Oasis 11/7 trip report, Periscope?, and 12203 photos

[LuCruise]

Thanks. For a while, I thought I was talking to myself until you and Wolf posted. Must be a tough crowd here.

 

Just be prepared for changes. They do not necessarily keep the same show schedule from one cruise to the next. Guess they don't want to be too predictable.

 

Ha ha...nope...you have readers. :D It's a great one, and you have such a good sense of humor.

 

Honestly, I really appreciate when other take the time to write reports and share it with us on here. We booked our cruise 16 months in advance (down to under 5 now so not too bad), and it's the reports that keeps me patiently waiting. We're on Allure but Oasis is similar, with just the actual shows being different (but same style with a broadway, aqua show, etc).

 

Thanks for the warning about the shows. That's frustrating when you plan and coordinate shows and dinner with each other. (Looks like you had traditional). Funny enough, I've never gotten an email from Royal after bookings so I wonder if I'll ever get one like your got (assuming if anything does change).

 

Looking forward to hearing more.

[JamesEM]

Following along, enjoying your reports and photos.

[Yorkvillain]

Thanks. For a while, I thought I was talking to myself until you and Wolf posted. Must be a tough crowd here.

 

I noticed the same thing on my review. Not many comments but it had a lot of views. I was thinking no one liked me too.

 

h20 and Wolfgang, I am enjoying both of your reviews even if I haven't posted in either thread (until now!). Heck, I lurked on cruise critic for a good 3-4 years before I finally created a username and started posting.

[h20skibum]

Wow, thanks for the responses everyone. I better get busy posting some more before too many more ships depart. Reinforcing my bad sleep habits, i have been up since 3:30 writing this morning. At least I have another week off now, so maybe I will finish soon.

[h20skibum]

Day 5 was the second sea day. Our day started with the usual routine of exercise, coffee and breakfast at the Wipe Out Cafe. By this point in the cruise, I had actually lost a pound. Who does that? It isn't like I deprived myself of ice cream or any of those good thing. So today would be a good day to start correcting that.

 

I had coordinated both a slot pull, and a pub crawl / poker run for our roll call, and both were scheduled for this sea day. We all met at the Hall of Odds to collect the slot pull cash and get names entered into the spreadsheet. Our slot pull started at 10:00, and the casino was not very busy at this time. The largest, and only "spin" on the wheel of fortune machine for our group was only good for $100. Maybe a time earlier in the week when slots were kinder would have been better, but everyone enjoyed it.

 

 

Lunch for us throughout the rest of the cruise would alternate between the Solarium and Wipe Out Cafe. After lunch, we did our pub crawl / poker run. We started at the Trellis bar in Central Park, and made stops at Sabor, Globe & Atlas, On Air, and ended at the Casino bar. I liked the offerings at the Globe & Atlas, since you can find many drinks that are not offered at the other bars. I don't think any of the other bars served up bottles of Grolsch with their flip top caps. Congratulations to Dennis for his top poker hand. I hear you reinvested it at the casino.

 

 

[h20skibum]

A little relaxation in the Solarium after the pub crawl, then it was back in the tux for the second formal night. With prime rib on the menu as well as lobster, we made our own surf and turf.

 

 

We had the Frozen ice show this evening. These were some very talented skaters, and we enjoyed the performance. The one thing I regret is that I did not get a chance to get to the rink and strap on some ice skates. It seems they didn't have times that would work for me. I guess I will have to wait till the next cruise on a ship with an ice rink. I told DW that I could hold her by the ankles and do one of the spins with her head inches from the ice, and she just came back with one of those not having that much trust in me things! I was crushed:)

 

 

Fitbit steps for the day = 17,537

Fitbit miles for the day = 9.61

Fitbit floors for the day = 51

 

Meanwhile, the planners for the day.

 

[h20skibum]

And the Compasses

 

 

Next - Cozumel and working toward a marathon

[h20skibum]

Day 6 we were in Cozumel. It started with our exercise, etc., but would be our biggest day as far as miles traveled on foot. We have been to Cozumel several times, so we didn't plan any excursions here. Our plan was to just get off the ship and do a little exploring on foot and stop for food and drinks along the way. The ship docked at the International pier. When we looked at the map and saw the insert said it was only 1.5 miles to the forum shops, we thought, Hey, that's easily doable on foot.

