Sodas and Bottled Water

[DP]

Azamara has now added free sodas and bottled water to be available in Sky Suites and up category cabins. Sky Suites are comparable to PH on Oceania. Any rumor Oceania will be including this perk also? It sure would be great as I go through an awful lot of diet cokes and bottled water on a cruise.

[Acrusa]

Azamara has now added free sodas and bottled water to be available in Sky Suites and up category cabins. Sky Suites are comparable to PH on Oceania. Any rumor Oceania will be including this perk also? It sure would be great as I go through an awful lot of diet cokes and bottled water on a cruise.

 

We just got off the Natica July 3 rd cruise.We where in a B1 cat.stateroom.All I did was ask the steward to leave 2 of the 20 0z bottle water in my ice tray every night.There was no charge.

They did charge $3.00 for the big Evian bottle but we found that bottle to big to tour with.

[Dreps]

We certainly wish that Oceania would add free bottled water and sodas as a "perk" -- at least for the premium cabins. We'll be taking our first Oceania cruise after a number of Regent and Silversea cruises, and we're not looking forward to the nuisance of signing for every bottled and canned drink, but we are looking forward to the total cost savings.

[DaveFr]

We certainly wish that Oceania would add free bottled water and sodas as a "perk" -- at least for the premium cabins. We'll be taking our first Oceania cruise after a number of Regent and Silversea cruises, and we're not looking forward to the nuisance of signing for every bottled and canned drink, but we are looking forward to the total cost savings.

While it is certainly nice not to have to sign for water and sodas, I think you'll find signing for drinks to be much less of a nuisance than you fear. There is nothing that says that you have to purchase water and sodas in single bottle or can quantities. For example, if you drink a lot of bottled water, purchase six bottles at a time. Purchasing multiple bottles cuts down on the number of times you have to sign for drinks. You can also have your butler keep your suite stocked with water or sodas. Another poster did this and the purchases went directly to her account without the necessity of signing for them.

 

To save some money when purchasing bottled water, buy it during the daily Happy Hour. You can purchase two, one-litre bottles of Evian or San Pellargrino for $3.54, including the 18% gratuity.

 

Dave

[travl2day]

Hi

Does anyone know if you can pick up a case or two of water in Rome and check it in with your luggage when you get to port? We did this on a Disney cruise and it worked out beautifully.

THANKS IN ADVANCE

[hondorner]

We picked up 2 - 12 packs of Diet Pepsi in Barcelona and put it aboard with our luggage, and (because we live in Florida and drove to the pier) 2 - 36 packs (72 cans) of Diet Pepsi for our 26 day Amazon cruise. A 36-pack fits very nicely in 1/2 of a medium suitcase. There was no problem either time; if we can do that with a competing brand of soda, you should certainly be able to do it with water.

[Acrusa]

It completly rattles my mind, why anyone spending up to $15,00.00 for a cruise would bother to lug 2 cases af soda or water in ther luggage.

You cant drink it when you go for lunch or dinner in the dinning room or buffet at lunch? You wouldnt take it into the lounge or show with you?

[ZME66]

To save some money when purchasing bottled water, buy it during the daily Happy Hour. You can purchase two, one-litre bottles of Evian or San Pellargrino for $3.54, including the 18% gratuity.

 

Dave

 

Dave,

 

That is a great idea! Beats lugging back a couple of bottles from port.

[lilstinger]

It completly rattles my mind, why anyone spending up to $15,00.00 for a cruise would bother to lug 2 cases af soda or water in ther luggage.

You cant drink it when you go for lunch or dinner in the dinning room or buffet at lunch? You wouldnt take it into the lounge or show with you?

 

:D

[MaximusG]

At meals on O., are sodas included or at additional cost? Thanks.

[hondorner]

It completly rattles my mind, why anyone spending up to $15,00.00 for a cruise would bother to lug 2 cases af soda or water in ther luggage.

You cant drink it when you go for lunch or dinner in the dinning room or buffet at lunch? You wouldnt take it into the lounge or show with you?

 

Rattle away ;)

 

It's simple. I drink caffeine-free Diet Pepsi, and it is not available on the ship, nor is caffeine-free Diet Coke, for that matter. It's important enough to me to pay extra to obtain a concierge-level cabin to get the fridge.

 

Or, maybe it would make more sense if I said I wanted to join the ranks of those who don't like to sign for their drinks...:rolleyes:

 

LAEsquire, sodas are not offered at meals. The only free drinks on Oceania are tea, coffee (includes cappuccino), lemonade, sometimes a fruit punch, water from the self service or waiter (but not bottled water), and various juices at breakfast. If you want a soda (coke products only) with your meal you'll have to order it from the bar.

[Dreps]

If caffeine-free Diet Coke is not available on board, I think we'll be packing an extra suitcase, too. What I really like is Diet Gingerale, but I assume that's probably not available either. I think we'll be making a quick stop at the grocery store in Rio, because I don't think it will be practical to bring these from home. Of course, I have no idea what's typically available at stores down there.

