Oasis - The Chopped Liver Cruise

[lovelife]

This is a brief review of my December 11 Oasis of the Seas sailing. We are a mature Diamond Plus couple on our 50th cruise – 40th with RCCL – fourth time on Oasis. Number 50 turned out to be lucky in one respect; we received our first ever upgrade from a D4 ocean view balcony to a junior suite. I have heard of first-time cruisers and many others receiving upgrades/upsells, but never us until now. This was great I thought!

 

I only took a few photos with my little point and shoot since I have a gazillion from my past Oasis sailings.

 

I find Port Canaveral a most inconvenient port to cruise from if you are flying in (but yet I have two more booked from there). We did a package with shuttle pickup from MCO, overnight at Hilton Cocoa Beach, shuttle from the Hilton to the cruise port, and transportation from the cruise port back to MCO. Next time I plan to try something different as it is not fun traveling around to four or five different hotels cramped up in a van for an hour or so if you happen to be the last ones out. Post cruise it was a long wait for our bus to show and the representative failed to notify us when the bus arrived as promised. We just happened to inquire and made it on at the last minute.

 

On cruise morning we traveled around to different hotels picking up folks and then to different ships dropping off folks. Just not ideal.

 

 

Cabin:

 

We had junior suite 8630. It was not on the hump and had the smaller balcony. No loungers. The walk-in closets on Oasis class are not as large as Voyager and Freedom class but still a walk-in. It was very quiet until our neighbors went out on their balcony and started yelling. I requested and received an egg crate topper as the bed was extremely hard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is what we found as Diamond Plus welcome items when we arrived in our cabin

 

 

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING (except a letter welcoming us as Gold members)!

 

 

 

No Diamond Plus welcome letter

No letter from concierge

No three free drinks paperwork

No invitation to Top Tier Event

No tour invites

No meal with an officer invite

No welcome drinks as selected

No welcome water

No welcome fresh baked cookies

No upgraded toiletries (have never gotten these on any of my several sailings since reaching 340 points)

 

This is when I began asking - what am I, chopped liver?

 

I asked our cabin attendant where our welcome items were and he said he did not know and I needed to go to Guest Services. I asked him to check in the cabin we had initially booked and he said no. I knew not to go to Guest Services and instead waited until the Loyalty Ambassador arrived in late afternoon and got in line to inquire. He showed no concern at all and took notes. Chopped liver.

 

We still received nothing so the next day I spoke to the concierge who showed a little sympathy and took more notes. She did print her letter and a Diamond Plus welcome letter for us. Their excuse was it was due to our upgrade about a week prior to our cruise. Come on, it isn’t rocket science; just go to the booked cabin and move the stuff to the new one. We eventually received our drinks, water, and some cookies that anyone can pick up at the Windjammer. Never received any invitations to anything. Yep, chopped liver.

[lovelife]

We received two towel animals

 

 

 

 

Entertainment:

 

The standup comedian was good and we attended his show a second time in the theater the last night.

 

We passed on Come Fly with Me as we have seen it a few times.

 

The Ice Show is always great.

 

Oasis of Dreams was excellent as usual.

 

 

We passed on Cats for, well, obvious reasons – it stinks!! IMHO

 

Belly Flop Contest was fun.

 

 

Headliner Earl Turner was enjoyable.

 

[lovelife]

Dining:

 

We had a wonderful meal at Giovanni’s, good breakfasts at Wipeout Café and Johnny Rockets, good lunches at Solarium Bistro and Park Café, and a few good dinners at the Windjammer. We tried the main dining room twice but got very annoyed with the service. The assistant waiter spent all his time entertaining a large table beside us and the waiter was only interested in catering to the Pinnacle couple behind us. Yes, I can understand respecting Pinnacles but not to the detriment of other passengers. DH asked the waiter for a refill of water and a pepper shaker as we didn’t have one. He never returned and after a long time we noticed him cutting up the food of the pinnacle woman!!! We had no desire to return after that. Again, chopped liver.

 

We noticed four different evenings in the Solarium Bistro there were only one or two couples in the entire place. Guess they will have to make it complimentary. Can’t imagine how much food was wasted.

 

Drinks:

 

We never go to the Concierge, Suite, or Diamond Lounges in the evening as they are awfully crowded. I only go there for lattes. By chance we discovered they were using Dazzles as an overflow Diamond Lounge and stopped in one evening for appetizers but prefer to use our free drinks on our Sea Pass cards at the bars.

 

 

Ports:

 

Nassau – We took a taxi to Atlantis where we walked around admiring the architecture and Christmas decorations and DH spent a little time in the casino. We took the water taxi back to the ship and a funny guy told us stories of the homes along the waterfront.

 

 

 

 

 

There were six ships in St. Maarten so we just walked around the port area a little while before returning to the ship to enjoy it a little less crowded.

