Oasis of the sea suite holder review from Western Aug 1st sailing

[Allensfan]

Next stop was 150 Central Park. I can’t say enough good things about the actual Central Park as a whole. So gorgeous and quiet; I often wondered where everyone was. We didn’t have ANY problems with crowds.

 

The restaurant is very lovely with high-end furnishings. Excellent service and a lovely wine list. We had the drink PP package and I will warn you that there are not many choices by the glass on the menu. We stumbled on a great red by the glass but this could have been a place where we could have splurged and gotten a bottle at 20% off the price due to the PP package.

 

One of my biggest shocks was the cucumber martini. As much as I like wine, I normally don’t ever get something like a martini. I only ordered it because I had the PP package and I wanted to tell all of you about it. It was amazing!! Tasted like a fresh margarita, with hints of lemon and other citrus flavors. It was light and made your entire mouth feel fresh and ready for a meal. I wish I had ordered two! They are over the $12.00 limit so you will be charged an extra few dollars for this drink.

 

One of the signature items was the bread, butter and salt. They bring out a dish with rose petal dividers and they have different salts from around the world. Each salt tasted unique. So you take a piece of bread, spread some butter on it, sprinkle one of the salts and try them all. NO carb free here! I liked all of them

 

The starter was goat cheese and tomato on a small puff pastry. What a disaster! The goat cheese had this ‘raw’ flavor and both the boys hate tomatoes. We all tried it but even I didn’t care for it and I like tomatoes. We didn’t complain at all but they noticed none of us ate much of it and brought out salads as a replacement. Hooray

 

Next course was the pasta and butter poached lobster. Creamy, rich, tender lobster with a while wine butter and cream sauce. Remarkable and tasty.

Last course was the lamb. I like lamb and my son is a huge fan of it too but this lacked flavor. We all agreed it was average. The desert was a grapefruit cake. I enjoyed it but if you don’t care for grapefruit you would likely not care for it.

 

I thought this would be our number one choice but it fell short compared to Chops which surprised me. I would likely return but I would look more carefully at the menu and decide based on the offerings. Please note that the first half of the week the menu is different than they second week…so choose wisely.

[Allensfan]

So did you absolutely love the cabana that you would get one again next trip or would you be happy just getting in barefoot beach with your card and sitting on the beach and floating in the water.We will be there next month and still trying to decide if we should get one.We love the sun and water and dont know if we would get a lot of use from it.Thanks

 

I know I sound spoiled rotten but I would not enjoy Haiti as much if I didn't have the cabana. My SO is a fair red-head and there is not enough sunscreen in the world to protect him from the blistering Haiti heat/sun. I actually felt that was one of our more affordable days because we only did the cabana as our 'excursion' and it was $225 for 3 people. Golf for example was $179 for each of us. So with Haiti we came out a bit cheaper. They do offer lounge chairs to get you off the sand and I think they are included.

[TheInnocentAge]

Thank you for the review! We will be on Oasis in October/November and again next April, so it's great to hear what recent cruisers have experienced.

 

How crowded was the suite deck, and about how many loungers does it hold? Can you hear the music from the main pool up there, and if not, do they have a guitarist or any other music in that area?

 

Thanks in advance for your responses!

[mark22mac]

I know I sound spoiled rotten but I would not enjoy Haiti as much if I didn't have the cabana. My SO is a fair red-head and there is not enough sunscreen in the world to protect him from the blistering Haiti heat/sun. I actually felt that was one of our more affordable days because we only did the cabana as our 'excursion' and it was $225 for 3 people. Golf for example was $179 for each of us. So with Haiti we came out a bit cheaper. They do offer lounge chairs to get you off the sand and I think they are included.

 

Ok thank you i think well just get a lounger.Im the type who gets to the pool at 8 AM(premium real estate) and hogs that chair all day long.I could actually lay in the sun for 10 hours.lol

[Allensfan]

The flow rider is a signature activity on the boat but the lines and short duration of attempts has created a situation where I have never tried it. Well I was determined to try it out this cruise.

 

We booked a one hour lesson for $69.00 per person. You are placed in a group of 8 people…if you would like a one hour lesson alone the price jumps to over $500.00 YIKES. But as you can see in the pictures the guide is right with you helping you learn. It was fun and we are so happy we did it. As you can also see ladies wear a t-shirt or you will have a bikini oops! :eek::eek:We both stood up….yippee. Be kind, we are both water logged in the pics. Hard to look your best with thousands of pounds of water hitting you in the face:p

[Allensfan]

Thank you for the review! We will be on Oasis in October/November and again next April, so it's great to hear what recent cruisers have experienced.

 

How crowded was the suite deck, and about how many loungers does it hold? Can you hear the music from the main pool up there, and if not, do they have a guitarist or any other music in that area?

 

Thanks in advance for your responses!

 

The suite deck was never crowded, in fact I wish more people had been there hanging out. Holds 2-30 loungers I think. You can hear the music on the deck but not in the solarium.

