Review of Oasis, 7/9-7/16 (LONG)

*WARNING: This turned out extremely long and I’m not sure how interesting others will find it.

Background

I was just on Oasis a month ago and you can read my review of that cruise here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2510694. I won’t be redundant and recap it but some of this review will include comparisons. Most notably, that was a family cruise with DW’s parents and sister’s family including our 7 and 3 year old nieces while this one was just DW and I. We also decided to skip the MDR (which has become standard when we cruise alone b/c DW is so picky she winds up ordering Caesar salad and grilled chicken most nights and I feel bad). Lastly, if you do/did read my previous review, this one will be a standard day-by-day report rather than an overview b/c DW decided to take notes each day.

Day One

We got to the port around 10:00am again, parked in the garage, wheeled our two suitcases down, and were in the terminal within 15 minutes. The Diamond waiting area was notably less crowded this time even by the time boarding began although more people had shown up by then. Diamond (our status) was called at 11:03 and we were on the Promenade within minutes.

Because this was a last minute cruise, our ability to make reservations pre-cruise was limited so we headed straight for On-Air which Oasis uses as a box office on day one. Despite being the first people there, our main goal of reserving a 9pm comedy show went unachieved as they were fully booked. As it turned out, this was a blessing in disguise, but more on that later. Next stop was Central Park to check our First Night Done Right reservation at Giovanni’s (where we wanted to eat). As it turned out, that’s what we were given and we were also able to move our 8:00 reservation to 7:30.

With the logistics out of the way, we headed over to Park Café for some lunch. Just like last month, they had no Paninis on embarkation day, just the salad station, pre-made items, and of course “beef on weck.” DW went to get a salad with chicken while I ordered a kummelweck. Unfortunately, there was no chicken on the salad bar so I gobbled down my sandwich and we went to check out Windjammer. For various reasons (like DW’s pickiness and my penchant for overeating while trying a variety of items) we often hit up more than one spot for meals. WJ was hit and miss as usual. DW didn’t find anything too exciting except for her new favorite WJ dessert, the “chocolate bar,” which is basically a small rectangular mousse-based item (she had two). I had some paella which was good since it was freshly placed on the buffet. I get that many people are anti-buffet and that’s fine but for those who aren’t, I find that choosing items that have been recently put out or aren’t prone to drying out can improve the experience. If I want something and the pan/tray is almost empty, I wait a few minutes for a new batch (which the WJ staff is very good about providing).

After that, since it wasn’t even close to 1:00, we decided to check out a few things we didn’t get to in June. We headed over to the Solarium Bistro just to see what they served for lunch. DW thought the salad bar looked good and I was happy to see hummus and some other interesting prepared salads, especially those with seafood. After that, since we were over there, we went and lounged in one of those circular cushioned seats until we got too hot. Next stop was the spa. DW doesn’t really use the spa on cruises but we were killing time, had never been in the Oasis spa, and I won her a massage on Freedom in the raffle once so we figured why not?

Spa tour was completed by 12:45 so we headed towards our cabin, expecting to wait a little bit, but to our surprise the door to our hallway was already open while others were still closed. We booked an interior guarantee b/c of a very good deal (hence the last minute nature of this trip) and felt fortunate to be given a large interior on deck 10. It was right by the forward elevators (as in forward of them, neither port nor starboard, cabin #10450). We were already pleased with the location (I was a little wary of being given a super low deck) and even more pleased with the size and temperature of the room. We have stayed in interiors before but I believe they were standard sized, which was fine, but this one had a couch big enough for my 5’11” frame to completely stretch out upon. I don’t actually nap on the couch but I do like to relax there with my early morning cappuccino from the DL while waiting for DW to finish her daily morning run so the extra room was nice. BTW, I mentioned being pleased with the temperature b/c our ocean view balcony cabin last month was uncomfortably warm at times. This was the cold cave we remembered and hoped for since we mostly view our cabin as a place for sleeping, showering, and changing.

Before playing the luggage waiting game, we returned to Park Café to grab some cookies and bags of chips to keep in the room, a long-standing practice of ours. Back to luggage… since we have rarely received ours early over the years (just bad luck) and waited an exceedingly long time on one cruise, we usually start to wander around the halls near our cabin in the hopes of finding it in either the wrong spot or in a staging area before it has been delivered. DW hit the jackpot this time and we found our two suitcases right around the corner at 2:30.

After unpacking and whatnot for a while, we got dressed and headed to the DL around 5:15. I knew from the CC forums that the concierge had changed since last month so we met Lily who seemed nice and asked her to double check on those comedy club reservations for us. No luck as expected but never hurts to try. So we helped ourselves to some hors d'oeuvres and ordered drinks. DW doesn’t really drink so I started a thread on CC in search of DL drink suggestions that she might tolerate while I had vodka tonics every night. Attempt number one was a bay breeze… fail. I also had a fail of my own by eating too many bacon-wrapped scallops ahead of what would turn out to be an amazing meal at Giovanni’s.

