CruisingMomma88

Just now, John&LaLa said:

We sail in 10 days. I'll post while on the ship. Good or Bad

Have a blast. She's a gorgeous ship. Looking forward to your review.

2 hours ago, GMoney said:

Not really

Really? Maybe you should read it again? Or better yet.....move along. 🙂

It really amazes me that there is so much snarkiness on this board. I now recall why I hadn't posted in years. 

I thought it would be interesting to review this way just for fun. To intimate that I did not enjoy my cruise is presumptuous. 

If you have nothing better to do than comment on my posting this, then move along. No one needs snarkiness and you're taking up space. 

6 hours ago, mugtech said:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

Oh? Do tell.

I was hoping to get an idea as the what (those who sailed that week) thought. I don't want to create any bias by posting my thoughts first. Hope that makes sense. 

🙂

We sailed. Share your thoughts, experience and overall vacation?

On 12/7/2019 at 4:11 PM, LisaDee said:

I’ll be in this cabin sailing on Dec 29th!  I am also concerned about noise and always avoid decks below public areas but we wanted 3 Junior Suites in a row and this was our only option.  I read on one of the threads that they added more sound protection to this deck as part of the recent dry dock but would love to hear from recent cruisers.  I’ll bring earplugs and look into the white noise app idea.

 

What date do you sail?

Hey there...you're on now and I'm hoping you'll have better luck than we did. The noise is pretty noticable in that cabin IMO. We still managed to have a great time but I wouldn't pick this as a priority next cruise. Hopefully they left the lovely Green room divider curtain for you. 🙂 We requested it and they were great about it. If Tyron is the room attendant then you'll be pleased. He's quite nice and makes great towel creatures! Enjoy.

So frustrating! DH spoke to RCCL agent directly for 2 hours+ and they insisted that Pullman was guaranteed even though we had to go with them choosing our cabin due (guaranteed JS) to late booking. Apparently that was the only option available. So we get the cabin number today and here we are. Grrrr....ship is full too from what we've been told. Anyone make a suggestion? Worth it to call and see? 

6 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

How about a ship name?

Doh! That would help! Oasis

Hey all

Back with a question about Oasis JS 14626. I've searched and only found stock photos and was hoping someone might have photos and/or videos? It doesn't say that there is a Pullman available which would be disappointing but sometimes there is one and it's not listed? *She asks fingers crossed*

I've read it's below the pool area which can be very noisy. Yes? 

1 hour ago, Neeny12 said:

The CD is someone called Bobby as per the Cruise Planner.

Thanks- didn't see a cruise planner. 

I must've missed it but was the CD mentioned as Drew Divine? Of not, who will be there until the end of the year?

6 hours ago, brillohead said:

Good to know... Pullmans are getting so rare in rooms these days.

Hopefully the OP gets the desired room and not an "upgrade" away from the J3.

Thank you!

I hope so too. 

2 hours ago, uvadover said:

Which makes you a bad candidate for a guarantee stateroom.  Does the savings really justify the risk of a cabin that doesn't meet your specific needs?

I don't recall saying anything about savings...

It was the only option available as we are very close to sail date.

2 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

What ship?

Oops...that would help 🙂

Oasis

We have booked a J3 Jr Suite guaranteed and have no idea (of course) where or what deck. Agent said they all have double bed, sofa bed and 1 Pullman. We are most concerned that it MUST have the Pullman. We are four people but must have the three sleeping spaces. Anyone know for sure?

Forgot to add that there was one thing that really irked us. Every single day there were multiple people walking around PUSHING the paid restaurants, spa and drink package. Literally felt like we were being accosted. We were eating in the MDR and they came around to push the other restaurants! Oh, my favourite was when our MDR attendant/server asked if we had been for the tour and proceeded to try and sell us. But he quickly realized that we weren't interested. He said later that he needs to do his job and make sure. I get it but holy cow it was annoying. 

3 hours ago, mitz18 said:

 

Every buffet is the same, unfo.  There should be two entrances and sides should be separated - one side for "rude idiots" and one side for "relaxed & courteous individuals"! BTW - In ref to your comment about bun grabbing, was that at the buffet or bar!😁

 

Hahahahah that made me chuckle. Yes, I've seen this type of gross behavior at most buffet/bulk food places. 

