Oasis - My After Thoughts (11/9/13 - 11/16/13)

[Thetrail]

We sailed lovely Oasis 11/9/13 - 11/16-13. During the months leading up to the cruise, I had thought when we returned I would post a comprehensive review, with pictures. There have been such detailed reviews lately with gorgeous pics, especially the latest one by CupCrazy, I don't think I have much to add. So instead, I'll give you my final thoughts as a returning, but certainly not well-seasoned cruiser.

 

ITINERARY

Western Route (Labadee, Falmouth, Cozumel). Would I do this route again.... No. More on that later.

 

EMBARKATION

Taxi from hotel to the port was quick and easy, and cheaper than the shuttle. Arrived at 10:30, was checked in and seated in the terminal by 10:45. At 11:15 (or soon after) they called Suites, then started down the C&A ladder. We were on the ship and headed to Windjammer by 11:45. It was a breeze. Windjammer was not crowded at all. Headed to Central Park to people watch until 1:00 when our cabin was ready.

 

CABIN

Deck 8, Cabin 590. D5 at the beginning of the first hump, so our balcony was larger than the cabin to our left. Oasis docked at every port with the starboard side facing the port. So depending on what you like to see, keep that in mind. Cabin was lovely. Didn't feel small. Ours had the layout with the bed by the closet (which I prefer). Plenty of storage. Bed did not impede access to the closet considering you're in the closet once or twice a day, briefly. But having the balcony doors easily accessible without having to maneuver around the bed made it nice. Deck is a great location on the ship. Mid way between the Fore and Aft elevators. View was not blocked by lifeboats. No noise at all except from our neighbors who couldn't seem to shut their cabin door without slamming it.

 

PORTS OF CALL

Labadee: We always enjoy Labadee. We like Columbus Cove beach. The sand is not rocky, but do take shoes to make the long walk over there. The floaty mats are ridiculously expensive ($14/day), but I personally saw three different couples hand cash ($10/each) to the Haitian man who works (I believe) for Royal renting these out and they in turn received not one but TWO floaty mats for the day for the low, low price of $10 cash. They aren't supposed to do that, but just make a mental note. It is done.

 

Falmouth: We went with a positive attitude, choosing to overlook the many reviews saying it was a "wasted" port of call. Unfortunately, I'm now one of those who doesn't ever care to return. Now in all fairness, we didn't leave the port area. I'm sure there are lovely places in Jamaica. However, you have to take a taxi or shuttle to get there. The prices can be quite steep to go places like MoBay. My suggestion would be to go there knowing that the port area is limited to shopping and one or two places to eat (Margaritaville is very $$ as well), or plan an excursion and hopefully share the taxi fare with someone else headed that direction. Tip: The liquor prices in Jamaica are lower than on the ship in most cases.

 

Cozumel: We had planned to go to Nachi Cocum for the day. Unfortunately, it was raining so we opted not to go and instead walked around the port shopping area. I will NEVER (I repeat NEVER) do that again. You can barely take two steps in any direction without someone practically accosting you to "just let me show you something". I know some people like that sort of thing, but I'm not one of them. There were some deals to be made if you like to haggle, but it just wasn't for me. We walked outside of the port "compound" briefly. With the exception of the area directly across the street from the port, the two blocks to the right and to the left made me feel unsafe. We quickly turned and went back to the safety of the port area. Oasis docks several miles from the downtown shopping area. We chose not to make that treck as we didn't have anything we wanted to buy. Instead, we opted to go back to the ship and enjoy the over-half empty beautiful Oasis.

 