We had eaten at Giovanni’s with the family and enjoyed it but this time it was exceptional (both the food and the service). DW started with a Caesar salad and then requested the risotto be made without mushrooms. I made my own special request of fried calamari from the lunch menu and then had the pasta of the day, short rib ravioli. Our server, Suriawan, was not only nice but funnier than some comics I’ve paid to see. The chef honored both our requests despite explaining that they didn’t actually have the fire calamari on hand in the kitchen but would send someone to get it if I didn’t mind waiting (which I didn’t and it was worth it). We each had filet mignon for our main courses and it was excellent, even better than last time. It was a truly spectacular meal and we were so full (did I mention the DL hors d'oeuvres were a mistake?) that we had to take our dessert cannoli’s to go. One final nice touch, we could faintly hear the string duo playing in Central Park so Suriawan offered to open the window by our table. One of my biggest regrets was not making a 2nd reservation for later in the week, especially since the price was only $21 pre-cruise. Regardless, it was a great start to the cruise.

Day Two (Nassau)

DW’s usual routine is to get up sometime between early and very early to go run 5 miles (it’s not too dissimilar at home) and I usually just get up when she does unless I’m particularly tired. On cruises, my “exercise” involves walking to the DL for unhealthy amounts of cappuccino which I bring back to the room. As I mentioned in my last review, I’m not a coffee snob, but the DL cappuccino has rendered the regular on-board coffee undrinkable to me. Anyway, DW went running at 6:30am (late for her) and was resolved to start earlier the rest of the cruise to avoid the heat and crowds. She still doesn’t like that the running track on Oasis is on deck 5 rather than up top due to the lack of breeze and being closed in by the lifeboats overhead but what can ya do?

We had breakfast in the Solarium and got off the boat just to walk around and shop for the heck of it (our standard M.O. when we don’t have an excursion). Unfortunately it was Bahamian Independence Day so half the stores were closed. It would have been nice to know ahead of time but no big deal as we weren’t really looking to buy anything special.

We returned to the ship and sat outside the Solarium on deck 16 where there was a nice breeze. I generally avoid the sun like a vampire since my skin only has two shades, pale and red, but DW likes to lay out in small doses so we found a nice spot with chairs in the shade across from those in the sun. She occasionally went downstairs to take a dip to cool off. This routine probably sounds overly complicated but it worked for us. Lunch was split between the Solarium and WJ (and Wipeout Café if you count the soft serve cone DW grabs almost every time we’re near there). She decided last time that she prefers the machines there than the pool deck b/c they’re in the a/c and the ice cream isn’t as melty. The rest of the afternoon involved DW ice skating followed by a short nap.

We went to the DL for cocktail hour on the early side as we had 6:00 reservations for Solarium Bistro. Since it was complimentary, DW was kind enough to try it with me knowing that she probably wouldn’t care for the main courses. We purposefully made the reservation early so we could go to WJ afterwards in the likely event that she was still hungry. BTW, her 2nd DL drink attempt was a lemon drop… fail #2.

Dinner at Solarium Bistro was interesting if nothing else. The half-buffet concept was a little weird but I guess it’s not that different from a full-service restaurant that has a salad bar. The appetizer/salad bar had some unique items with an international flair. While DW had her standard Caesar salad and a bit of lasagna (not my idea of an appetizer but so be it) I stuck with my standard plan of eating as much seafood as possible (b/c DW won’t eat it so I don’t get much at home). I had shrimp, green mussels, and calamari. The mussels were especially good. For our entrées DW ordered chicken kebabs while I chose the red snapper. One interesting aspect of the appetizer bar was a collection of mason jars with various items and sauces so DW used the tzatziki for her chicken. She ate it but, as expected, didn’t exactly love it. She also said her rice wasn’t nearly warm enough. My fish was OK but unremarkable. DW didn’t care for any of the desserts (also served buffet style) while I thought the one that looked like some sort of beignet or donut hole in honey sauce was tasty (I think it was a Greek dessert or at least something Mediterranean-ish). Overall, I’d say Solarium Bistro is worth trying for dinner at least once just b/c it’s fairly unique and complimentary. If I had paid the previously required cover charge I would have been disappointed.

Sticking with the plan, we headed over to WJ to find DW something more to eat since she had really only had salad and a few cubes of chicken at this point. They had a cook-to-order pasta station that night which should have been a hit. The WJ on Freedom in 2015 alternated pasta and wok stations the entire week and DW was thrilled. Nothing better for a picky eater than allowing them to create their own dish. Unfortunately, she said her chicken and broccoli alfredo was woefully undercooked, so we got some dessert and left.

