booze) in our suite.  While even I don't consider the wine choices to be top drawer we've found them drinkable ... and certainly convenient!  Plus if you take those wines to the restaurants, there is no corkage fee charged.

 

Mura

[1985rz1]

9 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Yes, nothing's free. But, the right O excursion choices save significant $ over "cruise only".

 

Also, you're leaving out the booze option.

if you have an 18 day cruise with the option of $800/cabin OBC (the current average max) in O Life and you opt for the basic booze, it's $1440/cabin value. $20/person/day more ($720/cabin) gets you Prestige, which would cost $2160 had you taken the "cruise only" fare. Doing this 18 day Prestige package either way is "wash." But the basic booze O Life has value for "wine with meals" drinkers. 

 

Of course, the value of O Life assumes that one is going to drink booze and/or use some ship excursions. And, in that case, the longer the cruise the more valuable O Life becomes.

 

Forgive Amy math errors, I did the calculations in my head for a quick response.

 

But it comes down to how much one drinks.  If the OBC is worth $800, then taking the basics booze package (costing you $800 per cabin above cruise only) valued at $1440 per cabin and upgrading to the prestige pack to an additional $720 per cabin for a total of $1520 is a good deal compared to paying $2160 per cabin if you bought it outright...but only if your bar bill exceeds $1520 per cabin.  So you need to estimate how much your bar bill would be on the trip to see if it makes sense for you.  Did I do that right, or did I misunderstand your calculations?

Edited June 3, 2019 by 1985rz1

[Flatbush Flyer]

18 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

But it comes down to how much one drinks.  If the OBC is worth $800, then taking the basics booze package (costing you $800 per cabin above cruise only) valued at $1440 per cabin and upgrading to the prestige pack to an additional $720 per cabin for a total of $1520 is a good deal compared to paying $2160 per cabin if you bought it outright...but only if your bar bill exceeds $1520 per cabin.  So you need to estimate how much your bar bill would be on the trip to see if it makes sense for you.

We have to remember that the outright $60 daily prestige booze package (or $20 daily upgrade from the included $40 basic package) includes the 18% gratuity. 

So....... If you enjoy the available premium spirits (all but a couple of scotches/cognacs) and order 3 "doubles (2.5-3.0 oz)" of a multi-booze cocktail (e.g., a Side Car with VSOP Cognac and Cointreau) over a day (retail cost of $18 + tip), you're already "ahead of the game" and you haven't even had any wine with meals yet.

 

Of course, this is a personal choice and whether the packages are a good buy really does depend  on your consumption.

 

There was a time (years ago) when we always did the Prestige on our O cruises, which seldom exceeded 18 days. Since we now do mostly longer "multi-segment" cruises of  4 -5 weeks +\- and usually bring our own wine (plus get invites to multiple events with booze), the booze packages don't have much value for us.

 

Again, the value of O Life can be significantly more than "cruise only" or just a "wash." You just have to do the math for your profile.

[Petoonya]

8 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

7 bottle package,   Averages around $50 per bottle.  Mostly closeout items.  Occasionally a decent one, but mostly fair to poor quality.  We generally bring wine onboard and pay the $25 corkage fee.

Is it feasible to bring wine to Tahiti? It would need to fly Portland-LA and LA-Papeete. Thought it was out of the question and now looking at what is available for shipping it on The Wine Check, maybe it's not preposterous? Love to be able to bring what I like. 6 bottles could get me through Papeete to Hawaii, and then I'd be able to stock up in Hawaii for the remainder of the 18 day cruise.

?

[tvmovielover]

A few years ago, we put a couple of bottles of wine (in Amazon wine diapers-but other good carriers too) in our checked luggage and got a bottle of gin in LAX to enjoy on our Tahiti cruise.  All arrived safely with us and we did enjoy them on our balcony and in the dining room.  I would take more another time!  We were coming from Florida.

Edited June 3, 2019 by tvmovielover
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[Petoonya]

2 hours ago, tvmovielover said:

A few years ago, we put a couple of bottles of wine (in Amazon wine diapers-but other good carriers too) in our checked luggage and got a bottle of gin in LAX to enjoy on our Tahiti cruise.  All arrived safely with us and we did enjoy them on our balcony and in the dining room.  I would take more another time!  We were coming from Florida.

 

Thanks TV Movie Lover and others. Never gave bringing my own wine as far as Tahiti a thought, but sounds like many of you have wines who've traveled further than that. I'll get those bags and give them a try.

[Petoonya]

22 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

7 bottle package,   Averages around $50 per bottle.  Mostly closeout items.  Occasionally a decent one, but mostly fair to poor quality.  We generally bring wine onboard and pay the $25 corkage fee.

 

Back to packing wine from home and bringing it along to enjoy. When checking in is it ok to leave in suitcase or do I need to unpack and show what I have?

Edited June 3, 2019 by Petoonya

[Hawaiidan]

2 hours ago, Petoonya said:

 

Thanks TV Movie Lover and others. Never gave bringing my own wine as far as Tahiti a thought, but sounds like many of you have wines who've traveled further than that. I'll get those bags and give them a try.

You better consider weight of the wine.... unless your flying first or business  it could get pretty expensive.  fast  Since your on Tahiti Nui...  they weigh your bags and cabin bags too  your allowed  I recall 20KG.....44 lbs total  a second bag or over weight can cost over $100.

..  There are reasonable french wines in PPT..  its a French colony. !!!

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, Petoonya said:

 

Back to packing wine from home and bringing it along to enjoy. When checking in is it ok to leave in suitcase or do I need to unpack and show what I have?

no..... however some carriers will not allow you more than 1 ltr in your luggage

[Silver Sweethearts]

3 hours ago, Petoonya said:

 

Thanks TV Movie Lover and others. Never gave bringing my own wine as far as Tahiti a thought, but sounds like many of you have wines who've traveled further than that. I'll get those bags and give them a try.

 

What you might try is what we have done on both Silversea and Regent lately.  We had the cruise lines order several cases of our favorite wine and have it delivered to our ship when we sailed.  The charge was put on our shipboard account and we used some of the OBC we had to pay for it.  The ship staff kept it properly stored and brought us a bottle whenever and wherever we wanted it.  Worked very well for us.

[Petoonya]

10 hours ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

 

What you might try is what we have done on both Silversea and Regent lately.  We had the cruise lines order several cases of our favorite wine and have it delivered to our ship when we sailed.  The charge was put on our shipboard account and we used some of the OBC we had to pay for it.  The ship staff kept it properly stored and brought us a bottle whenever and wherever we wanted it.  Worked very well for us.

Thanks so much SS 🙂 Sounds like a wonderful way to enjoy your cruise! We're not big drinkers....I think if we can just drag a few bottles with us in our luggage we'll be good. Or may just do it the old fashioned way and use our OBC to purchase the few bottles we'll require. There are a few that we know and enjoy as indiscriminating as we are!