Any X Fans Sailed RC Oasis/Allure???

[Want2Cruise 701]

Just curious if anyone who enjoys the Celebrity product has tried the Oasis/Allure and what your thoughts were.

 

They seem to charge much much more for those ships than the S Class for a somewhat comparable 7 night itinerary. There must be a demand for them. On all the other boards, they say it's an experience you have to try.

 

We have only sailed RC once. It was the Freedom. We had a good time. Not great and not bad. We thought Celebrity's ships were more elegant and the food was much better along with the service. We also didn't feel at sea but I'm comparing that to Summit a much smaller ship. My 17 yr old said he preferred the more upscale atmosphere of Celebrity. I was shocked since we sailed it for the kids. I will say we liked it better than Carnival so I think RC lies in the middle.

 

So all you X fans, what's the hype really all about or nothing at all like we discovered with the Freedom?

[whataboutport]

I sailed on Allure March 2013. You can read my review in my link if you are interested. My take on it, simply too big of a ship. Everything was so far away. We did not partake in maybe 50% of the activities available. However, there were several plusses. The food was very good (except lobster). All the crew were outstanding (I assume they put their best of the biggest and newest ships). No really long lines for anything. You did not feel like there were 6000+ pax on board.

 

However, the ports are very ho hum and basic. The prices are too high. I sail on Equinox this Nov and I got an 11 nt much more exotic itin for pretty much the same price as 7 nt Eastern Carib on Allure.

 

But sailing with teens or family, Allure is great. We loved the Flowrider.

 

ETA: Bottom line is people want the Oasis/Allure for the ship. The ship is the destination bc those ports sure as heck are not. On Eastern, Nassau is basically a time waster. Western, I would not get off the ship in Falmouth, and Labadee is just a beach day.

Edited January 31, 2014 by whataboutport

[Gonzo70]

I would not expect Allure/Oasis to be all that much different than Freedom. I did like the energy of Allure and there were some aspects I liked that are lacking on X ships; the Central Park and Boardwalk neighborhoods were cool, I loved the Aqua Theater show and the 150 Central Park restaurant is superior to anything X has. However the buffet was a total zoo, way too many smoking areas (though fortunately that recently has changed some for the better), and just a general lack of elegance compared to X (i.e. lots of people left strollers out in the hallways, people used their balconies as storage closets and lots of people ignored various rules - more so than on any X cruise I have had). If you want a high energy experience and are willing to sacrifice some of the elegance and upscale touches X has compared to RCI go for it; but if Freedom was not a great experience for you do not expect Allure or Oasis to be extremely different.

[Tudy]

We are elite on Celebrity and did the Oasis last October with friends. We thought that Celebrity had better food. Oasis had better entertainment. I loved the central park area. My husband said that he did not feel like he was on a ship. I would strongly advise booking an ocean veranda cabin. Otherwise it is hard to even see the ocean. We did spend huge amounts of time in the solarium. Had a wonderful bartender named Howard Wiggan. All in all, it was a great week, and I would go again if our friends were going, too.:)

[whataboutport]

Oh yeah, I noticed you said you didn't feel at sea. The Allure totally gave me that feeling. Just felt like in a shopping mall or hotel. Not enough venues had windows out to the ocean.

[IrishLassie]

We've sailed on Oasis twice & loved it both times, but Celebrity is still our #1 line. Sailing on Oasis or Allure is just a different experience & you don't go for the ports, the ship itself is the destination.:D We found it very easy to get around on & liked the different dining venues. But as I said, we do prefer Celebrity and as you can see in our signature, we go in March. :D I think it's worth it to try at least once. Hope this helps.

[galavant3]

I like the Freedom class a lot but did not care for Oasis. It was just too big. I felt like we spent half the week just trying to get from one place to another. Way too many people!

 

However, we loved the Diamond Lounge and, at least for our cruise, it was quite empty. We loved our Boardwalk balcony (far aft) and the view of the water shows. Enjoyed the comedy club as well. Some nights we were the only ones in Vintages. The ship has a remarkable way of absorbing all the passengers. For us, the food was the same as other Royal ships.

 

I'm glad we did it but I'm in no hurry to repeat.

[wendychloecruiser]

Celebrity is my cruise drug of choice but we are D+ on RCL and were fortunate to be on the inaugurals of the oasis and allure. Loved them. Had a great time on both BUT it is a different type of vacation. It's hard to have a bad time on a cruise. I do advise to be careful of cabin location. My mother forgot something when we got off the ship at a port and I calculated I walked more than a quarter of a mile round trip to and from the cabin!

[Want2Cruise 701]

Thanks everyone. We're not rushing to try it. From everyones responses, I don't think it will be much different. We have 2 X cruises this year so that's enough for 2014. I was just curious from a X perspective what people thought.

 

Thanks

[Oville]

Thanks everyone. We're not rushing to try it. From everyones responses, I don't think it will be much different. We have 2 X cruises this year so that's enough for 2014. I was just curious from a X perspective what people thought.

