Cruising - but not as we know it. Oasis 5/12/09 report.

[Mattsudds]

Oasis of the Seas – cruising, but not as we know it.

 

As someone with a long standing love of ships, and cruising, it was a bit like being a kid waiting for Santa as I awaited delivery of the Oasis and a chance to sail on her inaugural and pre-inaugural voyages. Living in the UK, the excitement grew even during the short call into the Solent. I’ve been following the website, looking at the video logs, and by the time 1st December came it already felt like the ship was familiar.

 

Arriving at Port Everglades, the Oasis towers over neighbouring ships. But not quite as much as I thought. The day before departure Carnival Freedom was at an adjacent berth and although Oasis was bigger, it wasn’t the height, but the width that brings the difference.

 

Terminal 18 delivered the promised 15 mins Kerb to Ship experience, even though I arrived before boarding was really due to begin. The Terminal is the first sign that RCI have redesigned things so that they can cope easily with crowds, with many x ray machines and check in desks available. RCI are deliberately not filling the ship on early voyages and we sailed with 4200 and 3700 onboard respectively.

 

Passengers board the ship by crossing the jogging deck and entering the Royal Promenade. Immediately the ship’s size becomes apparent. The Royal Promenade is shorter and wider than on the Freedom class and it turns the ship from a pleasant and wide passage way into a real ‘space’ of its own. This area contains a large number of venues include a Café, Pizza restaurant, Coffee stand, On Air sports bar and club, Champagne bar, Guest relations, Camera shop, Bolero’s dance club and several shops. Unlike previous ships there is also the mezzanine level with the Schooner Bar, the photo shop, Diamond club and a space where the staff perform during parades. At the aft end of the promenade is the Rising Tide bar which takes passengers on a slow ride between the Royal Promenade and Central Park. This area overall represents one of the neighbourhoods.

 

The Rising Tide bar (basically a 30+ seat bar on an elevator platform, which appears to be propelled upwards by a series of coloured fountains, brings you into another neighbourhood, Central Park. This is what in US marketing terms would be described as the ‘upscale’ neighbourhood. As well as the Park itself (12,000 trees and plants, 83 tonnes of soil needed), there are 3 restaurants (Chops Grille steakhouse, 150 – the gourmet/ uber elegant restaurant by US celebrity chef Kerian Von Raesfeld, and Giovanni’s table – a more casual interpretation of Italian style restaurant for RCI). In addition there is the photo portrait studio, Art Gallery, Vintages wine and Tapas Bar, and my favourite breakfast venue, the Park Café. As if that weren’t enough there is also the small Trellis Bar next to the central trellis (who know?!). There are 2 ‘crystal canopies’ which let light into the Royal promenade and provide a view of what is going on below. This neighbourhood is overall the one where you feel least on a ship. Its serene and surreal to have al fresco dining in a park, under the Caribbean sun. The overall space is bordered by Parkview balcony cabins along the sides, and walls of glass into the stair/ elevator towers at either ends.

 

Another neighbourhood is the pool zone with a regular ship pool, a ‘beach pool’ (of the type HAL are now introducing with chairs in the water, sloping entry), a kids H2O zone and a sports pool. There are whirlpools too numerous to count and the kids zone even has child sized sun loungers. At the forward end of this deck is the Solarium, a vast space I hadn’t really heard much about or noticed before. With a small buffet servery, and lots of lounge chairs and a bar, on 2 levels and partially open to the sky, this became one of my favourite spaces. There is a lazy river running through it and its just tranquil and spacious.

 

At the aft end of the upper decks is the Sport Zone with mini golf, table tennis, Flowriders, Zipline. Lots for the sporty to do. You can book exclusive, evening sessions on the Flowrider if you like, and they even have PADI scuba instructors who will train you in the aqua pool if that’s you thing.

 

My Cabin was in yet another neighbourhood, the Boardwalk. I have a boardwalk balcony at the aft end, just over Johnny Rockets. The boardwalk itself contains the first feature of Oasis publicised – the Aquatheater. It also has the Seafood Shack, Johnny Rockets Diner, Sundae Shop, Donut Shop, Carousel, some shops, a dress-up photo studio (costumes) and access to the rock climbing walls.

