LiveFrom Oasis. -11/27 Pre Inaugural

[big al]

> Boardwalk. Let's talk about the BW. First, as a neighborhood, it's great. Love the idea, concept is well executed. Nice mix of attractions, shops and food. JRs is a decent size with outdoor dining. Seafood shack looks like a nice new addition. Will likely be popular. Menu obviously focuses on fish and looks good. I think they hand out beepers when there's a wait. Ice cream shop is good, supposedly made onboard. No Ben n jerrys affiliation. Theyoffer a variety of mix-ins, which is nice. Donut shop is handy for a snack n coffee. Quality is average, but lots of specialty flavors. I liked the rip-off Build a Bear store - think that's a great idea.

 

GMoney- Nice review/comments....we will be on her 1/30/10..what did you think of Central Park? Everyone raves about it,ESPECIALLY at night when all lit up and tranquil....do they still have the walk around promenade outside like on Deck 4 of the Voyager/Freedom ships?

Looks like only deck 5 jogging track has a view.....

 

Big Al

[GMoney]

The BW features a merry-go-round, but oddly enough, no traditional BW type games, which could have been a nice touch. The focal point of the space is of course the Aqua Theatre, which is a home run. It's an attraction unto itself and provides something truly unique. The Aqua Theater stage is sandwiched between 2 giant video screens which supplement the show. My hope is that RCI will someday use them for MUTS.

 

Now as far as BW cabins go, we had one for the PI and have one for the 1/09 sailing. The cabins themselves are fine - basic balcony accommodations. Don't expect any privacy on the balcony or in or stateroom for that matter.

 

The problem is noise. The BW is an inherently noisy area. Our PI cabin was on deck 8 roughly in the middle of the BW space. You can seal the door and keep out much of the noise, but not all of it (especially the bell they like to clang at the end of every merry-go-round ride). Makes it hard to nap before dinner after a day of sunning. =)

 

In addition, the area can be kinda dark. Given the ship's build, there just isn't a lot of sunlight.

 

Our BW cabin for the Jan cruise is in a different location - deck 11 aft, with a view of the AT and the sea, so my hope is that the noise and lack of sun are less of an issue, but I am considering a move. My advice - think long and hard about booking one of these cabins. Know the pros and cons.

 

Prediction: AT pool will be off limits to pax.

 

> Central Park. Not too much to add here that others haven't already stated. Beautiful neighborhood highlighted by specialty restaurants. Plants look good - much better than Xs Solstice lawn. How well they hold up and for how long remains to be seen. I like the Park Cafe for lunch - they mix made- to-order salads. Space in this area will be at a premium - very popular, very busy, especially if you want to dine "outdoors" or use some of the nice comfy lawn furniture. Prediction - RCI will start charging more to eat outdoors *at specialty restaurants.

 

> Solarium. I know people are raving, but I wasn't overly impressed. Nothing wrong with it, and like everything else, it's well-done, just nothing new or super special here. It reminds me of X's M class Aqua Spa area on steroids, particularly with the healthy dining option. Pool seems a little small for the area, but I always think that. =).

I think the Solarium is subtly designed to work in conjunction with the spa down on deck 6, making the forward part of the ship more adult focused and havens from the rest of the ship - an oasis within Oasis, if you will.

 

> Adventure Ocean. Boy did the kids get an upgrade to some prime real estate on the ship. The area on deck 14 forward is enormous and seems to offer a lot of cool activites, which makes sense on a family-focused ship. *It also has its own arcade, smaller than the one in the teen Living Room.

 

> Spa / Gym / Vitality Center. Whatever you want to call it, it's huge too. The area is 2 decks - salon and gym on 6, spa rooms on 5. *Spa appointments are finally computerized *- no more huge white cards to pencil in. Lots of spa treatment rooms, including a bathing suite, mud suite and couples suite. Thermal suite is a disappointment. I can live without the awesome Radiance class view, but the place is tiny and only has 4 lounge chairs, which appear smaller and inferior than the lovely tile ones on Radiance class.

