DocLC Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 A few weeks ago, I posted my Top 5 for the Jewel of the Seas after hearing Matt's podcast episode regarding the same for the Enchanment and previously for the Freedom. On this week's podcast episode, a listener stated that s/he would like to hear more Top 5s, so it got me wondering what all of your Top 5s are for your favorite ship. Below is what I wrote regarding the Jewel. What are your Top 5sand for what ship? ****************************************************************************************** Inspired by today's podcast episode (Episode 77 - Top 5: Enchantment of the Seas), I thought I'd take a stab at my top 5 for the Jewel of the Seas. 5. The View - excellent views are to be had from just about everywhere. An added treat comes from the center bank of elevators that offer a sea view. 4. The Eclectic Art Collection - each deck has an interesting theme as do each of the stairwells. We went for walks every night after dinner and had a fun time strolling the decks looking at the various art that range from neon sculptures, pictures of dogs, animations, photography, etc. 3. The Windjammer for Dinner - the Windjammer really impressed us for dinner with grilled to order fish, chicken, steaks, and burgers along with a variety of accompaniments (e.g., black peppercorn sauce). In addition, they had a nightly action cooking station where you could get the themed entrée cooked to order which varied from night to night and included things like fajitas and quesadillas to pasta dishes. 2. The Sea View Café - every ship should have one of these and in my opinion it should be open 24 hours per day. While the food wasn't phenomenal, it was very good and fresh as it was cooked to order. For an indulgent snack, the chicken finger/chicken wing/fries plate was great. And while the Rubens were good, we fell in love with the Cubans. My son was also a fan of the vegetarian sandwich after leaving Adventure Ocean at night. 2a. The Water Slide - since the Sea View Café is going away with the Jewel's refurb, I'll add the water slide as the Radiance class is the only class in the fleet that offers a water slide. While it doesn't compare to those offered on Carnival, Disney, or NCL, it is still a nice addition overall. 1. The Cinema - my wife and I enjoyed several movies here. The cinema spanned two decks, had stadium-style seating, and had a relatively large screen. It was our go-to form of entertainment in the evenings as there were a lot of good movies being shown that we hadn't seen. markinct, lildawgscottFL and Matt 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteSoxFan Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 I don't even know that I can pick a favorite ship. I can, however, give my top 5 for the Voyager/Freedom class of ships. 5 - The seating at the very back of the Windjammer. One of my favorite things to do is eat breakfast or lunch at the tables along the glass at the back of the Windjammer. I love just watching the wake as we sail along. We also got to watch one of the Disney ships dock at Costa Maya from this vantage point. 4 - The deck 5 outside promenade & helicopter pad. We like to take a stroll around this area in the evening after dinner. This is a great feature on several RC ships. It's nice that you can walk around the ship outside on a lower deck. While you can do this up on the top deck, deck 5 isn't usually as windy as the upper deck can be. It is especially cool where the walkway passes the dining rooms and extends beyond the sides of the ship over the water. 3 - The Art. I can say this about any RC ship, however. I like how each Voyager class ship has a different sculpture in the open stair area at the end of the promenade. 2 - Unique balcony cabins on the cheap. We have sailed in the deck 7 corner aft on the Freedom and the deck 10 corner aft on the Mariner. The deck 7 corner aft features an OUTSTANDING balcony which I think is actually larger than the cabin. The great thing it is a standard E1 so you don't have to pay extra for it. The deck 10 corner aft has a nice balcony but a considerably larger room for a D1 price. If you want either you better book early. 1 - The Promenade. RC had a great idea when they put this large open area right in the middle of the ship. There is a lot going on in this space with shops, food & bars. I love stopping for a quick bite at Sorrento's or the Cafe Promenade. I guess I'll have to throw together my list for the Allure next. Matt, lildawgscottFL, markinct and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lildawgscottFL Posted November 18, 2015 Report Share Posted November 18, 2015 That's so funny. :lol: I was just thinking that this would make a great topic! I almost created it, but then I decided to search instead. And, of course, Doc is on top of things! B) But why didn't this take off? I think this would provide such useful information. Oh well. :( I guess I'll take a stab at it too. (I had not intended on this becoming an novel. Sorry.)As I've said many times before, I have to hand it to the Oasis Of The Seas. As I've also said before, it's hard for me to put my finger on the "it" factor, but the Oasis definitely has "it" in a BIG way! So in defining "it," I have to find the more subtle, more overlooked features that added color and richness to my experience. After all, every ship has a