Breeze or RC Oasis of the Seas?

[momof3cruisers]

I agree you can't compare the two balconies but it will be something different for us. On the plus side, I was able to snag the one furthest aft on deck 8 which gives us a view of the AquaTheater...I've read we can watch the shows from our balcony. :) It also gives us a partial ocean view in addition to the boardwalk view. I'm really looking forward to it. :D

Oh that will be fun! Even watching them practice is very cool. Best of both worlds. I am sure you will have a fabulous time.

 

Anybody who recommends the Breeze over the Allure hasn't sailed on the Oasis twins (well, except for Jimbo :D).

 

We spent way more than $1000 more on the Allure than on our Dream cruise (close to $2,500 more) and we didn't even have a balcony (Boardwalk window). Still, our experience on the Allure was beyond amazing. Words can't really describe it.

 

With that said, I think that the Oasis twins are a one time experience, unless you can find a good deal. We thought that the extra cost was justified the first time, but we wouldn't do it a second time unless prices were a bit more comparable.

 

 

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Well, I have been on Allure and I still would choose a smaller ship in a heartbeat. We just didn't like the size. Yes, the flowrider and rock climbing wall are cool, but the Breeze has a ropes course and more fun pools. Smaller RCI ships have the rock climbing, ice skating and flowrider too so that's why we are going smaller next time we sail RCI.

 

That said, I am sure the OP will have a great time. We had a very nice cruise, I am certainly not saying that, but it's not something we would choose on our own. Her son is older than our kids too so that may very well make a difference.

 

Congrats on the better price OP. That is awesome!

[Tapi]

Well, I have been on Allure and I still would choose a smaller ship in a heartbeat!

 

 

Ok. So Jimbo AND momof3cruisers would pick the Breeze! :o

 

Yes, it's hard to feel that personal touch on a ship that carries 6,000 passengers. But IMHO, it's not any easier on a ship that carries almost 4,000 passengers either. "Smaller ship" is a VERY relative term these days.

 

The last time that we felt any resemblance of personal touch, and "smaller ship" feel was when we sailed on the Holiday, where we kept running into the same passengers over and over, where waiters and bartenders remembered all of our preferences, where we made meaningful friendships, and where even the embarkation agent remembered us on debarkation day and hugged us. As much as we've loved our most recent cruises, we haven't encountered those elements, even when we sailed last week on the comparatively small Enchantment of the Seas.

 

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Edited July 16, 2014 by Tapi

[Cushing985]

When the Oasis first came out I thought it was just too big. I mean, there have been threads on the RC boards asking for the best place to view the ocean. But now, after seeing some of the pictorial reviews of both the Oasis and the Allure, I really want to go on one of them to just satisfy by curiosity.

Edited July 16, 2014 by Cushing985

[jimbo5544]

When the Oasis first came out I thought it was just too big. I mean, there have been threads on the RC boards asking for the best place to view the ocean. But now, after seeing some of the pictorial reviews of both the Oasis and the Allure, I really want to go on one of them to just satisfy by curiosity.

OK, time to weigh n here. As Tapi mentioned, while I liked Oasis, I prefer the Breeze (I posted a review here and on the main RCI page as well of my cruise on Oasis in March). That being said, I like you really wanted to see what all the fuss was about, after all her and her twin sister (alright Allure is a couple of feet larger, are the largest in the world. She is a fantastic ship and truly a cruising wonder. It was just a little too much like a Disney vacation rather than a cruise to me. Did I enjoy it yes. Would I sail her again, yes but probably not for a while. Can I understand the desire to sail her...absolutely.

[trixiegal]

booking early is the way to go, at least for my cruise on the oasis this November. We originally booked Allure last July but switched to the Oasis in January when they had a wow sale. We got the farthest aft boardwalk balcony on deck 11 for $727pp plus taxes and fees with $150 OBC.

 

 

 

The B1 boardwalk balconys have been sold out for a couple months now and just last week the B2 balconys were going for $1600+pp. They are back down to $1327pp now.