Forgot to add that there was one thing that really irked us. Every single day there were multiple people walking around PUSHING the paid restaurants, spa and drink package. Literally felt like we were being accosted. We were eating in the MDR and they came around to push the other restaurants! Oh, my favourite was when our MDR attendant/server asked if we had been for the tour and proceeded to try and sell us. But he quickly realized that we weren't interested. He said later that he needs to do his job and make sure. I get it but holy cow it was annoying. 

It's a little late. I'm not interested in arguments, debates and/or nastiness in response to the following. Which is of MY opinion. 

Sailed August 25th from San Juan. Had wonderful weather and we were very lucky. This was our third time on this old lady. 

Yes, she is in need of the upcoming dry dock for certain. I'm not a picky petunia so although it didn't bother me, I definitely noticed LOTS of things. Should I mention them all? What purpose would that serve though? To potentially deter future passengers? Nah....I'm not going there. If she wasn't heading for dry dock I may feel differently. So if you're expecting the freshest of new ships (until after her refresh) then maybe wait. 

Entertainment was really very good. Skipped the ice show because we feel it's the same stuff just different stories. The two main shows were excellent and there was a good deal of movement on the ship but you'd never know it. Dancers and singers all on point. 

MDR food. I. Not. A. Foodie. I guess that says enough? Food was good. Desserts were either awesome or meh. Service, however, was EXCELLENT. We did feel a little rushed but we were taken care of in every detail. Our favorite foods and drinks remembered each night. Our teenage daughter got special attention and a "doggie bag/plate" with her favorite goodie every night. I will add names later because they slip my old lady brain at the moment. 

Windjammer....oh dear. Ok, buffet....oh dear. Personally it is everything you'd expect from a buffet. Not much else to say. Food is fine. You can find something to eat. The people acted (not all obviously) like complete swine. How? Let's say that there were fingers in some foods when tongs were needed. How about taking a bun with your hand, squeezing to see if it is fresh, deciding it isn't and putting it back?! Or coughing in your hand and then taking a serving piece in said hand to serve yourself?! The mountains of food on some plates put me off more than once. The attendants clear plates, offer water etc and are very good. I heard some passengers being so rude. Say thank you, please and be kind! Period. 

We ate at the Italian restaurant once and it was only because our TA paid....lol. It was delicious and the service was WAY above. My husband asked to have very slow pacing so we could enjoy each other's company. It was amazing. 

Some things I noticed were complaints about the paper straws which have replaced the turtle killing plastic type....it's a joke, get over yourself. Anywayyyyy....the straw definitely doesn't work well after a few sips. I do have a solution though. Screw the straw and suck it back baby. Or bring your own damn straw and stop complaining. Save the turtles. 🙂

Drink package was worth it. Period. Love that you don't have to sign anymore and feel strange about leaving or not leaving an additional tip on top of the obligatory included tip. Now the server apparently gets a tip or something with each drink served. 

We cruise because we took our first one 12 years ago and haven't vacationed on dry land since. I love the water, the balcony, the shows and stuffing myself with pizza at Sorrento's. By the way, it's thin crust now and it's delish!! 

I also love to dance and found the music very much catered for the crowd which was primarily from San Juan or nearby. Lots of Latin music and upbeat tempos. Was fun but after the second day I was really looking for more variety. Previously we've loved more Caribbean vibe. Can't get enough Bob Marley IMO. 

My thumbs are tired and fat so I'll leave it there. Ask away if you have questions. But let me say that I do NOT have copies of menus, compasses or stuff like that. 

We were on the same week as you and after reading your review I think I agreed on almost all points! Check my post because I also felt the staff were not happy. We didn't feel the crowds as much as it seems you may have. I felt it was hot and filled with too many obnoxious people in the Solarium. But like my post said, turning up the volume on my mp3 works. The people oh the people.....the "chunks and lumps" as I call them. I'm far from a 10 and I cover up as much as I can. I wear shorts over my bathing suit and I'm still not exactly comfortable. I absolutely LOVE looking at the "chunks and lumps" and I say that lovingly. I find people who squeeze their bits into strong bikinis inspiring. The squishy, jiggling parts make me smile. I wish I could find that self love or is it oblivion? Either way....love it.

