Oasis of the Seas vs Carnival Dream *pic*

[mafig]

I have a very hard time understanding people who cruise just one line.

 

It would drive me crazy.

 

The same menus. The same food. The same cabin decor. The same entertainment. the same everything.

 

:confused:

[DGP1111]

I've been on Carnival Dream three times, and I imagine a number of people here know my personal opinion of that particular ship.

 

I'll get to experience Oasis for a very first time in May . . . and really looking forward to creating my own personal impression of that vessel. :)

 

.

[halos]

I once had tunnel vision as I like to call it. Sixteen straight cruises on Carnival. Stepped out to see what else was out there and boy was I surprised.

 

That's the moment when it hits you...you aren't a Carnival addict, you're just a cruise addict. :) It happened to me as well.

 

I've been on Carnival Dream three times, and I imagine a number of people here know my personal opinion of that particular ship.

 

 

 

I'll get to experience Oasis for a very first time in May . . . and really looking forward to creating my own personal impression of that vessel.

 

 

 

.

 

and I look forward to that review!!!

[manmtnmike]

 

And now for something completely different... ;)

 

Off to the store to get some chicken wings to cook out. For MANY years I have tried different recipies (breading, cooking methods, sauces) in my quest for the "prefect" Buffalo wing. I am happy that I kept searching - as I have found what, to me at least, is the ideal approach: Hooter's Breading (only been able to find it at WalMart) along with Anchor Bar (Medium) Buffalo sauce which I purchase by the gallon straight from Buffalo!

 

Thought I would just pass that along to anyone who loves good wings!! :D

 

Tom

Tom,

 

We grew up in the Buffalo area, During college years, an original Disco club bouncer in the 70's, I remember when they went from a free wing bar

give away to increase "beer thirst" during the Monday night football-

Howard Cosell era...,to a staple party food.

We could get 50 junbo wings for $5 !!!

 

Here's a simple recipe, plus a diet version that cuts calories about in half...:eek:

Ingredients:

 

• large chicken wing pieces (one wing makes 2 pieces - the "flat" and the "drum")
  
• 1 tsp garlic salt
  
• 6 tablespoons Louisiana hot sauce (Frank's is the brand used in Buffalo)
  
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine
  
• Served with: celery sticks
  
• blue cheese dressing -Ken's Blue Cheese salad dressing
  

Basically, The simple recipe for Medium is: half-n-half model

 

Measure by by volume--

-half melted butter/margerine and

-half Franks L. Hot sauce, add garlic salt and

--here's the key... the wings need to be extra well done for

true crispiness...ymmm

roll in enclosed tupperware container for even cover.

Hot or mild is achieved by either increasing hot sauce or lessening it.

 

---Rec...Ken's Blue Cheese salad dressing, and if possible, the light version is my preference.

 

DIET VERSION:

CUT BONELESS AND SKINNLESS CHICKEN BREAST

-broil or panfry bite size pieces with Pam spay until very welldone.

--Combine light margerine and Franks sauce and garlic salt with cooked chicken bites in covered container shake and serve...

--Add Ken's Blue Cheese salad dressing to taste.

 

TIP: for those who regret eating reg. wings because of "greasy stomach feeling", this has done it for me:D

Also works well for a next day microwave heat-up

Best wings on board: for me, was on a 5 day NCL Sun unlimited in sports bar.

 

Mike

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

....

Best wings on board: for me, was on a 5 day NCL Sun unlimited in sports bar.

 

Mike

 

Thanks!

 

Yes, the free wings on NCL are a nice treat! For some reason all their ships don't share the same recipe. Those on the Pearl and Sky were about the same (tasty), whereas on the Epic they were good, but not what I'd call "Buffalo".

 

Tom

[CruizinTwosome]

We've only been on one cruise so far, Carnival Valor in Sept, 2012, with another booked for Sept, 2013 and we're looking at booking on the Oasis or Allure in Jan 2014. I have to say we're hooked on cruising and plan to try out as many ships as we can. I'm the type that will try anything once and twice if I like it! ;)

[gambee]

Here is mine, I know many of you have seen it already.

 

 

 

 

Majesty ots, disney dream, carnival dream, ncl sky, oasis of the seas.\

 

 

We traveled on the Allure and could not be more happy, we are actually worried that from now on we will be comparing all our future adventures to the Allure one. That said I look forward to the day I can sail on the Breeze :).

 

 

Don't trash talk something you have not experience, I learned that the hard way :D.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

Tom,

 

We grew up in the Buffalo area, During college years, an original Disco club bouncer in the 70's, I remember when they went from a free wing bar

give away to increase "beer thirst" during the Monday night football-

Howard Cosell era...,to a staple party food.

We could get 50 junbo wings for $5 !!!

