Oasis of the seas

[Danielmills13]

Hi all,

 

I have been lurking in this forum for about 6 months now and have asked a fair few questions :)

My wife and i have finally decided to choose the oasis of the seas on our final US road trip on nov 5th on the western cruise. 

We would like the balcony rooms, my preference was a central park view but that seems to now have gone and the ocean or broadwalk views are left, is the broadwalk balcony a good choice or do most of you prefer the ocean view? 

On the itinerary it states times your stopping at the islands, when it says 8-6pm what time are we expected to board the ship in this instance? Also if the ship sails from its initial port in Canaveral at 4.30pm what is a good time to get there prior to this?

do i need to book shows prior? Were also not big drinkers, i dont drink at all and the wife has the odd glass of wine, i believe in our deal we get $200 free spend if we used this for drinks only would we be ok for 7 nights or should we still look at a drinks package?

best places to eat?

were going to Haiti ,Cozumel and falmouth, is there anything in-particular we should look to do at these stops? we enjoy scenery and walking etc dont mind not just sitting on the beach.

Im sure there questions ive forgotten to ask and really appreciate any input as this is our first cruise.

 

many thanks 

 

Dan 

 

 

 

[MikeK]

  Congratulations on your choice of ship.  All the Oasis class ships are a wonder.  Choosing your room is a matter of preference on the type of view you want and what you can afford.  We prefer the ocean views.  Central Park and Boardwalk rooms seems like your just staring into another balcony room the whole time.  Ordering a pot of coffee in the morning and looking out over the water is truly one of the highlights of a cruise to me.  

 I would suggest getting to the port as early as possible.  We usually arrive 1030-1100am to check in.  You will want as much time as possible to explore the ship as it is large and will take some time to get to know it.  We have been on enough cruises and done about all the excursions so we like to just walk around and shop.  You will get a news letter type paper delivered to your room every evening that tells you the next days activities.  It will tell you what time to be back to the ship to board on port days.  DO NOT be late.   The ship will leave without you unless you are on a RC excursion.

If you like the shows you need to get reservations ASAP.  The cruise planner section on the RC web page under My Cruises will tell you what shows require reservations.  You will want to plan those show times around your dining times. 

If the only thing your drink is an occasional glass of wine the alcohol drink package would not be for you.  If you like special coffee or like soft drinks you might want to look  at the other  drink packages but you would still need to drink a fair amount of soft drinks to make it worth it.

We prefer the main dining room for eating.  My wife likes Italian food so we usually eat at Giovannis one time a cruise.

Since we live in Florida laying out on the beach is not for us.  Some of the other nice cruisers on here can tell you good beaches to go to

First time cruisers.....make sure you have the correct paperwork when checking in or they will not let you on the ship

The Oasis is an amazing ship.  Relax and have a good time.....I know you will

[RestingBird]

Great questions!  I might be able to give an answer for one or two.

I've never been on Oasis, but my wife and I wouldn't book a room without being able to see the ocean.  However, many people on this site love the boardwalk and central park rooms.  What's important to you in a view?

For a 6pm leave time I'd say no later than 5:30 to be back onboard, someone else might have a better answer.  Get to Port Canaveral as early as you can.  Boarding starts around 10:30/11.

Sounds like the drink pkg wouldn't be good for you.  There are a few articles on this site that might help.  $200 would probably be enough, but you can use that $200 for excursions, specialty dining, any purchases onboard.

Other cruisers suggest booking shows beforehand.

In Falmouth we really enjoyed Dunn's River Falls.

Have fun!

[whitsmom]

We had oceanview balcony (July 2017) and our daughter had central park balcony.  I vote (Hands down) for Ocean.  I loved the peacefulness of the ocean and they getting to watch as we pull into ports.  There was no comparison in my view between the two....Ocean all the way!

[Matt]

5 hours ago, Danielmills13 said:

Also if the ship sails from its initial port in Canaveral at 4.30pm what is a good time to get there prior to this?

I'd advise getting there around 11am to beat the crowds

[Danielmills13]

4 hours ago, MikeK said:

  Congratulations on your choice of ship.  All the Oasis class ships are a wonder.  Choosing your room is a matter of preference on the type of view you want and what you can afford.  We prefer the ocean views.  Central Park and Boardwalk rooms seems like your just staring into another balcony room the whole time.  Ordering a pot of coffee in the morning and looking out over the water is truly one of the highlights of a cruise to me.  

