whitsmom

Been on the Oasis twice, never experienced this.  One cruise, don't remember the ship, we saw a change for the mini bar on the TV, went down to customer service and had them remove it.  If you have it removed, make sure they tell the people who stock it because I don't think its the room steward.

This is a great example of the lack of consistency, not only between ships, but within a ship.
 
For example, last month on Navigator, at the pool deck they would scan your card once for every towel you wanted, but down at the gangway on deck 1 they were just handing them out like candy at all 4 port stops.  
 
 

I used it twice in Port Everglades. The key is to fill it out before you get to customs, but it saved me SO much time.

Yes you can use own equipment.
I could be wrong, but I do not believe lifejackets are provided unless you book it through RC.  I've never tried it, so not entirely sure. I do know that when we were at a cabana in Barefoot Beach, they had lifejackets for my kids to use in the ocean for swimming.

In all cases yes.  
 
The fleet is not 100% consistent, but on most ships you get as many as you want and they scan your seapass card.  You can swap out as many times as you want, and take them ashore no problem.  
 
At the end, you turn them in.  They scan your card again for the returns.  If you show to have not returned any, they will be billed to your account.  Always check to be sure they scan them back in and ask the attendant to verify you have zero outstanding.
 
 

That is weird! Maybe spell out Royal Caribbean, IDK! Here is one, it's not RC specific, just an example. I would go to the link and pin it to your Pinterest board from the website, then Pinterest will start sending you pins. http://cruisefever.stfi.re/0824-16-cruise-hacks-tips-that-everyone-should-know/?sf=egojjkj#aa
and another: https://cruiseradio.net/12-things-need-know-sailing-royal-caribbean/
I also would recommend following Royal Caribbean Blog on Facebook. Twice a week Matt does a Facebook live and you can ask him questions. Your phone will tell you when he is live and you can tune in or go back later and watch the recorded version. It's very helpful too.
 

Thanks @JenniferE board created and pinned loads... My shopping list is ever expanding with useful items 

Top Tier Crown and Anchor Society: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2015/01/03/cruising-101-crown-and-anchor-parties

You will get an invitation to the top tier in your room.

Awesome!  This July will be our first Platinum cruise!

I agree, I love my sea days, we normally book the 3x3, sometimes a 4x2, last year in the Mediterranean, I strayed from my normal and went to a 5x1 and was exhausted by Saturday, no longer a spring chicken...

Attached and also available here: 
 
Platinum Benefits.pdf

I wrote a blog post about what the basic differences are between D1, D2, D3, et al: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2016/07/14/staterooms-what-are-the-difference-between-royal-caribbeans-d1-d2-d4-etc-balcony-rooms
In terms of the placement of the bed/closet, it tends to alternate.  So one room the bed is by the balcony, and the next the closet/couch is near the balcony.  Then repeat ad infinitum. 

Thanks Matt, good blog post!

Thanks Matt, I was just typing all of that and you bet me to it with that awesome blog post...

We were on Oasis this past december and got our cards at check in.

1) To Periscope 2) To keep in touch with family over our 2 weeks 3) To stream music in our room while getting ready for dinner 4) To brag on Facebook about our incredible honeymoon

On my last cruise I used the diamond concierge twice to resolve issues I had with the ship, I had already spoken to an ship officer (Somebody with gold bars on their shoulders) and gotten no place. I went to the Diamond concierge and she successfully resolved both issues, one was no big issue, I pack a travel fan that helps me sleep, they confiscated it and were not going to let me have it in the room, she fixed that and I got my fan. Second was much worse, my cabin flooded and they said they couldn't move me because the ship was sold out, she got me another Grand suite.
So for me the program works, the free drinks are great and all the other discounts, but to have an advocate on your side to work with the cruise line or the ship is pretty awesome.

The two easiest games to learn are Roulette and Blackjack.  I recommend going in the day time, when the casino is less busy.  The dealers on RC are very friendly and will be happy to teach you the game.
I feel like etiquette is the toughest aspect of the table games. Certain games have nuances and traditions associated with game play, and if you don't follow them, it can result in some snide looks from your fellow gamers. By going in the daytime, there's less formality to it and a more open sense of learning.
Slots don't have nearly as much of the pomp and circumstance, although table games are definitely more fun to play (and they pay out quicker). 
Don't be afraid to simply stand around and watch others play.  It's a great way to pick up on strategies and understand the flow of the game.

I save time by mixing my bourbon with water...

I would be remiss in not encouraging you to share your review of the excursion here in these message boards!
Alternatively, the tour might be on a site like TripAdvisor, which also allows for reviews.

I cruise with a friend and we each set up our credit card to pay our onboard expenses; we complete the details at the online check in

I just download movies and shows (Netflix) to my iPad and watch later.  I have a iPad Pro (the big one) for watching on it is not bad.  I download lots of stuff so I have stuff to watch at the airport and on the flight.  This might be an option.

I feel this a problem wherever you are. We live in New Zealand and all the RC cruises are generally Australia to NZ or up to the South Pacific islands. As the interaries are limited I wish they would change up the ships more often so at least something was different. To be fair they have introduced Ovation OTS last year but they charge a big premium to go on her. I would like to go on Freedom class ship because over the last few years the choice has only been Voyager, Explorer and Radiance. A lot of people do seem to enjoy going on the same ship doing the same thing every year but I think you lose the WOW factor after a while.

Best Cruise Ever?
That's easy .... last September on Grandeur to Bermuda ...
My criteria is very simple ..... the ability to decompress from the world ....
September of 2016 was a tough one because of how hateful the world was leading into the election .... The ability to remove Clinton, Trump, ISIS, Black Lives Matter and all the other hate filling the airwaves was more valuable than I ever would have expected .... It wasn't until we got back that I realized how amazing it was to take a break from it all ....
DECOMPRESSING FROM THE WORLD is my #1 Priority.