You Probably CAN Do it All - Oasis of the Seas Eastern May 19-26

[DivineDivia]

Hi all,

 

I went on this cruise with my mother I am in my 30s she is in her 60s. We stayed at a hotel that had a free bus to the terminal.

 

Day 1 "Is it really raining on me inside the ship" or Embarkation Day

 

This started as one of those days for me at the hotel:rolleyes:. Embarkation was slow, but there was a reason, they were having a coast guard drill which delayed us getting on the ship. One agent mentioned that she had never seen the terminal this full in 3 years, so it did really slow the process down. Once we got moving, we were on the ship in about 15 minutes.

 

We went to Central Park and we had reservations at Giovanni's. We entered CP and it was raining! I hid in Chops until I could get my umbrella out. There are umbrellas provided by RCCL, but they were in use, so I used my own.

 

Giovanni's was just okay IMHO. I don't know if this was a fluke but the service was very slow. I shared the antipasti platter, fried seafood platter with my mom. I had the stuffed chicken breast for my entree and the tiramisu for dessert.

 

Got to the room and it wasn't set up with separate beds like we asked. This got resolved around 7pm.

 

In case you are interested, there are 20 hangers and we had robes on the top shelf in the closet. Our room (8222) had the bed by the balcony, if you have the bed as one bed, this isn't really an issue. It is a tad tight though when the beds are separated. I did bring an over the door shoe rack, we are two women sharing a room after all!:) We also had water delivered to the room which was there when we arrived.

 

Tip: We along with people we met thought the only thing you could order for room service breakfast was the continental offerings on the door tag. If you order through your TV, you can get bacon, eggs, etc.

[DivineDivia]

We had reservations for the Chef's Table. We met in the library and had a champagne greeting. They did ask a man to change that came wearing shorts. He returned with long pants.

 

We were escorted through the concierge lounge to the Chef's Table. Each course has a wine pairing.

 

Menu: Lobster, Shrimp, and Scallop Salad; Soup Trio (artichoke, crab and butternut squash, and french onion): Atlantic Salmon Poached in Olive Oil and topped with Caviar; Veal Duo; Lemon Sorbetto and Vanilla Parfait. You also start your meal with bread and they gave out chocolate covered strawberries and other sweet treats.

 

The reminder card said this meal would be from 7:15p-9:15p. I left at 10:28p to make the Comedy Show (which was great!). If you do Chef's Table, I wouldn't recommend having evening plans other than the meal, which was wonderful. You also get a keepsake menu, a signed cookbook, an apron, and a picture of the Chef and Sommelier.

[lady_cruiser]

Nice review. I can't wait to read more.

[LBumb]

great start

[DivineDivia]

We took advantage of Room Service for breakfast. We had a great view of the island from the balcony.

 

We did the Discover Atlantis Tour. The meeting place was well marked. There was a lot of walking during this tour and we got to see some amazing water life. The resort is beautiful as well. The last bus back to the cruise ship leaves at 1p. If you do this particular tour, you will not have time to explore the resort on your own.

 

We ate lunch at the Seafood Shack. Loved it! Our waiter was our sommelier from Chef's Table. I had coconut shrimp, the fried fish sandwich, and a non-acholoic drink I think it was called Papaya Crush. There was a problem with the bill, but they quickly fixed it.

 

I also got on the Rising Tide Bar. We got stuck! It was fine though. After about 5 minutes we were moving again. They have a signature drink - Lychee Martini. Meera was great. I believe almost every venue now has a signature drink.

 

I also rode the carousel, which is fun!

 

This was the first formal night and we ate in the MDR. We did My Time Dining for the first time and I would do it again, especially on the Oasis class.

 

Our show was Oasis of Dreams in the Aqua theater. We sat under the overhang in case it rained. A lot of people were fleeing the splash zone!

 

Stopped by Promenade Cafe for a ham croissant and then headed to Dazzles for the MJ Tribute.

 

Tip: Starbucks does accept Starbucks gift cards and your gold member card.

[DivineDivia]

If I had to say there was a cramped day, this would be it. The Meet & Mingle and the Shopping Talk were at the same time! The Meet & Mingle was in Dazzles and they had cookies and the standard give aways. My last Meet & Mingle had much better snacks on Liberty. Ken the activities manager was our "host" and he is hilarious. After the prizes, I ran to the shopping talk.

 

The shopping talk was interrupted by our Captain Thor. I don't remember what he said, but he is long-winded! I then ran to the Crew Parade.

