LIVE From the Oasis of the Seas - Sailing 17 September 2011 (Saturday)

[fatcattravel]

Have a great day! Looking forward to your pictures and thoughts!

[goouchjac]

Now don't laugh,,,I liked the bathroom best :eek:..So nice and big and no banging into the walls:D...

[Peacemkr59]

Day 3 - Monday - Labadee, Haiti

 

We are approaching the dock as I type...

 

Judith is on our family's second shift so she is still asleep but I am back on my normal first shift schedule after a good nap yesterday afternoon.

 

Rev had invited us to visit her in her cabana this morning.

 

The walk down the pier is more than either of us can do and if we take our walkers, which are useless in sand, we are stuck with them ashore. We hope to catch the shuttle for the suite Guests direct to Rev's cabana.

 

I will let you know how it all works out this afternoon.

 

Thanks for your live review!!! This may be a stupid question, but in this post you mention catching the shuttle for suite guests and you've also mentioned that you have visited the Concierge Lounge. If you have a JS, how are you able to use these benefits? I had heard it was for suites above the JS...has that changed?

[yarlenna]

I am glad that Trainman warned me to protect my keyboard! Great pictures

[maritar]

Thank you Trainman, pictures from the suite are amazing!

 

Enjoy your day in Labadee today! Can't wait to see todays pictures.

 

Our server had offered Judith bottled water which cost us $7.99 extra.

:eek: :eek: :eek:

[goouchjac]

Thank you Trainman, pictures from the suite are amazing!

 

Enjoy your day in Labadee today! Can't wait to see todays pictures.

 

:eek: :eek: :eek:

 

We learned to always ask about the price,,a little steep for a bottle of water:eek:

[Buffett fan]

We learned to always ask about the price,,a little steep for a bottle of water:eek:

 

Same thing happened to us at Portofino's...a little sticker shock. It still didn't keep us from going back again, we just didn't have bottled water ;)

[retiring soon]

HI all!

 

Trainman2 ~ sorry to hear your dinner wasn't up to your expectations.:( Potatoes should be hot!

I also was disappointed in our RCI Meet 'n Mingle compared to the one on NCL where there was at least 5 people, not the captain but other high positions & food too. With the size of your group you'd have thought there'd be more of a welcome.

 

Anyhow I love following along & look forward to hearing how you managed Labadee.

 

Are you going to see about changing your cabin or would it be too much trouble?

Have a great day!

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[Ginnyfyr]

Dinner at CHOPS was disappointing!

 

It was a combination of little things but we did not receive the 1st class Dining Experience we expected!

 

The Shrimp Cocktail and Mushroom Soup were both excellent!

 

The Filets were cooked perfectly as we ordered them but with no seasoning at all. There was no charcoal flavor. Four sauces were offered and I choose the Béarnaise Sauce which was excellent and made up for the lack of seasoning on the meat.

 

The Salt and Pepper Shakers were “cute little things” but hard to hold onto and even harder to shake.

 

My Baked Potato was not hot! Our server came by with melted butter and sour crème for it but by the time I realized it was cold, the server was long gone so Judith shared her mashed potatoes with me.

 

When we were finished eating it took about 10 minutes to get out check. Our server had offered Judith bottled water which cost us $7.99 extra.

 

Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy Chops. We ate there last week and loved it. Our experience at Giovanni's Table sounds a lot like yours at Chops...lots of little things went wrong. Hopefully the next restaurant you try is amazing!

[Lloyd555]

One More Random Photo...

 

 

It is a player Piano!

 

 

 

Is this piano in the library (I see books in the background)?! Odd place for a piano.

 

My cabin is next door to the library on my upcoming cruise. And to think I joked about the library being noisy :D!

[ILuvCruisin']

Overall, I am disappointed with RCI's participation in the Meet & Mingles lately.

 

Today a low level staffer from the Cruise Director's Staff ran the event.

 

No Ship's Officer appeared!

 

The "purpose" of the M&M's is primarily for us who hang out on Cruise Critic to meet and get to know each other.

 

A few years ago the M&M's seemed to be "Important Events!" RCI had Coffee, Juices, snacks, and Sweet Rolls. Today there was no coffee, one plate of sweet rolls, water, and juice. Times have sure changed!

 

On my Allure Cruise they gave away 10 copies of the books about the Ships Art which were selling for close to $100. Today we got sun visors, key chains, and refrigerator magnets.

 

But this is an excellent opportunity for RCI to invest 10 or 15 minutes of a Senior Officer's or the Captain's in giving us a pep talk and telling us what is going on within RCI.

 

RCI used to do this.

 

I feel RCI is treating us as if we are not worth the time!

 

Trainman:

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to do this...I am loving your accounts and pictures...