Windjammer. I love the Windjammer, but it doesn't separate one ship from another for me (though I do find myself enjoying it more each time I cruise). And that's not meant as a knock against anyone. It's just not THE quintessential "favorite ship" thing for me. Which brings me to my first IT factor item... The Chef's Table (scroll down to see my photos and videos) - Other ships now have The Chef's Table experience too, but from what I've seen so far, none have it quite like the Oasis does. Matt, as always, is on top of things and has a great blog about it here (with some help from Marc Schwartz): http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2014/05/19/guest-review-chefs-table-oasis-of-the-seas. (The pictures blow mine away! Of course, back then I had no idea I'd one day be sharing them with you all. Also, check out this video from Royal: )The memories created that night are still vivid in my mind. Additionally, we met our UK friends Kerry and Mike that night, and have remained friends since. We're actually all cruising together on the Navigator in April of 2017. (We also met our Canadian friends Damian and Barb, through Kerry and Mike, at the On Air Club, where we all spent many nights carrying on like youngsters! We've since hung out three times with Damian and Barb at Biketoberfest in Daytona. If not for The Chef's Table, we never would have met such great folks!) And, as is usually the case with Royal, the crew helped make the night! Such amazing service - caring, attentive, and yet unobtrusive. Though, at times, the crew became part of the show and they were wonderful! The Broadway show is also not THE quintessential "favorite ship" thing for me. We saw Hairspray twice while on board. We love Broadway shows. But, even with as fabulous as the performances were, they still weren't THE factor. Though, I will say that the Broadway shows do help me draw a line in the sand between ships that have them and ships that do not. Which brings me to my second IT factor item... Classical Musicians - Much like the new elevator piano guy on Anthem, these musicians would show up at different places and different times throughout the cruise, and, whenever we could, we'd hunt them down just to catch a few moments of their stellar performances. I've never seen anything like them before or since. Again, it's not something that would headline anyone's description of the Oasis - it's a subtle thing that adds depth and makes memories. I remember being in Central Park, wine in hand, sitting next to my Queen, and just listening to these two. A wonderful moment in time! https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B41VaJKWq_l0UWwtMEVUaHU5ZzA/view?usp=sharing Now when I say that the Broadway show is not THE thing, I do not want to give the impression that the performers were anything less than top-notch. Hairspray was fantastic! But that's actually not where they made memories for us. The performers were far more involved with the guests than any others I've witnessed. We actually went on an excursion with the troupe! Admittedly, that was total luck. They sang on the bus ride. Their energy was contagious. It took an otherwise disappointing excursion and made it memorable. Which brings me to my third IT factor item... The Performers - Two things stand out for me when it comes to the performers: a not-well-advertised and not-well-attended event in the Viking Crown Lounge, and the 70s Dance Party!We were extremely fortunate to have Jim Bullock ("Monroe" from "Too Close For Comfort") starring in the role of "Edna" in Hairspray. Bullock and his co-star Nancy Hill (she starred as "Tracy Turnblad") performed in the Viking Crown lounge to a very small audience, late one afternoon. It was an informal, dressed-down event, that simply showcased the singing. They also hosted a behind-the-scenes event, which was lots of fun. Here's The Queen with Jim and Nancy: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h2sjWp-kKNkVPC01fe76kM6QDW9pXTMTKw/view?usp=sharing.The 70s Dance Party was electric! It completely blew away what we saw on Freedom. The performers, again, are to credit. On Freedom, it was a spectacle. On Oasis, it was immersive! Here are some videos of The Queen, Kerry, Barb, and Mike dancing with the performers. Check it out...https://drive.google.com/file/d/11x2TlgWCGLDuevPCygyydj0wO7P-6rbnQw/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/18TNvGU_-H1_GYJ-TqnD8-GLKhmPhoyoDpg/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1W0oPaXdaKveec4yGbSheGg2BrTJ_TSeXDQ/view?usp=sharing Okay, so this one won't be so subtle. My fourth IT factor item...THE SHIP ITSELF!!!! WOW INDEED!!! The Oasis Of The Seas - Groundbreaking! Awe-inspiring! Revolutionary! Innovative! There are just not enough adjectives to accurately describe what the Oasis brought to the world compared to what came before it.The neighborhoods! Of which Central Park is my favorite.The dining! Of course The Chef's Table tops my list here, but also Giovanni's Table. Giovanni's Table was so far beyond what it was on Freedom. Of course, some of that credit probably is due to its location in Central Park.The activities! A zip line at sea!? Wow!The entertainment! A diving show at sea!?!? I saw it, but I still don't believe it's possible! And a comedy club!? That's fantastic!The Royal Promenade! The Globe & Atlas Pub was so much fun (especially with our new British