amanuel2992

We are doing playmakers for embarkation day lunch.

Hey,
We normally ask for specific foods delivered to the room or if we want to have a family gathering in one room. We did ask to have a private ice skating session and it was going to be close to $400.... so we ended up skipping it. We haven’t really asked for a ton of stuff mainly just food and activities. We also had a private mixology class set up on the rising tide but it was our final sea day so we decided to pass on it and hang by the pool. 

Excited to be following along. I hope you all have a wonderful cruise. Smitha sounds amazing from everything I keep reading about her! 

I don’t blame you at all.The food is a huge part of why I love cruising.  We have changed rooms for this reservation 3 times.... we finally talked ourselves into star since we knew it would be an “adult cruise” and we also know that won’t happen again for another few years. Maybe we will cross paths onboard ?

I don’t blame you at all.The food is a huge part of why I love cruising.  We have changed rooms for this reservation 3 times.... we finally talked ourselves into star since we knew it would be an “adult cruise” and we also know that won’t happen again for another few years. Maybe we will cross paths onboard ?

I know what you are thinking.  January 2022?  Did I read that right?
In order to secure a great price on one of only two Star Class Ultimate Panoramic Suites on Oasis I booked this a couple of months ago when the itineraries where first released.  Within minutes of them going public I secured the 2nd of these two suites in the name of research and, well it seemed like a good excuse to book a cruise.
That's nice and all but why start a blog now?
I am so tired of @Matt beating up on my fellow Canadian @Lovetocruise2002 even though we all knew he has the record for starting a cruise blog the longest before any sailing in the history of these boards that I had to step in and take action.   So back off Matt!
Seven hundred and twenty nine days.  
Itinerary as it stands today includes Puerto Plata, DR, St Thomas USVI and San Juan Puerto Rico.  
This may be my only 2020 update.  I'll do my best to update this blog at least once in 2021.  
Until then, let it be known I hold the record for the longest pre-cruise early blogging award!

Haha. I have a theory on that one. Ask me in November over some Patron shots and I will share. ?

With the obvious lack of Oasis Star Class blogs recently, I thought I'd step up and do one as well.  The more the merrier, right?
Stealing from @Lovetocruise2002 for formatting:
Who’s Going?
Me, wife Abby, and 5 y/o Daughter Virginia, along with Abby's mom and dad (the in-laws).  It will be the in-laws first cruise in over 20 years, so going on an amplified Oasis will be quite the culture shock for them.  
Flight
Flying from STL to FLL the day before via SWA, then taking an Uber/Lyft to Miami to spend the night.  
Pre-Cruise Stay
Looking at hotel rooms, we were planning on staying at the Intercontinental, but rates were outlandish.  $500+ per night per room.  I couldn't believe that certain members of the Blog group would stay there at that price, so I was confused.  I did some research, and that weekend is the South Beach Food and Wine Festival, so everywhere was booked or crazy expensive.  So instead we are booked in a 2 bedroom suite at the Hyatt House near MIA for almost 50% of that rate, and for all 5 of us.  
Itinerary
This 7-night, Western Caribbean sailing, brings us to Falmouth, Cozumel, and Labadee.  No plans in Falmouth.  Cozumel we have El Cozumeleno booked, and in Labadee with have cabana B2 booked. 
Cabin
2 Bedroom ATS on deck 9 for us, we will try to keep it nice for you @Lovetocruise2002.  The in-laws are booked in a JS down the hall from us.  RCCL sent an email about 3 weeks ago saying that they overbooked JS for this sailing and offered to go to a Balcony room for $300 OBC and a full refund of the second passenger in the cabin.  We paid for this cruise as a Christmas present for them, so I pushed like hell for them to go to the standard balcony, but unfortunately they had already been on the blog and youtube looking at cabin information and were dead set on the JS...
Pre-Cruise thoughts
We are beyond excited to see the newly amped Oasis of the Seas.  It's the only Oasis Class we've been on, and that was in November 2018.  I'm very excited for all of the slides, the escape room, and the prospect of actual brewed iced tea at Portside BBQ.   No pre-cruise purchases because it’s Star Class, but I did snag the DX for my in-laws at $18/day.   Looking forward to checking out the new Adventure Ocean, even though Virginia will probably be bummed out that @Matt's daughters won't be there too! I think it's interesting that @Lovetocruise2002 and I have a different Genie even though we will be in the same cabin.  We have Smitha, whom I've heard great things about, but apparently it would be hard-pressed to go wrong with any of the Genies on Oasis.  Smitha has been great so far.  We got our initial email from her 1 day after our survey, on 1/7/20, and had a provisional schedule worked out about 3 days later.  

