Oasis - The Chopped Liver Cruise

[Clarea]

Almost forgot!

 

Thx Bob

 

Happy New Year

Marci

Happy New Year to you and Fred.:)

[lovelife]

Thanks for all the comments. I must have missed the caroling listed in the Compass and I really wanted to hear that. Thanks also for the suggestions. In fact we do land vacations also - Sanibel Island every year, two weeks in Hawaii every year, all-inclusives, etc. but we also love to cruise. They won't all be without their hitches but we always make the most of it and have fun. Off to Sanibel, Harmony, and Freedom for the next three weeks!! :)

[psuboater]

I'm not diamond plus, but diamond and also had a poor experience with the LA on independence. Very aloof, my first greeting visiting the first day 20 minutes before cocktail hour was "you need to not wear shorts going forward for CH." I'm all about respecting dress code, or could have delivered differently. Rest of the cruise when I greeted her at best I got a non response. Wish I was a diamond when I first started cruising in 2005. It seems like a lot of perks ended in the past decade.

 

 

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Edited January 7, 2017 by psuboater

[troykahack]

First, we find it interesting to speak to officers or staff. They have varied sea or land experiences, are often from different countries and are overall very nice. On most of our experiences, the meals has been special. Diners with an officer ( captain/hotel director etc.) have been a formal event with a terrific menu. On the Oasis cruise the (over 350 point ) meal was a 3 course plated lunch that included filet and decent wine.

 

The meal option is just one of the upper level tours/meal options. ( we had galley tour , bridge tour and meal offered. On some ships we've had a studio B tour offered also. You may select as many of the options as you like, or none.

 

 

M

 

Just curious, do you ask what one does for a living as an icebreaker??

[Clarea]

Just curious, do you ask what one does for a living as an icebreaker??

No need for an icebreaker, the officers are generally very easy to talk with.

[troykahack]

No need for an icebreaker, the officers are generally very easy to talk with.

 

Bob, I wasn't addressing it regards to the officers, but fellow cruisers. I just thought maybe someone who was so interested in their stories might also like to hear from their fellow cruisers as well as related to what they do and their experiences seemed to fit right in. ???

 

Just thinking maybe those that enjoy dining with officers and hearing stories, are likely to ask one what they do for a living. Rocket Scientist who might be asked how to fix their Rocket.

Edited January 7, 2017 by troykahack

[Clarea]

Bob, I wasn't addressing it regards to the officers, but fellow cruisers. I just thought maybe someone who was so interested in their stories might also like to hear from their fellow cruisers as well as related to what they do and their experiences seemed to fit right in. ???

 

Just thinking maybe those that enjoy dining with officers and hearing stories, are likely to ask one what they do for a living.

Sure, that goes on too, especially for those seated far away from the officer.

[SherriZ366]

This is a brief review of my December 11 Oasis of the Seas sailing. We are a mature Diamond Plus couple on our 50th cruise – 40th with RCCL – fourth time on Oasis. Number 50 turned out to be lucky in one respect; we received our first ever upgrade from a D4 ocean view balcony to a junior suite. I have heard of first-time cruisers and many others receiving upgrades/upsells, but never us until now. This was great I thought!

 

I only took a few photos with my little point and shoot since I have a gazillion from my past Oasis sailings.

 

I find Port Canaveral a most inconvenient port to cruise from if you are flying in (but yet I have two more booked from there). We did a package with shuttle pickup from MCO, overnight at Hilton Cocoa Beach, shuttle from the Hilton to the cruise port, and transportation from the cruise port back to MCO. Next time I plan to try something different as it is not fun traveling around to four or five different hotels cramped up in a van for an hour or so if you happen to be the last ones out. Post cruise it was a long wait for our bus to show and the representative failed to notify us when the bus arrived as promised. We just happened to inquire and made it on at the last minute.

 

On cruise morning we traveled around to different hotels picking up folks and then to different ships dropping off folks. Just not ideal.