It was still early so we decided to wait in the standby line for the 8:00 Come Fly With Me. I skipped this show last month to watch a U.S. world cup qualifying match on my iPad (I’m a devoted soccer fan, sue me). I also knew this wasn’t exactly my type of show but I’ll watch anything (unless it’s a Broadway show almost 3 hours long named for a common house pet). We got in easily without reservations and sat behind the balcony at one of the few high top tables with a nice couple we met who were also from the Orlando area. The show had some neat parts, it just isn’t really my thing.

Day Three (at sea)

After the usual early morning routine of DW’s actual run and my cappuccino run, we had breakfast in WJ around 8:20. This isn’t particularly early for us but it must be for most b/c it was empty. They had a crepe station with cherry crepes and dozens of toppings that morning. DW made use of the toppings to have strawberries and whipped cream while I had an actual crepe amongst other thing. She wanted a bagel so we headed down to the DL where you can toast them yourself and actually get them crispy unlike the WJ.

At 9:30 we went to our first ever CruiseCritic Meet & Mingle in Jazz on 4. Despite knowing over 40 people had signed up there were less than 20 in attendance. The RC staff (3 crew members) did their best by putting out a continental breakfast and having everyone briefly introduce themselves but it really turned into a raffle. They gave away a few bottles of wine, some Johnny Rockets BOGO coupons, some free internet time, and other smaller gifts like pens. Somehow we won nothing. Highly unlikely that I would bother with M&M’s in the future.

After that we went and sat on deck 16 again near the Solarium for the nice breeze before eventually spending some time in the cantilevered hot tub. Lunch began in the Solarium Bistro before moving to WJ where we didn’t find anything special. After a poor round of trivia we went to Park Café. DW asked for a 3-cheese Panini to be made extra crispy, mentioning it was even OK to burn it, but it came out soft and barely melted. So we grabbed some pizza from Sorrento’s and headed back to the room for a short nap.

Post-nap, we went to cocktail hour in the DL and had chicken tempura from the hors d'oeuvres section. It was actually quite good and could have easily been our dinner. Wife’s drink attempt that night was a cosmo… fail #3. We had dinner in WJ where they had a big donut section. It looked better than it tasted however and some were getting stale from sitting out. We were having dinner here anyway but this is another reason why we almost always pop into the WJ. You never know when there will be something unique like a crepe station, pasta station, special donut display, etc.

We saw the 8:30 headliner show starring Ron Lucas, an accomplished ventriloquist. He was very good in both his craft and his humor. The plan was to see Love & Marriage at 10:30 but DW was tired so we skipped it and decided we’d just watch it on TV later in the week.

Day Four (St. Thomas)

Run, cappuccino, etc. Had breakfast in WJ where DW spotted someone ordering an omelet. This was standard in Freedom’s WJ in 2015 but I was under the impression that Wipeout Café and the MDR were the only locations to get made-to-order omelets… apparently not so I ordered a smoked salmon omelet. That was one of my favorite breakfast items on Freedom and I was disappointed that Wipeout Café didn’t have salmon so I was mostly skipping omelets this trip after having a few last month.

With no excursion planned, we again got off the boat just to check out the shops near the port but it was an even bigger waste of time than in Nassau. Not only were there few shops where Oasis docks (Crown Bay, not Havensight) but for some reason the port smelled like garbage. We quickly returned to the ship to relax and so DW could take advantage of some activities while most passengers were in port.

She went on the zip line before we returned to deck 16 for a bit before lunch. WJ didn’t have anything interesting so we went to Park Café. DW got her crispy panini this time while I had a couple kummelwecks. We headed back to the room until just before 3:00 when the rock wall and flowrider were going to open. DW rang the 1st bell before returning to the ground, citing her being vertically challenged for why she didn’t try for the top (she’s 5’0”). After that she took 3 turns on the flowrider with about 6-7 people so it wasn’t too crowded. She made it to her knees but also wiped out enough to come away with several scrapes on her hip and elbows. Not trying to discourage anyone here, she did the same thing last time she was on the flowrider and had fun, just sharing her experience.

After DL cocktail hour (DW gave up on trying drinks) we headed to WJ for dinner. It was Caribbean night as well as cake night. They must have had 8 different types of cake in the usual dessert section. DW loved the chocolate while I had carrot which had surprisingly good cream cheese frosting. Since we weren’t able to secure a 9:00 comedy reservation we went down to the comedy club at around 8:10 to be the first ones in the standby line (did the same thing last month so I had a rough idea of how and when the standby line fills up). The first comedian was Cary Long and mediocre in our opinion. We thought the second comedian, Steve McGrew, was hilarious. This is the beginning of why it wound up being a good thing that we were forced to keep our 10:30 comedy reservation on day 5.

