New to Oceania next week - a couple of onboarding questions for experts!

[Sun Queen II]

Good day fellow cruisers, DH and I are about to board Sirena on Nov. 18, and have a few questions for those who have done this before:

1. I read you can bring 6 bottles of wine on board, how is this done?  Do you pack it in your carry on? does it go in your checked baggage, or another bag, and do you have to carry it with you until your room is ready?

2. we are in a PH2 room, with a boarding time of 11:30, how long does it normally take to get your room after boarding?

3. what options are there for dining at lunch on the first day after boarding, is the Grand Dining room open, or is it just the Terrace Cafe and Waves Grill?

4. what do you normally do on your first day onboard? Is there a special dinner in Grand Dining room or is specialty restaurants a good idea for first day?

5. finally, how high are the beds in the room (will suitcases fit under bed?)

 

Thanks so much in advance for anyone who can provide answers/suggestions 😁

J

[msn123]

3 minutes ago, Sun Queen II said:

Good day fellow cruisers, DH and I are about to board Sirena on Nov. 18, and have a few questions for those who have done this before:

1. I read you can bring 6 bottles of wine on board, how is this done?  Do you pack it in your carry on? does it go in your checked baggage, or another bag, and do you have to carry it with you until your room is ready?

You actually can bring as many bottles as you want. If we do 6, we have a box with a handle, and you need to keep it with you until you get in your room. I would do that or a carry on.  Would be afraid any rough handling in the suitcase might be a problem...especially if it is red wine!

2. we are in a PH2 room, with a boarding time of 11:30, how long does it normally take to get your room after boarding?

PH level are usually available around 1. They announce when categories are ready. Your luggage may not be there at that time, but it will show up.

3. what options are there for dining at lunch on the first day after boarding, is the Grand Dining room open, or is it just the Terrace Cafe and Waves Grill?

GDR is not open.  Terrace and Waves are.

4. what do you normally do on your first day onboard? Is there a special dinner in Grand Dining room or is specialty restaurants a good idea for first day?

We usually sit by the pool, make spa reservations, unpack and enjoy a cocktail. If you want, try for an extra reservation in one of the specialties.

5. finally, how high are the beds in the room (will suitcases fit under bed?)

Suitcases fit under the bed.  If yours don't for some reason, ask your room steward(ess) to store them.  Beds are pretty standard height...and very comfortable!!!!

 

Have a wonderful cruise. We get on the day you get off. 

 

 

Thanks so much in advance for anyone who can provide answers/suggestions 😁

J

 

[jonthomas]

Once we are on board, we walk around. Although we have been on the ships 3 times now. If luggage has arrived, we unpack. This time next week, we will be on our way to BAR for a transatlantic and only with carry on luggage as our airport is chaotic. 

 

On our roll call someone has a arranged a meet and greet at 5:30, thats always fun. 

 

We go and get some late lunch. Walk around on deck. 

[sbcs5390]

Hi @Sun Queen II - we are boarding Sirena with you next Friday. I had started a thread the other day which you might find interesting. Because Sirena is finishing the transatlantic when we board, there are a lot of government inspections (customs, public health, etc.) and also quite a lot of provisioning to take place. Embarkation might not go very smoothly as a result, based on others' experiences who have done this before (this is not unique to Oceania). Unfortunately we're on an O flight landing at around 9:00 A.M., so it will be interesting to see what they do with us for all that time. 

 

 

[babysteps]

You can check your wine with the porters in the terminal if you wish - as long as you trust your packing. We have checked entire boxed cases of wine no problem. You can keep wine with you but that is not required. 

[Robjame]

16 hours ago, Sun Queen II said:

on? does it go in your checked baggage, or another bag, and do you have to carry it with you until your room is ready?

We buy our wine from a large outlet in the cruise port (Miami for us) and they are pleased to pack it in a box for you. I bring some extra twine to bind the box. I make a tag and paste it on the box - name, Cruise Line, Ship, Stateroom number. This is dropped off with our luggage at the port and it shows up undamaged with our luggage at our stateroom.

‘Forget about that 6 bottle thing - we always bring a dozen bottles and never a problem. We augment it with wines from the various places the ship visited (we have 2 wine bags, one for 2 bottles and one for 4. Bottles) . This is particularly great for European ports, not so much for Caribbean)

[Tyskie]

The Caribbean is easy peasy for bringing on wine.