 

 

 

BTW Tapi convinced me to book it.:)

 

 

 

Bill

 

 

How did you get that deal??? I would book in a heartbeat at that price!

 

 

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[yj2cute]

How did you get that deal??? I would book in a heartbeat at that price!

 

 

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Royal's been having a Buy One Get One 50% off sale for a while now. I got an awesome deal for a Boardwalk balcony next October. The sale was supposed to end yesterday, but as of this morning, the BOGO promo is still up.

[trixiegal]

I just came home from a cruise so it's tight but the sale is over. Priced a nice boardwalk balcony for next summer on the Oasis for $1800 pp. I'll keep watching for another sale!

 

 

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[fridaythe13th]

I didn't think I would EVER want to try Oasis due to her size and the amount of passengers. We bit the bullet and tried Allure and could not believe how smooth everything was. From embarkation to getting off at a port to debarkation, amazing!! Glad you chose to go with Oasis!!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

How did you get that deal??? I would book in a heartbeat at that price!

 

 

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I was booked on Allure for february 2015 at a much higher price and RCI had a WOW sale in January and that was the price so i jumped on it and moved to Oasis for November.

 

Haven't seen anything close to that since.

 

For what i paid that is usually what the inside staterooms go for so I'm tickled pink.

 

When they have the next sale it's best to get in on it the first day as the prices seem to spike right after that.

 

Good Luck finding a good price.:)

 

Bill

[yj2cute]

I was booked on Allure for february 2015 at a much higher price and RCI had a WOW sale in January and that was the price so i jumped on it and moved to Oasis for November.

 

Haven't seen anything close to that since.

 

For what i paid that is usually what the inside staterooms go for so I'm tickled pink.

 

When they have the next sale it's best to get in on it the first day as the prices seem to spike right after that.

 

Good Luck finding a good price.:)

 

Bill

 

Not to mention that pricing in November will always be better than February. Except Thanksgiving, of course. I always travel in the Fall, partly due to excellent pricing. Fewer kids being the other reason. Win-win. :D

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Not to mention that pricing in November will always be better than February. Except Thanksgiving, of course. I always travel in the Fall, partly due to excellent pricing. Fewer kids being the other reason. Win-win. :D

 

that was always my thinking until this cruise came about. We are the cruise the week after Thanksgiving and the B1 boardwalk balcony's were sold out 3 months ago.

 

At one point the B2 balcony's were $960 pp higher than what i paid. Now they are only $600pp higher.

 

Maybe we are on a cruise with a partial charter or something. Very unusual for the time of year we are cruising.

 

Bill

[PhoenixDawgCruising]

I found myself in the exact reverse position. My favorite cruise to date was Oasis in 2012, and now I'm trying Breeze next month to make a comparison. We shall see.....

 

I will say that I had an ocean balcony on Oasis, but I checked out the Boardwalk Balcony while I was on board, I personally would not want one. To me, the point of cruising with a balcony is that the balcony be looking at WATER!!

 

But lots of people love them. They do have zero privacy though. Can't tell you how many people's undies I saw drying on their boardwalk balconies. And a few glimpses of bare booty too.:eek:

[Midwestgal]

If you can do it go with Oasis. Breeze is a great ship don't get me wrong but you can't compare the Oasis class of ship to any other ship on any line.

[TheShayQueen]

We're booked on the Oasis as well. I am so excited, but a little nervous that it might be TOO big for me.

[fridaythe13th]

We're booked on the Oasis as well. I am so excited, but a little nervous that it might be TOO big for me.

 

I had the same feeling but to our surprise it was unbelievably amazing in every aspect. I thought having to book the entertainment beforehand was odd, but it actually worked out well. Since we had a plan we had something to look forward to. If you can't make your reservation, someone else will gladly sit in your seats. Try the donuts on the Boardwalk (morning only). Very yummy...... We loved the Allure so much we're going on the Oasis in May!:D

[dorisis]

We sailed both ships in one year. You have to try the Oasis or the Allure once, it is amazing. Their shows blow Carnival's show a way, however I think foods on Carnival is better.

