Is the Oasis as bad as we hear?

[screamin400]

Just got off of the Adventure last week and had a great cruise. We are scheduled on the Oasis next Feb. While on our cruise all we heard was how bad the Oasis was. We heard it from crew and from people who had sailed on her. The itinerary is not special on the Oasis but we were going mainly for the ship. My wife is having second thoughts on this cruise. We have read some good things but actually talking to people who have been there was scary. We also heard St. Thomas was not a very nice stop? I know everyone has an opinion. I heard some bad things about the Adventure and I thought it was a great cruise. Could I find some things to complain about? Sure I could. Depends on the attitude you go in with. Whats your thoughts?

[micmacmissy]

St. Thomas is a great stop.

 

As for Oasis, some people are haters because it's so big. Take a look at http://www.cruisewithgambee.com to see his review and photos (well, it's Allure but same difference) and take a look at Harryfat's recent review.

 

You'll have a great time, no worries. Most people love it.

[setsail]

Its worse than you heard, cancel:rolleyes:

[screamin400]

Its worse than you heard, cancel:rolleyes:

 

Lol. It sure beats the snow we have. 110 degrees colder here than Puerto Rico a few days ago. I have never been much on listening to anyone else. I am watching this site to see what folks say about the adventure last week. I am sure I could bash some of it if I wanted to but we had a great trip at a great price.

[bajathree]

Just got off of the Adventure last week and had a great cruise. We are scheduled on the Oasis next Feb. While on our cruise all we heard was how bad the Oasis was. We heard it from crew and from people who had sailed on her. The itinerary is not special on the Oasis but we were going mainly for the ship. My wife is having second thoughts on this cruise. We have read some good things but actually talking to people who have been there was scary. We also heard St. Thomas was not a very nice stop? I know everyone has an opinion. I heard some bad things about the Adventure and I thought it was a great cruise. Could I find some things to complain about? Sure I could. Depends on the attitude you go in with. Whats your thoughts?

 

With over a dozen Oasis class sailings under my belt i can tell you one thing.....don't listen to everything you hear.

[screamin400]

With over a dozen Oasis class sailings under my belt i can tell you one thing.....don't listen to everything you hear.

 

I would have to say with a dozen Oasis cruises you would be the person in the know. One waiter who had worked on her said the lines for lunch were so long that he was amazed folks would wait that long. He said the seating area was the same size as the Adventure with twice as many people. Since he worked on the Oasis I thought he would know what he is talking about but I also understand that he may have had a bad relationship with a boss on that ship and trying to bad mouth it. He said we could wait up to an hour to get through the line? That seemed excessive to me. Tell me more?

[Cindy]

We are a couple who swore we'd never go on a ship that big, but curiosity got the best of us. We loved it!

 

Here's a link to my review from November...http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2135649

[sailset]

Which complaints cause you the most concern?. Crowding, bad service or something else.

 

We're sailing on her in April and while we're not ignoring the recent rash of negative reviews we're taking them with a grain of salt.

 

We've sailed on her before and I can't imagine that the few extra cabins they've added since have created any noticeable difference in the crowding which we didn't see as an issue on first cruise.

 

We've had instances of bad service on previous cruises and know how to correct the ones we can and roll with the ones we can't so I don't see that as a reason to cancel the cruise.

 

The Oasis and Allure are two of our favorite ships with so much to see and do. If I notice any significant changes on our April sailing I'll be sure to post back.

 

As for St Thomas, Dh and I think it's a lovely island with some of the most beautiful beaches we've ever seen and we're looking forward to our return to it in Oct.

Edited February 19, 2015 by sailset

[Sherri914]

Oasis is a large ship for sure. With that many people, there will be some crowds at peak venues at peak times. When shows let out, the elevators nearest the venue will be crowded. If you eat at peak times, the buffet and Park Café will be crowded. Does it ruin the cruise? Nope - at least not for us. We adjusted our eating times slightly and never once had to wait in line for food. And we tried several venues. Solarium Café is excellent for both breakfast and lunch. And if the set of elevators nearest the theater were crowded, we walked to the next set. Or took the stairs up or down one level from the theater before trying to get an elevator.

