sailing into an oasis for diamonds | 12.10.23-12.17.23 ~ oasis of the seas

[WAAAYTOOO]

9 minutes ago, asquared17 said:

update:

today's ghost booking revealed that there are suddenly FOUR (4) grand suites up for booking!!!

PERHAPS WE WILL WIN OUR RU BID!! (also RIP my credit card if we do though after this month)

15 days to go!! WILL WE GET IT FRIENDS???

time will tell...

[staring wistfully into the distance]

YES !  You're going to get it !

[Neesa]

Sending positive RU vibes to you. I want you to get it, it's only the 2 of you and you are high on the C&A tiers. My wish for you is a successful outcome. Let's go!!!!

There's always a chance, remember my sold out Thanksgiving 2022 Serenade sailing?? The night before

[Lovetocruise2002]

I hope you get it too! Remember when I won the ATS on wonder back in July, that cabin came back two weeks prior to sailing! Fingers crossed for you and J! 

[OCSC Mike]

1 hour ago, asquared17 said:

update:

today's ghost booking revealed that there are suddenly FOUR (4) grand suites up for booking!!!

PERHAPS WE WILL WIN OUR RU BID!! (also RIP my credit card if we do though after this month)

15 days to go!! WILL WE GET IT FRIENDS???

time will tell...

[staring wistfully into the distance]

Suffice it to say, we're all rooting for ya!

[Jax]

Hoping for a Festivus miracle for you and J on RU.  

[asquared17]

On 11/25/2023 at 9:25 AM, WAAAYTOOO said:

YES !  You're going to get it !

On 11/25/2023 at 9:54 AM, Neesa said:

Sending positive RU vibes to you. I want you to get it, it's only the 2 of you and you are high on the C&A tiers. My wish for you is a successful outcome. Let's go!!!!

There's always a chance, remember my sold out Thanksgiving 2022 Serenade sailing?? The night before

On 11/25/2023 at 11:26 AM, Jax said:

Hoping for a Festivus miracle for you and J on RU.

On 11/25/2023 at 10:50 AM, OCSC Mike said:

Suffice it to say, we're all rooting for ya!

thank you all for the good RU bid vibes

i looked again today, and still there are four GS stubbornly lingering. the dream would be the one on deck 11 (the irony of me wanting to go back to deck eleven, is not lost on me *rip symphony february 2023*) but we would for sure be thrilled with the ones on the lower decks too.

there are also two junior suites available but they must be for two pax only because when i upped our ghost booking to three people in the cabin, the website only allowed me to purchase occupancy in the GS. all the fun tricks you learn here on the forums.

since my best friend is also traveling to disney, we have been on the phone all weekend, feverishly discussing our packing plans and potential holes in our strategies. i even went as far as buying new luggage on a black friday sale, and then had immediate regrets when she told me that her carryon handle would not come out of the holder once she had packed her bag. evidently this is a known issue.

in any case -- i saw J today for a brief moment in time and we daydreamed about our time in a grand suite. then i handed her a bag stuffed FULL of ducks and liquid IV packs for the trip. i also had gotten her a purple set of magnetic hooks so that she can have her own in the cabin (mine are green).

but back to the packing; i am happy to report that i am about 65% packed!! all the little stuff/more brain-taxing stuff, like toiletries, sun gear, travel cup, half my shoes (i think i am only bringing five pairs, guys!!) have all made their way into various bags. my duffel bag (which i will check in addition to my suitcase) is basically done, my carryon roller and personal bag are mostly done as well.

this is very good progress, even for my over-prepared self now my suitcases will stack (rather than laying butterflied open) in the hallway until i pull my clothes to put into packing cubes and nice outfits for dinner.

i am sooooo happy we are flying down the day before. planning to get almond milk and some chips at publix before we leave the next morning for the port.

t-minus 14 days!!

[SweetPea]

Ohhh, a trip report within a trip report! Loved the comparison!

Hoping for your Royal Up! The Grand Suite would be awesome!

After debarkation on 10/1 and sailing again 11/19 thanks to Batman, I'm seriously considering buying cruise stuff. Like cruise-only underwear, pajamas, face products etc. Packing is soooo overrated!!

[Ampurp85]

2 hours ago, SweetPea said:

Ohhh, a trip report within a trip report! Loved the comparison!

Hoping for your Royal Up! The Grand Suite world be awesome!

After debarkation on 10/1 and sailing again 11/19 thanks to Batman, I'm seriously considering buying cruise stuff. Like cruise-only underwear, pajamas, face products etc. Packing is soooo overrated!!

I have cruise stuff only and it saves me so much time and money. 

[OCSC Mike]

4 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

I have cruise stuff only and it saves me so much time and money. 

