Food 8/10
The food aboard the Oasis of the Seas was good for the most part. We went to Izumi, Chops, Sabor and Vintages. My favorite was vintages, with exceptional food as always. Chops and Sabor were good, but not great. Izumi on the other hand was a disappointment. I thought it was overpriced and the food was below average. I am quite certain I won’t be going there again.
The main dinning room was average. On formal night it was great, but on the other occasions it was just average. I would completely skip it for lunch, as there are far better options out there.
I think the ship really makes up with the other free options such as; Park Cafe, Solarium, Windjammer, Dog House, Jonny Rockets (for breakfast), Wipeout Cafe, Room service (except for breakfast) and the promenade cafe. I am sure that if you look, you will find something that you will love. We sure did in several of these places.
The twin O sisters are not known for their excellent food, as is Celebrity and Disney per say. However, they sure offer good food for most people out there, we truly enjoyed most of our meals.
Cabin 8/10
The rooms aboard Oasis are average size. I have been in much smaller and larger rooms. Overall, I found the Oasis of the Seas room to be adequate for a 9 day voyage. There is enough storage, and space to share for two people.
The shower water pressure is absolutely amazing, and it is one of the things that I missed the most once I got home. The balcony size is among the best that I have seen in the industry, especially after the shrinkage of the Breakaway class and the royal/regal class. As you know balcony space is crucial for both mom and I.
I have a really hard time complaining about cabin specifics. I guess the TV from our second room never worked properly, if you can call that a problem. And the A/C on the first room never reached a cold enough temperature. And I guess if I have to I will say that the decor and color pattern is not my favorite.
The only reason this is a 8/10 is because Disney has spoiled me forever. Their cabins are just ridiculous! Had I not sailed Disney, this would be a 9 cabin.
Cabin TV System & Internet 10/10
The internet aboard the Oasis of the Seas is just astonishing! And we had the lower end one. At $10 a day, and speeds that rival a low speed DSL connection there is nothing to complaint about. RCCL has knocked it outta the park. Both mom and I were incredibly happy with the internet connection. If I could have a connection like this on all my cruises, I would purchase it on every single voyage!
Just a heads up, you can purchase the $20 a day (faster internet) ahead of your cruise from $14 a day. Seems like a good deal to me. I read that today on a CC news article.
The TV system is as well very impressive. I found most of the programing entertaining, with plenty of variety for everyone. There are a few channels for foreign cruisers as well. I have to admit, that the Dreamworks channel was my absolute favorite, with movies running around the clock. It is perfect for kids and Gambee .
I only had one complaint about this system, and it was the lack of being able to order room service for breakfast on the same day. Then again, being that the breakfast room service food was the worst I’ve ever eaten. I really felt no need to take off points.
Pools, Jacuzzis, & Adult-Only Area 10/10
The Oasis of the Seas has 5 pools and 10 oversized jacuzzis. There are more than enough water features to keep everyone cool and relaxed. We never encountered a situation in which the Lido deck was overly crowded, and every time we were looking for loungers we found them with ease.
This solarium is my favorite adult only area on any ship to date. The area is just huge, and with a roof having partially opening it’s always sunny and breezy. Add to that two huge jacuzzis, a medium size fresh water pool, a buffet (although not always good), and you have a recipe for complete relaxation.
This was by far our favorite area of the Lady O!
Activities (for Adults) 10/10
There is just so much to do in Oasis, from the Flowrider, ice skating, rock climbing, zip line, mini golf etc. Who can get bored on this ship? There is something for almost everybody. In addition, there are parades and all the activities that are usually planned on most mainstream cruise lines.
My only issue here is that most of the competitions and game shows are held in the larger theaters. It is the only way to do it since you have around 6k people on the ship. I have to say that I enjoy them more when they are held in smaller areas. I also noticed that many of the activities that I wanted to attend were after 11pm, and by then I was usually too tired to stay awake.
Shows 9/10
I had a really hard time comparing Oasis and Allure here. I really disliked Cats, but then again, I never saw Chicago (they changed production already on Allure). The water show was better on the Allure, and the Ice shows I enjoyed equally.