Happy pre-Valentines Day!

The all access tour is not free.  They do offer a star class only bridge tour that is complimentary though.

I will be on that cruise too and am about to pull the trigger on the $96 UDP because I know Sabrina's fabulous blog will get me wanting specialty dining! We are only doing a OVB this time so no Coastal Kitchen for me (YET!) 

Oh I am the same way on the hotel. I had that issue on my January cruise and almost missed getting a room where we wanted ? but it all worked out in the end. 
 
 
Thank you so much. From what I have read all of the genies onboard Oasis are fabulous! It’s going to be our first cruise in a long time with just the two of us. We always take Lexi or one set of our parents. 

@Lovetocruise2002 one month out!!!! I’m so excited for you. When your onboard can you find out if Izzy or Smitha will still be there in the beginning of May? We are going to do the short 4 day on 5/3/2020... so I’m extra excited about your blog!

Would it surprise you if I told you I always prefer to style my own hair. I even prefer me over my hairstylist.  Hopefully she is not reading this...?

The more the merrier. Honestly though, I only started it now cause I did not want to back track with all the pre-cruise Genie stuff. I like to just blog it as it happens. 

You can count on that!  I will be having lunch and dinner there at some point and that Spiked Palmer might be calling me.

How did this one come about? 
You know there’s always a story to these things. 
Two years ago, in February 2018, I stumbled upon a “Star Class savings discount”.  If you have followed my blogs before, that is how we ended up booking our first Star Class cruise that we took last March 2019.  Well, what I did not mention before, not even to Hubby, was that I grabbed two bookings at that time.  One for March 2019, and one for March 2020.  Oops.  Have I ever mentioned that these cruises just book themselves?! ?
The idea behind doing that was I knew Oasis would be ‘amped’ by then, the price point (with the savings) was good, and if we did not find value in Star Class on the first try, then we would just downgrade the sailing in March 2020 to Sky Class.  No harm, no foul.  If you know me, and the suite snob that I am, you’re probably laughing by now, because really, those two bookings were solidified once I said, “YOLO! Book it!”  As you know, we loved Star Class the first time around, so now the challenge became, “How do I break this to Hubby?” 
I am proud to say that I am raising true cruise addicts as it was my daughters who devised the plan.  We waited until November, which is my birthday month, and conveniently just before final payment was due.  True to nature, Hubby was once again at a loss as to what to get me for my birthday.  You can predict the conversation that followed.  After a combination of bargaining away birthday and Christmas presents, and logically pleading my case, Hubby spoiled us yet again by agreeing to another Star Class sailing!  Woohoo!
This sailing is quite special to us in several ways.  You all know that I am #TeamOAclass and it was this ship that started that love for us, many years ago, in 2009.  Not only did we sail Oasis of the Seas first (among that class of ships), but we were fortunate enough to sail her out of Port Everglades on her inaugural sailing.  At the time, that sailing was an “Oasis” to us too in that it was our first getaway cruise from our kids since becoming parents of two.  I still remember the awe and wonder, stepping onto that Promenade, and later discovering the Aqua Theater, and Central Park.  There were no blogs at that time (or none that I had discovered), but if there was, I would have echoed what others have already said, Oasis class was special and in league of her own, and we were completely in love. 
So here we are, a decade and soon to be three months later, about to set foot again on a ship that is near and dear to our hearts, desperately needing a break from our daily lives, and in Star Class style.  What more could a Stubborn, Canadian Scorpio ask for?  We are truly blessed. ❤️

