The Sea Called...We Answered! Our Week Onboard the Oasis 4/26-5/3...Western Caribbea

[At Sea 4Ever]

So if you have your phone on airplane mode you won't get charged for roaming?

 

 

That's the way it is for the iPhone with AT&T. I can't speak for anything else.

 

 

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[Babyrocko1908]

So if you have your phone on airplane mode you won't get charged for roaming?

 

Most smart phones have a seperate data on/off toggle. On my last cruise, I tggled off the data, left the wifi on and was able to connect to the ship's network to use their iconcierge app. I paid verizon per text message I sent/received.

 

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Edited June 3, 2014 by Babyrocko1908

[MrsKC08]

Hi there!

I found your review yesterday after booking our Oasis cruise for next November. Since I have a VERY long time to wait for that cruise I am taking in all the information I can. I'm loving your review and looking forward to more. I can tell you that after being to the islands several times before that we will be doing the same thing you did on this cruise which is just basically enjoying the ship experience in and of itself. I don't believe we will get of the ship at any of the ports (we are doing the Easter on our Oasis cruise).

Love LOVE that there is deck police watching out for unattended chairs. I wish they did this on their other lines.

[At Sea 4Ever]

Day 5:

 

After enjoying a good part of the day at the beach pool we decided to change it up and head over to the Solarium. The pool in the Solarium was packed! I tried getting in for a second just to cool off but I could not make it past the stairs. We ended up using the showers next to the pool when we needed to cool off. Needless to say the hot tubs were empty. We were able to grab a seat next to the window area for a breeze.

 

This was how our afternoon was spent

 

Since it was a sea day the Solarium Bistro was open for lunch, and since we were enjoying frozen mudslides all day, they taste like chocolate milkshakes, we decided now would be a good time for lunch! Breakfast and lunch are complimentary there and served buffet style. It is a healthier eating option without giving up good flavor and food. Even though it's connected to the pool area and offers inside and outside seating they do require proper cover ups over your bathing suits. We had very tasty chicken fajita tacos.

 

Since tonight was the second formal night on the ship planned to skip the MDR. Even though it was lobster night we had enjoyed a great lobster dinner in the Seafood Shack earlier in the week. We were torn as to what to do for dinner. We talked about dining casual in the Windjammer but then started to gravitate towards Solarium Bistro since they set it up so beautifully at night. We then remembered our delicious meal at Giovanni's. Oh what decisions! The afternoon was in full swing and we liked the fact that we were going with the flow and not being restricted to beating the clock with dinner reservations. There were so many options in the air that we certainly wouldn't go hungry.

 

So if you haven't caught on already with previous posts, I enjoy a quick stroll by myself at least once a day. I keep it to under 30 minutes because i do value my pool chair. Today after lunch I ran downstairs to check email from home. The computer labs are empty that time of day so it's quick and easy to send a short email home. The sunlight offered in Central Park during the day is magnificent! You really do get the feeling of being in a park on a beautiful afternoon. I'm not quite sure how I ended up at the aft end of the park considering the Solarium and computer labs are forward, but there is always a method to my madness.

 

150 Central Park was a great experience while on the Allure. We enjoyed the tasting menu aspect of it. This time we wanted to keep the cruise a more casual experience. We even skipped Captains night. I had seen recent reviews here on CC of the menu from 150, but I kept only seeing the one menu and it did not appeal much to us. Since I like to soak it all in, I stopped in front of 150 during my park stroll to just check out the menu framed outside the restaurant. The first menu listed was the one I kept seeing on CC that didn't do it for us. Then I read the second menu offered for the second half of the week. And as depressing as it sounded I had to admit to myself that yes we were in the second half of the week already. The second menu though did peak my interest! Before I could even finishing reading the menu a crew member from inside the restaurant came out to greet me. He quickly informed me of the special they had going on tonight. 20% of per person plus you would also be served lobster as a course since it was lobster night on the ship! Since it was a great deal I quickly said ok! He asked me what time I wanted a reservation for and I said 8. I did return the conversation by informing him that we did not bring a jacket for my husband. I wanted to know if that would be an issue. He quickly assured me that it would not be a problem. So excited, I headed back to the Solarium where I left my DH. I was going to keep my great find a surprise, but since I hate keeping surprises and my DH is as curious as a kid on Christmas Eve I decided to tell him. He was thrilled and we agreed tonight would be a good time to have a pre dinner drink on the Rising Tide Bar. With a ship this size everything does need to be planned out if you want to cover some ground. You need to make a point of doing something otherwise you will probably never get around to it.