 

Thanks

 

It is different from any Celebrity ship and nothing like the Freedom Class on Royal. We are dedicated Celebrity cruisers, 6 or 7 a year, but we always book a cruise on the Oasis. You can't compare this class to any other ship.

[Hawkstar33]

We have sailed on RC Oasis, Allure, and on Celeb Zenith, Equinox, and upcoming Eclipse..The first two ships are monsters. They tower over other ships in port. Seems like we still have not done everything on those 2 ships. Big ships with alot of things to do.. Many places to eat, many places to drink..Food good to very good..Good entertainment with lively cruise directors.. Never seems crowded except when its time to go home..They do put their best personnel on the newer ships in order to better promote..Late night entertainment, dancing etc, in smoke filled lounges which suits some but not all..Bad thing is, they can only frequent the same ports..Too big for many ports..After 2 cruises, you have been to all the ports that these big boys can fit in..Many things to do for all ages..Equinox, Eclipse are geared more towards an older crowd..The longer the itinerary, the older the crowd. Food similar, but lacking in the small little finger food places, or hand passed h'ordevous, that seemingly were at every bar or coffee area, on Allure and Oasis..Early to bed for most on these ships..Quiet after 10pm for the most part...RC seems to have more workers constantly pushing drinks, or cleaning. They are everywhere..Have enjoyed all of these ships..It's all about what you make of it..After all, you are there to enjoy, so do it..

[Cruising89143]

It's different. I have spent six weeks on board between the Oasis and Allure. I love both ships. Nothing like them currently in service. Entertainment is the best to date in almost thirty years if cruising.

 

Some of the least crowded ships that I have cruised. Food ranged from good to great. We love the specialty dining. Overall a very unique experience. I would discount anyone giving an opinion who has not actually cruised on one of the twins.

 

I have photos of both in my sig line below.

[seacruise9]

Hi,

 

I am a big Celebrity fan (eight cruises with the line between 1991 and 2013), but I greatly enjoyed my cruise on the Allure of the Seas. The ship is absolutely amazing and there are excellent entertainment options. The Allure and Oasis are truly in a league of their own and much more impressive than the Freedom class ships. Overall, Celebrity has better food, but the Allure has some excellent (extra-charge) specialty restaurants. Even though the Allure is huge, Royal Caribbean does an excellent job of handling the large number of passengers.

 

Chuck

[Oville]

We have sailed on RC Oasis, Allure, and on Celeb Zenith, Equinox, and upcoming Eclipse..The first two ships are monsters. They tower over other ships in port. Seems like we still have not done everything on those 2 ships. Big ships with alot of things to do.. Many places to eat, many places to drink..Food good to very good..Good entertainment with lively cruise directors.. Never seems crowded except when its time to go home..They do put their best personnel on the newer ships in order to better promote..Late night entertainment, dancing etc, in smoke filled lounges which suits some but not all..Bad thing is, they can only frequent the same ports..Too big for many ports..After 2 cruises, you have been to all the ports that these big boys can fit in..Many things to do for all ages..Equinox, Eclipse are geared more towards an older crowd..The longer the itinerary, the older the crowd. Food similar, but lacking in the small little finger food places, or hand passed h'ordevous, that seemingly were at every bar or coffee area, on Allure and Oasis..Early to bed for most on these ships..Quiet after 10pm for the most part...RC seems to have more workers constantly pushing drinks, or cleaning. They are everywhere..Have enjoyed all of these ships..It's all about what you make of it..After all, you are there to enjoy, so do it..

 

I think your comment about smoke filled lounges is incorrect and unfair.

Edited February 1, 2014 by Oville

[kysupt]

We tried the Oasis and found it to be a good experience. It requires a lot of walking. Entertainment was very good and food was equal to Celeb.

Celeb remains our line of choice!

[Cruising89143]

I think your comment about smoke filled lounges is incorrect and unfair.

 

I agree. The only lounge that was heavy with smoke was Boleros on the Royal Promenade. It was bad. Very bad.

 

One other thing. The Concierge lounge on the twins is outstanding. Two levels with a hot and fresh breakfast or lunch served daily. Also complimentary beer and wine served for lunch in the Concierge lounge.

Edited February 1, 2014 by cruisingator2

[whataboutport]

I agree. The only lounge that was heavy with smoke was Boleros on the Royal Promenade. It was bad. Very bad.

 

One other thing. The Concierge lounge on the twins is outstanding. Two levels with a hot and fresh breakfast or lunch served daily. Also complimentary beer and wine served for lunch in the Concierge lounge.

 

We may have sailed with not many smokers then, bc I am pretty sensitive to cigarette smoke and we were in Boleros a lot (our fave bartender was there) and I did not run out of their holding my nose. However, we did stay near the bar where is was closer to the entrance.

