Oasis 12/30/17 - Brief review...and a broken forearm two days before embarkation!

[kevdad]

I wasn't planning to write a review but received an email from CC and that turned into something I thought I'd share. Please excuse the brevity and grammatical mishaps!

 

This was a New Year's cruise for our family of 5 (wife, DD9, DS12, DS12). Unfortunately, older DS12 broke his forearm the day before we flew to Orlando. Luckily he didn't require surgery. It definitely changed the dynamic of the trip for all of us. But we still had a lot of fun and he was quite the trooper throughout!

 

We stayed at the MCO Hyatt the night before embarkation as we always do. We find it ultra-convenient if arriving later in the day. A quick 45 minute drive to the port in the morning. The kids received 50% off the breakfast buffet which was nice.

 

Embarkation: arrived around 11:00. Once through a 20 minute security line, check-in was very quick with no line. On board 10 minutes later after being accosted by Santa Claus for a (New Year's???) picture (not kidding) and the obligatory drink package quick-sale.

 

We found the ship had the perfect amount of space for our family with lots of options to roam and find something to do. We never noticed big crowds other than in Windjammer and embarking/disembarking at ports. Though I didn't attend the New Year's balloon drop, my wife and two of our kids did and said it was absolutely mobbed. I guess no surprise there.

 

Our connecting cabins on deck 12 starboard side were nice with lots of storage space and large balconys. But three people, even kids, was a bit cramped in one of the cabins. We were disappointed that it took us asking three times and five days for the balcony divider to be opened after being told it was broke.

 

We found the MDR food to be excellent. We mostly followed our server's recommendations and he was spot-on and highly attentive (Marvin was his name, assisted by Benny). The Windjammer food left a lot to be desired, very bland and not a very exciting selection. The Solarium Bistro for breakfast and lunch was a good alternative for a semi-outside dining experience unlike any other dining location. Really enjoyed the roast beef in Park Cafe and my wife loved the salad.

 

Our stop in St. Martin was the first time back for the Oasis since the hurricane. We did the Soualiga boat/snorkeling adventure and had a great time with Captain Al. There still is lots of damage around the coastal areas (primarily ocean mansions) which makes me wonder how bad it is inland with the locals.

 

We walked around one of the San Juan forts for a little while and enjoyed the historical experience.

 

We had a cooler/misty day on Labadee but the kids still had a lot of fun playing on the Columbus Cove beach. My non-injured kids did the aqua park and enjoyed it for around an hour. One annoying aspect was that lunch was only served on the opposite side from where we were (Columbus Cove). The walk back and forth and wait in line was not worth it.

 

The kids clubs we just ok. I really wish they had a separate club for 12-14 year olds, getting mixed in with the older teenagers doesn't serve anyone well. And the 9-11 year old space seemed small and cramped. The counselors were friendly.

 

We had the "Drink of the Day" each day and loved each and every one. The cost of $8 was a bargain compared with some of the other options. My wife got the soda package and probably wouldn't do it again, just not worth the price for what she drank. The Rising Tide bar is a must-do for a completely different experience. We also had drinks in Dazzles and Jazz on 4, both were nice. Again, I wish I had noted the Jazz band name because they were outstanding, the woman singer in particular.

 

The entertainment was excellent. Oasis of Dreams, Frozen in Time, and Come Fly with me were our favorites. The headliner was pretty good (I forget his name, sorry), though his material was a bit dated and our kids didn't recognize a lot of the music or get most of the jokes. The belly flop competition was a complete hoot. We did the cartoon and Harry Potter trivia contests in On Air. Get there early for HP, it was packed! Both were a lot of fun and a good way to spend an hour with the family.

 

Disembarkation: we did the luggage valet with our two big bags which allowed us to leave earlier (8:30 vs. 9:30) with our carry-ons in tow. The immigration line still seemed long, though, probably 15 minutes. Easy to hook-up with our van ride (Tony Hinds, highly recommended!).

 

We are already booked on the Harmony for next New Year's and are looking forward to a similar ship with different shows and slides for the kids. And hopefully no broken bones a day before we leave!

Edited January 12, 2018 by kevdad
Our cabins were on the starboard side! Still can't keep 'em straight

[easyboy]

Sounds like you enjoyed your cruise. Thanks for your feedback!

 

 

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[Keith1010]

Great review. Thankfully you were all able to go and no surgery was required for your son.

 

Keith

[kevdad]

I may add some additional thoughts as I think of them, here's two:

 

My son did a Flow Rider lesson the first night at 6:15. It was him and three other kids for an hour. Each kid started on a boogie board with an instructor alongside holding the kids board, talking with them and eventually releasing at the appropriate time. After a few turns each kid practiced standing on the boards. I thought it was $69 well spent for the excellent instruction and confidence building in front of little to no crowd.

 

Thinking more about Adventure Ocean, it seems that part of the problem was a ton of unused space. It has a huge footprint but I seriously think that less than half is actually used during peak periods. Between the large unused entryway, game room, craft room, multiple hallways, large middle room (for toddlers?) that I hardly saw used, and other random spaces, it seems they could have made the actual age-group rooms (Explorers & Voyagers) much bigger. The teen club space was very large but, again, I wish they had different spaces for the 12-14 and 15-17 age groups.

[Clarea]

Very nice review, thanks.