 

RCI have used the basic cabin design from Celebrity Solstice for the standard balcony cabins on Oasis. Designed by the ‘Celebrity ladies’ or whatever they were called, they come in interlocking pairs. You get the sofa either near the wardrobe or the balcony door, inverted with the bed. There is a very similar dressing table and a large flat screen, interactive TV system which is on a pivot for a decent view. The bathroom is also very similar with the same feminine slant (i.e. sink too small to shave in bur a bar to rest your legs on whilst you shave them in the shower!). The one thing they haven’t followed from celebrity is their way of doing connecting cabins, and mine had a connecting door. If that cabin had one major fault it was that door design, it may as well just not have been there, so useless was it at noise insulation. There was also an ‘odour’ issue in this area at time – it smelt a little like a boardwalk!

 

There are plenty of websites for more detailed views on the ship and the pictures to go with them. However what I wanted to touch upon is not that – the ship is fantastic, spacious and basically queue free. But what I thought was more worth a mention is just how much RCI are totally reinventing how we cruise with the Oasis product. On day 1 of the cruise there is an event called Oasis 360, down in Entertainment place. At this event passengers are encouraged to reserve things for the whole week. Be it shows, sports activities, excursions or the alternative restaurants, you can pretty much book everything here. And it all just gets loaded onto your SeaPass card and displayed on your ‘personal calendar’ via the TV. And your card is checked at every activity. This means the end to the traditional cruise organisation of 2 sittings, 2 shows and 10% carry on to the Disco. And it will take some getting used to for those of us used to ‘going with the flow’. To a certain extent, this approach is surely about managing people. The theatre hasn’t enough seats to let everyone see each show in 2 sittings, but with so many options, an audience of 2,700 is probably unlikely anyway. Even your soda card can be pre-loaded onto this vital piece of plastic. You are swiped in at boat drill too. On Oasis, be in no doubt, RCI will be aware of your plans and what you did.

 

There are some restrictions on reservations. You can only reserve any individual show one time. After that you take your chance. Everything opens to free entry 10 minutes before curtain up anyhow – I never used to get there before that time so the change probably doesn’t affect people like me.

 

The other big change is photos. Your card is scanned upon boarding and when the embarkation photo is taken. Even if you don’t want this, have it taken since they don’t display many photos onboard (who wants to find themselves in a sea of 5-6,000. Instead facial recognition means that you insert your card in a photoshop terminal and it instantly finds every picture of you which you can then order in any format. Whats more, each cabin has an individual folder of photos (the folder number is on the card), and you can find yourself there too.

 

That is one example of how this ship uses technology extensively to make using her easier. Another is the set of large, flat screen, touchscreen TVs found throughout the ship. Want to know whether your preferred lunch venue is busy – touch the screen and press dining choices and you’ll see traffic lights for each venue (like NCL have for their Freestyle ships). Touch the screen and whats on now to see current and approaching activities. Lost – touch the screen, tap in your cabin number and it will map your route back. This really is a very clever system which works superbly.

 

On a ship this size, it could be a problem to name all the facilities in the elevator next to the relevant button. So instead they simply have a picture illustrating the neighbourhood. Likewise, you never know where the gangway is, just push the gangway button and it takes you there directly.

 

Oh and I never waited more than about 2 mins for an elevator. In fact I didn’t wait for anything. This ship has been superbly designed to handle vast numbers of people. Take disembarking at the ports of call. I’m used to going through a narrow passageway past one or two of those machines that scans your cards and then ashore. Not on Oasis. There are 4 machines at each stairwell and all the X rays for returning aboard are ashore. Net result, nil queueing in 11 days and nights of embarking and disembarking at 4 different ports of call.

 

Onboard I used the opportunity of going back to back to try everything I was brave enough to (i.e. forget the zipline!). And apart from the Chef’s table, I managed to dine in every restaurant. Not a bad meal or poor service amongst them. 150 was certainly a pleasantly pretentious highlight, Giovanni’s, a relaxed delight, Chops had superb steak, Solarium a hidden treasure (doesn’t seem busy – lovely menu with all dishes below 500 calories but full taste). Izumi is also an unsung treasure, an Asian restaurant, I particularly enjoyed watching the chefs make Sushi whilst I cooked my own dinner on a hot piece of Volcanic rock.

