On Board - Specific Questions

[Robjame]

1. Can we change US cash onboard to smaller bills? Being Canadian we will travel with a certain amount of cash, probably large bills. Is it possible to have that changed on board to smaller bills for Caribbean port visits?

2. Our voyage is two legs, each of about 20 days (back to back or whatever you want to call it). Will we be expected to “settle up” our on board accounts at the end of each leg, prior to the end?

3. Will we enhance our beverage package for the entire voyage when we board, or do this for each leg?

4. Does the premium beverage package cover the drink-of-the-day, feature drink?

5. We are in a regular balcony cabin (no butler). If we are having drinks on our verandah, can we order 2 drinks pp at a time with the drink package or do we keep bothering them each time we want a refill? Do you tip when they bring these drinks (remember there is no added gratuity charge on drink packages).

6. If we are having wine in a restaurant, how do you make sure you are not ordering a wine that is beyond the premium package?

 

These may seem like silly questions but your answers will help our time run more smoothly. Thanks.

 

[LHT28]

1) yes go to reception

2) no  they are carried over along with any OBC you have

3)I believe  for each leg 

6) I believe only wine by the glass is included in the beverage package  there may be an upcharge on the wines at the La Reserve special drink/appy night  but ask before you order

[Kate-AHF]

58 minutes ago, Robjame said:

1. Can we change US cash onboard to smaller bills? Being Canadian we will travel with a certain amount of cash, probably large bills. Is it possible to have that changed on board to smaller bills for Caribbean port visits?

2. Our voyage is two legs, each of about 20 days (back to back or whatever you want to call it). Will we be expected to “settle up” our on board accounts at the end of each leg, prior to the end?

3. Will we enhance our beverage package for the entire voyage when we board, or do this for each leg?

4. Does the premium beverage package cover the drink-of-the-day, feature drink?

5. We are in a regular balcony cabin (no butler). If we are having drinks on our verandah, can we order 2 drinks pp at a time with the drink package or do we keep bothering them each time we want a refill? Do you tip when they bring these drinks (remember there is no added gratuity charge on drink packages).

6. If we are having wine in a restaurant, how do you make sure you are not ordering a wine that is beyond the premium package?

 

These may seem like silly questions but your answers will help our time run more smoothly. Thanks.

 

 

1. yes

2. You'd think I would know this, as all we have done is B2B's.  But I don't.  I believe they didn't settle up until the end of the final leg.

3.  You will have to do the beverage upgrade for each leg, and get new sailcards each time.

4. The premium pkg covers most all drinks, except extreme high-end whiskeys/cognacs, etc.  "Drink of the day" is certainly covered.

5.  Don't know. We bring on wines to drink in our cabin for this purpose.

6.  You won't be ordering bottles in the restaurant, it's by the glass.  And everything they offer you by the glass will be covered.  Wine service in the restaurants has improved immensely since our first O cruise in 2018.  It used to be worth your life to get a second pour, but that has not been the case the last two cruises.

 

[basor]

We found that after a few days when we would order a glass of wine and then another glass of the same wine for enjoying sail away/etc. in our cabin, our room steward knew we had the beverage package and would start bringing each of us 2 glasses of wine at the beginning.

[Robjame]

Thanks for those answers. Did you tip the steward who brought the wine to your cabin? We usually gave them one or two dollars for room service so probably the same would not go amiss. Canadians are not like canoes - we are not as good at tipping but try to behave when amongst our American friends. 😁

[mauibabes]

FYI, it is my understanding that the Room Service staff do not participate in the Gratuity pool/distribution so they need to be tipped separately. We have never had our Room Steward bring us glasses of wine to our room. They do have glasses there for us to open that bottle of champagne or wine but we always head out to Martinis or Horizons or now we can also hit the Wine Bar by La Reserve or in Baristas in the evening.  Lots of options.

👍🥂🍷🤙

Mauibabes

[Robjame]

50 minutes ago, mauibabes said:

now we can also hit the Wine Bar by La Reserve or in Baristas in the evening.  Lots of options.

I knew that they had added a happy hour at Baristas with Italian wine and a few tapas, but I did not know there was now a bar across from La Reserve. We have attended a couple of wine tastings that were held in that space across from La Reserve but nothing regular.

[Kate-AHF]

46 minutes ago, mauibabes said:

...now we can also hit the Wine Bar by La Reserve or in Baristas in the evening.  Lots of options.

 

 

 

Very good point!  La Reserve isn't open every night for tapas/wine,  but it's a great option when it is, and it's lightly attended (and pretty much everything they are pouring will be included in the premium bev pkg).  I just LOVE that venue.  I can't quite articulate why, but it just feels intimate and special. 

 

Baristas evening drinks concept needed quite a bit of work when we were last on Marina in Nov 2021.  To be honest, if Baristas if trying to duplicate the Seabourn Square/Silversea Arts Cafe concept (and I felt they were trying to do exactly that), it was a pretty epic fail.

[Kate-AHF]

1 minute ago, Robjame said:

I knew that they had added a happy hour at Baristas with Italian wine and a few tapas, but I did not know there was now a bar across from La Reserve. We have attended a couple of wine tastings that were held in that space across from La Reserve but nothing regular.