Day 5 (St. Martin)

DW took the morning off from running and we slept in a bit to be well rested for our 6-hour excursion. After a light breakfast in the Solarium we got off the ship shortly after 9:00. Our excursion was booked privately with Captain Bob of Soualiga Destinations. We had never done a non-RCI excursion but the reviews between CC and TripAdvisor were so off the charts we couldn’t resist. It also seemed especially appealing b/c it had a little bit of everything. Well, Captain Bob delivered all that we had hoped for and then some. The only way it could have been better was if it had lasted even longer. We followed Bob’s instructions for the 10 minute walk down the sidewalk to the dock where his boats are kept. “Turn left at Chesterfield’s and ask for Bob at the docks” sounds sketchy but it wasn’t. After paying Bob our balance and waiting for more people to arrive, we were handed off to his son Brett (captain of one of Bob’s several boats) who introduced himself and his crew member Mike, collected everyone’s shoes since they weren’t needed the rest of the day, gave us a short safety speech, showed us where the coolers of unlimited beer/soda/water were, laid out the day’s plans, and off we went, flying and bouncing through the water. We sat in the back with the family of 4 of an extremely nice woman I “met” in our roll call on CC while the other 8 or so people sat in the front. The front was bouncier and perhaps more fun but the back provided shade as well as quite a bit of ocean spray, especially if you sat in the very back facing front.

First stop was for snorkeling in an area known for sea turtles. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any. Next stop was a short one on an island literally crawling with huge iguanas that would eat from your hand. You could also swim in the shallow water just off the beach and spot fish. After that was snorkel stop #2 by a large rock and coral area. Snorkeling is more DW’s thing than mine so I sat this one out while she saw a bunch of different fish. I remained on the boat, talked to Brett for a bit, and had a couple beers (between it being on both the DL list and Bob’s boat, I don’t think I’ll go near another Heineken until my next cruise, although I’m hoping they change the DL beer list).

Next up was lunch on the beach on the French side of the island. Bob staggers his tour groups as best he can and literally helps serve lunch. We happened to be the last group to eat but that was no big deal. We had use of lounge chairs and umbrellas while we waited. I think I even dozed off for a few minutes. Lunch was served on real plates with silverware at picnic bench style tables. The restaurant looks like a bit of a hole in the wall but the food was delicious. We actually placed our lunch orders with Brett before we first left. We were given a choice of chicken, ribs, or fish along with either rice and beans or fries as a side item. Everyone also got a small salad. I had e-mailed Bob ahead of time and asked if picky DW could get a burger or chicken breast (the offered chicken was dark meat) and was assured it was no problem. When I mentioned this to Brett he told me no problem on the burger. I had mahi mahi and you could taste that it was freshly grilled. The rice was plentiful and tasty as well. DW’s burger was pretty large and she enjoyed it. The only thing not included on the excursion was drinks at lunch. I tried a guavaberry colada based on online reviews and it was good (DW even liked it until the rum hit her) but not sure I would bother paying $6 for a small cocktail again when the boat is stocked with beer and the bar also had cheap beers as well as huge bottles of water for $2 (which DW got).

After lunch, we headed for Maho Beach, famous for being adjacent to St. Martin’s airport and so close that you can watch planes land at less than 100 feet above your head. Sadly, it’s also infamous for the occasional incidents that occur when people hang on the fence (and get blown off) directly behind the planes as they fire their engines for takeoff. As it turned out, Brett somberly told us how a woman was killed the day before our excursion. Anyway, as I’ve mentioned, this boat flies, but we hadn’t experienced its full capability until this point. We headed off from lunch at the speed we had experienced all day (which was quite fast). A short time later I saw Mike talking to Brett and pointing up into the distant sky. Suddenly we were going full throttle. We later learned that the summer is less busy so there are fewer large planes to see land. So when Mike spotted one Brett did all he could to race it to the beach before it landed and came pretty darn close to getting there in time. We saw it pass over just before we got to where he parked the boat offshore. Apparently it was an American Airlines flight out of Charlotte. We saw a few smaller planes land before leaving for one last swim stop just outside of what appeared to be a beach resort.

The water was calm there and Brett encouraged us to take this opportunity to (safely) jump, cannonball, or dive off the front of the boat. He then offered up beverages by tossing them into the water to any takers. This was just a short relaxing stop before we had to head back to the dock by 4:00 since we had to be back on Oasis by 4:30. Brett joked about the all aboard being 6:00 which I think worried the family I had met through CC. I, however, appreciated his humor. He was soft spoken but full of both genuine information as well as the occasional comic relief. I failed to mention that he shared plenty of island information when we weren’t flying along.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end and we arrived back at the dock just before 4:00. After saying goodbye to Brett and Mike (and leaving them some gratuity) we stopped for one last treat. There’s a Dutch cheese shop right across from the dock and all of Bob’s guests get a free ice cream cup on their way out to eat on the way back to the cruise ship. I’m sure he has a deal with the shop and the ice cream doesn’t cost very much but it was a nice way to end an already amazing day (also, fwiw, the pistachio was actually delicious). I can’t imagine not going back on this excursion the next time we’re in St. Martin. Even with the ice cream slowing us down a bit (not really) we arrived back on Oasis at 4:10.

