TeamTrom’s Vacation Review: Oasis of the Seas (10.29.16) plus More

[TeamTrom]

We continued our flash tour to the pool deck so we could get a view of Fort Lauderdale and hope to gauge the layout of the ship a little better. Took a few quick pics of the skyline along with some precious cargo nearby that Gambee would appreciate very much =)

 

 

This picture isn't completely telling of the weather for the remainder of the cruise but we had similar weather for a decent amount of time. Now lets not make it seem as though it negated from our cruise because we fully enjoyed it, just didn't get as much sun as we have had in the past by a long shot.

 

 

Anyone who knows Gambee or has read his cruise reviews will understand these

 

 

Shortly after this it was 1pm and most of you know what that means. CABINS ARE READY. Now most of the time this is not a particularly important or anticipated moment for us but there is something different this time and this picture tells it all!!!

 

 

[TeamTrom]

I think I recognize you from the shuttle line bound to Lost Kingdom Adventure Park Costa Maya, am I right?

 

You are absolutely correct, we did go to Lost Mayan Adventure Park in Costa Maya and we had a great time, more about this later. Should have said Hi!!!:)

[TeamTrom]

First impressions of the balcony are that this is much bigger than we are used to, not considerably different because of cabin space but the layout with addition to the balcony really creates an improved use of space and atmosphere. The bathroom is not much different than we are used to but that is okay. And lets be honest but how can you not love this absolutely romantic view we have here lol

 

 

I swear that today I tried one of every kind of food imaginable, one of which being one of the bratwursts from the doghouse on the boardwalk, I tossed some grilled peppers and onions on it and I was pleasantly surprised. I really wished I would've remembered to come back at some point in the week because I was pretty excited for this place and my first experience was really good. After this and sometime before dinner we also stopped by and got a slice of Pizza from Sorrentos. We have had a lot of mixed reviews about the pizza on board but we picked out what looked like a fresh slice of pizza and we enjoyed it enough to go back for more later on the trip.

 

This was probably about the time we were swindled into getting the Dining Package :p I say swindled because we weren't planning on getting it, but realistically there were multiple hundreds of times that I would convince myself pre trip to book this deal and then not to... to do it, then not to do it lol Honestly I am glad that we waited until we were on board so we knew for sure the times we wanted we received before paying for it. This is the schedule that we settled with

Night 1: MDR

Night 2: Giovanni's

Night 3: Izumi

Night 4: MDR

Night 5: MDR

Night 6: 150 Central Park

Different than we expected that is for sure. We selected Izumi, but instead of Chops we booked Giovanni's and 150 Central Park. We didn't fall in love with the Chops Menu, not enough options so we went elsewhere. Now is also a great time to mention the Formal Nights. We were expecting, based on many CC suggestions that they would be nights 2 and 5 or 2 and 6 if not the first. Well everyone was incorrect lol because they went with nights 2 and 4 which I thought was a terrible choice. Night 4 was Costa Maya and our latest port day leaving at 7pm. We had 6pm dining and an excursion that was not to end until 530 so this was clearly not going to work for us but I will wait til later to get into this.

 

This brought us to Muster Drill and what we all look forward to... lol our muster location is Studio B. Not sure how I feel about fleeing to the inner depths of the ship in the case of emergency but in Royal I trust, plus it is nicer in here than on one of those decks, crammed like sardines.

 

 

This is my first experience inside and honestly the video was a refreshing change.

 

 

And then here is the best part of it all, that wash your hands video that has become so famous for the wrong reasons. It wasn't as long or as terrible as I had expected though lol

 

 

 

[stickyshocker]

You are absolutely correct, we did go to Lost Mayan Adventure Park in Costa Maya and we had a great time, more about this later. Should have said Hi!!!:)

 

 

 

i was about to, but i only saw two of you ( i lurked this thread from the start, i thought u were in a group or with kids or somethin') .. and oh yeah, not a huge fan of that green slide[emoji51]

[TeamTrom]

Right after Muster Drill was our CC planned sail away party at the Sky Bar. We made our way up there to find out that the deck was closed down due to our bad weather. Additionally while we are on weather cancelling plans our reserved Oasis of Dreams show was cancelled night 1 as well, but we made it on a different night so no big deal. We had a backup location of the Schooner Bar if weather came up like it did so we headed that way to meet our sail away comrades. We arrived, ordered a drink and looked for fellow members to no avail. We stayed for around 15 minutes then decided to head up to pool deck and see if we run across anyone else. We did run across 4 of our CC goers. They were Nicole, Gina, Karen and Shelly. We went to Solarium for a view of us leaving the port and it was busy so difficult to come up with a better photo than this.