Has anyone had experience with bring wine on in the Baltics? (Riviera Sept 2023) ??? 

I don't think most of the ports are known for wine 🍷

We're certainly not going to bring from NY 😧

[Sun Queen II]

Thanks so much for the input.  It is much appreciated.  Where do people usually eat once they board? Given the chance that we may be late boarding, I'm wondering if we should have lunch at our hotel before heading over. I'll check out the roll call as well.

We cannot wait to do our first cruise!😎

[LHT28]

23 minutes ago, Tyskie said:

The Caribbean is easy peasy for bringing on wine.

Has anyone had experience with bring wine on in the Baltics? (Riviera Sept 2023) ??? 

I don't think most of the ports are known for wine 🍷

We're certainly not going to bring from NY 😧

We brought on spirits  in Amsterdam but  did not  look at the wine prices

I know the Scandinavian countries  alcohol/wine is very pricey

 

[LHT28]

Just now, Sun Queen II said:

Thanks so much for the input.  It is much appreciated.  Where do people usually eat once they board? Given the chance that we may be late boarding, I'm wondering if we should have lunch at our hotel before heading over. I'll check out the roll call as well.

We cannot wait to do our first cruise!😎

Usually Waves is open until 4pm   Terrace  2 ish ..so if coming later  I would eat ashore 

you need to be onboard 90 mins prior to sailing time  so keep that in mind

[slw207693]

Husband has a wine suitcase, just google wine suitcase.  Comes with foam inserts for different size bottles, weighs 48 pounds and the airlines have never broken or taken a single bottle - over 45 cruises with Oceania.  We ship it with the other luggage and  It gets delivered to room with rest of luggage.   It fits nicely under the bed and if we are gifted a special bottle or we find something on board, it gets packed and shipped back home or the souvenirs or dirty laundry go in the bottle holders.   
 

We are currently on Marina and had 3-4 hour delay in boarding in Athens due to the Greek authorities sending one passport agent who had to find the stamp you got when you landed at the airport and stamp that you were leaving Greece.  He was not happy to be working.  There were’t many places to sit, you got assigned a group number by Greek port agent (did not matter what cabin level (we are in a PH2) or your check in time), we all waited.   Oceania brought out water, kept Terrace Cafe and Waves open and we were all relieved when the gangplank came up and we departed.  

[mauibabes]

@slw207693

Friends are taking a wine suitcase on Marina next month so we are helping fill it.  My Q is Luggage Free who they have booked says no alcohol can be shipped via their service. What service do you use? 
Mauibabes

[Sun Queen II]

Can someone tell me what the hours of the various restaurants are. I know Red Ginger and Tuscan Steak are only open for dinners, but what about Terrace Cafe, Waves Grill and the Grand Dining Room? 

 

Also what about Barista and the lounges/bars?  Are they open till the wee hours, or do things close relatively early?

 

What time are the shows normally scheduled for?

thx!

[LHT28]

2 minutes ago, Sun Queen II said:

Can someone tell me what the hours of the various restaurants are. I know Red Ginger and Tuscan Steak are only open for dinners, but what about Terrace Cafe, Waves Grill and the Grand Dining Room? 

 

Also what about Barista and the lounges/bars?  Are they open till the wee hours, or do things close relatively early?

 

What time are the shows normally scheduled for?

thx!

Show is  9:30 pm

Specialties  6:30 to 9pm

GDR  lunch usually 12 to 2pm  dinner 6:30 to 9PM

WAVES  breakfast until 11 am

lunch 11:30 to 4pm

Tea  4-5pm

 

look on the back of the Currents nightly  some hours may change  &  GDR may or may not be open for lunch

 

[slw207693]

We check the luggage at airport with our other suitcases.   No issues ever.  
 

the evening entertainment on Marina is at 9:15 not 9:30.  It’s up to Cruise Director to chose time.  
 