After showering off the salt water we headed down to Park Café so DW could fill her magic water bottle that keeps liquid cold without ice or refrigeration for 24 hours with strawberry kiwi water (which is almost the only thing she drinks on the ship). Here’s where we finally get to the comedy show story. On our way through central park we spotted Steve Mcgrew, the comedian we loved from the night before. He was just sitting there checking his phone. At the risk of being rude, we stopped to tell him how much we enjoyed his comedy. He was super nice and seemed happy to chat. We conveyed to him that we prefer comedians who incorporate at least some improve into their acts rather than just tell a pre-written list of jokes. He said that’s what he tries to do and on cruise ships even tries to change up parts of his show from one night to the next. See where this is headed? We mentioned that we had reservations at 10:30 although we had already gone last night. He said that he’d definitely try to change up some of that act then. He was likely planning to already but still, that was good enough for us. Before that we actually discussed a couple comedians we had seen at the Orlando Improv and he chimed in with some opinions. Anyway, we learned he’s not only a great comedian but also a nice guy.

We met a nice couple in the DL before it was off to Mexican night in WJ (something else I don’t get to eat much of at home). The premade burritos and quesadillas weren’t very good but they had an extensive taco/nacho station with ground beef, pulled pork, and pulled beef in addition to numerous toppings beyond the basics. If they had flour tortillas instead of just corn I would have been in heaven but it was still an enjoyable meal. It’s not Sabor but I have to take what I can get. This left little for my wife but she found something and did enjoy the churros for dessert which she dipped in the chocolate fountain along with some fruit items.

We were pretty tired from the day’s excursion but really wanted to see the 10:30 comedy show so we took a short post-dinner nap before heading down. Cary Long basically did the same exact set except he cut it short by about 5 minutes (which was fine by us). Steve kept his word and after starting with a few jokes from the night before he brought out new material and we enjoyed his act yet again.

Day Six (at sea)

After yesterday’s jam-packed day we again slept in a bit (for us) but DW still ran her 5 miles. We went to Wipeout Café to get her an omelet and covered it with a plate to take over to the Solarium so I could get Muesli and some other stuff. I mentioned in my other review how I discovered Muesli a few cruises back and then learned last month that the Solarium Bistro version always had an extra type of fruit thrown in (banana, pear, apricot, etc.) as well as having more stuff to add to it (or oatmeal) like dried cranberries and almond slivers. Anyway, it was at least part of my breakfast most mornings.

It was cloudy and drizzling after breakfast so we decided to return to the hot tub just outside the Solarium for a little while. The early afternoon consisted of failing so badly at progressive trivia round two that we didn’t even hand in our answer sheet, finding nothing exciting at WJ, having the usual stuff at Park Café for lunch, and returning to WJ so DW could get her chocolate bar dessert while I grabbed a slice of almond pineapple pie. DW was cold for some reason (although we did find certain areas of the ship, mostly the hallways, much cooler than last month) and decided she wanted hot chocolate to go with her chocolate dessert (she may be picky but the things she likes, she really likes, i.e. chocolate). So we took our dessert to the DL which has hot chocolate packets. It was virtually empty like I’ve always found it during the day. I made her hot chocolate and of course made myself yet another cappuccino. Again, all this moving from place to place to put a meal/snack together may seem overly complicated to most but I like taking advantage of all the ship has to offer and sometimes that means combining locations. It also doesn’t take very long to move around if you know where everything is despite the massive size of Oasis. After that we went back to our cabin for another nap. Naps are common for DW but I usually just hang out on the couch or go find something do for an hour. Not sure what was different this trip but I found myself more tired than usual and either intentionally joining her or dozing off while watching TV.

Once awake, since it was formal night #2, we decided to head down to the Promenade and lower deck MDR entrances to take some photos. We weren’t dressed up since we weren’t using the MDR but nothing wrong with a picture in nicer causal clothes. I wore khakis/polo most nights (although the DL no longer requires pants except on formal nights) and DW wore casual dresses or a nice top/pants. We had no intention of buying any pictures mind you but we each get a freebie for being Diamond members so might as well make sure we come up with two we actually like. It was DL time at that point. In the DL we met an older couple who were Pinnacle members (we noticed their Pinnacle pins). DW and I are huge believers in not judging a book by its cover and this was a good example. Despite the age difference and reasonable assumption that they were at least quite financially comfortable (if not wealthy), we talked with them for almost an hour and it probably would have gone on longer but they had Chops reservations and we were getting hungry ourselves. They were incredibly sweet and totally down to earth despite telling us that they cruise about every 3 weeks. DW asked them how they kept busy or if they got bored being on similar ships over and over again. They told us they simply enjoyed their routine that consisted of basic stuff like having French toast in WJ for breakfast most mornings and spending every afternoon relaxing quietly in the DL. This reiterated the fact that there are an almost endless number of ways for different people to enjoy a RCI cruise. For some it means hours at the pool every day, for some it’s a means for visiting ports to go on excursions, and for others it means casual breakfast and quiet afternoons in the DL (even when you’ve reached Pinnacle).