 

Here's a simple recipe, plus a diet version that cuts calories about in half...:eek:

Ingredients:

 

• large chicken wing pieces (one wing makes 2 pieces - the "flat" and the "drum")
  
• 1 tsp garlic salt
  
• 6 tablespoons Louisiana hot sauce (Frank's is the brand used in Buffalo)
  
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine
  
• Served with: celery sticks
  
• blue cheese dressing -Ken's Blue Cheese salad dressing
  

Basically, The simple recipe for Medium is: half-n-half model

 

Measure by by volume--

-half melted butter/margerine and

-half Franks L. Hot sauce, add garlic salt and

--here's the key... the wings need to be extra well done for

true crispiness...ymmm

roll in enclosed tupperware container for even cover.

Hot or mild is achieved by either increasing hot sauce or lessening it.

 

---Rec...Ken's Blue Cheese salad dressing, and if possible, the light version is my preference.

 

DIET VERSION:

CUT BONELESS AND SKINNLESS CHICKEN BREAST

-broil or panfry bite size pieces with Pam spay until very welldone.

--Combine light margerine and Franks sauce and garlic salt with cooked chicken bites in covered container shake and serve...

--Add Ken's Blue Cheese salad dressing to taste.

 

TIP: for those who regret eating reg. wings because of "greasy stomach feeling", this has done it for me:D

Also works well for a next day microwave heat-up

Best wings on board: for me, was on a 5 day NCL Sun unlimited in sports bar.

 

Mike

 

 

Thanks for making me hungry. I usually grill my wing pieces to crispness and then toss them in sauce o'choice. Sauce o'choice usually consists of mixing many things from what I have in the fridge.

[Bran8778]

Don't knock it until you try it. You may like it. You'll never know unless you get outside the Carnival bubble.

 

not knocking it ... just calling it what it is ..

 

Websters Dictionary - MONSTROSITY -an object of great and often frightening size, force, or complexity

 

truth is I searched and priced trips on the Oasis as soon as I returned home :)

[Bran8778]

I have a very hard time understanding people who cruise just one line.

 

It would drive me crazy.

 

The same menus. The same food. The same cabin decor. The same entertainment. the same everything.

 

:confused:

 

so if I was considering jumping ship :) what line would you suggest ?

[Aplmac]

It should be more like Monstrosity of the Seas V. Carnival Dream

Geez, that's a 'broad' if ever I saw one.

 

Sorry ladies, that just had to be said...lol :o

.

[cruisemama1]

How is it possible to determine there are too many lines on a ship you've never been on?

 

there are so many venues that everybody is spread out all over the ship.

 

You see very few reviews or post with complaints about the Oasis and the Allure of the Seas.

 

Bill

 

You got it Bill. I sailed the Allure. I don't remember one single line at all. It does not feel crowded. Many times I had a public balcony all to myself--once even to watch a water show at night! Fabulous!

[DarthGrady]

so if I was considering jumping ship :) what line would you suggest ?

 

I'd suggest trying as many as possible.;)

 

I gravitated toward RCI after many years only cruising with Carnival. I think it was mostly due to me being a ship nerd, so I wanted to see the biggest and most heavily featured ones out there.

[Bran8778]

I'd suggest trying as many as possible.;)

 

I gravitated toward RCI after many years only cruising with Carnival. I think it was mostly due to me being a ship nerd, so I wanted to see the biggest and most heavily featured ones out there.

 

Sounds good! I've enjoyed Carnival. Never had a problem!

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

Sounds good! I've enjoyed Carnival. Never had a problem!

 

I have never had a problem at the local pur, but it doesn't mean that is the only place I go.

[Tapi]

...we are actually worried that from now on we will be comparing all our future adventures to the Allure one. That said I look forward to the day I can sail on the Breeze :)

 

We sailed on Carnival Dream after sailing on the Allure of the Seas. While the experience on the Dream wasn't remotely close to what we experienced on the Allure a few months before, we still had a very enjoyable time.

 

The secret is to NOT make direct comparisons and to go with realistic expectations. Literally, our Dream cruise cost a fraction of what our Allure cruise cost, so we adjusted our expectations accordingly.

 

While Carnival still delivers a great product for what they charge, it's simply unfair to compare any of their ships with the Oasis twins. It's a classic example of apples and oranges.

[DarthGrady]

We sailed on Carnival Dream after sailing on the Allure of the Seas. While the experience on the Dream wasn't remotely close to what we experienced on the Allure a few months before, we still had a very enjoyable time.

 

The secret is to NOT make direct comparisons and to go with realistic expectations. Literally, our Dream cruise cost a fraction of what our Allure cruise cost, so we adjusted our expectations accordingly.

 

While Carnival still delivers a great product for what they charge, it's simply unfair to compare any of their ships with the Oasis twins. It's a classic example of apples and oranges

.

 

Excellent advice for all cruisers!

[gambee]

We sailed on Carnival Dream after sailing on the Allure of the Seas. While the experience on the Dream wasn't remotely close to what we experienced on the Allure a few months before, we still had a very enjoyable time.

 

The secret is to NOT make direct comparisons and to go with realistic expectations. Literally, our Dream cruise cost a fraction of what our Allure cruise cost, so we adjusted our expectations accordingly.

