kearney

I had the same question when considering the package. I actually called RCCL. This is what I was told. When you sign up for the package you provide the day and time you want your first meal. They will then tell you which restaurant you will be at. It has to be on day one or two of the trip. Then, when you get on board you make the arrangements for the other days. I am not really comfortable with this, but thought we would test this out to see how this works out.

It is an incentive to get on board early. I do think that guest services could have a lot of people lined up for this. As I recall you can also go directly to the restaurants.

What I did was to go ahead and book my time dining for the days I hope to use the specialty restaurants. So I first secured entertainment, then scheduled my time dining. I just hope that I dont have to reschedule entertainment to fit restaurants.

We will see how this works out... but the savings were enough to make it worth testing on this next cruise.... in Sept.

Do Diamond members still get one 24 hour internet connection? I hope so. My DH and I like to use this to checkin with email and news twice during the cruise.... and that is all the connectivity I want. Thanks

I am guessing you guys had some engine trouble.... circled around and 3 hours after sail away still just off Bermuda.... now appears to be heading out... but still only traveling at 10 knots. Would be interested if anyone knows what the problem was or is.

Love to look at various port cams and the marine traffic map. Just made an observation and wondering what is up.

It looks like the ship turned around and is traveling at 2 knots.... is the ship heading back to port? Going too slow to be for medical emergency or to pick up passengers... just wondering..

I love the Radiance class ship for its open views of the ocean from the public areas. But it does not have a promenade. If you find that you like that part of the ship on Oasis class ship, you might consider the Voyager class ship. It has a nice promenade area with shops, and bars etc. I think the Freedom class is my least favorite. It is a step down in size from Oasis. My issue with Freedom is petty, I know, but I dont believe they have enough elevators or they are a bit too small. This class ship always seemed a bit crowded at the elevators. I did not feel the same on the Oasis class. Now I have only been on that class ship once... so it may have been atypical. But looking at the deck plan... the Oasis class has more elevators and those in the aft part of the ship seemed larger to me than the main elevators on Freedom.

If you go to Alaska consider Radiance class. You can see the fabulous views throughout the ship. That is not the case on Oasis class. But in the Caribbean, not nearly as much to see as in the inner passage heading to Alaska. After having sailed on different lines we find ourselves sailing more with Royal because of the ships. They have become a destination.

I believe (as I recall from last cruise) it is part of the "fisherman's platter".

Juniors Mom & Dad would probably sue you for filming the little angel, with out their permission.

 

In our society they would win!:(

 

Reader

Good point.... I hadn't thought about that....

We have had a promenade view cabin on the Mariner class ship. I thought it was fairly quiet. You could hear something going on, but it wasn't bad enough, in my opinion, to be disturbing. Just enough noise to let you know that the parade must have started. Did not go on too late. I guess it depends upon how light a sleeper the young ones are. My husband and I went to bed fairly early on that trip and I dont recall it bothering either of us at the time

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/shared_assets/pdf/menus/beverage-flyer-general-v4.pdf

This link might help. Not sure what brands of sparkling wine are offered.... but it appears that sparkling wine of some type is offered

Perhaps the time has come for us old farts to learn from the young and get that cell phone out and film the problem. From what some of the people posting, I am sure that headquarters would be shocked to see what is going on. Perhaps if you took video not to guest services, but asked to see someone in charge... you would get somewhere. Seems like everyone under 20 is filming everything.... Just a thought for the future.

One more thought on double wide stroller. On the first and the last day of the cruise, luggage fills the hall making use of a larger stroller virtually impossible, since many people put their luggage out before early dining. Also, when I was on the Oasis, the WJ seemed to be more crowded than I recalled other ships... tables are on top of each other making passage for one, between tables a bit tight... forget about navigating with a double stroller. Another thought is how your cabin is configured. If you are in a regular cabin, it would be better to have the bed by the window/porthole/balcony... so that you can get any stroller into the cabin. I am not sure what people do who need a scooter. It is tight for any additional mode of transport.

Pricing of a cruise can be very tricky. It is difficult to get a good deal. They say 50% off.... but off of what.... sometime the gross price has changed.... there are different discounts for different things sometimes they are combinable.

Here is what I do now. I pick several cruises that appeal to me. I go onto the Royal Caribbean website... to a search... check the sr box, add residency info and C&A number ... and then go to the cruise I am interested in and select a cabin.... one that appeals to me.

On a spreadsheet I enter gross price and list each of the discounts and port charges. I

then come back when there is a sale to see how price compares.

