Sunday, May 2, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas
Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas debuted November 30, 2009 as the biggest cruise ship in the world ever built. The Oasis is not just another cruise ship. It is a completely new design in ships unlike anything ever built before! The Oasis of the Seas has seven neighborhoods: The Royal Promenade, Central Park, the Boardwalk, the Entertainment Zone, the Youth Center, the Sports Zone and the Spa and Fitness center. Look on the left hand side of this blog for a cool video! 
The two new open air neighborhoods, Central Park and the Boardwalk, are what make the ship truly unique in design. Central Park is wrought with living trees and rambling vines - surrounded by cozy shops and cafés. The Boardwalk is a mini-Coney Island; a busy fun-zone with a real carousel, free donuts, a candy store, ice cream parlor and two restaurants... Johnny Rockets and The Seafood Shack. The free carousel is a lovely, authentic merry-go-round from the early 1900s; it has a classic menagerie of wooden animals to ride...frogs, zebras, ostriches, lions and bears. Towards the aft end of the Boardwalk is the ultra-impressive AquaTheater - the venue for the water-based shows featuring water acrobatics, (including extreme high dives), a trampoline and even synchronized swimming. There are two AquaTheater shows offered; the more highly choreographed and interpretational "Oasis of Dreams," and "Splish-Splash", a comedy diving show. They will also occasionally show "fountain shows" featuring several computer controlled fountains with colored lighting effects that are programmed to "dance" to various songs.
The two uppermost decks comprise the sports zone; with two flow-rider surfing machines, a complete kid's water park, a "beach-entrance" pool, a miniature golf course, ping pong and basketball, rock-climbing, two swimming pools and an adults-only serenity area with two hot tubs cantilevered over the sides of the ship. One of the most unique features is the zip-line with takes you for a 5-second ride over the boardwalk. This is a free activity, as are all sports activities on Oasis.
During the day, the Solarium at the forward end of the ship offers health-conscious cuisine with no serving over 500 calories. At night, the same space becomes a health-conscious full-service specialty restaurant, charging $20 per person. It is fully possible to eat vegetarian or even vegan on Oasis of the Seas.
The Royal Promenade is longer, taller and wider than the Freedom and Voyager-class ships. Here you'll find the the Mondo Coffee Bar ($2.50 per cappuccino but plenty of free regular coffee plus delicious free pastry and sandwiches); Sorrentos for free pizza and pastries anytime; a champagne bar, and various gift shops. The English-style Globe and Atlas Pub for beer lovers features a live acoustic guitarist playing favorites, and the On Air Club which at times is a karaoke bar, a sports bar, and live music lounge. Up above the Royal Promenade is another level for strolling with additional shops and nooks. Here you will find the traditional Royal Caribbean Schooner Bar. The main feature of the Royal Promenade, however, is the Rising Tide Bar, a lounge that is also an elevator between the Royal Promenade and Central Park, two decks above it. It boards every 15 minutes and takes about five minutes to complete the ride to the other level.
Central Park, the other large outdoor area other than the Boardwalk, features the Parkside Art Gallery, the Vintage Wine Bar, specialty restaurants such as Giovanni's Table, Chops Grille and 150 Central Park. There are cozy walkways around the skylights for the Royal Promenade below with live trees and vines. Tiers of staterooms with verandahs line both sides of the Boardwalk and Central Park.
Entertainment options abound! "Comedy Live" is the first dedicated comedy night club at sea. There are three "family oriented" shows each night and an "adults only" show close to midnight every night. You also find "Jazz on 4," which features a house jazz band doing several sets nightly. Across from these two show rooms is "Blaze" nightclub. The gorgeous Opal Theater, a state-of-the-art 1,350-seat show lounge, is where guests will see the "Las Vegas-style Production shows" on the ship. While it is not any larger than on any other Royal Caribbean ships, it is the most beautiful theater they have ever made. This is the lounge where they will show "Hairspray" (the fully licensed Broadway version) as well as the original acrobatic show "Come Fly with me." Across the promenade is "Boleros" which features Salsa music with a live band all night long. This became the favorite hangout for the Latino crowd onboard. Then there is Dazzles; a ballroom with a live orchestra and a commanding view overlooking Central Park which is stunning at night. On the Oasis, you will notice how every room seems to take on just the right number of passengers, no place was so crowded no one could get in, and no place was so quiet no one wanted to go there. The best spots for a fantastic sea view is the Viking Crown Lounge high atop deck 17.
