Booked through RC this was called the "downhill mountain hike". This was exactly as described - and we got more than we paid for. The description advised the approx. 2 mile hike required hiking boots or sturdy tennis shoes. Good advice. It promised downhill all the way with scenic views. It was all of that and more. 

My wife and I are in reasonably good physical shape and 2 miles, straight down hill, with a steep slope and narrow trail filled with rocks and vines was plenty of challenge. After it was over, our thigh muscles felt like we had spent the first-day of the season on snow skis. 

The views were incredible and our guide Claudine was well-informed, educational, entertaining and looked after the safety of the group. We learned a lot about the island's history and thought the approx. 2-1/2 hour hike was worthwhile. But, please take the precautions seriously. If you are not able to negotiate a steep downhill path with loose rocks, don't try it. (It's a lot harder than hiking uphill.)

St. Maarten

This was a large group experience. Our group was combined in the water with another 30 or so snorkelers and that made the water crowded over a small reef. It would rate as a good first time experience. There is a changing room/head available on the dive boat. Be sure to check out a pool towel from the ship before leaving. Take this with you unless you want to air dry. Good quality mask, snorkel and fins are provided. Some brought their own equipment, but this was unnecessary. An inflatable vest is provided for bouancy. You can deflate and dive if you wish. The reef depth is 12 feet. It's not much of a reef.

Skip this tour. It's a crowed open sided truck/taxi that takes 30 people up a winding road to a tourist trap at the top where you can buy a banana daiquiri and pay to look through a telescope to the harbor below. Our guide was disinterested and bordered on rude. He didn't speak well for the US Virgin Islands that looks pretty run down in St. Thomas.

Our cabin provided an unobstructed ocean balcony view of the deep blue about 80 feet below. It was very quiet. You can barely hear waves lapping (or crashing) against the hull. During storms, the balcony "howls" softly. The outlet is under the desk. Bring a power strip. Bed is comfy and sheets are fresh daily. Our attendant "Kennie" provided "advanced" towel art every-other night. WE brought a few ounces of powdered Woolite, did laundry in the steel wastebasket and hung to dry on the balcony using a 12 ft cord we brought for that purpose. By dinner, we made it all disappear for nightly room check and turndown. It is non smoking. No sign or odor of any previous violations was detected. Supposedly, you can smoke on the balcony, but no ashtray was provided. We saw no evidence of this ever taking place.

The team at 150 Central Park was a bit aggressive pushing specialty martini's ($30 surcharge for a shaker full), another cookbook (unneeded), exotic waters (ship's water is fine), and a gift box paring of bottles of French wines - a good deal at $25 for two bottles, but we had no way to bring them home in our luggage.Dinner with Chef's Table package includes a free dinner (no surcharge) at two of three specialty restaurants.

Oasis of the Seas Review

Super week at sea with RCI Oasis of the Seas

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Superior Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony

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