Where Oasis really stands out is with “Come Fly with Me”. This is the best show that I have seen on a cruise ship, EVER! It is a not miss for anyone sailing on Lady O.
As far as the Headliner shows, I guess Oasis had a slight edge over the Allure, but overall they both lacked in WoW.
9 is a fair score considering that come fly was my favorite ever. Had that show not been there, the score would be around 7.
Bars & Lounges 8/10
The Oasis has lots of bars and lounges, including the first ever levitating bar at sea. The bars are well attended and most bartenders are friendly and provide great service. You won’t ever wait more than 5 minutes for a drink.
I will say that I really miss the Viking Lounge. That bar was our favorite one on the Allure of the Seas. It is a real shame that they decided to make it a restaurant for the suites. The view from up there was quite relaxing, and they always had great music.
Ship Decor & Elegance 8/10
Oasis has a nice mellow decor to them. Nothing really stands out, but the ship is very pleasing to the eye. It has warm colors, great art collections, a modern look and nice open spaces. Oasis was kept immaculate, with people cleaning her around the clock.
I still think that Celebrity, Disney and MSC, take the price here. Those ships are just stunning!
Unique Area—Central Park & Boardwalk 10/10
Oasis just like her sister ship both have a central park, and a Boardwalk. Both areas are just stunning, with restaurants surrounding them. We enjoyed both areas, but found that we missed the connection with the ocean on Central Park. I believe that this is the reason why we did not spend much time there. However, the fact that they have these two incredible areas on a ship is just remarkable!
You can also add the aft Aqua theater, and the ice skating rink to the unique features of the ship.
I rated Oasis 1 point higher than Allure. But the only reason that I did this, is because after 10 cruises I have come to realize that this class of ships is impossible to beat. Sure, there will be 270, North Star, bumper cars, Go Karts, rope course, Waterfront, etc. But there will never be a central park, a boardwalk, and a mall in the same ship. I think the only ship that will beat Lady O or Lady A will be Harmony.
Service 8/10
Service aboard the ship was mostly great. The specialty restaurant, with the exception of Izumi, were all well served. The main dinning room, also had good service, although the waits to be seated on my time Dinning are a bit annoying. I suggest you go there early or just get the classic set time seating.
What really made for us were the room stewards, they were the best that we have ever had. The second best was on the Allure of the Seas. For some reason, the crew and staff on this big girls really feel proud of their ships.
The buffet is well attended and the tables are cleaned quickly after people leave. The bar service is quick and efficient, and very friendly (with exceptions of course).
I wish that our room situation would have been solved earlier. But in the end all that matters is that it was resolved, and we were happy with the outcome. The overall rating did take an additional point off due to RCCL inability to apply their own policy with efficiency.
Was this our favorite cruise ever? You bet! But I think it was partly due to the fact that we had 5 ports and 9 total days. Otherwise, I think that the Allure and Oasis stand with nearly equal scores and experiences. I am not even sure if I will ever be able to find a ship that will surpass the Oasis class.
Some people say “they are too big”, but quite honestly, you don’t feel the size of the ship. My only recommendation is to make sure that your room is near the elevators. Also try to consider whether you spend more time FWD or AFT, and book accordingly.
These big ladies offer something very special, something that I have not felt in any other ship to date. I am not sure how to even explain it. I guess the best way of putting it is that they feel like you’re part of that WoW experience that RCCL keeps advertising .
Just a quick recall of scores:
Oasis of the Seas 89%
Disney Dream 89%
Allure of the Seas 86%
Carnival Breeze 83%
NCL Breakaway 78%
Celebrity Silhouette 77%
Carnival Victory 74%
MSC Divina 70%
NCL Sky 62%
While Oasis tied the score with the Disney Dream, the overall experience was better on the Oasis. I think I should add a new category called “Fun Level”, LoL.
P.S. Don’t forget to read my Norwegian Escape Review next month. I plan on starting it on May 14. I would love to see Norwegian get into the 80’s range.
Thank you for being a part of this review.