Oasis Review (Eastern Caribbean)

[Mermaid-ooxx]

This is a review of our Oasis sailing, 6/13-6/20 (Eastern Caribbean). This is only my second cruise, and I have to say I was truly WOW'd by RC.

Day One: The only slip on their part was getting into the terminal to check-in. The lines were crazy, and the employees were all giving us different instructions (some were doing nothing but watching). We were early for check-in(checked out of hotel and came over with shuttle arranged by hotel), so once we got in to the terminal, our line was much more manageable. Oh, BTW, if you drop your luggage with the porters outside, make sure you tip them (they are not shy about calling you out for that).

 

Once we got checked-in, it was.... (wait for it)... smooth sailing! My niece and I spent the afternoon wandering the ship, getting lost, and having fun. We stopped for lunch at Sabor and decided to try the tasting meal ($20 for a sample of each section of the menu)... Yummy, and truly unfinishable (we tried one more time during the week).

 

Checked out the spa/gym and got registered in the raffle. The gym was incredible and very well stocked with what you might need. Get in on the first day and check out what classes are offered. You will have to sign up for each class (they fill up quickly). I know, some of you might be thinking... "A gym? On vacation?" I agree, but I just didn't want to deal with the extra cruise weight, and wanted to eat/drink with abandon!! :D

 

The muster drill was interesting, as we met in the theater. We all wondered why we were in there and how an evacuation would work if we all had to go to the theater in an emergency. It wasn't until I was out on the run/walk track that I actually saw how they would get us off (just picture a water slide off the side of the boat... oh heck no!).

 

Sail away was a lot of fun, and plenty of RC staff wandering with beverages. We had to look around a bit, but eventually found a bit of space at the rail to watch Ft. Lauderdale fade away. Yes, we both bought premium drink packages because neither of us wanted to worry about how much we were drinking and what it would cost. Did I get my money's worth? Maybe. Was it worth the sense of "one less thing to worry about"? Definitely.

 

My niece wasn't real enthused about going into MTD (we were in American Icon), but once she got a taste of those cheese rolls, she was hooked! I had the steak the first night and it was fabulous!! I would definitely recommend making reservations for this before you leave on your trip. The reservation line was much shorter than the non-reservation line. The remainder of the evening was spent wandering through the night life of the ship. I love that there are options for everyone on this ship. Crazy and wild, or more subdued. I also loved the Royal Promenade because there was so much going on there. My favorite bar was the Champagne Bar (across from guest services-more on that later), and loved the Rising Tide bar.

 

If I had to do Day 1 over, I would definitely spend the time making reservations that I was unable to make on-line. We got so caught up in enjoying vacation that we never got into Chops or the comedy show (both fill up fast). I enjoyed Chops on my last cruise, but was bummed that my niece didn't get to try it.

 

OK, back later to start on Day 2!

[wolfganghowell]

Thanks for your review. Looking forward to lots more.

[Sherri914]

Woohoo. Love reading Oasis reviews. And... you're on my itinerary (well, ours in 4 months). Will you be posting the cruise compasses for this sailing by any chance? I've been trying to get my hands on some for this route.

[Mermaid-ooxx]

Woohoo. Love reading Oasis reviews. And... you're on my itinerary (well, ours in 4 months). Will you be posting the cruise compasses for this sailing by any chance? I've been trying to get my hands on some for this route.

 

I can definitely post some Cruise Compasses....

[Mermaid-ooxx]

In port 7:00 AM to 2:00 (all aboard at 1:30)

 

Got up early to watch us coming into port and was rewarded with a beautiful sunrise. I am always amazing at the precision used by the captains to bring the ships into port. Anyway, we got off the ship soon after docking to take advantage of the short time in port. There were no excursions that appealed to us, so we checked out the local history (researched all of it on Trip Advisor).

 

After dodging the obligatory photo opps, we found ourselves on a group taxi out to Paradise Island ($4 per person). 10 of us in the taxi, and all going to different spots. We got dropped off at The Cloisters (once part of a French monastery) & Versailles Gardens. Beautiful and peaceful... it's worth a walk through. Being a Bond geek, we walked over to the hotel where Casino Royal was filmed (awesome!).

 

They were kind enough to call us a taxi back, and we were dropped off at the Queen's Staircase. We climbed the staircase and then checked out Fort Fincastle. Amazing views!! After that we made a short(?) walk to John Watling's Distillery. Probably not the best idea to walk, but we made it to the distillery intact. As we walked in for the "tour" (takes all of about 10 minutes), we were offered a sample of their pina colada (yes, please!). We quickly made our way through the tour and into the bar. We enjoyed a flight of rum (light, med and dark), a taste of their vodka, and a pina colada each. It is probably the best pina colada I have ever enjoyed. So rich, it was almost like a meal! Once finished there, the bartender offered to call a cab for us. We eventually got a ride back to the ship (after waiting unsuccessfully for our cab), but our driver said that when there are many ships in port that the taxis are more difficult to get.