[hondorner]

By the way, I have also been known to make room in a suitcase for Gibbles potato chips. If you are a chip aficionado and have not tasted Gibbles, I feel sorry for you. They are cooked in lard (no, I'm not kidding). I grant you that my preferences may be somewhat different than most people aboard, but what do you expect from someone who spends most of their time in Okeechobee, Florida?

[Acrusa]

There is plenty of free bottle water just ask your room steward, and they will gladly accomidate you.It can only be gotten from them.

[tropicalkerry2002]

hondorner:

never heard of Gibbles potato chips! Nor am I a huge fan of chips, but now I feel like I have to try Gibbles next time in FL! hope they are available all over FL- we are in St. Pete's often.

I ONLY eat chips when I AM in FL, cuz I love Pringles Ranch flavour, and we can' get that flavour in Canada!

[hondorner]

VERY hard to find. They are distributed by the same folks that distribute Martin's Potato Bread, another favorite of mine, but only certain stores handle them. Here in Port St. Lucie, there is one Publix supermarket next to the exclusive Tesoro development that handles fine wines, fresh sushi and Gibbles Chips for the ultra-rich who live in Tesoro. I'm fortunate they allow a peon like me in the store...;) You can check for a distributor or order them online here.

 

Now that I've thoroughly hijacked that thread, I return you to your favorite sodas and water...:o

[Wendy The Wanderer]

As for the caffeine-free Diet Coke, some cruise lines will stock these things if you request them beforehand. Will Oceania not do that?

[tiny_traveler_15]

I just finished a 12 day cruise with O and am not sure if bottled water was free. There were 2 free bottles of water in our room when we arrived but after we finished those, all the other ones indicated that they were $2.50 USD. We were in category A, Concierge level (cabin 7070).

Our steward never brought any free water and we didn't touch anything in the fridge as we would have to pay for it. Our friends in the PH suites got free water and soda if they asked their butlers for it.

You can ask your cabin steward to remove everything out of the fridge so you can put your own stuff in there. We found it fairly easy to buy bottled water/diet drinks and bring them back to the ship-as long as you can find a place to buy them. No hassles at all except you couldn't have them in public places. I didn't ever see decaf diet Coke (my fave as well) anywhere when we were trying to buy pop.

They don't have diet ginger ale. In fact I didn't see any ginger ale at all, only Sprite, even when we requested it. But they must have it somewhere for some of the bar drinks - like rye and ginger, right?

[LHT28]

In fact I didn't see any ginger ale at all,

 

We got Ginger ale in Horizons not sure if all the bars carry it or not.

[StanandJim]

We got Ginger ale in Horizons not sure if all the bars carry it or not.

 

All of the bars carry Ginger Ale (we have a close friend who enjoys Rye & Ginger, and he's had it all over the ship).

 

Hey Hondorner, do you, by any chance, know Bob Gardner?

[Acrusa]

We just got off the Black sea cruise in July.There where 2 bottles of H2O water when we baorded. .We drank them.Then I tried to order 2 more bottles from room service,they told me you can only get it from your room steward.

So I asked my room steward when I needed 2 more bottle's and they where in my cabin that night on ice.Cat B1 cabin 6031.And everytime I requsted them they where in my cabin.So I dont think there is a problem getting bottled water for free.

[Ron n Jon]

Regardless of the price of a cruise, the additional cost of things like bottled water is a matter of conscience. We feel that after having paid the total sum for the cruise, if the line’s pricing policy on chargeable items is exorbitant, we will circumvent that sale and where possible bring our own. While it may be a captive “Antonio” market, they may extract their pound of flesh but not one drop of blood.

[tiny_traveler_15]

We just got off the Black sea cruise in July.There where 2 bottles of H2O water when we baorded. .We drank them.Then I tried to order 2 more bottles from room service,they told me you can only get it from your room steward.

So I asked my room steward when I needed 2 more bottle's and they where in my cabin that night on ice.Cat B1 cabin 6031.And everytime I requsted them they where in my cabin.So I dont think there is a problem getting bottled water for free.

 

Are you sure those bottles weren't charged to your room as drinks? No-one else seems to have had that experience on our August cruise, once you finished the first 2 bottles, you had to pay for the rest.

No matter, the lesson here is always be sure you know what you are and are not paying for.

If they can get water for free, that's great as it will cut down on the cost.

[myrtlewinston]

We were charged for our water and diet Coke. If he could have given it to us for free, I'm sure that our butler would have done so. He was an easygoing and friendly chap.

[owl61]

Aboard all modern ships the quality of the bathroom tap water is superior to most bottled waters in terms of salt and other impurities. Those either lugging bottled water aboard of spending $ to purchase it are wasting energy and or money.