Baristas serves coffee, pastries, little sandwiches (similar to the Concierge and Executive lounges) 6:30 am - 5:30 pm

at 6 pm Baristas reinvents itself as Baristas Aperitivo from 6-10 pm. (I don’t know if those drinks are 2 for 1 during happy hour but will enquire).   
Martinis is open from 3 pm to closing

Grand Bar opens from 5 pm to closing

Horizons is open 11 am - 5 pm and then 8 pm - closing  (strange, I thought Horizons was open for Happy hour 5-6 pm) but not listed anywhere in todays Currents 🤷‍♀️
 

With Marina at 1180 passengers,  all the restaurants are full and getting earlier seatings not easy, even on embarkation or last night of cruise.   Next cruise from Rome to Barcelona is at full capacity, closer to 1240

[mauibabes]

Thanks slw, 
We have done same, we take to the airport. I reconfirmed if we could use a company like Luggage Free to have the Wine suitcase delivered to the ship. They don’t have the necessary license so we will have to haul that bag ourselves. 
Thanks for the current Marina updates. 
Mauibabes

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, slw207693 said:

the evening entertainment on Marina is at 9:15 not 9:30.  It’s up to Cruise Director to chose time.  
 

 

Thanks

That is something new

[babysteps]

10 hours ago, slw207693 said:

...

Horizons is open 11 am - 5 pm and then 8 pm - closing  (strange, I thought Horizons was open for Happy hour 5-6 pm) but not listed anywhere in todays Currents 🤷‍♀️

...

Horizons 5pm-8pm could be for an O Club reception or other group event? 

[slw207693]

Babysteps - good call on that  as there was a Repeaters party on that day.   Today’s Currents says Horizons 3pm - Closing

 

 

[sunlover12]

Just a comment on O's policy of consuming alcohol in the cabin only that is brought onboard.  Oceania might want to do a better job of communicating and/or enforcing that.  I recently overheard some conversations by a few fellow cruisers saying that they bring wine onboard and then walk around the ship with the glass.  I got the impression that they weren't trying to cheat the system, rather they just didn't know the policy. 

 

I recall some posts on this board about how the glasses in the cabin are different from the glasses at the bars. I didn't notice any difference. They looked the same to me. Maybe that's another supply issue. Not trying to open a can of worms but I feel like this is happening more than O would like it to and it's not fair to those that are following the rules.

 

 

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, sunlover12 said:

Just a comment on O's policy of consuming alcohol in the cabin only that is brought onboard.  Oceania might want to do a better job of communicating and/or enforcing that.  I recently overheard some conversations by a few fellow cruisers saying that they bring wine onboard and then walk around the ship with the glass.  I got the impression that they weren't trying to cheat the system, rather they just didn't know the policy. 

 

I recall some posts on this board about how the glasses in the cabin are different from the glasses at the bars. I didn't notice any difference. They looked the same to me. Maybe that's another supply issue. Not trying to open a can of worms but I feel like this is happening more than O would like it to and it's not fair to those that are following the rules.

 

 

Or maybe they know the policy but  do not want to play by the rules

 

You can go to the bar & ask for  glasses  to take to the cabin if you want to cheat the generous policy

soon they will be  closing that loophole & those that follow the rules will suffer

 

 I am sure O is aware of the  cheaters 

When they see people leave the dining  room with an empty glass & come back with a full one  do you really think  the staff do not notice

It has been going on since I have sailed  with O

JMO

 

 

 

 

[vaitape]

Viking has a very relaxed policy:

No corkage, no restriction re consuming alcohol in the public areas, no limit to bringing alcohol onboard.

 

 

[susiesan]

53 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

 

 I am sure O is aware of the  cheaters 

When they see people leave the dining  room with an empty glass & come back with a full one  do you really think  the staff do not notice

It has been going on since I have sailed  with O

JMO

 

 

 

 

Even if they notice, none of the staff will say anything. Oceania treats their guests like adults and does not scold them for "breaking the rules".

[JRIH]

4 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Even if they notice, none of the staff will say anything. Oceania treats their guests like adults and does not scold them for "breaking the rules".

Maybe they should.

[Ladys Mom]

And you wonder why my husband and I like Regent better than Oceania.  On  Regent you can have all the wine and liquor you want, whether a little or a lot.  If you want liquor in your suite, they bring you a bottle not a glass.  If you want to bring the bottle,, or several bottles, home at the end of the cruise no-one says anything.  In fact, one night when we ordered room service for dinner and we asked for wine.  The person taking the order asked which wine we wanted.  I gave them a choice of two.  The server brought us both.  Gaming the system on Oceania is just an indication that people want luxury, but are not always willing to pay for it.  I can understand if you rarely drink, but it you are a regular drinker just pay the price.  When we calculated what Regent offers us, over Oceania, there was no difference.  We are taking an Oceania cruise to use a FCC, but I am not feeling comfortable about what will be our experience.

Don't get mad.  This is just our opinion.