There are more activities to do on the Oasis/Allure like rock climbing, surfing, zip lining and other water sport.

 

Oasis and Allure are way way better in every way.

[TheShayQueen]

I had the same feeling but to our surprise it was unbelievably amazing in every aspect. I thought having to book the entertainment beforehand was odd, but it actually worked out well. Since we had a plan we had something to look forward to. If you can't make your reservation, someone else will gladly sit in your seats. Try the donuts on the Boardwalk (morning only). Very yummy...... We loved the Allure so much we're going on the Oasis in May!:D

 

I think that I like the idea of booking entertainment beforehand. It guarantees us a spot. All the pics and reviews that I've seen, Oasis & Allure look amazing.....just gorgeous. Mmmmm.....donuts :D. You're building up my excitement even more.

[sjn911]

Ok. So Jimbo AND momof3cruisers would pick the Breeze! :o

 

Yes, it's hard to feel that personal touch on a ship that carries 6,000 passengers. But IMHO, it's not any easier on a ship that carries almost 4,000 passengers either. "Smaller ship" is a VERY relative term these days.

 

The last time that we felt any resemblance of personal touch, and "smaller ship" feel was when we sailed on the Holiday, where we kept running into the same passengers over and over, where waiters and bartenders remembered all of our preferences, where we made meaningful friendships, and where even the embarkation agent remembered us on debarkation day and hugged us. As much as we've loved our most recent cruises, we haven't encountered those elements, even when we sailed last week on the comparatively small Enchantment of the Seas.

 

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I think this is why my silly paradise 4 day from Long Beach..out of only 7 cruises...ranks like a one time 5 star hotel experience...when those elements combine....(so enjoy your comments).

 

OP this is a nice thread....thanks.

[jennmaybe]

Well, I'll add my thoughts, even though I firmly believe that all ships and food are very subjective!

 

I don't feel that you can compare Oasis/Allure to any other ship in the world. I wouldn't worry about it being too big---a lot of us that have been on her don't feel that way. We also found the food to be better on RC, but, again, I feel that is subjective and it all depends on what you like. Not everyone is going to like everything.

 

Hubby and I had only sailed Carnival for years, until we had some friends invite us to sail on Oasis with them. That was in 2011 and we have not been back to Carnival since. We absolutely LOVED Oasis and just RC in general!

 

We loved it being a big ship and having a huge variety of things to do in the evenings. We like shows, but you can only see so many comedians and music shows on Carnival. We love the Aqua Theater and the shows there, along with the ice skating show. You will also find different game shows on RC, which can be down right gut-busting if they have the right people participating. That's all I will give away on that. :)

 

I think you made the right choice since you are wanting to try her. You will never know unless you sail on her for yourself.

 

Out of all the cruise lines and ships we've been on now, Oasis is still our favorite!!

Edited July 21, 2014 by jennmaybe

[Family Travel Story]

I was on the breeze in March and the one thing I can say is that they overbook that ship to an excess. Never been on 1 of the royal caribbean mega liners but I wonder if you still have to wait an hour just a see a show or stand in line for 45 minutes to get into the main dining room.

 

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[jennmaybe]

I was on the breeze in March and the one thing I can say is that they overbook that ship to an excess. Never been on 1 of the royal caribbean mega liners but I wonder if you still have to wait an hour just a see a show or stand in line for 45 minutes to get into the main dining room.

 

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??? We've never had either of those experiences on the mega liners......

 

You make a reservation for the scheduled shows, so I have no idea where you heard that you have to wait over an hour. We walk right up to the doors, they scan our cards and we get in immediately.

 

As far as the dining, you can schedule your dining time or do my time dining. That works just like the other lines. We've never waited 45 minutes for my time dining.

Edited July 21, 2014 by jennmaybe

[S.S.Oceanlover]

??? We've never had either of those experiences on the mega liners......