Thanks for your review. Being a Canadian....we are definitely polite and fun!

Oh, we also found rude people on this cruise too. I didn't notice it in terms of race or culture but just piggish people who clearly didn't care about others. It's very hard for me to keep my cool and I did. Except once when I told a woman and three children that they were being loud and that it wasn't very observant or polite of her to sit and play cards loudly in the central park cafe when there were people waiting for tables. ;) Her answer....just as obnoxious as her behaviour.

We also sailed August 29th and as I previously posted on my own thread started, there is something "lacking". It was 'only' our third cruise but there was a definite difference. We noted that there was a change in the enthusiasm, music variety and overall exciting things to do. We are pushing 50 but feel that things sort of " fizzled" after 9-10 other than the nightclub which we found monotonous. It likely won't stop us from trying one of the new ships in future if things work out but the draw of accumulated points is hard to let go. We won't need much more to move up from gold but I guess consideration for that value and going elsewhere is the question.

Thank you for your honesty and I wish you happy sailing in future, wherever that may be.

You stated the movement was NOTHING compared to Freedom, which makes me a bit nervous. :p how bad is movement on the Freedom?

No no....not to worry. I meant that I'm super sensitive to movement and could feel it on Freedom. Literally felt nothing most of the time on Oasis. We did have some really bad weather on Freedom and it was noticed. Are you worried because youre senssitive to it?

I did a review that was supposed to be short but ended up wayyyyy too long. Wondering if anyone was on this sailing and wanted to share some thoughts?

Nice review. I am sure there are a bunch of parents/grandparents who want to know what the teens did in the teen club. Perhaps your kids could tell everyone on here.

 

To help them out. Who were the Teen Club leaders for them. Did they do anything ie Rock Wall Challenge. Boogie board lessons. Have a movie night or pizza night?

Wish I could answer but the kids are teenagers and we didn't really get info on the leaders as the kids sort of met and hung out with the kids in the group. They did the flow riders one night but mine didn't go. My younger one said that the leaders were really relaxed and sometimes weren't reay around. Not sure how true that is but for my kids it was more about meeting people rather than the planned activities. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Sailed August 29-Sept 5.

Hello all - first let me say that I appreciate all of your handy hints/feedback prior to this spectacular trip. Below is a very brief summary of MY/OUR experience and I'm neither looking for a debate nor am I looking for snarky comments so please take them somewhere else. :) Everyone has the right to their own opinions and these are my accounts and I welcome any questions that you may have of course and I will do my best to answer. I may have some pics to post later on but no promises.

History: DH/DD/DS sailed Freedom twice prior.

Getting on/off: Not a problem and considering it was at full capacity (which we found hard to believe given many situations which I will mention later) we didn't wait very long at all. Most annoying part are, IMO, those that behave as though they are more important and standing in a long line to exit is beneath them. Bah...they didn't get very far anyway and in the end we all get off anyway. Found it very organized in both circumstances and when you have thousands of people it should be expected that you can't get out like you're in a grocery store.

Movement of the ship: Almost non-existent and I'm super sensitive to it. Yes, I felt some movement but NOTHING compared to what I've experienced on the Freedom. We have some stormy weather on the first two nights and it was evident that on a smaller ship it would have been "rockin' and rollin'" but all was good.

Food (dining room): I'm not a "foody" and could be happy eating bread and butter for dinner sadly but I did find the food pretty good. Dining room was fine and our server was "Vita" and she was very lovely and friendly. She seemed VERY busy and although so sweet and friendly, she never did stop to talk about her 'history' or ask us questions. She seemed to be running more tables than usual and the head waiter never visited our table. We attended both formal nights and as others have posted, we saw MANY that were not dressed anywhere near appropriately. IMO, if you're going to make it a 'rule' albeit a loose one it should be enforced that t-shirts/shorts shouldn't be allowed on those nights. We didn't pay much attention but certainly noted that this seemed much more relaxed.

Windjammer: not much to say...it's always the same. More people there and given that you can load your plate and stuff yourself silly, we tried to avoid this. The food is predictable and I'm not knocking it because it is typically what you would find I guess.

