Just back from Oasis - disappointed this time

[CFIGuy]

We prefer MTD over early or late dining, but for the reasons that the OP mentioned, we don’t sign up for MTD any more. I do believe that the maitre’d does have some culpability here, but I wonder how much should be attributed to overbooking popular times and not allowing proper time between seatings. We figured that a 7PM reservation with a 30 minute wait was close enough to 8PM (late seating) to just switch and be done with it.

[John&LaLa]

On Oasis, D+, JS, and full suites get priority at MTD desk. There were well over 1,000 passengers meeting that criteria on our sailing

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

[Sun Lover]

Merion Mom, Thanks for adding the paragraphs. I'll be sure to remember next time!

[xpcdoojk]

On Oasis, D+, JS, and full suites get priority at MTD desk. There were well over 1,000 passengers meeting that criteria on our sailing

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

 

When that many are there I imagine it is like no priority at all. :eek:

 

JC

[The77thrunner]

We were on the January 7 sailing. My experience was better than yours, but I can easily see how these things could happen. I came away not ever wanting to do my time dining again (we actually didn’t want to in the first place, but it was that or the early seating, and we prefer later).

 

In our case they made an effort to give us the same waiter every night but the last - and the last was a complete disaster with a inattentive, sullen waiter who knew we wanted our usual one and did the bare minimum. Not how we wanted to end our cruise.

[AF-1]

Do you think there is a certain time most people eat in MDR; like 6pm verses 7pm?

[Ocean Boy]

Want me to fix it for you, since you sort of asked? ;)

 

 

 

We just returned from a B2B on Oasis January 28 - Feburary 11, 2018.....

:D

I wish I knew that you had done that before I struggled through the original post.

[kevinyork]

MTD is an issue for Royal in the same way as it is for Celebrity. The common denominator is that since flexible dining was introduced, they then started to allow people to reserve times in advance online or the day before. This helps those that book and grab their preferred times but vastly reduces flexibility for everyone else. MTD should be totally flexible, no reservations, everyone knows it’s first come first served and that would free up some space.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Merion_Mom]

I wish I knew that you had done that before I struggled through the original post.

 

 

 

I shall endeavor to be proactive henceforth. [emoji4]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[fairweather]

MTD is an issue for Royal in the same way as it is for Celebrity. The common denominator is that since flexible dining was introduced, they then started to allow people to reserve times in advance online or the day before. This helps those that book and grab their preferred times but vastly reduces flexibility for everyone else. MTD should be totally flexible, no reservations, everyone knows it’s first come first served and that would free up some space.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

I totally agree. If you want a personal dining experience on your schedule, go to Windjammer or specialty dining venues. RCI is creating a problem by trying to do too many things in their main dining rooms.

[divaofdisney]

We have been on Oasis twice and have several more cruises booked on her this year. On our last cruise on Oasis April last year, we enjoyed our experience very much. I will say the service was a bit slow in the MDR but it did not really bother us too much and improved as the days went by. Oasis is super special to my husband and I like many, we are very loyal to Royal. While there may be some things that could have been improved overall we have loved our time on Oasis. We just hope that in the future some of these things mentioned here will get better and that more people will take time to fill out comment cards as I believe this is our best way of communicating issues directly with those that can read and respond to them.

[gt_mustang_gal]

We had the same issues and experiences as OP when we were on Allure, so we decided to go back to Freedom on our next cruise (March 17th). We were hoping all the problems were attributed to the size of Allure. If Freedom ends up being like Allure, then I'm afraid I'll never be able to convince hubby to go Royal Caribbean again. I was loyal to Royal and introduced him to cruising.

 

We were married on a Disney cruise and I must admit Disney ships far exceed Royal in SO many categories (if not all).....however, the price is also commensurate with the quality. We wouldn't be able to cruise as often on Disney because of the price difference though.

[rcclmiami]

Hey, at least you know that you were served real eggs. That puts to rest the rumor that RC uses powdered eggs! ;) :D

Nah, they just throw in the shells to make you think they were cracked...

[Ocean Boy]

I totally agree. If you want a personal dining experience on your schedule, go to Windjammer or specialty dining venues. RCI is creating a problem by trying to do too many things in their main dining rooms.

Yeah, they are driving people into the Windjammer and creating problems in there.

[Starry Eyes]

Do you think there is a certain time most people eat in MDR; like 6pm verses 7pm?

It is not just about when people want to eat; it is about table availability. I believe My Time Dining opens about 1/2 hour before early dining. So at about 5pm, they begin seating people for MTD, quickly filling the most desired tables (by the window, etc). And seating continues, filling all available MTD tables (and sometimes unoccupied tables in other dining rooms when regular occupants are in specialty restaurants). Once tables are filled, they must wait for somebody to to finish, before cleaning and turning the table to a new party. Some people dine relative quickly, while others can linger and long while.