 

You make a reservation for the scheduled shows, so I have no idea where you heard that you have to wait over an hour. We walk right up to the doors, they scan our cards and we get in immediately.

 

As far as the dining, you can schedule your dining time or do my time dining. That works just like the other lines. We've never waited 45 minutes for my time dining.

 

He didnt hear it anywhere. He wonders if you have to wait 45-60 minutes to see a show because that was his experience on the Breeze.

 

Bill

[TheShayQueen]

Well, I'll add my thoughts, even though I firmly believe that all ships and food are very subjective!

 

I don't feel that you can compare Oasis/Allure to any other ship in the world. I wouldn't worry about it being too big---a lot of us that have been on her don't feel that way. We also found the food to be better on RC, but, again, I feel that is subjective and it all depends on what you like. Not everyone is going to like everything.

 

Hubby and I had only sailed Carnival for years, until we had some friends invite us to sail on Oasis with them. That was in 2011 and we have not been back to Carnival since. We absolutely LOVED Oasis and just RC in general!

 

We loved it being a big ship and having a huge variety of things to do in the evenings. We like shows, but you can only see so many comedians and music shows on Carnival. We love the Aqua Theater and the shows there, along with the ice skating show. You will also find different game shows on RC, which can be down right gut-busting if they have the right people participating. That's all I will give away on that. :)

 

I think you made the right choice since you are wanting to try her. You will never know unless you sail on her for yourself.

 

Out of all the cruise lines and ships we've been on now, Oasis is still our favorite!!

 

And my excitement is growing even more........:D

[jennmaybe]

He didnt hear it anywhere. He wonders if you have to wait 45-60 minutes to see a show because that was his experience on the Breeze.

 

Bill

 

Hmmm.....I didn't take it that way, but thank you for the clarification. :)

[Tapi]

Never been on 1 of the royal caribbean mega liners but I wonder if you still have to wait an hour just a see a show or stand in line for 45 minutes to get into the main dining room.

 

 

When we sailed on the Allure, literally, we didn't stand in line once during the entire week. Never, Nada, Zilch, Nunca! The ship (and the terminal in Port Everglades) are engineering marvels that are well thought out. They are designed to handle and disperse the passengers in such a way that these ships feel considerably less crowded (even deserted at times). From the moment you walk into the terminal, you're split up, so you board the ship through one of multiple gangways (instead of using the ONE gangway on Carnival) based on your cabin location.

 

Once onboard, the ships are divided into several "neighborhoods", so instead of feeling like one, gigantic ship, it feels like several, smaller and more intimate ships tied together.

 

The ships only visit ports where they can dock, which unfortunately limits the number of places that they go, but at the same time, this requirement expedites going ashore. Once again, the lower deck used for debarkation at ports of call is very well thought out, with multiple, large boarding areas, more elevators, and even electric escalators. All these elements make reboarding the ship an absolute Breeze (pun intended :o).

 

Finally, about the reservations system for shows and dining: I was a bit skeptical about it, and thought that it would be a pain to have to reserve everything. But once done, it makes SO MUCH sense! You KNOW that you have a seat at a specific time and for a specific show. No need to battle the crowds to get in, or get there ridiculously early to secure a seat. You just show up a few minutes before the shows start, have your card scanned, and literally walk in (and these venues are very well designed, so even "bad seats" are awesome seats).

 

So in a nutshell, you'll probably find considerably shorter lines and waits than on ships that are a fraction of their size. Allure and Oasis were designed from scratch to handle large crowds, unlike Carnival's "newbuilds" which are nothing more than recycled, enlarged versions of a poorly designed concept from the mid 90's. The Breeze, as nice as it may look, is a Destiny class ship on steroids.

 

As a side note, I remember when "mega ship" referred to a ship that was more than 70,000 tons, which meant something the size of the Fantasy! :eek:

 

 

 

 

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Edited July 22, 2014 by Tapi