 

In the evenings I enjoyed Aqua shows, main theater show, Jazz Club, Blaze Disco, Comedy Club and especially Dazzles. I reckon the Comedy club will prove too small going forward and it got fully pre-reserved quite quickly. Daytime I enjoyed the ice shows and trivia, especially the 'Live the Oasis' trivia (about the ship). The art tours were also fascinating. It was impossible to be bored.

 

So it can’t all be great right – well no. A couple of things about the ship that I wasn’t over wowed with. Firstly the main dining room. Whilst service and food quality were RCI’s usual, and the room is huge, for me it really lacks the visual impressiveness of Freedom, Voyager, and even Brilliance and Vision class ships. Being so very wide, instead of a single atrium and giant chandelier in the center with ceremonial staircase, there is a smaller one with 2 smaller cut throughs on the side sections. Net effect – you don’t know you are in a 3 deck space. And without a ceremonial center staircase, there is no singing on the final night.

 

Similarly, the Windjammer space feels a lot smaller than Voyager/ Freedoms. I’m sure this will be a problem and on embarkation day, the cruise director was on the tannoy reminding people about alternatives.

 

Also note that the internally facing Balcony cabins do get some noise – it wouldn’t keep me wake, and I expect to hear people having fun on a boardwalk, but if it bothers you, don’t book it. Same is true on the Central Park balconies. You will hear the pool band when its playing, so book knowing that.

 

I’ve never really been to an Aquatheater before and I really enjoyed the show, although my stomach lurched at watching the high divers jumping from 18m up into the pool. The technology involved in this facility, just like the rest of the ship, is astonishing. The Aquatheater pool can be entered underwater and the pool floor can rise from 17.9ft to 0 in a matter of seconds. It also has a stunning set of fountains to provide fountain shows too. It’s the kind of thing that I don’t need on a cruise ship, but when its there I loved it and went to see it in action.

 

My don’t miss place is Dazzles – I thought the band were superb (Musik Express I think) and the night time view right down the boardwalk was just stunning.

 

She proves that crowding isn’t a function of passenger numbers, or size, but design. Some will say that this is because the ship wasn’t full. But I don’t believe that is the reason. There was loads of space, pretty much everywhere. In fact I would have preferred to see another 1500+ people onboard, since some areas felt rather empty at night. Even on Sea Days there were hundreds and hundreds of sunchairs available.

 

With the mentioned changes to the cruise experience – booking things and multiplying the lunch venues, I reckon this is a ship guests will need to learn to use. And when they do, it is truly a superb ship, even if it doesn’t always feel like being at sea (i.e. breakfasting in Central Park).

[mafig]

Great review! Thank you.

 

 

Tell me more about b'fast in Central Park. What could you have to eat at Park Cafe for b'fast. Did you have waiter service or did you go to the counter, or what. We enjoy b'fast and usually go to the main dining room, but on Oasis, we do want to try everything we can!;)

 

:)

[Cruising89143]

Thanks for your review. Very nice. I look forward to seeing this ship myself. I read you Carnival Dream review this morning and noticed that it seems to be a pattern of issues on that ship. When I saw how many passengers Carnival was placing on the Dream for her size, I knew that there would be issues.

 

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts on Oasis.

[Tyron]

Oasis of the Seas – cruising, but not as we know it.

 

As someone with a long standing love of ships, and cruising, it was a bit like being a kid waiting for Santa as I awaited delivery of the Oasis and a chance to sail on her inaugural and pre-inaugural voyages. Living in the UK, the excitement grew even during the short call into the Solent. I’ve been following the website, looking at the video logs, and by the time 1st December came it already felt like the ship was familiar.

 

Arriving at Port Everglades, the Oasis towers over neighbouring ships. But not quite as much as I thought. The day before departure Carnival Freedom was at an adjacent berth and although Oasis was bigger, it wasn’t the height, but the width that brings the difference.

 

Terminal 18 delivered the promised 15 mins Kerb to Ship experience, even though I arrived before boarding was really due to begin. The Terminal is the first sign that RCI have redesigned things so that they can cope easily with crowds, with many x ray machines and check in desks available. RCI are deliberately not filling the ship on early voyages and we sailed with 4200 and 3700 onboard respectively.