 

 

Cabin:

 

We had junior suite 8630. It was not on the hump and had the smaller balcony. No loungers. The walk-in closets on Oasis class are not as large as Voyager and Freedom class but still a walk-in. It was very quiet until our neighbors went out on their balcony and started yelling. I requested and received an egg crate topper as the bed was extremely hard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is what we found as Diamond Plus welcome items when we arrived in our cabin

 

 

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING (except a letter welcoming us as Gold members)!

 

 

 

No Diamond Plus welcome letter

No letter from concierge

No three free drinks paperwork

No invitation to Top Tier Event

No tour invites

No meal with an officer invite

No welcome drinks as selected

No welcome water

No welcome fresh baked cookies

No upgraded toiletries (have never gotten these on any of my several sailings since reaching 340 points)

 

This is when I began asking - what am I, chopped liver?

 

I asked our cabin attendant where our welcome items were and he said he did not know and I needed to go to Guest Services. I asked him to check in the cabin we had initially booked and he said no. I knew not to go to Guest Services and instead waited until the Loyalty Ambassador arrived in late afternoon and got in line to inquire. He showed no concern at all and took notes. Chopped liver.

 

We still received nothing so the next day I spoke to the concierge who showed a little sympathy and took more notes. She did print her letter and a Diamond Plus welcome letter for us. Their excuse was it was due to our upgrade about a week prior to our cruise. Come on, it isn’t rocket science; just go to the booked cabin and move the stuff to the new one. We eventually received our drinks, water, and some cookies that anyone can pick up at the Windjammer. Never received any invitations to anything. Yep, chopped liver.

Thanks for review and posting about the hard beds. I am going to email special needs for egg crates. We are D+ and in a JS.

 

We usually have to ask the stateroom attendant to get the upgraded toiletries.

 

Were you able to wait in the suite area prior to the cruise? If not, where did you wait.

[SherriZ366]

Was the DL concierge Beatrice? I co-manage the Current Concierge thread and the GoogleDoc spreadsheet on Concierges.

[luvscruising2007]

Was the DL concierge Beatrice? I co-manage the Current Concierge thread and the GoogleDoc spreadsheet on Concierges.

 

Our favorite waiter was a Beatrice from one of the islands. We were on the Explorer. Is she the same one? If it is she would probably be an excellent Concierge.

[lovelife]

It was Beatrice. We got to the port so late we had no wait and went directly to the ship but I believe you wait in the suite area at that terminal if in a junior suite.

[SherriZ366]

Our favorite waiter was a Beatrice from one of the islands. We were on the Explorer. Is she the same one? If it is she would probably be an excellent Concierge.

I will have to find out next month.

[SherriZ366]

It was Beatrice. We got to the port so late we had no wait and went directly to the ship but I believe you wait in the suite area at that terminal if in a junior suite.

Thanks -- one Oasis cruiser in a JS said that the "Sea Class" -- Jr. Suite portion of the sign for the suite waiting area was covered up and others have also confirmed this.

 

I am surprised that the beds were hard. Sea Class is supposed to have luxury pillow top mattresses. Maybe they have not changed them out. They did in Freedom when we last sailed in June in a JS. I may email Special needs to have an egg crate or foam topper put on our bed.

 

The upgraded cosmetics L'Occitane Bath Amenities. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/royalsuiteclass/sea

I always have a post it note with all my requests to give to the cabin steward when he or she visits on the first day. They always bring me my toiletries, robes and other personal things like ice to fill a cooler I bring on board (I have to ice my ankle daily).

 

Good to know that they did not leave your Diamond letter in the room. If that happens, I will go to the Diamond Concierge the first day and ask her for it. We are close to the DL. That way we will find out about overflows, drinks on card etc. There is also a card that you fill out for the tours and events for 340 cruise credits and up. It has bridge, galley etc. tours as well as Meal with an Officer. Sounds like some of the problem is the Loyalty Officer.

[gagirl7143]

What does having a meal with an officer do for you?? You consider that a perk?? If so, why?

 

Do they have extra special food served when dining with an officer??

 

 

On most ships, the meal with an officer is extremely nice. Some even do place cards. Capt Liz and all sr officers were at the tables on Jewel. The meal is usually very special with usually 3 entrees, several appetizers , a special dessert, and wine. Held in the main dinning room or a special restaurant. Some are actually better than a Capt table in the main dinning room. A very nice perk for those 340 and over.

