Freedom of the Seas or Oasis

[MPlaspohl1]

This will be my family's first cruise (kids ages 19-24) and I am trying to decide between Oasis and Freedom of the Seas. Each trip is to the eastern caribbean. Which cruise ship should we go on and why??

[rigldbrg]

My wife and I did an Eatern Caribbean cruise on the Freedom's sister ship, the Liberty of the Seas. We had an awesome time, and loved the layout of the dhip. While the LOS and FOS are large ships, they neve struck me as floating monsters. Navigating the ship was very easy and the ammenities were extremely nice. At this point, my wife and I are choosing not to even consider the Oasis for a couple of reasons. First, it seems the "Oasis factor" requires paying a hefty premium to be on that ship. Second, I don't know if I'd enjoy being on a ship that seems so extremely overwhelming. In any case, I would suggest reading the Oasis reviews and see if the experiences that past cruisers are sharing seem consistent with what you are looking for. At the end of the day though, I always go back to my motto: "you're on a cruise ship, how bad could it be?"

[luvs2travl]

It depends if you want to travel with 8400 persons on board (number of passengers and crew on the Oasis of the Seas) or with 5,000 persons on board (passenger & crew total on the Freedom of the Seas.) The Oasis is 1180 feet in length and the Freedom is 1100 feet in length. Both w-a-y too big & crowded for me. :eek: I also understand that the Oasis is quite expensive.

 

I hope you & your family have a fabulous cruise & let us know what you decide. :)

[cb at sea]

I'd go with Freedom or Voyager class first....you can always work your way up to Oasis! Both of those classes of ship are excellent for anyone...families, especially! Cheaper, too!

[FINTUCKYFARMS]

My family of 19 went on the FOS last Sept and were not impressed. The ship was huge and always felt crowded. I can't even imagine the bigger ship. We will stick with the smaller ships from HAL or Princess.:p We are booked for Alaska on the Sapphire Princess in Aug !!!

[FUN33]

Currently the Oasis pricing is much higher than the Freedom. They both go to the same islands, with the exception of the specialty restaurants they both offer the same food.

 

If the prices are close for the cruise you are looking at I would take the Oasis. If there is a big difference (and price matters to you) take the Freedom.

 

The experience for your family will be that they are cruising together; that is what matters, not the size of the ship.

[GXmanDC]

I've been on Freedom once and her sister ship Liberty twice. I am currently booked on Allure, Oasis' sister ship, next February. I absolutely love the Freedom class. The ships are amazing, they're beautiful, packed with a variety of activities and venues, your family will never be bored. Royal Caribbean ships do carry a lot of passengers, but they are designed so well you won't notice. The only place I have ever noticed a crowd is in the Windjammer, the buffet.

 

I am really excited for my cruise on Allure. There is a lot of buzz about the Oasis class and it is currently commanding a price premium. The reviews for Oasis have been very positive. I think prices will come down as the novelty wears off. 2011 prices are much more reasonable than than what people are paying right now.

 

Oasis can hold up to 6300 passengers (every single bed, sofa bed and pullman bunk filled). Double berth capacity is 5400. Most likely there are somewhere between 5400-6300 passengers on board at the same time. Past passengers have mentioned that they don't notice the volume of people and embarkation is much faster than ships a quarter of her size.

 

Whatever you choose, have a great time. I went kicking and screaming on my first cruise, convinced I would hate it. Now I'm addicted. You've been warned! :)