The ship's elegant main restaurant, the Opus Dining Room is three decks tall and features a stunning crystal chandelier and a grand, three-deck staircase. For dinner, the bottom deck (3) is reserved for people who prefer old-style pre-assigned dining with the same table and waiters every night, first seating is at 6:00 pm and second seating is at 8:30. Decks 4 and 5 offer "anytime dining" where guests can arrive for dinner whenever they please during the hours it is open, generally from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm.
The vast Windjammer Lido deck restaurant is for casual buffet-style meals. It is surprisingly uncrowded most of the time, due to the large number of alternative options for coffee and pastry one can find all over the ship. Breakfast is probably the busiest meal, but the buffet is also open at dinnertime for those people who just want to pick up a fast, casual dinner. Nearby you will find the Izumi Japanese Restaurant, open only for dinner and with a la carte pricing. Also on the Sports Deck is the "Wipe Out Cafe" with freshly cooked hamburgers, hotdogs, fries, etc., all free.
Central Park is the home of the finest dining venues on the ship. Giovanni's Table, the alternative Italian restaurant, is a lovely intimately-lit venue with family-style servings for lunch ($10 per person) and dinner ($15 per person). Chop's is a staple Royal Caribbean grill for steaks, chops and large lavish desserts. Well worth the $25 service fee.
"150 Central Park" is the finest dining on the ship, headed up by executive chef KeriAnn Van Raesfeld who was named "best young chef" in the world in the world culinary congress in Dubai on 2008. The restaurants typically serves an 8-course tasting menu for $35, not including wine. Two different wine-pairing packages are available offering a drink along with each course. One is $55 and the other is $75 per person. The food is exquisitely delicious.
One of the best surprises, food-wise, on the Oasis is the no-charge "Park Cafe". One can go to this small deli-style cafe at any time and place an order for a freshly made sandwich. They hand you a number and allow you to select any seat. Of course, being daytime in Central Park there are many al fresco tables available. Your order will be made; meat sliced and cheese grilled on the spot, and brought to your table - no charge. You can even grab a bag of Lay's potato chips to go with it. Inside the Royal Promenade you find "Sorrento's Pizza" with ready-made slices, or even better, you can order a pie made to your specs on the spot, no charge! They have the ingredients for you to see; anchovies, mushrooms, onions, olives, pepperoni, etc.
Cafe Promenade has fingers sandwiches, pastry and hot tea or coffee; all free. Mondo Coffee Bar has pretty much the same offerings, also free, but more seating. The Cupcake Cupboard has a variety of cupcakes; huge and heavy on the frosting and with toppings like coconut, chopped peanuts, chocolate chips, etc., and the price is $2.50per cupcake.
On the Boardwalk you will find Johnny Rockets (service charge $4.95 per person) and the Seafood Shack (8.95 per person). At Johnny Rockets you get all the food you want including an ice cream sundae. But if you want a milkshake it costs an additional $5.00. The Ice Cream Parlor features a number of delicious sundaes like banana splits. The prices are about $5.50 for a special sundae. You can get a simple ice cream cone for $2.25. There is also free soft-serve ice cream available in three places on the ship. We have to say that we were remarkably surprised at the level of service for a ship this size. It is obvious that Royal Caribbean has decided to up the ante on service when it comes to Oasis. Room service is surprisingly efficient.
As far as the internet: bring your own laptop, you will be far happier. The connection is surprisingly good. There are a variety of packages available for purchase.
Oasis does not skimp on balcony cabins. The ship has 37 cabin categories to choose from, many with views unique to Oasis of the Seas. These include the Royal Promenade cabins with picture windows, balcony cabins facing inwards (not to the sea) over the Boardwalk and Central Park, and of course several balcony cabins facing the sea. Most impressive, and expensive, are the Loft Suites with two decks of floor space, a living room downstairs with a staircase leading to the bedroom above. The best thing about these suites is two decks of floor-to-ceiling, double-height windows; solid glass for spectacular sea views no matter where in the suite you are.
There's lots of storage. Standard amenities include flat panel color TV with CNN and movies; a safe; controllable air conditioning and hair dryers. There are tubs only in the highest category staterooms; most have only showers.
Vitality at Sea Spa is on deck five. The ship's well-equipped gym draws serious fitness buffs with its full range of state-of-the-art machines. There is a jogging track that completely circumnavigates the ship on deck 5. At the stern are a number of deck chairs if you are looking for a really private hideaway. You can reach the jogging track from the fitness center, or through the glass doors in the Royal Promenade.
