A Dream Come True! Cruiserccl's Journey Aboard Oasis Of The Seas!

[Cruiserccl]

It was years in the making and on November 19th, 2009 and dream became a reality! From November 19th -22nd I was lucky enough to sail on the one and only Oasis Of The Seas.

November 19th, 2009

On November 19th my dad (Dean) and I (Chris 15) headed to the brand new Terminal 18 to board Oasis Of The Seas. Check in was very, very easy. It literally took only 20 minutes. The new port looked great. Signs were up welcoming the new Oasis and there were many areas to have your picture taken. Once we boarded the ship, my jaw hit the floor. We boarded right on deck 5 right into the Royal Promenade, WOW is all I could say. No renderings or pictures can do justice to just how wide and long the Royal Promenade is. From there, it was back and forth seeing all the different areas of the ship and doing my LIVE broadcasts. Before I knew it, it was time to get ready for one of the many highlights of this cruise—the Rihanna concert. I had won VIP tickets to see Rihanna and I sat in the front row dead center for the concert. We arrived and sat right down. The theater did not fill up fast but then it was like a title wave all of a sudden the theater was packed. Sitting just a few feet away on my left were all the executives from Royal Caribbean and their family, and friends. Camera crews were also all over the place. Up on the big screens on both sides of the theater were ‘Tweets’ from Twitter talking about the new Oasis and the Rihanna concert. Rihanna took up on stage about 45 minutes late, but she started the concert with a bang. Almost the second she started signing a wave of people came up right next to the stage to try and grab her hand and take as many pictures as they could. It was so funny watching RCCL security respond within seconds. Mr. Fain, and Mr. Goldstein were both up and out of their seats for most of the concert and they looked like they were having fun. The concert was in one word amazing. In fact during one of her songs I got to grab her hand for a few seconds it was, like I said, amazing! After the concert it was back to the cabin for a little bit and then back to explore more of the ship. For all of Thursday camera crews from GMA were all over the place filming different areas and getting everything set up. It was very neat to see. Soon it was time to sail away and then it was time to hit the gift shop. The gift shop was packed and things were literally flying all over the place. I managed to buy a few items including a huge ship model for $59. Other items in the gift shop included T-shirts, and hats which some were 2 for $30 over all I was very surprised at how small the gift shop was. After the gift shop it was bed for me and for many others this would be there only night on the Oasis for awhile so it was time for them to enjoy it.

