Oasis in St. Thomas

[Sbrown111]

Hello,

Does anyone know which way the Oasis docks in St. Thomas?  Does it pull straight in or does it turn around and back in?  I'm getting ready to book a December cruise and I love having my balcony overlooking the water.  Thank you!

[Tatka]

Oasis docks in Crown Bay, not in Havensight Mall if this is important.

[Biker19]

26 minutes ago, Sbrown111 said:

Does it pull straight in or does it turn around and back in?

Depends on what the Captain wants.

[Ashland]

We've had it both ways...So don't choose your cabin based on what may happen 

[cruiseguy1016]

It could be either way. There are multiple factors (weather being one) that the captain considers before deciding which way to dock.

[Sbrown111]

5 hours ago, Tatka said:

Oasis docks in Crown Bay, not in Havensight Mall if this is important.

Good to know, thanks!  So it doesn’t matter then!  Just booked Oasis for 12/05/21, can’t wait,!

[Ashland]

12 minutes ago, Sbrown111 said:

Good to know, thanks!  So it doesn’t matter then!  Just booked Oasis for 12/05/21, can’t wait,!

FYI....Crown Bay used to be a submarine dock and with Oasis class that's where it needs to dock.

We miss Havensight when visiting on smaller RCI class ships but RCI has made a 10 year contract to dock at Crown Bay.

[Kathscof]

4 hours ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

It could be either way. There are multiple factors (weather being one) that the captain considers before deciding which way to dock.

 

I’m probably super late to the party since all of y’all are experienced cruisers, but I just discovered the show Mighty Cruise Ships on Smithsonian (probably from another channel?) but it showed one that was in Northern Europe and explained what the captain was doing and why and his decisions in parking different directions and how he maneuvered the ship and it was SUPER neat.....

[dianajo67]

So all Royal ship dock at crown bay??  We’re on Explorer in November and wondered.  We like to take the ferry to water island for the day from crown bay.  That would be great news if true.  I just don’t see any excursions I like that we haven’t already done!  Sitting on Honeymoon Beach on Water Island is a great super inexpensive way to have a great day!

[Ashland]

6 hours ago, dianajo67 said:

So all Royal ship dock at crown bay??  We’re on Explorer in November and wondered.  We like to take the ferry to water island for the day from crown bay.  That would be great news if true.  I just don’t see any excursions I like that we haven’t already done!  Sitting on Honeymoon Beach on Water Island is a great super inexpensive way to have a great day!

Yes...normally Crown Bay....There's always the chance of over crowding but that rarely happens..so it's pretty safe to assume that Explorer will dock at Crown Bay

[Merion_Mom]

37 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Yes...normally Crown Bay....There's always the chance of over crowding but that rarely happens..so it's pretty safe to assume that Explorer will dock at Crown Bay

In the past when there was overcrowding, "someone" had to anchor out and tender passengers in!

 

[ONECRUISER]

56 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

In the past when there was overcrowding, "someone" had to anchor out and tender passengers in!

 

Got that right I remember 3-4 Ships Tendering in at St Thomas. In old Days ships of Voyager, Vision and Sovereign Classes carried/used our own Tenders as I used for more Ports including, St Martaan, St Thomas, Labadee, Coco Cay, and of course Grand Cayman

[deliver42]

All Royal and Celebrity ships now dock at Crown Bay.

[PTC DAWG]

23 hours ago, dianajo67 said:

So all Royal ship dock at crown bay??  We’re on Explorer in November and wondered.  We like to take the ferry to water island for the day from crown bay.  That would be great news if true.  I just don’t see any excursions I like that we haven’t already done!  Sitting on Honeymoon Beach on Water Island is a great super inexpensive way to have a great day!

Easy walk to Tickles, take the boat over, good times. 

[Ashland]

16 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

In the past when there was overcrowding, "someone" had to anchor out and tender passengers in!

 

Yep....I should have added that info as well..thanks.

[Tall-Cruiser]

On 9/1/2021 at 12:54 PM, Sbrown111 said:

Hello,

Does anyone know which way the Oasis docks in St. Thomas?  Does it pull straight in or does it turn around and back in?  I'm getting ready to book a December cruise and I love having my balcony overlooking the water.  Thank you!

 

Of all the times I have sailed into St Thomas on an Oasis Class ship including just last week on Symphony, they dock at Crown Bay and on Starboard side. 

 

 

[Tatka]

    Rule is if at least 1 Royal ship is docked in CB then another one can dock in HS. However for Christmas 2017 or 2018 we were there on Grandeur and Jewel(?) was docked right next to us. So 2 ships were in CB. In HS we saw only 1 NCL ship, so there was a space.