FOOD OPTIONS ON BOARD

My Time Dining: We had requested MTD and I made reservations for each night in advance. All reservations were for 6:00 or 6:30. One month prior to sailing, I emailed Royal asking for a specific seating area. Namely, a table for 2 near the center (atrium) railing so we could look down over the two floors below. When we arrived in our cabin, the phone rang. It was the dining room, asking us to come to the MDR and select our table preference. I had my choice of any 2-person table in the room. I selected Table #728 by the railing. It was a lovely spot. Ardee was our waiter. Very fast, efficient, and very happy. (He got one of our two WOW cards). Food was very good. I see mixed reviews on the MDR food, and realizing that food is subjective, I went with an open mind. Everything I ate was very tasty. In particular, the lamb chops, and the lamb shank were wonderful. I also had Chicken Marsala that was very tasty. We opted not to dine in the MDR on formal nights because we didn't want to be burdened with formal clothes. Even though Ardee said "come on in.. nobody will mind", we declined. I read the suggested attire, and also realize that some people go out of their way to have a formal night. I didn't feel it was right to go into the dining room on those nights with shorts or crop pants. Others may disagree. Just giving that tidbit for informational purposes. Also, note that jeans, tennis shoes, flip flops, and t-shirts were plentiful on 'casual' nights. But for the most part, people adhered to the suggested attire. And for planning purposes, MTD took about 1 hour from the time you're seated until the time you are walking out the door. Certainly, if you're at a larger table it would likely take longer.

 

Windjammer: The only time we had an issue finding a seat, literally, was on the morning of disembarkation. It showed red on the displays most of the time, but there were always plenty of seats. The food, again, just my opinion, was "meh". Not great, not horrible, but pretty much the same thing night after night, day after day. But you can always find something to eat that will satisfy your appetite. Definitely not fine cuisine though. But not fast food yuck either. I've heard it said that on formal nights they put white table cloths on the tables. That was not the case, at least for this cruise. The lights are dimmed, but that's it. And the only time they find a table for you is when the dining room is particularly crowded (aka disembarkation morning was one of those times).

 

Park Café: Yes, the roast beef sandwich is really good. They also make other sandwiches too though (paninis and grilled sandwiches). Fruit cups. Made-to-order salads. Soups. It's a really nice place to grab lunch or an afternoon snack.

 

Johnny Rockets: We were the only people in the restaurant on Tuesday morning. The food came so fast I would've thought it was pre-made and waiting on us! It was piping hot, freshly made, and they were very friendly. That is the one and only time we ate there.

 

Sorrentos / Café Promenade: We used these venues for mid-afternoon snacking if we needed a little pick-me-up coming in from the pool or back from port. The portions are small, and the options are limited, but it's perfect for a light lunch or snack.

 

Wipeout Café: Made-to-order omelets. Very good. Nice place to grab a bite when you're on the pool deck.

 

Specialty Restaurants: We didn't try any. I was very happy with the MDR experience.

 

DRINK OPTIONS ON BOARD

Bars: We loved the Trellis bar (Central park), Rising Tide Bar (Decks 5 - 8), After Dark bar (suite guests and Cigars Under the Stars), and Boleros.

 

Drinks: We didn't do a drink package. Our favorite drink was the frozen mojito. We also tried the Lava Flow, Ultimate Pina Colada, Bloody Mary, and Margarita. We didn't have a 'bad' drink. But there was something so refreshing about the frozen mojito.

 

Mojito Clinic: Just a few words of wisdom to anyone who does this "clinic". It's held in Boleros, twice during the week (Wednesday and Friday) at 5:00. When we went on Wednesday, the bartender didn't seem to know what we were talking about. Then, a supervisor came with cups (you keep your cup after the class) and 4 drink recipes printed on a paper. He informed us (and the bartender) that the clinic was $15/person and consisted of learning to make four drinks, which you then could drink before moving on to the next drink. Now here comes the warning: EAT BEFORE YOU GO, and don't drink much before this class. My husband and I had eaten lunch at 1:00, then had a bottle of wine, two frozen mojitos, and headed to the class. I don't remember LEAVING the class. We learned to make a margarita (tequila), mojito (rum), and two other drinks, neither of which I can remember the name of, but one had a rum base and the other had a vodka base. I was quite literally passed out in the cabin at 7:30 that night. Completely missed dinner and our show reservation, and was so hung over the next morning that I also missed breakfast. (And ps that was my last drink of the cruise!)

 

SPENDING ON BOARD

OBC: We started the week with $500 on board credit. We drank absolutely everything we wanted, and with the exception of the Mojito Clinic, we never were drunk. A couple of days we had a fun little buzz going, but never any impairment. We bought several items on board (two watches at the $10/each sale, a couple of coffee mugs, and two bottles of Sherridan's liquour), drank everything we desired, and left the ship owing $10.53. The alcohol package definitely would not have been worthwhile for us.