November 20th, 2009

Lets just say I’ve never waken up so early before on a cruise before, but I guess I’ve never been on a cruise where GMA would be broadcasting live from the ship. 5:30am came really fast for me. After taking a shower and getting dressed, my dad and I headed down to the Boardwalk to see what was going on. There were a few people up and around the ship but there were not as many people as I expected there to be. After sitting down in the BW for a little bit, it was up to the pool deck to be an extra in their pool scene. It was amazing to see how many cameras there were and to see everyone running all over the place. There is so much work that goes into producing what they did; they’ve earned my respect; even though Sam did say ON The Seas. From the pool it was off to the Central Park and already waiting was a ton of people. From there it was off the next scene. It was a crazy morning! The last broadcast from the ship was down in the Boardwalk. The Aqua Theater staff were giving us a little show before they went live on GMA and it was amazing to watch. I can’t wait to actually see the real show. Then before we knew it, Sam and Melissa were climbing the rock wall and running down the stairs the Aqua Theater. GMA was being shown on the 2 large TV’s in the Aqua Theater and the excitement was exhilarating. The Aqua Theater was packed and I had front row seats! Words can’t describe just how much fun this morning was. After the last broadcast Sam and Melissa stayed around for a little bit and took a few pictures with their fans including me! About an hour or so after the last ‘We’re clear” we were back in Fort Lauderdale. For many it was there time to get off the ship, but for me it was time to get some much needed sleep. After a 1.5 nap it was time to wake up and get off the ship to meet my mom and my best friend who were waiting to get on the ship. Check in for them was just like us, a breeze! We all boarded the ship and Brad and I were off to see the ship and do a few broadcasts. Brad (15) has only been on one other cruise before which was on the Mariner Of The Seas; he has been my wing man for the last year or so helping me with all my ‘projects’. His jaw hit the floor just like mine did the second he boarded the ship. It took hours to show him just everything aboard the ship and I don’t think we even got to see everything on the 20th. It’s amazing just how many people can recognize you from a small little avatar on a message board. Everywhere I would go on the ship someone was like, “Are you Chris, and Are you 15?” I would then stop and engage in a nice conversation. I meet a lot of very nice people on this cruise and Bennie and I can only say ‘Thank You!’ After walking around for hours it was time to head back to the cabin and there waiting was a message from a film crew hired by RCCL to interview people and to take video of the ship. They wanted to follow me tonight as I would be attending a special party for special cruisers. At around 4 I started to get dressed up and then there was a knock on the door it was the film crew. They wired me up with a microphone and I’ve never been so nervous in my life! Bennie and I proceeded down the elevator with the film crew, parents, and Brad in follow. We arrived down at Blaze on deck 4 and did a 25 minute interview and then it was time to go socialize with other people at the party. It was a crazy few hours for me. So many at the party were aware of whom I was, and it was conversation right after another. I got to talk with the all the executives from RCCL and many other Royal Caribbean employees. To say a dream has come true was an understatement. Mr. Goldstein soon took the stage and handed out awards for the frequent cruisers, but not before mentioning me! Right after, it was back to taking more pictures and talking with more cruisers. It was one experience I will never forget. Thank you Royal Caribbean. After a GREAT time in Blaze, it was off to watch us sail away and my parents headed to the dining room to get us a table. Brad and I watched us sail away and we even got to see Wiley from Inlet cam! Then we ran down to the dining room (as we were a little late) where we were seated with a nice couple who we both enjoyed a great dinner. The food was great I think better that on some past cruises. The rest of the night was Brad and I’s to enjoy and we sure had a great rest of the night.

November 21st, 2009

November 21st was my first full day aboard the Oasis. Brad and I started off the morning with my favorite new thing, a donut from the Donut Shop in the Boardwalk. If you ever sail on the Oasis you must have an original glazed donut they are to die for. Once again we did live broadcasts but due to the fact that Royal Caribbean disabled the WIFI I could not broadcast live. Anyways I did an interview with the winner of the Reporter At Seas Contest – Germany. Which was a great opportunity for me. Afterwards, we headed down to the Promenade for a special parade called Lollapalooza. It was great! It featured acrobats hanging from the ceiling, dancers, the usual costumed employees, and confetti at the end. But such a good parade made us hungry, so there on it was off to Johnny Rockets for some lunch, and I must say, I was a little disappointed. The food was not as good as it was on the Mariner, but after we stopped and had a donut and I felt much better! We then meet up with the film crew again and it was off to the sports deck to watch the Chairman surf and then it was time to hang out with Mr. Goldstein. We played a nice game of ping pong and a filmed a short interview. I must say I’m not very good; in fact, this was one of my first times playing. Sorry Mr. President! After a little embarrassment it was my time to boogie board on the Flowrider. The cameras were rolling the crowd was cheering and I was nervous. I hopped right on and did a few tricks. I was on for a few minutes till I wiped out on my 2nd barrel roll. On my fall I broke their microphone (sorry) then right after it was time for another interview. Once I got done a helicopter appeared out of know where and was taking video and pictures of us (ship) for the next few hours. The helicopter at time was very, very close. It was so neat to see. After my last interview it was time for me to be a kid and enjoy some time with Brad; we went surfing some more and then chilled out in one of the pools. Night was coming fast and it was soon time for us to get ready for a special dinner. But before that, we went to the ice show called Frozen in Time in Studio B. The ice show was spectacular! Then finally, my family and I went to an invitation only dinner. We arrived at dinner to be escorted to a table with our names already on it and a picture taken the night before of Mr. Goldstein, Bennie and I. We sat down and had a look at our menus and then came Mr. Fain who sat at the table next to us. The dinner was great and once again the food was amazing. After dinner, everyone attended the 70’s dance party in the Royal Promenade around 11:45. Royal Caribbean really stepped up this entertainment. They RCCL singers and dancers entertained us for a good 45 minutes to an hour. One of the coolest things about the party was the lighting. The ceiling on the Promenade has colorful backlighting, which added so much to the fun and the performances. The rest of the night was for Brad and I to enjoy once again. I knew it wouldn’t be the last night on Oasis for a while, but for Brad it would be his last night for what could be a long time. The rest of the night was for us to enjoy, so we decided to pull an all nighter. We had a GREAT night to say the least. We took tons of pictures and just chilled I guess you could say. Early in the morning, we started to arrive back into Port Everglades and we headed to the cantilevered whirlpools where we watched us dock and also watch the Coral Princess turn into her berth. It was amazing sight to see. One by one the ships came in and soon a journey was coming to an end. Words can not describe how much this cruise meant to me. A dream became a reality for me and I was so happy to share it with my parents and my best friend who has followed the ship with me for about a year now. My dream came true and I don’t know what the future has in store for me right now. Hopefully i'll be working with Royal Caribbean and maybe, one day, become the president. I have a passion for cruising and Royal Caribbean the Oasis Of The Seas just reassured me why I only cruise with Royal Caribbean. No other cruise line can give you what Royal Caribbean can. Their brand is one I not only support but one I believe in. A dream has come true for me and all I can say is thank you to my parents, Brad and Royal Caribbean. The last week for me has been years in the making—and it was something truly special.

