It’s hard to believe that the oasis of the seas was the first one, mega ships that is. I’ve been on three of them now, including the Harmony and the Allure. And these mage ships have so much in common. If you like one, you’ll like them all. Another thing, with these large ships, if you’re prone to seasickness, these big ships can battle out some pretty big waves before you even feel them. They have so many shops and eateries and things to do, I’ve been in some ports that had fewer things to do than what this ship has to offer. I’ve met some travelers that never even get off the ship because of all the offering and going on. Me personally? When I look for my future cruises, I’m not looking for the Destiination, I am looking at what I’m going to be traveling on. I see more ships in my future.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Stayed at a nearby hotel, shuttle dropped us off right up front, luggage quickly attended to, the line was steadily moving, didn’t stop till we were either at a counter or on the ship itself. It was a nice slow walk, no rush. Relax, we all have the same schedule
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We did the 5 night specialty package. The only challenge is, you can’t really make any reservations until you get on the ship. Check out the show and times, and do a little homework and decide when you want to hit the shows and dinner. The better YOU plan, the more enjoyable the experience will be. Don’t get stuck with left over opening. Take care of your dining reservations first.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Ok, I’m getting a little older these days, so maybe I don’t actually ride the flow rider, or climb the rock wall, but there is no excuse to say there’s nothing to do. Zip line? Fitness center? Walk/jogging track. swimming. Ice skate. Karaoke, dancing. Mini golf. Basketball..
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Here is another thing to keep in mind. Even though the entertainment is free. You need to make reservation! If you don’t, it doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t get in, it just means youll have to wait till about 10 before the show (for all those who did make the reservations). You get the left over seats. Dazzles has a live band, great music. There are several dance floors for all different kind of folks. The shows are AWESOME! Major production shows. The Aqua theater is fantastic and will have you sitting on the edge of your seats watching these high diving pros. At night, the ice skating rink puts on a fantastic show in the evening. The comedy room is too small. Even though they do several shows, make sure you catch one of them for a little knee slapping break.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The staff is always doing great? I just want to share that if you cruised before, you get a survey about a week after the cruise is over. And if you really want to recognize someone, (bar tender, cabin Stewart, waiter or waitress or any other cruise staff), be sure to use their NAME. Here is my secret, take a photo with them. They love it too. Then take another, close up, of their name badge. I’ve forgotten their name almost as soon as I got off the boat. Yes, some names are really complicated, but doing this trick makes filling out that survey very special for that special person that made your vacation special. USE their NAME
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
When they said this ship is so big it has 7 neighborhoods, they weren’t kidding. It is so well laid out that exploring the ship is like an excursion in itself. Easy maps are on all decks by all the elevators, so it really hard to get lost. Now, losing your mate? That a different story. (Use the “royal IQ” app)
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had a lower floor ocean view balcony. The room had nothing special that we didn’t have in other cabins. But like they say, the cabin was only use to freshen up in, sleep, refresh, may even a little... um... TLC.... But the room was always cleaned when we returned from a venue, and the occasional towel animal that greeted us, made it that much more special.
Ship tip
I’ve got two tips. Regardless if the venue is free, MAKE RESERVATIONS. there’s going to be over 6,000 people jockeying for something to do. You’ll find that those who planed better get the better seats and dining times. The other TIP is, take a picture of the name tag of the people you want to thank in a survey. It will help you remember who took care of you and they will be greatful.
This is Royal Caribbean private island. When we got there the winds were a little rough so the visibility in the ocean waters was very cloudy. We love the snorkeling and usually bring our own equipment. But I can’t blame the weather on this beautiful little island. They offer a real nice buffet. Plenty of food just like on the ship. They have zip lines and little coaster rides that you can enjoy. But this is the place where we just kick back and put our toes in the sand and enjoyed the beautiful ocean.
Ok, so it might be my mistake. I don’t normally do excursions, I like to do my own thing. My first clue that this might be a mistake was that once we got off the boat, I couldn’t help but to notice the large wall surrounding the port. I even jokingly said, feels like I’m in a prison. There were a lot of shops and dining inside the wall (thank goodness). Because we attempted to walk outside the walls and were very aggressively approached by so many hustlers. We followed tightly to 4 others as we walked only one block before making our way back to the gates to get in. There were several attempts from the locals trying to separate us and lead us into different direction, we were having someone in our faces and couldn’t even have a conversation with each other as they rudely were forcing their services, good and yes, even drugs upon us. It was such a relief to make our way back, inside the safe compounds of those walls. And yes, walls work! (Sorry about that). We still had fun and food inside. Got to hear about other cruisers and their stories about their excursions. But some said they shared some similar experiences until they got far enough away from this tourist trap. Next time, I’m going to do a large group excursion.
I’ve been here several times. Its a small island loaded with so many things to do. I’ve been scuba diving twice, my kids did some horse back riding, one time we rented a car (cash only). And that’s the way to go. Lots of beaches and local vendors. I’m not a big fan of the vendors that are right there in the port area, unless yours out of time and need a souvenir or two. Go into town, I even found a Mexico version of Walmart. It was so awesome to shop and get some nice discounts.
I’ve disembarked off smaller ships with as few as 2,000 travelers and it was no different with 6,000. Just listened for your call, and relax. Everything went smoothly. Even though this is the worst part of any cruise. I just hate it being over.
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