Not far away from the Sports Zone you will find one of the largest youth zones at sea - planned so the youngsters can enjoy the sports facilities without having to wander far from their dedicated facilities. Royal Caribbean has also made a number of improvements to youth and teen programming. One new program is Adventure Theater, developed by Camp Broadway in New York City to give kids an immersion into the performing arts. On each RCI sailing, teens and kids can learn acting fundamentals, vocalization, and dance techniques during a series of three 45-minute Adventure Theater sessions. Another innovative program is Scratch DJ101 classes, which are available to all ages. After their lessons, teens can showcase their music mixing knowledge in a graduation performance that friends and family can attend. RCI has added new activities for those three to five years old in conjunction with Fisher-Price. Some of the new themes include Chefs on Deck, which involves role playing for preschoolers; Dino Adventure; and Train-O-Mania. Oasis is the first Royal Caribbean ship to offer a nursery for infants and toddlers 6months to 3 years. So far, no charge for these services has been announced and this is a great amenity for young couples who want to enjoy their vacation without baby onboard once in awhile. The minimum age for bringing a child onboard is six months.
There are two formal nights per 7-night cruise. In truth, the definition of formal has changed over the last few years and even seeing a tux is pretty rare these days. While just a few years ago the introduction of Freedom of the Seas spurred many gentlemen to dress in tuxedos, we actually saw blue jeans in the dining room on this cruise, and no one seemed to be objecting. Suffice it to say that even on formal nights you can get away with slacks, a collared shirt and a jacket, you do not need to bring the ties or especially the cummerbund if you do not want to. Women still tend to dress more elegantly and almost anything is acceptable for the ladies.
This is an active ship, but even those who can't do all of what Oasis offers will enjoy watching those who can. The 40-foot-high rock-climbing walls are immense. There is an ice-skating rink for recreational skating as well as for Ice Capades-type shows and a mini-golf course. There's a three-story dining room and one of the biggest casinos at sea. There are excellent interactive computer screens on each floor that will tell you exactly how to find anything you want. You tell it where you want to go and it instantly displays a map on how to get there. Despite the massive size of the ship, the one thing you will notice is that Royal Caribbean spared no expense in designing the ship. It is a strikingly beautiful ship, not just in size but also in detail. The design of the ship is the best "work of art" on the ship.
Life is short! Book the Oasis!
The two new open air neighborhoods, Central Park and the Boardwalk, are what make the ship truly unique in design. Central Park is wrought with living trees and rambling vines - surrounded by cozy shops and cafés. The Boardwalk is a mini-Coney Island; a busy fun-zone with a real carousel, free donuts, a candy store, ice cream parlor and two restaurants... Johnny Rockets and The Seafood Shack. The free carousel is a lovely, authentic merry-go-round from the early 1900s; it has a classic menagerie of wooden animals to ride...frogs, zebras, ostriches, lions and bears. Towards the aft end of the Boardwalk is the ultra-impressive AquaTheater - the venue for the water-based shows featuring water acrobatics, (including extreme high dives), a trampoline and even synchronized swimming. There are two AquaTheater shows offered; the more highly choreographed and interpretational "Oasis of Dreams," and "Splish-Splash", a comedy diving show. They will also occasionally show "fountain shows" featuring several computer controlled fountains with colored lighting effects that are programmed to "dance" to various songs.
The two uppermost decks comprise the sports zone; with two flow-rider surfing machines, a complete kid's water park, a "beach-entrance" pool, a miniature golf course, ping pong and basketball, rock-climbing, two swimming pools and an adults-only serenity area with two hot tubs cantilevered over the sides of the ship. One of the most unique features is the zip-line with takes you for a 5-second ride over the boardwalk. This is a free activity, as are all sports activities on Oasis.
During the day, the Solarium at the forward end of the ship offers health-conscious cuisine with no serving over 500 calories. At night, the same space becomes a health-conscious full-service specialty restaurant, charging $20 per person. It is fully possible to eat vegetarian or even vegan on Oasis of the Seas.
