The scale of the Oasis of the Seas will awe you. Ship motion was undetectable for most of the trip. If you have major problems with sea sickness, this is the class of ship for you. Pre-cruise check-in and post cruise checkout were a breeze. The suites are nicely laid out and the beds are comfy. (We were traveling with two other couples. We had an Owners Suite and they both had Grand Suites.) Our 7-day itinerary included three eastern Caribbean ports. All were nice beach towns, where we booked our own activities in lieu of ship-sponsored excursions. Embarkation and debarkation went smoothly -- especially considering the number of people getting on/off the ship.

The food quality on board was average to above average and, oddly enough, the soups in the main dining room were often outstanding. Two out of three of the extra cost specialty restaurants we tried were very good/excellent choices for dinner. For a long cruise, even with the extra charges, having additional dining choices would provide some welcome variety to the standard dining options. The casino was huge, fun, and had a non-smoking side! The entertainment choices across the board were excellent -- I suspect some of the best at sea.

If only that were the full story. There are a number of significant problems facing passengers who board the Oasis. The most troublesome of these is the consistent lack of communication between staff, officers, administrators, guest services, and shipboard personnel who are trained to SELL rather than serve passengers. You should be prepared to be pushed/badgered and even bullied into buying additional services, drinks, spa treatments, wellness packages, bottled water, drinks of the day, etc. as part of many meals and activities. The constant attempt to upsell was both exhausting and obnoxious. Too bad it was part of so many of our staff member interactions. Read more