As the saying goes... Size matters... Does it?

The brand new Harmony of the Seas (7000 passengers, 2500 crew...) is docked near my house in Rotterdam today. I've almost exclusively sailed small ships in recent years (Azamara, Seabourn), but when I was standing next to Harmony, I couldn't help being impressed and curious about what a cruise on her is like :) Have any of the Azamara regulars on here cruises Oasis or Allure and if so, how was it like? Did you enjoy it?

Floris

I think a better name would be Panic Attack of the Seas :)

Even better

Monstrosity of the Seas!!!!

Wonder how many zip codes and area codes this ship has and do you have to pay long distance charges to phone the other end of the ship??:D:eek::confused:

I'll cruise it when every passenger gets a Segway.

We haven't sailed on anything close to that size, nor have we been tempted to. The pictures and descriptions make it seem like a complete artificial world with no awareness that you are at sea -- sort of like a moveable Disneyland. No thanks. But then, when we violated our "rule" of only sailing on the smallest ship on each line and tried Celebrity Eclipse, we had a great time and really enjoyed the choice of restaurants and activities that only a larger ship can offer. So never say never :)

I'll cruise it when every passenger gets a Segway.

...and a sat nav

We will be on Harmony's maiden on Saturday and have previously had a week on Oasis, Azamara it's not and we do prefer the smaller ships that can reach places that these mega ships will never.

However they serve a purpose, entertainment is usually great, we never use the buffet which is just a bun fight, always try and use the specialty restaurants as the service and food is usually ok. We go just for the experience and for a short cruise it's enjoyable if only to see what there is on offer, but would never consider it for a main holiday.

However they serve a purpose, entertainment is usually great, we never use the buffet which is just a bun fight, always try and use the specialty restaurants as the service and food is usually ok. We go just for the experience and for a short cruise it's enjoyable if only to see what there is on offer, but would never consider it for a main holiday.

Very helpful, thank you!

Hi Everyone,

We've sailed on Oasis, and we're sailing on Allure in 6 weeks. While we prefer ships along Azamara & Celebrity size, we happened to enjoy Oasis very much. Although there were reportedly about 6000 passengers on our sailing, we never at any time felt crowded. We also enjoyed the entertainment, the specialty dining and the Central Park Cafe (and the Kummelweck sandwich) were outstanding. IMO, the MDR left a lot to be desired. When we sail on Allure in July, we plan to visit specialty dining more often.

While I doubt we will make a habit of sailing on the Oasis class, and, ships of this size may not be for everyone... they are outstanding options, especially for families. IMO, it's always nice to try new cruise experiences.

We did a TA on the Allure last October and enjoyed it very much. We stayed in a Crown Loft suite which meant we could eat all of our meals in the suite lounge and sun bathe in the suite sun deck which was very nice. We could also just show up to any show and walk right in with our suite card.

We ate in the MDR twice. The first time was for dinner and the food was so so but the service was excellent. The second time was for lunch and it was ridiculous! The waiter had way too many tables. I actually felt sorry for him.

All of the specialty/pay for restaurants were excellent except for the Mexican food place. The food was good but that is NOT what Texans call Mexican food.

Entertainment was very good.

Overall, we would go on one of the big ships again if we were in a suite with benefits. Being in a non suite and having to stand in line, make reservations to everything, etc., would not appeal to us.

Largest i have been on is Celerity-that is big enough for me. I would do 1000-1500 people but no to a floating city.. how does one get off he ship-you miss the day trying to get off.

Largest i have been on is Celerity-that is big enough for me. I would do 1000-1500 people but no to a floating city.. how does one get off he ship-you miss the day trying to get off.

From what I understand from those who have been on these ships and have sailed on Azamara it is no problem at all, I think I read they had something like 8 tender openings and 16 walk off options. You are advised to use an exit based on your room number.

From what I understand from those who have been on these ships and have sailed on Azamara it is no problem at all, I think I read they had something like 8 tender openings and 16 walk off options. You are advised to use an exit based on your room number.

now that would work.. i have done 12 Princess cruises and I think 9 Celebrity and hated to wait to get a tender when doing a private tour. I love the fact it is so easy to get off a smaller ship.

now that would work.. i have done 12 Princess cruises and I think 9 Celebrity and hated to wait to get a tender when doing a private tour. I love the fact it is so easy to get off a smaller ship.

