Just returned from Oasis in Med

[West Windsor girl]

We just returned fro the Oasis in Barcelona. It was a family cruise with three grand suites. Everyone from ages 6 to 80’s had a great time. The Coastal Kitchen and suite lounge was terrific. With 6000 passengers, the lounge and Coastal Kitchen was a delightful quiet spot. All the staff on the Oasis were excellent, but the staff in the suite lounge were truly outstanding. We have done 54 cruises and RCL is tops for families. The food isn’t as good as Crystal and Oceanea but is very good (better than our recent Silversea). The activities on board keep everyone happy. I was a little nervous about a 6000 passenger ship, but RCL handles everything remarkably well. 

[laura85]

Thanks for the info! I’ll be on Oasis for the first time in January, it sounds like they are doing a good job of keeping this older ship up to par! 

[Another_Critic]

20 minutes ago, laura85 said:

Thanks for the info! I’ll be on Oasis for the first time in January, it sounds like they are doing a good job of keeping this older ship up to par! 

Oasis will go to dry dock before returning to the US in early November, so it should be in good shape for you.

[DigiPro]

54 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

Oasis will go to dry dock before returning to the US in early November, so it should be in good shape for you.

That’s good to know because we sail on her at the end of November!

[Mimiya11]

Was this an inter-porting cruise?  We are going on the Oasis in August boarding in Rome. 

Still wondering about the boarding logistics and numbers on the ship if some board in Rome and others in Barcelona a few days later?   I have visions of a mad house  ?     

[Airbear232]

12 hours ago, West Windsor girl said:

We just returned fro the Oasis in Barcelona. It was a family cruise with three grand suites. Everyone from ages 6 to 80’s had a great time. The Coastal Kitchen and suite lounge was terrific. With 6000 passengers, the lounge and Coastal Kitchen was a delightful quiet spot. All the staff on the Oasis were excellent, but the staff in the suite lounge were truly outstanding. We have done 54 cruises and RCL is tops for families. The food isn’t as good as Crystal and Oceanea but is very good (better than our recent Silversea). The activities on board keep everyone happy. I was a little nervous about a 6000 passenger ship, but RCL handles everything remarkably well. 

We love Oasis class ships.  On Med cruises, we don't get to really enjoy the ship fully as we're go go go on port days.  Completely agree with you on the food.  Glad you had a great time.  I hope all of the Oasis class ships are around for many years to come.

[West Windsor girl]

Boarding in Barcelona was easy. Some people got on in Rome and it was handled with no glitched. Boarding on the Oasis was easier than any ship we have ever sailed on, including luxury lines like Chrystal, Silversea and Seabourne.

[PACrew]

RCCL really nailed the design of Oasis class ships. They are great at moving people around and not feeling overcrowded. 

[PhillyFan33579]

14 hours ago, West Windsor girl said:

We just returned fro the Oasis in Barcelona. It was a family cruise with three grand suites. Everyone from ages 6 to 80’s had a great time. The Coastal Kitchen and suite lounge was terrific. With 6000 passengers, the lounge and Coastal Kitchen was a delightful quiet spot. All the staff on the Oasis were excellent, but the staff in the suite lounge were truly outstanding. We have done 54 cruises and RCL is tops for families. The food isn’t as good as Crystal and Oceanea but is very good (better than our recent Silversea). The activities on board keep everyone happy. I was a little nervous about a 6000 passenger ship, but RCL handles everything remarkably well. 

Interesting that you found food on RCI better than Silversea. I have never cruised on Silversea, but I assumed it would have the best food of the cruise lines under the RCG umbrella (I frequently cruise on RCI and Celebrity). 

[Mimiya11]

1 hour ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Interesting that you found food on RCI better than Silversea. I have never cruised on Silversea, but I assumed it would have the best food of the cruise lines under the RCG umbrella (I frequently cruise on RCI and Celebrity). 

Interesting to me too.  We have only been on RCI once on the Allure years ago.   Loved the ship but found the dining room food average to below average so ended up eating in various other venues for the rest of the week.   No matter as we suspect our best eating will be in all the various ports.   

[RobInMN]

7 hours ago, Mimiya11 said:

Was this an inter-porting cruise?  We are going on the Oasis in August boarding in Rome. 

Still wondering about the boarding logistics and numbers on the ship if some board in Rome and others in Barcelona a few days later?   I have visions of a mad house  ?     

We did this from Rome in 2018. No issues boarding or anything like that. I imagine that most people on excursions were long gone before we could board. When we went out on our Barcelona excursion and came back, I don't recall even really noticing that for 2/3 of the ship it was turn-a-round day.

I think it was about 1/3 Rome, 2/3 Barcelona. Rome people had Orange SeaPass cards. The only real issue at that time (and while better, might still be a minor issue?) was the app as you are doing the back half of one cruise and the front half of the next. The "Sail Away" party ends up being on your day 4 or something (when ever Barcelona is).

 

[Mimiya11]

18 hours ago, RobInMN said:

The only real issue at that time (and while better, might still be a minor issue?) was the app as you are doing the back half of one cruise and the front half of the next. The "Sail Away" party ends up being on your day 4 or something (when ever Barcelona is).

 

Yes that is our concern as we are a group of 15 wanting to book shows as soon as they are posted 

[RobInMN]

3 minutes ago, Mimiya11 said:

Yes that is our concern as we are a group of 15 wanting to book shows as soon as they are posted 

Our experience as 2 people in 2018 (not an issue at all) would not be comparable to a group of 15 today. I'd suggest looking at the roll calls of recent to soon Oasis sailings from Rome and see if this has come up or maybe even post a question asking them.

[Mimiya11]

On 6/12/2024 at 11:00 AM, Mimiya11 said:

Yes that is our concern as we are a group of 15 wanting to book shows as soon as they are posted 

After raising my concern about booking shows for our  August 8th Oasis cruise, .needless to say what a surprise I had yesterday when not only did RCI open up for Check in (we board in Rome, while Barcelona a few days later is considered Day1) but show reservation booking was also available.   This was a real surprise as we are well over a month away. 

Regardless, happy that all 15 of us got the shows, dates and times we wanted.    Heads up though, it was a lot easier to book the shows on the computer than the RCI app for a large linked group.  

[Oceansaway17]

On 6/11/2024 at 9:06 AM, Mimiya11 said:

Was this an inter-porting cruise?  We are going on the Oasis in August boarding in Rome. 

Still wondering about the boarding logistics and numbers on the ship if some board in Rome and others in Barcelona a few days later?   I have visions of a mad house  ?     

I agree I never understood why they started this.  

[Oceansaway17]

On 6/11/2024 at 11:28 AM, PACrew said:

RCCL really nailed the design of Oasis class ships. They are great at moving people around and not feeling overcrowded. 

I felt the same way about ICON with exception of water parks.   

[PACrew]

6 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

I felt the same way about ICON with exception of water parks.   

IMO, ICON doesnt have enough pools for its size. 

[Oceansaway17]

23 hours ago, PACrew said:

IMO, ICON doesnt have enough pools for its size. 

oh yes agree and having issues everyday with half of them being closed for cleaning.

the pools are scattered and small.  I do not feel kids should be in the swim up bar pool and reading lots of issues with that too.

[TheHawk1]

I did this Med itinerary two years in a row, first on Wonder then last year on Symphony.  Loved it both times. I think this class is the perfect size ship, except when it comes to port access.  I wish RCI could find some other ports in that part of the world that would allow them to dock Oasis ships at, because the route they have now would become too repetitive to cruise more than a couple times.