 

 

So we had set off from the ship, through the port area and toward the downtown area. There are sidewalks the entire way, but it was a very hot walk. I kept checking the Fitbit, and after 1.5 miles, we were not quite to the lighthouse. On the way, we passed Dolphinaris where you could swim with the Dolphins. We have never done this, so we may need to look into it for our next trip here.

 

 

We kept moving till we got to Margarittaville and had to stop for a couple beers and nachos. When DW saw the menu, she said "Yikes, this is expensive." until she realized it was in Pesos. It was a very nice place to relax and enjoy looking at the water. They made fresh guacamole at your table side, and you could taste it as they made it and add ingredients to your liking.

 

 

 

[h20skibum]

We continued to the downtown area and did a little shopping with occasional stops for those $1 beers along the street. We made a stop at Margarittaville on the way back to the ship for another t-shirt for the collection, and made it to the port area just as a brief rain began. This rain forced us to have a couple more $1 beers in the port area while we waited out the rain to reboard the ship.

 

Once aboard, we got a snack at the Wipe Out Cafe and then spent more time at the Solarium. There wasn't anything that appealed to us on the MDR menu tonight, so we tried the Windjammer for dinner. We both thought is was not as good as what you would typically get in the MDR, and we probably should have booked a specialty restaurant for this evening.

 

This guy was waiting for us in the cabin tonight. We received several towel animals during the week from our stateroom attendant Mark. ( for some reason, every time I would greet him in the passage way, it was like an echo. Good morning Mark. Good morning Mark )

 

 

Fitbit steps for the day = 33,899

Fitbit miles for the day = 17.94. (7/10ths of a marathon). Our dogs were barkin

Fitbit floors for the day = 44

 

Here are the planners for the day

 

[h20skibum]

And the Compasses

 

 

Next - Friday the 13th on a cruise ship

[ForMyBoys2015]

Very nice trip report! I am thoroughly enjoying it. You got me in a daydream state but now its back to the real world. So I'm off to shovel snow... in November, Ugh!!

[paradise4me]

what a totally entertaining trip report!! Can I ask where you signed the waiver forms online before boarding? I leave in 1 month and cant find them anywhere. Thanks!!!

[h20skibum]

Very nice trip report! I am thoroughly enjoying it. You got me in a daydream state but now its back to the real world. So I'm off to shovel snow... in November, Ugh!!

 

Oh no. That's what we may have to look forward to this weekend too. It may dash my plans to grill some baby backs. This is what it usually looks like around here when we do a spring (ha ha, this is spring here?) cruise.

 

 

what a totally entertaining trip report!! Can I ask where you signed the waiver forms online before boarding? I leave in 1 month and cant find them anywhere. Thanks!!!

 

There is a link to it in your cruise planner when you log in to your my cruises account at royalcaribbean.com. Sadly, I do not have a next cruise booked, so that will need corrected soon. Without one in the cruise planner, I can't direct you to the specific spot. But is says "sign activity waivers". I did note that our additional nights for this cruise have already been posted to our account.

[seadog67]

Just saying again love your report! I know the effort to do one live and after the fact so much appreciated. Heading out soon for our own cruise and your report has really go us revved up for our cruise! Thanks again, and BOOO on the snow :)

[h20skibum]

Day 7 - Friday the 13th

 

This would be our last day to relax on the ship. Up early and off to exercise and weigh in. I know, it is crazy after doing almost 18 miles the day before. But, success, I gained 1.5 pounds:). We had our omelets at the Wipe Out, and started to plan our day. Friday the 13th, so let's just temp fate.

 

We headed off to do the zip line while we were still dry, then down to Deck 7 to climb the rock wall, then back up to the sports deck to ride the flow rider. Let me say, the Oasis, and the Allure zip lines are pretty tame compared to some we have done. But it was nice to have a few fans cheer me on:)

 

 

 

 

Having survived those activities, we headed to the Solarium for some reading and time in the pool and hot tubs. Lunch at the Solarium, then DW went off to the gym and I snuck off to do the stand up flow rider. Success for a while, before a spectacular wipeout. It is a different feeling from slalom skiing behind my boat. At least there, I have a rope to hang on to. I will have to remember to visit the standup earlier in the cruise before the lines get too long like they are on the last day. Just need to practice and keep the board pointed ahead.

[h20skibum]

Having survived those activities, we headed to the Solarium for some reading and time in the pool and hot tubs. Lunch at the Solarium, then DW went off to the gym and I snuck off to do the stand up flow rider. Success for a while, before a spectacular wipeout. It is a different feeling from slalom skiing behind my boat. At least there, I have a rope to hang on to. I will have to remember to visit the standup earlier in the cruise before the lines get too long like they are on the last day. Just need to practice and keep the board pointed ahead.