After saying goodbye we headed to WJ. We learned a few cruises back that almost half the MDR menu on any given night couple be found there. For example, the carving station often corresponds to one of the MDR main courses (prime rib, turkey, etc.) and I can always get the chilled soups there that I’ve enjoyed since my very first cruise 15 years ago for our honeymoon. To my delight, from both first-hand experience and reading reports on CC, this has recently begun to even include lobster tail on many ships. Having had lobster in the MDR last month, I can say that the only difference I found between the two versions was that the tails were cut in half length-wise in the WJ. Now, lobster sitting out on a buffet is unappealing to many I’m sure but the popularity keeps that to a minimum and unfortunately not all the food in the MDR actually comes out hot anyway. Suffice it to say, I had many half-tails. Oddly enough, this was also a good night for DW as they had a wok station (like the one I mentioned she enjoyed on Freedom in 2015 when it alternated with the pasta station for the whole week). So she enjoyed chicken and the veggies she prefers in sweet and sour sauce while I indulged in my lobster. For dessert they had a sundae station as well as multiple varieties of chocolate covered apples. DW felt the apples weren’t cold enough and I was stuffed from the lobster so we took two back to our cabin to put in the refrigerator (although it’s more like a cooler, it beats room temperature. I’m not ashamed to admit that we’ll often keep a few snacks in the room whether it’s bags of chips from Park Café, the cookies found everywhere that I’m addicted to and bring Ziploc bags for, or a random dessert from WJ that requires the fridge.

Day Seven (at sea)

After DW’s final run at sea for a while we headed to WJ for breakfast. I attempted to have another made-to-order salmon omelet but told by the crew member manning the egg station that morning that he couldn’t use salmon because of cross contamination. Now, my 3-year-old niece (with whom we cruised last month) has a severe tree nut allergy and RCI did an outstanding job of accommodating her so I’m fully aware of and in support of anti-cross-contamination measures. However, this disappointed me as omelets are made in a pan that could immediately be sent to the wash pile after used with seafood, nuts, etc. It’s not like I was asking him to throw salmon on a grill being used for burgers. This wasn’t a huge deal, I can obviously find dozens of things to eat at any given meal, just thought I’d include the story since MS Word shows I’m over 6,000 words already so avoiding rambling at this point seems futile. You either got bored a long time ago and won’t get to this part or you’re still reading for some reason and are used to it by now. Back to breakfast… The highlight was the dessert station they had set up. It was chocolate themed and full of several different items (both milk and white chocolate) like cookies, cakes, croissants, donuts, etc. The most unique, visually appealing aspect, however, was the huge spread of different sized and shaped glasses filled with different types of chocolate mousse. The most impressive was a decorative RCI goblet (like they might serve drinks in or sell in the gift shop) filled with a layer of white chocolate on top of a layer of milk chocolate. I took one of those while DW grabbed a couple smaller milk chocolate only glasses and we stuck them in the fridge for later (they were delicious, just not sure they were a breakfast item per se).

We headed back to our hot tub of choice for a bit before making one last trip to our spot on deck 16 to dry off. Shortly after noon we went to take care of a few last day errands. First, we stopped at the photo area to choose our two freebies and naturally one of the prints that we wanted was smeared with ink or something so we had to request a reprint. Next, we went to the Boardwalk to check out an event we never would have known about had we not had the daily RC morning show on in the background earlier. It was listed in the music section of the Compass as “Dixieland Band” or something, which we wouldn’t have even considered attending, but the Cruise Director described it as a carnival and mentioned special food items. There was indeed a Dixieland band playing and there was a giant sheet cake decorated like the American flag along with bags of popcorn, cupcakes, and the chocolate covered apples from WJ. It wasn’t really much of an event but since it had been going on for a while, an executive chef began cutting into the flag cake as we were leaving so of course we grabbed a slice and it was actually quite good. The red stripes were strawberry flavored, not just decorative gel. After that we popped into the casino for our free slot pulls (stupid Diamond perk, all you can win are shirts and raffle tickets). I remember back in the paper coupon days when even Emerald members got actual $5 match plays.