Bottom line. If you can get an ocean view balcony cabin on Oasis Class ship for less than $800/person. That is a good price. So when a sale comes around and I see that I can get it for around that price... time to decide if I want to go or not.

A few observations from being such an anal person. Gross cruise prices seem to vary and I do not understand why. Recently I noticed that the C&A balcony discount went from $225 to $200. Not sure if this is just a one time error... but something I noticed.

I have not used a travel agent, so I may be missing an opportunity to do better. Any points of view on that? When I have called in directly to RCCL the agents have been helpful in finding me the best price (at that time).... sometime the resident discount was better than other discounts. Also it seems that they may have better access to knowing cabin availability than what they should on the website. For example my husband has trouble walking so I prefer a cabin near stern elevator on Oasis class. Nothing showed up on the website... but the agent found one. One comment. It is difficult to know when talking to agent if you are getting a good deal. There are so many numbers taht they throw around. This is where doing work ahead of time helps you recognize a good deal or not. Just some thoughts.

Thanks for the info re: Solarium Bistro. I think we will like the health orientation (I saw the menu on line). It's my mom and I, so we don't need romance, but quiet and nice sunset are a plus for us.

 

FYI the menus for the two restaurants are quite different. Sabor is Mexican food. And people have raved about the table side-made guacamole, hence the reference to ripe avocados. No ripe avocados=no fresh guacamole.

 

Sounds like both are a good option for us to opt for in the moment. Info is much appreciated.

Oh, now that makes sense. I did not realize that. This trip will be our first on the Allure. I love the Oasis Class ship but my only real complaint is the lack of ocean views in public areas. Eg the Schooner and other bars and specialty restaurants. Our habit is to schedule specialty restaurant on the first night around sunset... so that limits our choice. It was a nice way to start the cruise... particularly since the specialty restaurants tend to be quiet the first night. This trip we are trying one of the dinner packages, so we do not know where we we eat night one. Have a good cruise

We had a rainy day on the Allure and it did not seem crowded at all. The promenade had more people at times, but a lot of people seem to stay in their cabins. The WJ was crowded at peak times, but if you went later for lunch, it wasn't crowded at all. The CD added an extra Trivia game and that helped. It was a sea day, too, so there were already a lot of activities planned.

That is good to know. On other RCCL ships we used to go to the Viking lounge to read and look out at the view on rain filled days. Fortunately there were not many of them.

I had the same concern after being on the Freedom class. But I noticed that the Oasis had more elevators and that most seem to be larger. I really think that helped to move people and keep things from getting too bottled up. Central Park and the Boardwalk are on different decks and that seems to help keep people spread out. We are not pool people, so I can not comment on the pool deck. My only question is how crowded is the ship if the weather is bad? Considering how much of the ship is outdoor. But our last cruise had perfect weather.

I was surprised how disperse 6000 passengers were. I have to say that up to this point my favorite class was the Radiance class. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. If walking is an issue.... I suggest a cabin near the stern elevators... very quiet.... but the main dining room, schooner bar and access to boardwalk, central park and the promenade are all an elevator ride away. Now the fitness and spa areas are up in the bow...

A few things missing from Oasis class.... is the Viking lounge... with its panoramic views... is now for the suites....

the elevators might be an issue as well. I believe that the elevators on the Oasis class ship might be a bit larger than other ships.... but I am not sure how easily you will be able to get into an elevator. Good thing you are checking in advance.

We enjoyed the Solarium Bistro last fall. I didn't have a particular need for avacados, so no idea if they had an issue. It was fairly empty. We did enjoy it and frankly if I want a crowd I can go to the main dining room. It is one of the few places where you have a bit of a view. It was nice to have diner around sunset in a restaurant that was fairly quiet. Was actually a bit romantic....The menu is more health oriented, so you need to keep that in mind. I don't think reservations would be necessary based on the one time we ate there. I am not sure how the menus for the Solarium Bistro or Sabor compare... since I have not been to the Sabor....

Have you signed up for the meet n mingle event on this cruise. You might check into that. It is a way of meeting others who will be on the same sailing. .... share notes.

We are going in Sept on Allure. We did Oasis last fall. I have to admit I was hesitant to go on a large ship. I found the Freedom class to be a bit too large. But Oasis class is so well designed it does not feel crowded. I think that is because they have a few more elevators and they seem to be a bit larger. My husband had leg surgery not long ago and stairs are just not an option for him. with Central Park, the board walk and promenade being on different decks... it spreads out the crowds. Now if it is a rainy day, that might be different... but Oasis class is perfect for the Caribbean. Now one thing... the ship is internally focused, so having an ocean view cabin is a good idea. Smaller ships like the Radiance are more externally oriented with ocean views from many if not most public areas.