[Allensfan]

Mexico we had signed up for the Royal Dolphin and Manatee swim. I have no pictures of the swim because they will not allow you to take pictures and they want you to purchase a photo package…which is super expensive. The dolphin swim was where the dolphin pulls you on their fins and also pushes you up and out of the water.

 

If you have never been in the water with a dolphin it is worth doing. The manatee interaction was really special. You get to feed them lettuce and pet their bellies. They are sweet creatures and it was educational. After that we had access to the entire park where there was a sea loin show and lots of places to eat. Mexican food and sangria…sign me up!

 

We also brought our snorkel gear and swam in the open waters…I have a picture attached. The fish and sea life was plentiful and it was a very enjoyable day.

[cruzkitty]

Great Review-thanks for taking the time to post! Looking forward to being on the Oasis again next month and enjoying a Cabana at BB!

[Allensfan]

The suite deck was never crowded, in fact I wish more people had been there hanging out. Holds 2-30 loungers I think. You can hear the music on the deck but not in the solarium.

 

Meant to say 20-30

[cincicruisers]

Did you take advantage of the in suite dining for any meals? Thanks for posting your review

[Allensfan]

Did you take advantage of the in suite dining for any meals? Thanks for posting your review

 

We only ate in the room one day and it was for breakfast and I regretted it. It took a long time to get service and the Coastal Kitchen was on the same floor as us (17th floor) and the food was excellent. But maybe it was just a busy morning

[kalliekae]

Great review! So glad you posted about the golf. We will be there in November and dh has signed up for golf in Jamaica. I will tell him to bring golf balls because I know he'll lose a few on that course. :)

[NCteacherlovescruising]

We got all dressed up for formal night but it was disappointing that apparently only a few people on the ship got the memo that it was supposed to be a dressy occasion.:rolleyes:

 

 

 

My SO wore a Tux and looked amazing and my son wore a bow-tie and sport coat. I wore a cocktail dress but I can promise you it will be the last cruise my SO brings his tux on. Some men wore suits but many didn’t; I missed the formality of it. We ate in the Main dining room 4 nights during the cruise and found the food average and the service excellent. The escargot was very terrific and so was the wild mushroom puff pastry. The entrees left a bit to be desired and the deserts were good but nothing remarkable. Normally I love eating at the same table each night and getting to know my server. But we did 3 specialty dining and I think for my next cruise I will likely do even more specialty dining.

 

 

 

We also asked for a table for 6, so we could met new people but we were seated at a table for 4. No a problem for me looking at my handsome guys during dinner…no complaints!:D

 

 

You all look fabulous!

[Gordo]

Thanks for sharing your experience, and the details on your Crown Loft. It sounds like you had a lovely vacation.

[NCteacherlovescruising]

Let me start by saying …..We LOVED Chops!!! I really exceeded my expectations.

 

And we made friends! We were hoping to meet some amazing new people and one night in Vintages we met someone….drum-roll….that I had seen posting here on this board! What are the chances?? Tami and John, you made our trip even better and I think we have made a friend for life. We all ate at Chops together (although make sure you stay on ship time so you are not an hour late to dinner like we were!)

 

 

 

D.

 

 

 

We loved Chops too. Thanks for talking us into trying it! Our filets were so delicious we went there twice. [emoji6]

 

You and Mike made our trip better as well! [emoji4] I hope we can cruise together again sometime.

[Allensfan]

We loved Chops too. Thanks for talking us into trying it! Our filets were so delicious we went there twice. [emoji6]

 

You and Mike made our trip better as well! [emoji4] I hope we can cruise together again sometime.

 

Loving this new gorgeous picture of you!! The funny thing is I almost canceled Chops due to bad press...so glad I didn't!

[Allensfan]

I must say…and please pass no judgement:p….we loved spending lots of time in the casino. It was so full of energy and positive buzz. I must confess all the blinking lights, generous cheers and excitement was so much fun.

 

We settled on two slot machines, as you walk in they are the Wheel of Fortune 1.00$ slots on the right hand side. We took the two on the end. It was so much fun playing together and I felt like I was watching his slot machine more than my own. Well we certainly “invested” LOL a lot of money in these machines but on the last day I landed on the $1,000 spin….but since my SO was still playing I continued to play and hit $360 and then another $500.00 spin. I cashed out at $1800 and was squealing like a piglet! :D

 

We also played black jack and my handsome SO taught me how to play. I didn’t feel it was too smoky and I am not a smoker. Most of the dealers were kind and helpful. Please note you need to insert your sea pass card into the slot machines to earn points and I left mine many times because I forgot I put it in the machine.

 

I also did the zip line. Do this if you can, on the first day. No lines at all and it was fun. The first step off was the toughest! And PLEASE sign ALL your waivers PRIOR to boarding the ship. It makes it easier for you and for the staff.

 

I also tried to climb the rock wall. If I was there another day I would try again but I was unable to make it all the way to the top. It was very difficult and I only made it ¾ of the way…but heck, I tried with our friends cheering me on.