 

 

We stayed in here a while, enjoying beverages of our choice until time for dinner. We arrived to dinner and met our staff. Our assistant waiter is Adonis, our waiter is Darvin and our bartender is Karl. Dad and I ordered French Onion Soup which is a soup of choice for me and it was good, not great but good. Stacey Ordered The Escargots a la Bourguignonne. Also different than we last remembered. The sauce was as delicious as ever but the Escargots was not as good. Each couple also ordered the Calamari and the crispy pieces were pretty good, while the soggy ones were not.

 

 

Stacey didn't find anything that called to her so she ordered the classic Spaghetti which surprisingly was very good

 

 

And I ordered the Spicy Grilled Pork Chop. It was dry and lacked flavor, but the sauce it sat in was tasty.

 

 

 

[TeamTrom]

i was about to, but i only saw two of you ( i lurked this thread from the start, i thought u were in a group or with kids or somethin') .. and oh yeah, not a huge fan of that green slide[emoji51]

 

We went on the cruise with my dad and his gf... but they were not up for this adventure so just the two of us made it. and OMG that green slide... funny story that will have wait til later lol:D

[TeamTrom]

Dad and Kristie both ordered the aged striploin. Both spoke highly of it

 

 

For Desert dad and I each had the Peach Blueberry Cobbler, which was tasty but not as moist as I had envisioned.

 

 

Wifey got the Strawberry Cheesecake, and she said that it was fine.

 

 

Kristie ordered the Crème Brulee and she also said it was okay

 

 

[TeamTrom]

We asked for a photo at the end of our dinner and Adonis obliged willingly. Turned out pretty well. We can pretend to be happy in one anothers company well huh :p

 

 

We ended up going our separate ways. We did not do much besides roam the ship to try and get a little more familiar. Oh did I mention I wanted to try every food option on day 1? Well here is Room Service lol We ordered the Spinach Artichoke Dip, Honey Stung Chicken and Cheesecake. The delivery came a little over an hour after ordering which was about 30 minutes late. It came with an order of Chocolate covered strawberries which was actually the best part of the meal if you asked me. The cheesecake was not good at all. The Dip was good and the Chicken was fine, not what I remembered but still okay. Little did I know that anyone I talked to that ordered day 1 room service also received the strawberries so keep that in mind if you go on Oasis to try room service to get free Chocolate covered strawberries.

 

 

Sneak peek into Day 2: Port of Nassau/Bahamas Brews

We have been to Nassau before but went on a snorkeling excursion so we barely even touched land. As describe by RCI, Bahamas Brews is “a voyage that transports you back in time to an age when piracy reigned and smugglers, scallywags, and vagabonds roamed Nassau’s streets. You’ll hear tales detailing pirates’ plights as you bar hop at the finest brews and get an authentic taste of history. Enjoy delicious three-ounce samples of nine locally crafted beers and indulge in tasty appetizers during your journey. Your festive crawl introduces you to the history, culture, and traditions of beer making. Discover Smuggler’s Beer Garden when you can enter a secret shaded courtyard to try Kalik beers and delicious conch fritters. The quaint colonial Hillside House is defined by its grandeur, history, and character. The building holds the fascinating artworks of Antonius Roberts, which celebrate Bahamian and African heritage. It is here you’ll receive delectable samples of Sands Beer and chicken wings. Close to the docks is the Pirate Republic Brewing Company. Here, enjoy a selection of extraordinary craft beers named after pirates, and munch on German pretzels. You can also visit the souvenir shop to collect some sparkling trinkets. Learn about the exuberant Junkanoo culture and delight in sips of all the flavorful suds the Bahamas has to offer. Then, independently amble back to port.” For $69 per person it sounds pretty cool so let’s see how it measures up to the real thing. While on most days a bar hop from 10:45 in the morning til 12:45 would be a little questionable, this day I am on vacation and have no concerns ;)

[stickyshocker]

We went on the cruise with my dad and his gf... but they were not up for this adventure so just the two of us made it. and OMG that green slide... funny story that will have wait til later lol:D

 

 

 

Looking forward to it. I don't even know what to make out of it, that slide isn't suppose to be the highlight of our cruise, but always finds it's way center stage on my story time with my friends.

[Bargeo]

We are starving and thanks to the suggestion from some fellow Cruise Critic friends we head straight to Park Café and boy was that a good suggestion!! It's a small place but after a short line we had a delicious roast beef sandwich and even found an open table! (hint: we would not have been able to say the same about the Windjammer)

 

Don't keep track how often(or not often) you receive a photo pre-eaten in some capacity lol I am pretty forgetful.

