The Sea Called...We Answered! Our Week Onboard the Oasis 4/26-5/3...Western Caribbea

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Day 3: Labadoozies in Labadee

 

After a day on the high seas, we arrived in Labadee Haiti! Labadee is always a great beach day but like I mentioned in my first post we would not be embarking the ship all week. Today our beach day would be slightly different. It's located on deck 15 and has an umbrella waiting. That's right, you guessed it, we were doing an excursion to the beach pool! We figured since it was a port day that we could sleep a little bit longer as opposed to yesterday. So we slept till 6:45 and arrived at the pool around 7:30 to find we were the first people there.

 

 

 

Once we settled in to our same chairs from yesterday I did my morning ritual. I ran to check my email, grabbed a compass from guest services, and hit up the Donut Shop. I like to keep one set of cruise compasses from every cruise in mint condition so that's why I would grab one from Guest Services to read during the day. Let me answer the question on everyone's mind. Yes, I did all this running around in under 30 minutes to keep my pool chair. See who needs the gym in the morning!

 

We hung out at the pool for a bit to notice the craziness around the ship. Most passengers disembark early in Labadee for some excursions and those covenant cabanas. We were able to see the cabana area from the pool deck.

 

We were in the mood for breakfast since coffee and donuts were just our appetizer. My DH wanted to check out the different venues to see what each had to offer. The Wipeout Cafe had the breakfast basics and made to order eggs. That morning it was empty, no crowds at all. The Solarium Bistro on the other hand was a different story. It was standing room only and that seemed to be the trend on port days. We looked over the deck down to Central Park to check the crowds at Park Cafe. Central Park appeared to be the waiting area for all those looking to disembark. We waited about twenty minutes then headed down once the masses had dispersed. This was the only time all week we had breakfast at the Park Cafe which I'm not sure why since it was so good. I had a breakfast burrito which consisted of scrambled eggs, cheese, guacamole, and topped with salsa. My DH had an egg Mcmuffin like sandwich, a burrito, and a breakfast panini, all of which he said were very good! I also enjoyed a fruit cup which we saw people enjoying all week throughout the ship.

 

After quickly finishing our breakfast we headed back to the beach pool to see the ship had become a ghost town. Although by 9:30 there was not a seat left by the beach pool. It appeared the crowd had been to Labadee in the past and had choose a ship day instead. And could you blame them? The hot tubs were a perfect temperature and the bars were just starting to open which brings me to my next point. Years ago a popular drink of the day was a Blue Monday so since today was a Monday "why not" make my own drink of the day.

 

I give to you a Blue Monday

 

For those who are wondering, the real drink of the day was a Labadoozie which is also delicious. On the island they serve them in souvenir cup with a straw but just so you know the drink package does not apply to any souvenir glasses anywhere. If you want to use your drink package on the island you need to go up to one of the bars.

 

That afternoon they conducted the Bravo drill which we always get a kick out of. At this point the ship was pretty much empty except for the beach pool. We could smell the BBQ being served on the island all the way on the ship. The sun was extremely strong that day. The Captain even made an announcement to make sure all passengers wear sunscreen. We heard stories that day of people blistering in the sun. By 2 o'clock the ship was full and dancing with the music from Heatwave was underway poolside. We saw the cast of Hairspray hanging by the pool and I went up to them to let them know what a wonderful performance they gave. They informed us that they would be doing a Cabaret show Thursday night up in the Viking Crown Lounge.

 

 

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The afternoon sun was really beating down and we needed a five minute break so where did we go? Our favorite place, The Park Cafe! If I didn't already mention we tried to eat lunch there as much as possible throughout the week.

 

The fresh fruit and condiment display inside the cafe

 

Create your own salad bar

 

Tomato Egg Drop Soup. There were always two soup choices which rotated everyday.

 

What's nice about the port days is that the ship is empty including food venues. My DH enjoyed a Sierra Nevada beer at the cafe.

 

We had received an invitation for a sail away party on the helipad today at 4 o'clock. Every sail away on the helipad in the past had always requested smart casual wear and in my opinion that seemed kind of silly in the afternoon. This party however was listed as beach casual which seemed more realistic. Since my DH loves to video and take pictures from the helipad on every ship he went by himself. I chose to stay in the pool.

 

A view from the Helipad

 

 

 

 

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Gotta love the pier runners

 

 

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Finally the moment I had been waiting for since we boarded the ship finally came. The Captain blew the horn for the first time all cruise! He had some fun with it too. We had MTD reservations much later that evening around 9 o'clock, so when my DH got back from the sail away party we wanted to grab some snacks that we read about here on CC. We headed down the the Boardwalk to check out the snacks at the Boardwalk Bar. This was something we never noticed on the Allure. We got a pre packaged container of veggies and dip which we enjoyed in the boardwalk while we people watched.