 

The nights they hold a taps/wine tasting, it's actually IN La Reserve.  Can certainly spill over into the table in front of it if the weather is nice.

[Kate-AHF]

Oooo.... one more thing Robjame....

 

Marina held a series of wine tastings in Jacques during our last sailing (Nov 21).  They cost extra (most were $75 pp, Bordeaux tasting was $95) but it was worth every penny.  The head sommelier works with the Exec chef on board to present a "bite" for every wine presented.  Some of the pairings were simply inspired.  There is a powerpoint (Wait! don't say Eeww just yet) that went with the tasting.  So informative and a great punctuation of the sommelier's discussion.  The three we attended were *hands down* the best tastings we've ever attended, on the sea or in a vineyard.  I learned so much, and got to taste wines we could never afford in "real" life.

[LHT28]

16 minutes ago, Kate-AHF said:

 got to taste wines we could never afford in "real" life.

How much were the wines in "real life" ?

Must have been horrendous  🤔

[susiesan]

Robjame,

Is there any reason why you can't get a drink or glass of wine from one of the bars and carry it back to your stateroom to drink while sitting on your balcony? That's what we do. I don't expect someone to fetch my cocktails for me.

[Robjame]

25 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Is there any reason why you can't get a drink or glass of wine from one of the bars and carry it back to your stateroom to drink while sitting on your balcony

Absolutely no reason. If I had my wife’s card too, would they give me 2 drinks?

 

Now if you asked my wife the same question, she would reply:

 

- he is such a klutz, he would spill it up and down the hall or while pushing the elevator button

- he would get talking to someone at the bar and that’s the last I would see of him for the rest of the afternoon

- he would have it gone before he ever got back to the stateroom and so turn around and go back for another {repeat}

- he would get lost and have to text me to find him and show him (again) where our stateroom is

[Kate-AHF]

1 hour ago, Robjame said:

Absolutely no reason. If I had my wife’s card too, would they give me 2 drinks?

 

Yes.

[basor]

3 hours ago, susiesan said:

Robjame,

Is there any reason why you can't get a drink or glass of wine from one of the bars and carry it back to your stateroom to drink while sitting on your balcony? That's what we do. I don't expect someone to fetch my cocktails for me.

No but since they are bringing our afternoon canapes already,  it is easier.....also,like others say, I would probably end up spilling 1/2 of it on the way back to our room.

[basor]

[LHT28]

6 minutes ago, basor said:

Nothing is open between 4 -5:30 (except Baristas on O ships) so nowhere to DIY snacks....

 

Afternoon tea would have some goodies  4 - 5 pm

I sometimes get something to tide me over until dinner

[basor]

38 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Afternoon tea would have some goodies  4 - 5 pm

I sometimes get something to tide me over until dinner

Very true ........don't think about that as a place to grab some goodies for happy hour in the room!  Thanks

[Jancruz]

13 minutes ago, basor said:

Very true ........don't think about that as a place to grab some goodies for happy hour in the room!  Thanks

I usually stop in at tea and take a couple of the little sandwiches and a scone with clotted cream and Jam..

that and a cuppa holds me over until 7:pm dinner I like that better than the snacks they bring to the cabin

Jancruz1

Edited April 2, 2022 by Jancruz

[susiesan]

 

Would room service bring you a snack if you were sitting by the pool? I do that on Windstar, order a cheese plate or guacamole and chips and have them bring it to me on deck. Of course, the ships are so much smaller and guests are easier to find. I just call it in from the bar phone and tell them where I will be sitting.

[basor]

21 minutes ago, susiesan said:

 

Would room service bring you a snack if you were sitting by the pool? I do that on Windstar, order a cheese plate or guacamole and chips and have them bring it to me on deck. Of course, the ships are so much smaller and guests are easier to find. I just call it in from the bar phone and tell them where I will be sitting.

yes or you can walk over to Waves and DIY your own snacks....

[Kate-AHF]

I'm pretty sure Baristas has happy hour snacks now.  They were hyping it last Nov.

[susiesan]

1 hour ago, basor said:

yes or you can walk over to Waves and DIY your own snacks....

I thought there was no place to eat between 4:00-5:30? That's what you all have been saying. What are the afternoon hours of Waves?

[LHT28]

10 minutes ago, susiesan said:

I thought there was no place to eat between 4:00-5:30? That's what you all have been saying. What are the afternoon hours of Waves?

No

there has always been  afternoon tea 4-5 pm  also Barristas had snacks until 6pm in the past

Room service is 24/7  as always

HH had nibbles  from 5-6 pm when your order drinks even sodas

 

[basor]

25 minutes ago, susiesan said:

I thought there was no place to eat between 4:00-5:30? That's what you all have been saying. What are the afternoon hours of Waves?

You asked about getting snacks while at the pool - sorry, I assumed you were talking normal pool hours 10AM - 4PM.....but you are correct if you are at the pool and want snacks after 4PM , then you will need to order from room service.  There is tea in Horizons at 4PM and baristas is open during that time frame and, of course, there is room service 24 hours.  Waves, Terrace, GD and specialty restaurants are not open between 4PM and 5:30PM but you know that since you have sailed on Oceania in the past.