 

Tipping: We opted for MTD which meant our gratuities were pre-paid. We left them in place. In addition to our port spending money, we took $100 in 1-dollar bills, and $50 in 5-dollar bills, for the sole purpose of tipping. Cabs, porters, bartenders, room service, etc. Gratuity is added to every bar drink. We didn't add to that gratuity every time, but when we did, we gave it in cash. Usually an additional $1-$2. We tipped the room service staff, typically $1/plate delivered. We gave an additional $15 to our room steward at the end of the week. We gave an additional $10 to our waiter. We gave $5 (in addition to the misc $1-$2 tips we had given here at there) to our favorite bartenders. We felt the service was worth it, and we certainly did not feel pressured to tip extra by anyone.

 

ACTIVITIES / SHOWS

Reservations: Make reservations for all shows that you are allowed to. Even though not required, it does give you first choice of seating. Tip: When possible, enter thru the 4th or 5th deck to the theater. It's less crowded! Get there a good 20-25 minutes before the show if you do have reservations. At 15 pre-show time, they open the seating to those without reservations.

 

 

Hairspray: I'd seen it on Broadway. My husband had never seen it. He loved it, and he doesn't like musicals.

 

Comedy Club: Both were funny, but the opening guy was funnier than the main comedian.

 

Oasis of Dreams: Tip - Book for the earliest shows in the week if possible. If the weather turns windy or rainy, they will cancel shows. If you book early in the week and miss for any reason, you can always catch it later. But if you wait till the end of the week and they cancel, you're out of luck. Also, you can watch from an upper deck and it's a really good vantage point. Starboard OR Port side, take the passenger corridor to the very end then exit onto the public balcony. There are plenty of seats. The show itself has a weird storyline, and I didn't really get it. But the diving was wonderful, the acrobats were amazing, and they story line weirdness doesn't really matter! HELPFUL TIP: The Aqua Theater is at the back of the ship. The smoke stacks from the ship rain down debris onto these seats. You'll see black dots on the seats. WIPE THEM OFF before sitting down. The lady in front of us didn't, and her tan shorts were covered with soot.

 

Movies and Other Entertainment:

One rainy afternoon, we took in the 3-D movie in the theater. The latest Star Trek movie. Very nice. They also show movies in the Aqua Theater on the two big screens. There is an abundance to do for every age. Shuffleboard (behind the Aqua Theater), jogging, cupcake making, bingo, table tennis, you name it! Just read the Compass and you'll find something to match your tastes.

 

DISEMBARKATION

Breakfast Options:

The food options are limited on your disembarkation day. Windjammer is open of course, but is EXTREMELY crowded. I noticed several room service tags hanging on people's doors on the final morning. Take note, Room Service is NOT available on the last morning. I'm sure those folks were very disappointed to wake up to no food!

 

 

Self-Assist Checkout:

We opted to self-carry our luggage off. If doing this, you need to be able to completely maneuver your own luggage off the ship. Tip: If you have more than one suitcase to carry, take a bungee cord. It will allow you to strap them together so you have one free hand and can use the escalator once inside the terminal. Otherwise, you have to wait in a long line for the elevator.

 

Once inside the terminal, your wait for customs begins. We arrived in the terminal, luggage in hand, at 6:30 a.m. It took 45 minutes to get thru Customs. The line was steadily moving, but there were a TOTAL of 2 customs agents working. Tip: If you have an early fight, get into the terminal EARLY.

 

 

Transfer to Airport:

We took a cab from the terminal to the airport. There are plenty lined out outside the terminal. Dozens. We arrived at the airport by 7:30. It was under $20 for both of us, including the tip for our bags.

 

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION:

Upselling: I did get a little put off by the almost constant attempts to upsell us the first three days. Staff was walking thru the MDR trying to upsell us to a dining package. We couldn't take a seat for more than ten minutes in Central Park without someone trying to sell us the food packages. When it isn't food packages, it's being accosted by the photographers at every port, as you leave AND as you return. But those are minor annoyances, and as soon as you say a polite "no thank you", they move along.