 

I will agree the water shows in the Aqua theater are awesome. The high divers especially. The Quest show was the craziest I had ever seen. A huge crowd. Very fun.

 

I did not think the 1920s party was worth it. $35(?)/pp and the show seemed very forced. It included all you can drink and apps but I felt it kinda boring. Also it overlapped Quest and a lot of people left halfway through.

[bunzini]

It's different. I have spent six weeks on board between the Oasis and Allure. I love both ships. Nothing like them currently in service. Entertainment is the best to date in almost thirty years if cruising.

 

Some of the least crowded ships that I have cruised. Food ranged from good to great. We love the specialty dining. Overall a very unique experience. I would discount anyone giving an opinion who has not actually cruised on one of the twins.

 

I have photos of both in my sig line below.

 

I am in complete agreement! We have sailed on many ships but there is something that exceeds your expectations when sailing on the Oasis/Allure. The entertainment is the best in the industry. There are many food venues and food choices all of which are very good. These ships rock!

[riclop]

There is no comparison Oasis/Allure are in a class by themselves.

[grandgeezer]

We've done both the Oasis and the Allure in the last three months. The ships are like nothing else sailing. The entertainment was the best ever. The food was just ok to good. We found the Boardwalk balcony too noisy especially when there was something going on in the Aqua Theater. The Central Park balcony was better but you did pick up noise from the pool area. We felt crowded and elevators were at a premium especially after an event such as the boat drill or a parade . If you hit the rush hour for lunch in either the main dining room or Windjammer Cafe, there was a wait to get a table. These ships are something to see and everybody should do it once. For us, we'll stick to the smaller ships.

[drarill]

We may have sailed with not many smokers then, bc I am pretty sensitive to cigarette smoke and we were in Boleros a lot (our fave bartender was there) and I did not run out of their holding my nose. However, we did stay near the bar where is was closer to the entrance.

 

I will agree the water shows in the Aqua theater are awesome. The high divers especially. The Quest show was the craziest I had ever seen. A huge crowd. Very fun.

 

I did not think the 1920s party was worth it. $35(?)/pp and the show seemed very forced. It included all you can drink and apps but I felt it kinda boring. Also it overlapped Quest and a lot of people left halfway through.

 

When we sailed on the Allure and Oasis the smoking situation in Boleros was awful. This shouldn't be a problem anymore since RCCL changed their smoking policy. :D:D

To the OP, the Oasis and the Allure are a class of their own and something worth trying at least once. The ship is the destination and the entertainment is the best at sea. If you didn't feel at sea on the Freedom, then you will feel the same way on the Oasis class. :)

[NHFirst Timer]

We too have cruised on the Oasis. As one poster already stated, we felt it was too big! You need to be careful when you cruise on it! We went on a late August cruise! Central Park was unbearable and unusable

It was like a hot house with the heat trapped in and no moving air. Only time you saw anyone there was when they were passing through to go to a restaurant or shop, the aqua theater was unique with a great show as well as the ice show. Seeing a skater in such a small area do a back flip on skates on a moving ship still brings chills to me! Food was ok. The service in the MDR was great and very attentive. Overall it was a unique experience but doubt I would do it again. I much prefer a smaller ship and the overall Celebrity experience

[kelmac]

Hi,

 

I am a big Celebrity fan (eight cruises with the line between 1991 and 2013), but I greatly enjoyed my cruise on the Allure of the Seas. The ship is absolutely amazing and there are excellent entertainment options. The Allure and Oasis are truly in a league of their own and much more impressive than the Freedom class ships. Overall, Celebrity has better food, but the Allure has some excellent (extra-charge) specialty restaurants. Even though the Allure is huge, Royal Caribbean does an excellent job of handling the large number of passengers.

 

Chuck

 

I would agree with Chuck 100%! My wife and I are Elite Plus with Celebrity, but I think everyone should give these huge ships a try. I was impressed with everything Allure! The food was much better than I expected and crowds were not really an issue. Pier #18 at Port Everglades is efficient during embarkation/disembarkation. It's different, but fun.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[I&J Cruisers]

We.are X cruisers. We sailed on Oasis and it definitely an experience. The ship is an incredible achievement. You never feel the presence of 6000 passengers. There are so many different.venues that people are spread out very effectively and the entertainment is excellent. That said, keep in mind that the food in the MDR is mediocre at.best. We ate there only twice. The specialty restaurants are quite good. We will probably try Allure at some point for the different entertainment.

 

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[cruisetimeforme]

Agree with the last two posts. I sailed Allure last Sept since no Celebrity ships in Carib at the time and hadn't sailed Royal for a few yrs but lots of times in prior yrs. Had a great time and enjoyed Chefs Table dining pkg and their Diamond lounge meeting lots of fun people. We did enjoy the addt'l activities it offered and a whole lot of people watching from their lounge for the Diamonds. Gotta admit it's one heck of a ship and worth a try sometime. Still always check Celebrity sailings first