Oasis vs Odyssey

[Cfee]

Hello everyone. I love royal Caribbean cruises and need some help. Me and my fiancé are getting married soon and for our honeymoon I’m deciding between Odyssey or Oasis. Has anyone done both ships and which they prefer? 

[Cfee]

Hello everyone new to the blog and love going on RC cruises. I’m planning my honeymoon and trying to decide between Odyssey and Oasis. Has anyone been on both and if so which one they prefer with pros and cons list? 
 

Thank you all for your help and look forward to your replies!

[asquared17]

hello!!

first off, congratulations!!! very excited and happy for you both 

it should be said that both ships are lovely and, depending on what type of itinerary you prefer (sailing from NJ vs FL) and the stops incurred (easter/western caribbean or europe/mediterranean), you will likely be happy with your choice. much of it comes down to preference. 

but! for what it’s worth, as we have sailed on both ships, here are my thoughts:

odyssey

- just a COOL ship; lots of technology, smart cabins, updated decor, etc. 

- the only class ship i know OTHER than oasis class, that has some of the o-class specialty dining like the new giovanni’s and wonderland. 

- music hall (very cool) and 270 at the back of the ship (our favorite place onboard)

- BUMPER CARS!!!

- higher passenger count than some in the fleet but not nearly as high as oasis class, so certain processes (like embarkation and disembarkation) ran very quickly  

 

oasis

- our personal favorite class of ship 

- does a FANTASTIC job of dispersing the crowds really well, due to multiple neighborhoods (like central park and the promenade) on board. 

- pool decks are spacious (esp compared to quantum class) and you’re not competing with the runners on the track while on the upper deck like we were on odyssey

- CENTRAL PARK (!) a beautiful walk through the middle of the ship; they play live music at night, have a bar and various specialty dining scattered throughout. also an excellent place to hide ducks!

- aqua theater; our favorite show/production while on board. worth seeing even if you’ve seen the show before; it’s just so awesome what the performers can do and how they move. there is the show at 270 on odyssey, and that’s also very good and so cool - but the open air aqua theater is just fantastic 

- sizeable gym and dedicated track for walking/running on deck 5 that won’t have you passing out if you exercise midday  

 

there are some that love odyssey/quantum class and there are some that love oasis class. we LOVE oasis class.

my deciding factor would probably be the type of category stateroom you land in.

the junior suites on odyssey have a split bathroom situation which appeals to me on so many levels and apparently it is usually much easier to get into coastal kitchen than it is in the oasis ships, as there are not as many people to get in. anything above a JS is also stunning on odyssey - from what i have seen in pics, since we have not been beyond a spacious balcony

so depending on budget, itinerary, and preferences, you’ll be sure to have a great time!

(secretly though my vote is oasis class )

@Cfee hope this helps!!

[Ampurp85]

I guess congrats on getting married??? 

I sailed Odyssey and did not like it. I have sailed Oasis and prefer Oasis class in general.

Oasis has a lot of specialty restaurants, Central Park, a very good Aqua show, and ample space. The Promenade is wonderful. But there is also Cats! the musical........no.

Odyssey has Northstar, Bumper cars and is very new. But the Esplanade is horrible, and you will feel the crowds. The shows are a smidge weird but more up to date.

Considering you are probably having a wedding (bleh) cost will be the most important factor, unless money is no object. Remember cost isn't just the fare but everything, Flights, hotels, extra, excursions.........drink/dining packages...........the list can go on.

[WAYNO]

They are both marvelous ships. 

The only thing, is Odyssey does not have a conventional promenade.  The Promenade is my favorite place on a ship, so that's caused me to avoid Odyssey for future cruises.

If the Promenade is not as important to you, then flip a coin.  Both ships are gorgeous, and everything they do is done very well.

Speaking more of the Promenade... I was on Norwegian Breakaway some years back.  Probably the nicest of all the ships I've been on, and the best hospitality.  But it was the first time I'd experienced a ship with no promenade.  I just never got into that ship.  Other folks we cruised with, the promenade was a non-issue, and the Breakaway remains their favorite ship, and Norwegian being their favorite cruise line.

 

More proof, everybody has their own idea of what works.  Odyssey or Oasis, both great choices.

[asquared17]

they nailed it, but i’ll i should chime in for emphasis:

biggest con on oasis: cats

biggest con on odyssey: lack of a promenade and crowding 

[JazzBassMan]

I'm going to pile on with the opinion that the Esplanade doesn't feel nearly as good as the Promenade does. I enjoyed Odyssey, but unless the itinerary was an absolute winner for Odyssey then I'd go with Oasis. In fact, I would probably even pick a ship like Freedom or Independence over Odyssey if all the itineraries are the same because they at least have a promenade.

[SebagoSue]

Congratulations!  I think choosing to cruise for your honeymoon is a fantastic idea and truly either ship will be great.  We absolutely love all the Oasis class ships for all the reasons stated by everyone above.  I never thought I wanted to sail on a Quantum class ship until I had a chance to do a 6 night on Odyssey.  It was wonderful.  I especially liked all the entertainment and early evening music. 

Enjoy!

[amanalo217]

Congrats!!! I'm team Oasis agreeing with most of the comments above. My one added bit is that if you are going with grand suite or above I think oasis class has the better setup with the suite lounge and coastal kitchen together. Not a fan of lounge location on Odyssey. It had a nice aft view of ship but not convenient to stairs or elevator.

[teddy]

Just to show how subjective cruising is, my wife and I prefer Quantum Class over Oasis Class. 

