Tylor

Lowering of water.

Attached is a view from the front of the ship. Click the link to view a webcam of the port. http://www.virtualvisit.nl/webcam/

Facebook group following the ship to Rotterdam.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oasis-to-Rotterdam/547608215367233?fref=nf

I found this photo while looking through the Mamma Mia musical directors twitter page. Apparently last week there was a Royal PR event in Miami where the Mamma Mia cast did a short presentation.

This photo shows some of the proposed onboard stores. It shows Hublot, Cartier, Kiehl's, and Michael Kors.

There's a photo floating around cruise critic that shows the wave pool construction. Not sure how to post a photo on here now. Won't let me copy and paste it. :o

I too have never received an upgrade, but I've never spent a lot on a cruise either, so I'm fine with that. ;) I don't cruise to stay in a fancy room anyway, I just want a fancy ship!

Typically upgrades are given to loyal guests who are part of Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society, their past guest program. Not always, but usually those who cruise the most and spend the most on accommodations get upgrades. It all depends on what category you booked, how much you paid, and what rooms are left over before the ship sets sail.

Hi Peter,

Unless the process is different in Australia, all bar orders automatically get 15% added to the total for tip. There is no need to tip extra unless you feel the need to do so.

Just read the article about Kristin Chenoweth being godmother of the Quantum.  So now of course I'm curious.  I assume all ships have a godmother? Anyone know any of the other RC godmothers?  Are they always celebrities?  Just thought this was a cool article and now I'm wondering!

 

Thanks!! 

 

BTW:  44 days until our first RC cruise!!!  Not that I'm excited or anything ;)

The Godmother picking and ceremony is something of maritime tradition. The process is interest and sometimes doesn't always make sense. As Matt said, Oasis of the Seas has 7 Godmothers, one for each of it's 7 distinct neighborhoods (Gloria Esteban, Michelle Kwan, Jane Seymour, Dara Torres, Keisha Knight Pulliam, Shawn Johnson, and Daisy Fuentes) where as Allure of the Seas has just 1 Godmother which is Dreamworks character Princess Finoa.

I don't really follow ship refurbishments and dry-docks, etc (to be honest I don't even know the difference between the two).  Where do people get information on that regarding ships, specifically Adventure of the Seas?  My family loves the ship and the service we get, but if Dynamic Dining goes fleet wide we're done with Royal Caribbean.  I'd like to keep an eye on if/when refurbs are planned for AoS and we'll try to get one more cruise in with her before that happens.  Thanks in advance for any info.

Bill we all can tell you love Adventure since your signature says you've sailed on her 4 times now. You're probably safe with Adventure for the time being. I don't think it is in Royal's top spot caliber like Freedom, Oasis, and Allure are. Some ships depending on popularity get new stuff first. I hope you don't switch cruise lines. Even though we don't know much about Dynamic Dining at moment and how it will affect our cruising lives, I believe Royal would never institute something so awful as to drive away its most loyal cruisers.   

I like booking far in advance, it gives more time to plan and prepare. I don't live close to a port so impulse booking isn't an option for me. Use your time by watching videos, learn about the ship you'll be sailing on. Read through the menus, find out what shows are onboard. Enjoy your trip!

Other things - Hairspray by far is the best Musical or show I've seen on

a ship I think - I do love the musical in general so that helps but the actors are great and

we really liked it- since this was a 2 night sailing it was first come/first serve and

we easily got seats 30 minutes ahead of time.   Also played Bingo, do it a little Casino

and saw the Aqua Theatre show too.  All good things to do while onboard.

Michelle,

I too thought Hairspray was really great. Sad it is leaving Oasis. Looking forward to the high energy Mamma Mia!

Thank you!  That photo has haunted my dreams since last April and now I finally have a copy of it.   :)   

haha Bill... here is a link to the photographer's site with that photo you love.

http://www.christaparravani.com/spoonriver.htm

Ok, am I reading this correctly ?? The bars aren't open until Monday when we get to international waters due to Texas ABC laws ?? The cruise compass shows the drink of the day as some sort of Mai Tai. What's the deal on getting drinks on Sunday ???

If that is true, bars and shops will open shortly after the cruise sets sail and into the ocean. Don't sweat it. You won't go without.  ;)

My tips for a first time cruiser:

1. Pack what you think you'll need. It is better to over pack than not have enough.

2. Watch your time and be organized. Arrive early to the port on the first day to check in. Keep track of your time while at port, so you don't miss the ship leaving.

3. Go on a cruise vacation with no expectations. It's not the Ritz Carlton, and it's not Disney World. It's a cruise. It can be the best vacation of your life or the worst if your expectations are not met.

4. Don't try to see and do everything. You most likely won't be able to and you'll just exhaust yourself trying.

5. Look at the constant changing views around you. It's the only vacation where the scenery changes everyday!

6. Take advantage of the options onboard the ship. See a couple shows. Try new types of food. Be adventurous.

7.  Relax, you're on vacation. Read a book, bask in the sun, or take a nap. It's up to you!

I'm more impressed with the upscale look and feel of the ship than the technology it offers. If one isn't paying attention, then you'll most likely miss the technology, but one can't miss the look. It's simply beautiful.

How is laundry handled onboard? Should we use the laundry or just try to pack enough not to need it?

