Cant decide NCL(Gateway) OR Oasis OR FOS

[wonderdox]

Greetings,

 

Soooo I was going to take a break from cruising this year but I dont think I can :) I have just started looking for a cruise this summer (June) I am so torn on what to book. I would be open to any feedback (positive or negative) to help narrow down my choices : )

 

First off, a little bit about me. I am an Eastern Caribbean gal. To date I have visited Carnival's private island, Grand Turk, Nassau, St. John, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and Puetro Rico. To be 100% fair, I have never given the Western Caribbean a shot. I could be "persuaded" to give it a try but the Eastern Caribbean is still exciting so if it aint broke lol. With that said, I wonder if I should try something new. St. John is my favorite place to visit so it is hard to turn down a chance to visit there again. My idea of a good time is snorkeling and relaxing on the beach (shade is a plus since I am fair-skinned).

 

I am normally a solo cruiser. Most recently, I have sailed on both Allure and Oasis. I liked the multitude of solo dinning options and entertainment. For me the boat is JUST as important as the ports of call. I am a sucker for all of the bells and whistles on these ships. I dont know if I am a foodie but I enjoy a good meal and occasional adult beverage.

 

I have been pleased with both ships but give a slight preference to Allure. I knew that Allure would be in Europe this summer. I wish I had the money and time to sail on her this summer in Europe. So that is what I REALLY want Sigh :(

 

Any who, I think I have it narrowed down to 3 options. For each of them I would want a balcony.

 

Option 1: Oasis on the western option (the Eastern in June is just a little too much money for a balcony room). Labadee looks wonderful but Jamacia and Cozumel I would need to research what would really interest me. I like the ease of traveling to Port Everglades.

 

Oasis is such an amazing ship. I have never had any issues with being sea sick on Allure or Oasis but have had issues with other ships. I have been mostly impressed by the internet quality on Allure. Being a solo traveler web access is important so I can communicate with family and friends : )

 

Option 2: FOS on the eastern track. It is set to sail to Coco Cay, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. I have never been to Coco Cay before. How would you rate Coco Cay?

 

Carnival's private island is what hooked me on cursing back in the day. I enjoy St. Thomas/St.John and St. Maarten. I am comfortable with these ports so it makes solo travel easier.

 

After sailing on Allure and Oasis I wonder how FOS would compare. FOS appears to have several touches that you would see on Allure or Oasis. More than anything the engine issues have me a little worried. I do understand she just left dry dock so hopefully those issues have been addressed.

 

As a side note... I am a HUGE Disney fan so it is actually a plus I would have to fly into MCO. I dont know how easy it is to get to Port Canaveral without renting a car.

 

Option 3: NCL Gateway which would go Nassau (my least fav Eastern port), Tortola and St. Thomas. In general the Gateway seems to get a lot of good reviews and is "new."

 

Based on youtube videos it appears the vibe of the ship is modern and sleek. I am drawn by the 20 or so dinning options. I would hate to stray from Royal and the OBC is only 25 dollars. I would get about 200 through Royal. I also get the impression that NCL will nickle and dime you for every little thing.

 

As a solo traveler I know there are the solo studio cabins but I am really set on a balcony stateroom.

 

Hmmm what to do : )

Edited February 8, 2015 by wonderdox

[modes]

That's an easy one OASIS!!!!!!

[BecciBoo]

You were speaking of NCL Getaway?, there is no Gateway???

 

But NCL Escape is coming, very intriguing ship.

Edited February 8, 2015 by BecciBoo

[wonderdox]

You were speaking of NCL Getaway?, there is no Gateway???

 

But NCL Escape is coming, very intriguing ship.

 

Oops! Yes... my bad... I meant to write Getaway and not Gateway :(

[wonderdox]

That's an easy one OASIS!!!!!!

 

I know, I know lol : ) I am hesitant because of the western itinerary. I thought I would at least try to look at other ships too :D

[DreamingBig1]

I don't think you can go wrong.

 

Oasis/Allure appears to be in a league all its own. Freedom is a beautiful is ship. So much to do!

