First time on RC after several years on Carnival. Won't go back, have already booked on RC for next year. Carnival is fine, but it's way too in your face partying for our tastes. RC feels a bit more upscale and laid back. One thought we keep circling back to, seems small but on Carnival, you just about can't navigate through the main deck without passing by the casino and dealing with SMOKE. On this ship, you pretty much had to go looking for the casino. Again, it's a small thing but it kind of illustrates my "in your face" comment above. Final comment - was concerned about the number of guests on a ship of this size, but we never felt crowded anywhere on board. Only times you felt the crowd was embarkation and debarkation.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Pretty painless, except it wasn't really clear that being in a suite that we had priority boarding. We were about to get in the LONG line and my wife asked the attendant if this was the correct line for us and fortunately he pointed us to a much shorter line.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
For dinner, only ate in the Specialty Dining and all were well worth the extra cost. We ate in the Coastal Kitchen on the final night, which is only available to suite guests and long term cruisers. Sort of felt like we were intruding though because while being in a Jr Suite affords the opportunity to eat in the Coastal Kitchen, your key card won't actually get you in the door. So you have to hope someone on the other side notices you or you have to piggy back on someone else walking in. Once past the barrier it was great. Windjammer buffet is very well laid out and the food was very good. They have a portable bar set up for lunch (and dinner I assume) but it's not there in the mornings...would have been nice to have a Bloody Mary at breakfast. Main dining room breakfasts are good, but the menu is a little more limited than Carnival. Main dining room also offers a buffet which is great. Sabor is really good, but keep in mind it's open air dining so I would not go on formal night, way too warm/humid. On deck bars seemed shorthanded at times, especially when in port.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Aqua Theater was amazing. Elvis impersonator and Ice Show were very good. Come Fly With Me was good. CATS - I know it's a world famous renowned broadway show and everything, but 2.5 hours is tough. We love a good broadway show but just didn't "get" this one. We "heard" it was being phased out. The performers were very good however, so if this is a show you really want to see then you should be pleased.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Cabin Steward was like a magician - seemed to never be around, unless you needed him and then he magically appeared. Never lacked for anything. Specialty restaurant staff were very professional. Izumi chefs were the best I've seen anywhere.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Ship, while huge, never felt huge. Lots of elevators, very easy to get around. Never felt crowded. Sailed on Carnival's biggest ship last year, Vista, which is considerably smaller than Oasis, and it felt like on Vista all we did was climb stairs and dodge people. Always saw Oasis staff cleaning - nice touch was someone at entrance to Windjammer spraying hand sanitizer as you walked in.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Jr Suite is great - lots of room to spread out, huge balcony. Walk in closet is the best!!! Good size tub shower combo is very nice alternative to tiny showers in regular cabines.
Ship tip
Gluten Free - ehhh. For the most part, they do cater to GF people, but with a few caveats. The main one is beer - yes they do serve one brand of GF beer, but ONLY at the English Pub in the main promenade. If you want a beer at one of the pool bars it's not happening. In fairness I did not ask one of the roving pool waiters if they could bring me one because it seemed stupid for them to have to go 9 decks down and 9 decks back for one beer. Bought the drink package so I was pretty frustrated. Windjammer buffet had a nice selection of GF bread sitting out everyday. By contrast, in the Specialty restaurants if you want GF bread you get toast. That being said, the Specialty restaurants were simply awesome -particulary 150 Central Park, followed closely by Izumi and Chops.
All previous cruises have been on Carnival, and they seem to do a better job getting through the terminals and onto the ship. Port Canaveral itself is a neat place.
Do NOT get sucked in to the non-Royal Caribbean shopping area. That was awful and a bit scary - thought two of the shopping pimps (sorry, that's the appropriate name for the guys trying to entice you to shop in theirs or their family members kiosks) were going to fight over me and my wife. Nice private beaches, but guys in Royal Caribbean shirts escorting you to a lounge chair and then ask for a tip.....?!?!? Didn't see that coming. Yes you can use your sign and sail card to buy drinks, but some of the drinks had surcharges. Did not try the food, the lines were way to long
Port shops - would be nice to not have shopkeepers hounding you to look at their stuff. But the icing on the cake was hearing a few talk about you behind your back after politely declining and walking away...just a turn off. Total time on land 1 hr.
I agree I sailed on RC in 2006, then went on Carnival last July and was not impressed, sailed RC Oasis of the Seas last week and will never go back to Carnival. Loved the atmosphere of RC.
Never cruised on Carnival. Their repertation of being a "Party Barged precedes them. We will stick with Royal Caribbean and the Oasis and Oasis class cruise ships.....🌴🚢🌴
I love royal. Only reason I been doing carnival is it was cheaper. But royal Caribbean has cheaper priced too. So I'm wanting to go back to them. Yes, laid back, more upscale, better food, quieter, just better.
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