Any diehard Celebrity fans try Oasis ships?

[jerkymom]

We have cruised quite a bit on both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. Royal frequently will have Kids Sail Free promotions for kids 12 and under - usually for sailings September-late May. You'd be able to cruise with your baby for taxes, fees and tips only if you book under the KSF promotion.

 

We love the Oasis class, so many entertainment and food options. You do need to make entertainment reservations in advance, but that ensures there will be enough seats for everyone.

 

One good thing with Royal Caribbean is the ability to enroll your baby in the Crown and Anchor Society and get linked to your account/loyalty level. They keep your level at age 18 but their own points. I don't think kids can enroll in the Celebrity Captains Club.

[grandgeezer]

Spontaneity

 

You can go anytime you want, reservations or not. All the reservation means is that as long as you get there at least 15 minutes before showtime they will let you in. If you don't have a reservation, you'll have to wait inline until the 15 minute mark, and then they let in as many people as they have room for. It might or might not be a problem but some shows are very popular and very few people will get in. We made some friends, on our last cruise, who didn't have them and missed out on Mamma Mia and the other big one in the main theater.

[chemmo]

Our cruising life was based around RC when our son was at the age to enjoy the climbing wall, mini golf, zip lines....We enjoyed on the larger ships the variety of entertainment (ice, Aqua shows...). We also enjoyed the range of family friendly cabins on RC. However, like many we hit that phase of life where rest, relaxation and good food was more important than activities and entertainment...we switched to Celebrity. Last January, however, we wanted to book more of a last minute break and we booked a cruise on Allure.

 

The positives, the entertainment was excellent, wide and varied. With splash pool areas, adult areas and general pools all generations could enjoy their time on board without annoying each other! For multi generation cruisers the cabin choice is varied.

 

The negatives....we are E+ and D+....The Diamond lounge was fit to burst! Food wise, we had access to Coastal Kitchen and booked a 4 night speciality package and were underwhelmed by the food, and to some degree service, in all venues...

 

OP, you are spot on to focus on the splash area and nursery as possible ‘pull’ factors for RC....At the end of the day you do have to reflect on what will work for you....

 

If RC offers some perks but not the ambiance you are looking for and Celebrity offers the ambiance but not some child specific features you are looking for it is a lot of cash to spend on a compromise....you could consider other cruise lines or maybe more of a seaside holiday for a year or two until your little one can join you in Celebrity’s pools...Please don’t think I am trying to ‘turn you off’ either line, it is just from your post I think you can see the compromises....

[Tedw]

We went on Oasis last year determined to try out a mega ship. I didn't expect to like it but I loved it. Our previous cruise before that was on Reflection and that was our first trip on Celebrity. I loved both but it depends on what you are looking for. I have told others if I want a totally relaxing time with great service I'm going to do Celebrity. If I want great entertainment, activities and lots of options I'm not hesitating to jump on an Oasis class ship.

 

Oasis - The ship is the destination. There is so much to do and the entertainment is great and there is a lot of it. Lots of music options and the Central Park is beautiful. As others have said it doesn't seem crowded. I would rate them the same in this respect. One thing that is key it to make sure you reserve the entertainment as soon as you are allowed to do so online. The ship is designed so that you don't generally see the water a lot in public places. For this reason we would personally only reserve an ocean view balcony.

 

Celebrity - Great service, very modern and contemporary. For me it just oozes relaxation. There is not as much entertainment but what there is was pretty good. For us, the ports would be a significant factor. Our next cruise is a 12 night Caribbean cruise on Silhouette with a great itinerary. I love the buffet quality, choice and layout on celebrity. Probably for me, the best thing on the ship.

 

As for food? I'm not a huge fan of the MDR on either line. Celebrity is more refined but not my style. For some it may be perfect. On RC it just isn't all that great. They seem to put their money more into entertainment. Oasis has really good pay restaurants and we were given credits for two nights. Otherwise we don't generally do that much. I love the buffet quality, choice and layout on celebrity. Probably for me, the best thing on the ship. On RC we tried to avoid the buffet. Crowded and an inefficient layout. The buffet food, in my opinion, was not nearly as good as on Celebrity. If I had teens or younger I would do RC every time.

 

I hope this has been helpful.

[Coloradocruiser01]

Sailed on the Oasis in September. Got a great deal and stayed in a suite. The ship was nice but I would have to say it was considerably more crowded than any Celebrity cruise I have sailed. Much better experience for families than Celebrity but the food was mediocre at best. You can't go wrong with either but I continue to prefer the Celebrity brand, IMHO

[Cruise a holic]

We also sail almost exclusively on Celebrity. But love the Oasis class ships. Especially the Harmony of the Seas- They manage traffic so well- and the food is as good as celebrity- The entertainment is excellent- so much better then the Celebrity entertainment which has worsened over the years- I think those who decide on Royal Oasis class ships will enjoy them. The ships are so much better for families with diverse age passengers. Enjoy

[MWINT]

Been lucky to sail on Oasis, Harmony and am booked on Symphony in May. We have also sailed numerous times with X. For me I would book the ship based on the experience you want. The Royal ships are great fun with more to do than you can fit in a week (will get around to a TA on one at some point). X are more refined and the experience is much more grown up. Both are great but different.