 

I agree with you about the M&M...although they did bring quite a spread for us the morning of our M&M they took up a lot of time with the "selling" of RCCL services including Internet services, etc.....no mention of what's to come...I can just remember, awwww!!!!the way it was!!!

 

OMG!!! that Royal Suite is FANTASTIC!!!! I could live on that Balcony!

 

hope you all made it ok in Labadee...can't wait to hear about Rev's cabana

 

Enjoy the rest of your cruise and I look forward to following you each day...

[Jimbo]

Is this piano in the library (I see books in the background)?! Odd place for a piano.

 

My cabin is next door to the library on my upcoming cruise. And to think I joked about the library being noisy :D!

 

Books and piano are in the Suite...http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=30641089&postcount=199

 

Jimbo:)

[cruzkitty]

Hi Trainman! I am enjoying your Review & Pics. We were on Oasis last week and were also disappointed in Chops. We didn't care for the filets, although they were cooked as ordered. The mashed potatoes and other veggies and shrimp cocktail was very good. It took us a good 20 minutes to get our check-we finally had to ask another waiter where our waiter was and they were not at all crowded.I probably would not eat there again.

 

We had the pleasure of meeting Rev & Pat, Franca & Bill last week. We had an Owner's Suite and that Royal Loft makes it look like the Slums!!:eek: We did our best to enjoy it, though.

 

Enjoy your cruise-hoping you have great weather the rest of the week!

[bridedoll1026]

We are on the 10/22 sailing, so this IS a treat. Will be sailing along with you in spirit, love your reviews! Have a great cruise!

 

Hey Eileen! We are on the same cruise!!

:)

[LBumb]

keep up the great posts.

[Trainman-2]

Thanks for your live review!!! This may be a stupid question, but in this post you mention catching the shuttle for suite guests and you've also mentioned that you have visited the Concierge Lounge. If you have a JS, how are you able to use these benefits? I had heard it was for suites above the JS...has that changed?

 

We are "Diamond Plus" C&A status and are welcomed in the Concierge Lounge because of that.

 

Rev invited us to visit her in her Cabana on Barefoot Beach which are reserved for Suite Guests and their invited guests only. Rev greased the skids for us and they were waiting for us when we arrived.

 

Note - If there are cabanas not reserved by the suite guests they are open to anyone at the last minute.

 

We got a run-around about a shuttle from the ship to the shore so we rode in all terrain wheel chairs. Here is Judith...

 

 

They pushed us all of the way to Rev's Cabana...

 

I tipped them each $2 after I had been advised to tip them each $1

[Trainman-2]

Breakfast in the Windjammer...

 

 

[maggieq]

They pushed us all of the way to Rev's Cabana...

 

I tipped them each $2 after I had been advised to tip them each $1

 

 

 

Are you kidding about the $2 tip?

[Trainman-2]

Lunch with Rev at Barefoot Beach. There is a small buffet there open only to the Cabana People.

 

 

[Trainman-2]

Judith and Rev at her Cabana with Hobbie, her cabana attendant.

 

 

The Cabana, built out over the water

 

[CeeAngel]

We got a run-around about a shuttle from the ship to the shore so we rode in all terrain wheel chairs.

 

I saw these wheel chairs going from the beach TO the ship. Were they readily available when you got off the ship to head to the beach? Or were you and Judith just lucky to catch one?

 

Thanks,

[Trainman-2]

The Cabana People (who are normally the Suite People) were truly treated like "royalty" at Barefoot Beach.

 

Judith and I were both impressed!

 

The Concierge was there from the Ship making sure that everything was right and that all of the guests were pleased.

 

 

The Concierge knew us as Diamond Plus C&A Members from our visits to the Concierge Lounge plus we were on his list. When Rev told him she had invited us to her cabana as her guests he set everything up for us.

[jsmeeker]

fabulous photos. That loft suite is really amazing!

 

thanks so much for taking the time and effort to "live blog" your vacation. We all really appreciate it.

[Trainman-2]

I saw these wheel chairs going from the beach TO the ship. Were they readily available when you got off the ship to head to the beach? Or were you and Judith just lucky to catch one?

 

Thanks,

 

They go both directions. All you need to do if find one and he can call in more if needed.

 

On our return to the ship we were driven from Barefoot Beach in a Golf Cart and dropped off at the check in station and X-Ray machine.

 

One of the guys who rolled us ashore from the ship recognized me and waved. I held up 2 fingers, he nodded, and pointed to an area where they would meet us.

 

When we came out of the security building they were waiting for us and rolled us back to the ship.

 

Since we had been through Security ashore all we had to do on the ship was "Boing In" with our Sea Pass Cards.

[TamaLee]

Wow those Cabana's are nice. They actually make me want to go on another West Carribean cruise.