[Cruiserccl]

Royal Promenade

The Royal Promenade on the Oasis is just huge! It’s hard to believe a space like this is on a cruise ship and it really helps you get from one side of the ship to another. One of the features in the RP is the Rising Tide Bar. I rode this a few times and on average it took 6 minutes per trip. The ride is so smooth you can barley tell that you are moving. Also in the RP is the Café Promenade which, if I read the signs right they serve Starbucks. Right across from the café is Sorrentos. Here you can make your own pizza or get an already pre-made slice of pizza. There was also The Cupcake Cupboard which was serving pre-made cupcakes for $2.50, which in my mind is not worth it. The cupcakes were ok but not great. The “Decorate your own Cupcakes,” was not available on this cruise but hopefully next week it will be. Boleros-- which was a super hot hang out on this cruise-- is huge compared to others on different RCCL ships. Overall the size of the Royal Promenade is what really has me saying WOW! From the parade, and the 70’s dance party it was the place to be! The Royal Promenade is the center of the ship.

Boardwalk

Just a few steps away from the Royal Promenade was boardwalk, and did it live up to expectation. This area is my favorite on the entire ship. The boardwalk features a donut shop which was a favorite of mine. The donuts were so good! My favorite was the original glazed. I must of have had a dozen or so in just a few days. The BW also features an ice cream parlor that is more like a Cold Stone Creamery; they mix the ice cream with whatever topping you would like right in front of you. The Sea Food Shack—a new restaurant-- was OK from what I heard from my parents (I don’t eat sea food). They said for the $4.95 they would visit one or two more times. Right across the way was Johnny Rockets. I was a little disappointed in the food. I felt like the food was better on the Mariner but the location was great. One of the highlights of the Boardwalk was the handmade carousel, a 2.5 minutes long ride that anyone can enjoy. I must have ridden the carousel 5 times! Another highlight of the boardwalk was the Aqua Theater. Although they did not actually do a show during this cruise they still had the fountains going and it was beautiful. The BW also features a bar where you can pick up a corndog and some chicken nuggets; which I must say was really good! Nothing beats being out on the boardwalk at night because it was so pretty. Pictures cannot even do justice to what it looks like in person. There are cabins with balconies that face into the BW and I’ve heard good and bad things from people. Some say the cabins are very, very small and that they are very noisy, others say it’s great to see all the action right below you. Either way I have one booked in just a few days. So ill report back. Also on certain days the boardwalk will feature family friendly games.