 

Funny story: we sit next to a group of friendly strangers who turned out to be on Cruise Critic who recognized us from our pictures in my review! The lady leans over "Are you the guy doing the Cruise Critic review?"

Why yes, yes I am. lol This was interestingly the only time this happened on the cruise, which quickly humbled me from feeling like a celebrity, to being back on earth. If you are said people please call yourself out, I failed to get your username nor do I remember your name. Sorry

 

Took this photo of the Promenade from our table, pretty cool how incorporated this ship is from area to area.

 

 

We then explore the ship a bit, skipping the Windjammer because, SURPRISE! It's beyond packed, there's a line past the elevators and the stairs one floor down. Impressive. Me and dad get some more drinks because we can, my wife nurses her first one which is okay by me because like Kristie she did not get the package. only dad and I are the alcoholics lol :p. Now is a great time to mention Ramesh. We met him very early this day at the Schooner Bar. He bartends there every night and he was our favorite of the entire week. It just so happens this bar was the closest one to our Cabin which really made it that much better. He was very personable and we enjoyed each and every conversation we had with him. He took great care of us, remembering our names from the first interaction. Go and pay him a visit.

 

 

Hi Sean,

I am the lady who recognized you in Park Café on the first day. It was a pleasure meeting you and your family. Enjoying your review, as it brings back wonderful memories of the great cruise we all had. Yes, the weather could have been better, and there were a few minor glitches here and there, but we never let those things stop us from having a wonderful time.

 

Another funny story:

We went to Nachi Cocum in Cozumel, and there walking on the beach I spotted "Max's Mom", another Cruise Critic member, who writes wonderful reviews of their cruises. We had a great chat with her and her hubby, and shared a cab back to the ship. They cruise about 10 times a year, and will reach Pinnacle status next month. Lovely people!!

 

This was our 27th cruise and the first time I have ever recognized another Cruise Critic Member, and it happened twice. LOL Priceless!!!!!

 

Wishing you many more happy cruises:

 

Barbara

[soderbee]

Enjoying the review! We are on Oasis in less than a month! [emoji484]

 

 

[TeamTrom]

Day 2: Port of Nassau/Bahamas Brews

Today we are set to arrive in Nassau at 7am but I woke up far too soon for someone who works when I do. Did I mention how easy it was to switch my sleep schedule and how difficult it is switching back, work will be miserable come Tuesday. I woke up and snapped pictures of the port full of cruise ships. They look magnificent illuminated in the pitch black!!!

 

 

As we round into position to dock at the end of the pier we get a look at Atlantis while the sun begins to shine its light on us.

 

 

This was a good time to take a picture of the lifeboats which sit one deck below us. You can tell that being on the "hump" means that we see less of them from our balcony but that it does create a little bit of a distraction in your view looking straight down to the ocean

 

 

A little over an hour later and we are fully in a docked position and many passengers are leaving to explore the island. Our excursion doesn't leave for a few hours so we can relax prior to going ashore. I snapped this shot of our balcony view after the sun has made a full appearance.

 

 

[TeamTrom]

We went down to the Windjammer to see how their breakfast was. I am going to be as honest as I can about this... I really, really enjoyed their breakfast. I would not have expected that with a buffet style breakfast but their options were plentiful and their food was always very warm and fresh. We always walked in the right entrance because there was always a line on port side and never one on starboard. This held true for every morning. Maybe the food was better over there but I was always pleasantly surprised with my breakfast. This morning set a staple for the week. I would have a plate with some form of potatoes and corn beef hash(which I thought was far better than most I have eaten elsewhere) along with another plate of bacon, sausage and french toast with blueberries and whip cream.

 

 

Don't judge me, I am a growing boy lol Wifey liked her waffle and fresh fruit. We took a little walk over the pool deck to kill some time and ran across a view I have seen a hundred times from other reviews but realized this wouldn't be complete without it

 

 

We headed to the gangway and got off board quickly and with ease. We noticed that three of the four ships we saw earlier have set sail leaving only one. One very memorable ship to me and Wifey in particular. This lone ship left just so happened to be the very first cruise, a cruise I mentioned earlier, that I had ever been on. The experience I have in my memory is the reason behind my passion for cruising and was pretty cool to see again and compare to what we were just getting off of.

 

 

[TeamTrom]

We began walking down the pier to look for our excursion meet location.

 

 

We got about that far away when we realized we weren't finding the right location and asked someone where we were supposed to be, good thing we got off a little early. lol This is us heading back to the first meeting spot right off the ship, little did we know how close we were supposed to be.