Sabor: Yummy and worth the little extra charge. I don't eat the Guacamole but DH/DS LOVED it. If you like Mexican food you need to get to that spot. Not busy AT ALL.

Johnny Rockets: Same as always really. Good food, milkshakes yummy and consistent. Only at burgers there so not breakfast etc.

Central Park Cafe': my fav for sure. Salads were great and DH loved the famous roast beef sandwiches that everyone mentions. Only busy a few times but not overwhelming at all.

Crowds/Kids: There were reportedly 1000 children on board and we never really felt that. Truth is that we found it more obnoxious and loud in the Solarium than any other pool area. The general pools were very busy and it was though it was a "sea of heads" but the Solarium hot tubs/pool was so obnoxious that we actually got out on two occasions. Noticed LOTS of drinking but no one getting out of the pool for long periods of time. Hmmm...hope that the chemicals take care of what I believe to be a "urine situation"...LOL. Gross. Even saw a couple eating ice cream (it is yogurt btw) in the pool. Lovely.

Chairs and hogs: NO SHORTAGE OF CHAIRS!!!! Yes, you read that correctly. Sure, there are spots that seem ideal and it is almost unlikely to get in there but there were plenty of nice spots to sit and relax with no issues. The wicker chairs were usually taken but DH was able to snag one on two occasions but I couldn't sit there. I don't really get why they keep so much glass enclosure in the Solarium area. I felt as though I was cooking from the inside out when I was there. I couldn't enjoy the wicker chairs at all sadly. I usually stayed on the upper deck there along the side which was above the hot tub. Again, full blast on my mp3 to drown out the obnoxious ADULTS yucking it up without regard for others. Still very enjoyable to lay out and soak in the warmth of the sun. Plenty of shade too and DH definitely got some snooze time in.

Now this next part may or may not be what you've experienced and again this is MY opinion. DH and I both found that the "Wow" factor has declined since our last visit on Freedom 3 years ago. The staff seemed unenthusiastic and some even seemed unhappy. Not rude but just generally 'blah' and most of the time it was hard to even find anyone walking around taking drink orders. We NEVER found anyone walking around offering the drink of the day etc. Room attendant, Renardo, was very nice and friendly but again it wasn't anything like we had experienced. I will elaborate a little more on our thoughts below.

Shows:

Cats- stepped in during the first 10-15 minutes after it started and were totally saddened because a) the doors were open and the noise from outside was ridiculous. b)people were SO disrespectful and walked in (as we did) but did so without any regard and talked at full volume. c) the 10 minutes we stayed there was no dialogue and I must say it was very odd. The dancing was beautiful and the costumes great but it felt twilight zone-ish to us. We felt terrible that so much effort seems to be made to make things look so beautiful but the vast majority (from what we saw and have read here) don't like it. We entered and exited respectfully and really felt sad about it. Such talent there but I concur with those who feel it isn't appropriate for a cruise.

Come Fly with Me: Cheese ball as cheddar BUT incredibly appealing in terms of talented singers and acrobatics. The couple that does the hoop/scarf work is nothing short of spectacular. I cringed a few times watching as he balanced her body high above the ground with minimal contact. The songs are covers and when I say "cheese ball" I'm referring to that part. But it's a cruise ship production and I'm not expecting Les Miz. I was not disappointed at all and loved it.

Ice Show: didn't go

Headliner: didn't go

Comedy (G-rated): very funny and we only caught the last 20 mins. Same show for the adults was hysterical! Loved it but most of the material is based on the cruise ship references so it's something everyone relates to I think. If you are easily offended don't go

Oasis of Dreams: again, a lot of "arm swaying/time wasting" but wow the diving is incredible. The super high dive didn't happen because at the exact moment they were ready to go, there was an "alpha alpha" for some other area and I guess the divers didn't take a chance.

Candy Store: Because the gummies/chocolate don't flow from the machines it requires the staff to 'assist' and it takes time. If you are waiting be patient because it takes forever. The first two times I had a craving I didn't wait long and the person assisting was nice. The third time there was a girl with short black hair that was absolutely rude. I reached for a bag and she literally ran away from a couple she was helping to say, "no no miss you cannot touch that yourself" and grabbed my bag and threw it away. I walked out and decided it was a sign that I didn't need the candy anyway. :) She was also not deserving of my business IMO. It's not cheap either but again, cruiseship.

