Overall, this cruise was not worth the amount of money I spent on it. While the service at dinner was great I felt as if I was just a pig being lead to the slaughter wherever I went due to the large number of people on the boat. I also felt as if bevause I wasn't a platinum or diamond member I was considered second class on the boat at areas like the show or on the private island. I will not be returning to this boat again and I am honestly very frustrated with Royal Caribbean so it will be a long time before I cruise with this line again.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
While the food was okay- nothing amazing- I found that the boat was Nickle and diming us everywhere we went. I am not a drinker so requiring everyone in a state room to buy the alcohol package is a waste of money for me. I did appreciate the 10 drink package but I wish I would have heard about it earlier on in the week. I also found that the complimentary things were sparse compared to other ship's we have been on. I could only get tea in the wind jammer or at dinner... no where else on the cruise ship which was extremely inconvenient. The bars would not give me a glass of water without seeing my sail and sign card... all I wanted was a glass of water and it was a chore to get that done. For the price of this cruise I expected things to be convenient and nothing really was.
Windjammer Cafe
3 out of 5
The wind jammer was very clean and the service was as quick as possible for a boat with this many people on it. The food was your standard cruise buffet line. I just wished the restaurant was bigger to better accommodate such a large number of guests on board. It always took at least 20 to 25 minutes to get into the cafe because there was always a line of people wrapped around the entrance. The staff did a great job finding tables that would accommodate groups but that took time and caused the back log in the line.
American Icon Grill
4 out of 5
Fantastic service for both breakfast and dinner. Our waiters were amazing and very prompt.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The show CATS was absolutely atrocious. As someone who enjoys Broadway shows I found this onebl to be mind numbing and a waste of time. I left by intermission and did not return. The dancers were extremely talented but the content of the show was boring and quite confusing. The comedians on board were great. The head liner from Las Vegas was the best night time show offered on the boat. The band's playing around the ship were also very good. The reason for the low score is solely based on the horrific production of cats.
On Air Club
3 out of 5
Bigger bars on the boat which was nice. I wish they would have kept this bar for all the different games that were going on during the cruise. It was Saturday night and they were playing the college football game as well as the start of the series for the Astros and the Red Socks. Half way through the game they were turned off for another event to go on there. When asked where we could find another place with the games on we were told no other venue would be showing them so we would have to watch them in our stateroom. Many people left irritated that we were not able to find a common area to watch it with other people.
Children's Programs
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Our dinner servers Nelson and Lidiia were FANTASTIC the entire week. They had drink orders memorized, were very aware when we were getting low on things like bread or needed refills. They offered great understanding of the food which helped me choose plates I would like . The service in the wind jammer was also very prompt but for a ship this size there should be q larger wind jammer so the line to get into it wouldn't be long no matter what time of the day it is. When boarding the boat, we found our group was split up andas we worked with the man in charge to try and get the situation figured out itbwas slightly hostile and came off as he was just trying to fit us in somewhere and not really listening to what we wanted.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
This was a beautiful ship and was pretty clean most of the time. In some of the nar areas drinks were left sitting on tables for an unusually long time. Up on deck there were multiple occasions where drinks sat under chairs for 30+ minutes before they were picked up.
Cabin / Stateroom
2 out of 5
Our cabin Stewart did an AMAZING job maintaining our cabin and keeping it as clean as possible. The reason for the low score is due to the lay out of the cabin. Our room had 4 adults and we were expecting it to be very tight but would have rooms dud to the drop down beds from the ceiling that have been on every other boat we have been on. In this room, having the couch turn into a bed in the middle of the room made it so much smaller and very difficult to get around in the evening time. I will not go back on this boar again solely bevause of this poor lay out. Using the restroom, getting ready for bed and trying to find clothes in the morning was all 10 times more difficult than it should have been with the design of this room.
Ship tip
Don't sail on it. While the ship is beautiful and the service is great the price of it not worth what you will get.
Security was easy and the port was clean. The check in process upstairs was a 3 ring circus and since our group was on different decks splitting up when we got there was extremely inconvenient.
Once again, due to the size of the boat everything in the island felt extremely cramped. It took us 45 minutes to get our lunch because there were only a few open cue lines around the main beach area. Staff was saying we could be shuttled to another area to eat but it was away from the rest of our group. I also found all the extra amenities for the diamond, platinum and etc members intruding.
I agree, it does feel catered to the “platinum, diamond” members (I’m a lowly gold, the horror LOL). I witnessed a diamond plus member asking guests for there sign and sail card to make sure they were “allowed” to sit in his row. At one point, the hostess asked him to sit down and leave that to her. That didn’t go over well, so him and all his other diamond friends began talking rather lowdly about not having enough perks, and not wanting to sit with lower members. This was the overall vibe of the boat. I love to cruise, but I guess Royal isn’t for me! Back to Carnival I go!
Oasis is a huge ship that specializes in 7 day Caribbean cruises, almost 6000 passengers at a time every 7 days! Knowing that ahead we avoided peak times at the buffet as well as 'my time' dining.... Big ship, lots of passengers, tons of activities.... Can't possibly squeeze it all into a 7 day cruise so you really do need to have a plan and book what you want ahead of time before you get on the ship. I know what you mean about Cats. We saw the original Broadway production the year it started.... none of the performances you could see now would ever be as good. By the way we were just gold level guests when we cruised on Oasis but we got around the ship and made the choices we wanted with no issues. What we did discover was that although Oasis is truly a marvel, we liked our time on Liberty much better and maybe a smaller ship is good for us. Don't give up on cruising, just do a little research before your next one. There's something out there for everybody.
What other cruises have you been on? As for room configuration, you really should have known that ahead of time. Either through your travel agent or through the internet. I’m sailing on Lady O in December. Can’t wait! MischiefNM & cjordan36 see you in December. (Maybe, it’s an awfully big ship.)
Review looks fairly genuine. Only two points that differ from my experience, buffet has no entry lines most times. It is slammed on embarkation day and mornings on port days. And perhaps at opening. Other than that, it's pretty easy. Also, I have asked for water at bars and seen other people ask for water without needing seapass. If one asks for bottled water they will ask. Tap is free.
4 adults in one cabin would seem to be a challenge.
Also your travel agent should have been able to Inform you which class cabins have Pullman beds as opposed to the couch opening up. It’s not a secret. It’s crazy to think you has two grown adults sleep on that tiny couch bed.
Platinum and diamond don’t get extra perks in the theater or at Ladadee. labadee private beach is for suite guests and the theater reserved section is for suites and diamond plus (but on oasis you have to be pinnacle I believe.)
MischiefNM we will be joining you on the 16th on the Lady O. This will be our 2nd cruise on this ship. I can tell you we had a fantastic time on our 1st cruise back in June 2017. The only thing I found close to being true from the OP review was the part about "CAT's". It was hard to keep up with and very boring to say the least. Other then that we really had a great time, all 8 of us! We booked the cruise for this December 16th back in December 2017. See you there!.....🌴🚢🌴
Yea I dont take stock on a review like this from people with zero cruises listed, and zero other reviews. The fact that they state they felt like a 2nd class citizen because of Diamond and Platinum cruisers getting perks? Seriously? Just another whiner who believes in participation trophies! Lol. There should be perks for faithful customers who have spent tens of thousands of dollars (or more) with a single cruiselines! It definitely sounds like cruising is NOT for this reviewer. Lol
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
