If not for RCL's horrible accounting, would have been perfect!

Oasis of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern

Cruises: 7+ cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 63

Overall rating:

3 out of 5
Oasis of the Seas

7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)

Sail date: November 14, 2015

Ship: Oasis of the Seas

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 10698

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 8 years ago

Review summary

Oasis of the seas, who could not love this vessel?  Well, there were quite a few curmudgeons I ran into that complained it was too large, which baffles me.  If you don't want a large ship, chose another vessel.  If you want a ship that has endless possibilities for entertainment, dining, and fun, this is definitely the class to sail.  The only negative I can say about this vessel's size is I met some fantastic people throughout the cruise that I never saw again, but this can happen even with only 2000 guests on a ship.

 

Entertainment:  By far RCCL's strength.  The non Broadway shows were amazing and I was truly moved by the productions.  Cats was a bore and I slept through it.  The cast was stellar but this show has run its course.  I'm not the only one who feels this way if you read other reviews.  The aqua show had a new cast that was a little rocky, but it was still beyond impressive.  The absolute party on solarium deck was exceptional.

 

Dining:  The mass feeders use lower cost ingredients (GFS garbage) and finding a decent meal can be a bit of a challenge.  However, the specialty dining is well worth the extra money.  Izumi, Sorrento, Chops, Sabor, and the like were all great.  Sabor is an incredible deal and two can share the combo meal easily.  Drinks on board were poured well, albeit slow at times at the bars on the pool deck.  Nearer closing time even if there is a line, some bartenders still clean instead of serving drinks to reduce lines.  Beverage packages are well worth the money.

 

Crowds:  NEVER an issue on Oasis aside from muster and when shows get out, but that is normal.  Getting on and off the ship was effortless and RCCL is to be commended for doing their homework here.

 

Accommodations:  I selected an outside balcony and the room was compact but very well appointed.  She's starting to show her age in some of the drawers as there were spills and wear but nothing horrible.  The shower was amazing, incredible pressure, thank you for no curtains!  Only got one towel animal but that's ok.  Room was quiet and well insulated from noise.  I was in room 10698.

 

Staff:  Most staff were very nice.  This is not a glamorous job and I know that they are not paid well, work long hours, and deal with rude guests and foreign tourists so the lack of morale was noticeable but I completely understand.

 

Internet:  Voom is great!  If using location based apps, because of the nature of the service, your location will not be very accurate at times.  Well worth the expense.

 

Please don't get me wrong, I loved this cruise, it was my first time on RCCL and if for one situation on the ship, I would be a die hard RCCL cruiser (NCL is my previous line of choice).  Their accounting and guest relations/front desk practices and procedures are deplorable.  I used gift cards to pay for my on board expenses (and subsequently cash).  I spent over 4 hours dealing with them and waiting in lines.  I was cut off from room service twice because my account was deactivated.  Missed tours because of this and finally was not let off the boat at the end.  I clearly explained that I was using three $500 gift cards for my expenses and cash for any extras.  I know how gift card authorizations work and spent extra time making sure this wouldn't happen.  They over authorized on all three cards and everything is still a mess nearly a month later.  I ended up paying cash to not have issues the morning of departure including spending 45 minuted the night before making sure my account was settled.  On departure, I was denied departure and had to go in line again, delaying tours and completely ruining my opinion of this line.  Maybe I will overlook this when I book my next cruise, but still very upset about the continued headaches they provided.  I have used gift cards on other lines and have NEVER had a problem.  I would rate the line and the ship experience 10 star had this debacle not happened.

 

One more note, on St. Thomas, I did a 5 hour nature hike, kayak, and snorkel with USVI eco tours.  This was stellar.  Not a ship sanctioned tour, but it was absolutely phenomenal and I HIGHLY recommend it.  I am 36 and did the Orient beach in St. Martin and if you're older you may enjoy it, but please note that younger people do not go here any more.  The median age was probably 55 and it looked like a nursing home with no clothing!  The non nude area was OK, but again, much much older than I expected.  Next time I'll pick another spot!

 

Hope this helps!

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Children's Programs

n/a

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5
Excellent cabin

Ship tip

Beverage package well worth it. If using gift cards for expenses, choose another line, RCCL doesn't know how to properly use these.

Ports of call

Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida

5 out of 5

Nassau, Bahamas

5 out of 5

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

5 out of 5

Philipsburg, St. Maarten

5 out of 5
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