 

As stated earlier, the gym, though a bit dark, is very well equipped, especially with weights. Plenty of treadmills, ellipticals and bikes. Large dedicated area for classes - no fighting for space with everyone else working out. Spinning equipment looks fancy and high tech. Gym has vending machines

with water and powerade for $3/bottle. Traditional clases are available for signup. Yoga is still $12, but others have been bumped to $15. *New classes include Gravity and Kenesis on some very cool looking machines. Pricey at $30, but Id sure give them a try.

 

> Jogging Track. There's a narrow, dedicated jogging track on deck 5 that allows you to run around the ship, without having to stumble over others. Love this - smart move.

 

> Outdoor Promenade. Doesn't exist. One of the classic cruise elements has been eliminated. No stepping outside after the show for some fresh air. =)

 

> Viking Crown Lounge. Again, others are raving about the space, but I'm not sure why. Nothing wrong with it, and it's a fine public area, but nothing like it's namesake on other ships. To me, VCL implies at least a 180 degree view, if not 360. Oasis' version allows you to see forward - that's it.

 

> Fancy Loft Suites. They are unique and innovative for sure, but strike me as small for the price, not to mention the views are marginal (who wants to overlook the Sports Deck?). YMMV based on exact cabin location, but give me an Owners or Junior suite with a nice oceanview any day.

[mafig]

Why do you think the AT will not be open to passengers?

 

The Park Cafe is "no charge," right? (fingers crossed).:p

 

:)

[critterchick]

GMoney- Nice review/comments....we will be on her 1/30/10..what did you think of Central Park? Everyone raves about it,ESPECIALLY at night when all lit up and tranquil....do they still have the walk around promenade outside like on Deck 4 of the Voyager/Freedom ships?

Looks like only deck 5 jogging track has a view.....

 

Big Al

 

We're still waiting for our flight so I'll jump in if I may. Central Park is fabulous. Our D-6 cabin was right around the corner, so it was easy to pop over to the Park Cafe for a quick meal or a cup of coffee. Or to Vintages for wine. At night it's really special, with all the lovely plants and all. And of course the Rising Tide Bar comes up in Central Park, too, which is pretty darned cool.

 

The jogging track is the Promenade Deck. Instead of making you go up a flight to stairs to go all the way around, the track cuts over in front of the bow, so it doesn't go all the way around the ship. It's 2.4 laps to the mile. There are really only glimpses of the sea since the lifeboats are outside the ship on that level.

 

Why do you think the AT will not be open to passengers?

 

The Park Cafe is "no charge," right? (fingers crossed).:p

 

:)

 

Park Cafe is no charge, correct. The AT pool has a lot of extra equipment, lights & fountains, and I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't want passengers jumping in all slathered in suntan lotion & sweat.

 

I have to say that I like a lot of things about the ship. I truly expected to dislike it, but there are so many innovative features that it was a fun, albeit exhausting, two days. We heard a lot of people who expressed the same sentiment. I can't say that I'm a convert, but I'm not completely against the idea of booking her some day if the prices come down and we can get a nice JS cabin.

 

My biggest worry is what she'll feel like with a full passenger load - we had about 4600 passengers onboard (they've increased the number on each PI cruise to get the crew used to the hordes) and I did feel crowded in some venues. Of course, once they start charging for drinks I bet the bars will empty out a bit.

 

The casino already reeks of cigarette smoke. The video poker machines were very nice to us.

 

Dazzles is a gorgeous nightclub setting. I wish they'd make that lounge N/S because the smoke drifted down from above.

 

I liked the Solarium a lot - there are covered and uncovered areas, so you can sun or not (and hopefully stay dry on a rainy day).

 

There are some interesting design flaws, such as putting the outlets under the desk in the balcony & JS cabins (those were the only ones I checked) - I had to get down on my knees to plug things in and at the TA

meeting, the Sr. VP of sales reported that she had a bump on her head from having to do the same thing. And there are some curbs in Central Park that are downright dangerous - people are so busy craning their necks that they don't see them - DH and I both stepped off, but stayed on our feet, and we observed a lot of that sort of thing. Many people have landed on their kiesters, so they're already working on a solution.

The entertainment was first rate - I loved Hairspray and the Aquatheater show (the late one went off smoothly, unlike the 9:30 show), enjoyed the disco and the other sites.