 

Passengers board the ship by crossing the jogging deck and entering the Royal Promenade. Immediately the ship’s size becomes apparent. The Royal Promenade is shorter and wider than on the Freedom class and it turns the ship from a pleasant and wide passage way into a real ‘space’ of its own. This area contains a large number of venues include a Café, Pizza restaurant, Coffee stand, On Air sports bar and club, Champagne bar, Guest relations, Camera shop, Bolero’s dance club and several shops. Unlike previous ships there is also the mezzanine level with the Schooner Bar, the photo shop, Diamond club and a space where the staff perform during parades. At the aft end of the promenade is the Rising Tide bar which takes passengers on a slow ride between the Royal Promenade and Central Park. This area overall represents one of the neighbourhoods.

 

The Rising Tide bar (basically a 30+ seat bar on an elevator platform, which appears to be propelled upwards by a series of coloured fountains, brings you into another neighbourhood, Central Park. This is what in US marketing terms would be described as the ‘upscale’ neighbourhood. As well as the Park itself (12,000 trees and plants, 83 tonnes of soil needed), there are 3 restaurants (Chops Grille steakhouse, 150 – the gourmet/ uber elegant restaurant by US celebrity chef Kerian Von Raesfeld, and Giovanni’s table – a more casual interpretation of Italian style restaurant for RCI). In addition there is the photo portrait studio, Art Gallery, Vintages wine and Tapas Bar, and my favourite breakfast venue, the Park Café. As if that weren’t enough there is also the small Trellis Bar next to the central trellis (who know?!). There are 2 ‘crystal canopies’ which let light into the Royal promenade and provide a view of what is going on below. This neighbourhood is overall the one where you feel least on a ship. Its serene and surreal to have al fresco dining in a park, under the Caribbean sun. The overall space is bordered by Parkview balcony cabins along the sides, and walls of glass into the stair/ elevator towers at either ends.

 

Another neighbourhood is the pool zone with a regular ship pool, a ‘beach pool’ (of the type HAL are now introducing with chairs in the water, sloping entry), a kids H2O zone and a sports pool. There are whirlpools too numerous to count and the kids zone even has child sized sun loungers. At the forward end of this deck is the Solarium, a vast space I hadn’t really heard much about or noticed before. With a small buffet servery, and lots of lounge chairs and a bar, on 2 levels and partially open to the sky, this became one of my favourite spaces. There is a lazy river running through it and its just tranquil and spacious.

 

At the aft end of the upper decks is the Sport Zone with mini golf, table tennis, Flowriders, Zipline. Lots for the sporty to do. You can book exclusive, evening sessions on the Flowrider if you like, and they even have PADI scuba instructors who will train you in the aqua pool if that’s you thing.

 

My Cabin was in yet another neighbourhood, the Boardwalk. I have a boardwalk balcony at the aft end, just over Johnny Rockets. The boardwalk itself contains the first feature of Oasis publicised – the Aquatheater. It also has the Seafood Shack, Johnny Rockets Diner, Sundae Shop, Donut Shop, Carousel, some shops, a dress-up photo studio (costumes) and access to the rock climbing walls.

 

RCI have used the basic cabin design from Celebrity Solstice for the standard balcony cabins on Oasis. Designed by the ‘Celebrity ladies’ or whatever they were called, they come in interlocking pairs. You get the sofa either near the wardrobe or the balcony door, inverted with the bed. There is a very similar dressing table and a large flat screen, interactive TV system which is on a pivot for a decent view. The bathroom is also very similar with the same feminine slant (i.e. sink too small to shave in bur a bar to rest your legs on whilst you shave them in the shower!). The one thing they haven’t followed from celebrity is their way of doing connecting cabins, and mine had a connecting door. If that cabin had one major fault it was that door design, it may as well just not have been there, so useless was it at noise insulation. There was also an ‘odour’ issue in this area at time – it smelt a little like a boardwalk!