Central Park

WOW! Who would have thought that you could take a stroll through a park on a cruise ship? Just wow! Many people feared that the CP and BW would be a lot narrower that what it seemed like in the rendering, this is not true. Central park is huge. From the first ever Coach Store, to Chops Grille, the Central Park was all great. The Park Café was definitely the highlight for me. From make your own salads to the Panini’s, the food was excellent. I would highly recommend that you go in there. There are 2 glass canopies that look down to the Royal Promenade below and the view is amazing. During the night time the CP transforms in to a hoping place with tons of restaurants and it become beautifully lit up. It’s beautiful, and you truly can see stars from the Central Park. For adults, the Central Park will become one of their favorite places just because of the fact that is very peaceful and a very nice place to relax. I was able to take a look at a CP cabin and if I was just a little bit older I would book it. The balconies seemed bigger than the ones on boardwalk.

Pool Deck

Royal Caribbean had to start from scratch when designing the pool deck due to the fact that the Central Park would take up the entire middle of the ship. I found the pool deck to be a little hard to navigate. There are plenty of pool chairs and many different pools but not a lot of walking space. The Beach Pool I was a little disappointed with. I thought there would be a little bit more of a slope and that it would actually feel like a beach by walking down into the water. It was not really like this. Maybe it was just like this for my cruise but also the water was salt water. I don’t know about all the other pools but I would assume that they are fresh water. With the Aqua Theater, pool deck, and the Solarium there are plenty of places to relax and take a swim. The pool deck also offers a GREAT view of the CP, and BW below.

Solarium

Can I be an adult? The Solarium is amazing. What an upgrade from all the others. From the lounge chairs to the buffet which features breakfast, lunch and dinner it was the place to be for adults. The space is also very, very large.

Ice Show

Studio B is basically the same as it is on the Freedom Class but just a little bit bigger. On Oasis Of The Seas, Studio B is home to “Frozen In Time” and must I say what a show it was! The show was excellent although the beginning was a little slow the rest of it was great. I would highly, highly recommend that you see this show.

Entertainment

Rihanna performed live on the 19th and it was amazing. On the 20th, Mosaic performed. They are a great group of guys who we also saw on the Mariner a few months back. I would recommend that if they are ever on the ship you are sailing on that you see them. They interacted great with the audience and the theater was packed. The 21st brought an Elton John impersonator; I did not stay long for this show but the theater was beyond packed, it was standing room only and it looked like many adults were having a great time. You do have to make reservation for all the show aboard the Oasis and in my mind it’s going to be a disaster. Even on this cruise the lines were long to get in and for the ice show it was half full and Royal Caribbean made people wait in line until a few minutes before the show to see if there were any open seats which there were a ton of. Royal Caribbean I think is going to have to review this policy.

Sports Deck

Oasis Of The Seas features a one of a kind sports deck with a zip line, 2 flowriders, full basketball court, mini golf and ping pong tables. It has it all! Make sure to make a reservation the second you board the Oasis for the zip line it fills up very fast. Although the zip line is only 82 feet long and you go rather slow its something you just have to do. The 2 flowriders definitely will help out with the lines but even on this cruise with both of them open the lines were rather long. The basketball court is nice and has a net enclosing it. The mini golf course is nice in size but it’s very basic in design. If you are booked in the loft suites facing aft, you will have a great view of the sports deck and the boardwalk. The Windjammer café also facing aft features a great view of the sports deck and the boardwalk. Also on the Sport deck is the Wipeout Café featuring burgers, pizza and other snacks. Right outside of Wipeout are ping pong tables enclosed in glass to help block out the wind.

Adventure Ocean

I don’t like the idea of Adventure Ocean on Oasis. To start the little kid’s area is all the way at the front of the ship and then the older kid’s area is towards the back; I think all the areas should be together. Otherwise just WOW! If only I was a few years younger, there is so much space for kids on the Oasis its unreal. From young, young children to teenagers; it’s just wow. The living room (for teens) is just amazing. The space is just huge and offers indoor and outdoor seating to mingle with friends is just a wow. There are 2 arcades on the Oasis one very small one for the little kids forward and on other by the teen areas which I was very supposed at how small it was. Make sure you send your kids to Adventure Ocean!