 

The CL is gorgeous - I didn't get in the DL, but is has a balcony overlooking the Promenade. The CL has two-story windows overlooking the boardwalk, so on this class of ship I think is the nicer venue. And the wine in the fridge was Chliean, not La Terre - let's see if that lasts.:)

 

Our D-6 cabin was a bit of a disappointment. We found the space to be very tight (of course the Princess likes her JS cabins and the one we saw was very nice). The storage is less than we found in an SO cabin on Monarch. The sink counter was about 6 inches lower than standard, and only came up to mid thigh for me (I'm only 5'6"). That last one is just a nit, but the other two issues would make us stick to the JS cabins.

 

I agree with Patrick that the Crown Loft suite seemed small, but there were at least 25 people in there when we visited, so that might have had something to do with it. The Royal Loft suite is insane. I have lots of pics that I'll try to get organized.

 

Sorry, got a bit carried away there!

[dfishner]

We're still waiting for our flight so I'll jump in if I may. Central Park is fabulous. Our D-6 cabin was right around the corner, so it was easy to pop over to the Park Cafe for a quick meal or a cup of coffee. Or to Vintages for wine. At night it's really special, with all the lovely plants and all. And of course the Rising Tide Bar comes up in Central Park, too, which is pretty darned cool.

 

The jogging track is the Promenade Deck. Instead of making you go up a flight to stairs to go all the way around, the track cuts over in front of the bow, so it doesn't go all the way around the ship. It's 2.4 laps to the mile. There are really only glimpses of the sea since the lifeboats are outside the ship on that level.

 

 

Park Cafe is no charge, correct. The AT pool has a lot of extra equipment, lights & fountains, and I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't want passengers jumping in all slathered in suntan lotion & sweat.

 

I have to say that I like a lot of things about the ship. I truly expected to dislike it, but there are so many innovative features that it was a fun, albeit exhausting, two days. We heard a lot of people who expressed the same sentiment. I can't say that I'm a convert, but I'm not completely against the idea of booking her some day if the prices come down and we can get a nice JS cabin.

 

My biggest worry is what she'll feel like with a full passenger load - we had about 4600 passengers onboard (they've increased the number on each PI cruise to get the crew used to the hordes) and I did feel crowded in some venues. Of course, once they start charging for drinks I bet the bars will empty out a bit.

 

The casino already reeks of cigarette smoke. The video poker machines were very nice to us.

 

Dazzles is a gorgeous nightclub setting. I wish they'd make that lounge N/S because the smoke drifted down from above.

 

I liked the Solarium a lot - there are covered and uncovered areas, so you can sun or not (and hopefully stay dry on a rainy day).

 

There are some interesting design flaws, such as putting the outlets under the desk in the balcony & JS cabins (those were the only ones I checked) - I had to get down on my knees to plug things in and at the TA

meeting, the Sr. VP of sales reported that she had a bump on her head from having to do the same thing. And there are some curbs in Central Park that are downright dangerous - people are so busy craning their necks that they don't see them - DH and I both stepped off, but stayed on our feet, and we observed a lot of that sort of thing. Many people have landed on their kiesters, so they're already working on a solution.

The entertainment was first rate - I loved Hairspray and the Aquatheater show (the late one went off smoothly, unlike the 9:30 show), enjoyed the disco and the other sites.

 

The CL is gorgeous - I didn't get in the DL, but is has a balcony overlooking the Promenade. The CL has two-story windows overlooking the boardwalk, so on this class of ship I think is the nicer venue. And the wine in the fridge was Chliean, not La Terre - let's see if that lasts.:)

 

Our D-6 cabin was a bit of a disappointment. We found the space to be very tight (of course the Princess likes her JS cabins and the one we saw was very nice). The storage is less than we found in an SO cabin on Monarch. The sink counter was about 6 inches lower than standard, and only came up to mid thigh for me (I'm only 5'6"). That last one is just a nit, but the other two issues would make us stick to the JS cabins.

 

I agree with Patrick that the Crown Loft suite seemed small, but there were at least 25 people in there when we visited, so that might have had something to do with it. The Royal Loft suite is insane. I have lots of pics that I'll try to get organized.

