Oasis of the Seas Adventure

[lovelife]

Loving your review! We'll be embarking in a couple of months.

We also have a group of 7, so I'm curious about the transportation options. I don't know if taxis are an option or if we have to book a shuttle van. Did you use taxis at all or did you reserve a van? One shuttle co. quoted me $105 + tip to get 7 of us from our hotel (Westin FLL Beach resort) to the ship and $75 + tip from Port Everglades to the airport on the return. Would cabs be cheaper (and could we get away with 2 cabs for all 7 of us + probably 3 big and 2 small suitcases)?

 

Looking forward to the rest of your adventure!

 

Thanks!

 

I don't know where the Westin is located, but it would depend on the distance from FLL and the port. For us it was less expensive to take taxis from the airport to the hotel. Embassy Suites is about three to four miles from the airport and we took two taxis for the seven of us for about $30 for each with tip. We had lots more luggage than you.

 

Have fun on Oasis!

[Lionesss]

Very nice start, love your pictures.

 

Cannot wait.

 

Thanks

[lovelife]

Food:

 

This was someone's breakfast from Coastal Kitchen. Just can't say enough good things about all the food there.

 

 

A caramel dessert at Coastal Kitchen. Just heavenly.

 

 

My scallops at Coastal Kitchen. Delectable.

 

 

And more

 

 

 

Wonderful beet salad

 

[lovelife]

Very nice start, love your pictures.

 

Cannot wait.

 

Thanks

 

 

Thank you. I see you don't have much longer to wait. Enjoy!!

[lovelife]

More from Coastal Kitchen

 

 

Dining Room Goodies - Don't remember all the names

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love the key lime pie!

 

[lovelife]

Food continued:

 

Yummy strawberry cheesecake

 

 

Mile high lemon pie

 

 

Something the vegetarians DGS and wife got

 

[zteamtwo]

Great review--Going on Allure this Nov in a GS. How is Coastal Kitchen for lunch and dinner?

[lovelife]

Great review--Going on Allure this Nov in a GS. How is Coastal Kitchen for lunch and dinner?

 

Thanks. Wonderful food in Coastal Kitchen for all meals. The flatbreads are great. Do try it and enjoy.

[lovelife]

A few more miscellaneous photos:

 

 

 

This is where the old Diamond Club was. Looked like the tables and other stuff are stored on the balcony part for now. The door was locked.

 

 

The Monkey

 

 

The Bat

 

 

The Dog

 

[lovelife]

Ports:

 

Nassau - We did not get off the ship as we have been there so many times and really don't like it. We enjoyed the ship sans the crowds.

 

 

 

 

 

I believe that was the Majesty there with us

 

[lovelife]

St. Thomas -

 

 

We docked at Crown Bay. I have always docked at Havensight in the past.

 

 

We all took the 5 Star Island Tour through the ship that included a ride up to St. Peter Mountain for shopping with great views along the way.

 

 

Then on to Magen's Bay for two hours which was heavenly as always

 

 

We were then taken back to town for some browsing before returning to the ship. On the advice of a local, we had lunch at Cuzzin's restaurant in downtown Charlotte Amalie. It is housed in an interesting restored livery stable. The food was good but holy cow they move at a snail's pace. It must have taken 90 minutes for lunch!

 

Downtown sign

 

 

Departing St. Thomas

 

[lovelife]

More miscellaneous shots

 

One of the wings

 

 

Empty seats galore on port morning

 

 

 

Upstairs Solarium

 

 

[Arzeena]

Loving your review! It is excellent and the pictures are great. I have one question please, regarding dining....The Oasis does not have dynamic dining yet, so how does the dining work out with restaurants like Grande, Silk and the MDR?

We are going in the end of August and have MTD.

[lovelife]

St. Maarten - I love this island and always enjoy my time here.

 

 

The Lady Oasis

 

 

 

Port Shops

 

 

We all did different things. DH and I took the water taxi over to town and walked around a new area for us for a little while. I asked a little schoolgirl if I could take her photo and she agreed. She then ran to catch up to me and handed me a flower over the fence. Very touching and I'll never forget her.

 

 

[lovelife]

Loving your review! It is excellent and the pictures are great. I have one question please, regarding dining....The Oasis does not have dynamic dining yet, so how does the dining work out with restaurants like Grande, Silk and the MDR?