 

Up Next: Rising Tide & 150 Central Park

 

 

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[At Sea 4Ever]

Hi there!

I found your review yesterday after booking our Oasis cruise for next November. Since I have a VERY long time to wait for that cruise I am taking in all the information I can. I'm loving your review and looking forward to more. I can tell you that after being to the islands several times before that we will be doing the same thing you did on this cruise which is just basically enjoying the ship experience in and of itself. I don't believe we will get of the ship at any of the ports (we are doing the Easter on our Oasis cruise).

Love LOVE that there is deck police watching out for unattended chairs. I wish they did this on their other lines.

 

 

Thanks for following along! Waiting for your next cruise is just so hard. Thank goodness for Cruise Critic! Lol

 

 

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[DerbyDarling]

Still totally enthralled with your review! I'm like a kid on Christmas, going online to see if there's a new post up!

 

I appreciate the insights on the drink package! "The biggest factor of the package that we enjoyed the most was not thinking about ordering a drink throughout the week. It was all said and done before we boarded. It really did feel like an all inclusive vacation.... You are probably asking yourself, "how do they know they made out good on the package?"

 

I wholeheartedly agree with your comment above! You summed it up perfectly, not hearing "cha-Ching! Cha-ching!" in your head every time you order a drink (makes vacation much more pleasant!). When I purchased it before I kept thinking someone has to lose in this deal and you know it's not the ship! On Carnival we knew what their max per day was and that's how we kept score until we got our final bill at the end of the week and could do the math. With Royal Caribbean not having a pre-determined max I bet they are even more profitable with it since cruisers won't have that magic number in mind they need to hit to beat the house (ship) so to speak

[johnstoc13]

We were on Oasis with you last month. Can't believe it's been that long already...must be time to book another cruise! Have been enjoying your review very much. It's always fun to re-live the experience here on CC. Thanks for doing this!!

[ilovetotravel1977]

....With Royal Caribbean not having a pre-determined max I bet they are even more profitable with it since cruisers won't have that magic number in mind they need to hit to beat the house (ship) so to speak

 

I know Carnival has a 15-drink maximum. RCL doesn't have an actual limit?

[At Sea 4Ever]

Still totally enthralled with your review! I'm like a kid on Christmas, going online to see if there's a new post up!

 

 

 

I appreciate the insights on the drink package! "The biggest factor of the package that we enjoyed the most was not thinking about ordering a drink throughout the week. It was all said and done before we boarded. It really did feel like an all inclusive vacation.... You are probably asking yourself, "how do they know they made out good on the package?"

 

 

 

I wholeheartedly agree with your comment above! You summed it up perfectly, not hearing "cha-Ching! Cha-ching!" in your head every time you order a drink (makes vacation much more pleasant!). When I purchased it before I kept thinking someone has to lose in this deal and you know it's not the ship! On Carnival we knew what their max per day was and that's how we kept score until we got our final bill at the end of the week and could do the math. With Royal Caribbean not having a pre-determined max I bet they are even more profitable with it since cruisers won't have that magic number in mind they need to hit to beat the house (ship) so to speak

 

 

Wow! Thanks so much for your nice comment! Your right about people not knowing the magical number. I'm sure royal makes out well in the end.

 

 

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[At Sea 4Ever]

We were on Oasis with you last month. Can't believe it's been that long already...must be time to book another cruise! Have been enjoying your review very much. It's always fun to re-live the experience here on CC. Thanks for doing this!!