 

There are plenty of websites for more detailed views on the ship and the pictures to go with them. However what I wanted to touch upon is not that – the ship is fantastic, spacious and basically queue free. But what I thought was more worth a mention is just how much RCI are totally reinventing how we cruise with the Oasis product. On day 1 of the cruise there is an event called Oasis 360, down in Entertainment place. At this event passengers are encouraged to reserve things for the whole week. Be it shows, sports activities, excursions or the alternative restaurants, you can pretty much book everything here. And it all just gets loaded onto your SeaPass card and displayed on your ‘personal calendar’ via the TV. And your card is checked at every activity. This means the end to the traditional cruise organisation of 2 sittings, 2 shows and 10% carry on to the Disco. And it will take some getting used to for those of us used to ‘going with the flow’. To a certain extent, this approach is surely about managing people. The theatre hasn’t enough seats to let everyone see each show in 2 sittings, but with so many options, an audience of 2,700 is probably unlikely anyway. Even your soda card can be pre-loaded onto this vital piece of plastic. You are swiped in at boat drill too. On Oasis, be in no doubt, RCI will be aware of your plans and what you did.

 

There are some restrictions on reservations. You can only reserve any individual show one time. After that you take your chance. Everything opens to free entry 10 minutes before curtain up anyhow – I never used to get there before that time so the change probably doesn’t affect people like me.

 

The other big change is photos. Your card is scanned upon boarding and when the embarkation photo is taken. Even if you don’t want this, have it taken since they don’t display many photos onboard (who wants to find themselves in a sea of 5-6,000. Instead facial recognition means that you insert your card in a photoshop terminal and it instantly finds every picture of you which you can then order in any format. Whats more, each cabin has an individual folder of photos (the folder number is on the card), and you can find yourself there too.

 

That is one example of how this ship uses technology extensively to make using her easier. Another is the set of large, flat screen, touchscreen TVs found throughout the ship. Want to know whether your preferred lunch venue is busy – touch the screen and press dining choices and you’ll see traffic lights for each venue (like NCL have for their Freestyle ships). Touch the screen and whats on now to see current and approaching activities. Lost – touch the screen, tap in your cabin number and it will map your route back. This really is a very clever system which works superbly.

 

On a ship this size, it could be a problem to name all the facilities in the elevator next to the relevant button. So instead they simply have a picture illustrating the neighbourhood. Likewise, you never know where the gangway is, just push the gangway button and it takes you there directly.

 

Oh and I never waited more than about 2 mins for an elevator. In fact I didn’t wait for anything. This ship has been superbly designed to handle vast numbers of people. Take disembarking at the ports of call. I’m used to going through a narrow passageway past one or two of those machines that scans your cards and then ashore. Not on Oasis. There are 4 machines at each stairwell and all the X rays for returning aboard are ashore. Net result, nil queueing in 11 days and nights of embarking and disembarking at 4 different ports of call.

 

Onboard I used the opportunity of going back to back to try everything I was brave enough to (i.e. forget the zipline!). And apart from the Chef’s table, I managed to dine in every restaurant. Not a bad meal or poor service amongst them. 150 was certainly a pleasantly pretentious highlight, Giovanni’s, a relaxed delight, Chops had superb steak, Solarium a hidden treasure (doesn’t seem busy – lovely menu with all dishes below 500 calories but full taste). Izumi is also an unsung treasure, an Asian restaurant, I particularly enjoyed watching the chefs make Sushi whilst I cooked my own dinner on a hot piece of Volcanic rock.

 

In the evenings I enjoyed Aqua shows, main theater show, Jazz Club, Blaze Disco, Comedy Club and especially Dazzles. I reckon the Comedy club will prove too small going forward and it got fully pre-reserved quite quickly. Daytime I enjoyed the ice shows and trivia, especially the 'Live the Oasis' trivia (about the ship). The art tours were also fascinating. It was impossible to be bored.

 

So it can’t all be great right – well no. A couple of things about the ship that I wasn’t over wowed with. Firstly the main dining room. Whilst service and food quality were RCI’s usual, and the room is huge, for me it really lacks the visual impressiveness of Freedom, Voyager, and even Brilliance and Vision class ships. Being so very wide, instead of a single atrium and giant chandelier in the center with ceremonial staircase, there is a smaller one with 2 smaller cut throughs on the side sections. Net effect – you don’t know you are in a 3 deck space. And without a ceremonial center staircase, there is no singing on the final night.

