Oasis of the Seas Review
Rating by category
Additional details
Let me begin by saying I was so excited for this trip as it was my first RC cruise and I had very high expectations being that it was the Oasis of the Seas but I was not wowed at the outcome.
Ship arrival: We drove down the night before and spent the night at a hotel about an hour outside Ft Lauderdale since the last cruise we ended up not being able to find a hotel until late outside Miami and it was terrible.Call ahead to see if there is room as we again ran into an issue b/c there was a baseball tournament in town and lots of the hotels for 4 exits were booked solid. We had no problem finding the Port or parking which was a plus. The baggage staff was not helpful and wouldn't even touch the bags to load until we tipped him which got me upset right off the start. Lines to check in were VERY long. First you go through an ID check just to get into the main check in lines. We waited about 40 min to get our ID's checked and to go through metal detectors, then we were moved into waiting lines for official check in. These lines were long and people kept cutting each other off when an opening became available. My one daughter had a spelling error in her name which the travel agent assured us was fixed, not. This caused a huge delay in getting her a new card and then it never worked so we ended up waiting in line on board to get it fixed again.
Rooms: We had 2 ocean view rooms and 3 inside rooms. All were very nice, clean and had plenty of storage. Bathrooms were well lit and lots of mirror space. Beds were VERY comfortable (as my husband learned and took advantage of). Room staff was in the hallways introducing themselves and making everyone welcome.
Cabin Review
Ocean View Stateroom
Cabins were clean, lots of storage and the bathrooms were a good size. The beds were very comfortable and we loved our ocean view balcony. The walls are thin so we had kids banging on the walls from next door and slamming the closet doors. The air conditioning automatically shut off when the balcony doors were opened. We slept with the doors open on at least 2 nights as the breeze was great and we loved hearing the waves outside. The TV is very limited so don't worry about the kids watching too much as there isn't much on. Note: due to the "save the waves" campaign, there are no garbage bags and the towels are only replaced on request.
Port Reviews
Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)
Port was well signed and close and access to the ship. Parking was close and easy to find. We were able to drive in and unload or bags without issue. Have tips ready for baggage handlers as ours wouldn't touch the bags until we tipped him.
Labadee
Beach was beautiful but not much to do. Be sure to bring water shoes as the bottom is full of coral and you can't go in without cutting your feet if you don't have water shoes. The market should be avoided unless you want to be pressured to buy a ton of crafts at a premium price.
Falmouth
Unless you want to shop or buy and excursion, don't get off the boat. The area has no accessible beaches and outside the fenced "cruise shopping", the area is dirty and drug dealers will approach you as soon as you are outside the fence. If you are planning on hiring a cab to explore on your own, it is expensive as most of the places to see are over 1-2 hours away.