Nightlife

There were plenty of hopping place aboard the Oasis to experience the nightlife. Boleros and Blaze seemed like the 2 hot spots. Blaze was going on into the early morning!

[Cruiserccl]

Problems

• The SeaPass card system crashed one day. For about an hour I had to wait outside my cabin and wait for the system to work again so they could re-print me a seapass card.
• The air conditioning in many cabins would not work and it was at times very hot in my cabin. It was 'fixed' towards the end of the cruise but it was still hot at times.

The Ship In General

WOW! Is all I can say. There is nothing like walking down the Central Park or the Boardwalk at night time, when it's all lit up or grabbing a donut and the donut shop. Even though there was only about 3,000-4,000 people on this cruise the flow of passengers for the most part was good. I can though see some problems if the ship is completely sold out though but for the most part things were really good! Overall I must say if you are not booked on this ship book it! Since the ship is new they were still building and working on the ship. In-fact the Cupcake Cupboard was not done until 11am on the 19th, the internet café is still not built and other areas around the ship are being built and finished. The dining room seemed small but with all the other dinning ventures aboard the Oasis it is perfectly sized.

Secret Spaces

I found this very neat space that I had seen in picture before I went on the Oasis, so I decided to check it out. On Oasis you can actually go on top of the bridge wings, which also feature a nice space with some lounge chairs at the very front of the ship. To get there, get on to a forward elevator and go to deck 14 from there go down one of the stateroom hallways; then take a right and it will look like you are going down a regular hallway. A little ways down you will see a sliding door and this will lead you outside. Enjoy!

Things I Didn’t Like

• The Spa to me seemed like it offered a little view to the ocean.
• Location of Adventure Ocean
• Where the outlets were in each cabin

Things I Liked

Way to many to list!

Things That Made Me Say WOW!

• There are TV maps all around the ship where you can type in a cabin number or a location and it will map where you have to go.
• TV’s that list the wait time in each restaurant.
• The keyboards in each stateroom
• This ship!

My Thoughts On Cruising and The Future

After this cruise I realized something. I have a passion for cruising but not only cruising but for Royal Caribbean. The ships they design and the product they deliver is just WOW! For years now I have shared my cruising experiences with you guys and at times there has been criticism for only being 15 but every day I try my best and that’s all that can count. The future for me looks bright and I can only dream about what the future has in store for me. From Where’s Bennie to whatever is next, I can only dream about the future.

All In All

This cruise was years in the making and I can’t believe my dream has come true. Oasis Of The Seas is a one of a kind ship, and sure I experienced some minor problems, but I had an incredible experience. I could not believe how many camera crews and reports were on this trip and just how friendly the RCCL executives were. I was lucky enough to meet all of them and talk with them for some time. No matter what you hear about the Oasis Of The Seas, remember this thousands if not millions of hours went into planning and building this ship and it turned out great. I can not wait till next week when I will sail on her once again.

This has been an honest review written by Chris (Cruiserccl). Feel free to post any questions you may have.

Come take a look at my pictures from Oasis Of The Seas! www.flickr.com/photos/Cruiserccl

Please DO NOT COPY MY PICTURES WITHOUT POSTING THE URL TO MY PICTURES! Thank you!

[Cruiserccl]

More Pictures Can Be Found Here: www.flickr.com/photos/Cruiserccl

[CruisesOnMyMind]

Chris, what a high energy review of this amazing ship. You gave us a balance review which is so important. I am glad you had your bud along as a non experienced cruiser which I am sure gave you some extra eyes.
As far as being President of RCCL some day,,,no doubt in my mind, because it is already fixated in yours! You might be 15 in age, however your mind is well beyond! Kudo's to your parents.
I will certainly follow your cruising adventure for years and years to come with great joy in knowing you "as a kid".

[DonnaK]

What a wonderful, detailed review! It's nice to hear positive things about this ship. Thanks so much for sharing.

[Texas Teen]

You got to meet Adam Goldstein & Richard Fain?! How lucky!!!