Errands accomplished, we headed to WJ for a late lunch. DW didn’t like anything so I had some Chinese food and then went to the Solarium to find her something. For some reason they had chicken parm for lunch which is one of her favorite meals but didn’t really fit with the theme and is a dinner entrée in the MDR. She enjoyed it but wished it was served for dinner instead. That led to nap time but I wasn’t tired so I decided to hit the casino to play blackjack for the first and only time this trip (not counting the free slot pulls). I rarely gamble on cruises but wasn’t hungry and needed to keep busy for an hour. It started out so badly it looked like I would only be busy for about 15 minutes but things eventually turned around. I clawed my way back to even about 10 minutes before I planned to go see if DW was awake yet so I decided to just quit while I was neither ahead nor behind. I arrived at our cabin just in time… to find DW awake and waiting to tell me that the toilet wouldn’t flush. Nice welcome, good thing I hadn’t just lost some money. I made a quick call to our cabin attendant who said maintenance would take care of it. Ten minutes later we heard noises outside the room and then the toilet flushed twice. Apparently they fixed it from some outside access point. A heads-up would have been nice but we were happy it was fixed so quickly.

We went to the DL where my wife gave the drink list one last shot and tried a madras… close but fail #4. We weren’t quite hungry yet so we wandered the Promenade before heading up to WJ. Just like last month, the final night was seafood night. Not only was there lobster yet again but also mussels, shrimp, and fried calamari. The calamari wasn’t as good as Giovanni’s from the first night, of course, but it’s one of my favorite appetizers and was good enough. Naturally I had a bunch more lobster after that. Unfortunately there was no wok station to save DW this time and she didn’t find much to eat. At least the boring grilled chicken and veggies in the MDR comes out hot (well, sometimes) but it’s not something that holds up on a buffet. There was a new type of mousse dessert for her at least with mint on top of chocolate and also another sundae station. After dinner we went to claim our reprinted photo and were handed the same smudged one. This felt like a train wreck in the making but after a quick phone call a manager appeared about 10 minutes later with a fresh print. She apologized and said she knew we needed it and was trying to beat us to the table but we showed up right at 9:00 (we were told some back after 9:00). Anyway, no harm, no foul. We’re very understanding about minor mistakes as long as they’re rectified in a timely, satisfactory manner and that has generally been my experience across my eight RCI cruises when something has gone wrong.

After dropping the photo off we headed down to the final night comedy show that’s held at 10:00 in the main theater, mostly to make sure anyone who didn’t get to see the regular version in the small comedy club can at least see the comedians on the final night. Both comics changed their acts a bit and our opinions remained the same. Cary Long was actually less funny and Steve Mcgrew wasn’t quite as good as the other two shows but given how much we enjoyed him, he was still funny. I would pay to see him if he ever plays the Orlando Improv. I don’t remember when but we packed most of our stuff at some point during the day while leaving the rest for that night and after we woke up since were using self-assist and didn’t have to put out our suitcases. I had planned to finish my night off with Mexican pizza from Sorrento’s that I really liked on the final night last month but my stomach wasn’t interested so I had to pass.

Day Eight (Port Canaveral)

On the way back from a quick early WJ breakfast we noticed that there were already passengers walking out of the terminal at 6:35am (before the listed 6:45 start time for self-assist). We were in no hurry but left around 6:45 and were in our car by 7:05. Customs remains incredibly fast at Canaveral and disembarkation couldn’t run more smoothly. It’s also worth noting that DW used her birth certificate/driver’s license since her Passport expired on day 7 and it caused no delay whatsoever. For whatever reason mine expired the day after we returned even though we had renewed them at the same time (via mail). Hers was just processed two days before mine.

Final Notes (Almost)

Despite the length of this review I feel like I want to add some general (and some specific) comments like I did in last month’s review, which wasn’t day-by-day. So I’m going to post this now and I’ll possibly add those other thoughts over the next few days. Also, apologies for any typos or poorly written sections but I don’t have the energy to go back and re-read the whole thing just to nitpick grammar.

I truly hope this wasn’t so long and occasionally boring that at least some readers enjoyed reading it.

Lastly, please feel free to reply with any questions/comments.

Thanks for the review. That's the first time I have heard that you can get made to order omelets in the WJ

Great review. Thanks for taking the time to write it. They had made to order omelets on the Indy last month, first time I had seen them.

I'm surprised you never tried the MDR for lunch on one of the sea days for a tutti salad. Any particular reason?

I'm surprised you never tried the MDR for lunch on one of the sea days for a tutti salad. Any particular reason?

We almost did but after looking at the menu that's all DW would have eaten and she was getting salads everywhere already. I wanted to try the risotto. (shrimp maybe?)

Also, they actually had a sign outside WJ at least one day that said "Tutti Salad" with an arrow pointing to the entrance. There was a salad station one day with a server by it so maybe that was some version of it as well? We've never tried it tbh.

