My wife and I have just returned from our first, week-long Mediterranean cruise with Oceania on board the Sirena. We are quite experienced cruisers and wanted to try Oceania as an alternative to our usual shipping line and because the particular itinerary was interesting. The ship is very smart and comfortable but we found ourselves most confused by the system for charging drinks etc., which we felt was far too complicated and contradictory.

At the time of booking, we purchased the House Select beverage package for US $39.95 each per day which gave us free wine, champagne or beer by the glass during lunch and dinner. According to the footnote in the brochure, this also included gratuities, which I assumed were to be distributed amongst the whole crew. Elsewhere in the brochure, it was stated that optional gratuities in the sum of US $16 per guest per day would be added to our shipboard account and that an additional 18% gratuity would be added to all beverage purchases, which are quite high in the first place with two vodka and tonics costing US $20, plus a $3.60 surcharge.

I firmly expected that, having purchased the beverage package, these additional charges would not be levied. Although the daily charge was not applied, the 18% surcharge was applied to all drinks consumed outside of mealtimes. Read more