 

Entrance to the Boardwalk

 

We then took a walk back up to the sports deck to check out the Wipeout Cafe. They offer late afternoon snacks here rather than the Windjammer like on other ships. And no nachos and tacos were offered for those who are wondering. They did however offer items like pizza, fries, ham and cheese croissant sandwiches, and pretzel dogs. Those pretzel dogs were actually pretty tasty. Seating in the Wipeout Cafe is very limited and does fill up quick because of the close proximity to the sports deck and kids zone.

 

After our snack attack we headed back to our cabin to relax before dinner.

 

Up Next: MTD, Love and Marriage, Jogging Track, and the Diamond Lounge

 

 

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[Ocean View]

Wow !!! Very informative review. I also remember the blue Mondays!!! Every day of the wk had their own drink. I guess the closest to a blue Monday would be a blue Hawaiian wouldn't you say? Great pictures. The boardwalk bar has snacks all day? This is great keep it coming:)

 

 

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[At Sea 4Ever]

Wow !!! Very informative review. I also remember the blue Mondays!!! Every day of the wk had their own drink. I guess the closest to a blue Monday would be a blue Hawaiian wouldn't you say? Great pictures. The boardwalk bar has snacks all day? This is great keep it coming:)

 

 

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Yes if you want that blue drink ask for a blue Hawaiian. The boardwalk bar does have snacks all day different hours though. Sea days they open earlier. They have veggies and dip, shrimp and noodle salad, egg salad sandwiches etc. here is a picture of a blue Hawaiian on the rocks.

 

 

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[PathfinderEss]

Great review.:)

[Ocean View]

Yes if you want that blue drink ask for a blue Hawaiian. The boardwalk bar does have snacks all day different hours though. Sea days they open earlier. They have veggies and dip, shrimp and noodle salad, egg salad sandwiches etc. here is a picture of a blue Hawaiian on the rocks.

 

 

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Can you get one of them frozen??? I just live blue drinks lol

 

 

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[Ocean View]

Love :)

 

 

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[vmt514]

We said on June 21. You are giving great detail information - I'm a hog for this stuff. Please keep posting, I'm learning lots. And I sailed Oasis 2 years ago, but you have a lot of great insight. Thanks for your time and pictures.

[At Sea 4Ever]

Day 3: MTD

 

Before this cruise we had never done My Time Dining. I read the mixed reviews here and decided I wanted to form my own opinion. There is just so much going on as far as activities, entertainment, and dining that committing ourselves to a set dining time every night seemed very restricting. We figured this was the perfect opportunity to try MTD. On past cruises we always choose second seating dining because we don't like feeling rushed in the late afternoon and plus at home we are used to eating pretty late due to our schedules. We were thrilled to learn that we could make reservations with MTD as late as 9:30. On this night, night 3, we made reservations for 8:15.

 

 

We headed to the Main Dining Room deck 5 where MTD is held. There are two hostess stations. The one on the left is for passengers with reservations and the one on the right is for guests without. When we walked up to the one on the left we explained to the hostess that we wanted to be seated in a certain assistant waiters section. It took her a few minutes to figure out which person we were talking about and where his section was. She explained to us that it was a very crowded night and that the only table they had available at that time was a table for six but that they would guarantee that we would sit alone. We laughed it out and agreed to sit at the large table by ourselves if it meant having that waiter. If you don't remember from before, day one we bumped into an amazing waiter we had on the explorer last year. He remembered us and we certainly remembered him. He informed us his area would be MTD. So we headed over to the table for six and got comfortable at the extra large table for two. They must have noticed how silly we looked and sensed how silly we felt because in 2 minutes they came back to move us to a table for four but, like before, guaranteed we would be dining alone. The table was located directly located in front of the entrance to the dining room. For obvious reasons there was a lot of foot traffic and a lot of commotion in that area. Soon after we sat our waiter and assistant waiter came over to greet us. They worked great together! We did learn on this trip that on the Oasis class the assistant waiters are in charge of a lot more than other class ships. Running food, drink orders, and busing the table. Bar service was only available thru your assistant waiter in MTD. I'm assuming that is the case only on Oasis and Allure because I do remember reading here on CC reports of bartenders in MTD. The assistant waiters ran the show and they did a fantastic job at that!

 

I was so excited to see escargot was being served on this sailings. Not that the scallop replacement was disappointing but escargot is a cruising tradition.

 

Tonight's menu was Pimento. Here are some of the dishes we choose!

 

 

 

 

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Escargot

 

Arancini

 

Creamy Roasted Garlic Soup

 

We also had a Caesar salad and a Caprese salad. For our main course we each had the tiger shrimp and split the eggplant parmigiana. By the next set of photos you can see dessert is our favorite!

 

Tiramisu

 

Sticky Bread Pudding

 

Orange Sherbet

 

 

 

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Dessert Sampler

 

This was Italian night in the dining room so "O Sole Mio" was sung, which was one of the few things that made it feel like a traditional night in the dining room. The food was great, service excellent but there is just something missing from My Time Dining.

 

We finished up our coffee and headed to the Opal Theater for the classic Love & Marriage show.

