Oasis of the Seas

Oasis of the Seas...Friday November 27th: We arrived at the new cruise terminal around 2 PM. The terminal has it's own parking lot that holds 1,000 cars. It's easy to access and the terminal check in was quick and efficient. As we boarded the ship, we were really unprepared for what was to come. Entering on deck 5, which is the Royal Promenade, we were surprised that we were in a shopping area...mall is more like it. The Royal Promenade is vast, and beautifully designed. The space is huge...many stories high, so you feel almost like you are outside...the space made me feel like I was in a subtle version of Las Vegas...There are restaurants, gift shops, bars, Guest services, coffee shops...and it is so wide! To get to our cabins we turned towards the elevators, which have glass doors so you can see through them, and saw a flat panel image on the wall of the ship...it's touch screen and you can enter your cabin number to get directions, or choose multiple other items to find on the ship. We were on deck 14, (the kids neighborhood is on this deck, yet it is separated and unobtrusive) so we went to our cabin and unpacked. We decided to start at the top of the ship and work our way down, so we headed to deck 17. The first impression I got of the Oasis was how really big she is. Even though there were over 3,000 people on board for our 2 night cruise, it didn't feel anywhere near crowded. The Oasis can hold up to 6300 passengers, with a crew of 2200 (approx.) The ship is extremely well designed, and very easy to find your way around. From the very beginning, I had no problem orienting myself, or finding anything on the ship. In the middle of the ship on deck 15 there are 4 pools...plus hot tubs...each pool has a different theme. There are whirlpools for adults on the sides, overhanging the ship. We headed towards the stern, where the Zip Line, wave riders, and miniature golf are located. There was already a long line of people signing up for the Zip line. Demonstrations of the wave riders were great. The Zip Line travels over the Boardwalk underneath, 8 decks (I think) down. There are inside balcony cabins that overlook the Boardwalk area, and many passengers were on their balconies watching the Zip line riders. The Boardwalk area is a great neighborhood, where the carousel is located, along with the 2 rock climbing walls, 2 movie screens and the pool for the water show. There are restaurants, coffee and donut shops, and it's an altogether great meeting place for lunch and people watching. The artwork leading up to the carousel is wonderful, life size wood sculptures showing how the carousel horses are carved. There are 6 suites overlooking the Boardwalk, with very large balconies. You could spend a better part of your day on the balcony of one of these suites and be completely entertained. Then to Central Park. What a beautiful concept! Central Park is the location of many specialty restaurants and bars. The winding path through the live garden area is peaceful and quiet. There are plenty of seating areas. Balcony cabins also overlook this area. Again, this is a very high, open area and you do get the feeling that you are outside. It was getting close to leaving port and I found a spot on the port side of deck 16, along with many hundreds of other guests...but it still wasn't crowded. As the ship pulled out of port I really got a sense of how massive this ship is...there was another cruise ship across from us, and we just overshadowed the ship. The folks that live along the channel out of the port were out in force, waving at us, with bull horns and banners...we were as high as the top of some of the condos along the channel. We got a quick bite to eat, and headed back to our cabins for an early night.
First thing Saturday morning, we searched around for a cup of coffee, and some breakfast, then started out again on our self guided tour. We found the Casino and were truly amazed at the size of it. Beautifully decorated, well laid out...then to the theater for a quick peek. There is a Comedy club and a night club on the same deck as the Casino. The Library is quite small for a ship this large, but I don't think too many people will be sitting inside it reading. We had a Q&A meeting with Royal Caribbean executives, located in the Ice Skating arena. Many great questions asked and answered. Lunch was on the Boardwalk, and I must say, it's a really great area to hang out and watch all the activity around you. After lunch we began our cabin inspections, which took over 2 hours, since there are so many categories of cabins. This is going to be a great ship for families and groups of friends to cruise on. Bunk beds are available for kids, couches turn into beds, you can fit up to 16 people in one of the suites, and many other combinations are used. I took some time off and got into one of the adult whirlpools overlooking the ocean. Then off to see the musical "Hairspray". It was a fabulous production. All this time I really felt comfortable on the ship. I never felt disoriented or turned around, never felt crowded...the crews service was wonderful and efficient, and for the most part they crew was a happy, smiling bunch. The ship is always being cleaned. I have probably left out something, oh wait, the Spa! The Spa area and Fitness Center could be located in any mall in America. Spacious, almost elegant, (the spa), we were truly impressed by both. There is a jogging track that circles deck 5...12 laps equals 5 miles. Amazing. Anyway, I'm sure I'm forgetting something, so please just ask...I would recommend Oasis of the Seas to anyone that wants plenty or entertainment and fun, with options galor. This will be a great ship for kids (who, by the way, get a GPS armband so they can be found anywhere on board), great ship for parents and grandparents, great cruising for any group of friends, and couples who want alot to do on board. If you do have any questions, please feel free to contact me, either by phone at 954-966-7690, or email grace@posthastetravel.com .