 

 

Hey! I remember talking to you on the roll call! I can't believe it's been over a month already. We had such a great time and the weather was beyond perfect all week. I feel like I'm extending the cruise by doing this review lol. Thanks for following along!

 

 

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[At Sea 4Ever]

I know Carnival has a 15-drink maximum. RCL doesn't have an actual limit?

 

 

No limit on royal just one drink at a time per card.

 

 

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[At Sea 4Ever]

Day 5: Rising Tide

 

One of the the most innovative attraction on the ship is the Rising Tide Bar. It is an elevating bar that goes between deck 5 Promenade up to deck 8 Central Park. During the day it is stationed on deck 8 while a water fountain display takes place underneath.

 

 

In the evening it transforms into a bustling bar. You can enter or exit either on deck 5 or 8 and the arrival and departure times are located on a digital board on both decks. It takes about ten minutes to get from one deck to the next so plan according. I say plan according because we got so caught up in the great view and tasty cocktails that we didn't get off on deck 8 like we wanted to. Our dinner reservations were in Central Park so that's where we had wanted to get off but instead we stuck it out and waited for it to go back up. You can stay on the bar for as long as you would like. If I remember correctly the bar on the Allure had a "set up" bar top where as the Oasis had a built in bar. The Rising Tide is a fun experience that should be done at least once while onboard!

 

A look at the Schooner Bar located directly across from the Rising Tide

 

 

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[Bustersmom]

I feel it is always worth it to book thru the cruise line for any port excursions-knowing after reading for over 10yrs all the different reviews pros and cons-I do not think think the $$ can be that much different-for me the peace of mind

knowing if a bus or a boat breaks down and was based thru the line, they will wait is well worth it to me. Part of the budget I plan for when cruising.

Edited June 5, 2014 by Bustersmom

[At Sea 4Ever]

Day 5: 150 Central Park

 

After "rising" back up to deck 8 we were placed directly outside 150 Central Park. On the Allure we had sat alongside the window at a table for two and since those tables were available again this time around that's where we choose to sit. We enjoyed that spot because you had a nice view of the park. The restaurant is very elegant with a small personalized crew. There were a decent number of tables occupied while we dined. I was kind of surprised that the most expensive speciality would also be the busiest. As soon as we were greeted by the maître de and our waiter it all came back to me. This was the best culinary experience you could find on the seas. It looked like the restaurant agreed with me as well!

 

 

 

I did capture every course with a picture but the quality of the photos isn't the greatest. The restaurant is very dimly light and I did not want to disturb other patrons with a very bright flash every few minutes.

 

We were first asked if we dined at 150 Central Park before and if we had any food allergies. First question yes. Second question no. Our waiter then offered the wine pairing to us but we opted out. I did however order the house specialty martini. It wasn't on any menu or even offered to us but thanks to reading many of the great reviews on CC I was ahead of the game! Because I had the premium drink package I just had to pay the $5 difference because the drink exceeded the $10 limit. It was well worth it though because the martini shaker for you to refill when needed and I was able to get about 3 refills out of it. The taste of cucumber was very refreshing! Even though I did not do the selected wine pairing I still ordered wine by the glass off the menu. My package did cover those.

 

Speciality Martini

 

The beautiful menu presentation

On the Allure we received a pre printed menu with our names and sail date imprinted on it. We got to take them home as souvenirs. Maybe it was because it was the inaugural season or because we booked before boarding or maybe they no longer add that special touch but this time on the Oasis we did not get those menus.

 

A basket of breads, homemade butter, & salt selection

 

The much talked about salt selection

 

 

 

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[At Sea 4Ever]

"The Versatility of a Carrot"

Borek Farms Carrots

 

Potato Leek Soup

 

Beet & Goat Cheese Tortellini

 

Grilled Tuna

Served medium rare as suggested

 

Beef Two Ways

 

Lobster Tail

We were so full at this point we asked that we share one so they split it for us

 

 

 

 

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[At Sea 4Ever]

Bittersweet Chocolate Bourbon Tart

 

This menu was named the Shadehouse Menu. It was served the second half of the cruise.