 I would suggest getting to the port as early as possible.  We usually arrive 1030-1100am to check in.  You will want as much time as possible to explore the ship as it is large and will take some time to get to know it.  We have been on enough cruises and done about all the excursions so we like to just walk around and shop.  You will get a news letter type paper delivered to your room every evening that tells you the next days activities.  It will tell you what time to be back to the ship to board on port days.  DO NOT be late.   The ship will leave without you unless you are on a RC excursion.

If you like the shows you need to get reservations ASAP.  The cruise planner section on the RC web page under My Cruises will tell you what shows require reservations.  You will want to plan those show times around your dining times. 

If the only thing your drink is an occasional glass of wine the alcohol drink package would not be for you.  If you like special coffee or like soft drinks you might want to look  at the other  drink packages but you would still need to drink a fair amount of soft drinks to make it worth it.

We prefer the main dining room for eating.  My wife likes Italian food so we usually eat at Giovannis one time a cruise.

Since we live in Florida laying out on the beach is not for us.  Some of the other nice cruisers on here can tell you good beaches to go to

First time cruisers.....make sure you have the correct paperwork when checking in or they will not let you on the ship

The Oasis is an amazing ship.  Relax and have a good time.....I know you will

Thank you very much for your input.

[Danielmills13]

4 hours ago, RestingBirds said:

Great questions!  I might be able to give an answer for one or two.

I've never been on Oasis, but my wife and I wouldn't book a room without being able to see the ocean.  However, many people on this site love the boardwalk and central park rooms.  What's important to you in a view?

For a 6pm leave time I'd say no later than 5:30 to be back onboard, someone else might have a better answer.  Get to Port Canaveral as early as you can.  Boarding starts around 10:30/11.

Sounds like the drink pkg wouldn't be good for you.  There are a few articles on this site that might help.  $200 would probably be enough, but you can use that $200 for excursions, specialty dining, any purchases onboard.

Other cruisers suggest booking shows beforehand.

In Falmouth we really enjoyed Dunn's River Falls.

Have fun!

Thank you 

[tonyfsu21]

4 hours ago, Matt said:

I'd advise getting there around 11am to beat the crowds

PS: don't be fooled by the standard issue email the week prior to your sailing advising you to show up to the port at a designated time slot. Just disregard it and start heading to the Port to arrive @ 11. RCs attempt at crowd control....

[fonemanbob]

We loved the ocean view room on Oasis.  Like others have stated it beats looking at balcony"s.  Its very hypnotic and relaxing.  Also you are allowed to bring 2 bottles of wine on board per room to consume in your room or drink a glass at the pool.   Oasis has lots to do on board.  Definitely book your shows as soon as possible. Take advantage of the BOGO special for 2 specialty restaurants for $20.  It ends today.  You cant beat getting 2 dinners at Giovanni"s for less than the price of one dinner.. Only draw back with that special is you have dine there the first 2 nights.  Get on board early and go straight to the main dining room and check on your specialty restaurant reservations and where your table is located as well.  In Jamaica I would do Dunn"s River Falls. In Cozumel I would highly recommend Mr. Sancho"s all inclusive beach club. Check out the reviews on trip adviser and cruise critic.   It is $55 per person for all you can eat and beverages and beach amenities. Check out there web page mrsanchos.com.

[Danielmills13]

15 minutes ago, fonemanbob said:

We loved the ocean view room on Oasis.  Like others have stated it beats looking at balcony"s.  Its very hypnotic and relaxing.  Also you are allowed to bring 2 bottles of wine on board per room to consume in your room or drink a glass at the pool.   Oasis has lots to do on board.  Definitely book your shows as soon as possible. Take advantage of the BOGO special for 2 specialty restaurants for $20.  It ends today.  You cant beat getting 2 dinners at Giovanni"s for less than the price of one dinner.. Only draw back with that special is you have dine there the first 2 nights.  Get on board early and go straight to the main dining room and check on your specialty restaurant reservations and where your table is located as well.  In Jamaica I would do Dunn"s River Falls. In Cozumel I would highly recommend Mr. Sancho"s all inclusive beach club. Check out the reviews on trip adviser and cruise critic.   It is $55 per person for all you can eat and beverages and beach amenities. Check out there web page mrsanchos.com.

thank you that's a great help

[WAAAYTOOO]

I guess I will take the dissenting side of this argument and speak up for the virtues of the inside balcony.  