 

 

We waited here for another 20 minutes or so. About 10 minutes late our tour guide finally showed up. Full of energy and whit she introduced herself, got all of our information gathered and set on a hunt for the excursion manager to hand in our tickets so we could leave. As described before this was a tour though some of Nassau, visiting local bars/breweries learning about pirate history and drinking beer, or getting drunk as she would say lol. Funny side note, our tour guide who insisted we would be getting drunk and was so knowledgeable about the beer we were drinking did not drink at all herself. I wondered whether to trust her or not lol Never seemed to be a problem to me. Took this shot as we were gaining distance between Oasis and ourselves.

 

 

Oh who do you ask is the lovely couple in the photo??? I have NO IDEA lol. None in the slightest. If it does happen to be you, let me know, I can send you the original copy in case the one that was taken of you was no good :D

[TeamTrom]

We follow her through what was called town square, it had the incredibly old trees that were so very cool looking but for some reason I cannot seem to find the picture of those. When you pass through this area and just before you reach the main road with all of the shops you see this.

 

 

We continue on through town, make a couple turns, go by every possible shop imaginable and then she points out this church and I snapped a photo because I enjoyed what I saw

 

 

We continued on til we came up to this little bar that seemed to only have a patio around back. Their beer selection wasn't big but it did serve a brand of beer that I believe was brewed in Freeport and we tried 3 different kinds of it while she gave us a very passionate version of how the pirates became pirates and how Nassau was involved. Forgive me for referring to her as "She" or "Her" because I sadly do not remember her name and I am not good at just making something up for her so it is what I'm going with. Once finished with her story we were allowed to roam around while we waited for her to get our snacks that we will bring with us to our next spot. We spotted these shackles and Wifey decided to find out what it'd feel like to be tied up, I mean put in handcuffs, I mean shackles... yeah shackles!

 

 

We took a shorter walk to what appeared to be someone's house. There was a little hut on the property with a table and chairs. We sat at it and got to explore what food we could snack on while she gave us continued story on pirates. We had a bbq style chicken wing and conch fritters. Both of which were very tasty, being hungry and drinking may have helped with that. Here we also tried three more kinds of beer.

 

[TeamTrom]

After finishing up our food and drinks we moved on to our final spot. At the Pirate Republic Brewing Company we were brought back to see the behind the scenes of how the only brewing company in Nassau crafts their beer. This is where the magic happens.

 

 

After learning how to make beer and memorizing everything she said so I could start my own brewery once I got home we went across the street to wear they sell said beer. We went to a bar that had a side room for us to enjoy our three last samples of beer, eat a soft pretzel, finish the story and ask any final questions we had. We sat on these bar stools that Wifey thought were just too cool.

 

 

She sent us on our own from here, so what else do you do when left at a bar... Go get a drink of course. We went into the actual bar only to find her Cincinnati Bengals on the tvs playing against the Washington Redskins. This game started at 9am so it was near the finish and we decided to finish it up here. This quote from Mark Twain was mounted on the wall just above the bar.

 

 

The game ended in a tie, and it was all because of me. There was a game winning field goal for Washington that I just willed for it to go far left enough for it to come true. Better for Wifey than a loss... lol We headed back and this photo reminded me of a story we just learned of 9 pirates who were hung in the very spot as a scare tactic for other pirates to retire.

 

 

 

[TeamTrom]

We headed back on board and after a little walking around we stopped by Park Café for a quick and light lunch. Once again the line was short, tables were not crowded and the food was good. Another Roast Beef sandwich and a jerk chicken wrap that we shared.

 

 

This ship is so very large, we once again took a walk through new areas and came across this beauty. She should look familiar.

 

 

 

I have a little hobby/collection of the model ships for every cruise I have been on. From my signature you can see that my collection is only getting started so it is fairly small and I have plenty of room for more...sooooo.... if you happen to find a way to get your hands on the particularly larger version of the one I currently have I will give you mine in return, plus throw in a chocolate chip cookie...:)

[TeamTrom]

Dinner at Giovanni's was scheduled for 6pm. We head down to central park dressed to kill since it is formal night. We sit down at our table and lets be honest, we are expecting something spectacular tonight so there is a high bar set. Spoiler alert, we were not disappointed in the slightest. For starters Wifey ordered the mozzarella and prosciutto bake and I got the Almond Crusted Scallops in a bell pepper pesto.

 

 

I cannot express just how delicious these were, no words can give these justice. Just know that these alone would have made the night well worth the cost. :) Kristie got a Caesar Salad, not worthy of a photo. Dad ordered the Beef Carpaccio and he talked about this all week long it was that good for him.

