Anyone here ever sailed Oasis Class?

[PTC DAWG]

Just had my Edge sailing on March 29th cancelled...looking at an Oasis sailing out of Port Everglades late May...24th to be exact..it would be over my Wife's birthday, the holiday, 25th...mainly because of the easy drive to port from ATL area.  

 

They are showing Central Park Balcony's for around $700 per...plus extras.  the "drink package" is a must, I understand they run sales on these from time to time on cruise planner. 

 

I really enjoy the atmosphere on Celebrity..I understand the Oasis is a different animal...I have also sailed on the Away Class ships on NCL.  I enjoyed those...totally different than Celebrity.  Mid 50's, healthy, and we enjoy a good party.  I'm thinking of giving it a go.

 

Y'all think we'll be sailing again my late May?  

[Fouremco]

Given the speed with which the virus is spreading and the increasing number of countries either closing their borders or banning cruise ships, I seriously doubt that a May cruise will go ahead. There's no indication whatsoever of any imminent containment of the virus, and I suspect that more drastic measures now being implements will take some time before they even start to have an impact on the spread. My guess, and that's all it is, is that you won't see cruises until the fall at earliest. I hope I'm wrong. 

Edited March 18, 2020 by Fouremco

[julia]

8 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

I hope I'm wrong. 

You are not wrong....

[JLBellaCC]

I am being optimistic.  You will be cruising by May.  We have sailed on three of the Oasis class ships and have always enjoyed the ship and the atmosphere.  Once we had a "balcony" that was inside overlooking Central Park- which we actually quite enjoyed.  But, for the price difference, in the future we would stick with out facing balconies.  Have fun!

 

[markeb]

Very different animal. The neighborhood concept actually breaks the ship up nicely, with the specialty dining off of Central Park. We enjoyed our one Oasis sailing.

 

But, bluntly, I can't imagine that ship actually sailing at the end of May. Wait for last minute bargains if it does.

[mafig]

I don't think that Oasis will be sailing by end of May.

 

Unfortunately.

 

Remember there is reciprococity (I know that's spelled wrong) between loyalty levels on X and Royal.  Never had a Central Park balcony, many like them, many think they are hot.  

Oasis recently had a refurb., so it should be in good shape.

I wish you luck.  (My birthday's around the same time as your wife's, a cruise would sure be nice.)

[Langley Cruisers]

6 minutes ago, markeb said:

The neighborhood concept actually breaks the ship up nicely, with the specialty dining off of Central Park.... But, bluntly, I can't imagine that ship actually sailing at the end of May. Wait for last minute bargains if it does.

 

With respect, I disagree. Oasis has neighborhoods which face inward, whereas I enjoy cruising to look at the sea. 😊 I would never cruise Oasis class again for that reason;  *I* found there were very limited spaces to sit and relax and watch the sea go by. I just didn't like the whole concept of the ship (my opinion, obviously, but I'm glad so many others love her).

 

But I do agree, no one will be cruising by May.

[markeb]

2 minutes ago, Langley Cruisers said:

 

With respect, I disagree. Oasis has neighborhoods which face inward, whereas I enjoy cruising to look at the sea. 😊 I would never cruise Oasis class again for that reason;  *I* found there were very limited spaces to sit and relax and watch the sea go by. I just didn't like the whole concept of the ship (my opinion, obviously, but I'm glad so many others love her).

 

But I do agree, no one will be cruising by May.

 

That's the general complaint of all the newer RCI ships. I'm talking about the neighborhoods as means to break the ship up, not to see the ocean. I'd probably do an outside veranda as well (we did), but you get away from the crowds to some degree with the neighborhood concept.

[PTC DAWG]

32 minutes ago, markeb said:

 

 

Quote

 

But, bluntly, I can't imagine that ship actually sailing at the end of May. Wait for last minute bargains if it does.

That is our plan...very flexible due to driving to the port..the week is already booked for vacation....the regular balcony's are very reasonable too...that would be my preference.  

 

Thanks for everyones comments...

Edited March 18, 2020 by PTC DAWG

[hcat]

We tried and disliked Oasis..