 

 

Well, if it is the last day, that means it is time for huge lines at Guest Services. Probably all the people who finally realized their iPhones were missing.

 

 

It also means it is time for Royal's $10 t-shirt and other crap sale. It is for all those who realize at the last minute they were supposed to bring something back to someone, and this is the last chance. (Yes, we were there among them getting out t-shirts and Tortuga Rum Cakes). It was perfect practice for a Black Friday sale.

 

 

We had scheduled the Cats show for this afternoon, but decided to skip it. Didn't really want to spend our last warm, sunny day inside a theatre.

 

This is also the day you receive the saddest piece of paper from Royal, also known as the "Eviction Notice". Pack up your stuff and get out.

 

 

We signed up for the luggage valet, and do this whenever it is offered. It is worth it not to have to search for luggage in the terminal and drag it through customs. So this only meant they will kick us out earlier in the morning.

 

Our last night at the MDR to exchange phone numbers with our table mates and make plans for the next summer. No, Thurston and Lovey didn't make it tonight. Then it was a night of farewells around the ship before heading to the cabin for my last good sleep of the year.

 

Fitbit steps for the day = 18,494

Fitbit miles for the day = 10.02

Fitbit floors for the day = 69

[h20skibum]

I hope to try to summarize the pluses and minuses of the cruise, and make sure I get up to the 12203 photos promised in the title. For the week, we had:

 

Fitbit steps for the week = 155,633

Fitbit miles for the week = 83.22

 

Coworkers said 83 miles, that doesn't sound like a vacation. But we packed a lot of enjoyment in those 83 miles. So, while I work at some type of summary, here are the compasses for day 7

 

 

And the planners

 

[LuCruise]

Love your review. You're hilarious with the comics.

 

Impressed that you both maintain your fitness on vacation.

[Suzieanna]

Thank you so much for this amazing report! It kept me v busy tonight and I have lots of questions...... The main one being regarding an activity on the cruise compass

 

 

Has anyone EVER guessed correctly the price of the Peter Max!!!

[yogi636]

Really enjoying your review! Only on thing, feeling really lazy because even though I know I should watch what I eat and exercise I don't and I know I definitely won't on a cruise!

 

2 weeks until I sail!

[Lionesss]

Thanks for your review, really enjoyed it.

Nice pictures.

And your commentary did the review justice rather nicely.

 

Your picture of Margaritteville with the mexican man next to the guacamole guy was the same guy there this past June.

 

Anyway.

Thanks again.

[JamesEM]

I have found that using the steps instead of the elevator helps me from gaining to much weight.

[catr13]

Thanks so much for your amazing review and pics!!!

[h20skibum]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone.

 

I know i have never correctly guessed the price of a Peter Max. It seems they can vary widely in price.

 

But now, onward with the review.

[h20skibum]

Day 8 - off the ship to head home.

 

As I said, we used the luggage valet service since we had a noon flight out of FLL. They suggest you leave around 8:00 after those who do the self disembark. We went to Windjammers for breakfast since there were few places open on the ship. What, only paper napkins today, and all the silverware thrown in a tray? No gym open this morning, and the track would be out of bounds for the ramps to the terminal. No sense in being nice to those they are evicting. Get out and bring on the people that have their pockets loaded with cash.:)

 

So with breakfast done, we decided to gather our carryon and comply with the eviction notice. We got off the ship at 7:30 and walked right through customs, declaring all the t-shirts and rum cakes we bought, and caught a cab to the airport. We were through airport security and in line at Starbucks for a latte by 8:00 to wait for our noon flight. Somehow, the pulled pork sandwich at the airport didn't look like what we were use to the past week.

 

 

So you say you have been counting and there are only 131 photos. Somewhat short of 12203. Well, here are the 12203 photos. Yes, it is cabin 12203. We booked a Central Park balcony for this cruise, mainly because it was such a good deal, and well, we would be on a cruise. More about the cabin after some photos.

 

Looking toward the balcony with the lovely view of the balcony across the park.

 

We had the bed by the closet arrangement. This is a view toward the closet.

 

This is the amount of space between the closet and the bed. We did not find this to be a bad layout, since we are both on essentially the same schedule. Some may prefer the bed by the balcony arrangement ( or a suite with lots more room), but as long as you lay out your clothes for the next day, this works.

 

The desk and TV