 

Personnel: We never met a single RC employee who wasn't 100% pleasant and smiling. Every time we passed in the hall, they said hello. They were always cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. This ship is immaculate! Twice we had a minor toilet issue (wouldn't flush) in our cabin. Within minutes a plumber was there fixing it.

 

Favorite Area of the Ship: Hands Down, CENTRAL PARK! We enjoyed this area immensely. There are benches, tables, seats. It is just brilliant. And watch for the little finches. There are finches living in central park. I suppose they travel the Caribbean with the ship! :) OH, and here's a tip on the location of the Central Park GNOMES left by the first Captain.... :( They're GONE. I was looking everywhere, knowing that they had been located near the Trellis Bar. Finally I asked a Maintenance worker. He went into one of their closets and brought them out in his hands. He said they were doing work in the flower bed where they'd been housed and had to remove them.

 

 

Wash and Fold Service:

We took advantage of this, but the cost is now $30 (was $25 before). As a guide, here's what I was able to stuff into that bag (by the rolling technique): 5 size XXXL men's t-shirts, 8 pair of underwear / panties, 1 ladies swim suit, 1 men's swimsuit, 1 pair of men's cargo shorts, 2 pair of socks, 3 size L women's t-shirts, 1 pair of women's pajamas (top and capris). The tag says you can put as many of those items as you can fit in the bag. Yes, shorts are allowed, Yes, swimsuits. No jeans, No pants. It specifies what you can include. I gave it to our steward on Tuesday night after dinner and received it Thursday morning.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Don't try to squeeze in everything in a week. You'll come home exhausted!

 

Take a highlighter to mark things of interest on the cruise compass you receive every night for the following day's activities.

 

Take an ink pen. There aren't any in the room.

 

The sinks are very shallow, so don't plan on washing any bulky items!

 

There is plenty of bathroom storage shelving. You don't need the over-the-door shoe rack for your 'stuff'.

 

There is limited TV service. You'll see the same episode of The Big Bang Theory at least 25 times. LOL. And you'll see all the soccer you can stand! And the same movie will play in Spanish, Portugese, Frech, etc.... simultaneously. It seemed like there were 12 RCI Channels, again trying to upsell you on the Spa, Dining, Wine, Excursions, etc. But again, it's a cruise, and on the older ships, we didn't even HAVE TV in the room, so it's still good! The TV is mounted on the wall in front of the sofa. No swivel. So laying in bed watching TV doesn't work well. :( Good thing we didn't spend a lot of time in the cabin watching TV! :)

 

Major football games are shown throughout various venues on the ship.

 

The Welcome Back (Crown and Anchor) event was held the first sea day. Sunday. Unfortunately, it's held at 10:30 and our Roll Call Meet & Greet was planned for 11:15. The time slipped away as we were enjoying the Welcome Back event, and I completely missed our Meet & Greet! So to any of my Roll Call members who may read this, I'm sorry and sincerely wish I had been able to meet you all in person.

 

Visit the walking track, if for no other reason that to see the beautiful view of the ship's wake as you said the blue/black waters of the Caribbean! It's an unbelievable view from there. Deck 5, aft.

 

Dazzles is underrated. They had nightly music in there. Great little groups.

 

RC thinks of everything. The one rain day at sea, golf umbrellas magically appeared at each entrance to Central Park. You don't have to walk in the rain!

 

WE WILL SAIL OASIS AGAIN. There is too much to do in one week. We planned ahead, reserved the shows we wanted, and saw most of them. Next time, we'll concentrate on the night life and the other activities. We relaxed, had a blast, and made great memories.

Nice detailed revue, glad yo had a fantastic cruise....K.O.:)

[Sherri914]

We cruise to see our daughter (who is an acrobat in the shows). I chuckled about the comment regarding the aqua show. My daughter is the lead (Orange girl) and for the life of me I had no idea what was going on. Supposedly she is dreaming. Still don't understand but I love the entertainment.

 

We are coming back on the Oasis in January, can't wait!

 

Your daughter is precious. The story line was weird for sure, but I did figure out it was a dream sequence. Still didn't make a lot of sense, but it really didn't matter. I didn't go for the story anyway. I just loved the diving and acrobatics. And we watched from the balcony on Deck 12 so it gave a really neat vantage point as we could see the underwater assistant divers. Very cool. Have fun on your next cruise. I would love to be going back that soon.