I don't think the number of cruises you have done impacts on the speed of getting off in a non tender port but maybe you can ask those on Azamara who have done the larger RC ships for an update. I know one person did say it was actually quicker than Azamara.

From what I understand from those who have been on these ships and have sailed on Azamara it is no problem at all, I think I read they had something like 8 tender openings and 16 walk off options. You are advised to use an exit based on your room number.

Thank you! This would have been one of my concerns. It makes sense though that they thought this one through!

While I doubt we will make a habit of sailing on the Oasis class, and, ships of this size may not be for everyone... they are outstanding options, especially for families. IMO, it's always nice to try new cruise experiences.

Thanks Andy; I really appreciate the detailed response. I see how cruising with a larger group of younger family members might work well on Harmony - something for everyone!

I don't think the number of cruises you have done impacts on the speed of getting off in a non tender port but maybe you can ask those on Azamara who have done the larger RC ships for an update. I know one person did say it was actually quicker than Azamara.

Think I was talking tender ports. I had to get tender tickets to get off a ship. Never had a problem if docked on any cruise line. I do remember reading that he had no problem getting off. My concern was right after docking not later in day But as of now not planning on large ships in the next few years.

Largest i have been on is Celerity-that is big enough for me. ----- How does one get off he ship-you miss the day trying to get off.

Exactly- with 6000+ passengers it's the stuff of nightmares!:eek:

But if they have plenty of exit doors available---????

Besides the flood of people trying to get off the ship, I also have concerns regarding the impact of thousands of people on a port. Would one be coping with swarms of people competing to buy lunch? Lines and lines of motor coaches waiting to pick up PAX for tours? I don't think I would ever choose a huge ship...but one friend on board AZ complimented the entertainment on the mega-ships. He said the big shows are Broadway-class.

Mega ships such as Harmony need a different sort of organisation and technology seems to be used to the max. We have already completed our check in online including submitting our security photo we can also select a check in appointment time. When we arrive at the dock a roaming agent armed with a tablet computer will check the document we have printed and our passports it's then through security and onto the ship our cruise cards will be in an envelope outside our cabin. Last month on Ovation of the Seas from arrival to being onboard was about 15 minutes, there is still a conventional check in for those without the technology available.

As regards lines to book thing online that's a thing of the past, we have booked online for all of the entertainment and our anytime dining, only thing we haven't been able to book is the speciality dining because we have purchased a package, if it was done individually we could have done that as well.

We have the Royal IQ app on our iPads once logged in onboard, and it's free, we can check our itinerary and make and amend all our onboard bookings.

As regards tendering they have a simple solution- they don't! the ship only goes to ports it can dock in, but I would agree tendering on the 3000 passengers ships is not the best experience.

Not trying to make it sound like a bed of roses and we are much happier on small ships in out of the way ports, but for young families and those looking for a more energetic cruise it's a good introduction to cruising and maybe they are the Azamara customers of the future.

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it's a good introduction to cruising and maybe they are the Azamara customers of the future.

Excellent point and great discussion. I know we started our cruising career on Royal Caribbean, albeit on some of their smaller ships, before moving up to HAL and Celebrity, and are now looking forward to our first Azamara cruise. The largest ships we've been on are Celebrity's S class and the smallest is HAL's Veendam. Our favorite class has been Celebrity's M class. I find that our travel preferences have evolved over time and I suspect that is true of most. We learn a bit more about ourselves, we get more time off from work, our financial situations change (hopefully for the better), and so on. From everything we've read from all you wonderful AZ regulars, we believe we will fall in love with AZ from the moment we set foot on Quest in New Orleans this fall.

As others have indicated, for us all bets are off when traveling with family, but when its just the two of us our rule is "if it has a water slide, avoid it':D

I would like to experience sailing on Harmony or Oasis just to see what it's like - I'd look at it as a new sort of 'adventure' ;)

But I probably would only cruise to places I had already visited, thinking that I would spend more time aboard. I would make this sort of holiday/cruise about the ship and enjoying what facilities it had to offer & hopefully getting my monies worth, instead of the destination focus that I so enjoy with Azamara.:D

I would like to experience sailing on Harmony or Oasis just to see what it's like - I'd look at it as a new sort of 'adventure' ;)

But I probably would only cruise to places I had already visited, thinking that I would spend more time aboard. I would make this sort of holiday/cruise about the ship and enjoying what facilities it had to offer & hopefully getting my monies worth, instead of the destination focus that I so enjoy with Azamara.:D

I agree with you wangeling gal. The mega-ships serve as a destination unto themselves.

