What do you want to know about Oasis of the Seas AND Turku, Finland?

[editor@cruisecritic]

So our much anticipated "shipyard cruise tour" (this by the way is something offered via Turku Touring, and anyone can take it, it's not limited to cruise journalists), which will get us much more up-close-and-personal to Oasis' exterior tonight has good news and bad news.

 

The good news is that the boat tour is "rain or shine". The bad? The rain part. The really great weather we've had all week has abandoned us. It's gloomy and grim. Photos won't be brilliant.

 

Just a heads up so you check your expectations! Photos might be okay, just didn't want you to get too excited, LOL.

 

Carolyn

[kthy66]

So our much anticipated "shipyard cruise tour" (this by the way is something offered via Turku Touring, and anyone can take it, it's not limited to cruise journalists), which will get us much more up-close-and-personal to Oasis' exterior tonight has good news and bad news.

 

The good news is that the boat tour is "rain or shine". The bad? The rain part. The really great weather we've had all week has abandoned us. It's gloomy and grim. Photos won't be brilliant.

 

Just a heads up so you check your expectations! Photos might be okay, just didn't want you to get too excited, LOL.

 

Carolyn

 

Nope! Still excited and extremely jealous!!! :D

[editor@cruisecritic]

This afternoon’s adventure was a trip to Turku's new Forum Marinum, a museum specializing in Finland's shipping and naval history. You can’t miss it: the museum is gorgeously housed in a former rope-making factory on the River Aura, and at river's edge is docked a full rigger from the early 20th century called Suomen Joutsen. It's actually a ship that was built as a French naval training vessel, but the Finns bought it and used it in the Finnish Navy. It’s now retired, but you can get aboard and poke around.

 

The museum itself is marvelous for anyone who loves ships in any form. It’s wonderfully evocative -- even your sense of smell will be engaged (the scent throughout the rough-hewn former factory reminds me of the tar [or is it gunpowder] smell of Royal Caribbean’s Schooner Bar).

 

There are exhibits on navigation charts, engines, passenger ships, ship wrecks and more. This note, entitled "Savage Sea," was haunting:

 

"The Baltic Sea is a cruel sea. Its nature, winds, currents, seabed contours, length and height of its waves and the harshness of the Nordic winter make it every bit as dangerous as the big oceans."

 

The quote is worth remembering the next time you're thinking of a Baltic cruise (though of course the Baltic’s cruise season is generally during warm weather months).

 

An exhibit on Finland as a center for shipbuilding (cargo, ferries, cruise ships) was enlightening, and Turku itself has been a focal point for centuries, starting back in the 17th century. Today of course the massive STX Europe yard (the conglomerate also operates shipyards in Rauma, north of here, and in Helsinki, as well as at Chantiers d’lAtlantique in France’s Saint-Nazaire), is the main source of industry. (STX, incidentally, is based in S. Korea).

 

The only down-note to the otherwise lovely experience was the gift shop. The merchandise is great! There’s lots of terrific seafaring stuff, from vintage-style posters to nautical charts. I loved the haunting photos of the archipelago by Janne Groning, a Finnish photographer who actually has an exhibit at the Forum Marinum.

 

What wasn’t so great was the staffer who worked there. She couldn’t seem to care less about actually selling anything. As I stood (and stood and stood) at the cash register waiting to make a purchase, she alternately hung pictures on the wall and chatted aimlessly on the telephone. Her rudeness reminded me of something, though, and that is that it's the first time on this trip, and on any trip to Finland in recent memory, that the people I have met have been anything less than lovely. Finns are typically rather frank and almost abrupt, but most of them will do anything for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos are courtesy of Teijo Niemela, publisher of Cruise Business Review.

[GigglewolfOfTheSeas]

Hi Carolyn,

Great reports thus far! You must be 'itching' to get back in to the Oasis & see all the advancements since your last visit.

One shipboard amenity for which I'm certain many folks are curious & yet RCI has been very mum about is the spa area/fitness facilities.

From what I've been able to gather, the location of the spa/fitness area seems QUITE different from any previous RCI ship, in that it will not be on the top decks, but found lower on the ship (decks 5 & 6, I believe).

Can you please ascertain more details about this area of the ship? Will there be a 'for-fee' thermal suite? Will there be many large windows in these areas, to allow for an 'open' feeling to the fitness room & massage rooms, which so enhances the relaxation component on RCI's earlier ships? Will the men's & women's spa facilities (ie. steam rooms, saunas, etc) be co-ed or located in the locker rooms, as they are on the Voyager & Freedom-class ships?

Thanks in advance for any details & light you can shed on the above!!