“Follow that STAR…Our Journey back to Oasis.” - March 15-22, 2020
Oasis…
” A fertile or green spot in the desert, a shelter from the storm, a moment of respite from the conditions of the desert…”
We’re back with another blog and that line above pretty much sums up what this cruise means to us this time around.  Our lives, since entering dry dock back in August 2019, has been work, work, and more work.  To say that the last seven months have been busy is an understatement.  However, all is going to be well soon as we are about to embark on not just another cruise, but another Star Class adventure!
And full disclaimer!  In fear of being blog shamed (I won't mention any names here lol), I debated waiting on this one until about a week out but then I would have to back track to outline the Star Class process.  This is just easier.  Oh, and I am excited too! 
Please note that this is only 5 weeks early. ?
Let's begin...

Wow this trip was amazing. It went by pretty quick, Luciano was outstanding. He went above and beyond for us. We will request him again for sure!
Quick tip for anyone coming in this room before refurb( and possibly after) bring a towel clip for the downstairs blackout blinds they don’t close properly and let a ton of light in. Also we said goodbye to champagne bar, we really loved it there. 
 
Izumi was delicious on this ship. I also added some photos of the desserts from the tapas menu at Vintages! 
 
So genie update, Anna is leaving Allure tomorrow to go to Quantum, they need her there so Agostina came back onboard Thursday and we got to say hello to her. Upon meeting Anna she was just so friendly and personable, it was nice to get to meet her. Lexi was beyond excited to see Agostina again. It was a really neat trip and thank you all for following along. 

 

I am beyond enjoying this blog so far and can’t wait to follow along.

I am beyond enjoying this blog so far and can’t wait to follow along.

I go to Atlantis both through cruises and flying there for a vacation. The cheapest way to go off a cruise ship is to call the casino at Atlantis and request a room at beach tower, most of the time it’s free. I paid $140 for 2 adults and one child to go there for the day. They charge you for two nights ( basically just the service fee and maid fee) ,we got to Atlantis around 9am and left at 1pm due to our ship having to leave at 2pm. If you gamble with other casinos (m life or total rewards) let them know that on the phone and just say your coming in for a short trip and wanted to see what kind of a offer you can get to stay on property while you gamble. If you do go over there it might  worth it to you to sign up for a players card in the casino because you will start getting complimentary mailers for beach tower. 
 
Atlantis it’s self is very nice and safe. The water park is a ton of fun. We really enjoy going there but it was a lot of work for the short amount of time this past cruise. So we won’t do that again unless we don’t leave port until dinner time. 

Pre-Cruise Communication
We have been in touch with Andres via email. Generally speaking, our emails have been answered within hours -- which is pretty impressive!
We have a port arrival time of 1030AM. Andres has offered to have my parents (who are not Star class) check-in with us at the port, the only caveat being that their luggage would be delivered to our suite. No worries, since their room is right down the hall. 
We have requested that our mini-bar be stocked with: bottled water, Coke Zero/Diet Coke, bottled unsweetened/diet iced tea, hard cider, and Amstel Light. 
Our son will have a surprise birthday celebration with chocolate cake at some point during the cruise.
Disembarkation will be around 845AM, so we are planning to have our transportation meet us at 9AM. I have read online that there is no indoor place to wait after disembarkation, and since it will be early February and presumably COLD, we need to make sure that this is coordinated well. 
Most of our packing is finished. Still need to do a few last minute things. 8 days and counting! So excited! 

We got the “no” today on M&M’s also.  Now I’m going to ask for the Seafood Tower in the Escape Room - to be delivered by one of the CATS.  In costume.  I don’t know how to insert a smiley face or I would!  Just seems bizarre that people request special bottles of booze and specialty lunches in the room on day 1 and that’s good but you cant get a bag of M&M’s!!  I’ll keep you posted @Pookie. 

Raye, I love your blogs! Your blogs are one of the reasons that I set star class goals in the first place! 

Now I have RLS goals...? @Rags1 @amanuel2992