Random Thoughts From the 11-1 Oasis Sailing

[jalpert]

I really like informal reviews, so I wanted to take a stab at it. I was on the 11-1-14 Oasis of the Seas sailing. It was the first 7 day cruise to Nassau, St. Martin, and St Thomas after dry dock. While some of these thoughts are positive and some negative, overall the cruise was a very good one, I think the Oasis and the Allure are great ships and an excellent value.

 

-I hate that I hated Cats, I really wanted to like it. They did such a good job performing, the singing, everything, but what a terrible choice for a ship that spends most of it's time in the Caribbean.

 

-Room steward did a really good job. I talked to him much less than I did in other cruises, but the room was always clean.

 

-We had my time dining. The main dining room concept is so tired. We went with another couple, and tables for 4 were fine. Tables for 2 however were right up on other 2 person tables. Not much of a point asking for a 2 person table, you're basically sitting with others. I would say the food is fine overall, but the "formality" of it all just didn't fit with the atmosphere, overall food quality, and the way people were dressed etc. I'm very glad the ship and others are moving toward a more casual atmosphere.

 

-Sabor was AWESOME. It was actually better than awesome, it was very very awesome. Everything we had was just a home run, except for the empanadas, but I think it was just me, most people at our table loved them. Casual, cheap, delicious, great service, excellent spicy margarita... Guac with habanero was excellent, tortillas excellent.. just excellent.

 

-Ice show was really good, but I think they could do a bit better by making it more traditional with a story etc. Same with the aqua show. It was good, fun to just watch them flip around and dive, but it felt disjointed.

 

-No doughnuts on the boat.

 

-The windjammer seemed hit and miss. Great when it was a hit, but a couple times I walked around with a plate and literally took nothing. However, when I did find things I cared for, they were generally really good.

 

-The best part about the Oasis, if you are ever at a meal that isn't clicking, you just leave and go somewhere else. I had to do this 2 or 3 times, but it always worked out.

 

-The guest services line is really long and annoying. Unfortunately we had some issues with our seapass cards and we got some bad info regarding showtimes. The showtimes were off all week.

 

-The comedians were very very good. Funny, great venue overall a great time.

 

-I had the drink package, the way run of the mill drinks were made varied quite a bit from bar to bar. If you are picky or particular, you might want to call exactly what you want so you aren't surprised. Overall bar service was very good.

 

-Breakfast in the main dining room is particularly awful. Soft spongy waffles, lukewarm eggs, bad pancakes, just terrible. Johnny Rockets makes a decent breakfast sandwich.

 

-The casino wasn't the smokey mess I've seen reported here. Smelled of smoke, but it wasn't some thick cloud you couldn't see through or anything.

 

Again, it was a really good time. I wouldn't hesitate to go on or recommend this class of ship to anyone. I think the move the dynamic dining is a great idea and if executed properly will be a huge plus. Tons to do, a lot of fun, Sabor, overall decent food, it was a good time.

Edited November 20, 2014 by jalpert

[NolaFireLI]

I was on the week after you...

COMPLETELY AGREE with your review.

Sabor was delicious!! and yes, those waffles in the MDR were a disgrace!

 

Ok, so I need to ask, was 95% of all your food ice cold like mine was?!?!

[Big_G]

What was up with the doughnuts? I thought they moved them across from the hotdogs.

[jalpert]

Nope. No kiosk across from the dog house, they weren't at the Cafe Promenade. After finding that out I asked and was told they were gone completely.

 

What was up with the doughnuts? I thought they moved them across from the hotdogs.

[jalpert]

For me, it was more an issue of you could tell it was sitting for a while. Like how the potatoes gets the skin on them after a while? Or the outside of the food was warmer than the inside, like it was sitting in a warmer or something.

 

I was on the week after you...

COMPLETELY AGREE with your review.

Sabor was delicious!! and yes, those waffles in the MDR were a disgrace!

 

Ok, so I need to ask, was 95% of all your food ice cold like mine was?!?!

Edited November 20, 2014 by jalpert

[Dave85]

Thanks for the review OP. Has Oasis gotten any of the delicious cookies people have been reporting are on Quantum, or are the same hard ones as always at Cafe Promenade?

[jalpert]

They switch out, not all are available at all times. The three cookies I remember are a chocolate cookie that was soft with chocolate in it. The coconut ranger cookies made appearances. Also, there was a very good one, it had white chocolate and cranberry, highly recommended.

 

The chocolate cookie was the softest, the cranberry one I would call soft enough, didn't eat the coconut one, I dislike coconut.

 

There might have been more, but those are the ones I noticed.

 

Thanks for the review OP. Has Oasis gotten any of the delicious cookies people have been reporting are on Quantum, or are the same hard ones as always at Cafe Promenade?

Edited November 21, 2014 by jalpert

[NolaFireLI]

For me, it was more an issue of you could tell it was sitting for a while. Like how the potatoes gets the skin on them after a while? Or the outside of the food was warmer than the inside, like it was sitting in a warmer or something.

 

Yes, agreed on that point as well...

Overall I thought the food quality was very lacking and I remember the food being wonderful on the Allure...

I really hope they can get their act together!

[Dave85]

They switch out, not all are available at all times. The three cookies I remember are a chocolate cookie that was soft with chocolate in it. The coconut ranger cookies made appearances. Also, there was a very good one, it had white chocolate and cranberry, highly recommended.