Ice Cream/Cupcakes: DD did the class and loved it. Made a nice cupcake and although it's costly she enjoyed herself and we suck it up. Ben and Jerry prices comparable to what we would have at home. Only enjoyed a cone once. Too stuffed most of the time anyway.

Side note: may have been related to the "alpha alpha" or not but we had to make a stop in Cayman as someone had a medical emergency but we still made it on time to Cozumel and into port on time. There were 3 "alpha alphas" sadly but we aren't sure of the exact situations. We did speak with a lovely couple from Miami that we ran into again a day later only to find her sitting in a wheelchair in a leg cast! She had stepped down from the merry-go-round and said that the steps were uneven and she broke her foot. Not fun. She seemed to take it in stride which was impressive.

Balcony Cabin: No smokers and virtually no one on their balconies much of the time. It was VERY VERY hot without much breeze and we were not comfortable much of the time ourselves (deck 10-port side). We had stayed on the other side previously and felt the difference in view and weather for sure. No sunrise/sunset either but no complaints just what we experienced. We found that people are very very inconsiderate when it comes to noise. Opening and closing a cabin door without holding it allows it to slam shut which literally rattles the wall. Closet doors are the same. 2am and a neighbor who didn't seem to care was irritating. It's not that hard to hold the door until it closes and I admit that I was passive aggressive when I exited my cabin and made a comment like, "see I'm holding my door so it doesn't slam and bother others right honey?!" but maybe that wasn't the way to go. Oh well.

It was clean for the most part and Renardo didn't seem fazed by the fact that our schedule was unpredictable given that our teenagers slept and we didn't have a set time leaving or returning to the cabin. He cleaned it and made the beds whenever he could and we had towel animals 3 times during the week which again was a change for us. No real complaints about the cleanliness. We had a Pullman bed and the only complaint there would be the squeaking of the metal if my DD moved even slightly. It often vibrated and although not a big deal for her it woke me a few times. They put the foam on the pull out couch and my 6'4 "baby boy" was fine although he had to curl up so his feet didn't hang off. It was comfortable for him in comparison to the Freedom when they only put a comforter down instead of foam. Our bed had the egg crate topper and was equally comfortable. We slept very well. Bed was beside the closet and the only downside for us was that we didn't utilize our balcony because the loud door opening/closing would have been woke the kids. It is tight to get in and out. It was HOT in our room and yes, we did keep the door locked at all times. We mentioned it to Renardo but as I mentioned to my DH, they've heard it before I'm sure. No real cool air except in the late night and early morning. The sun was likely part of it even though we kept our blinds closed which was not the greatest as I love to see outside. DH spent $99 to use the spa facilities for a steam/sauna/heated bed and shower for the week. 4 people getting ready in a hot room where hot showers are preferred is NOT good for the hair do. LOL. It worked well although it bothered me to spend the money although he loved it. I brought the over the door holder and found it the best to use. Plenty of room for stuff. Again the 6'4 teenage found it hard to wash up without making a pool but washcloths are plentiful to clean up. Toilet didn't flush on two occasions but it was fixed very quickly. No complaints

Stinky/PU/yuck: There is a rank smell a few times that we noticed in certain areas of the ship but mostly when docked. Could be gas? Could be septic? Don't know. Some people made a huge "production" and walked around complaining and being dramatic and covering their faces etc. Get over it people. Sure, it's not pleasant but it wasn't for the entire cruise.

So now for the "wow" factor. We thought it could be related to the grats being automatic now? But as I mentioned, there was literally no personal touches this time. Yes, the last time the "bingo bingo bingo" because a nuisance and the drink of the day push was also annoying at times but this time it was as though staff weren't even interested. We did leave a little extra even though the 18% was included but not often because some of the servers acted as though they were doing us a favour in getting a drink. DH had the drink package and we didn't abuse it. I did sip a few tastes every now and then but he found it well worth it. I paid for my own drinks when I wanted them. I will not lie and say that we didn't share water sometimes as the bottled water was included. The drinks were seemingly less potent as well and the variety seemed lacking but that doesn't make or break a trip for us. Not sure if we liked the laid back attitude or not but it is what it is. We did, however, hear many of the Pinnacle/Emerald/Diamond members talking about the perks and the lack thereof. Made no difference to us in that respect of course. Interested to hear what others feel in this regard.