 

 

And I also ordered the Antipasti. It was okay, nothing special. The anchovies were far too salty but I think that comes with the territory.

 

[TeamTrom]

I mentioned to our waiter how much we enjoyed the scallops and of course this is what he brings out just before our meals arrived.

 

 

He knew the way to my heart that is for sure. In addition to our entrees he asked if we would like to have a pasta family style to share and of course we said yes!!! We chose the Penne in a brandy sauce. This was good but I am glad it wasn't the only thing I got and it was just in addition. I would not come back and order this alone. For my meal I ordered the Grilled shrimp, which was delicious.

 

 

Wifey ordered the Lamb Chops, with lamb being her favorite that was a home run as well!

 

 

Kristie ordered the Maryland Crab Ravioli which she enjoyed as well.

 

[TeamTrom]

Dad decided on the strip loin steak and its starting to get old but he really enjoyed this meal.

 

 

For desert Wifey ordered a sort of cream dish but I forget what it was called, she named this as her favorite desert of the entire vacation, she absolutely fell for the flavor in this dish.

 

 

Krisite ordered the Tiramisu which she said was fantastic

 

 

Dad and I both ordered the Cannoli's, basically because it seemed like the lightest item on the desert menu and I didn't think I could eat another bite. I am a huge fan of cannoli's but these were not the best I have had. Just average but still tasty

 

[TeamTrom]

On our way out of Giovanni's all we could talk about is how fantastic that meal was. We had no definite intentions on going to dinner here at all but I can tell you with certainty that I am so glad that we didn't miss it. We all came out completely thrilled with our experience. We caught these out of the corner of our eyes while walking through Central Park.

 

 

Kind of surprised these are the only ones we saw during the week but these two were both pretty neat. We made a trip to the Promenade the quickest way I know how, by catching a ride on the Rising Tide Bar. I snapped a picture of my dad waiting on his drink. No idea why I decided to do this crooked angle.

 

 

Wifey said she wanted to snap a photo of me and this is what she came up with. Not too shabby!!! ;)

 

[TeamTrom]

We made a stop by our cabin to change into my Dallas Jersey so we could head to the On Air Club and watch my boys play. But first let me take a selfie

 

 

We are silly. We found this when we entered our room

 

 

I wont say what first came to mind when I saw this but I think we decided it was a snake :D We watched the Boys win in OT and Tribe lose game 5 so the night had its ups and downs. We forgot to mention that we watched Tribe win game 4 of the World Series last night in the Infinity Hot Tubs by the Solarium. That was a pretty good experience. Somewhere through the night we made a quick trip through some decks and found out an interesting fact that we have come to realize most people already know about. If you look closely in the photo, you may notice something out of the norm about the decks... If you see it let us all know ;)

 

[TeamTrom]

Looking forward to it. I don't even know what to make out of it, that slide isn't suppose to be the highlight of our cruise, but always finds it's way center stage on my story time with my friends.

 

Each time we begin telling about this slide we always look at one another and literally laugh out loud.

[TeamTrom]

Hi Sean,

I am the lady who recognized you in Park Café on the first day. It was a pleasure meeting you and your family. Enjoying your review, as it brings back wonderful memories of the great cruise we all had. Yes, the weather could have been better, and there were a few minor glitches here and there, but we never let those things stop us from having a wonderful time.

 

Another funny story:

We went to Nachi Cocum in Cozumel, and there walking on the beach I spotted "Max's Mom", another Cruise Critic member, who writes wonderful reviews of their cruises. We had a great chat with her and her hubby, and shared a cab back to the ship. They cruise about 10 times a year, and will reach Pinnacle status next month. Lovely people!!

 

This was our 27th cruise and the first time I have ever recognized another Cruise Critic Member, and it happened twice. LOL Priceless!!!!!

 

Wishing you many more happy cruises:

 

Barbara

 

Thank you so much, I hope one day we can get to Pinnacle status!!! And I am glad we were able to be a part of your 27th and thanks for saying hi that day! I agree the weather wasn't spectacular but we made the best of it

 

Enjoying the review! We are on Oasis in less than a month! [emoji484]

 

 

 

I hope you really enjoy your vacation. The ship is truly wonderful!!!:)

[A&L_Ont]

TeamTrom, I am loving your review. The Gambee comment was right on, and if you could have incorporated some of the parade horses he would have been over the top in excitement.

 

As for the towel animal I saw exactly what you saw. I would have been howling in laughter quickly followed by posting the photo here.