 

Similarly, the Windjammer space feels a lot smaller than Voyager/ Freedoms. I’m sure this will be a problem and on embarkation day, the cruise director was on the tannoy reminding people about alternatives.

 

Also note that the internally facing Balcony cabins do get some noise – it wouldn’t keep me wake, and I expect to hear people having fun on a boardwalk, but if it bothers you, don’t book it. Same is true on the Central Park balconies. You will hear the pool band when its playing, so book knowing that.

 

I’ve never really been to an Aquatheater before and I really enjoyed the show, although my stomach lurched at watching the high divers jumping from 18m up into the pool. The technology involved in this facility, just like the rest of the ship, is astonishing. The Aquatheater pool can be entered underwater and the pool floor can rise from 17.9ft to 0 in a matter of seconds. It also has a stunning set of fountains to provide fountain shows too. It’s the kind of thing that I don’t need on a cruise ship, but when its there I loved it and went to see it in action.

 

My don’t miss place is Dazzles – I thought the band were superb (Musik Express I think) and the night time view right down the boardwalk was just stunning.

 

She proves that crowding isn’t a function of passenger numbers, or size, but design. Some will say that this is because the ship wasn’t full. But I don’t believe that is the reason. There was loads of space, pretty much everywhere. In fact I would have preferred to see another 1500+ people onboard, since some areas felt rather empty at night. Even on Sea Days there were hundreds and hundreds of sunchairs available.

 

With the mentioned changes to the cruise experience – booking things and multiplying the lunch venues, I reckon this is a ship guests will need to learn to use. And when they do, it is truly a superb ship, even if it doesn’t always feel like being at sea (i.e. breakfasting in Central Park).

 

What a GREAT review. I agree with you on so many points. I too was onboard the Dec 1st & 5th sailings. I share your opinion on how I dont think crowding will be an issue on a ship that was designed to handled passenger flow. :cool::)

[Tyron]

Thanks for your review. Very nice. I look forward to seeing this ship myself. I read you Carnival Dream review this morning and noticed that it seems to be a pattern of issues on that ship. When I saw how many passengers Carnival was placing on the Dream for her size, I knew that there would be issues.

 

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts on Oasis.

 

The issues that have been plaguing the Dream have been consistent since she made her debut & haven't improved from the reviews. The ship I'm really concerned about is the Epic....they seem to be packing almost the same capacity of the Oasis on a ship half it's size.:eek::rolleyes:

[I&J Cruisers]

Wonderful review. You make me want to reserve now.

[Cruising89143]

The issues that have been plaguing the Dream have been consistent since she made her debut & haven't improved from the reviews. The ship I'm really concerned about is the Epic....they seem to be packing almost the same capacity of the Oasis on a ship half it's size.:eek::rolleyes:

 

I have been following the reviews on the Dream since she entered service and it seems that some issues have not or cannot be corrected. The Destiny and Conquest were poor designs and this is just an enlarged Conquest class ship with too many people.:)

 

I agree about the Epic. They are also putting a LOT of passengers on that ship. One thing about RCI, they are the master of ship design.

[emmy]

Very nice review :)and I agree on many of your points..actually most of them. We were also on the Dec 5 sailing

 

I agree on the width of this ship. When we were approaching in our taxi I thought hmm not as big as I would have thought until I saw the aft end and the width of this ship.

 

I found the Windjammer not that crowded the morning I went for breakfast. I think as time goes on and people read more reviews the first place they head for something to eat will not be Windjammer on embarkation day. It will be a sort of retraining :) also we only ate 1 time for breakfast in Windjammer since there are many other venues.

 

I think many do not realize that Johnny Rockets is open for a comp breakfast.

 

Were you able to view the Aquashow from your aft Boardwalk balcony? I have this category cabin in October deck 10 5 from the aft.

[bragstarr]

There is a lazy river running through it and its just tranquil and spacious.

 

First I've heard of this in the solarium--I assume not one you can ride a float through, or it would have been a huge topic of discussion. Can you expand on this? Truly a surprise to hear.

 

Thanks for a fair, detailed and interesting review. One month to go for me!

[Mattsudds]

Hello all. I'll answer your questions in order.

 

Firstly Central park breakfast.