 

Interactive screens located outside the dining room

 

 

It was about 15 minutes before show time and bingo was still going on. It was very confusing because everyone that walked in figured that had gotten the time wrong. Seating was also a challenge because you had the bingo crowd and the show crowd. The show gave us a good laugh. It wasn't the funniest one we have ever seen but I also think the cruise director plays a part in that. They did change up some of the questions from the usual.

 

The restrooms right outside of the theater are also located next to the entrance of the jogging track. That night my DH stepped outside to take some pictures of the track. For the record that was the only time we frequented that spot.

 

 

 

 

 

We were surprised to see how busy the track was at night. I guess a midnight run replaced the midnight buffet.

 

 

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It was starting to get late so we decided to take a stroll around the ship before retiring for the night. We ended up in the Diamond Lounge. On the Allure we did frequent here a good amount especially before dinner, but on this trip this was our only time there. The Diamond Lounge does offer a continental breakfast and specialty coffee as well as a nightly cocktail event. Seating is very limited between 5:00 and 8:30 and we usually did not have much down time between those hours so we never made it there. The lounge does offer great views of the promenade especially during the 70's Disco party and different parades throughout the week.

 

The entrance is tucked away behind the elevators and the door is activated by swiping your Sea Pass Card

 

A list of cocktails available. If you have a drink package you can disregard this

 

 

 

 

 

 

Views from above

 

 

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The Diamond Club is located above Boleros on deck 6. It is set up like a patio

 

 

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We headed over to the computer lab to check our email but the computers were slow and not even responding so we decided to call it a night. We headed back to our cabin and for the first time on this cruise we hung the room service menu for breakfast the next morning.

 

 

 

 

Up next: Day 4

 

 

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Day 4:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[At Sea 4Ever]

We said on June 21. You are giving great detail information - I'm a hog for this stuff. Please keep posting, I'm learning lots. And I sailed Oasis 2 years ago, but you have a lot of great insight. Thanks for your time and pictures.

 

 

I'm so happy ur enjoying this! I love this kind of stuff as well.

 

 

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[Ocean View]

Once again wow!! Since this my first cruise as a diamond member a few questions if you wouldn't mind....

You went late night the "free" drinks event is over by that time but is the bar open at say 11?? For purchase?

What time does it open in the am for breakfast? Just love all your details! Feel like I'm there with you. We are so excited about out allure cruise this coming Sunday!! Celebrating out 30th anniversary we have sailed many many times but never alone lol I'm the ring leader:) the only thing that would make my trip perfect would be if my DD and SIL could join. We would love so much to share this trip with them. Due to schedules right now it just wouldn't work out. Looking forward to the rest if your review hope I get to hear more before I leave Sunday. :). :). ;)

 

 

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[At Sea 4Ever]

Once again wow!! Since this my first cruise as a diamond member a few questions if you wouldn't mind....

You went late night the "free" drinks event is over by that time but is the bar open at say 11?? For purchase?

What time does it open in the am for breakfast? Just love all your details! Feel like I'm there with you. We are so excited about out allure cruise this coming Sunday!! Celebrating out 30th anniversary we have sailed many many times but never alone lol I'm the ring leader:) the only thing that would make my trip perfect would be if my DD and SIL could join. We would love so much to share this trip with them. Due to schedules right now it just wouldn't work out. Looking forward to the rest if your review hope I get to hear more before I leave Sunday. :). :). ;)

 

 

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There is no bar in the lounge only bar service during the cocktail hours. I believe it opens around 7:30 in the morning but double check your compass. It is fun cruising with the family but also special just as a couple. I plan on finishing my review by the weekend so hang tight!

 

 

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[Ocean View]

There is no bar in the lounge only bar service during the cocktail hours. I believe it opens around 7:30 in the morning but double check your compass. It is fun cruising with the family but also special just as a couple. I plan on finishing my review by the weekend so hang tight!

 

 

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Oh I thought there was a bar. So bar service.. They take orders and go to a back of house bar? It a nearby one? If you go in the am is there pay bar service if lets say you want a mimosa?

 

 

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[Ocean View]

Also would you know if I wanted a mimosa in my cabin I know the package wouldn't cover it but could I order one and just pay?

 

 

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[Cupcrazy]

We made it a point to cut thru Central Park as much as possible during the week. Since our cabin was also located on deck 8 it made it very convenient. During our walk back that night we meet two gentlemen who were very private but very welcoming at the same time. They were doing a B2B2B2B..........sailing. They have been onboard since her inaugural season and decided to stay. Their names are Ranznor and Garry.

 

They even have official Royal Caribbean name tags

 

 

FANtastic review! I'm really enjoying reading and loving your pictures. The gnomes aren't so secret anymore. I've been seeing a lot of reviews lately with people finding them. Did it take you a while to find them?

I'm looking forward to reading more of your review.

[At Sea 4Ever]

Also would you know if I wanted a mimosa in my cabin I know the package wouldn't cover it but could I order one and just pay?

 

 

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You can order mimosa's thru room service. Just check it off on the room service menu and hang it on your door the night before.

 

 

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