Did someone say saves money? That’s like a bat signal for the frugal community. I’ll bite. The saving time part seems obvious but how does having cruise-only stuff save money?

The only cruise-only stuff I have is either travel size or beach attire (which isn’t necessarily cruise-only but that’s the only time I go to the beach).

[Xaa]

I think money is saved because with dedicated cruise items, things are less likely to be forgotten or left behind resulting in buying them outside of normal channels and paying more.

 

[OCSC Mike]

5 minutes ago, Xaa said:

I think money is saved because with dedicated cruise items, things are less likely to be forgotten or left behind resulting in buying them outside of normal channels and paying more.

I've seen mentions of spreadsheet-based packing lists. I don't see these particular cruisers as forgetting stuff (except of course Batman).

[asquared17]

i mean, when you think about it… time IS money

i, too, have cruise-only gear. 

in that same vein, i even have a different packing list if it’s for cruising. 

chair clips, all my magnetic hooks, some of the sun gear, UK outlet adapters, ducks + cards, a specific purse that i use every night because it has a slot for my seapass card — all these go on that list. 

and i am… shall we say organized enough (for lack of a less nicer term) that i even keep said  gear in a separate storage bin under my bed. 

most of my travel stuff lives in four bins under my bed; toiletries, carryon, packing cubes/bags for clothes and shoes, and cruise gear. 

that way when i'm ready to pack, i just grab what i need from each bin and go. similarly, when i come home, i try to unpack IMMEDIATELY, and sort everything back into the bins where they belong. 

but that is why i have dedicated travel toiletries and certain things that stay in the bins when not traveling. this way i’m not scrambling to remember grabbing the items out of rotation from regular usage and then having to replace on the fly. 

[Ampurp85]

5 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

Did someone say saves money? That’s like a bat signal for the frugal community. I’ll bite. The saving time part seems obvious but how does having cruise-only stuff save money?

The only cruise-only stuff I have is either travel size or beach attire (which isn’t necessarily cruise-only but that’s the only time I go to the beach).

I actually buy my stuff in bulk and refill when necessary. So, I am saving money by not having to buy things at a higher price........but also time is money. The fuel/energy/time etc. spent trying to get things last minute can add up. 

[WAAAYTOOO]

2 hours ago, asquared17 said:

most of my travel stuff lives in four bins under my bed; toiletries, carryon, packing cubes/bags for clothes and shoes, and cruise gear. 

I think this is the key, TBH.  Certainly we have things that we only take on cruises....but the trick is to have those items that you do NOT want to forget, pre-packed and ready to go.  Things like charging cables and associated hardware, water shoes, chair clips, and so many other things....all saved together somewhere so that you can't forget them.  I mention the charging cables specifically b/c that seems to be one thing that can totally ruin a cruise for us if they are forgotten.  That's why I have exactly what I want and need permanently packed so that I cannot forget them.  They never leave the suitcase.  So, I have duplicates of all of those cords b/c the ones for the house stay at the house and the ones that go on trips, stay in the suitcases.  There are lots of things for which I have duplicates so that I don't have to think about what goes and what stays...they just stay packed and ready.

[asquared17]

UGH so many trips ruined without the right cable or adapter!!!!

[asquared17]

there are STILL four grand suites left.

we're almost a week out from sailing.

they want almost 13k for that cabin for double occupancy.

the suspense is KILLING ME.

[Lovetocruise2002]

2 hours ago, asquared17 said:

there are STILL four grand suites left.

we're almost a week out from sailing.

Oooh...that is looking promising! Fingers crossed!

[ScottD]

Finger crossed for that RU!!! 

[asquared17]

so something possessed me today to see if i had access to the safety video in the app — and lo and behold!! i did!!

no idea if it will still count at time for the muster station, but i watched the full video, the kid video, and the horn noise. 

…still waiting breathlessly for royal up news. 

y’all know how i am about unpacking. if we don’t hear until we board…. it’s going to kill me softly. 

in other news: prices dropped a bit today; now 10k for 2 pax in a GS. so maybe someone will grab it??

lastly, i also made reservations at our favorite shrimp taco place for saturday — it’s no la bamba (sorry @Lovetocruise2002!!) but we love it. i asked J if she wanted to go and she was ALL in. so we will have a nice dinner to look forward to.

[PPPJJ-GCVAB]

I believe you'll need to do the safety drills over again…sorry to say.  I think only on boarding day does the “completed” show up after each section is watched.  And that’s what registers and shows up when you get to the muster station and give them your room number.
I have also done this early on and that’s why I know.  Oh well…you’ll be doubly in tune with it for this cruise!   

[PPPJJ-GCVAB]

Sending good vibes for the Royal Up….