 

I just booked two cruises on NCL ships. Their current promotion is too good to pass up right now (at least for me), but you would need another adult passenger to take advantage of them.

[Big_G]

Oops! Yes... my bad... I meant to write Getaway and not Gateway :(

 

Next time just respond with, "Dam that auto-correct." Everyone else does. ;)

[wonderdox]

Next time just respond with, "Dam that auto-correct." Everyone else does. ;)

 

LOL!! Thanks :)

[wonderdox]

I don't think you can go wrong.

 

Oasis/Allure appears to be in a league all its own. Freedom is a beautiful is ship. So much to do!

 

I just booked two cruises on NCL ships. Their current promotion is too good to pass up right now (at least for me), but you would need another adult passenger to take advantage of them.

 

They all have their pros : ) This is why it is so hard.

 

Royal has always impressed me but I am also intrigued by what NCL is doing with some of their newer ships.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Oasis for me! And I'm one who enjoys the Western itinerary. Love Labadee, and Cozumel is good too (a lot of options for things to do!).

 

I personally won't book an Eastern Caribbean itinerary with Nassau (waste of time IMO), so that would eliminate the Getaway for me. Freedom would be a good option also, but the CocoCay stop is often missed due to weather, essentially leaving you with two ports on a 7 night cruise. So for me its a no-brainer, Oasis!

[LMaxwell]

I just booked NCL because their current promotion is unbeatable. I figure it is a good way to check out how they do things, new entertainment, new activities. Not sure how the pricing compares for solos, but for the three of us due to NCL's promo it is $2K less than Royal.

[sunset785]

Try western. You will not be disappointed with Labadee.. It is beautiful! I love Jamaica (although a lot don't) but there are a lot of excursion options to choose from. We went to red stripe beach and it was ok for the day but no snorkeling. In Cozumel you have so many beach club options to choose from. Love the water there. We have also snorkeled there and that was good too.

[jules815]

I gotta admit, I'm curious about the Haven on Getaway. It's a bit cheaper than the B2B we currently have booked on FOS (OS), and their promotion also includes unlimited specialty dining and beverage package + OBC. :eek:

 

The only negative is it would be a B2B doing the same itinerary.

 

I shouldn't have looked.

[LMaxwell]

I gotta admit, I'm curious about the Haven on Getaway. It's a bit cheaper than the B2B we currently have booked on FOS (OS), and their promotion also includes unlimited specialty dining and beverage package + OBC. :eek:

 

The only negative is it would be a B2B doing the same itinerary.

 

I shouldn't have looked.

 

If you join AARP (they will take ANY age to be a member) you can get up to 5% off on NCL. If you book through a big box retail club store you can get up to another 5% off NCL cruise fare. This is in addition to the current Freestyle Choice Promos (Which for a Haven booking is about $1500 in perks per week)

[Cruise a holic]

Greetings,

 

Soooo I was going to take a break from cruising this year but I dont think I can :) I have just started looking for a cruise this summer (June) I am so torn on what to book. I would be open to any feedback (positive or negative) to help narrow down my choices : )

 

First off, a little bit about me. I am an Eastern Caribbean gal. To date I have visited Carnival's private island, Grand Turk, Nassau, St. John, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and Puetro Rico. To be 100% fair, I have never given the Western Caribbean a shot. I could be "persuaded" to give it a try but the Eastern Caribbean is still exciting so if it aint broke lol. With that said, I wonder if I should try something new. St. John is my favorite place to visit so it is hard to turn down a chance to visit there again. My idea of a good time is snorkeling and relaxing on the beach (shade is a plus since I am fair-skinned).

 

I am normally a solo cruiser. Most recently, I have sailed on both Allure and Oasis. I liked the multitude of solo dinning options and entertainment. For me the boat is JUST as important as the ports of call. I am a sucker for all of the bells and whistles on these ships. I dont know if I am a foodie but I enjoy a good meal and occasional adult beverage.