 

Back at the port it was spring break kind of insanity and I was happy to have stayed away from this area. To get back to the ship we had to go thru a kind of customs/id check. There were two lines: one line for people with i.d.s, one line for those without (guess which one was longer and angrier). We got thru pretty quickly and then back on ship.

 

Tips for shore excursions: Always bring some form of i.d. For the 1st time cruisers, getting back on the ship is a serious matter and they rate right up there with the strict TSA screeners. Ship security does not screw around, and they will make you go through until you get it right. Be polite, have your sea pass ready, your bags organized, and everything out of your pockets.

 

Once back on the ship we hit the pool for some sun and relaxation. We tended to hang out at the beach pool, and quickly became friends with the servers there (who came by on a very frequent basis). I was never without a drink (or some water) and sometimes I had two drinks because I saw something I liked and couldn't wait (patience is not my strong suit!). We both hit the Windjammer and brought food down to the pool.

 

We eventually got up to get ready for dinner (night 2 is formal). We both wore nice dresses, and we felt comfortable in what we wore. There are people that are dressed super formal and those who go more dressy/cocktail style. The only turn-off for me was walking down the Royal Promenade before dinner. There are so many photo opportunities that it is more like the prom...ugh!

 

After dinner we headed over to the theater for Cats. Let me preface this by saying I am a moderate theater geek, but I never made it to see Cats. I'm more of a dog person, and was never enthused by the thought of seeing a bunch of cats prancing around a stage, no matter how good the music score was. Let's just say that my instincts all those years ago served me well!! We stuck around for the whole thing, and I have to say, that's two hours of my life I will never get back!! OK, the performances were good, but there is absolutely NO plot line. I even checked out a summary on-line when I got home and that didn't help! Sigh... if you are on this trip, you are stuck with this show for another 5(?) years.

 

Day 3... more later

[Mermaid-ooxx]

So if you are sent to the theater for your muster drill on day 1, here is what will happen in an emergency...

 

 

[LuCruise]

Love reading your review. Looks great so far. Was Paradise Island worth it for the short time in Bahamas?

[sdteacher]

So if you are sent to the theater for your muster drill on day 1, here is what will happen in an emergency...

 

[ATTACH]355200[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH]355201[/ATTACH]

 

Oh My!! That looks scary!

 

Thanks for the great review. I look forward to reading more. We are sailing on Oasis Aug. 1 and I can't wait!

 

:D Renee

[Mermaid-ooxx]

Love reading your review. Looks great so far. Was Paradise Island worth it for the short time in Bahamas?

 

LuCruise, it was definitely worth it to get away from the craziness of the waterfront, and a short taxi ride away!

[Mermaid-ooxx]

Here is the Cruise Compass that you receive at check in

[Mermaid-ooxx]

OK, working on this...

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[Mermaid-ooxx]

Thanks All for your patience as I figure out how to post pics!!

 

Our first day at sea was a bit of a learning curve for both of us. We discovered early on that we couldn't manage to do every activity in the CC, so we had to pick and choose. Lounging by the pool was the priority that morning. After going for a run (run/walk track started getting crowded by 7:30), followed by a leisurely breakfast, we found that we were almost too late for good seating by the pool. Here's the key(s)to saving a spot at the pool: a)yes, get a towel, but also leave something personal like a book/magazine (we found that people are willing to move your towel over, but won't if there is something a little more personal there). Love the idea of the chair clips, and makes it easier to find your chair! b) Make friends with the folks sitting around you. More than likely they will keep an eye out for you if you need to run and grab something or to just change clothes (we offered to buy drinks to repay their kindness). Again, no problems with the bartenders. I was never wanting for a drink, and never had to get up unless I wanted to (this was hard to get used to when I got home!! ha ha)

 

**When you return your towels, don't forget to get it registered on your sea pass (my niece caught this one for me... doh!)** Also ladies, if you happen to keep your sea pass in your bra (don't judge, it's handy), be careful because the sun screen will remove the printing and then you have to get a replacement. I succumbed to a lanyard so that I wouldn't lose it.

 

Took advantage of all the fun raffles that take place in the Royal Promenade (didn't win). Checked out the zipline and the rock-climbing wall (get there early for shorter lines). The zipline is short and fun, but it has a very abrupt stop at the end. If you have any worries, watch the others landing before you suit up.

 

Best thing I did on day 3 was the martini-making class on the rising tide. Led by Mixologist, Francisco and his merry band of helpers, we were led through a history of alcohol (how it's made, how it's used, and some common myths). Then it was time to get to work. There were about 13 of us in this first class. James and Francisco passed out all of the supplies, explained how they were used, and then we began making magic. Francisco took us through 4 different martinis (two with rum, and two with vodka), step by step, teaching us how to make martinis that appealed to our own tastes. Yes, you drink what you make! The cost was about $25 and the class lasted about an hour and a half.