 

As for service, we experienced nothing but happy, helpful staff. My iPad was misplaced during our cruise. The staff went out of their way to help us. The dining room staff - superb. We never waited for anything. And on the third night, they knew our bread and drink preferences and those items were on our table within 1-2 minutes of being seated.

 

The only negative I can think of was the ash from the smoke stacks that would coat some of the seating at the Aqua Theater. If you're not paying attention before you sit down, your back side will be covered in black ash when you stand up. But even with this, the crew were diligently wiping seats before shows there.

 

So my opinion is that the Oasis is a beautiful ship and is in no way "as bad as" what some people post. In fact, quite the opposite. We are awaiting our November Oasis cruise now. And we'll be going the Eastern Route that you're taking as well. Having been to St. Maarten before, we know what we want to do there. We've never visited St. Thomas or Nassau, and are looking forward to those two stops as well. I read reviews saying this port or that port are "the worst", and I disregard them. Some things are what you make of them. Honestly, I didn't enjoy Cozumel or Falmouth, but I certainly wouldn't say they're awful stops. I simply didn't enjoy them the way some folks might. And perhaps that's due to my own lack of planning at those two stops.

 

I say enjoy your cruise and take all reviews with a grain of sea salt.

[Beardface]

I would have to say with a dozen Oasis cruises you would be the person in the know. One waiter who had worked on her said the lines for lunch were so long that he was amazed folks would wait that long. He said the seating area was the same size as the Adventure with twice as many people. Since he worked on the Oasis I thought he would know what he is talking about but I also understand that he may have had a bad relationship with a boss on that ship and trying to bad mouth it. He said we could wait up to an hour to get through the line? That seemed excessive to me. Tell me more?

 

Went on the oasis last year and never waited in line for food. In fact, while on a full sailing, I was genuinely impressed with how you never really felt like you were on a ship that big because it handled crowds that well. The only things I ever waited in line for was the zip line and getting back through the security checkpoints at each port of call.

 

That being said, there were lines that developed for Johnny Rockets and the Windjammer for breakfast and lunch at peak times, but really, isn't that to be expected on any ship? Just time it to not go at peak hours and you are more than fine.

[LuCruise]

What bad reviews have you heard? Because of the size? We're goign on Allure and it looks amazing...but we like the big "cities". I agree with others. Take a look at some recent reviews. Harryfat1 post titled "Cheapo dad’s trip report on Allure of the Seas sailing December 14, 2014" . Allure is the sister ship and his review certainly isn't bad. Or similarly, search for Oasis.

 

Also, not sure what heard about St Thomas??? The place looks beautiful. Perhaps you are thinking of Nassau?

[nednrom]

Just got off of the Adventure last week and had a great cruise. We are scheduled on the Oasis next Feb. While on our cruise all we heard was how bad the Oasis was. We heard it from crew and from people who had sailed on her. The itinerary is not special on the Oasis but we were going mainly for the ship. My wife is having second thoughts on this cruise. We have read some good things but actually talking to people who have been there was scary. We also heard St. Thomas was not a very nice stop? I know everyone has an opinion. I heard some bad things about the Adventure and I thought it was a great cruise. Could I find some things to complain about? Sure I could. Depends on the attitude you go in with. Whats your thoughts?

 

A cruise is what you make of it -- and a cruise now sounds wonderful since we have 11 inches of snow on the ground.

 

We went on the Oasis this past January, and we felt the service and organization was not as up to par as it is in Allure. Some of our displeasure were due to other passengers not watching their kids and chair hogging. DID WE HAVE A GREAT TIME??? ABSOLUTELY --

 

I wouldn't call it scary -- it's a beautiful ship. We didn't wait in line for dinner but we ate in the main dining room twice. St. Thomas is a beautiful port! And you've hit the nail on the head -- your attitude has a lot to do with how much you enjoy your cruise.

