Christie

Sounds delish. I'll have to try it in 2.5 weeks!

Is this frozen? My favorite is only on Oasis class ships and can only be found at 150 Central Park- the cucumber martini. Yummmm

I found Freedom to be incredibly hot when we boarded in September. I think they are kinda like airplanes and run on some sort of auxiliary power when in port, and then run of the big engines when moving. Once we were underway, I don't think I was hot again. PS it was HOT in Orlando that day and I only noticed it in areas where there was an outside door nearby. There's only so much you can do....

It was phenomenal on Oasis and not so great on Anthem.

We bring bananagrams every trip. Super easy to pack.

I board Harmony on July 15, but if ppl like that date, don't reschedule on my accord

Coastal Kitchen was the worst experience we had on Anthem. Too slow and stuffy for me, but I have a 2 year old. Loved it on Oasis. Hope you enjoy it more.

Don't be such a fuddy duddy, Wilson ?

I dig the Eastern Caribbean itinerary, although Cozumel is a great stop and is on Western Caribbean.

Sorry to chop this up into multiple replies. I've been on Oasis and Anthem. I would definitely choose Oasis over Anthem. Don't get me wrong- Anthem is amazing in its own ways, but NOTHING beats an Oasis class ship especially for Caribbean itineraries. If you were looking to go north to Canada, then I think Anthem would be perfect. Anthem is more of a cold weather ship with lots of indoor spaces. Oasis is made for the Caribbean. I agree with the love of the Aquatheater and Central Park- they are such unique experiences for a ship. Also agree with 150 Central Park. Best food I've had on sea.

If you didn't prepay gratuity, it is added to your seapass account (basically your onboard billing account) every night. At the end of the cruise they will use the credit card on file to charge your entire bill.

I wouldn't stress over Nassau. I prefer to stay on the ship :-) We have a similar schedule on San Juan in a few weeks. We are doing a 3 food tour.

I disagree that comparing DCL to RC is like comparing WDW to Six Flags. It's more like WDW to Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure. Both REALLY good at what they do. WDW has the charm and Universal has the thrill. Nobody does Disney like Disney, but I don't think you can say nobody does cruising like Disney- they are pretty comparable experiences.

If you have 25 minutes, this is an excellent video:

Hey there! I won't beat a dead horse, but I too choose to view Royal Caribbean as a la carte pricing vs nickel and dimeing. I'm so glad you've decided to keep an open mind. I am a Disney girl through and through. Like DVC members, married at Disney with 150 people there, parents will buy into Golden Oak at some point type of people. We have cruised Disney 9 times, including 12 night Northern European cruises. I actually started looking into RC because of Matt's old Disney podcast haha. Our first ship on RC was also Oasis of the Seas. I'll be honest. I was expecting it to be like going to Six Flags after being a Disney fan your whole life. I was so surprised. Disney is a great cruise line, but in my opinion, it doesn't lead the industry like their resorts do. They have truly started to price themselves way too high as well. There are a few things that Disney does better than RC in cruising, but not many. On the flip side, I think there are things Royal Caribbean does better. I think you'll be blown away by Oasis. It's a different experience than a Disney ship, but not better or worse. Just different. Keep an open mind- you won't have to force yourself to keep it for very long. You won't have Cast Members calling your name out and clapping for you as you board, but you'll look left and right on the Royal Promenade and your jaw will drop. A little advice- there's a ton to see and do and know that you won't do it all. You've probably given the same advice to people at Walt Disney World. Prebook shows on your cruise planner- you don't have to necessarily stick to that plan, but at least you have them. You can get into shows without pre-booking, but you'll get better seats by doing it. That doesn't cost you any extra. Look at the old cruise compasses on this site (https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/cruise-compass) to get a feel for your itinerary. If you like rotational dining on Disney and enjoy getting to know the wait staff, stick with classic dining. With My Time Dining, there's a chance that you'll get a different wait staff. Specialty dining is worth trying- especially 150 Central Park since it is unique to Oasis Class Ships. Try the cucumber martini- you won't regret it! I may have missed it- how old are your kids? If they're at all adventurous, they are going to love Oasis! There's a zip line, two surf simulators, two rock climbing walls with multiple courses, mini golf, a ginormous splash pad area, carousel, ice skating rink, and more. They won't get bored. The aquatheater is unlike any venue you'll find at sea. The diving shows are incredible. Hope that helps you get a little more excited for your upcoming cruise. If you're anything like us, you'll find out that you would rather take 2 RC cruises than 1 Disney cruise. Let me know if I can be of any more help!

There is no way I would put 4 people in a single inside room.

I say Austin is a good central location. When are we thinking?

Like Matt said, you can ask, but don't be shocked if the answer is no. I wouldn't be too upset- the nursery on Oasis is amazing! The attention they give the kids is wonderful. Also, be sure to check out the common area play area. It's incredible!

I'm the one that Matt interviewed in that podcast- I don't have a 3 year old (yet), but I do have a 2.5 year old. I would suggest getting some smaller, new toys to bring on board. We like blow up things since they are easy to pack. I always pack a beach ball for the room- she always has fun with it. I also like to bring my own sand kit (Old Navy typically has some smaller ones this time of year, and amazon as well). I bring extra snacks to have in the room, and I also put them in her bag to take to the nursery (I know yours will be at full blown Adventure Ocean). The splash pad area on Oasis is going to be great for her! Definitely bring water shoes as the pool deck can get hot. I try to keep the schedule as close as possible to home to avoid major melt downs. Sometimes that involves one of us "retiring early" to the room to watch her. If she's still taking naps, try to keep that as well.

I'm in College Station. Austin, Houston, Dallas, or San Antonio for the Round Up would all be fine with me!

We stayed at the Embassy Suites Newark Airport. It was about a 20 minute ride to the port, and while we took private transportation, I know they had a shuttle as well. We did ship to them because my dad is on a feeding tube and liquid diet, and carrying his food for 11 nights is about at least 50 pounds. We sent it a few days early, called to verify that it was there, and they held it until check in- no issue. I would definitely recommend this hotel.

LOL! Thank you for the tips :-)

When I did the all access tour, I was expecting to see most heat and serve food and was shocked to see how much was made from scratch.

It would help if I had a group cruise booked.

Done deal.