I feel like I need a do-over as I missed out on trying bunches of things. Great review!

Yours Truly,

"The really nice woman"

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Thanks for review. Enjoyed reading and didn't consider it to long.

I feel like I need a do-over as I missed out on trying bunches of things. Great review!

 

Yours Truly,

"The really nice woman"

:D

Don't feel bad, I was on the same exact ship 4 weeks before our cruise and even I feel like I need a do-over.

I feel like that after every cruise though... "why didn't I try this? why didn't I eat more of XYZ, it was really good? why didn't I make better use of my free drinks?"

The list goes on. The only reason I'm not totally envious of the Pinnacle couple we met who cruise every 3 weeks is because my health would suffer dramatically if I ate how I do on cruises that often.

Thanks OCSC Mike for all of the great info in this and your previous review! I have followed both closely (and will continue to) since DW, DD, DS and I will be on Oasis for our first RCI cruise on Aug 20th!

Great review and insightful information. Reviews like yours are why I love CC boards!

Great review. Thank you. [emoji41]

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Love the review! It's wonderful to read about someone who ate in the WJ so much. I feel like I spend more time there than most people.

Thumbs up! I even read your rambling salmon drama.

Love the review! It's wonderful to read about someone who ate in the WJ so much. I feel like I spend more time there than most people.

 

Thumbs up! I even read your rambling salmon drama.

Glad you liked it.

I think we spent more time in the WJ for non-dinners than we expected. Last month with the family we had breakfast in Wipeout Cafe a lot and lunch in Park Cafe almost everyday (and if you read that review, you know we loved both). We planned to CHECK WJ daily b/c of all those random special stations/items that you have no way of knowing exist unless you see them (crepes, mousse display, etc.) but I expected to revert back to Wipeout and Park Cafe more than we did. We just wound up on a cereal/muesli kick for breakfast rather than heavier stuff and for some reason Park Cafe was constantly missing chicken from the salad bar and didn't know how to properly press a panini last week so that turned it from our favorite lunch spot to useless (the kummelweck was still good but DW doesn't eat those). Before last week, I think she had a salad with chicken and a 3-cheese panini for lunch at least 10-12 of our last 14 cruise days between Freedom 2015 and Oasis last month.

In all honesty, I still think Wipeout Cafe is one of the best breakfast locations on Oasis b/c of the actual omelet station (I'm still unsure if WJ is meant to have made-to-order omelets or not) to go with most of the WJ basics and I still love Park Cafe when stocked and operated properly. It was just a combination of having spent so much time there last month, Park Cafe's unexpected failures, and the discovery of the Solarium Bistro that led us to spend so much time between there and WJ. When I got home, I felt like I should have had more omelets, bagels, and park cafe mcmuffins but it just didn't work out that way. On the plus side, I didn't gain as much weight as last month so I can eat normally rather than go on a post-cruise diet like last month.

BTW, I'll eventually be writing a separate post devoted to a WJ greeter (purell squirter) who we found to be the most genuinely happy and nicest RCI employee we have encountered in our 8 cruises since getting married.

Yay! So glad to get to read this and enjoyed it as much as the previous. Even learned a few new things. I now have one week before we head south. :eek:

" I wore khakis/polo most nights (although the DL no longer requires pants except on formal nights) "

Mike - Can you confirm how you know this? I started a separate thread about shorts in the DL on Oasis, and others said they saw people turned away for not wearing long pants.

" I wore khakis/polo most nights (although the DL no longer requires pants except on formal nights) "

 

Mike - Can you confirm how you know this? I started a separate thread about shorts in the DL on Oasis, and others said they saw people turned away for not wearing long pants.

The letter from the DL concierge you receive in your cabin upon arrival stated "no shorts in the DL on formal nights". Between the facts that it specifically said formal nights, seeing others wear shorts on several casual nights with no issue (I wore them one night), while I did see one gentleman asked to put on pants on a formal night, I reached that conclusion.

You can e-mail the concierge and ask if you want a definitive answer in advance. That info is listed somewhere here on CC (maybe the concierge list thread, I forget).

The letter from the DL concierge you receive in your cabin upon arrival stated "no shorts in the DL on formal nights". Between the facts that it specifically said formal nights, seeing others wear shorts on several casual nights with no issue (I wore them one night), while I did see one gentleman asked to put on pants on a formal night, I reached that conclusion.

 

You can e-mail the concierge and ask if you want a definitive answer in advance. That info is listed somewhere here on CC (maybe the concierge list thread, I forget).

Thank you!

I really enjoyed your review. Very informative. We're sailing on Royal for the first time in October and I need all of the help I can get. BTW- We make it all of the way through many of our cruises without ever stepping foot in the MDR. We check out the menu then head to the buffet in our shorts. Ah... vacation.:D