The Royal Promenade is longer, taller and wider than the Freedom and Voyager-class ships. Here you'll find the the Mondo Coffee Bar ($2.50 per cappuccino but plenty of free regular coffee plus delicious free pastry and sandwiches); Sorrentos for free pizza and pastries anytime; a champagne bar, and various gift shops. The English-style Globe and Atlas Pub for beer lovers features a live acoustic guitarist playing favorites, and the On Air Club which at times is a karaoke bar, a sports bar, and live music lounge. Up above the Royal Promenade is another level for strolling with additional shops and nooks. Here you will find the traditional Royal Caribbean Schooner Bar. The main feature of the Royal Promenade, however, is the Rising Tide Bar, a lounge that is also an elevator between the Royal Promenade and Central Park, two decks above it. It boards every 15 minutes and takes about five minutes to complete the ride to the other level.
Central Park, the other large outdoor area other than the Boardwalk, features the Parkside Art Gallery, the Vintage Wine Bar, specialty restaurants such as Giovanni's Table, Chops Grille and 150 Central Park. There are cozy walkways around the skylights for the Royal Promenade below with live trees and vines. Tiers of staterooms with verandahs line both sides of the Boardwalk and Central Park.
Entertainment options abound! "Comedy Live" is the first dedicated comedy night club at sea. There are three "family oriented" shows each night and an "adults only" show close to midnight every night. You also find "Jazz on 4," which features a house jazz band doing several sets nightly. Across from these two show rooms is "Blaze" nightclub. The gorgeous Opal Theater, a state-of-the-art 1,350-seat show lounge, is where guests will see the "Las Vegas-style Production shows" on the ship. While it is not any larger than on any other Royal Caribbean ships, it is the most beautiful theater they have ever made. This is the lounge where they will show "Hairspray" (the fully licensed Broadway version) as well as the original acrobatic show "Come Fly with me." Across the promenade is "Boleros" which features Salsa music with a live band all night long. This became the favorite hangout for the Latino crowd onboard. Then there is Dazzles; a ballroom with a live orchestra and a commanding view overlooking Central Park which is stunning at night. On the Oasis, you will notice how every room seems to take on just the right number of passengers, no place was so crowded no one could get in, and no place was so quiet no one wanted to go there. The best spots for a fantastic sea view is the Viking Crown Lounge high atop deck 17.
The ship's elegant main restaurant, the Opus Dining Room is three decks tall and features a stunning crystal chandelier and a grand, three-deck staircase. For dinner, the bottom deck (3) is reserved for people who prefer old-style pre-assigned dining with the same table and waiters every night, first seating is at 6:00 pm and second seating is at 8:30. Decks 4 and 5 offer "anytime dining" where guests can arrive for dinner whenever they please during the hours it is open, generally from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm.
The vast Windjammer Lido deck restaurant is for casual buffet-style meals. It is surprisingly uncrowded most of the time, due to the large number of alternative options for coffee and pastry one can find all over the ship. Breakfast is probably the busiest meal, but the buffet is also open at dinnertime for those people who just want to pick up a fast, casual dinner. Nearby you will find the Izumi Japanese Restaurant, open only for dinner and with a la carte pricing. Also on the Sports Deck is the "Wipe Out Cafe" with freshly cooked hamburgers, hotdogs, fries, etc., all free.
Central Park is the home of the finest dining venues on the ship. Giovanni's Table, the alternative Italian restaurant, is a lovely intimately-lit venue with family-style servings for lunch ($10 per person) and dinner ($15 per person). Chop's is a staple Royal Caribbean grill for steaks, chops and large lavish desserts. Well worth the $25 service fee.
"150 Central Park" is the finest dining on the ship, headed up by executive chef KeriAnn Van Raesfeld who was named "best young chef" in the world in the world culinary congress in Dubai on 2008. The restaurants typically serves an 8-course tasting menu for $35, not including wine. Two different wine-pairing packages are available offering a drink along with each course. One is $55 and the other is $75 per person. The food is exquisitely delicious.
One of the best surprises, food-wise, on the Oasis is the no-charge "Park Cafe". One can go to this small deli-style cafe at any time and place an order for a freshly made sandwich. They hand you a number and allow you to select any seat. Of course, being daytime in Central Park there are many al fresco tables available. Your order will be made; meat sliced and cheese grilled on the spot, and brought to your table - no charge. You can even grab a bag of Lay's potato chips to go with it. Inside the Royal Promenade you find "Sorrento's Pizza" with ready-made slices, or even better, you can order a pie made to your specs on the spot, no charge! They have the ingredients for you to see; anchovies, mushrooms, onions, olives, pepperoni, etc.