 

What fun your review was! I laughed at the Mojito class. We were on Adventure of the Seas and did the Martini making class.... WHOA - more than your money's worth!

 

We haven't been on Oasis or Allure - but it sounds like we need to go!

 

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

Betty

 

Thank you so much. I bet the Martini class was a hoot. I know our Mojito class was fun.... well, from what I remember anyway. :)

[Sherri914]

I usually find value in all reviews no matter how comprehensive, this was no exception, so thank you.

 

Too bad you didn't get to Nachi Cocum as that is what I am considering for my next time in Cozumel. I agree with you that I hate the port area in Cozumel now. The vendors have gotten more aggressive, rude, and deceitful.

 

The shop vendors are also even sleazier now.

 

My next time in Cozumel, I will either go to Nachi or go diving.

 

Thank you for the compliment on the review. And I agree completely. If we do decide on a Western Route again, I will definitely visit Nachi Cocum!

 

Nice detailed revue, glad yo had a fantastic cruise....K.O.:)

 

Thank you so much, and we did have one fantastic cruise!

[2Cruzin Fools]

Great review! We were also on that sailing and had a wonderful week. We found Garry on Day 1, but didn't have the camera with us. It drove us crazy the rest of the week trying to find him again, but we didn't want to ask any of the maintenance people because we thought they would think we were crazy. Glad to know he wasn't a figment of our imagination.

 

Here's a tip about the TV's. They are on an adjustable wall mount so if you pull the TV forward you can then turn it left or right and then watch TV in bed. :)

 

We did the mojito class on Allure in September and it was quite well organized and a lot of fun. There were about 15 people participating and you didn't have to finish one drink before they showed you how to make the next one. On Allure it was held at 3:00 instead of 5:00 so you still had time to get ready for dinner and the rest of the evening's activities after the class ended. We walked by Bolero's last week when one of the classes was supposed to be and didn't see anything going on so we thought it was canceled. I think they should give a better description of the class in the Compass so people know ahead of time that they will be making and drinking 4 different types of drinks so you can be prepared and not drink too much ahead of time. $15 was a great price for 4 drinks and they didn't charge any gratuity.

[teacup317]

Hi Sherri, really enjoyed your review. Especially glad to know about the storage in the bathroom. We've traveled to Walt Disney World quite often and always use the over the door shoe organizer for toiletries etc. I guess I'll leave it home this time.

 

Good info re: MDR, needed pens and highlighter!

 

Thanks

[bostonfred]

we were also on this sailing and it was GREAT as was OP review.. we ate in the solarium after boarding to avoid the crowds and fell in love with it.we ate breakfast and lunch there every day we were on board,it is bright,airy and uncrowded.My wife's a vegan and I am not,but we were both very happy with bufffet.it is not as extensive as windjammer,but still offers plenty of choices and the food is lighter and heathier.I second prebooking every show they were all great!! another gem was the throw me a line improv,3 cast members from Hairspray and the comedy club emcee,it was the funniest improv I've ever seen. you should also get up to crown viking lounge on deck 17..great views of ship below,sunsets and even the last day rainstorm.Great place to chill.we also loved central park and the trellis bar was our favorite and weathe permitting we ended each day there.on the lsat sea day there is a tour led by the head landscaper and it was fascinating.My wife loved the info on maintaining the plants,and i was intrigued by the problems overcome in building it and the issues I never considered from fire codes to federal inspections for uninvited plants and insects.also last day was an interesting Q and A with members of all the shows..very informative.the past several cruises we did not eat in MDR,we hit park cafe ,cafe prominade,sorrentos, and windjammer..all we good and the famous roast beef sandwich did not disappoint.Enjoyed captains toast,sit near globe and atlas,much champagne offered too.also crown and anchor on helipad leaving labadee was fun.mor champagne and dolphins swimming under the bow..all in all a great cruise !! our one shore excursion was erie mon beach break.at first we thought beach was small,but turned out fine.could even snorkle a little,saw my first blowfish,good buffet,ample drinks,very friendly staff!!:cool::cool::cool: