Breeze or RC Oasis of the Seas?

[momof3cruisers]

Tapi, that is a good point about the crowds. Longest lines were for guest services. AND the elevators. Oh how we hated those darn elevators...too slow and too far apart. Other than that, lots of open uncrowded space.

 

About the shows, while I wouldn't wait on the aqua shows, we saw several that I didn't expect to. My kids suddenly wanted to see Blue Planet once they saw the onboard preview. Got tickets the day before for that. We also saw How To Train Your Dragon and the Monoploy type ice show both of which were very good and neither needed a ticket.

[Sea Legs]

We were on the Breeze in April and loved everthing about it. However, we have heard so many good things about the Oasis that we are booked for next April!

[jimbo5544]

When we sailed on the Allure, literally, we didn't stand in line once during the entire week. Never, Nada, Zilch, Nunca! The ship (and the terminal in Port Everglades) are engineering marvels that are well thought out. They are designed to handle and disperse the passengers in such a way that these ships feel considerably less crowded (even deserted at times). From the moment you walk into the terminal, you're split up, so you board the ship through one of multiple gangways (instead of using the ONE gangway on Carnival) based on your cabin location.

 

Once onboard, the ships are divided into several "neighborhoods", so instead of feeling like one, gigantic ship, it feels like several, smaller and more intimate ships tied together.

 

The ships only visit ports where they can dock, which unfortunately limits the number of places that they go, but at the same time, this requirement expedites going ashore. Once again, the lower deck used for debarkation at ports of call is very well thought out, with multiple, large boarding areas, more elevators, and even electric escalators. All these elements make reboarding the ship an absolute Breeze (pun intended :o).

 

Finally, about the reservations system for shows and dining: I was a bit skeptical about it, and thought that it would be a pain to have to reserve everything. But once done, it makes SO MUCH sense! You KNOW that you have a seat at a specific time and for a specific show. No need to battle the crowds to get in, or get there ridiculously early to secure a seat. You just show up a few minutes before the shows start, have your card scanned, and literally walk in (and these venues are very well designed, so even "bad seats" are awesome seats).

 

So in a nutshell, you'll probably find considerably shorter lines and waits than on ships that are a fraction of their size. Allure and Oasis were designed from scratch to handle large crowds, unlike Carnival's "newbuilds" which are nothing more than recycled, enlarged versions of a poorly designed concept from the mid 90's. The Breeze, as nice as it may look, is a Destiny class ship on steroids.

 

As a side note, I remember when "mega ship" referred to a ship that was more than 70,000 tons, which meant something the size of the Fantasy! :eek:

 

 

 

 

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The not waiting part is true IF you have made previous reservations (in terms of shows). If you do not make reservations than you will wait in a line. I do have to say they do a really good job at embarkation and debarkation, the best I have ever seen. The only two places you will see crowds is around the pool and windjammer which is way way to small (probably the poorest design area on the ship). I agree on the old school thinking of 70,000 tons a s mega ship.

 

There is a limitation of ports as you mention as well. It is not an issue now but I wonder what the future holds when they are the only class of ship that rci sails in the Caribbean.

 

 

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[Cruzaholic41]

I have been on both. As much as I enjoyed my Breeze cruise, nothing compares to the Oasis. It's the most amzing ship (and Allure) I've ever seen, and the crowding (or lack thereof) is so much better than on Dream Class.

[Tapi]

The only two places you will see crowds is around the pool and windjammer which is way way to small (probably the poorest design area on the ship).

 

I should add that one of the reasons why we never encountered lines was thanks to the use of the electronic signage throughout the ship (the information can be accessed from the cabins as well). Before we'd venture out to eat, we'd check the restaurant list, displaying how busy each venue was, thus avoiding the busier restaurants.

 

In the morning, the Windjammer was always red, so we avoided it all week long and opted for having breakfast at either the Park Cafe, the MDR, the cafe on the Royal Promenade, or even at Johnny Rockets (which serves sit down breakfast free of charge every morning). Also, we could order a full HOT breakfast in cabin, with made to order omelets. This was a nice option not offered on Carnival, which limits breakfast to continental items.

 

Yes, the Windjammer is SMALL for as ship this size, and if it was the only place to eat casual meals it would be disastrous, but I think that the engineers were planning that, because there are 24 places to eat on the ship, people would opt for other dining options and spread out. But I guess that a lot of people still naturally gravitate towards the buffet since that's what they are used to from other ships, and some simply don't realize that there are other options until later on the cruise. I know that for us, we didn't realize right away that Johnny Rockets offered full breakfast even though we could see it from our Boardwalk window. :rolleyes:

 

 

 

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Edited July 22, 2014 by Tapi

[yj2cute]

I LOVE breakfast at Johnny Rockets. Ate breakfast there most mornings. Hardly ventured to the WJ.

 

While some people say they don't like the prospect of having to reserve the shows in advance, that doesn't bother me at all. I'm a planner by nature, so knowing my seat is reserved for me and being able to walk right in without standing in line was worth the time taken in advance to make the reservations. I loved every single show on both ships. The Aqua shows are amazing on both ships. My favorite show was Blue Planet on Allure. Loved it. Can't wait to see Cats on Oasis next year.

[NCteacherlovescruising]

I'm so glad to hear the ship won't feel crowded! That was one of the reasons my husband was reluctant to try the Oasis, he just doesn't like crowds. We watched a 3D show about the Allure last night and it was fascinating to see everything that goes on behind the scenes to keep these ships running so smoothly. I have never booked this far in advance, nor been this excited to step foot on a ship...this is going to be a long 13 months!

[jimbo5544]

I should add that one of the reasons why we never encountered lines was thanks to the use of the electronic signage throughout the ship (the information can be accessed from the cabins as well). Before we'd venture out to eat, we'd check the restaurant list, displaying how busy each venue was, thus avoiding the busier restaurants.

 

In the morning, the Windjammer was always red, so we avoided it all week long and opted for having breakfast at either the Park Cafe, the MDR, the cafe on the Royal Promenade, or even at Johnny Rockets (which serves sit down breakfast free of charge every morning). Also, we could order a full HOT breakfast in cabin, with made to order omelets. This was a nice option not offered on Carnival, which limits breakfast to continental items.

 

Yes, the Windjammer is SMALL for as ship this size, and if it was the only place to eat casual meals it would be disastrous, but I think that the engineers were planning that, because there are 24 places to eat on the ship, people would opt for other dining options and spread out. But I guess that a lot of people still naturally gravitate towards the buffet since that's what they are used to from other ships, and some simply don't realize that there are other options until later on the cruise. I know that for us, we didn't realize right away that Johnny Rockets offered full breakfast even though we could see it from our Boardwalk window. :rolleyes:

 

 

 

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I would agree, we sadly discovered this the 2nd to last morning. All being said, I still wonder why it is not bigger (windjammer).

[joge107]

We were on the Breeze in April and loved everthing about it. However, we have heard so many good things about the Oasis that we are booked for next April!

We've were on the Oasis in 2012 and the Breeze on July 5th. The crowds moved FAR better on the Oasis. The jam ups after dinner or after shows on Decks 4 & 5 (BREEZE) were very annoying. Also, the decor of the Breeze was very understated. I can do without Sand and Burgandy as my primary colors. Anyone else craving a little more Joe Farcus????

[jimbo5544]

We've were on the Oasis in 2012 and the Breeze on July 5th. The crowds moved FAR better on the Oasis. The jam ups after dinner or after shows on Decks 4 & 5 (BREEZE) were very annoying. Also, the decor of the Breeze was very understated. I can do without Sand and Burgandy as my primary colors. Anyone else craving a little more Joe Farcus????

 

You made me laugh out loud on the Joe Farcus line. There has been more negative posts about Carnival ships interiors than anything else (I actually liked his making things different, although the pink polka dots on the Splendor are a bit much and some of the lighting in the MDR on the legend makes me think he had a substance abuse issue at one time.

[cynt]

You will love the Oasis!! I went on the Allure Sept 2013 and I've been itching to get back to that class of ship. I love cruising so I can make any ship work. But that Allure was something special. And YES it is worth the extra $1000 for 3 people = $333/ea. That's $47ish extra per day per person. And you got a deal at $500 more = $23ish extra per day per person.

 

And ditto what Tabi said. Allure is a well oiled machine that runs and operates very smoothly. This was thought out and planned to accomodate 6000 guest.

 

Our family of 10 are looking at the Oasis for next summer too. Just wish we had of jumped on that BOGO sale but we were still tossing the idea around and no one wanted to commit.

 

I've already decided when we go next summer I'm taking my family to each eating place the 1st day. My parents are buffet people and they'll go there every day and get frustrated. :rolleyes: So I plan to nip that in the bud as soon as we board. Park cafe and the hot dog stand was my fav for lunch. Get my fresh to order salad and a bag of salt and vinegar Lays at the Park Cafe and up to Hot Dog place to get my bratwurst (nice selection) and park it there to enjoy my lunch.

 

Love the idea to plan ahead for the shows. I missed a few and changed up the time/day on a few. Usually if you go right before a show starts you usually can get in to see the show except for the comedy club.

[yj2cute]

We've were on the Oasis in 2012 and the Breeze on July 5th. The crowds moved FAR better on the Oasis. The jam ups after dinner or after shows on Decks 4 & 5 (BREEZE) were very annoying. Also, the decor of the Breeze was very understated. I can do without Sand and Burgandy as my primary colors. Anyone else craving a little more Joe Farcus????

 

Definitely NOT! I loved the look of the Breeze. Not better than the RCI ships, but 150% than other Carnival ships.

[joge107]

Definitely NOT! I loved the look of the Breeze. Not better than the RCI ships, but 150% than other Carnival ships.

My urologist's lobby has more pizz-zazz than the Breeze Atrium. (wilted flower chandeliers etc.) The only area on the Breeze that was an obvious improvement on past Carnival decors was the Lido.

[yj2cute]

My urologist's lobby has more pizz-zazz than the Breeze Atrium. (wilted flower chandeliers etc.) The only area on the Breeze that was an obvious improvement on past Carnival decors was the Lido.

 

Well I guess that's a matter of opinion. I'll take the Breeze over any other Carnival ship any day.

[Windy56]

Our Breeze cruise this past February was our all time favorite cruise. The pool decks were great, the live music venues were fantastic and the service wonderful. I really loved the deck food and the comfortable spaces along the promenade to sit and relax. We enjoyed our cruise on the Oasis a few years ago but my one complaint was the design of the ship. Its focus was inward rather than outward. It was like they were trying to distract you from the sea. Having said that, you can't go wrong on either of these ships! I think most people who have cruised on both ships would agree. I know you'll have a fantastic vacation. Enjoy!

[vacation_junkie]

I am looking at the Oasis (boardwalk balcony) for 7 days or the Breeze (Lido balcony) for 6. Even with the BOGOHO, the Oasis would be a little over $1,000 more. Do you think it would be worth that much more? We have sailed with Carnival 5 times now and thought it would be nice to try something different. We have to travel over the summer and there aren't a lot of cruise lines that travel to the Caribbean then. I think the Breeze looks beautiful but I read a review of the Oasis today and was blown away by the ship pictures.

 

The Breeze is by far our Favourite Carnival Ship.

 

I was set to book it again then I popped on RCCL to check out the Allure for the same week.

 

Because there was a Canadian Resident Sale going on we actually snagged a B1 Boardwalk Balcony for $2980 Canadian for the 3 of us on the Allure for Feb 15th.

 

Current price for our room on the Allure is $4335.

It was a price we couldn't turn down considering a balcony on the Breeze was working out to about $3900 U.S.

 

Keep watching for sales..you just may be surprised!

 

If it wasn't for the crazy price we booked at we'd be sailing the Breeze again next. We will be back on the Breeze after the Allure.

[Criticname]

Oasis and Allure are one of a kind ships to experience at sea, go to the Water Shows!! They fill up fast

[vacation_junkie]

Get my fresh to order salad and a bag of salt and vinegar Lays

 

Complimentary? or for a fee?

We usually bring chips on board for a late night in cabin snack because the plain ones usually provided are always soft or stale. If they are on board and not a crazy price we will skip packing some.

[Criticname]

Oasis and Allure in the Park Cafe offer 3-5 varieties of Frito Lay big grab bagged chips.

[vacation_junkie]

Oasis and Allure in the Park Cafe offer 3-5 varieties of Frito Lay big grab bagged chips.

 

Complimentary or for a cost?

[Yurita]

I am looking at the Oasis (boardwalk balcony) for 7 days or the Breeze (Lido balcony) for 6. Even with the BOGOHO, the Oasis would be a little over $1,000 more. Do you think it would be worth that much more? We have sailed with Carnival 5 times now and thought it would be nice to try something different. We have to travel over the summer and there aren't a lot of cruise lines that travel to the Caribbean then. I think the Breeze looks beautiful but I read a review of the Oasis today and was blown away by the ship pictures.

 

I was personally blown away by the Oasis, and if you can afford the price, why not?

 

I'll tell you why (and this is my true story;)) very similar to your situation

 

We planned a Riviera Maya vacation in 2013. We narrowed it down to 2 All inclusive resorts.

 

1. Sandos Caracol (cheaper)

2. Grand Palladium (nicest)

 

The Palladium looked amazing in pics, had a 5 star rating and I was blown away by the videos of its beach, restaurants and amenities. I wanted so bad to book it!!!

 

HOWEVER, Sandos was about $600 less per person, besides, they offered me a resort credit for booking with my amex, so I went ahead and booked it.

 

Well, the trip was good, however by day 3 we both agreed that we should have booked the Palladium because Sandos beach was not big/clean enough, the pools were so small compared to what we saw on the Palladium's website, the amenities were not comparable, etc... in the back of my head I knew, the Grand Palladium had so much more to offer!

 

I could have afforded any of the 2, but because #1 was cheaper we booked.

 

Now, 2 years later we are planning another trip to Riviera Maya, this time, WE ARE STAYING AT THE PALLADIUM. Yes, we are paying more than other resorts, however, it's MY vacation, MY time, and my $$.

 

Therefore, if you can afford it, GO FOR IT!

 

The Oasis has been the most spectacular ship I've ever been on. You won't regret it!!!!! enjoy life, it's only once; and the Oasis is a once in a lifetime experience.