 

 

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[KmomChicago]

We don't feel entitled. I think there are people who takes jabs at people who mention their status are a wee bit jealous. We sailed a lot with them and earned it. I mentioned it because use a good share of the benefits. A dollar figure can be put on them and that means less money we would spend if we sailed with someone else. There's a saying "if you set your standards low enough, you'll never be disappointed".

 

 

 

Yes this saying has served me well in all aspects of life including travel and cruising! Different strokes. . . .

 

 

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[BrendaJ]

We cruise mainly on Celebrity, but tried the Harmony of the Seas in November. We thought it was great - much better than we expected. My review is here, assuming I am posting the link correctly from mobile. http:// https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=54640096

 

 

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[Betsynh]

We just sailed for the second time on Oasis in early January and had a great time. Hubby loves the Flowrider (Surf machine), so we spend a lot of time up there during sea days. Ready for a change of pace, I’ve got an inside cabin on hold on the Edge for January 2019. Doing my research now before the 24-hold expires. I agree with an earlier poster that said to bring your children on the Oasis class ships when the kids are old enough to enjoy the characters, kids club and other amenities. If just an infant, a more restful cruise might be just the ticket. I’m also gluten-free and have never had any issues with Royal... The ship is big, but there are so many areas to explore that I’ve never felt that it was too crowded. Have a blast!

[Cruise a holic]

We just sailed for the second time on Oasis in early January and had a great time. Hubby loves the Flowrider (Surf machine), so we spend a lot of time up there during sea days. Ready for a change of pace, I’ve got an inside cabin on hold on the Edge for January 2019. Doing my research now before the 24-hold expires. I agree with an earlier poster that said to bring your children on the Oasis class ships when the kids are old enough to enjoy the characters, kids club and other amenities. If just an infant, a more restful cruise might be just the ticket. I’m also gluten-free and have never had any issues with Royal... The ship is big, but there are so many areas to explore that I’ve never felt that it was too crowded. Have a blast!

 

We are booked on the edge dec 30th and jan 6th doing a back to back

[Lois R]

Interesting thread......I never thought I would give their mega ships a look but for multiple reasons, OASIS might be coming into play for me.....not 100% for sure but I am looking at her........so, does it really feel like you are not on a ship? And how are the suites? I am looking at a couple of them......there are some up on deck 17....anyone have input on them?

[chemmo]

Interesting thread......I never thought I would give their mega ships a look but for multiple reasons, OASIS might be coming into play for me.....not 100% for sure but I am looking at her........so, does it really feel like you are not on a ship? And how are the suites? I am looking at a couple of them......there are some up on deck 17....anyone have input on them?

 

We cruised RC lots as our son was growing up....Strength is the entertainment, the weakness in my opinion is the food. We were on Allure this time last year. We did feel like we were on a ship but this was enhanced by our wake view suite. I must say the flow and movement on the Oasis class is generally well thought out...As suit guests we did not need to book shows.

 

If it is the crown loft suites you are referring to we were not fans. More pretty than practical and a small balcony.

 

Both GS and OS come in cheaper and work better. We did try an Aqua Suite last cruise and loved the balcony!

 

With reference to their smaller suites JS do not have access to the lounge/free drinks area of the concierge space but can book into Coastal Kitchen, unlike SS which have access to Michael’s and Luminae....

 

If you are Elite on X you would have access to the Diamond lounge. It is open for longer than the Elite equivalent but we found it very busy and less pleasant...

 

We see RC now as a line we would use if the timing/price worked. It does depend on what is important to you....We see rest and relaxation with quality food and service as our main priorities usually.

 

Hope this helps.

[Gracie115]

We cruised on Oasis a few years ago and found it to be better than expected. The Chef's dinner FAR exceeded the one on Celebrity. We were in a Junior Suite, which was very nice although it comes with virtually no perks except the bigger room

 

It was interesting to see the ship, it rarely felt crowded except for the last night party in the Promenade :eek: If you can sail OFF peak periods, like summer time and holiday time I suspect you won't have any crowding issues. We sailed the first week of December for this reason and glad that we did. The technology on the ship really is amazing.

 

I can't say we will ever sail on this class again, but can't say we won't either, we would certainly consider it if the itinerary was right and the price too.