When we first started cruising on the Oasis class we enjoyed the Boardwalk balconies very much.  On Oasis and Allure the Boardwalk balconies, in particular, were an excellent value, IMO b/c you can still see the ocean if you are far enough aft.  It certainly is NOT what I would call an "ocean view" but you CAN see the ocean (not so much on Harmony with that awful slide thing smack dab in the middle of the Boardwalk).

BUT the true charm of the Boardwalk balconies is being able to watch all of the hustle and bustle down below on the Boardwalk.  I loved watching the kids on the carousel and people eating and drinking AND of course, there are always the activities associated with the Aqua Theater.

I guess I'm just not that worried about people trying to peek into my room from across the ship.  I never felt like people could "see in" or were invading my privacy in any way.  Is there ambient noise on the Boardwalk ?  Yes, at times.  Did it bother me at night ?  Never.

I will admit that I have never stayed in a Central Park balcony room but I have never really heard too many complaints.  You will have similar views other than the ocean.  You canNOT see the ocean at all in a CPB.  ...but you have the serenity of Central Park below.  I have heard people complain that it sometimes gets hot in the Central Park areas b/c there isn't as much air movement and I have heard that the noise on the pool decks can be an annoyance but I can't imagine that it's any worse than the loud speakers from the Aqua Theater !

So...I would consider an inside balcony if the price was right and especially for "extra" younger family members if you're looking for a less expensive option for the kids (say, across the hall from the gr'ups in an OV balcony).

[Buzzard05]

We just got off Harmony a couple weeks ago and we had two rooms booked for my wife and I and two teenage sons.  My wife and I were in an oceanview balcony at the rear of the ship on Deck 12 (12326) and the view from that balcony is just as everyone as described.  It is very peaceful, you can see the islands as you come and go, and you don't have anybody peering across at you.

My sons were in the last boardwalk balcony room on Deck 12 (12329) and I have to say I thought the views were spectacular out the back of the ship. I can see where the views would be "better" without the Abyss slide structure...but still an awesome view nonetheless (IF you are in one of the last few rooms, I am not sure it would be as great in the middle of that deck).  That room was very close to the Aqua Theatre and the noise was not bad at all in there (even when they had shows going on).  I also found it cool to watch the aqua shows from that vantage point (looking down) as you can see a lot of the stuff going on underwater that you can't see from the regular seats.  And of course, it was always fun just to people watch down on the Boardwalk. I will say that when I would sit on their balcony, having people directly across from me on those balconies was a little bothersome (it is closer across there than you think).

As for activities in the ports, we have been to Cozumel twice.  The first time we did the speedboat / snorkel excursion (where you drive your own little mini-speedboat out to a place and then snorkel for a bit) and it was a lot of fun.  This last time we did the ATV tour to Jade Caverns and it was also a good time.  We picked those excursions more for our sons than for us....but we had a blast on both as well.  In Falmouth we booked a day pass to the Royalton White Sands resort from a local excursion company.  We really enjoyed that place as well.  It was all-inclusive and you had full run of the place.  The food was good...as were the drinks.  We chose the Royalton due to it's location...it is only about 10 minutes from the port, where the other all-inclusives were 30 - 45 minutes away.

I would book the shows as soon as you are able, that way you know that you are pretty much assured to have a seat (assuming you arrive on time).  We saw some pretty long lines for people wanting to get into a show that didn't have a reservation.  I have no idea how many of those people got into the shows or not.  You can always change it up a bit once you get on board (you may not get a reservation, but you can go stand in the stand by line to try to see a show at a different time than you have scheduled.  Also, not sure if Oasis has the Escape Room...but if they do, you should give it a try.  It was a lot of fun!

As for the drink package, it doesn't sound to me like you would get your "money's worth".  I got the Refreshment Package for myself as I drink a ton of soda, but also like to get an occasional coffee drink (not from Starbucks) and that worked well for me.  I would get a drink/beer or two each day and my OBC covered it.  On about day four or five they offered a 10 drink card for $79.00 ($93.00 with the 18% gratuity) and found that to be a decent deal.  What is nice about the drink card is that you can share it with your wife (meaning you both can use it to get drinks, unlike the drink package).

Hope that info helps you a bit.  Have a GREAT time on your cruise!

[Danielmills13]

19 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I guess I will take the dissenting side of this argument and speak up for the virtues of the inside balcony.  

