Alcohol policy?

[San Diego Ronni]

Anyone know how strict Oceania is regarding bringing alcohol onboard? This is our first sailing with Oceania. We have never had a problem with any other cruise line......

[ottawacruzr]

We have always brought our own on board from various ports for consumption in our room with no issues. I understand that you could bring your own wine on board for use in the dining room for a corkage charge. You will love Oceania - we are booked for our 3rd cruise for Jan. 2010 and are looking forward to it. The board is very helpful, Oceania passengers are very friendly and always willing to share their experiences. Welcome aboard!!

[hondorner]

We have never had a problem with any other cruise line......

Wow, you're fortunate. We have had alcoholic beverages confiscated by cruise lines and returned at the end of the voyage. The duty free shops in some ports would not let us take the bottles with us, but delivered it to the ship, were it was put away and held. We had to resort to buying a supply at a local supermarket and sneaking it on board.

 

Fortunately, that's not the case with Oceania. You can bring wine, beer or spirits on board for consumption in your own room, and wine can be brought to dinner. The corkage fee is $20 and I don't believe there is a gratuity on the corkage fee. Some folks have even brought a couple of cases of wine -- I think you can just give it to the porter at the dock and it will be delivered to your room as luggage.

 

By the way, Oceania has an official policy as follows:

Oceania Cruises reserves the right to prohibit and retain all alcohol bought ashore for consumption onboard the vessel.

However, this is in place only to be used if someone abuses the privilege of bringing your own alcohol.

[Leonid]

Which ever ports you visit, do find a shop where you can purchase spirits of some sort. On our recently completed SA sailing, I always found a super market that carried an extensive line of wines. And the prices are usually quite reasonable. I also used just plastic. Best exchange rates.

[chicagogal]

Fortunately, that's not the case with Oceania. You can bring wine, beer or spirits on board for consumption in your own room, and wine can be brought to dinner. The corkage fee is $20 and I don't believe there is a gratuity on the corkage fee. Some folks have even brought a couple of cases of wine -- I think you can just give it to the porter at the dock and it will be delivered to your room as luggage.

 

By the way, Oceania has an official policy as follows:

However, this is in place only to be used if someone abuses the privilege of bringing your own alcohol.

 

We were just on the same cruise BA-Valparaiso with hondorner and leonid. We brought wine onboard Insignia from several ports, including a jerobome (4-5 liters - not sure how to spell that!) that we took to the dining room on New Years Eve for our table of 10. They still just charged a $20 corkage fee for that. So - larger bottles are good! If you don't drink it all, they will put your cabin number on it and serve it again when you want - even in another diningroom or at lunch, etc.

 

Very liberal policy!

 

FYI We also bought our large bottles of water on shore to avoid the on board prices. Often about $1 US for 2 litres vs $3 for a much smaller bottle on board.