 

 

 

[lovelife]

We didn’t venture far from the ship in St. Thomas and walked around the immediate area a little while and then enjoyed the Solarium sans the crowds.

 

 

 

Deck the Holidays Christmas Sailing:

 

Of all things promised if you booked a cruise during December, the only one delivered was decorations in the promenade.

 

No caroling, no holiday movies or festive films, no snow in the promenade, no tree lighting, no Santa, no elves, no entertainment filled with holiday cheer, etc. The only Christmas music I heard all week was the pool deck band playing about 30 seconds of a reggae Jingle Bells.

 

The promenade decorations were beautiful

 

 

 

 

 

 

These little magnets were on the junior suite doors. People kept stealing them -- really???

 

[lovelife]

Random Shots:

 

 

 

Lovely Solalrium

 

 

 

To the Windjammer

 

 

 

Beautiful Central Park at night

 

 

 

General:

 

Voom was pretty good.

 

Debarkation was good. We used luggage valet and opted to depart about 7:30 a.m. The wait to go through customs wasn’t too long but the wait for our bus back to the airport was.

 

We are easy going and don’t require coddling. We always find a way to have a good time despite the kinks. I must say, however, the failure of Crown and Anchor to recognize us and the lack of interest in correcting the situation was quite a turnoff. Therefore I dub thee “The Chopped Liver Cruise.”

[Langley Cruisers]

No Diamond Plus welcome letter

No letter from concierge

No three free drinks paperwork

No invitation to Top Tier Event

No tour invites

No meal with an officer invite

No welcome drinks as selected

No welcome water

No welcome fresh baked cookies

No upgraded toiletries (have never gotten these on any of my several sailings since reaching 340 points)

 

This is when I began asking - what am I, chopped liver?

 

I asked our cabin attendant where our welcome items were and he said he did not know and I needed to go to Guest Services.

 

I am so sorry to hear this. I would have been upset and disappointed too. And your steward telling you to go to Guest Services is a slap in the face. They know what status guests are and what should be in the cabins.

 

Again, so sorry. :(

 

EDITED TO ADD: I hope you will be telling them of your mis-adventures in the post cruise survey. They need to know about this and the sad way things were handled.

.

Edited January 6, 2017 by Langley Cruisers

[mollyeilis]

Ugh.

 

That solarium looks pretty, though.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lovelife]

I am so sorry to hear this. I would have been upset and disappointed too. And your steward telling you to go to Guest Services is a slap in the face. They know what status guests are and what should be in the cabins.

 

Again, so sorry. :(

 

EDITED TO ADD: I hope you will be telling them of your mis-adventures in the post cruise survey. They need to know about this and the sad way things were handled.

.

 

I did include this in my survey but who knows if RCCL even looks at those!

[chooseauser]

What a terrible experience. I would be angry at them.

[matj2000]

No offense, but how can you go on 40 RC cruises and still like it?

 

I have been on over 20 voyages, 8 with RC and am almost done with cruises.

 

Not just because of the cut-backs, but the repetition & similarity.

 

They are almost a disappointment.

 

Most are the same. And the ports have become mundane.

 

Its not like they are going anywhere new.

 

I cancelled 2 future cruises, but kept the Harmony because I already had airfare for the exact dates.

 

You should check out the AI instead.

 

Now that my kids are getting a little older, we are doing other types of trips....

 

 

 

Edited January 6, 2017 by matj2000

[ARCruisinNana]

If you are upgraded the week or so before a cruise, it's not unusual to miss getting the amenities. The lists are prepared in advance. I've had it happen to me, but not lately since it's been a long time since I've been upgraded. Unfortunately, you got to "enjoy" the benefits of the original occupants, and those in your D4 cabin got your benefits. It does happen[emoji853]

 

 

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[ONECRUISER]

If you are upgraded the week or so before a cruise, it's not unusual to miss getting the amenities. The lists are prepared in advance. I've had it happen to me, but not lately since it's been a long time since I've been upgraded. Unfortunately, you got to "enjoy" the benefits of the original occupants, and those in your D4 cabin got your benefits. It does happen[emoji853]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Agree. Sounds like one mistake and the Concierge attitude. But not enough to ruin my cruise either.

[LisaT91403]

If you are upgraded the week or so before a cruise, it's not unusual to miss getting the amenities. The lists are prepared in advance. I've had it happen to me, but not lately since it's been a long time since I've been upgraded. Unfortunately, you got to "enjoy" the benefits of the original occupants, and those in your D4 cabin got your benefits. It does happen[emoji853]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

I think it's more of a systemwide issue. We booked our Harmony cabins almost 2 years before our sail date, and never made any changes to our cabin reservations. And yet, when we got to our cabin, we had 2 Wow bands and a can of soda. That was it. Not even the letter welcoming us as D members, and no list of benefits that had been added to our Sea Pass cards.