 

I have been pleased with both ships but give a slight preference to Allure. I knew that Allure would be in Europe this summer. I wish I had the money and time to sail on her this summer in Europe. So that is what I REALLY want Sigh :(

 

Any who, I think I have it narrowed down to 3 options. For each of them I would want a balcony.

 

Option 1: Oasis on the western option (the Eastern in June is just a little too much money for a balcony room). Labadee looks wonderful but Jamacia and Cozumel I would need to research what would really interest me. I like the ease of traveling to Port Everglades.

 

Oasis is such an amazing ship. I have never had any issues with being sea sick on Allure or Oasis but have had issues with other ships. I have been mostly impressed by the internet quality on Allure. Being a solo traveler web access is important so I can communicate with family and friends : )

 

Option 2: FOS on the eastern track. It is set to sail to Coco Cay, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. I have never been to Coco Cay before. How would you rate Coco Cay?

 

Carnival's private island is what hooked me on cursing back in the day. I enjoy St. Thomas/St.John and St. Maarten. I am comfortable with these ports so it makes solo travel easier.

 

After sailing on Allure and Oasis I wonder how FOS would compare. FOS appears to have several touches that you would see on Allure or Oasis. More than anything the engine issues have me a little worried. I do understand she just left dry dock so hopefully those issues have been addressed.

 

As a side note... I am a HUGE Disney fan so it is actually a plus I would have to fly into MCO. I dont know how easy it is to get to Port Canaveral without renting a car.

 

Option 3: NCL Gateway which would go Nassau (my least fav Eastern port), Tortola and St. Thomas. In general the Gateway seems to get a lot of good reviews and is "new."

 

Based on youtube videos it appears the vibe of the ship is modern and sleek. I am drawn by the 20 or so dinning options. I would hate to stray from Royal and the OBC is only 25 dollars. I would get about 200 through Royal. I also get the impression that NCL will nickle and dime you for every little thing.

 

As a solo traveler I know there are the solo studio cabins but I am really set on a balcony stateroom.

 

Hmmm what to do : )

 

Have sailed on the Oasis, Allure, freedom and this summer for the first time, Ncl breakaway, (in the Haven) sister ship of the getaway. We prefer eastern carribbean without hesitation. When we travel to Jamaica and Cozemel, we no longer get off the ship. Never feel safe. I would recommend the Allure and Oasis, but the NCL ship should be a new experience. We have heard good things about the new ships of NCL and the price was very competitive. I think you will enjoy all! Just to give you another great option, the celebrity solstice class ships are excellent!

Edited February 8, 2015 by Cruise a holic

[cruiseturbo]

Like you I love the eastern Caribbean however the more we sail the western I am loving that now too! Really just love to cruise and really love the big ships such as Allure and Oasis!

 

I think you should give the Oasis western itinerary a try. Labadee is my favorite stop of anywhere as the beaches are clean, beautiful and it is just your ship there so easy to find secluded spots if you want or you can join a big group if want as well! At Falmouth the port area is very safe and most feel it is very commercialized but we enjoy it. Usually just have a relaxing morning on the ship and then get off to enjoy lunch at one of the spots in the port area and walk around to look at all the local crafts. There are plenty of excursions you can pick as well if you prefer that.

 

Cozumel has a little bit of everything to offer. As a solo cruiser I would probably pick an excursion for your first visit or go to a beach club. We are trying the Cozumel BarHop for the first time in May and are really excited. The reviews and you tube videos are great and you could meet some fun people that way.

 

No matter what you pick, you will be on a cruise ship and not at work so you will have a blast! Enjoy!

[HACKT]

Having done the oasis to west carib and fos to east carib, we'd do oasis. In fact we are booked on it in june! We prefer west carib to east as weather is better - warmer as you are farther away from atlantic

I disagree with comment on cozumel safety. Cozumel is a very friendly island and easy to get around. Some pushy shops which are easily avoided. Plenty of water activities.