friends). Boleros was total excitement.The Solarium! Ahhhhhh......relaxation......!! I can almost still feel it.And who can forget the art!? The Small Wonders was one of The Queen's favorite little things to do each day. (http://www.royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com/video/32/the-wonder-of-oasis-an-art-gallery-at-sea/)I could go on and on, but an Oasis class ship is something to be experienced, not described. Which is why we'll be on the Harmony as soon as humanly possible! And finally, my top reason why the Oasis Of The Seas is my favorite ship, and will likely always be. An IT factor to end all IT factors... The Joy It Brought To My Queen - It had been a while since my wife and I were on vacation. In the years leading up to our Oasis cruise, we had a lot of challenges. Things that tested us as individuals, and as a couple. After 22 years together that's bound to happen, you know? So when it was finally time to get away and leave that past behind us, my wife was overtaken with joy. Her response upon entering the Oasis Of The Seas will live with me forever, and it's why we'll never stop cruising (and probably never try another cruise line).https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B41VaJKWq_l0WHZwazZWSHV3T0E/view?usp=sharing The Chef's Table Photos and Videoshttps://drive.google.com/file/d/0B41VaJKWq_l0S1B0UC1DeVdTLVk/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/0B41VaJKWq_l0TC1zTXRvNkswbTg/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1sWS59CrKWUFmf9jRQ_DcxJb75BqzDQpBPQ/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1leaZXiA90OPZX2LD-ZAo2ifnO9AFLviAlA/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/187F1IfYMNKw_k2QgrPG0YETRIBQbfloHGQ/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZkinqP_F4uoOTIh2gzkFKCoOF24j3ekwdg/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1iQcz6vCJwxyfcW8q1LqSuLo-Jp3K-gPE-g/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1WmEfrRivRZzEm4Yj4Wh1Q6b0iKrd3_UMRw/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1ukx9E1_H44dkNH5kqPiwWa2xN7YP4gTdag/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1lTc6p6OknSZdtIPHSzh4qkwCSC9GIQwIuw/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1xaTRk1On_Kn_vFfmm_GSHGutIJcaHFlzgA/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1SVRU-1GC76eDGxJw2_2D4QehjPyawrfBLA/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1re6VLn2rnfMHxNvr977d5dRLOP7pxKiLHw/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/11FnJ6jHLyWvxAzMXp4-Cj1wQfmQXqKoWIw/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/13_LjGQuaOCYtsKaecLpQj_0fjpVvS-r7cw/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/198iMLun1eLM5_msxCUm88JDGZ9sp-1ltxw/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1aRkSMMOhuS-bOmR1Mzcp6IZZlsP5kZBVZw/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/102q-ogZO9nZJnv03bX36Pn_pdKLfXsCsxQ/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1mhXGLm5oVubMF_WmBCtxfjmwhZbLUuVPFw/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1gVvmZF0XM8XWipzIfXrF-Up_YhE7QCy7xA/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1hWjKDtDOKJpL5bHeaQUFQsrlNqwgawGQUg/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1whO2-RDJcgZQeQVa1z8epUCm5WiJ2tWP6Q/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/131el24ieFmDOqbNvZxb1GJmMUfKm9k1Lww/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1MglxBXYAfZvlHTdnFRLlnz5f0zLCGDbRvw/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1b9WJT0CAyjPql4d_BckIseG51IKzGkvT0Q/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1yLbxMwoueCLGzUvG2lTwt37c0ctsnv3nCA/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1BA8HNwFhzESgyZaVfdWAdfgxh0AROSkH9Q/view?usp=sharing DocLC and Matt 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 Can Sabor be #1-5? lildawgscottFL, michelle and Galveston Steve 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michelle Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 Anthem of the Seas - 1) Two70 2) Ifly 3) Bumper Cars and Sportsplex 4) Art Work on ship - just so cool 5) Vintages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted November 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 Can Sabor be #1-5? Where would that leave Izumi or R Bar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lildawgscottFL Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Don't anyone dare touch my R Bar! ;) DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGSLC5 Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Quantum of the seas #1 270 its an awesome space with great entertainment and relaxation #2 Seaplex it is just so much fun in there #3 Solarium is beautifully done on quantum class and I loved it #4 Windjammer- Best windjammer on any Royal ship with the most options #5 I really like dynamic dining Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatMe Posted November 21, 2015 Report Share Posted November 21, 2015 Great topic! 5) our cabin balcony! 4) deck four outide promenade on voyager & freedom class. Love standing by the railing so close to the sea! 3) (hat tip to whiteSox) rear facing table in the windjammer for breakfast and lunch. 2) Traditional MDR dinner. We really enjoy hearing about our new friends day. We always choose a large table so we meet new people. 1) our cabin's balcony Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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