Best wishes,

Gigglewolf-Of-The-Seas

:p

[I Church]

Thank you very much for all the updates! I cant wait to hear more about the Oasis and Allure Of The Seas! :D

 

We are so glad to find this message board about our favorite upcoming ships the Oasis and Allure of the Seas. We will be on both of them for their inaugural. We have visited Finland on a Globus Tour but not the shipyards, would like to do that someday. We are so excited about the new ships, it seems so long ago that we all started to communicate together about the new Genessis ship.:)

 

I wonder what kind of room communications will be available on the Oasis. We were on the Celebrity Solstice and the large flat screen TV's in the room were so great. I loved the ability to pause the movies and go back later and pick up the shows where we left off. We also hope that the tea kettles like those on the 1st transatlantic cruise of Independance of the Seas to Miami will be available. :cool:

 

Irene & Miles

[I Church]

Hi Carolyn, I am enjoying this thread. Please keep 'em comming!!

 

We too are enjoying the thread, please keep posting the new information on our new ships Oasis and Allure!:D

 

Irene & Miles

[LauraS]

Hi Carolyn!

 

I was wondering if you could take a closeup pic of one of the carousel horses; the roccoco carvings are supposed to be beautiful!! That is, if they let you get that close to them?? Or, if they don't, can you sneak over there anyway?

 

:)

 

Laura

[ALSEAU]

Thanks for the pictures, post and information Carolyn. Please keep them coming!

[RustiCruiser]

Thank you so much for all the great information on the Oasis! I am taking a group on the Oasis in February and I've been trying to find out if we will have the ability to open up the balconies between our cabins? Some of the Royal Caribbean ships have that capability and others don't. We are really hoping to be able to open them up for our nightly balcony parties. Thanks!

[Cruiserccl]

Thank you so much for all the great information on the Oasis! I am taking a group on the Oasis in February and I've been trying to find out if we will have the ability to open up the balconies between our cabins? Some of the Royal Caribbean ships have that capability and others don't. We are really hoping to be able to open them up for our nightly balcony parties. Thanks!

You will be able to open the balcony doors between the cabins. RCCL has announced this already.

[BecciBoo]

more pictures pictures pictures:d

[editor@cruisecritic]

Here are some shots from our "shipyard cruise tour," an open-to-the-public excursion offered via Turku Touring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos are courtesy of Teijo Niemela, publisher of Cruise Business Review.

[patrob68]

Hi Carolyn,

 

Great review! I was in Turku last year and it's a great city. If you have a chance, can you ask if they will have a cigars bars (connoisseur club).

 

Thanks,

[kthy66]

Here are some shots from our "shipyard cruise tour," an open-to-the-public excursion offered via Turku Touring.

 

 

 

Holy cow! that last pic really gives perspective of how massive the ship is!

 

Whats that weird bump in the center of the pic just past the windows?? looks like some sort of grill work over it??

[editor@cruisecritic]

Here's some video of Oasis from the fabulous Turku Touring boat trip:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=997

[Cruiserccl]

Carolyn thank you very much for the update! I wish i could trade places with you! :D

[ChipLondon]

....... there are lots of interesting ships out there this year and next, aren't there! We're covering them all -- but nothing's quite like Oasis of the Seas....

 

Carolyn

 

 

Correct, I could not have said it better, Thanks for the info

[Cruiserccl]

Hi, Scott, there are lots of interesting ships out there this year and next, aren't there! We're covering them all -- but nothing's quite like Oasis of the Seas....

 

Carolyn

There are ships and then there is the Oasis Of The Seas! :D

[alphakitty]

The video is wow wow wow! It's like the energizer bunny...it keeps going, and going and going. LOL I can only imagine how huge Oasis is in person!

 

I see you got the hang of the larger photos...thanks Carolyn. Great job...I'm loving it! :) Soooo excited for tomorrow.

[MINIDRVR]

Here are some shots from our "shipyard cruise tour," an open-to-the-public excursion offered via Turku Touring.

 

 

 

 

Oh My.....At this angle it just looks like the ship should fall right over.....glad it won't tho :D

It's REALLY BIG isn't it!!!!

 

What pictures......can't wait to see the inside.......

Just think, they have to put in all the green plants and trees still on the way over to Ft Lauderdale.....would like to see that.

[editor@cruisecritic]

LOL, the bump is the candilevered whirlpool on both sides of the ship!

 

Carolyn

 

Holy cow! that last pic really gives perspective of how massive the ship is!

 

Whats that weird bump in the center of the pic just past the windows?? looks like some sort of grill work over it??

[kthy66]

LOL, the bump is the candilevered whirlpool on both sides of the ship!

 

Carolyn

 

 

I see up at the top of the ship where the whirlpools are .. I'm wondering what the bump is at the top of the freeboard where the windows along the gunnel end coming off the bow?

[editor@cruisecritic]

PS and this is a non sequitor but I love Wisconsin :)

 

Carolyn

 

 

 

There are ships and then there is the Oasis Of The Seas! :D

[DEIx15x8]

LOL, the bump is the candilevered whirlpool on both sides of the ship!

 

Carolyn

 

I think they were asking about the lower grate just below the balconies. That is there to protect the lifeboats as they will be extended out from the side of the ship just behind that.

[kthy66]

Maybe this will help... :)

 

It's circled in white..