 

Went to Central Park for lunch and had the famed roast beef sandwich. I liked the beef, but didn't really care for the bread. I would see if they could put it on something else in the future personally. I also tried the made to order salad. There is a line, but it moves fairly quickly. You can also get the Enhanced Water here and in the Solarium: Strawberry Kiwi, Tropical Mango, and Lemon Lime (my personal fav).

 

Went to see Hairspray. It was good. Then win a crown loft suite bingo. I didn't win :(. Then off to Frozen in Time. Probably my least favorite of all the shows I saw and I love ice skating. However, the special intermission guest stars were fantastic. They were artist that drew pictures with their hands. So hard to explain, but was great to watch. I will try to post pics later.

 

If you are a Coach fan, there is a Coach event on this night.

[DivineDivia]

Had dinner at 150 Central Park. The theme here is organic. The hostess was our waiter at Portofino on Liberty. She said she moved to Oasis and even helped bring her over from Finland. You get a complimentry menu with your name and you can also get the martini recipe.

 

We did the meal without the wine pairing. I did have the signature martini and it was seriously the best drink I have had in my life. There are no name tags on the crew here. I asked another staff member about that and he said he isn't sure why because they do wear name tags at 150 CP on Allure.

 

Tried all of the fancy salts. Remember that it is still salt! I put too much on my first piece of bread.

 

Menu: Jumbo Lump Crab Salad; Homade Ricotta; Pan roasted scallops; heirloom tomato soup with grilled cheese (grilled cheese is awesome!); pan roasted wagyu new york strip au poivre; chocolate caramel tart.

 

Still water is free in this venue (and in the Chef's Table). The free coffee her is also fancier than the standard RCCL stuff.

 

The menu does change mid-way thru the cruise. Also, if you are going to book on the ship, do this one first! Goes fast. We got the last spot for the day and time we wanted and I booked prior to Noon on embarkation day.

 

Anti-Tip: Drink of the day is now the same price whether or not you get it in a souvenir glass.

 

Also attended Love & Marriage but I had to leave half way through, got sleepy! I did watch it on TV and the couples got some amazing prizes.

[DivineDivia]

Took advantage of the free breakfast in Johnny Rockets. They did not take our seapass at all. Was really good.

 

We had booked the Kon Tiki excursion. We where the guinea pigs for turning it back into a booze cruise. Free rum punch with or without rum. Personally wasn't thrilled, but what can you do. The boat picks you up at the dock then we go pick up the Carnival passangers at their dock. He pulled the boat between two Carnival ships! Was shocking and amazing. We then got a short history lesson on St. Thomas and fed the fish and then off to Water Island. I ate lunch at Heidi's. For $8 I had a chicken curry salad sandwich and some really great maccaroni salad. On the way back it was party time. We just sat in a corner. This isn't for kids at all. Your kids will learn things you don't want them to know!

 

One of the Head Waiters for My Time Dining called and asked why we weren't eating there more. I thought that was nice and confusing lol. This ship has a lot of places to eat and we did not make reservations in the MDR when we were eating elsewhere.

 

We did happen to eat in the MDR and the coconut creme brulee was so good that I had two.

 

Tonight was the Headliner Show Earl Turner. Sounds like he rotates between Oasis and Allure.

 

Walked around the ship and ran into one of the singers from Hairspray and chatted with him for a bit. Later found out that it was Jerome Bell from season 10 of American Idol.

 

Tip: Try to get the large wicker chairs in the Solarium even if it is at night. So comfy!

 

Tip: If you want privacy, use the hot tub in the Solarium at night. No one there.

 

Headed to the Aqua Water Show. Think Bellagio-lite.

 

Tried to go to Battle of the Sexes in Dazzles but it was a snooze. Decided to head to the Champagne Bar. Jean Patrick is great. Had free chocolate covered strawberries. They also do free caviar between 5:30p-8:30p with drink purchase.

 

Tip: Want to eat at Solarium Bistro? Nights 1 and 2 it is only $10 if you don't pre-book. Final night, free champagne drink.

[DivineDivia]

Started the morning at Park Cafe. They have make your own bagel with several options of cheese, cream cheese, meat, and veggies. You can also make your own oatmeal. They have other pre-made things too for breakfast and lunch that you can quickly grab and go.

 

Off for shopping in St. Maarten. Carnival has a system set up with Guavaberry Emporium to deliver your liquor purchases to the ship.

 

Tip: If you want to try the Gauavaberry Emporium mini rums for a fraction of the price, there is a liquor/jewelery store (I know, right?) that has them all for $2 a piece as well as other mini's and full sized "beverages".