[Travalerie]

Where do you get the waivers to sign in advance?

[NCteacherlovescruising]

Loving this new gorgeous picture of you!! The funny thing is I almost canceled Chops due to bad press...so glad I didn't!

 

 

 

Aw, thanks!

 

If you recall, we had canceled Chops due to some poor reviews on here, but then you invited us to join you so we decided to give it a try. So glad we did! I hope those on the fence will give it a try after reading your review. It was our favorite of the speciality restaurants (150 Central Park, Giovanni's Table and Sabor) we tried. Next time we will probably just do Chops twice and Sabors. Not the same caliber, but we also really enjoyed the tapas at Vintages and the roast beef sandwiches at Park Cafe.

[scopewest]

I really appreciate your taking the time to post this review!

[Allensfan]

For the last night we went to Hibachi. It is very difficult to get a seat due to only having 3 tables and two seating’s a night. We went at 8:30 pm. It is a ‘show’ with the chef getting ready and then he cooks the food for you. Great show, fun and interesting but I really didn’t get my food until almost 9:30. It is rich, heavy meal and all of us left feeling too full and overwhelmed. For $35.00 Per person you can get a combination of steak, scallops, shrimp, lobster and chicken. You pick two. The food was really yummy but I don’t think we will go back. And if you do go, share one plate of food, it is just too much for one person. Maybe next time we will try the sushi.

 

My son was in teen club and loved it. The curfew is 1:00 am and they meet lots of other kids. They had a dance and he was 'prom king', I forced him to take a selfie for me :p I noticed many families had kids that didn't participate in the programs but my son loves them.

[Merion_Mom]

Where do you get the waivers to sign in advance?

 

Through your Cruise Planner on your My Cruises page on the Royal Caribbean website.

 

http://www.rccl.com

[Allensfan]

Where do you get the waivers to sign in advance?

 

When you go to Royal to complete your paperwork prior to the cruise you will see a button to sign all your waivers. Even though I knew I didn't want to ice skate for example, I clicked the button for all activities because I didn't want to hassle with it on board.

 

When they see in the sports zone you have pre-signed all waivers, your sea pass card will get a hole punch that looks like a star on it. It lets everyone know for the rest of your cruise that you can do anything...from flow rider to skating!

 

If you cannot find this button, I encourage you to call Royal's 800 # and they will walk you through it. :)

[Allensfan]

Aw, thanks!

 

If you recall, we had canceled Chops due to some poor reviews on here, but then you invited us to join you so we decided to give it a try. So glad we did! I hope those on the fence will give it a try after reading your review. It was our favorite of the speciality restaurants (150 Central Park, Giovanni's Table and Sabor) we tried. Next time we will probably just do Chops twice and Sabors. Not the same caliber, but we also really enjoyed the tapas at Vintages and the roast beef sandwiches at Park Cafe.

 

Oh goodness you are spot on. I would rather get a roast beef (or other really delicious choices) at Park Cafe, in that amazing setting....than to wait in line at windjammer. SO had the roast beef sandwich as snack one day and I tried the veggie soup. Both great

[Allensfan]

First of all thank you to everyone who made the trip more special. And I thought of you as I took pictures so I could share our vacation with you. I hope to answer any questions you may have to offer you the same support you gave me.

 

Couple of points as I complete my post:

 

1. For us the drink package was a huge success. I am not a heavy drinker but on vacation I got real value out of the package. The DO offer the wine by the bottle package. They do not advertise it on the web site but you can sign up for it once on board the ship if you like pre-buying bottles and do not want the drink package.

 

2. The crowds were not bad at all. The elevators were never jammed and many times I wondered where everyone was. Vintages was always empty, so was central park. The pool areas were full but there were always seats in the solarium. Windjammer also looked busy but we never ate there

 

3. A great value is the laundry service on day two. For $30.00 you can fill up a bag of laundry and they will return it for you.

 

4. The Dream Works channel was the best. All day, every day, they had a commercial free Dream works movie on. We are adults, but it was fun and relaxing to watch all the great movies.

 

5. The Mexican place, Sabor, was excellent. Get the sangria and you will be happy happy. Share food, they give generous portions.

 

6. Book ALL shows and restaurants prior to boarding the ship. There were long lines for the comedy show and many people didn't get to eat where they wanted because things fill up. Also, on a beautiful day people spent their time in long lines trying to book excursions...why?? Book in advance and lay pool side and enjoy your vacation.

 

7. The Hotdogs on the boardwalk are included and total yummy. I would rather grab a hotdog than go to the buffet. The chicken hotdog was my favorite but I could eat them all. Very fresh and handy, don’t miss them!

 

8. In the suites they offer binoculars. Such a GREAT idea. If I were ever traveling I would bring my own. I found myself looking out over the ocean, spotting boats and checking out the ports of call.

 

9. Last tip, our room had a scale in it. Don't ever even think of stepping on it:D

 

Cheers!!!

 

Margaret, Michael and Allen