 

Next door, in our 2nd cabin (different names, different level of status), there was 1 Wow band (for 2 passengers), a welcome letter, a list of benefits, a can of soda, and a bag of nuts/cookies. Later in the week, chocolate covered strawberries were delivered twice. I think that was for the D+ person, as our group had 3 D's and a D+.

 

Maybe there are just too many cabins with too many C&A members, and employees working too hard to get it right?

[Alter Ego]

No offense, but how can you go on 40 RC cruises and still like it?

 

I have been on over 20 voyages, 8 with RC and am almost done with cruises.

 

Not just because of the cut-backs, but the repetition & similarity.

 

They are almost a disappointment.

 

Most are the same. And the ports have become mundane.

 

Its not like they are going anywhere new.

 

I cancelled 2 future cruises, but kept the Harmony because I already had airfare for the exact dates.

 

You should check out the AI instead.

 

Now that my kids are getting a little older, we are doing other types of trips....

 

 

Chalk it up to people simply liking different things. Do you think the same about people who own a vacation home or return to the same non-cruise location over and over? It's their vacation time and it just may be that the sound of the waves and a good book (plus somebody doing all the cooking and cleaning!) is all they need. Plus, if one does it long enough, they get perks! Honestly, I prefer land vacations (ideal vacation is a mix of city and wildlife). But, if all I want to do is relax, then a cruise is where I look first.

[Thetrail]

Agree. Sounds like one mistake and the Concierge attitude. But not enough to ruin my cruise either.

It does happen quite often, should it no, but it does. Have honestly had it happen twice in 40 plus cruises and was always rectified before the day was through.....K.O.:)

[Brit-Cruiser]

We didn’t venture far from the ship in St. Thomas and walked around the immediate area a little while and then enjoyed the Solarium sans the crowds.

 

 

 

Deck the Holidays Christmas Sailing:

 

Of all things promised if you booked a cruise during December, the only one delivered was decorations in the promenade.

 

No caroling, no holiday movies or festive films, no snow in the promenade, no tree lighting, no Santa, no elves, no entertainment filled with holiday cheer, etc. The only Christmas music I heard all week was the pool deck band playing about 30 seconds of a reggae Jingle Bells.

 

The promenade decorations were beautiful

 

 

 

 

 

 

These little magnets were on the junior suite doors. People kept stealing them -- really???

 

 

We were also on this cruise & we saw Santa giving photo opportunities at the Christmas tree a couple of times, with elves in attendance. We also took part in the Caroling on the Royal Promenade, again with elves. I can't comment on whether there were Christmas movies, as watching movies on holiday doesn't interest us.

It was our first time on the Oasis & we loved it so much that we have already booked it again. That said, I would find it frustrating if I didn't get information that I was expecting. The Loyalty Ambassador should have got everything to you as soon as you queried it.

[Thetrail]

I did include this in my survey but who knows if RCCL even looks at those!

you say you NEVER go into the CL or DL because they are always SO crowded? Can honestly say in over 40 plus RCI cruises the CL has for the most part never been overly crowded, the DL sometimes crowded, sometimes not......K.O....:)

[TC1957]

If you are upgraded the week or so before a cruise, it's not unusual to miss getting the amenities. The lists are prepared in advance. I've had it happen to me, but not lately since it's been a long time since I've been upgraded. Unfortunately, you got to "enjoy" the benefits of the original occupants, and those in your D4 cabin got your benefits. It does happen[emoji853]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

I find this attitude astounding...and not in the good way.

 

Sorry...but in today's technologically advanced world it should NEVER happen. It does not take a week for some flunkie (and that is the highest level needed) to change the cabin number on EVERYTHING that should be waiting on a status customer. RCI knows the cabin was changed as THEY CHANGED IT. If the company, and their employees, are not competent and motivated enough to take care of these easy things they would be better off not giving a customer an upgrade.

 

Would you be happier if you were kept in the cabin you originally booked and getting all your "perks" or being put in a different cabin and getting nothing? Easy choice for me. Keep me in the cabin I was happy with if you are not capable of handling a little change.

[John&LaLa]

I find Port Canaveral a most inconvenient port to cruise from if you are flying in (but yet I have two more booked from there). We did a package with shuttle pickup from MCO, overnight at Hilton Cocoa Beach, shuttle from the Hilton to the cruise port, and transportation from the cruise port back to MCO. Next time I plan to try something different as it is not fun traveling around to four or five different hotels cramped up in a van for an hour or so if you happen to be the last ones out. Post cruise it was a long wait for our bus to show and the representative failed to notify us when the bus arrived as promised. We just happened to inquire and made it on at the last minute.