 

After dinner we wandered through the Royal Promenade (dancing and karaoke), and then went to check out the show at the Aqua Theatre. Odd at times, but still interesting. The athleticism of these performers is incredible... I give this show a thumbs up! Went back to the Champagne Bar to enjoy the company of some new friends as well as the opportunity to try some martinis that are "off-menu".

 

Day 4: St. Thomas... I'll be back

[Dinkachu]

I can definitely post some Cruise Compasses....

 

We're booked Eastern in December and the info and cruise compasses are greatly appreciated.

[Mermaid-ooxx]

Here is a link for the Oasis Cruise Compasses that are scanned much better than mine!

Thank you GrandadJohn!!

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resi...hint=folder%2c

[TheTruthCanHurt]

so glad you are enjoying that ship. I did the eastern on the allure a couple months ago and have my eastern on the oasis coming up in a couple months. I am sorry about the madness on embarkation day. To be perfectly honest, things can tend to get messy when you show up way before the ship tells you to. You can usually get on, but I have always found if I show up around 1pm I have been on the allure in less than 15 minutes both times. I hope you continue to enjoy :)

[Mermaid-ooxx]

Day 4 - St. Thomas

 

Up and at 'em early since we had a pirate ship to catch!! We booked the Turtle Bay snorkeling expedition, and I chose the earlier option because I thought the water might be a bit calmer in the morning. Since we didn't have time for breakfast, we stopped at Starbucks (which is not included in any of the beverage packages - you can use your sea pass, or a starbucks card), and then down to the docks.

 

We got on the first ship, there were about 25 of us, and 3 crew members. The crew explained all of the features of the boat and then we set off. If you go on this expedition, and don't want to get splashed all the way to Turtle Bay, then sit in the back of the boat. So glad that I grabbed two towels from the ship! As we traveled, the crew made their way through the guests getting us the proper equipment so that we could get suited up as soon as we arrived.

 

Once we got there and into the water, we had about 1/2 an hour to snorkel. Saw some sea turtles, a sting ray and plenty of beautiful fish. On the way back they slowed the boat down a bit, passed out a pineapple/rum punch, and soda for the kids, gave out pirate tattoos, and (gasp!) advertised the selling of t-shirts (aha, now I know why they slowed the boat down so much!). Pretty fun expedition, and we got back in time to head into town to do some shopping.

 

Made some jewelry purchases and then headed back to the ship. We made our way to Park Cafe for a salad and sandwich. This was the first place where we really ran into anyone who was not very good with customers. We think that we were at the tail end of a huge rush, so I'm a lot more forgiving of that. OK food, but not sure I would come back here.

 

Sitting on the balcony, waiting for sail away. There was a group across the bay playing great music, so we just danced on the balcony, talked with our neighbors, and watched for the last minute runners before sail away. Once we were underway, we headed down to dinner. When we got down to American Icon, it was packed. It was so busy that they were taking groups of people up to the other two dining rooms. We were part of a group that got taken to the dining room upstairs.

 

We got to our table, and there were no chairs pulled out, no napkins in our laps or menus placed in front of us. We finally had someone come by with rolls, and then another server came by and said, "Are you supposed to be here? This table belongs to someone else." We explained what happened and then he just disappeared. I was feeling incredibly uncomfortable, and I mentioned it to my niece. She said that she felt the same way. I asked if she wanted to leave and she nodded yes.

 

As we left I made sure that the maitre d knew that he had an empty table so that they could put someone else there. He was concerned that we were leaving and asked why. When we told him he was very apologetic and offered us another table and even offered to place us back downstairs if that would make us more comfortable. We told him that we were fine and that we were going to grab a margarita and some Mexican food.

 

We made it down to Sabor where we were attempting to make it through that sampler again, when the maitre d and the manager from the dining room showed up at our table. They were very apologetic and let us know that our dinner that night would be taken care of by them. Wow! It took a good five minutes before either one of us could get our jaws off the ground. BTW, we did make it thru the sampler (barely) but spent the rest of the evening walking it off!!

 

Next up, day 5 - St. Maarten

[Mermaid-ooxx]

so glad you are enjoying that ship. I did the eastern on the allure a couple months ago and have my eastern on the oasis coming up in a couple months. I am sorry about the madness on embarkation day. To be perfectly honest, things can tend to get messy when you show up way before the ship tells you to. You can usually get on, but I have always found if I show up around 1pm I have been on the allure in less than 15 minutes both times. I hope you continue to enjoy :)

 

We didn't have much choice on when we got there due to hotel/shuttle issues.