We are going in the end of August and have MTD.

 

Thanks. On my cruise MTD was on deck three in American Icon and early and late dining were in Grande and Silk on decks four and five. It is just like regular dining for now but the three floors have different furnishings and names. Breakfast and lunch were on deck three as usual. Have fun on your cruise!

[lovelife]

St. Maarten continued -

 

Not the nicest part of town, but interesting

 

 

 

 

 

School children play in a parking lot

 

[lovelife]

St. Maarten continued -

 

After a good bit of walking, we paid $20 for two lounge chairs, an umbrella, and five drinks for the day at the town beach. I love the water there and we swam and relaxed for a few hours before heading back to the ship.

 

 

 

 

[lovelife]

A couple nighttime shots

 

 

 

Departure day came way too soon.

 

 

 

We took advantage of the free luggage valet and met in the Suite Lounge at our preferred time of 8:45. I believe we had a choice of about 7:30 or 8:45 a.m. if you wanted to depart from the Suite Lounge. We were taken down in a separate elevator and then met and ushered into the masses to wait in line for customs. It wasn't too bad. We found a taxi van to take all seven of us to the airport where we flew back to reality.

 

 

Wrap-up

 

What a wonderful cruise we had. Although it cost a small fortune for three grand suites, air, and hotel, time spent with family on this great ship was indeed worth every dollar. We had a ton of fun!!

 

I believe I heard there were 6,000 passengers on this sailing but it didn't seem any more crowded than any other ship. Although there were lots of children on board, almost all encountered were well behaved.

 

The Oasis class ships are my favorite with all the neighborhoods and top notch entertainment and I look forward to my future sailing on Harmony.

[cruzkitty]

Such a Great Review and Pictures! I am especially interested in the Coastal Kitchen, and so good to hear you loved the food. Do you make reservations for the CK once onboard? This will be our 3rd time on Oasis-we really like this ship My best friend & Husband will be traveling with us, and they have never cruised before. How did your DIL enjoy her first cruise?

 

Thanks for taking the time to review & post all the great pictures!

[lovelife]

Such a Great Review and Pictures! I am especially interested in the Coastal Kitchen, and so good to hear you loved the food. Do you make reservations for the CK once onboard? This will be our 3rd time on Oasis-we really like this ship My best friend & Husband will be traveling with us, and they have never cruised before. How did your DIL enjoy her first cruise?

 

Thanks for taking the time to review & post all the great pictures!

 

Thanks much. We made dinner reservations for Coastal Kitchen after boarding and had no problem getting them on the nights we desired. My granddaughter-in-law (I guess is the terminology?) absolutely loved the cruise. She has worked so hard for so many years to become a doctor (behavioral psychologist) that I was delighted to be able to "reward" her with this cruise.

[Travalerie]

I know tipping is personal. If you tipped in Coastal Kitchen, do you mind telling me how your group handled tips for your meals in Coastal Kitchen? Do you treat it like a specialty restaurant? Do people tip for all meals or just dinner? I am assuming our auto tips go to the main dining room staff. I don't plan on going there but will leave the tips in place. I just want to be prepared.

[Arzeena]

Thanks. On my cruise MTD was on deck three in American Icon and early and late dining were in Grande and Silk on decks four and five. It is just like regular dining for now but the three floors have different furnishings and names. Breakfast and lunch were on deck three as usual. Have fun on your cruise!

 

Thank you!

[lovelife]

I know tipping is personal. If you tipped in Coastal Kitchen, do you mind telling me how your group handled tips for your meals in Coastal Kitchen? Do you treat it like a specialty restaurant? Do people tip for all meals or just dinner? I am assuming our auto tips go to the main dining room staff. I don't plan on going there but will leave the tips in place. I just want to be prepared.

 

At Coastal Kitchen the two of us always left a couple dollars at breakfast and lunch. At dinner we left $5. Don't know how much the children left. I didn't notice those at surrounding tables tipping though.

[Travalerie]

At Coastal Kitchen the two of us always left a couple dollars at breakfast and lunch. At dinner we left $5. Don't know how much the children left. I didn't notice those at surrounding tables tipping though.

 

Thank you-that is helpful. This is about what I was thinking, just adjusted to four of us. Glad you had a good cruise.

[DarthGrady]

Excellent pictures, thanks for posting the review! I'll be on her in October, very much looking forward to it.