 

On cruise morning we traveled around to different hotels picking up folks and then to different ships dropping off folks. Just not ideal.

 

 

Easiest way to get from MCO to PC is rental car. I live next door to Hilton and the cab fare is around $20 plus tip. What we typically do is I drop off luggage around 10AM and then drive back to our condo. Around 12:30 I have my son or a friend drop us off. For departure we just grab a cab.

 

As an out of towner, you could do pretty much the same. Just use the rental car shuttles to take you back to ship when you turn in the rental car. If you are headed back to MCO when you get off the ship, take a direct shuttle since the rental car desk is a zoo.

Edited January 6, 2017 by John&LaLa

[cruisegirl1]

 

 

 

Here is what we found as Diamond Plus welcome items when we arrived in our cabin

 

 

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING (except a letter welcoming us as Gold members)!

 

 

No Diamond Plus welcome letter

No letter from concierge

No three free drinks paperwork

No invitation to Top Tier Event

No tour invites

No meal with an officer invite

No welcome drinks as selected

No welcome water

No welcome fresh baked cookies

No upgraded toiletries (have never gotten these on any of my several sailings since reaching 340 points)

This is when I began asking - what am I, chopped liver?

 

I asked our cabin attendant where our welcome items were and he said he did not know and I needed to go to Guest Services. I asked him to check in the cabin we had initially booked and he said no. I knew not to go to Guest Services and instead waited until the Loyalty Ambassador arrived in late afternoon and got in line to inquire. He showed no concern at all and took notes. Chopped liver.

 

We still received nothing so the next day I spoke to the concierge who showed a little sympathy and took more notes. She did print her letter and a Diamond Plus welcome letter for us. Their excuse was it was due to our upgrade about a week prior to our cruise. Come on, it isn’t rocket science; just go to the booked cabin and move the stuff to the new one. We eventually received our drinks, water, and some cookies that anyone can pick up at the Windjammer. Never received any invitations to anything. Yep, chopped liver.

 

We were on the same cruise and had the exact same issues. The LA was never around and the Diamond concierge gave us some lame excuse. If the folks at the terminal have my cabin and loyalty and take my credit card info - then the ship should have the loyalty info also. My sea pass card had the correct loyalty level.

 

On the second day we went to guest services about the tour card and other amenities and were told we need to book the Full Access tour with excursions but that there was no way we could have a meal with an officer. As they put it - "we have never heard of that"

 

We finally did get our amenities mid way through the cruise. I HATE "fighting" with the cruise line to simply receive the items they PROMISE me in the literature and website. I also HATE wasting time trying the get the items and having to explain the same story over and over to whoever is manning a service desk. Never got the letter, and didn't find out until the end of the cruise about an overflow lounge. (didn't matter as we rarely used the Diamond lounge anyway). Room attendant brought toiletries ( not upgraded toiletries) on the second or third day.

 

We did note our opinions on the survey.

 

Other than that, we had a very nice cruise.

 

Edit - on the third or so day, we received a case of Evian. We thought - how nice - they are giving us this because of the mix ups. NOT! Luckily we did not open the case. Later that night we check our bill and, you guessed it, we are billed for the case of water. Now, another phone call to get the charges removed and to have the water removed.

 

M

Edited January 6, 2017 by cruisegirl1

[troykahack]

What does having a meal with an officer do for you?? You consider that a perk?? If so, why?

 

Do they have extra special food served when dining with an officer??

Edited January 6, 2017 by troykahack

[cruisegirl1]

What does having a meal with an officer do for you?? You consider that a perk?? If so, why?

 

Do they have extra special food served when dining with an officer??

 

First, we find it interesting to speak to officers or staff. They have varied sea or land experiences, are often from different countries and are overall very nice. On most of our experiences, the meals has been special. Diners with an officer ( captain/hotel director etc.) have been a formal event with a terrific menu. On the Oasis cruise the (over 350 point ) meal was a 3 course plated lunch that included filet and decent wine.

 

The meal option is just one of the upper level tours/meal options. ( we had galley tour , bridge tour and meal offered. On some ships we've had a studio B tour offered also. You may select as many of the options as you like, or none.

 

 

M

[Clarea]

What does having a meal with an officer do for you?? You consider that a perk?? If so, why?

 

Do they have extra special food served when dining with an officer??

You get extra C&A points when you have a meal with an officer.;)

[cruisegirl1]

You get extra C&A points when you have a meal with an officer.;)

 

Almost forgot!

 

Thx Bob

 

Happy New Year

Marci

[troykahack]

You get extra C&A points when you have a meal with an officer.;)

 

I bet. Lol. Just not our thing, having a meal with an officer. I am always amazed how this seems so special too many.

Edited January 6, 2017 by troykahack