Cafe Promenade has fingers sandwiches, pastry and hot tea or coffee; all free. Mondo Coffee Bar has pretty much the same offerings, also free, but more seating. The Cupcake Cupboard has a variety of cupcakes; huge and heavy on the frosting and with toppings like coconut, chopped peanuts, chocolate chips, etc., and the price is $2.50per cupcake.
On the Boardwalk you will find Johnny Rockets (service charge $4.95 per person) and the Seafood Shack (8.95 per person). At Johnny Rockets you get all the food you want including an ice cream sundae. But if you want a milkshake it costs an additional $5.00. The Ice Cream Parlor features a number of delicious sundaes like banana splits. The prices are about $5.50 for a special sundae. You can get a simple ice cream cone for $2.25. There is also free soft-serve ice cream available in three places on the ship. We have to say that we were remarkably surprised at the level of service for a ship this size. It is obvious that Royal Caribbean has decided to up the ante on service when it comes to Oasis. Room service is surprisingly efficient.
As far as the internet: bring your own laptop, you will be far happier. The connection is surprisingly good. There are a variety of packages available for purchase.
Oasis does not skimp on balcony cabins. The ship has 37 cabin categories to choose from, many with views unique to Oasis of the Seas. These include the Royal Promenade cabins with picture windows, balcony cabins facing inwards (not to the sea) over the Boardwalk and Central Park, and of course several balcony cabins facing the sea. Most impressive, and expensive, are the Loft Suites with two decks of floor space, a living room downstairs with a staircase leading to the bedroom above. The best thing about these suites is two decks of floor-to-ceiling, double-height windows; solid glass for spectacular sea views no matter where in the suite you are.
There's lots of storage. Standard amenities include flat panel color TV with CNN and movies; a safe; controllable air conditioning and hair dryers. There are tubs only in the highest category staterooms; most have only showers.
Vitality at Sea Spa is on deck five. The ship's well-equipped gym draws serious fitness buffs with its full range of state-of-the-art machines. There is a jogging track that completely circumnavigates the ship on deck 5. At the stern are a number of deck chairs if you are looking for a really private hideaway. You can reach the jogging track from the fitness center, or through the glass doors in the Royal Promenade.
Not far away from the Sports Zone you will find one of the largest youth zones at sea - planned so the youngsters can enjoy the sports facilities without having to wander far from their dedicated facilities. Royal Caribbean has also made a number of improvements to youth and teen programming. One new program is Adventure Theater, developed by Camp Broadway in New York City to give kids an immersion into the performing arts. On each RCI sailing, teens and kids can learn acting fundamentals, vocalization, and dance techniques during a series of three 45-minute Adventure Theater sessions. Another innovative program is Scratch DJ101 classes, which are available to all ages. After their lessons, teens can showcase their music mixing knowledge in a graduation performance that friends and family can attend. RCI has added new activities for those three to five years old in conjunction with Fisher-Price. Some of the new themes include Chefs on Deck, which involves role playing for preschoolers; Dino Adventure; and Train-O-Mania. Oasis is the first Royal Caribbean ship to offer a nursery for infants and toddlers 6months to 3 years. So far, no charge for these services has been announced and this is a great amenity for young couples who want to enjoy their vacation without baby onboard once in awhile. The minimum age for bringing a child onboard is six months.
There are two formal nights per 7-night cruise. In truth, the definition of formal has changed over the last few years and even seeing a tux is pretty rare these days. While just a few years ago the introduction of Freedom of the Seas spurred many gentlemen to dress in tuxedos, we actually saw blue jeans in the dining room on this cruise, and no one seemed to be objecting. Suffice it to say that even on formal nights you can get away with slacks, a collared shirt and a jacket, you do not need to bring the ties or especially the cummerbund if you do not want to. Women still tend to dress more elegantly and almost anything is acceptable for the ladies.
This is an active ship, but even those who can't do all of what Oasis offers will enjoy watching those who can. The 40-foot-high rock-climbing walls are immense. There is an ice-skating rink for recreational skating as well as for Ice Capades-type shows and a mini-golf course. There's a three-story dining room and one of the biggest casinos at sea. There are excellent interactive computer screens on each floor that will tell you exactly how to find anything you want. You tell it where you want to go and it instantly displays a map on how to get there. Despite the massive size of the ship, the one thing you will notice is that Royal Caribbean spared no expense in designing the ship. It is a strikingly beautiful ship, not just in size but also in detail. The design of the ship is the best "work of art" on the ship.
Life is short! Book the Oasis!
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