I love cruising.  I’ve always said that I have never met a ship that I didn’t like.  I really thought that was all going to change when I heard that Royal Caribbean International® (RCI) was building a ship that could hold over 5,000 people.  Yes, I thought to myself, this is going to do me in!  How could I handle being with 4,999 other people for a week?  The lines, the crowds, the fighting for a deck chair.  No thanks.  If I wanted peace and quiet this wouldn’t be the ship that I would pick.  Then I had the opportunity to visit the ship and I could prove myself right.

Wrong!  I could not have been more wrong.  My opinion changed right from the start.  RCI invested more into this ship than the cost of building and designing it.  Some of the improvements made to the Oasis of the Seas^SM will be implemented fleetwide. At the end of 2010 her sister ship, the Allure of the Seas^SM, will debut.

Embarkation began with getting 5,000 people onboard with ease and no lines.  When arriving at the Port Everglade pier in Fort Lauderdale which hosts the Oasis, the terminal before you was beautiful, new and modern.  RCI has taken extra measures to ensure that your vacation starts right at the terminal.  The Oasis of the Seas^SM has 16 decks.  The embarkation lines are categorized by what deck your cabin is on and its category.  There are 90 check-in areas!  The process is quick and efficient.  Once checked-in, passengers head upstairs to a comfortable waiting area.  Suite guests have a separate area but all guests will find a comfortable waiting area if you arrive at the pier prior to embarkation time.  When boarding time arrives, the ship is boarded at two different points.  Immediately my crowd of 5,000 is down to 2,500. 

You step onto the ship at the Royal Promenade.   This is the main pulse of the ship.  It is the first of seven neighborhoods on board:  The Royal Promenade, Central Park, The Boardwalk, The Pool and Sports Zone, The Youth Zone, The Entertainment and the Spa and Vitality Zone. 

On the Royal Promenade you will find some familiar sights such as shops, guest relations, a sports bar and a champagne bar.  What is very different is the width of the ship—the Promenade is considerably wider than it is on other ships.  Being able to walk comfortably around the shops, clubs and kiosks was refreshing.   On the Royal Promenade you will find Bolero's, a Latin nightclub, Sorrentos Pizzeria and one of the new and unique attractions, the “Rising Tide Bar.”  This bar boards on the Royal Promenade deck and while enjoying your beverage actually rises up 3 decks!  Once arriving in the neighborhood of Central Park you have the choice of staying for the return to the Royal Promenade or “disembarking” at Central Park.  This is a slow ascent that takes 10 minutes in each direction.

Leaving the Royal Promenade, I went down one deck to the Entertainment area.  Very different from any other ship, the Oasis offers you the opportunity to pre-book your entertainment.  Five months prior to embarkation you can start making your reservations for the headliner show “Hairspray,” the Aqua Theatre show "Dreams," the Comedy Club and the ice skating show.  Dreams is a show that is not to be missed.   Pre-booking means that you are not standing in line waiting to find a seat and allows you to avoid any crowds. Speaking of entertainment – oh my!  RCI has so many choices that you may not get to them all during a one week sailing.  The entertainment far exceeded any cruise ship’s entertainment that I have ever seen.  Quality at it's finest!

After leaving the Entertainment area, I went up one deck to the third neighborhood called Central Park.  Once again this area is new, different and innovative.  Central Park is an area that has walkways lined with living plants including two walls with over 2,000 plants.  This is a neighborhood for walks and dining.  Along Central Park you will find the alternative restaurants Chops, Giovanni’s Table, 150 Park Ave, Vintages wine and tapas bar and more.

Then I was off to visit the Boardwalk neighborhood. Have I used the word innovative???  A handmade carousel is the first main attraction that you see. Nearby there is an ice cream parlor, the Pets at Sea, the donut shop, the candy store and the toy store before you arrive at the Seafood Shack and Johnny Rockets.  The main attraction at the end of the Boardwalk is the Aqua Theater. 

The Pool and Sports Zone is double the space it was before – two FlowRiders®, two rock climbing walls, additional pools with a huge area for the children, stadium style deck chairs to keep the decks from being crowded and lots of music and fun.

Dining choices are plentiful – the 21 pools and whirlpools keep crowds to a minimum and it doesn’t stop there.  Now you have choices for your cabins beyond the inside, outside, balcony and suites.  You can pick your cabin near the neighborhood you like, such as overlooking Central Park or the Boardwalk.

As prepared as I was not to like this ship, in the end I couldn't prove myself right.  For every reason that I was prepared not to like the ship RCI came up with a solution. Perfect for singles, families and multi-generational travelers, it has the space and something to offer everyone!  As a bonus – no tendering in port.  RCI rebuilt the piers to accommodate the size of the ship for ease of getting on and off the ship.  I can’t wait to book a week on this ship for my family and I hope I’ve convinced you to do the same!  Call Garber Travel so we can get you onboard, too! 

To plan your cruise aboard RCI's Oasis of the Seas^SM, contact:

Mariann Moberg
mmoberg@garbertravel.com
800-748-3302