Oasis reviews VS. CCL Dream reviews...

[big al]

I just looked at the CC reviews section and compared the 2 latest cruise ship reviews of the RCI Oasis and the Carnival Dream....the difference between the two sections is nothing short of AMAZING! The Oasis reviews must average 4+ stars with LOTS of 5 stars,while the Dream has SOOOOO many 1 star/worst cruise ever reviews....can it be THAT much of a difference between the 2 ships? I had booked the Dream for our 15th Wed anniversary cruise next May 2010,but cancelled after initial reviews were so dreadful...I have been booked on the Oasis for 1/30/10 since the 1st day bookings opened...even the staunchist "small to medium ship" cruise enthusiasts have hailed the Oasis as amazing...

 

My wife & I have cruised 25 times and the Oasis will be # 26,# 10 on RCI (we have done 6 CCL..)..has anybody already cruised both and can make a comparison yet?

 

Big Al

[Mattsudds]

I've now been lucky enough to sail on both Dream and Oasis. I do consider that Oasis was overall a significantly better ship, by design, but I wouldn't go to the 1 vs 5 star extreme. It may not be a totally fair comparison yet, worth noting that the Dream is sailing over 100% occupancy (upper berths full), whereas Oasis hasn't yet (I think) gone out full (RCL policy of starting gradually).

 

Dream is basically just a Carnival Destiny with ever more people on, and frankly its time to stop doing that and rethink. There are big lines and long waits for several things people find important (especially Lido food, comedy shows). Dream's staff know the ship isn't right and alternate between apologising and (towards the end) pleading with the passengers to note that individually they do a good job and stuff about the ship is a message for Carnival HQ, not them. Even the cruise director pushes this line in his disembarkation talk. I hadn't seen that kind of thing on other ships.

 

On Oasis, even though it wasn't full I felt the ship could easily handle another 2,000+ and be very comfortable. On the other hand, Oasis does need you to do more homework to get the best from the ship - reservations for shows etc. And Oasis is more expensive on a like for like (balcony vs balcony, sail date vs sail date) comparison, so its swings and roundabouts. Carnival however charges for a fair few more things onboard. I reckon the trick with reviews is to pick out the stuff important to you and go from there. Carnival provide very good value vacations, but RCI's ships simply blow you away.

[Cruising89143]

I have been reading the reviews on the Dream since she entered service and I have read more negative reviews than positive. Most were service issues and long lines and crowding. The ship is smaller than a Voyager class ship but holds more than a Freedom class ship. Not good.

 

I have no desire to cruise on the Dream as she is nothing more than a stretched Destiny/Conquest class with a lot more passengers. I did not care for the design of those ships when I sailed on them. Too many for that size ship.

 

I will be on the Oasis in just over two weeks. Very few cabins left but I'm not sure if RCI is still holding back or we will be sailing with full ship. Oasis still has some bumps in the road also. I will be interested to see how they handle the debarkation. So far it's been a mixed bag.

[G'ma]

It's been my considered opinion that most reviews are to be taken with a grain of salt.

 

How else to account for such varying reviews from different passengers on the same ship at the same time.

 

Oasis isn't for everyone, neither is the Dream.

 

I have a tendency to read reviews written by the professionals in the field; those with enough cruise experience to have an objective take on things.....

[my $.02]

I am also amazed at how bad the Drean reviews are. My wife, son and myself are going on our first carnival cruise on 1/16 on the dream after 8 RCCL cruise's. Main reason when I booked it was cost and the "excitment" of a new ship.

 

Now, we cruised on Voyager and Serenade when they were new. I remember reading reviews leading up to the cruise and just could not wait as things were so positive. The Dream however, I am very nervous about. I agree that you have to take the review's with a grain of salt and MANY people complan about the small stuff, but when dozens of reviews begin to compalin about the same thing, there is an issue. You know what they say about when there is smoke, ........

 

Well, nothing I can do but make the best of it, and we will have a great time. BUT, i must say, i am really second guessing my decision on straying from RCCL.

[Cruising89143]

It's been my considered opinion that most reviews are to be taken with a grain of salt.

 

How else to account for such varying reviews from different passengers on the same ship at the same time.

 

Oasis isn't for everyone' date=' neither is the Dream.

 

I have a tendency to read reviews written by the professionals in the field; those with enough cruise experience to have an objective take on things.....[/quote']

 

Every review that we read is just one persons opinion. And the comment about taking a professionals review over a regular passenger is not flying with me. All deserve their opinion and all should count.

 

The comments that I have been reading about the Dream have been consistent since she entered service. Surely all of those people can't be wrong.

[Cruising89143]

Well, nothing I can do but make the best of it, and we will have a great time. BUT, i must say, i am really second guessing my decision on straying from RCCL.

 

 

Go and try it. That's the only way to know if you will like it. Keep an open mind and don't keep comparing it to RCI while on the ship. :)

[mafig]

I thought I might want to try Dream before she came out, mainly because the price was so good (compared to Oasis). But, now, after reading all the bad reviews, no way! Remember before Oasis came out the Carnival folk were predicting terrible lines and crowding for her? Well, it seems like it's Dream that has the terrible lines and crowding.:p

[madforcruising]

It's been my considered opinion that most reviews are to be taken with a grain of salt.

 

How else to account for such varying reviews from different passengers on the same ship at the same time.

 

Oasis isn't for everyone' date=' neither is the Dream.

 

I have a tendency to read reviews written by the professionals in the field; those with enough cruise experience to have an objective take on things.....[/quote']

 

 

I haven´t read and Dream ro Oasis reviews so I can´t and won´t comment on that.

 

I agree with reading every review with a grain of salt and never forget it´s one persons opinion.

 

However I disagree about the point regarding professional reviews. I don´t pay much attention to these. Those "professionals" are often looking at things way differently than a frequent traveller / cruiser. They are cruising to make money. It´s not a vacation for them and often enough they seem to be bored by that much travel for business purposes and I think it´s often enough obvious from how they write. Also don´t forget they are often invited by the lines. JMHO

[monkeyinhat]

My 2 cents---Don't be nervous about the Dream. We were on the first sailing in the Med. first Carnival cruise. we did it as we could do 12 day balcony for same price as RCL 7 day ocean view. I was one of the lukewarm review people. Hated the constant slamming doors front and balcony. I chalk up the some of the negative stuff to it being new and staff unfamiliar and unhappy etc. Food and entertainment is subjective so to each his own

 

but as far as the ship goes. I liked the different food venues, Took me a while to figure them out. I did find the buffets horribly crowded, the outdoor movie theater was very cool. I liked the slides. The layout of the ship is not the best. fast elevators. I didn't get the laser shows, maybe in the 70's dropping acid it is cool. just not for me. Don;t know how old your child is but looks like they had a great kids programs

 

My husband and I decided we would not seek out Carnival again for several reasons for normal sailings . But the Mediteraean deal we got was well worth it, and if we found a great price and itinerary we would do Carnival again in that case

 

And in my opinion you can not compare Dream and Oasis. Like a hotel vs a resort. The 2 ships are not in the same class. There is nothing "special" about the Dream. But is more my style. I don't think the Oasis is for me.

 

Have fun cruising ON MY BIRTHDAY !

[amybeth4]

Most were service issues and long lines and crowding. The ship is smaller than a Voyager class ship but holds more than a Freedom class ship. Not good.

 

I've read a lot of Dream reviews and was completely amazed. MANY of the reviews discussed overcrowding, and I'm pretty sure the "professional" review did as well.

 

The above statement is absolutely outrageous. Who's designing these ships?