 

While Carnival still delivers a great product for what they charge, it's simply unfair to compare any of their ships with the Oasis twins. It's a classic example of apples and oranges.

 

thanks for the input, I was thinking the same thing. But I guess it is just not that easy to get into that mind set. I will certainly try to use your advice if I sail the Dream on August.

[Dave85]

What the whole thing boils down to is you can't knock it until you've tried it. I never thought I would enjoy a huge ship, but I would not say that I'd never give it a shot. I used to think I'd hate NCL...I was surprised to love it. A closed mind does no one any good.

 

Right, I can't help but notice that the vast majority of people spewing vitriol about the Oasis Class ships on Cruise Critic are people with a list of ships in their signature all beginning with the word "Carnival"....

Funny how these folks who only sail on Carnival Cruise Line are so knowledgeable about the Oasis and the Allure. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

Do us all a favor. If you sail on the Oasis and Allure and don't like it, write a fair review for the benefit of future cruisers. I know I can only speak for myself, but I'll respect your opinion. I just get so sick and tired of reading posts from people who simply have no idea what they're talking about passionately(!) bashing a product they've never experienced. Same thing the other way around on the RCI board and I call those folks out for it too.

[Dave85]

 

The secret is to NOT make direct comparisons and to go with realistic expectations. Literally, our Dream cruise cost a fraction of what our Allure cruise cost, so we adjusted our expectations accordingly.

 

I learned that lesson the hard way with my New Years Breeze cruise. The difficulty for us was that our previous 2 cruises were on the Oasis, so the comparisons were difficult to ignore. Also, since it was a New Years sailing, the Breeze cost us exactly what we paid for the Oasis!

 

Otherwise, I definitely think your advice is excellent and I will do my best to heed it in the future.

[halos]

We sailed on Carnival Dream after sailing on the Allure of the Seas. While the experience on the Dream wasn't remotely close to what we experienced on the Allure a few months before, we still had a very enjoyable time.

 

The secret is to NOT make direct comparisons and to go with realistic expectations. Literally, our Dream cruise cost a fraction of what our Allure cruise cost, so we adjusted our expectations accordingly.

 

While Carnival still delivers a great product for what they charge, it's simply unfair to compare any of their ships with the Oasis twins. It's a classic example of apples and oranges.

 

Excellent advice for all cruisers!

 

Absolutely!

I really think all the lines are apples and oranges to be honest. I have heard people say 'Oh it;s a cruise, so they are all basically the same in most respects'...I kinda disagree with that.

Each line has a different feel about it. You just have to find the feel that fits you and depending on one's mood, that could mean you want something different each time you sail.

When I first started cruising, I loved CCL SO much that I was for a while, monogamous. Now I see how utterly boxed in that made us.

I've never been on a bad cruise. Some better than others, but all were enjoyable.

[KPfromCT]

Interesting! Last weekend I was booking 6 additional cabins for our Oasis cruise (for our annual office cruise and our sons). Since there were no interiors for our sons and a couple of their friends near our mid-ship cabin the RCI represenitive was encouraging me to book fully forward to get them on the same deck. She repeatedly told me, after I said the very front is usually where you can feel motion the most, that she's never had anyone complain about movement on the Oasis/Allure (forward cabins) like they do on other ships. I understand that they're very large but did not want to be responsible for their discomfort if there are unusually high seas. Thus I ended up getting them all mid-ship in Central Park view cabins.

 

The first 3 office cruises I took my staff on were all on Carnival, as that's the only line we were really sailing then. After a friend (fellow CC'er) talked us into the Epic I was so impressed with all that there was to do that we took them on that ship next. They all remarked how much fun it was... I didn't think it was just me!

 

Last year we all went on the Carnival Legend, and although everyone had a good cruise, it admittedly fell short of the fun we all had on the Epic. Though I have to say that the Steakhouses on Carnival are our favorite specialty restaurants among all the lines we've tried.

 

... and that's how we ended up choosing the Oasis for my staff --- they are going to have a blast!!

 

Tom

 

Tom, are you hiring? I would like to be on your "staff":o:o

[MsMot]

RCI built the Allure and Oasis so big that the ships can't get into most ports. I suppose people who are more interested in the ship versus the ports would be okay with jumbo ships. Not me.

[KPfromCT]

Really? What are their typical ports? And, what ports can they NOT get into? That would be a deal breaker. While we do cruise for the ship, the ports are equally as important to us.:confused:

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

RCI built the Allure and Oasis so big that the ships can't get into most ports. I suppose people who are more interested in the ship versus the ports would be okay with jumbo ships. Not me.

 

 

Nassau: no problem. Cozumel: no problem. St. Maarten: no problem. St. Thomas: they do have to dock at Crown Bay. Does not look too bad to me.

 

Keep in mind that all cruise ships used to fit through the Panama Canal. Most ships that cruise lines are building now will not... the past is gone, but Panama is working on changing that. LINK

 

Tom