[Sherri914]

Here's a recent review by a person who sailed Oasis in January. This person is new to Oasis (and to Royal) but has lots of cruise experience on other lines though for comparison.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=270198

[trev71]

Loved in the Oasis in 2012, Loved the Allure in 2013, loved that so much we

went back on the Oasis in 2014 again. The only reason i am going on a different ship is because we want to see new ports of call. I wouldnt hestiate for a second to go back on the Oasis.

 

Take alot of the negeative reviews with a grain of salt

[paulh84]

Keep in mind with reading reviews, the people that typically go to the effort to write them have very strong opinions one way or another. The majorty of people that had a great time, no issues, and no complaints aren't going to write a detailed review outlining their experience.

 

For our next cruise I'm back and forth on Navigator vs. Allure. Two very, very different ships. Some of the things people go to great lengths to complain about are so mundane and pity to us. A warm salad plate and a funky smell in the Schooner bar are not going to ruin my vacation :)

 

Pick what you want based on the ship features, ports, etc. and you'll be fine. St. Thomas is a great stop. If you're expecting a manicured Fort Lauderdale type feel on arrival, yeah, you will be disappointed. It's all what you make of it.

[Duke Mazer]

We were on Oasis in January and loved it. Loved it so much we booked another cruise on Oasis for next year. In fact my wife and I were trying to book another cruise and she kept saying, "nope it doesn't have a park".

 

You will find it's has a lot to offer. Yes there are 6000 guess, but they do a great job, better than others at spreading the people around. Sure the windjammer is superthe first day 12:30, but I never waited any other lunch. Yup breakfast busy on a port days, there were some lines, but there are many other venues and you can find quick good options.

 

I found there are a lot of Oasis class haters. They hate it before they go on and can't stop complaining after they get off. It's their opinion and are welcome to it. BUT there are many more Oasis class lovers. Just by looking at all the replies to your question.

[rbschultz]

I loved Oasis! Don't let the haters make you turn away

[lovewine]

We are frequent cruisers and we were on the Oasis for the first time the first week in Feb/2014 and loved all of the wonderful shows, dining choices and felt like we were on a floating city. We reserved our shows and most of our dining in advance and never waited for anything! We did not feel like the ship was crowded at all because of all of the choices and places to go.

 

We do not take the elevators so I cannot comment on that.

 

Enjoy!

[beancounterbeth]

I don't mean to hijack this thread but there seems to be a lot of people on here who have been on Oasis and I have a question.

 

We will be on Oasis in June and we have only been on Explorer, Freedom and Liberty so far. I'm afriad I'm going to be a little lost on Oasis. Can you tell me what the main difference is as far as getting around on Oasis is as to getting around on say Freedom and Liberty? Is it basically the same? The promenade on deck 5 and work your way up from there?

 

I don't worry too much about elevators and such. We usually take the stairs to work off the calories.

 

I usually base everything around deck 5 with the promenade but with Oasis being so much bigger I'm just a little confused on how I'm going to figure everything out and get my bearings.

[Clarea]

I don't mean to hijack this thread but there seems to be a lot of people on here who have been on Oasis and I have a question.

 

We will be on Oasis in June and we have only been on Explorer, Freedom and Liberty so far. I'm afriad I'm going to be a little lost on Oasis. Can you tell me what the main difference is as far as getting around on Oasis is as to getting around on say Freedom and Liberty? Is it basically the same? The promenade on deck 5 and work your way up from there?

 

I don't worry too much about elevators and such. We usually take the stairs to work off the calories.

 

I usually base everything around deck 5 with the promenade but with Oasis being so much bigger I'm just a little confused on how I'm going to figure everything out and get my bearings.

Royal Promenade is still on deck 5. Outside promenade is also on deck 5, instead of deck 4 on Voyager/Freedom class.

 

Central Park is on deck 8, right above the Royal Promenade.

 

Boardwalk is on deck 6, aft part of the ship only.

 

Pool deck on deck 15 instead of deck 11 on Voyager/Freedom class.