 

The chocolate cookie was the softest, the cranberry one I would call soft enough, didn't eat the coconut one, I dislike coconut.

 

There might have been more, but those are the ones I noticed.

 

 

Sounds good to me, I'll have to check out those chocolate chip cookies when I'm back on Oasis :) Thanks!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

[jalpert]

I was on the Allure about a year and a half ago, and while you can debate good/bad all day, I was surprised to see how many of the dishes were different.

 

Same dishes and descriptions, but how they were prepared, quality (not saying good or bad), presentation etc.

 

Maybe they switched food vendors or something, but I was expecting the same, and it wasn't.

 

Again, not good or bad, just something I noticed.

 

Yes, agreed on that point as well...

Overall I thought the food quality was very lacking and I remember the food being wonderful on the Allure...

I really hope they can get their act together!

[Susie51]

Thank you for sharing. I agree with you about MDR breakfast not being appetizing. To me the Winjammer food tastes better, but I hate trying to find a table.

[cot427]

 

-I hate that I hated Cats, I really wanted to like it. They did such a good job performing, the singing, everything, but what a terrible choice for a ship that spends most of it's time in the Caribbean.

 

 

-We had my time dining. The main dining room concept is so tired. We went with another couple, and tables for 4 were fine. Tables for 2 however were right up on other 2 person tables. Not much of a point asking for a 2 person table, you're basically sitting with others. I would say the food is fine overall, but the "formality" of it all just didn't fit with the atmosphere, overall food quality, and the way people were dressed etc. I'm very glad the ship and others are moving toward a more casual atmosphere.

 

-Sabor was AWESOME. It was actually better than awesome, it was very very awesome. Everything we had was just a home run, except for the empanadas, but I think it was just me, most people at our table loved them. Casual, cheap, delicious, great service, excellent spicy margarita... Guac with habanero was excellent, tortillas excellent.. just excellent.

 

 

 

I think I'm in the same boat as you regarding Cats. I really want to enjoy it, but there's just something about it. I was honestly very surprised when they announced it would be coming to Oasis, as it really doesn't fit.

 

I 100% agree with you regarding the MDR concept being tired. I know there a lot of hesitant people who are resisting the change, however it's true. There's really no way to put it other than saying its just a tired, outdated concept that needs to go away. I think that once they make the change and get into a nice flow, it will end up working to everyone's favor.

 

Glad you liked Sabor! I'm hearing great things about it and can't wait to try it next year!

 

Thanks for your review!

[bigharley]

We were on the same sailing as OP and I agree with your comments.

 

I'm from Texas and love Tex-Mex, so I was really surprised at how good the food was at Sabor's. I thought the comedians were the best. I got mixed up on my reservation for the comedy show, but did standby one night and easily got in. Got there about 30 minutes early. I thought some of the healthy lunches and breakfast in the Solarium were really good. I had a Cajun baked fish that I couldn't stop eating one day.

 

For the most part, I thought the Windjammer was bad and only went there a few times, but did have a couple dishes that were decent. I thought Giovanni's was just ok and Chops was good. Never felt too crowded, except after muster drill when you were trying to get an elevator for sail away.

 

I really thought it was a great cruise with plenty to do. The wife and I also celebrated our 30th anniversary on Day 3.

[jalpert]

Nice! Congrats on the anniversary!

 

We were on the same sailing as OP and I agree with your comments.

 

I'm from Texas and love Tex-Mex, so I was really surprised at how good the food was at Sabor's. I thought the comedians were the best. I got mixed up on my reservation for the comedy show, but did standby one night and easily got in. Got there about 30 minutes early. I thought some of the healthy lunches and breakfast in the Solarium were really good. I had a Cajun baked fish that I couldn't stop eating one day.

 

For the most part, I thought the Windjammer was bad and only went there a few times, but did have a couple dishes that were decent. I thought Giovanni's was just ok and Chops was good. Never felt too crowded, except after muster drill when you were trying to get an elevator for sail away.

 

I really thought it was a great cruise with plenty to do. The wife and I also celebrated our 30th anniversary on Day 3.

 

Yah, I didn't like Sabor, I LOVED Sabor :-) . Don't make the same mistake I did, don't wait, hit it ASAP. That way you can go as many times as you want.

 

Don't feel like you have to even blow an entire meal there. You can sit down, and for $3 (or was it $4) split the table side guac (get it spicy), and an order some of the those chicken things wrapped in jalapenos and bacon. Or, the cheese quesadilla. I wanted to try the chicken quesadilla, but the cheese was so good, I couldn't not get it. It's got three cheeses, but combine that with the fresh made tortilla and there is some kind of pepper in there that's just money, and you have an amazing thing.

 

 

I think I'm in the same boat as you regarding Cats. I really want to enjoy it, but there's just something about it. I was honestly very surprised when they announced it would be coming to Oasis, as it really doesn't fit.

 

I 100% agree with you regarding the MDR concept being tired. I know there a lot of hesitant people who are resisting the change, however it's true. There's really no way to put it other than saying its just a tired, outdated concept that needs to go away. I think that once they make the change and get into a nice flow, it will end up working to everyone's favor.

 

Glad you liked Sabor! I'm hearing great things about it and can't wait to try it next year!

 

Thanks for your review!

Edited November 21, 2014 by jalpert