Overall the ship is gorgeous. There is plenty to do but I have to say that virtually everything seemed to close down at 10pm with the exception of Sorrentos and a few things. It was a little strange to us given the size of the ship. We didn't find that there was anything we missed and on one night we looked at each other and said, "what now". The nightclub is fun but although the DJ says he takes requests, he plays the same set and I know this because I knew what song was coming before it was to be played. Still fun to dance with the range in age and appearance of the guests. Fun to be a spectator too.

Quest: Lame lame lame. The captains had 'helpers' from Drew's team and ours actually told the captains what was coming next so they could prepare. Drew is funny but I could tell that he basically follows the same type of loose script as we recalled the "bra on the head/Mickey Mouse" reference from a few years ago. I guess for those that haven't been prior it is funny. It lacked that risqué factor this time.

Drew/Hugo: Didn't see or hear from them unless we attended a dance/show. We didn't feel connected at all. Could've been the size of the ship? Not sure. No complaints but DH said that if Drew is on our next cruise we will take shots every time he says, "amazing" and are likely to be drunk/broke. He needs a new adjective. Everything is "AMAZING" and we laughed. He's a nice guy and the fact that he's Canadian is great too. :)

Haiti: did the beach and it was lovely. Hot hot hot. No pushing to buy things like it used to be. Not a bad thing.

Labadee: Dophin Cove and climbed the falls. "Amazing" :)

Cozumel: Too hot for us to do too much really. Kids were NOT enthusiastic about shopping so we took a cab downtown and walked around. Found a couple of goodies to take for friends but no real bargains. Shop owners beckoning becomes a little overwhelming but we say "hello and no thank you" often. They are pushy pushy in the jewelry stores. We understand that this is how they earn their living so not much else to say. Didn't eat anywhere this time. We did buy the "name bracelets" that are made from string as we have nieces/nephews with 'oddly' spelled names. She said "ready in 20 minutes" although it took well over an hour which wasn't nice considering the moods of our teenagers.

Teen club: Kids LOVED being able to come and go and we rarely saw them. DS "fell in love" with a girl from Venezuela and was really heartbroken for the first time in his life to leave her. So cute and sad for him. As a parent of a very kind hearted 16 year old boy, we don't discount his feelings and basically just nodded and said we understood that it must be hard to leave. Poor kid but we were almost glad because it was testament to the great time he had. He made lots of friends as well. DD isn't as social but still found a way to stay out and enjoy the activities. I parked my "helicopter" and let her come and go with only a few check ins. I secretly worried plenty but I'm very proud of myself for letting her go.

Handy hints for novice cruisers that hopefully you will find helpful:

- yes walls are magnetic! woo hoo! I brought clip magnets and white erase boards that are actually paper. Found them at a craft store and you can get a few sheets that are the size of paper. We hung one for the kids and for us. We did check ins and plans this way. Worked so well. Did it inside the cabin though. Bring an extra two clips for a pen and Kleenex to erase the boards. Best thing EVER for us this time. We did sticky paper last time and it never stayed and this worked so well. Even hung a few strong ones for hats. Clips for the balcony are great too to hold wet stuff on the chairs. People can use the shower wire I suppose but we found that if you have a balcony it works well. Drink package if you intend to consume at least 5 drinks a day. Worth it. We brought a case of water on with us and didn't have an issue. We didn't "sneak it" and fully intended to give it up if they didn't let us bring it on and I know that there is much debate about it here and Royal supposedly makes it a "rule" but it seems that this is enforced as the formal night.

I can't think of anything else and this certainly seems long enough so ask away. Please excuse typos/grammar errors as well. :)

For those heading out soon, I hope you're going to enjoy all that this ship has to offer. It is just beautiful. Try not to look at too many pictures because for me it sort of made the sights a little anti climactic. Unless you need to know everything before you head out.

Oh, one last little thing is that there are far fewer 'ice cream' self serve spots as there were on the Freedom. It is yogurt BTW and IMO it's not terrific and I avoided it but DD made up for it.

Cheers! Smooth sailing.