 

Had lunch in Park Cafe as well. Tried the Cuban pannini. Wouldn't say it is authentic, but still tasty.

 

It is hard to find a seat at Park Cafe. Some people sat at the Trellis Bar since it wasn't open.

 

Went to the Welcome Back Party. Tried the Yellow Bird. Jerome Bell performed, then Captain Thor spoke.

[DivineDivia]

Ate at Chops. You can get 2 appetizers per person, 1 entree per person, and 3 sides per table. I do not recommend the creme brulee here:(. They didn't have the green peppercorn sauce like they did on Liberty, so I tried the chimichurri which is good. You also get some fancy cheese spread with your bread. Someone was not happy with how rare their steak was and I heard him say that he wasn't going to eat it because it was still mooing.

 

So we had grown accustomed to the free still water at the other venues, it is NOT free at Chops. $3.95 per bottle. It was not offered to us at Giovanni's, so I am a going to assume it wouldn't be free there either.

[Just The 3 Of Us]

Nice review so far - keep it coming.... :)

[DivineDivia]

A note on the gym and walking track.

Gym feels smaller to me than Liberty but maybe it is how it is laid out and the new location. That said, I never had a problem getting a machine. If all of the sea view treadmills are gone, go to the opposite side of the gym, there is another bank of treadmills there and rarely in use. I did not smell the smell I read about. The only place that smelled funny to me was the Casino!

 

I thought looking at the life boats along the walking track was interesting. You span 2 or 3 decks when you walk on the track. There are also multiple motivational signs that are pretty funny.

 

Had lunch at the Solarium. They also brought around free chocolate covered strawberries. You should never have to pay for them on this ship lol! Then off to watch the FlowRider, Zip Liners, and we played mini-golf.

 

Went to the Splish Splash Show. This group of talent is amazing. They will purposely get you wet during this show, so avoid the splash zone if that isn't your thing.

 

Bought pictures: $19.95 Large; $9.95 small. The nice black Oasis frame is $29 dollars (I think) and the blue one is $12.95.

 

Ordered room service. You can get honey stung chicken from the room service menu. Also, more free strawberries as well as mini cupcakes.

 

Tip: I personally think the $2.95 at the cupcake place is worth it. My cupcake (Turtle) was yummy. They are cold though.

 

Tip: If you want to get a donut, get them early in the cruise. The donut I had on day 2 was fine. Day 6 was stale.

 

Tonight was Formal Night in the MDR. The last time I spoke with Head Waiter Joseth he told me he was going to bring me chicken tikka masala. One of my fav Indian dishes. Sure enough, he found me and we were not in his section. Great service. Also, got the shot of the night and he brought my souvenir glass clean and wrapped in bubble wrap.

 

The show tonight was Come Fly With Me. Loved this show. If you sit on the end people my drop by you!

[DivineDivia]

Another day at sea.

 

Started with the make your own bagel in Park Cafe.

 

Met in the Champagne Bar for the Art Tour. It covers decks 5 and 4. Very interesting. There are a lot of pictures, statutes, and other forms of art on this ship. RCCL has one of the largest corporate collections of art that are on display for the public to see.

 

Had lunch in the MDR. You can either do the buffet, order off the menu, or do a mix. We did a mix. Had the open faced steak sandwich and rum cake from the menu. Both very good. Did they make your own salad in the buffet area as well.

 

Decided to mill about and saw one of the comedians from the comedy show, Miguel.

 

Headed to the Behind the Scenes Tour in the Opal Theater.

 

Tip: Go to Deck 4 entrance even if it says deck 5.

Tip: Do the opposite for shows if you want quicker entry into the venue.

 

The panel included the lighting guy, the man responsible for all moving pieces in the show (including the acrobat wires), a dancer, Tracy from Hairspray and actor Jim J Bullock. Behind the scenes is a bit of a misnomer if you are expecting to see anything beyond the stage. There is a 20 minute Q&A and then an opportunity for pictures.

 

We found out that the crew can clean their own rooms or opt for house keeping. Singers don't share a room along with key tech folks. This ship has a suite feature for crew members that do share. They share a bathroom and each have their own closed off side.

 

Dinner in the MDR. Eat somewhere else this night! The calzone was decent.

 

I headed to the Improv Show and mom went to the Jerome Bell concert. Loved the Improv Show, but it is PG-13. I got to be on stage as one of the corners in the four corners show. Hard to explain, but fun was had by all.

