Oasis - calling all NOOTS - never say never!

[FloridaPalms]

Close. :) Actually: Not Oasis Of The Seas (NOOTS). We NOOTS are too wise to ever say "never"...... ;):D

 

Oooh, as a former lurking NOOTS, I like that much better! :D:D:D

 

 

~ Judy

[minnie00]

Beth C: A granddaughter with a college degree, tempting, but afraid we have to pass (what if you decided to go for a doctorate?!). :D A "lifetime of Oasis/Freedom cruising" - yikes, I didn't think of that! :eek:

 

minnie00: I want to thank you for your great thread asking "For those who have sailed Oasis..would you do it again?". It helped in my decision making. Don't forget to check out the roll call for this cruise.

 

Lynnees: I would LOVE to try a Radiance class! Almost booked it for our Thanksgiving cruise. If it was just DH and I, I think that would be our favorite class of ship to cruise on since we are laid back and just love to look at the ocean. I am hoping that the reviews that say Oasis didn't feel that big and that it had many intimate venues are true. I know I will miss two of my favorite quiet spots - the helipad, especially at sunset, and watching & hearing the waves break against the ship from the Promenade deck. I wouldn't sail the Oasis if we didn't have an oceanview balcony. Once we are empty nesters again, you can bet we will be looking at cruises with far less children on board. Nothing against the little darlings, but, at our ages, we won't need any of the family friendly features or to be on a cruise where over one-third of the passengers are under 18. Rumor has it that RCCL's next class of ships might be a cross between Radiance/Freedom class. Hopefully they can take the best of both.

 

~ Judy

 

I had forgot about the roll call...thanks :cool:

[cruiseguy1016]

I'm a charter member of NOOTS. I can't say never but would not go unless the price in the $200 - $300 for a week in a balcony. The ship is just too big.

[bajathree]

With Oasis already hitting the Tuesday Sales Events with OCEAN balconies at ONLY $999 I am really wondering how low they will go when 2 of these ships are sailing side by side......I think Royal better start coming to their senses on pricing these ships.... because seeing pricing slashed in HALF on Tuesdays sales events for this ship isn't cutting it....especially if you are the one seeing you cabin price drop in half:eek:....and they think they are going to fill these 2 ships with balcony pricing starting at $1679+ for June 2011:rolleyes: I have to be honest......Oasis/Allure has me a bit on edge booking in advance when I see the potential for these BIG looses:(

[Tranquil Waters]

With Oasis already hitting the Tuesday Sales Events with OCEAN balconies at ONLY $999 I am really wondering how low they will go when 2 of these ships are sailing side by side......I think Royal better start coming to their senses on pricing these ships.... because seeing pricing slashed in HALF on Tuesdays sales events for this ship isn't cutting it....especially if you are the one seeing you cabin price drop in half:eek:....and they think they are going to fill these 2 ships with balcony pricing starting at $1679+ for June 2011:rolleyes: I have to be honest......Oasis/Allure has me a bit on edge booking in advance when I see the potential for these BIG looses:(

 

I was always an early booker - year plus in advance (with RCI using my deposit $$ for that year). But as much as I like picking my exact cabin, it is no longer worth getting a specific cabin when you can book at last minute and get 1/2 price deals. We are not limited to specific dates and don't have air to worry about so the scales have definately tipped to last minute bookings.

 

I just hope those 1/2 price deals continue on ships smaller than Oasis.....;):D

[jmayen]

Judy - Park Cafe closes @ 6 PM

 

I just got off the Oasis, was also on in April. This cruise was the rudiest group of people cruising that I have ever been with. The ship is a beautiful ship and you definitely can NOT see if all in one week. Shows are awesome and dining @ Giovanni's Table is a definite not miss. They were having technical difficulties with the Aqua Theater pool, so several of the shows were canceled.