[ScottD]

7 hours ago, PPPJJ-GCVAB said:

I believe you'll need to do the safety drills over again…sorry to say.  I think only on boarding day does the “completed” show up after each section is watched.  And that’s what registers and shows up when you get to the muster station and give them your room number.
I have also done this early on and that’s why I know.  Oh well…you’ll be doubly in tune with it for this cruise!   

Yeah... I did the same thing, Watched it like 3 days ahead of time, but when I did it on board, noticed I got the little check boxes that said I completed it. 

[asquared17]

thank you @PPPJJ-GCVAB + @ScottD for the heads up. i had a feeling it was too good to be true especially when i did not see the check marks. that’s okay, it will give us something to do to really get in the mood of sailing. 

i’m trying to figure out when we should depart our hotel in FLL to uber to the port of miami on sunday morning. it’s such a tight window of time because of the fact that there will be SEVEN ships in port that morning and if you go too early, you sit in traffic with people disembarking. but if you come too late, you sit in traffic with people trying to get on. 

our check in window is at 11 but i don’t mind being there as early as 9:45-10…

is it crazy to shoot to leave our hotel by 8:45/9?? there could be traffic also. 

at least once we run through it this time, we will be set to go for february

 

in other news, not sure what you all are using for toiletry containers but after having trialed at least three different kinds in the past year, i’ve finally stumbled upon a winner. i use the clear squeeze pack looking ones that i got from amazon. can’t actually find the link to the grouping i bought, but here are some similar in case you are looking to try. 

HQLESHUI 18 Pieces 3 Sizes 30ml/50ml/100ml Travel Size Refillable Empty Squeeze Pouch, Stand Up Pouch for Toiletry, Lotion Shampoo Shower Gel Squeezable Bags, Leakproof Cosmetic Containers https://a.co/d/2VIIkHa

YASUOA 12 Pieces Travel Size Refillable Empty Squeeze Pouch, TSA Approved Stand Up Pouch for Toiletry, Lotion Shampoo Shower Gel Squeezable Bags, Leakproof Cosmetic Containers (30ml/50ml/100ml) https://a.co/d/fuODYZF

ASEVAT 3 oz/6 Pack Leak Proof Empty Squeeze Pouches, Refillable Travel Pouches for Toiletries Portable, Travel Fluid Makeup Packing Bag for Lotion Shampoo Face Cream Hand Soap https://a.co/d/eYLlc6d

 

the hardest part is getting them filled with a thicker goop — like lotion or my charcoal shampoo is not super viscous, and takes some finagling. 

but for the girl who, every gram and pound of weight in a bag LITERALLY counts these have been a life saver. 

and then when you get to the bottom, you just squeeze that stuff right out!! nothing wasted, and the caps (for me, anyway) keep everything sealed in. 

anyway that’s the news for today! 

i’ve been looking at the weather here at home next week, and it will be sunny but COLD.

tonight i'm going to knuckle down and pack my actual clothes (poor @Ampurp85 has been hearing me talk about this for over a week now ) so i can finally say my packing basically done.

[asquared17]

also, re: the squeezy packs — like most things with an “air tight” seal (think your travel coffee cups with lids, etc) — the trick is to keep the top flap/cap OPEN when you screw it on to the container. 

THEN and only then, do you flip the cap down. 

otherwise it creates an air pocket. 

i have learned this the hard way.

[Sweety]

I will be following since this ship is on my bucket list.

[PPPJJ-GCVAB]

@asquared17. Your time leaving the hotel looks a little early I think.  Unless you are like a half hour from the port!  I think leaving around 9:15-9:30 is more suitable.  If Oasis is at the regular Royal terminal you should be good.  Most of the other ships will be at the other terminals so hopefully the traffic for you won’t be so bad.

 We took Lyft when we cruised on Indy in November…and Indy just happened to be at the terminal typically used for another cruise line!  There was so much traffic between all the ships disembarking and embarking and our driver had a tough time getting over to the right to drop us off.

looking forward to your blog

 

[asquared17]

25 minutes ago, PPPJJ-GCVAB said:

Your time leaving the hotel looks a little early I think.  Unless you are like a half hour from the port!  I think leaving around 9:15-9:30 is more suitable.

i should have clarified — we are staying in FLL, but oasis is sailing out of miami

so we are probably 30-45 away from the port, i think??? we did this a few years back but i forget how long it took us to get there. 

[Ampurp85]

@asquared17 I think it was like 45min with traffic from FLL to Miami. So I would leave at least 8:45 to give you good time.