Jamaica you will want a booked excursion or you can shop in their port shops. You don't want to go outside the gates by yourself. But there are great excursions as well

We haven't done getaway but do like ncl occasionally, esp lower prices. But the east carib itinerary is worn out, esp nassau. We didn't enjoy st maarten last time either as its too crowded with ships

Final comment is labadee is better than coco cay since you dock there wheras coco is tenders. With oasis you'll want to get off ship early and get your lounger at best beaches as 6000 people fill it up fast. Also get in line early for the lunch as it gets crowded

[Grandma Petania]

Carnival's private island is what hooked me on cursing back in the day.

Sorry, I couldn't resist pointing out this little typo. :) I have cruised only twice, both times on the Oasis to the Eastern Caribbean, so I have no advice to offer on the other options you mentioned.

[DreamingBig1]

I just booked NCL because their current promotion is unbeatable. I figure it is a good way to check out how they do things, new entertainment, new activities. Not sure how the pricing compares for solos, but for the three of us due to NCL's promo it is $2K less than Royal.

Did the exact same thing. Booked two in fact

 

Sent using trained typing rabbits.

[wonderdox]

So sorry for the delay in responding! Work and family issues took all of my time and attention this past week :(

 

Just wanted to pop in and say thanks sooo much for all your feedback : ) I hope things calm down soon so I can continue my vacay research.

 

Thanks again!

[sailor05]

Until this past Thursday I too was comparing the exact 3 same ships. They each have their perks and NCL's current free beverage package promotion was REAL tough to pass on but I figured with that kind of freedom I probably wouldn't remember much about the cruise :D. Lots of positive reviews about their newer ships and in fact I had a hard time finding anything negative at all. But having been on the Oasis I knew for sure I would get a great cruise.

 

Labadee has a ton to do and is perfectly safe, Cozumel has some beautiful water and we either snorkel or do some kind of intro-to-scuba kind of thing. Never been to Falmouth but in Ocho Rios we did probably the best zip line course we've ever done (and we've done plenty).

 

In the end I think you'll be happy with any choice. If it were just me I think I would've went on NCL just to check it out, but I have some more family going who love RCCL so that's ultimately why I decided to stick with them for this one.

[kimala]

I've been on all three. Hubby and I are Diamond with RCL so we obviously LOVE Royal...with that said I have to tell you that we totally loved our trip on the NCL Getaway! The schedule was so action packed always something going on. The entertainment was excellent! Loved the dance show and even the comedy club. They also had a bar with a dueling piano duo. Most people seemed to really enjoy that and no reservations are needed. The only downside to NCL is in my humble opinion, they have removed most of the items that most of us have grown to expect on a cruise fare menu like for instance, shrimp cocktail and escargot. I feel and again, this is just my opinion, that they do this to drive people to their fee paid restraunts. With that said I did still feel that they offered many inclusive venues to eat in such as their pub O she hands and the poolside Cuban restauraunt,,,sooooyummy. Anyways, I think you should try Getaway.

[retiring soon]

Hi all!

 

I've been on all 3, Freedom twice & actually liked it better than Oasis or Allure. I had really liked the items available at Sorrentos on FOS but only pizza was available on the other 2 so I was disappointed, such a silly thing but it made a difference to me.:o The parades were easier to see on it too as there aren't so many people. Also liked the promenade cabins.

 

I loved the Getaway, such a beautiful ship with so much to do & an amazing Florida/Cuban vibe. I usually cruise solo so had a studio cabin on Epic (x 3) & Getaway but travelled with a friend on Breakaway.

 

I prefer the western route especially Cozumel which has so much to do & lovely shades of blue water. Last time I did the Bar Hop & had a great time. St John is a beautiful place but personally I'm St Thomas & St Maartened out, not being a shopper or beach person.

 

Looking forward to seeing which ship you choose.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[rednose83]

Because you prefer and Eastern route and have done both Oasis class ships, I'd say try the Getaway. We have been on the Breakaway and loved it. We also enjoyed FOS. Haven't tried Allure/Oasis but might soon.

 

Re: Cococay- it's a nice island but no where near as nice beautiful as Half Moon Cay, IMO.

[maggieq]

We have been thinking about the new big ncl ships. Worried about the smoke though.