 

 

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[gagirl7143]

You get extra C&A points when you have a meal with an officer.;)

 

 

Not hardly. But that is a great rumor starter. Bob, you know people consider anything you post as gospel!! Yes, the Gospel according to Bob!![emoji12]

 

 

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[critterchick]

No offense, but how can you go on 40 RC cruises and still like it?

 

I have been on over 20 voyages, 8 with RC and am almost done with cruises.

 

Not just because of the cut-backs, but the repetition & similarity.

 

They are almost a disappointment.

 

Most are the same. And the ports have become mundane.

 

Its not like they are going anywhere new.

 

I cancelled 2 future cruises, but kept the Harmony because I already had airfare for the exact dates.

 

You should check out the AI instead.

 

Now that my kids are getting a little older, we are doing other types of trips....

 

 

Cruise ships go all over the world, you know. :)

 

OP, I agree that it's absurd for the ship not to be able to update the manifest the day before a cruise - the items are delivered on embarkation day, and there's no reason to have the list prepared early. Years ago, I found myself in the same situation and had a fellow D+ friend call me whenever she got an amenity; then I would call room service and they would deliver one to me. After the cruise, I read a review on CC where the new occupant of my old cabin was over the moon about all the goodies she had received during the cruise.:eek:

[Goofyisme]

Not hardly. But that is a great rumor starter. Bob, you know people consider anything you post as gospel!! Yes, the Gospel according to Bob!![emoji12]

 

 

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This is so true. Bob is a great and reliable source of information and so willing to take the time to share.

[Merion_Mom]

Was the DL concierge Beatrice? I co-manage the Current Concierge thread and the GoogleDoc spreadsheet on Concierges.

 

Yes.

[SherriZ366]

Yes.

Thanks -- I have her on OA until June, 2017 unless I get information that she is going on vacation earlier.

[matj2000]

Cruise ships go all over the world, you know. :)

 

 

I know that ships are all over the world.

 

However, since the OP lives here in the states I am going to take a guess that the majority of her cruises were in Caribbean/Bahamas/Mexico.

 

In which the ports are getting stale.

 

Especially the one's that RC's big ships go to.....

 

 

 

[island lady]

You get extra C&A points when you have a meal with an officer.;)

 

LOL...Ok...where's Bob and what did you do with him??!! ;) :p

[island lady]

FYI: As far as the invite for meal with an officer, we have never received that in

our cabin upon check in. It always comes a day or so later on a card with choices:

Galley tour, Bridge tour, theater tour, and meal with an officer. You check off any

or all of the choices and drop it off to the LA on board.

 

They then send you the individual invite cards of what you have chosen with the

times and locations listed.

 

Oasis was doing an overflow lounge for the Diamond lounge, even with the

new larger location (old CL) and the upstairs opened up? :eek:

Edited January 7, 2017 by island lady

[island lady]

Thanks -- I have her on OA until June, 2017 unless I get information that she is going on vacation earlier.

 

Hi Sherri! Drop me an email after I get back on the 29th. I will give you what info I can. :)

Edited January 7, 2017 by island lady

[chandom]

...

 

Oasis was doing an overflow lounge for the Diamond lounge, even with the

new larger location (old CL) and the upstairs opened up? :eek:

 

Yup on Dec 11th Dazzles levels 8 and 9 were being used at night. Card checked on each floor.

 

Sent from a mobile device

[island lady]

Yup on Dec 11th Dazzles levels 8 and 9 were being used at night. Card checked on each floor.

 

Sent from a mobile device

 

Wow! Must have been a very heavy load of upper tier C&A members! :eek:

 

On my first and only previous Oasis cruise, when they had the tiny little DL

just above the promenade...they held the whole cocktail event in the disco

Blaze. The current DL was the CL at that time with no SL.

 

Not even sure if Blaze still exists? Will be very interesting to check out all

the changes in a couple of weeks. :)

Edited January 7, 2017 by island lady