I was surprised that there was a 21% VAT tax on items purchased on the ship during our Spain ports. This includes drinks. Would not choose a cruise to Spain again because of this unreasonable extra cost. Vacations aren’t cheap and with cruise lines making everything above basic food and bed an up charge, this extra costs is an irritant.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The Oasis food in the main dining room was average. There was no lobster night dinner unless you paid an up charge. This is the first time I’ve had that experience on RC.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
There are plenty of on board activities on the ship.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
CATS was a great show but it’s been overdone. The performers were excellent but over half the audience left at or before intermission. I recognize that a production of this nature is expensive but it’s played too long, especially if you are a frequent cruiser and enjoy these type shows.
Children's Programs
5 out of 5
Plenty for everyone to do.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Very friendly and accommodating staff in every area.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
After having cruised on the Symphony of the Seas, the Oasis comes off as Cinderella’s step-sisters. The cabins are tired and the storage space is not as good.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The toilet had permanent water mark stains and the bathroom was clean but tired. The storage is not as good as Symphony and our in room refrigerator kept things a degree below room temperature.
Ship tip
Wait for the promised refurbishment they say is coming. Take your own body wash and shampoo because what is provided is not adequate. Don’t plan on eating in the Windjammer unless you want to run the gamut for food and have a designated table holder. You won’t find a more caring staff but you may tire of the huge mass of people. One thing they have going for Oasis is the embarkation and disembarkation. They do it right. Speedy on and off.
Beautiful city and not an unreasonable ride to Rome. Unfortunately everyone wants to be in Rome so it is very crowded. Highly recommend a private tour as opposed to the bus load of people.
Great port but too many options for such a short time. The Isle of Capri is beautiful but terribly overcrowded and if you want to see the Blue Grotto be prepared for a 2 hour wait in line in the hot sun.
You get charged the VAT all over the EU; on land or on the ship, it’s unavoidable and not the fault of the cruise line. There are some North America homeports where the same thing happens (local and or state sales tax) while in port.
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