 

We thought the menu was great! The flavors and quality of food was worth the up charge of a specialty restaurant. I really enjoyed the carrot dish but I can't pick a favorite because it was all so delicious. Like I said earlier in my review, the chocolate bourbon tart was heaven on a fork. I would go back just for that one dish.

 

We did have an interesting and scary experience during our meal. We have been on many cruises and have never, besides drills, heard distress calls. The first was a bravo bravo bravo call issued from the bridge. A report of a fire on deck one and even specified a cabin number. After everyone was rattled by that, about thirty minutes later an alpha alpha alpha call was issued for Dazzles which is right outside of Central Park. We did see a handful of crew members run towards the area. It looked as if someone maybe had cut themselves because we later we did see blood on the floor. There was something very eerie about those two calls. It's hard to explain maybe because it was dark out but for one quick second I didn't feel like I was on a floating city with six thousand people.

 

As dinner was coming to an end, our waiter asked us if we would be trying out Jamie Olivers new restaurant on the Quantum of the Seas. Even though the style is very different this had me believing that those two restaurants would be comparable.

 

Up Next: Ice Show

 

 

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[At Sea 4Ever]

Day 5:

 

 

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[At Sea 4Ever]

Day 5:

 

Before we headed down to Studio B for the Ice Show we took some pictures of our night in Central Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[At Sea 4Ever]

Day 5:

 

We arrived at Studio B about ten minutes before Frozen in Time began. They were still allowing people in but seats were becoming sparse. We found two in the back row which was fine because TV monitors displayed the show. There are a lot of pillars throughout the venue so being able to also view the show on a screen is a plus. Compared to Ice Games, which is the ice show on the Allure, Frozen in Time I found to be more technical. It told less of a story and showed more of the talent of the skaters. Ice Games told more of a story and was better for all ages. Once again, just like Oasis of Dreams, you can tell Royal only finds the best talent!

 

After our fabulous meal and great entertainment we were tired. Remember our mornings start early! We called it a night after the show. When we got back to our cabin we received a notice stating that window washing would be happening tomorrow and that we should keep our shades closed.

 

Up Next: Day 6

Cozumel, Johnny Rockets, Solarium, Come Fly With Me, MDR, Quest, Twenty by Absolute

 

 

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[At Sea 4Ever]

Day 6:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[At Sea 4Ever]

Day 6:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[At Sea 4Ever]

Day 6: Cozumel

 

Today we woke up to an overcast sky. You could tell it rained a good amount during the night and the sun was no where to be found. We realized because of the weather the battle of the pool chairs would not be happening that morning. Something we never experienced on the Allure was the breakfast at Johnny Rockets. To be honest if it weren't for CC I would never have known it was even offered. We headed down to the boardwalk for a diner style breakfast.

 

Although it poured the night before, the chairs and tables were dried completely for use. They encouraged we sit outside and since the boardwalk is great for people watching we agreed!

 

 

 

 

Unlike lunch and dinner, breakfast is complimentary at Johnny Rockets. You can order as much as you like and even get eggs cooked to order. The best part about breakfast was that the food was nice and hot! Definitely one of the best breakfasts we ever had on a ship.

 

Up Next: The Pier in Cozumel

 

 

 

 

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[PathfinderEss]

Love all your photo's, thanks for posting them.

[At Sea 4Ever]

Love all your photo's, thanks for posting them.

 

 

Thanks for following!

 

 

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[At Sea 4Ever]

Day 6: The Pier in Cozumel

 

We decided for the first time all week that we would get off for a few minutes in Mexico. I was looking for a certain piece of jewelry from a certain vendor that we had visited in the past. We were a bit bummed when we realized we would not be taking the escalator down to disembark the ship. We got a kick out of that on the Allure. They told us certain ports and depending how the ship pulls in depends on whether or not they use it.

 

The weather was still not great but at least it was dry. Once we stepped off the ship we were greeted by the Vision of the Seas! She was docked right next to us. While we love seeing other Royal ships we realized we would not get a good full length picture of the Oasis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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