Just off Icon…any questions?

[goldfish65]

I have never been on Oasis class, hearing comments that it is too "inward focused." On Icon did you feel much more connected to the water? 

 

I booked Icon because my travel agent raved, but I am having second thoughts. I want to know that I am on a ship and not in a mall. 

 

 

 

Edited 23 hours ago by goldfish65

[SUgwoz]

28 minutes ago, goldfish65 said:

I have never been on Oasis class, hearing comments that it is too "inward focused." On Icon did you feel much more connected to the water? 

 

I booked Icon because my travel agent raved, but I am having second thoughts. I want to know that I am on a ship and not in a mall. 

 

 

 

I would consider it different. Pearl Cafe offers a great experience looking out a glass wall, opposite side has a nice seating area on an open deck outside the 1400 bar.  So the Promenade is less enclosed than Oasis class. Pool deck has pools that are alongside the edge looking over the water in three different locations. Overlook offers water views like solarium, but it's glass enclosed and no pools/tubs. Also lot more space in rear of pool deck to overlook water where as oasis class has flow riders. 

 

Most are disappointed that coastal kitchen and suite lounge does not have water views, instead they focus on public spaces having water views. 

 

 

[Cruise a holic]

1 hour ago, SUgwoz said:

Which makes sense and sounds more an issue with surfside family suite choice.  That cabin type does appear poorly designed, and likely why they gave it sky class amenities.  As oppose to Family Infinite balcony that seems to have much more ample space, but no suite amenity and often still cost as much or more than surfside suite.  Along with that surfside cabins are one of the furthest locations from suite area.

 

My experience in May for elevator was often being on an empty or near empty elevator and going straight to my floor or maybe stopping once, as oppose to other classes like Oasis where you hop on a packed elevator with 6+ floors pressed or wait for another elevator hoping for less people. Typically I avoid elevators on cruises as I find them inconvenient and slow compared to stairs right next to it, Icon I rarely took stairs as the process seemed more efficient and less crowds hovering over a bank of 6 elevators guessing which one will come.

Since we are both senior citizens, we find it difficult to go up more than a couple of flights.  However we aren’t willing to give up the suite perks.  If I ever go on an icon ship again, will consider a sky class junior suite.  But for now we love the oasis class ships

[SUgwoz]

1 hour ago, Cruise a holic said:

Since we are both senior citizens, we find it difficult to go up more than a couple of flights.  However we aren’t willing to give up the suite perks.  If I ever go on an icon ship again, will consider a sky class junior suite.  But for now we love the oasis class ships

Completely understand, my older relatives were recently on Oasis class for the first time a few weeks ago (Utopia), after going on Icon in May.  I fully expected them to come back saying Oasis class is their preference and was surprised they both like Icon better.  Mind you neither ship they were in a suite.  Everyone has their unique wants on a cruise ship and while I think there is many that feel disappointed with some of the changes from Oasis class there is others that are pleased with the differences, and overall its better to have ships that are not near carbon copies.  

 

They also loved the infinite balcony rooms as they are adverse to excessive AC, so it shutting off was not a hinderance for them. Along with the better designed showers and room controls they found Utopia Oceanview balconies a step backwards for them.  Which goes to show for those that think a design choice was a terrible mistake, there is someone else out there that may prefer it.

Edited 21 hours ago by SUgwoz

[PhillyFan33579]

2 hours ago, SUgwoz said:

Completely understand, my older relatives were recently on Oasis class for the first time a few weeks ago (Utopia), after going on Icon in May.  I fully expected them to come back saying Oasis class is their preference and was surprised they both like Icon better.  Mind you neither ship they were in a suite.  Everyone has their unique wants on a cruise ship and while I think there is many that feel disappointed with some of the changes from Oasis class there is others that are pleased with the differences, and overall its better to have ships that are not near carbon copies.  

 

They also loved the infinite balcony rooms as they are adverse to excessive AC, so it shutting off was not a hinderance for them. Along with the better designed showers and room controls they found Utopia Oceanview balconies a step backwards for them.  Which goes to show for those that think a design choice was a terrible mistake, there is someone else out there that may prefer it.

The infinite balcony rooms tend to be very polarizing. We had a CP one when we were on Icon. While we didn’t dislike it, it wasn’t our favorite. Over the last few weeks we have done a CP balcony on Utopia, a CP balcony on Wonder, and currently in a BW balcony on Allure. We definitely prefer the regular balcony over the infinite balcony. 
 

We spend a lot of time in the Solarium and on the Boardwalk on Oasis class ships. To us this is a big negative with Icon. But if you don’t care about these, it obviously isn’t a negative for Icon. 

[SUgwoz]

13 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

The infinite balcony rooms tend to be very polarizing. We had a CP one when we were on Icon. While we didn’t dislike it, it wasn’t our favorite. Over the last few weeks we have done a CP balcony on Utopia, a CP balcony on Wonder, and currently in a BW balcony on Allure. We definitely prefer the regular balcony over the infinite balcony. 
 

We spend a lot of time in the Solarium and on the Boardwalk on Oasis class ships. To us this is a big negative with Icon. But if you don’t care about these, it obviously isn’t a negative for Icon. 

I think the infinite balcony will be a much better option in winter months, next time I'm on Icon class I will likely get one as they tend to be a little cheaper and the extra space is a benefit for me even though I like a traditional balcony.

 

I am not a cruise pool person and don't spend much time in hot tubs and I feel like that is the main difference between Solarium and Overlook.  I have a pool at home and cruise pools are nothing special.  I was surprised how much I liked the overlook, it felt like two completely different venues between day and night and was generally quiet with a lot of comfortable seating for various sizes of parties.  Also like the addition of sitting in aqua dome, eating lunch from the marketplace and watching performers practice in the comfortable ac.  I never found myself sitting at aqua theatre during the day on Oasis class, as you would just bake in the sun with only hotdogs being available nearby.

 

Everyone has their preferences though and Icon certainly can be approved upon, but I have a feeling when I go on Oasis this winter I will be missing some of the features on Icon.  Of course getting a balcony on Oasis for 6 nights for under $2k for my group of 4 is too cheap to pass up. 

[luv2ndhalf]

How was the wait for the elevators? Are they usually crowded? Are there multiple gangways to disembark in the ports? I just am curious if there is chaos when people are trying to get off-