 

Sorry, got a bit carried away there!

 

 

Jean, am so surprised you liked Oasis since I know you do not enjoy such large ships so I was so pleased to see your post and that you enjoyed it. Rob and I sail on her next Novermber and can hardly wait. Now when are we going to have a Jewel reunion??? :-) That is still our all time favorite cruise.

[avalon1025]

I'll second the thought the the pool in the Aquatheater will be off limits to passengers. There is quite a bit of machinery and equipment under and around the pool that I don;t think they would want passengers messing with it.

[molly361]

Besides the casino. was smoking allowed in any other indoor bars? thanks

[PrincesScuba]

GMoney & Critterchick:

 

Thank you for your posts and opinions.

 

It is good to read reviews from "real cruisers".

[stazerd]

Besides the casino. was smoking allowed in any other indoor bars? thanks

Smoking was permitted in a section of Boleros, a section of the Schooner Bar, and the upper level of Dazzles. There may have been others, but I didn't get everywhere!

[BecciBoo]

I have a feeling they will use AquaTheater pool for scuba certification. Deep pool really needed for the lessons. But general public, maybe not.

I think they will probably rethink and retool the outlet problem. Wish I was on her next week...but in for a long wait yet.

[stazerd]

I have a feeling they will use AquaTheater pool for scuba certification. Deep pool really needed for the lessons. But general public, maybe not.

 

I think they will probably rethink and retool the outlet problem. Wish I was on her next week...but in for a long wait yet.

 

That outlet thing drove me crazy! Couldn't get the hair dryer plug to stay in...and using the other outlets was not easy at all! Would love to know why the outlets were placed there, not convenient.

[PhoenixCruiser]

Patrick, your excitement is contagious! Thanks for sharing your cruise with us :D

 

###

[mariefisher]

Thank you for all the info!

[billsgal]

HI,

 

DH and I were also lucky to be onboard the 11-27 PI. I echo the sentiments of others on here......I didn't expect to like the ship, I figured it would be too big. Was I ever wrong. I loved the ship, thought the public spaces were absolutely amazing, and have the same feelings others have about the cabins.

 

We had a balcony overlooking the ocean on deck 8, and we thought it was smaller than the usual D cabins we've had on other ships, and the storage space was severly limited.Loved the location, though, as we were right around the corner from the elevators and from Central Park. There were only 2 side drawers in the desk (the third drawer held the hair dryer) and there was no center desk drawer with paper and pens like on other ships. The outlet placement was a real problem, hard to find the outlet first of all, then hard to plug something in. There was a rack on the wall (looked like it would hold magazines, probably used for the Cruise Compass) which could also bruise your arm if you were walking in the dark. Our bed was next to the closet, which made it difficult to access the closet and safe. Other rooms that had the sofa next to the closet didn't have the same accessibility issue, so when I sail Oasis again, I will definitely check the placement of the bed in the cabin. I also found the sink to be a bit too low for comfort, and the shelving in the bathroom was almost laughable.

 

Now that the negatives are out of the way, the positives so outweighed the negatives, I can't even worry about the negatives. I loved the solarium, thought it was a beautiful area. I also liked the Viking Crown Lounge, although the view was not a 360 degree one......but the room was beautiful.

Dazzles was dazzling, CL was gorgeous, and I liked the Diamond Club with it's porch type seating. I thought the Promenade area was much larger than similar area on Freedom and Voyager class. I loved Boardwalk, and even liked the BW view cabins. My boss had one, and he said it was quiet enough at night, but when the zip line opened in the morning, he heard the screams from the zipliners......but if you don't like to sleep late, it probably wouldn't bother you. Central Park was gorgeous, and they have already taken steps to highlight the steps that people were tripping over, even though yellow caution tape did affect the ambiance of the area (hopefully they will have a better solution soon). I did think the fact that the Royal Suite overlooked the basketball court diminished it's appeal, but that's just me. I also thought the Crown Loft suites were a bit "snug". However, I thought the family suites, inside, outside and with a balcony were great and spacious for families. JS, GS, and OS were like similar on their other ships. WJ could be a bit small for a full ship, but with all the other breakfast options, it might not be a problem. I did like the tables, and didn't find it as crammed as Freedom class WJ.......I find those tables are so close together it makes it difficult to get thru.