 

Overall, it was very mall like / food court indoors and out, with many crowded areas, including the aft adult only  hot tub area...which was otherwise nice but quite sunny.

 

The balc stateroom was not as large as on X..  On our deck  you could not cross over to other side of the ship due to the atrium below...,,which was inconvenient and very annoying.

 

 Dining ( including specialties) were sub par compared to X, esp EDGE     Shopping was disappointing.

 

 Entertainment....music and shows were better than X but many events require pre reserved tix yet still had lines. The parades were fun!

 

The Diamond level  lite  breakfast and amazing evening cocktail buffet were much better than on X.p if they are still being done

 

The ship seemed best suited to families...carousel, play areas , characters etc     Also if you like zip line, floe riders, rock walls...

 

Some folks love it..I'd wait for EDGE!

whatever you decide hope it works out

Edited March 18, 2020 by hcat

[writerteacher]

I did one cruise on Oasis class and won't again. If you are a regular on Celebrity I think you will find it crowded and chaotic. Even with school in session there were a ton of kids. If school is out it is probably pretty hectic. There are 4 pools of different sizes but none reserved for adults. There is an area for adults with hot tubs, but not a pool, and it is not big enough for all the adults who want to find sanctuary there. The entire pool area is a zoo on sea days. The only things you may like are the activities, if you are into those kinds of things. Sports, etc. Much more on Oasis. Not much in the way of calm areas, although the Central Park neighborhood is a nice respite during the day, since it is where the restaurants are and they are not open then. Even at night it is a very nice, quiet place. If you get one of the inward facing balcony rooms, try to get one that looks over that neighborhood. (And I also don't think a May cruise will sail.)

[CruiseDad-NYC]

I agree with the others that it is unlikely cruises, including a May cruise on the Oasis will return any time soon.  But, I will say that as a veteran of about 12 Celebrity cruises and 7 RCCL cruises, I didn't think the Oasis would be for me at all.  My impression was that it would be way too big, mall-like, crowded, and bloated  (we were in front of it as our ship was leaving Ft. Lauderdale, and it just looked like this bloated, lumbering ship behind us as we sailed out to say).  Plus, I just overall prefer the Celebrity vibe and experience.  But, I will say that I was pleasantly surprised when we took a last minute cruise about 3 years ago in August.  We had a great time on the Oasis.  It was not as crowded as we had thought.  Didn't seem as big as onboard as it did looking at it from land or another ship. 

 

A Solstice class ship would be my first choice, but if the price were right and the itinerary were interesting, I would definitely and happily go on the Oasis again.

Edited March 18, 2020 by CruiseDad-NYC

[Denny01]

My subjective opinion is much the same as Langley, hcat and writerteacher, would not do it again and it is completely different from a Celebrity cruise. Whether it’s drivable or not, whether it actually doesn’t get cancelled, doesn’t mean you should do it if you enjoy Celebrity. We did an Oasis; if I want to enjoy a big city park, I’ll go to a big city, not in a fake ship center; if I want to do a zip line, I’ll do it in a beautiful forest, not across an open ship space; when I want to climb or surf, I’ll do it where 100+ people aren’t standing there watching and waiting in line (takes about an hr to get to any of these venues).

 

If I want to enjoy going on a cruise and actually enjoy being at sea, I’d Not Go Oasis. It is for families with kids who need constant activity, nothing wrong with that. But the specialty restaurants are crowded (well maybe not in May of 2020!!) and much like eating in your hometown. Few ocean views; most all inside and lines to get in. 

 

OK, the plus is excellent entertainment; an actual full Broadway play and ice show and so on, but you have to sign up prior to cruising because even though we cruised in a low booking time, all was sold out well prior to the cruise. 

 

So yeah, Oasis has some positives; none of them are what I’d call postiives to cruise, they are ‘positives’ close (but not nearly as equal) to going to NYC (well, after our current ‘issues’, much like the issues facing cruising). I’d suggest you consider another option such as a beautiful stay in the NC/Blueridge mountains, or nice beach stay (come on down to the Fla Panhandle - much closer; great restaurants; great beach places with great views; all white beaches!) - all after this current COVID-19 is under control.

 

May not be the best time yet. Good luck.