 

One thing I would recommend if booking the Oasis...book to see the ship and not the itin. The best time to enjoy the ship is port days because very few people are on the ship. Its almost impossible to enjoy the pools on sea days. Yes, you can get a deck chair, but you can't swim because there are so many people in the pools. Its elbow to elbow.

 

I would definitely prefer and recommend Freedom class or Voyager class.

[Lynnees]

Judy - Park Cafe closes @ 6 PM

 

I just got off the Oasis, was also on in April. This cruise was the rudiest group of people cruising that I have ever been with. The ship is a beautiful ship and you definitely can NOT see if all in one week. Shows are awesome and dining @ Giovanni's Table is a definite not miss. They were having technical difficulties with the Aqua Theater pool, so several of the shows were canceled.

 

One thing I would recommend if booking the Oasis...book to see the ship and not the itin. The best time to enjoy the ship is port days because very few people are on the ship. Its almost impossible to enjoy the pools on sea days. Yes, you can get a deck chair, but you can't swim because there are so many people in the pools. Its elbow to elbow.

 

I would definitely prefer and recommend Freedom class or Voyager class.

 

Thank you - this is why I'm a NOOTS. :D:D

[Lynnees]

I was always an early booker - year plus in advance (with RCI using my deposit $$ for that year). But as much as I like picking my exact cabin, it is no longer worth getting a specific cabin when you can book at last minute and get 1/2 price deals. We are not limited to specific dates and don't have air to worry about so the scales have definately tipped to last minute bookings.

 

I just hope those 1/2 price deals continue on ships smaller than Oasis.....;):D

 

I too was always an early booker. Now - no - I'll be waiting for the sales. I do have to get air, but I can use Southwest so can wheel and deal with their flights. If all else fails, we are now retired (sort of) and can drive if we have to.

 

I even have a problem when my clients want to book really early.

[FloridaPalms]

jmayen: Thank you - I was hoping the Park Cafe would be open later. Yes, we plan to enjoy the ship on port days, maybe go ashore for an hour or so in the afternoon at Labadee and Falmouth just for a look since those would be new ports for us. Not really concerned about the pools - we have a big one in our backyard so rarely use them on the ships, although grandson will want to go to the H2O zone (he enjoyed the one on Indy). But elbow to elbow - yech!

 

 

bajathree, Tranquil Waters, Lynnees: I too saw Oasis on the Tuesday sales event. It isn't a great deal, especially for 9/18 which looks like the original booking price for a D8. Kind of high for September. I also saw there are no triples left. We don't cruise during the height of hurricane season in case we have to "hunker down" our home, plus, here in our area of Florida, summer vacation is over. Grandson went back to school today. So that leaves us spring break, thanksgiving and early to mid June - when prices are sky high to begin with. Unless RCCL were to offer a Super Saver similar to Carnival (where I would be price protected right up to 72 hours before sailing), I don't want to book early either. And I won't - unless I find what I feel is a really good price. Right now, a triple oceanview balcony on a 5/28 Oasis cruise (summer time for us) is $1279pp for us and only $100 per day for grandson. That same cruise on 6/11 is $1500 more - $1799 for us and $1129 for grandson! :eek: So this looks like a good price - for now. I will be keeping an eye on prices. I don't like RCCL's new price guarantee policy, there is no big incentive for early booking and I think the majority of their prices are way too inflated. Yes I liked being able to grab deck 7 corner aft on voyager/freedom classes but that I could always get lucky with a cancellation at final payment. Someone did when I had to cancel a cruise once. With RCCL's changes, I even went so far as to look at Carnival (not knocking, just can't see past the decor - yet). And I agree with you Steve, seeing pricing slashed in HALF on Tuesdays sales events for this ship isn't cutting it (perhaps that is why there was talk of them making the sales event viewable only by TAs :rolleyes:). RCCL risks losing any cruiser who feels they've been burnt by pricing. And they are going to need every one of them to fill these ships.

 

~ Judy