[Alexis]

What a great review. You did an awesome job of details and telling us about your trip.
Your dream came true.
Keep on doing your thing. You never know where it might lead you in life.
And now you get to cruise her again in a few more days. Have a great time on her.

[klingoncruiser]

Thanks for that review. The RCL boards are filled with nay sayers and crabs vowing never to ride this marvel. Looks like they are missing quite a ship.

[alphakitty]

Hi Chris! Great review..thanks! You mentioned that you can make reservations for the zipline...I hadn't heard that before. Very cool.

[cruzobsessed]

chris...great review....

i have a question....i've read that there aren't many actual "outside spaces". what was your impression of that? did it feel more like cruising on a large resort?

and is it true that they took away the internet area? i'm now going to look at your photos.

[Cruiserccl]

Thank you guys for the nice feedback. I always love hearing what other think. Please continue to share you thoughts.

[Cruiserccl]

Originally Posted by alphakitty

Hi Chris! Great review..thanks! You mentioned that you can make reservations for the zipline...I hadn't heard that before. Very cool.

Yes. Make sure to make a reservation! They fill up VERY fast.

[Cruiserccl]

Originally Posted by cruzobsessed

chris...great review....

i have a question....i've read that there aren't many actual "outside spaces". what was your impression of that? did it feel more like cruising on a large resort?

and is it true that they took away the internet area? i'm now going to look at your photos.

There's no way you can sail on this ship and believe your in the middle of the ocean. I feel more at sea on the Oasis than I do on any other ship. My reasons are that with the boardwalk you have a great view of the wake of the ship and with both the Boardwalk and the Central Park you can look up into the sky.

[Cruiserccl]

Almost every cabin category of cabin pictures can be found here: www.flickr.com/photos/Cruiserccl

[envy4u]

Amazing review....thanks

[HeavySurf]

Chris, thank you for your enthusiastic and detailed review. Dang! I wish you hadn't told me how good the glazed doughnuts are. It is bad enough that I have to be tempted by cupcakes.

You didn't mention the gym. How does it compare with the Freedom Class gyms? Does it still have a boxing ring?

What spot on the ship was Bennie happiest to be? (Just kidding.)

I hope someday to see you on a cruise and I will say hi. I'm really glad you are enthusaistic about RCCL and Oasis. I appreciate the many photos you have shared with us.

[Cruiserccl]

Originally Posted by HeavySurf

Chris, thank you for your enthusiastic and detailed review. Dang! I wish you hadn't told me how good the glazed doughnuts are. It is bad enough that I have to be tempted by cupcakes.

You didn't mention the gym. How does it compare with the Freedom Class gyms? Does it still have a boxing ring?

What spot on the ship was Bennie happiest to be? (Just kidding.)

I hope someday to see you on a cruise and I will say hi. I'm really glad you are enthusaistic about RCCL and Oasis. I appreciate the many photos you have shared with us.

OMG! The donuts are so good! Thats the first place I will be going Tuesday! lol I thought the gym offered a little view of the ocean and I did not see a boxing ring. Bennie was just happy to be on the ship and in fact he will be back on the Oasis tomorrow with my dad. I see that you are sailing on December 1st so will I! If you see me say HI! Ill have a lanyard on full of ship pins. I cant wait to meet you!

[nycruiser80]

Great review and pics!!! Everytime I read reviews or things from you....you remind me of myself. I fell in love with cruising at 6 and at your age I was head over heels. You are so lucky to get to go on a preview cruise (Im jealous )! Im 29 now and I still love cruises so much....all of my friends think I am a freak (in a good sense) but I introduced ALL of them to cruises and they love them! I got to get on this ship. While it maybe a bit to big for my taste its simply amazing and an enginering marvel. Fantastic! Keep on cruising!!!

[Alexis]

Can you do me a big favor?
I know you are sailing with Elizanessie. At first she somehow thought I was also going on the Oasis and we would finally meet. (Which we would love to do.)
Could you give her a (((((((((hug))))))))) and a "Hi" from me when you see her.
I would really appreciate it.