 

Another significant difference is that the Solarium on Oasis class is in the area normally occupied by the Fitness Center on Voyger/Freedom. They stuck the Fitness Center down on deck 5 on Oasis class, so no expansive views outside from the Oasis fitness center.

Edited February 19, 2015 by clarea

[bajathree]

Keep in mind with reading reviews, the people that typically go to the effort to write them have very strong opinions one way or another. The majorty of people that had a great time, no issues, and no complaints aren't going to write a detailed review outlining their experience.

 

For our next cruise I'm back and forth on Navigator vs. Allure. Two very, very different ships. Some of the things people go to great lengths to complain about are so mundane and pity to us. A warm salad plate and a funky smell in the Schooner bar are not going to ruin my vacation :)

 

Pick what you want based on the ship features, ports, etc. and you'll be fine. St. Thomas is a great stop. If you're expecting a manicured Fort Lauderdale type feel on arrival, yeah, you will be disappointed. It's all what you make of it.

 

OH SO TRUE...if someone is displeased they will go through hoops for "pay back". if they are happy...most time you hear nothing.

[timbakersr]

Sailed the Oasis in July 2014 and Allure Dec 1014 now I'm sailing again on the Oasis March 2015. No complaints here, everybody can't be wrong. If both of the ships are full week in and week out yr round that should tell ya something.:cool:

So you have to wait for a short time to eat no big deal. So the elevators are always busy and they stop at every deck just take the stairs.

[bajathree]

I would have to say with a dozen Oasis cruises you would be the person in the know. One waiter who had worked on her said the lines for lunch were so long that he was amazed folks would wait that long. He said the seating area was the same size as the Adventure with twice as many people. Since he worked on the Oasis I thought he would know what he is talking about but I also understand that he may have had a bad relationship with a boss on that ship and trying to bad mouth it. He said we could wait up to an hour to get through the line? That seemed excessive to me. Tell me more?

 

There are almost always going to be some hits and misses. I have come to find that even frequenting say some of the best restaurants land based service will only be as good as that waiter you have that night...if they have an off night it will follow...or even the cook for that matter. With that in mind Oasis is a great ship...have I had a reservation for a restaurant and had to sometimes wait 5-10 minutes to get in...yes...other nights you walk right in. Waiting up to an hour....that sounds like a way over the top exaggeration to me. Oasis class is one of the best out there on spreading the crowds out...there are so many things going on that people are always drawn to different venues. Go try and ENJOY...try not to set expectations...I have always found it better that way.

[Diver2014]

We will be on Oasis the day after tomorrow...Feb 21. We've been waiting for a year now since we made our reservation and after being on 27 other cruises, we hope this will be the best yet! If you read negative things about Oasis on Cruise Critic, that's no surprise. It seems the CC Forum is loaded with gripers and complainers so it's refreshing when the occasional true 'Cruise Critic' gives a fair, honest and balanced critique. Unfortunately, those are few and far between. So take anything you read on here with a grain of salt. When people can say whatever they want anonymously, they seem to really pour on the negatives. I mean, how BAD can a cruise really be? By the way, we've been to St Thomas numerous times and absolutely love the port of Charlotte Amalie as well as the rest of the island. Yes, there are chickens everywhere and some shantys but this is the Caribbean.

Will give my report when we return next week (March 1). If you want a really solid review of the Oasis, check out Megacruiser's review called Oasis Photo review - all dining and drink menus. Absolutely wonderful and full of awesome photos without being what some call a 'cheerleader' review.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Diver2014

[beancounterbeth]

Royal Promenade is still on deck 5. Outside promenade is also on deck 5, instead of deck 4 on Voyager/Freedom class.

 

Central Park is on deck 8, right above the Royal Promenade.

 

Boardwalk is on deck 6, aft part of the ship only.

 

Pool deck on deck 15 instead of deck 11 on Voyager/Freedom class.

 

Another significant difference is that the Solarium on Oasis class is in the area normally occupied by the Fitness Center on Voyger/Freedom. They stuck the Fitness Center down on deck 5 on Oasis class, so no expansive views outside from the Oasis fitness center.

 

 

Thank you. :)