 

The Entertainment zone was spectacular......Ice Show was a bit too "frantic" for me, but entertaining nonetheless. Hairspray was wonderful, and the late night adult comedy was great, but definitely for adults only. We didn't get to the Jazz club or Blaze, but they were going strong late into the night (or should I say early morning. Casino was huge, but as others have said, quite smoky.

 

Outside sports areas were very busy, as many took advantage and did the zipline and flow riders along with the golf and pools. So much to do in such a short time, so we are sure we'll be going back. Jewel OTS is still my favorite ship, but Oasis is so gorgeous I'll have to sail her for a longer trip!

 

Rita

[emmy]

HI,

 

DH and I were also lucky to be onboard the 11-27 PI. I echo the sentiments of others on here......I didn't expect to like the ship, I figured it would be too big. Was I ever wrong. I loved the ship, thought the public spaces were absolutely amazing, and have the same feelings others have about the cabins.

 

We had a balcony overlooking the ocean on deck 8, and we thought it was smaller than the usual D cabins we've had on other ships, and the storage space was severly limited.Loved the location, though, as we were right around the corner from the elevators and from Central Park. There were only 2 side drawers in the desk (the third drawer held the hair dryer) and there was no center desk drawer with paper and pens like on other ships. The outlet placement was a real problem, hard to find the outlet first of all, then hard to plug something in. There was a rack on the wall (looked like it would hold magazines, probably used for the Cruise Compass) which could also bruise your arm if you were walking in the dark. Our bed was next to the closet, which made it difficult to access the closet and safe. Other rooms that had the sofa next to the closet didn't have the same accessibility issue, so when I sail Oasis again, I will definitely check the placement of the bed in the cabin. I also found the sink to be a bit too low for comfort, and the shelving in the bathroom was almost laughable.

 

Now that the negatives are out of the way, the positives so outweighed the negatives, I can't even worry about the negatives. I loved the solarium, thought it was a beautiful area. I also liked the Viking Crown Lounge, although the view was not a 360 degree one......but the room was beautiful.

Dazzles was dazzling, CL was gorgeous, and I liked the Diamond Club with it's porch type seating. I thought the Promenade area was much larger than similar area on Freedom and Voyager class. I loved Boardwalk, and even liked the BW view cabins. My boss had one, and he said it was quiet enough at night, but when the zip line opened in the morning, he heard the screams from the zipliners......but if you don't like to sleep late, it probably wouldn't bother you. Central Park was gorgeous, and they have already taken steps to highlight the steps that people were tripping over, even though yellow caution tape did affect the ambiance of the area (hopefully they will have a better solution soon). I did think the fact that the Royal Suite overlooked the basketball court diminished it's appeal, but that's just me. I also thought the Crown Loft suites were a bit "snug". However, I thought the family suites, inside, outside and with a balcony were great and spacious for families. JS, GS, and OS were like similar on their other ships. WJ could be a bit small for a full ship, but with all the other breakfast options, it might not be a problem. I did like the tables, and didn't find it as crammed as Freedom class WJ.......I find those tables are so close together it makes it difficult to get thru.

 

The Entertainment zone was spectacular......Ice Show was a bit too "frantic" for me, but entertaining nonetheless. Hairspray was wonderful, and the late night adult comedy was great, but definitely for adults only. We didn't get to the Jazz club or Blaze, but they were going strong late into the night (or should I say early morning. Casino was huge, but as others have said, quite smoky.

 

Outside sports areas were very busy, as many took advantage and did the zipline and flow riders along with the golf and pools. So much to do in such a short time, so we are sure we'll be going back. Jewel OTS is still my favorite ship, but Oasis is so gorgeous I'll have to sail her for a longer trip!

 

Rita

 

Thanks for this wonderful review. Glad that you and Bill enjoyed it. I value your opinion and am being surprised by how many people who come back and say they did not expect to like the ship and then are so positive about

the Oasis. That says alot :) My best to Bill.

 

4 more sleeps til Oasis:)