[asquared17]

okay gang. i'm FINALLY packed (minus a few things for my carry on, which i typically won't do until the morning of.) you should be proud; this is probably the most casual i've ever gone as far as outfitting for dinner goes. i fear my pre-dinner shots may not live up the typical expectation.

also... somehow, despite my best efforts... i fear my suitcase is entirely too heavy. i will have to see what i can move around/into the duffel but there isn't a TON of room and i still have to throw almond milk and chips inside once we hit up publix.

i have a collapsable tote that i may or may not bring with me (it always falls off my shoulders because the straps are slippery) but might be worth toting along to deal with the overflow.

i just keep telling myself that i won't be bringing certain things home so it'll be fine

but i'm embarrassed to show a picture of what my luggage looks like now it took me ENTIRELY too long to put everything together, but i told myself that's because i was listening to my favorite podcast (net positive by john crist) at the time.

also we are five days from sailing and it looks like a bunch of cabin categories just opened up. not sure if people backed out, or royal waited for the last second to see if they can get some takers to jump aboard, but these prices are not... the best, IMO. curious to know if we will be sailing at capacity and what percentage of these opening categories is because they've granted other people their royal up bids...

[staring into the void]

anyway!!

to my overpackers + my underpackers... how early do y'all get into the packing routine and what are your non-negotiables (if any)??

[Jax]

14 minutes ago, asquared17 said:

but i'm embarrassed to show a picture of what my luggage looks like now

If you show yours I’ll show mine in a couple weeks. Lol. 

[asquared17]

3 minutes ago, Jax said:

If you show yours I’ll show mine in a couple weeks. Lol. 

deal; but it'll have to wait until morning because it's too dark to get a proper look at the chaos

 

i should probably start taking under/over bets on suitcase weight, too...

[Jax]

23 minutes ago, asquared17 said:

i should probably start taking under/over bets on suitcase weight, too...

Haha funny you mention that. I planned on doing something similar.  

[ScottD]

I think your timing should be good. Not sure about now, but we got stuck in construction traffic going into the port of Miami, then the port itself was gridlock...we left at 11am from a hotel very close to the port and still didn't get on until after 1.  I have no idea if that construction is complete, but it made for a very stressful van ride from the hotel. And our driver almost got into a fist fight with another driver, it was a great start to the trip! 

[Lovetocruise2002]

10 hours ago, Jax said:

If you show yours I’ll show mine in a couple weeks. Lol. 

 

10 hours ago, asquared17 said:

deal; but it'll have to wait until morning because it's too dark to get a proper look at the chaos

Oh, I cannot wait to see this! 

[WAAAYTOOO]

5 hours ago, ScottD said:

I think your timing should be good. Not sure about now, but we got stuck in construction traffic going into the port of Miami, then the port itself was gridlock...we left at 11am from a hotel very close to the port and still didn't get on until after 1.  I have no idea if that construction is complete, but it made for a very stressful van ride from the hotel. And our driver almost got into a fist fight with another driver, it was a great start to the trip! 

We just made the Miami trek on Monday....it's an absolute nightmare.  I wish I had NO cruises leaving from PoM.  I really hate driving down there.  It is now our very LAST choice for any FL departure port.  From the looks of things, there is -0- chance they will ever complete that I395 (what a joke !) construction.  EVER.  The access to the port Terminals is a nightmare matrix.  I still haven't really discovered a "good" way to get around down there.  If you are departing from TG, they make you run the gauntlet of EVERY other terminal (sans Virgin) before you get to TG.  Once there, things are a bit better but there's still nowhere to wait outside and if you don't get there early you will regret it (if you are driving/parking).

[asquared17]

58 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Oh, I cannot wait to see this! 

well, as promised…. sorry for the awkward cropping of the pics — the one sweep of clothes over the banister with dry cleaners plastic are my “hanging clothes” or dresses that tend to wrinkle etc. 

i will put them in the suitcase last, on friday night before i close the suitcase up and carry it downstairs.

how’d i do, @Jax??

[asquared17]

23 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

We just made the Miami trek on Monday....it's an absolute nightmare.  I wish I had NO cruises leaving from PoM.  EVER.  The access to the port Terminals is a nightmare matrix

ughhhhh yes i remember this. because there’s that tunnel it’s like one way in/out and the getting to the terminals is such a journey. 

i think that’s why we were going to head over so early; because i was concerned we’d just sit there forever. 

[asquared17]

the way they faked me out with this email!!!

i thought it was my royal up bid  

[Lovetocruise2002]

24 minutes ago, asquared17 said:

how’d i do, @Jax??

You have a lot of stuff, but I feel like @Jax might win with "ridiculous amount of luggage" bet lol

[asquared17]

10 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

You have a lot of stuff, but I feel like @Jax might win with "ridiculous amount of luggage" bet lol

well… i am seriously considering 86’ing the black duffel and swapping it out for my medium suitcase instead… 

this would bring self assist to a new level of navigational and maneuverability hell, i think. but it might be easier on the long run