It is what makes them ideal for families with kids or big family reunions...

We have sailed on Oasis and Allure. I didn't really enjoy our week on Allure, since she has so much to offer that I felt worn out by the end trying to do too much, but very much enjoyed our experience on Oasis. You'll see why if you keep reading this post.;)

Unlike Host Andy, I find the ships to be very crowded at certain times (which can be true on smaller ships as well), and there were certain areas I avoided altogether - I loathe the Royal Promenade and so avoid it unless I have to traverse it to get from one end of the ship to the other or there's a show/restaurant that I'm going to. Or if I need to visit Guest Services.

We had a nice JS on Allure, but I always felt surrounded by other people coming and going and the cabin itself didn't offer a lot in the way of perks (our Pinnacle Club status got us some great ones, though, including access to the then-Concierge Lounge). The passageways seemed extra narrow, there was always somebody or something blocking the hall and it was the only place we enjoyed hanging out that gave us a view of the ocean other than the Viking Crown Lounge, which is now closed to all non-suite or Pinnacle Club members.

So I found the solution on Oasis - booked us a Crown Loft Suite (It was Don's retirement party/Medicare birthday cruise) on Deck 17. One doesn't actually ever have to come down from there - B,L & D are served in Coastal Kitchen, the suite lounge is located up there and the little apartment was a very cozy home away from home. Don loves the ships because they dazzle his Navy mind, so our deal is that we can go if we book a CLS, which is comparably priced to a Club Continent suite on many Azamara ships and oh, so much nicer.

My favorite way to spend an evening on either ship is in Central Park - once it's dark, you can't see the ocean any more, and the park takes on a little magic of its own. Every now and then there's some annoyance like a Dreamworks character wanting to take a picture, but I avoid making eye contact (much like in the real Central Park, LOL) and they move on. There are very good specialty restaurants and Vintages wine bar, which make spending a couple of hours there a real pleasure.

We don't go to the MDR at all on those ships. We found that the service was terrible on Oasis - the waiters were excellent, but spread too thin, our table for 2 got overlooked in favor of several large tables and the food just wasn't good enough to justify a return. And with Coastal Kitchen available to us, there's no reason.

The entertainment is first rate - the diving show is incredible the ice shows are good, the Broadway-style productions are very, very good (even if Cats isn't your thing, you have to admire the production itself).

But the ships don't go anywhere that I'm interested in seeing again - they don't tender, can't sail up the Yangtze River the way Quest or Journey can, and certain small ports would indeed be overwhelmed by the sheer number of passengers. In most Caribbean ports, it's easy and quick to get off the ship - there's an escalator to take one down to the gangway, there are usually three gangways open and the entire process is smooth as silk. They have embarkation down to a tee, as well (disembarkation can be a cluster, but that can happen on any ship of any size, since so much depends on the port authority).

If I were doing a TA with limited ports and a lot of sea days, I need something bigger with more entertainment options than Azamara offers - I got a little stir crazy with three sea days in a row on Quest. My preference is something along the size of a Radiance (Millennium on X) class ship where I can get to know a few of the crew along the way. But I'll be interested to see how Ovation fare in the Australian market - she's a little smaller than Beast, Blunder and Boo-Boo of the Seas (our non-winning entries in the naming contest, although we've come to eat those words), but will likely have itineraries that appeal. I'm not sure it would be worth paying what I'm sure will be a premium price if I'm going to be knocking around in port most days, though.

That's my stream of consciousness for the day.:)

We sailed Oasis several years ago and will do so again this holiday season (good option to get the whole family together). Honestly, there were less lines on this ship than any Celebrity I have been on. The ONLY time it was busy was right after the safety drill when everyone was trying to get out of their meeting points at the same time. Getting on and off was no problem with multiple exits (I don't believe they go anywhere they have to tender). We pre-booked all of our shows, so there was never a line or wait to get into any of them. People are so spread out that it is never a problem. Yes, it is big, but really a fun option.