Oasis of the Seas to Receive $165 Million Makeover
Oasis of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s first Oasis class megaship, will be celebrating her 10th anniversary with a $165 million makeover this year.
The line will be adding fan favorites from other ships during the renovation, including a reimagined pool deck with Splashaway Bay kids aquapark, the Ultimate Abyss 10-story slide, Music Hall from the Quantum class, and more. The first voyage after the dry dock will be on November 24, 2019 to the Caribbean from Royal’s new Terminal A in Miami.
In May 2020, Oasis of the Seas will head to Cape Liberty, New Jersey where she will spend the summer operating 7-night cruises to the Bahamas, including the Royal Caribbean’s newly renovated private island Perfect Day at CocoCay. “When Oasis of the Seas debuted as the world’s largest and most groundbreaking cruise ship a decade ago, the typical cruise vacation as the world knew it was forever changed,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Now with the opportunity to disrupt the industry once again, we’ve gone all-in with our biggest and boldest amplification yet. Oasis will turn heads when she arrives to Miami this November and the Northeast in May 2020.”
Top Deck Attractions
For Caribbean vibes that last even after the ship has left port, travelers need look no further than the ship’s Pool and Sports Zone. New additions will transform the neighborhood, which already boasts two FlowRider surfing simulators, a zip line, and two rock-climbing walls.
The popular 10-story mat slide Ultimate Abyss that originally debuted on Harmony of the Seas and also can be found on Symphony of the Seas will be added to Oasis, along with The Perfect Storm trio of waterslides in the water park area. Young cruisers will enjoy Splashaway Bay, which includes a splash pad, three waterslides, water cannons, fountains, pools, and two tipping buckets.
The star of the Caribbean-style main pool deck will be The Lime & Coconut, a signature bar with colorful cocktails, DJs, and live music both day and night. The pool area will also include a variety of seating, including casitas, daybeds, hammocks, and swing seats, along with refreshed hot tubs.
Delicious Dining
Royal Caribbean is hopping on the barbecue bandwagon with their first-ever barbecue restaurant, Portside BBQ. The menu will include smoked marbled brisket, pulled pork and chicken, beef ribs, burnt ends, and classic sides such as mac and cheese, cornbread, baked beans, and coleslaw. Simple yet delicious desserts like the Banana Dream and a brownie cookie mashup will also be on offer.
Other new-to-Oasis venues will include the popular El Loco Fresh which serves made-to-order tacos, burritos, and quesadillas and Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade with 80 big-screen TVs, tabletop games, and tournaments in the Boardwalk neighborhood. Sugar Beach will also be added, which boasts over 220 types of candy and a new walkup ice cream window.
Nighttime Hot Spots
When the sun goes down, it’s time to go out to one of Oasis’ hopping entertainment venues, including the new Spotlight Karaoke on the Royal Promenade. Not only is there a main stage, but also two private rooms for those who don’t want to belt out “Don’t Stop Believing” for the whole crowd to hear.
First introduced aboard Quantum of the Seas, the live music venue Music Hall will make its Oasis class debut this year. Cover bands, a large dance floor, and loungers on two floors give passengers plenty of space to end the night on a high note where there’s no bad seat in the house. The dry dock will also see Royal’s popular bar tended to by robots, Bionic Bar, make its debut aboard Oasis of the Seas, joining other popular bars like Boleros, Schooner Bar, Blaze Nightclub & Comedy, and the English pub Atlas & Globe.
Family Time Redefined
Babies, kids, and teens will board Oasis of the Seas to find a reimagined nursery and kids clubs. The newly designed Adventure Ocean will feature areas organized by activity type, created to immerse kids in activities based on their interests. Teens will enjoy new aspects of their space as well, including a “hidden” entrance, movies, music, a gaming lounge, and a new outdoor deck for soaking up the sun.
Other new family and kid-friendly activities include a new glow-in-the-dark laser tag game called Clash for the Crystal City and a new Royal Escape Room called - Mission Control: Apollo 18, adding new fun to the existing ice skating rink and mini-golf course.
Oasis of the Seas’ renovation is part of Royal Caribbean’s Royal Amplified modernization project, which involves an investment of over $1 billion and spans 10 ships in four years.