We have not done Disney cruises. Frankly we do not have children and are not into characters. There is such a diverse group of people on the Oasis class. With the combination of sports/physical activities and nice separation from areas focused on children's activities from adult activities.. it works very well for a wide range of people.

Have a good cruise

I like the idea of being able to pay for a package of say 10-15 drinks for a price that saves you say 15-20% vs buying one at a time. That way you could use your drinks over the course of the cruise. You save something by pre paying, but total drinks more in line with moderate drinker... if you choose you could burn it up one day or use a couple a day over the week cruise.

I agree... with the idea that if I purchase an all you could drink package... well I would feel obligated to not just break even... but be ahead... i.e. drunk.

I wonder if packages like this are linked to some issues with problem passengers... dancing on the balconey tables and taking a header off the side

A few years ago we were held back from embarking Freedom of the Seas for about an hour. We were told that not all of the passengers had gotten off the ship and this was holding everything up. Perhaps that is what is going on.

One more thought. Unlike the Radiance class ship, the Oasis class is internally focused. If you want to see the Ocean, you really need to consider an ocean view cabin. In the Radiance class ship you have a lot of ocean views from many public areas... including by the elevators... this is not true on the Oasis class ships. In the Radiance Class you can go to the top deck to the Viking lounge and have fabulous views... not so on Oasis... here you need to go up to the pool deck or to the solarium at the front of the ship or to a narrow running track on a lower deck... cant recall deck off hand. I love Oasis, but would urge consideration of a deluxe or superior baloney cabin... a bit more that other balcony cabins...

That way if your mother feels tired she can stay on the balcony of the cabin... and enjoy the view

I keep a spreadsheet on cruise prices and track to get an idea on what a good price is for a particular grade of cabin on a cruise that appeals to me. Then if a sale comes along that beats the price trends I have been seeing I jump on it. I had been doing this for Allure when I saw a good price in Sept. I didn't give it much thought but as I booked it, I realized that the ship returned to port on 9/11. I have since noticed that the various 9/11 cruises seem to have lower price points. I assume it is because people would rather not fly on that day. Since we are driving and the ship returns on 9/11... that did not seem too concerning. So you might check cruises on that day.

Suggestion.... if you select a cabin near rear elevators... you will find that the dining is nearby and easy access to both central park and boardwalk. My husband had knee surgery and we found that the elevators on upper decks were not that noisy... and it kept walking to a minimum.

So far the best pricing I have seen is the BOGO60.... 60% off second cabin. Also the 1-2-3 is good depending upon the length of the cruise... remember to note age as well... sometimes that works out pretty well..and/or state of residency.

If you need a scooter.... Oasis class elevators seem a bit larger than on the Freedom Class.. and there are more of them. But storage is an issue in a regular size cabin. If you plan on doing that I would check to see what you do with scooter at night... can attendant store... I dont know... but if you keep in cabin.. you need to make sure the bed is near the balcony not near the bathroom.

Have a good time.

one more improvement for Oasis.... bring back the viking lounge or something like it for regular folks. One of my favorite spots to sit and read in the afternoon when it is hot... and enjoy a beverage.

I like Oasis and Radiance class ships for different reasons. There is not that much to see in the Caribbean, so an internally focused ship like Oasis is fine with all its unique features. But if I am going to Alaska or some other place where the view is important, I prefer the outward orientation of the Radiance class. So if there were a way to open up the Oasis class to more outward views... eg from the elevators, and other public areas. Also, I burn easily so I love the quiet areas you find on other class ships where you can sit under cover with a view of the ocean. So if there was a way to have a promenade deck... like the older class ships, some more views to the outside from various public areas... that would be great. If you dont have a balcony cabin on Oasis, you are challenged to see anything outside of the ship without going to the boardwalk, pool deck or solarium.

Since when have walkie talkies not worked on ships? My husband and I have used them in the past. Just as a way of finding one another. They worked fine then. And there is no cost. I agree that constant chatter would be annoying. We did not use them on our last few cruises and it was a pain trying to find one another. We are kind of old school. I like to be completely disconnected while at sea, no internet etc. Was nice to be able to tell co-workers that it would cost them a fortune to reach me.... :)