 

So, basically, the most tables are available at opening, with gradual turn over thereafter. So, if they have experienced or heard about substantial waits for MTD tables, people tend to show up earlier than they might otherwise choose. Or they learn to show up substantially later, after others have finished. Even the folks who make on line reservations often find they can select only rather early or rather late reservation times. My guess is that you’d have a shorter wait if you show up at 5:30 than if you show up at 7:00.

[John&LaLa]

When that many are there I imagine it is like no priority at all. :eek:

 

JC

No doubt you'll see that priority level on Symphony this fall. 😉

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

[feenix]

I understand your disappointment, especially since you pay a lot of money for a good cruise line, with the expectation that they will provide extra special treatment. At the same time though, what a wonderful gift to be able to cruise so often and for so long. You are truly blessed, and I wish you all the best on your future cruises. :)

[Sun Lover]

We had the same issues and experiences as OP when we were on Allure, so we decided to go back to Freedom on our next cruise (March 17th). We were hoping all the problems were attributed to the size of Allure. If Freedom ends up being like Allure, then I'm afraid I'll never be able to convince hubby to go Royal Caribbean again. I was loyal to Royal and introduced him to cruising.

 

We were married on a Disney cruise and I must admit Disney ships far exceed Royal in SO many categories (if not all).....however, the price is also commensurate with the quality. We wouldn't be able to cruise as often on Disney because of the price difference though.

 

Do the Disney cruises constantly have the characters everywhere and are the shows and activities geared more towards kids? In other words, does it feel like you're at DisneyWorld? Do you think they're that much better than it justifies the extra cost?

[gt_mustang_gal]

Do the Disney cruises constantly have the characters everywhere and are the shows and activities geared more towards kids? In other words, does it feel like you're at DisneyWorld? Do you think they're that much better than it justifies the extra cost?

 

We were on Fantasy for 7 nights. We did not feel like it was Disney World (or Disneyland) or that characters were everywhere. In fact, we had a hard time FINDING characters. Yes, we are adults and I should probably point out that we do not have kids. But we do enjoy seeing characters. In fact, Mickey was at our wedding!

 

The shows and activities are not all geared towards kids or Disney. They still have headliner acts, non-Disney musical acts, adult shows, and even adult comedy. I'd also like to point out that their Love & Marriage show is STRICTLY adults ONLY (and we actually were the winners - we competed as the "honeymoon" couple since we literally got married on the ship - but there were some x-rated questions which we regretted answering because we earned nicknames for the rest of the cruise)!

 

The adults-only area of Disney's ship is WAY better and much larger than the Freedom or Oasis class ships. It is also better controlled to keep kids out. There was never an issue finding a chair or a spot in the pool or hot tubs. Bar service was always just around the corner and happy to bring you anything you wanted.

 

The adults-only section of Disney's private island is also VERY nice (and not something that's offered on either of Royal's islands). It is extremely secluded and soooo quiet and peaceful - NO KIDS. There are plenty of chairs and umbrellas. They also had an adults-only buffet on that section of the island which served steaks and seafood (not just burgers and hot dogs).

 

The quality of Disney's food far exceeded Royal. I mean, the food in the main dining room was amazing, but even the buffet food was great. We were NEVER hassled about going to speciality restaurants (they have 2, but they aren't pushed like Royal does). Cokes are free so you don't have to worry about carrying around a Coke cup or showing your card. The selection of ice cream is better - not just chocolate and vanilla. We were not charged for room service if we wanted to eat in the room.

 

The service far exceeded Royal. We were treated so much better than any Royal cruise I've ever been on....and it was our FIRST cruise with Disney. From the first moment to the last, we never had a single negative experience with the staff. Every single staff member throughout the ship was always smiling, greeting us, positive, and truly seemed to love their jobs.

 

The room was spotless - extremely clean - and I'm kinda OCD about that. I literally could not find one speck of dirt on the carpet or dust on anything. Even the standard room on Disney has a split bathroom, so you have a toilet and sink in one bathroom and a shower and sink in the second bathroom. This is VERY handy because two people can be getting ready at the same time (or one person showering while the other is getting ready without a fogged up bathroom).

 

I'd also like to point out that we encountered fewer kids around the ship when we were on Disney than any other Royal cruise I've been on. I guess they were all in kids programs or the kids-only areas.