Laundry is handled by someone else, which is the way it should be when you're on vacation! I've been on 5 cruises and have never once felt the need to wash my clothes or utilize the laundry service. But if you are traveling with children or are on a longer than 1 week cruise, I could see how you might need to wash your clothes. From people who have used the service, it is fairly inexpensive and the clothes come back clean and pressed ready for you to wear.

I was online this morning poking around at about 8:15am.  Did a search on November cruises, and saw the 8 day on Independence from Ft. Lauderdale leaving Nov. 22nd that looked interesting.  I clicked through the link, and noted an Outside room for $519(!) pp - and with the current sale it meant my wife and I could bring the kids for free, so the cruise would cost $1038+port fees.  NO BRAINER!  I clicked the Select Stateroom button as fast as I possibly could - and was met with a message saying something to the effect that "this record is currently not available" and it wouldn't let me select a room.  When I tried to book it again, just moments later, the price popped up to $1,269/pp.

 

Gosh I hate Royal Caribbean's website - and frankly I'm really starting to dislike this all-over-the-place pricing system they have.  Wearing a blue shirt when trying to book? That's $100 more.  Are you left handed?  $250 discount.  Is it Tuesday, and sunny outside? $72 more.

 

Ok, done venting....

Bill,

You should let your travel agent do the dirty work and find you the best price. If you don't have a travel agent, I can refer you to mine.  :)

I recommend the plastic tags from Amazon that Steve posted. I bought these for my last cruise. About 20 people asked me where I got them. They are nice and reusable. 

You have a set dinner time for the MDR.  Do they serve breakfast and lunch in the MDR and if so do you just wait for a table?    The Buffet serves all three meals? Is the Buffet open all the time?  if you would get hungry and want something light mid afternoon, something would be available?

Breakfast: The main dining room is open for breakfast everyday. You can order from a set menu (some items change each day) or the walk up buffet set up in the dining room. You can choose to sit with others or request to sit by yourself. Breakfast hours vary but usually are between 6:30am and 8:30am. On sea days the breakfast hours are extended by an hour or so.

Lunch: The main dining room is usually only open for lunch on sea days. You can order from a set menu (changes daily) or from the walk up salad bar set up in the dining room. You can choose to sit with others or request to sit by yourself. Lunch hours usually are between 11:00am and 1:00pm.

Dinner: The main dining room is open for dinner every night. The menu will change nightly. You will be seated at the same assigned table each night. The table number will be printed on your Sea Pass card. Dinner is typically served between 5:30pm and 9:30pm

Windjammer: The Windjammer Marketplace Buffet serves breakfast, lunch, dinner in addition to snacks at scheduled times each day. As others noted, it will close temporarily between meals to restock the buffet. Usually the Windjammer does not stay open later than 11:00pm.

 

According to this page, Adventure of the Seas would have received her enhancements back in April during her drydock. I'm surprised that not much happened then given the scope of what they did for other ships.

Yeah, Adventure did get some enhancements, but honestly not much of an upgrade. In my opinion, the wayfinder screens are not upgrades worth advertising. Yes they are nice for those lost onboard, but it is something every ship should come standard with. It's not a perk to sail on that specific ship. "Hey lets sail Adventure because they have those Samsung touchscreen tvs turned on their side to help you find your way around!"

The Voyager Class ships are going on 15 years old now, they need to be modernized inside throughout. I love how Navigator's Royal Promenade got a makeover with LED lighting and the storefronts got redesigned to look like those in Oasis/Quantum class. It's a modern twist on the glitz and glamour of what cruise in the 1990's used to look like.

This makes me curious why Adventure got left out. Considering another Voyager '1.0' class ship got it, surely that would rule out structural issues. Like the tootsie roll pop the world may never know :o .

There really is no rhyme or reason to why Royal Caribbean is upgrading some ships and not others. Currently Explorer, Adventure, and Jewell are the only ones left in the fleet to not receive upgrades. And why aren't all the ships getting similar upgrades? Some ships received a lot of upgrades, others got just a few. According to their schedule Jewell isn't getting upgraded until 2016!  <_<

Motion sickness effects people differently. For some, having a balcony room and seeing the horizon bounce up and down can cause motion sickness. Others staying in an interior room will get sick without a window to look out of in rough seas. I don't have a preference because I'm not prone to motion sickness. For me, feeling the ship's movement is all part of the experience. :)

We are taking  our first cruise End of August .  What are some of the recommended dishes in the MDR?  Specialty Drinks? Favorite Desserts?

TIA

The BBC Creme Brulee pictured above is a great dessert and is available every night. What types of food interest you? There will be meat, seafood, chicken, and pasta dishes available each night. Some nights feature Indian or vegetarian entrees. 

Tipping for everything, like bringing you a chair, is the culture of this type of vacation. It does get annoying and to some people it is offensive. Some countries don't see tipping as a usual thing to do, even at restaurants. Maybe it is our greedy American society that has made tipping a mandatory thing?

On Labadee, I usually stick to myself and will walk the island, have lunch back on the ship, and if I do utilize a chair it is probably one that someone has already sat in. Not because I don't want to tip anyone, but mostly because I don't bring cash with me off the ship and don't want to get into a snafu with someone while on my vacation.  :)