 

Den

[pauly]

Too big for us. Depending on the location of your cabin, you can spend A LOT of time walking back and forth.

[dani negreanu]

38 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

OK, the plus is excellent entertainment; an actual full Broadway play and ice show and so on, but you have to sign up prior to cruising because even though we cruised in a low booking time, all was sold out well prior to the cruise. 

 

I've been on Allure on a Med itinerary, which was very port intensive.

I enjoyed the entertainment very much, strolling through Central Park. It was not as crowded as I've expected.

Worth trying it once, just for the entertainment, and a ocean view balcony is a must in my humble opinion.

 

[ipeeinthepool]

I've sailed the Oasis class ships about 25 times and would never do it again if I had a choice.   As our daughter was growing up she loved the flowriders on the ships and would spend almost every available minute at the flowrider.  Actually my next cruise is with my daughter and is scheduled for the Harmony over Labor Day but it's likely we'll cancel that cruise.  The experience is nothing like the Celebrity ships.  They are far bigger and there is a lot of walking.  The MDR, with or without My Time Dining, seems much more rushed and just isn't as enjoyable.  The shows are head and shoulders better than anything on Celebrity but you'll need to make reservations ahead of time and the show times vary so you don't have a routine of eating before or after the show.  Because of high production costs the same shows are there for several years.  The food seems to be similar in quality.   As you might of guessed there are a lot of kids on the ship and many people don't seem to try to control their children onboard.  The drink packages are expensive and I've never seen any rates that role the drink price into fare price.

 

The Central Park balconies are much better than an inside cabin but the inability to see the ocean really takes away from the balcony experience.  You can also get a lot of noise from the pool deck during the day.  All you see is the Central Park balcony on the other side of the ship.  You also need to remember to get dressed before you open the curtains.  😊

 

My wife would rather stay home and watch the dog rather than go on another cruise on a Oasis class ship.   My vote is to find any Celebrity ship that sails during the same period.

Edited March 18, 2020 by ipeeinthepool

[Big_G]

3 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

Just had my Edge sailing on March 29th cancelled...looking at an Oasis sailing out of Port Everglades late May...24th to be exact..it would be over my Wife's birthday, the holiday, 25th...mainly because of the easy drive to port from ATL area.  

 

Y'all think we'll be sailing again my late May?  

 

If you've never sailed an Oasis Class I'd try it out. Not a fan of the interior facing balconies though. Central Park is a little too warm and the Boardwalk balconies are little too noisy. Plus I don't like looking at other people's balconies. That said, the entertainment far exceeds Celebrity's and the neighborhoods manage to keep the crowds down. We always book suites so if I'm looking to watch the sea, I just go out on the balcony. We love Celebrity and still enjoy the Oasis Class experience. The question is will they sail.

[Denny01]

We had an oceanview balcony SR and our friends had an ‘inside’ balcony. I agree, that balcony was like having a condo that faced another condo with a noisy park inbetween. They never used it because there was no reason to...noisy, no privacy,....,kind of like being in port with a huge ship across from you but not even the openness. 

 

The Diamond club was nice and we spent most of our time there since we were Celebrity Elite. So that was neat, but again, it was like being in a hotel the whole time, not at sea. I cruise to expereince the sea, and visit ports, not be in a ‘hotel’. 

 

I’ve had my say....enough.

 

Den 

 

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, Denny01 said:

My subjective opinion is much the same as Langley, hcat and writerteacher, would not do it again and it is completely different from a Celebrity cruise. Whether it’s drivable or not, whether it actually doesn’t get cancelled, doesn’t mean you should do it if you enjoy Celebrity. We did an Oasis; if I want to enjoy a big city park, I’ll go to a big city, not in a fake ship center; if I want to do a zip line, I’ll do it in a beautiful forest, not across an open ship space; when I want to climb or surf, I’ll do it where 100+ people aren’t standing there watching and waiting in line (takes about an hr to get to any of these venues).

 

If I want to enjoy going on a cruise and actually enjoy being at sea, I’d Not Go Oasis. It is for families with kids who need constant activity, nothing wrong with that. But the specialty restaurants are crowded (well maybe not in May of 2020!!) and much like eating in your hometown. Few ocean views; most all inside and lines to get in. 