When we first started cruising on the Oasis class we enjoyed the Boardwalk balconies very much.  On Oasis and Allure the Boardwalk balconies, in particular, were an excellent value, IMO b/c you can still see the ocean if you are far enough aft.  It certainly is NOT what I would call an "ocean view" but you CAN see the ocean (not so much on Harmony with that awful slide thing smack dab in the middle of the Boardwalk).

BUT the true charm of the Boardwalk balconies is being able to watch all of the hustle and bustle down below on the Boardwalk.  I loved watching the kids on the carousel and people eating and drinking AND of course, there are always the activities associated with the Aqua Theater.

I guess I'm just not that worried about people trying to peek into my room from across the ship.  I never felt like people could "see in" or were invading my privacy in any way.  Is there ambient noise on the Boardwalk ?  Yes, at times.  Did it bother me at night ?  Never.

I will admit that I have never stayed in a Central Park balcony room but I have never really heard too many complaints.  You will have similar views other than the ocean.  You canNOT see the ocean at all in a CPB.  ...but you have the serenity of Central Park below.  I have heard people complain that it sometimes gets hot in the Central Park areas b/c there isn't as much air movement and I have heard that the noise on the pool decks can be an annoyance but I can't imagine that it's any worse than the loud speakers from the Aqua Theater !

So...I would consider an inside balcony if the price was right and especially for "extra" younger family members if you're looking for a less expensive option for the kids (say, across the hall from the gr'ups in an OV balcony).

Thank you for your input 

[Danielmills13]

4 hours ago, Buzzard05 said:

We just got off Harmony a couple weeks ago and we had two rooms booked for my wife and I and two teenage sons.  My wife and I were in an oceanview balcony at the rear of the ship on Deck 12 (12326) and the view from that balcony is just as everyone as described.  It is very peaceful, you can see the islands as you come and go, and you don't have anybody peering across at you.

My sons were in the last boardwalk balcony room on Deck 12 (12329) and I have to say I thought the views were spectacular out the back of the ship. I can see where the views would be "better" without the Abyss slide structure...but still an awesome view nonetheless (IF you are in one of the last few rooms, I am not sure it would be as great in the middle of that deck).  That room was very close to the Aqua Theatre and the noise was not bad at all in there (even when they had shows going on).  I also found it cool to watch the aqua shows from that vantage point (looking down) as you can see a lot of the stuff going on underwater that you can't see from the regular seats.  And of course, it was always fun just to people watch down on the Boardwalk. I will say that when I would sit on their balcony, having people directly across from me on those balconies was a little bothersome (it is closer across there than you think).

As for activities in the ports, we have been to Cozumel twice.  The first time we did the speedboat / snorkel excursion (where you drive your own little mini-speedboat out to a place and then snorkel for a bit) and it was a lot of fun.  This last time we did the ATV tour to Jade Caverns and it was also a good time.  We picked those excursions more for our sons than for us....but we had a blast on both as well.  In Falmouth we booked a day pass to the Royalton White Sands resort from a local excursion company.  We really enjoyed that place as well.  It was all-inclusive and you had full run of the place.  The food was good...as were the drinks.  We chose the Royalton due to it's location...it is only about 10 minutes from the port, where the other all-inclusives were 30 - 45 minutes away.

I would book the shows as soon as you are able, that way you know that you are pretty much assured to have a seat (assuming you arrive on time).  We saw some pretty long lines for people wanting to get into a show that didn't have a reservation.  I have no idea how many of those people got into the shows or not.  You can always change it up a bit once you get on board (you may not get a reservation, but you can go stand in the stand by line to try to see a show at a different time than you have scheduled.  Also, not sure if Oasis has the Escape Room...but if they do, you should give it a try.  It was a lot of fun!

As for the drink package, it doesn't sound to me like you would get your "money's worth".  I got the Refreshment Package for myself as I drink a ton of soda, but also like to get an occasional coffee drink (not from Starbucks) and that worked well for me.  I would get a drink/beer or two each day and my OBC covered it.  On about day four or five they offered a 10 drink card for $79.00 ($93.00 with the 18% gratuity) and found that to be a decent deal.  What is nice about the drink card is that you can share it with your wife (meaning you both can use it to get drinks, unlike the drink package).

Hope that info helps you a bit.  Have a GREAT time on your cruise!

Thank you very much for your advice.