 

  When Princess has similar contract 2006 - 2016(?) .. and we sailed on Caribbean Princess we were the only ship in St Thomas that day. Still docked in CB

 

 For us CB is convenient as we lately use Emerald (Lindbergh bay) Beach which is much closer to CB.. you can even walk there.

[Ashland]

3 minutes ago, Tatka said:

    Rule is if at least 1 Royal ship is docked in CB then another one can dock in HS. However for Christmas 2017 or 2018 we were there on Grandeur and Jewel(?) was docked right next to us. So 2 ships were in CB. In HS we saw only 1 NCL ship, so there was a space.

 

  When Princess has similar contract 2006 - 2016(?) .. and we sailed on Caribbean Princess we were the only ship in St Thomas that day. Still docked in CB

 

 For us CB is convenient as we lately use Emerald (Lindbergh bay) Beach which is much closer to CB.. you can even walk there.

NCL does dock at HS so that's why they were there. RCI will either dock at CB or tender...they won't dock at HS per their 10 year contract.

 

We loved docking at HS and visiting the shops there before going into town. Last time we docked at CB there wasn't a ship docked at HS therefore most all the shops there were closed...no reason to shuttle over there when that's the situation.

[Tatka]

1 minute ago, Ashland said:

NCL does dock at HS so that's why they were there. RCI will either dock at CB or tender...they won't dock at HS per their 10 year contract.

 

We loved docking at HS and visiting the shops there before going into town. Last time we docked at CB there wasn't a ship docked at HS therefore most all the shops there were closed...no reason to shuttle over there when that's the situation.

 

 Contract is not about not docking at HS, but about at least 1 ship docking at CB to give their shops business. Ship will not tender if there is a space in either port.

[Ashland]

30 minutes ago, Tatka said:

 

 Contract is not about not docking at HS, but about at least 1 ship docking at CB to give their shops business. Ship will not tender if there is a space in either port.

You seem to be an expert so I won't continue this debate with you !

[Tatka]

27 minutes ago, Ashland said:

You seem to be an expert so I won't continue this debate with you !

 

 I wouldn't call myself an expert, but we do cruise 5-6 times last 5 years, so we are there a lot! We saw RCI ships in Havensight Mall, so it is a possibility if space is available and CB is full

 

https://caribbaconnect.com/st-thomas-virgin-islands/blog/where-does-royal-caribbean-dock-in-st-thomas/

 

"With the amazing activities on your ship and the top excursions in St. Thomas, your Caribbean cruise is sure to be the vacation of a lifetime for you and your family! Please note that while Royal Caribbean ships are typically scheduled to dock at the Crown Bay Cruise Port, the schedule is subject to change without our notice, and your ship could dock at Havensight Mall. You should always check with your cruise line to verify. "

[Ashland]

7 minutes ago, Tatka said:

 

 I wouldn't call myself an expert, but we do cruise 5-6 times last 5 years, so we are there a lot! We saw RCI ships in Havensight Mall, so it is a possibility if space is available and CB is full

 

https://caribbaconnect.com/st-thomas-virgin-islands/blog/where-does-royal-caribbean-dock-in-st-thomas/

 

"With the amazing activities on your ship and the top excursions in St. Thomas, your Caribbean cruise is sure to be the vacation of a lifetime for you and your family! Please note that while Royal Caribbean ships are typically scheduled to dock at the Crown Bay Cruise Port, the schedule is subject to change without our notice, and your ship could dock at Havensight Mall. You should always check with your cruise line to verify. "

We've sailed there a few more times than you and have never seen this happen...but thanks for the info. Hopefully we will at some time when conditions allow dock again at HS.

[Tatka]

On 9/3/2021 at 2:57 PM, Ashland said:

We've sailed there a few more times than you and have never seen this happen...but thanks for the info. Hopefully we will at some time when conditions allow dock again at HS.

You cruise more than 5-6 times a year? Good for you.

Maybe you can explain why port won’t allow ship to dock if space was available. I only saw tendering if it was tendering port or if all docks were taken. 

[Ashland]

42 minutes ago, Tatka said:

You cruise more than 5-6 times a year? Good for you.

Maybe you can explain why port won’t allow ship to dock if space was available. I only saw tendering if it was tendering port or if all docks were taken. 

I may have misunderstood your cruising numbers, but yes, we have cruised more than 5-6 times in the last 5 yrs.if that's what you meant.

I have 7 booked for 2022 and so far only one booked for 2023..just waiting for more of the schedule to open. As far as to why port won't allow if there's space...that's above my level of policy knowledge.

[Tatka]

We cruised 5 a yeah each of 2016-2019 (in 2019 6). Had 1 this year with Celebrity, and 4 more this year and 4 for next year so far with RCI.

 

 There will be several stops in St Thomas with RCI so we should see.

Edited September 7, 2021 by Tatka