 

Then headed off to the Casino to make a "donation." There is a going away party in the Promenade, but I didn't really like this format. You can't really see or hear anything if you didn't get there earl.

[DivineDivia]

Grabbed food from Park Cafe and brought it back to the room. Did Luggage Valet. Be vigilant with your bill with this option. They may charge you for your check bag even if your bags travel free (Southwest or if you are an elite member). I had to get this fixed and a lot of people in the line also had this problem. If you do luggage valet, you can leave whenever.

 

Went to the Opus Dining room to get in line. This line is way too long and not moving! We decided to go to the other side of the ship and sure enough, we were able to walk right off!

 

Going through customs was easy-peasy. A lot quicker than when I was on Liberty at the Port of Miami. Shuttle to FLL is $15.80 and $30 for MIA airports. In the future I would take a taxi from the terminal to FLL, cheaper by about $20 for two people. It is a value though for MIA.

[DivineDivia]

I will answer best I can!

[DivineDivia]

Nice review. I can't wait to read more.

 

Thanks!

[DivineDivia]

great start

 

Thank you!

[DivineDivia]

Nice review so far - keep it coming.... :)

 

Thanks!

[Host Faith]

Great review! Thank you so much for posting. I notice you went on the Art Tour which I'm very interested in. How much was the tour?

[BillOh]

 

I also got on the Rising Tide Bar. We got stuck! It was fine though. After about 5 minutes we were moving again. .

 

 

 

At our meet and mingle the Activities director asked a trivia question, "What is the difference between the Rising Tide Bar on Allure and the one on Oasis?" Several responses were offered such as number of seats, color of seats, how fast it goes, etc. He politely replied, "Nope, our works!" The stereotype continues! ;)

 

I haven't heard of any one getting stuck on the bar for a long time, hopefully free drinks flow after 15 minutes :) I do remember being stuck on top of an Eifel Tower look alike at a local amusement park for 3 hours once. Being stuck at a bar should be a little more tolerable. In the tower incident they had to have us sit in the elevator while they hand cranked us down the 200 or so feet that it was.

 

I liked the title of your first message, "You can do it all" When we were on Allure we took the attitude, relax, what we don't do, we can do next time which is exactly what cruise # 2 on Allure is about. But I'm sure some high energy people can do it all and enjoy themselves while they are at it. Looking forward to the rest.

[vettecruiser1]

Interesting tip about the bistro on first or second night. I leave next Saturday and called to inquire about any specials on the first night and they stated he had none. I even asked about the bistro and he did not know anything about it. I would be upset if I prepaid full price and somebody next to me got it for half off.

 

I did not book it and will just wait until we get on board next week, because i did not see anything in the MDR that look that great the first night.

 

 

Did you book you specialty dinners through your TV or did you go the venue before hand?

[DivineDivia]

Great review! Thank you so much for posting. I notice you went on the Art Tour which I'm very interested in. How much was the tour?

 

Hi there,

 

The Art Tour is free. It is limited to 35 guests though. Not a problem on my sailing, but something to be mindful of.

[DivineDivia]

Interesting tip about the bistro on first or second night. I leave next Saturday and called to inquire about any specials on the first night and they stated he had none. I even asked about the bistro and he did not know anything about it. I would be upset if I prepaid full price and somebody next to me got it for half off.

 

I did not book it and will just wait until we get on board next week, because i did not see anything in the MDR that look that great the first night.

 

 

Did you book you specialty dinners through your TV or did you go the venue before hand?

 

I did the Chef's Dining package so we pre-paid but had to make Chops and 150 CP reservations on board. I did it in person since the room was not open and we were already in CP. I did play around with the TV and it is easy to book from your room, but you will have to call if you want to cancel or make a change.

 

Check your email on your TV, that is where we saw the half off offer for the Bistro.

[Host Faith]

Hi there,

 

The Art Tour is free. It is limited to 35 guests though. Not a problem on my sailing, but something to be mindful of.

 

Great, I'll keep an eye out for it in my Compass.

 

I did the Chef's Dining package so we pre-paid but had to make Chops and 150 CP reservations on board. I did it in person since the room was not open and we were already in CP. I did play around with the TV and it is easy to book from your room, but you will have to call if you want to cancel or make a change.

 

Check your email on your TV, that is where we saw the half off offer for the Bistro.

 

Awesome, I'm planning to do the Chef's Dining Package too. Thanks for the info! :)

[DivineDivia]

The Cruise Director was Ricky Matthews.