 

Wow, after writing all that.........you're making me question why I'm not going on Disney for my birthday cruise........ :confused:

[kes98]

I was also on Oasis for Feb 4. However, my MTD on MDR was very different than OP. We were on the same table every night with reservation for either 7:15 or 7:30 for 8 ppl. We walked in straight to same table without any wait, just a short line up. Except on one night which we had reservation for early dinner at 5:30 due to show reservation, we had to wait for 20 minutes to get a table and it's the lobster night which the MDR was very busy.

 

We had the reservation for aqua show, Frozen ice show and come fly with me. We show up 15 minutes before each show and there were no line up as well. As we travel with small kids, we didn't do other shows.

 

I do have to agree the food in WJ was boring and serve almost same foods on everyday for lunch.

 

As for towel animals, we had 5 during our 7 nights cruise.

[HuaAZ]

We were on Fantasy for 7 nights. We did not feel like it was Disney World (or Disneyland) or that characters were everywhere. In fact, we had a hard time FINDING characters. Yes, we are adults and I should probably point out that we do not have kids. But we do enjoy seeing characters. In fact, Mickey was at our wedding!

 

The shows and activities are not all geared towards kids or Disney. They still have headliner acts, non-Disney musical acts, adult shows, and even adult comedy. I'd also like to point out that their Love & Marriage show is STRICTLY adults ONLY (and we actually were the winners - we competed as the "honeymoon" couple since we literally got married on the ship - but there were some x-rated questions which we regretted answering because we earned nicknames for the rest of the cruise)!

 

The adults-only area of Disney's ship is WAY better and much larger than the Freedom or Oasis class ships. It is also better controlled to keep kids out. There was never an issue finding a chair or a spot in the pool or hot tubs. Bar service was always just around the corner and happy to bring you anything you wanted.

 

The adults-only section of Disney's private island is also VERY nice (and not something that's offered on either of Royal's islands). It is extremely secluded and soooo quiet and peaceful - NO KIDS. There are plenty of chairs and umbrellas. They also had an adults-only buffet on that section of the island which served steaks and seafood (not just burgers and hot dogs).

 

The quality of Disney's food far exceeded Royal. I mean, the food in the main dining room was amazing, but even the buffet food was great. We were NEVER hassled about going to speciality restaurants (they have 2, but they aren't pushed like Royal does). Cokes are free so you don't have to worry about carrying around a Coke cup or showing your card. The selection of ice cream is better - not just chocolate and vanilla. We were not charged for room service if we wanted to eat in the room.

 

The service far exceeded Royal. We were treated so much better than any Royal cruise I've ever been on....and it was our FIRST cruise with Disney. From the first moment to the last, we never had a single negative experience with the staff. Every single staff member throughout the ship was always smiling, greeting us, positive, and truly seemed to love their jobs.

 

The room was spotless - extremely clean - and I'm kinda OCD about that. I literally could not find one speck of dirt on the carpet or dust on anything. Even the standard room on Disney has a split bathroom, so you have a toilet and sink in one bathroom and a shower and sink in the second bathroom. This is VERY handy because two people can be getting ready at the same time (or one person showering while the other is getting ready without a fogged up bathroom).

 

I'd also like to point out that we encountered fewer kids around the ship when we were on Disney than any other Royal cruise I've been on. I guess they were all in kids programs or the kids-only areas.

 

Wow, after writing all that.........you're making me question why I'm not going on Disney for my birthday cruise........ :confused:

 

I don't understand, if everything is perfect on Disney, why would you book mediocre. No need to experiment, you can't get any better than perfect. I on the other hand, have never experienced perfect, that is why I go to the experience that best suits my desires. I like Royal even with their flaws. I don't like Disney because they have more flaws than I am willing to accept. Go with what you like, but don't condemn the other guy as they may be perfect for someone else.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