There is a Bagel counter, making things to order. Also a 'sandwich' counter which had 3-4 daily choices and things to order. There was cereal, muffins, fruit and juice and coffee. Its counter service except made to order items - you get a number and its brought to you. You can't get Bacon, Eggs and hot stuff here though if that's your thing.

 

The Lazy River thing is not for riding in. I thought of it more as a stream until some US travelmates told me it was definitely called a lazy river. Its about 2-3ft wide and runs around the Solarium. This honestly is an unsung space of the ship.

 

Boardwalk blaconies - you can absolutely see the show from your Balcony, the further aft the better of course. I was on Deck 8 and 4 cabins from the aft end, great view. Higher would be even better. And the noise in this area finishes around 10-10:30pm, but you can hear it before then, even if only faintly through the closed balcony door. But the sound of laughter and wow's is quite nice I think.

 

One thing I forgot to say on Oasis is that I hope the entertainment schedule will be tweaked a bit. I was a bit irritated that Hairspray on the 7 night was only showing at 10pm - which kind of clashes with 2nd sitting dinner. Wasn't a problem as I was trying so many alternate restaurants, but seemed a bit thoughtless to me.

 

For those who noticed - yes I also wrote a Dream review today. In order to make the transatlantic flight worth it, I did Oasis 1 and 5, then Dream on 12th (after driving between the 2 ports). Although Oasis was more expensive than Dream, you get more included onboard and for your money a much much better designed ship. I'm not loyal or hating of any one brand, but of the 2, Oasis could wipe the floor with Dream. And Dream also had good points (Lanai, usual good enough food and shows etc). The downside for me is that Oasis requires homework and planning more than any ship I've been on in order to get the most from it. I kind of like the switch off brain cruising - feed me, then entertain me in the theater and possibly the Disco then I'll sleep and start again 8hrs later. With Oasis you have a schedule and reservations. I'll get used to it eventually!

[Elizanessie]

This is a bittie dark as was taken at night...I am sure someone has a better one but gives an idea of the 'river' in the solarium

 

[bajathree]

First I've heard of this in the solarium--I assume not one you can ride a float through, or it would have been a huge topic of discussion. Can you expand on this? Truly a surprise to hear.

 

Thanks for a fair, detailed and interesting review. One month to go for me!

 

I believe the term "lazy river" was misused here.....it's just a water feature.

 

This is what you call a "lazy river"

[bragstarr]

Thank you. Lazy river like I experienced in Atlantis would be AWESOME on a ship. With BBC stations located periodically. Still looks awfully pretty, though. Problem, DH likes to lie outside in the sun, and if the weather is lousy, I suspect it would be crowded in the solarium. Oh well, I'll have to head there myself with a good book.

 

Another question--in Park Cafe for breakfast--you mention bagels. Do they have lox aka smoked salmon there?

[Cruising89143]

For those who noticed - yes I also wrote a Dream review today. In order to make the transatlantic flight worth it, I did Oasis 1 and 5, then Dream on 12th (after driving between the 2 ports). Although Oasis was more expensive than Dream, you get more included onboard and for your money a much much better designed ship. I'm not loyal or hating of any one brand, but of the 2, Oasis could wipe the floor with Dream. And Dream also had good points (Lanai, usual good enough food and shows etc). The downside for me is that Oasis requires homework and planning more than any ship I've been on in order to get the most from it. I kind of like the switch off brain cruising - feed me, then entertain me in the theater and possibly the Disco then I'll sleep and start again 8hrs later. With Oasis you have a schedule and reservations. I'll get used to it eventually!

 

I've cruised long enough to know that no ship is perfect but IMHO, RCI has it down to a science with ship design compared to the competition. In place of just building more of the same, they actually put thought into the product. It's obvious that the same was not done with the Dream.

[juneforreal]

Plenty of Lox at Park Cafe and WJ. We also found lox in the Solarium.

If you go to the dining room for breakfast there is a buffet and plenty of lox there too. My husband ate it all week. Enjoy!

[tiyana4]

Fantastic review! Thanks for sharing.

 

We prefer MyTime dining over traditional dining....just wondering if you had a chance to experience this while onboard. If so, how was it?

[alonzo14]

Thanks so much for your well written review! You said there is a buffet in the Main Dining Room for Breakfast. Is this all there is or do they also serve ou from a menu? Thanks again.