[FloatyBoaty]

Also prefer Quantum class ships over Oasis class. Have sailed Wonder, Oasis, and Allure in Oasis class (Oasis was my least favorite). Have sailed Anthem and Quantum in Quantum class and love both ships. Plan on Odyssey and possibly Spectrum-China in the next couple of years. I don't have any issues with the Esplanade as there are multiple levels to navigate it and I absolutely love the Via and 270 areas on Quantum class. Only thing I find myself missing is Central Park.

[tonyfsu21]

Roll the dice because they are both amazing ships and you can’t go wrong with either choice! Odyssey does a Southern Caribbean route which would tip the scales for me personally as Aruba and Curaçao are great ports. 

[Rakaia]

Team Oasis.......but I do love Quantum class!  Really can't go wrong with either! Quantum class feels more....I dunno.....like you're on a ship if that makes sense. You can see the ocean more while indoors. 

I absolutely *love* Central Park on Oasis though.  It's so unique and a magical place to spend mornings and evenings.  I also find Oasis easier to navigate with more areas to explore. Might come down to finding an itinerary you like. 

[She Sails Away]

Team Oasis...I love Boardwalk and the Aqua Theater. It's especially nice to have a balcony overlooking Central Park Or Boardwalk.

i did not like the shows on Odyssey at all, and found the pools to be weirdly narrow and small. 

[JohnK6404]

On 6/26/2023 at 1:16 PM, Cfee said:

Hello everyone. I love royal Caribbean cruises and need some help. Me and my fiancé are getting married soon and for our honeymoon I’m deciding between Odyssey or Oasis. Has anyone done both ships and which they prefer? 

Congrats and best of luck to you and your fiancé !!!

My wife and I are also Team Oasis. For us, much more WOW factor with Oasis-class! Odyssey was a beautiful ship and the Aruba/Curacao itinerary was absolutely amazing for sure. I agree with the comments posted above. You can find a ton of "Live" blogs/reviews of both ships on the forum which are so very helpful.

If you're not familiar, you can check this forum section: Live Blogs - Royal Caribbean Blog

If you're interested, take a peek at our "live" blogs from our Oasis and Odyssey sailings. Maybe, they will help a little with your decision! Have a great time!

 

[Linda R]

I have been on both ships a number of times.  My overall favorite class is Oasis.  More to do, more restaurants, and I like the layout.  Odyssey is a newer ship though but overall I like Oasis.  I do like 270 room on Odyssey and the 270 Cafe.  Also like Giovanni's Kitchen better than the regular Giovanni's.   Oasis class has some Broadway shows that I really like, and I do enjoy Cats.  Although Cats is not most people's favorite.   The Aqua shows are great and so are ice skating shows, which Odyssey does not have.  

Congratulations and have a wonderful time!

[Matt]

This video is old (doesn't include Odyssey), but the principles hold true I think

 

[asquared17]

On 6/28/2023 at 1:11 AM, Linda R said:

Also like Giovanni's Kitchen better than the regular Giovanni's

i would agree here; the new giovanni’s on odyssey is preferable to the one on oasis. 

[cedricmr]

Why one or the other?
Do one AND the other! 

And... congratulations !

[Curt From Canada]

My soulmate and I have been on most of the Oasis class ships and on Anthem 4 times (so no Odyssey experience yet).  However, we could LIVE in Central Park on Oasis class ships.  For us, it is by far the best environment on any ship at sea (and worth having to "suffer" through Cats once).

The good news is you will have a blast on either.  Use this board for getting lots of detailed information on the things you may want to do.  In particular, we are the self-professed Dance "Experts" (where are the best places for dancing on each class).  For everything else ask @twangster ...

Curt from Canada

[JasonOasis]

 I like the Royal Esplanade and I think Royal did a great job with Odyssey, Quantum, and Anthem, I haven't yet cruised on Ovation or Spectrum.  I've sailed on Anthem numerous times but I've only sailed on both Quantum and Odyssey once.  Quantum of course was redeployed to Asia and I just haven't chosen a second Odyssey cruise until a few weeks ago where I booked a 14 night Transatlantic cruise to New York in November 2024.

Having said that I have to tell you my favorite class of ship is Oasis Class whether you sail on the original (Oasis), Wonder or even Allure (don't discount Allure just because she hasn't been amped up yet Allure is still a fantastic ship) you can't go wrong sailing on any Oasis Class ship. 

[BrianB]

Each has its pros and cons as noted above. So, the perfect solution would be…do both!

Save money on your wedding. Elope on a cruise ship and let the captain marry you!

[Al Miller]

Just to give you even more to think about. No water slides on Odyssey. 3 On Oasis. And the Ultimate Abyss dry slides are on Oasis now too.

However, on Odyssey they do have the Skydiving simulator, North Star and a bigger and IMO better windjammer than any Oasis class ship save for Wonder.

And the Solarium on the quantum ships are just spectacular IMO.

Honestly, I don't think you can go wrong with either.

[Babsy47]

To me, it depends a bit in cabin class.  Nothing on Odessey can compare to the 17th deck on Oasis.  The suite lounge/coastal kitchen combo on Oasis is far superior to the hidden aft suite lounge and interior CK on Odessey.  For a non-suite, the difference is not as huge.  My family vastly prefers Oasis class because of the slides, extra flow rider, and Central Park.  I think the Odessey shows are more of a miss, but this is purely personal preference.  Unless the Odyssey itinerary is far superior,I would go with Oasis, but people love both!