 

OK, the plus is excellent entertainment; an actual full Broadway play and ice show and so on, but you have to sign up prior to cruising because even though we cruised in a low booking time, all was sold out well prior to the cruise. 

 

So yeah, Oasis has some positives; none of them are what I’d call postiives to cruise, they are ‘positives’ close (but not nearly as equal) to going to NYC (well, after our current ‘issues’, much like the issues facing cruising). I’d suggest you consider another option such as a beautiful stay in the NC/Blueridge mountains, or nice beach stay (come on down to the Fla Panhandle - much closer; great restaurants; great beach places with great views; all white beaches!) - all after this current COVID-19 is under control.

 

May not be the best time yet. Good luck.

 

Den

I think that's good advice..I frequent the Mountains and the Panhandle...I'm south of Atlanta airport, the drive to the Florida panhandle is easy.  I have read restaurants are closing up there now too...I hope, for everyone's sake, things are better soon.  We can't go on like this forever.

 

Your review of the ship sounds much worse than my experience on the NCL Escape..it had a good many outdoor areas to enjoy.....

 

Still, have a 10 day booked on the Equinox this fall to the ABC's...that may be my next cruise fix.  Was on the EQ 11 day Southern Caribbean last fall.  

[chemmo]

We cruised twice on Oasis Class. Our first was in August and was awful....Unruly children everywhere...lifts, dining room...I love kids, our son was at the time a teenager and with us and he didn’t like it either! On the positive side there were lots of activities, great shows and a super selection of room types for all pockets.

 

Our second cruise was on Oasis in January and apart from a few families with under fives the population was older. On this cruise the busiest place was the Diamond Lounge...It was full from just before the start of free drinks until after free drinks finished. We also had access to the suite lounge so it wasn’t a big deal but we found it unpleasant....Totally different than the ambience of the Captains Club events.

 

We don’t particularly rate RC MDR food so have always booked dining packages but to be honest on both our Oasis class cruises the speciality restaurants left a lot to be desired in terms of food quality and atmosphere...

 

We would cruise RC Oasis class again if we were desperate for some R&R but wouldn’t otherwise...However, with the present state of the world by July we may welcome a cruise on a pedalo...

 

PTC  DAWG, as long as you board expecting a different experience and look at enjoying the strengths of the ship rather than its weaknesses you will enjoy...

 

Hope it can go ahead, best wishes...

[Mr. Click]

TO stick to the original question, we sailed on the Allure in 2013 and found it so bad we avoided Royal altogether  for about 5 years.  The food was bad, the service was lacking, it was crowded and we were happy to get off the ship after a week.  That 700 per sounds tempting but I want to see the ocean. not a park.   

[Esprit]

We were a party of 11 Brits on Allure last October on a B2B. We all had the deluxe drinks package and got our monies worth many times over.

our ocean view balcony cabin on deck 8 forward was perfect.

We had a great time but Royal Caribbean is not for me. Celebrity and Princess have the luxury touches that I missed. Chops and 150 Central Park were disappointing too for what they cost.

Staff were fantastic but the buffet food poor for choice unless you love burgers and hot dogs.

The size of the ship never bothered me however and it rarely seemed crowded.

Glad I gave it a go but won’t bother again despite the fun I had on the flowrider.

 

[DrivesLikeMario]

YMMV but we didn't like the Harmony of the Seas.  We like the smaller M-Class Celebrity ships so that's probably why.  It just wasn't our cup of tea.  The amount of kids on HOTS was so overwhelming.  It was basically like a floating theme park.  The HOTS buffet was probably the worst we've ever seen in 50 cruises.  I'm sure it appeals to some but for us it was too big and too impersonal.

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, ipeeinthepool said:

.  You also need to remember to get dressed before you open the curtains.  😊

 

 

Or before you do much else.  The Wife and I have discussed that...one nice thing about a real balcony cabin.  🙂

[Langley Cruisers]

3 hours ago, pauly said:

Too big for us. Depending on the location of your cabin, you can spend A LOT of time walking back and forth.

 

Right? I came home and weighed less than when I started my cruise. Seriously. 😮 A lot of walking!