We just returned from a B2B on Oasis January 28 - Feburary 11, 2018. On this trip it was my husband, myself, and another couple. We've been on multiple cruises with RCI on Voyager and Oasis class ships. We initially chose RCI for our first cruise many years ago and were so satisfied that we have never sailed on another cruise line and had never intended to. Sadly, that may now change, as we were disappointed and frustrated this time around. The last time we were on Oasis was in 2011. What a difference between now and then! We spent a lot of our time in lines. Even though we had made reservations for dining each night and all the shows, there still was a significant wait for everything. We had My Time Dining at the MDR each night with reservations and routinely waited anywhere from 20-30 minutes to be seated. The waiters appeared to be understaffed and rushed and service was slow. The food has definitely deteriorated since our last trip in selection and quality. One evening for dinner we went to our dining room on Deck 3 and waited 10-15 minutes only to be told that it was full and they had no more tables available. They said they would take us to the Deck 4 dining room, as there were tables available there. We were escorted there but when we got there, apparently there was no room there either. Right in front of us staff members were arguing back and forth saying things such as, "Why did you bring them here? We don't have any room. Who told you to bring them?" One of them was on a radio arguing with someone at the Deck 3 dining room as to why they would send us to Deck 4. They then told us we would be escorted to the Deck 5 dining room. So we were at 3 different dining rooms before they finally found a table for us. Two days in a row when we ate breakfast at the Windjammer, there were large chunks of egg shells in the scrambled eggs. I had some in my eggs one day and two other people we were with also had them. One of the servings of scrambled eggs had what was probably equal to an entire half shell of an egg mixed in. This just took away my appetite to be crunching egg shells and I didn't finish breakfast that day. Our friend's steak at Giovanni's had to be sent back twice because it was so overcooked. The second time they brought it out, even the waiter said, "Something's wrong." To have to send it back two times doesn't speak very well for a specialty restaurant that people are paying extra for. We had reservations for every show and we had to show up 45-60 mins. ahead to be able to find 4 seats together. Customer service at Guest Services was a nightmare. We had an onboard credit we were given as a gift weeks before the cruise and they claimed to have no record of it. I had a transaction number proving that it was paid for and they told us they were unable to look it up with the transaction number. We probably spent half a day in total at Guest Services trying to straighten it out. Every time we went there, we were given a different answer. To make a long story short, they never did give it to us and on the last day they agreed that we should have had it but said there was nothing they could do on the ship, that it would have to go through corporate, and we'd have to call when we got home. I did call when we returned from our trip and the agent I spoke to reviewed the notes and said he doesn't understand why they didn't resolve it while we were onboard and he did credit my credit card immediately, which was great except it was after the fact and we would have liked to have used it onboard. They also had charged my Seapass account $151.04 for a tour that we never purchased. When we finally got that straightened out, the agent said it was their mistake and a crew member had probably hit the wrong button and charged it by mistake. The upselling is out of hand. We were constantly approached about buying photos, drink packages, dining packages, spa packages from the moment we stepped onboard until we disembarked. It doesn't make for a very enjoyable atmosphere. Someone even approached us while we were eating in the dining room to try to get us to buy a galley tour of the kitchen. I have never had a problem with any cabin steward before and always leave an extra tip for them, as I think they work hard. The gentleman we had this time was pleasant enough but maybe forgetful more than anything and not very energetic. We had to ask numerous times for a few things we requested, such as hangers and drinking glasses. He left 3 towel animals over 2 weeks, which I realize is petty and not a big deal, but combined with everything else, it just contributed to the feeling that there is a lack of service and attention to detail compared to our past cruises. We also found out at Guest Services that he failed to leave a letter in our cabin about the Meet-n-Mingle and by the time I inquired about it, it had been held earlier that day and we missed it completely. I could go on about many other issues, but the problems we encountered on these two cruises are unfortunate and have changed my opinion about RCI. A few employees we spoke with told us that when a new ship sails, the best and most experienced employees are sent there to work and that since Oasis is the oldest ship in this class, the staff tends to be more inexperienced and inefficient. I don't know if this is true, but it is a sad state of affairs if it is. We came away with the feeling that RCI truly does not care much about its guests and are more interested in financial gain than anything else.

A very typical RCI experience these days!

 

A good thing they raise the gratuity regularly!

 

Overtipping is a big part of the problem..... tips do not have to be earned when they go from bad to just bearable they already get a good tip! :eek:

[ThirstyCruiser]

I don't understand, if everything is perfect on Disney, why would you book mediocre. No need to experiment, you can't get any better than perfect.

The answer (as to almost all questions in life if you ask "Why?" often enough) is, money.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

Hey, at least you know that you were served real eggs. That puts to rest the rumor that RC uses powdered eggs! ;) :D

They put plaster bits in the powder to fool you! ;p

[gt_mustang_gal]

I don't understand, if everything is perfect on Disney, why would you book mediocre. No need to experiment, you can't get any better than perfect. I on the other hand, have never experienced perfect, that is why I go to the experience that best suits my desires. I like Royal even with their flaws. I don't like Disney because they have more flaws than I am willing to accept. Go with what you like, but don't condemn the other guy as they may be perfect for someone else.

 

I apologize if I offended you somehow. It was certainly not my intent to upset anyone. I was just trying to give the person who asked the question about Disney cruises a thorough response. I've always been loyal to Royal and gave my husband (then fiance) a hard time about booking a Disney cruise because I had the same concerns (shows and activities geared towards kids).

 

I failed to mention that the biggest flaw with Disney is that there is no casino - for anyone who enjoys spending time in the casino. Also, they really don't have any type of loyalty program that compares to what Royal has.

 

You asked why we would book Royal again? Because of the price of Disney. It costs more for a 3-night on Disney in a basic room than an 8-night on Royal in a suite.