Nassau is beautiful. Shops can be expensive. Bargain in the straw market. It can get overwhelming though, so we moved on and got some very nice things in the square right outside Senior Frongs. (We LOVED Senior Frogs.... guacamole made right at your table... yum!) Getting back on the ship was awful. The line up was tremendously long and shop keepers would help passengers cut in line (our benefit). Bring your passport! Passengers would get to the checkpoint to be rudely told (by the Bahamian agent) to get into the "other line" if you didn't have a picture (with guys in army fatigues quizzing you in that line). Thank goodness we had our passports, but even then, the stress was incredible when you consider the international flavor of passengers and that many don't speak English. From there, they were really disorganized doing the ship security. To our benefit for the rest of the week.... no guy could be found to check the rum bought.... 'nuff said.

Nassau

We opted to pay the $7 flat rate for the water taxi. (Previously my husband and I went to the French side of beaches, but I didn't want to visit there with the kids, if you know what I mean!) Son just wanted to play in the sand. Be prepared to be accosted by "guides" to take you to particular sections of beaches, where you will pay $10-$15 for two loungers and an umbrella. You can get a beer bucket (with ice) for $10-$12 for 5-6 Corona or other beer. This was o.k., however then you continue to meet the locals selling their wares. I don't mind, really. Just smile and say no. However even when we did purchase a (beautiful/reasonably priced) necklace from someone, she kept coming back to ask us to buy more. Food in the beach restaurant was good, however was pretty pricey. You absolutely cannot use a bathroom at a restaurant unless you purchase something. There are public bathrooms near the water taxi stand. I would recommend going father than the first beaches near the taxi stand.

St. Maarten

Always a great time! Pirate Ship Blackbeard's Revenge. In St. Thomas, we always book a Bones tour. Our son LOVED it! The sea was rocky for the hour out to the site (nobody's fault!). We had the option of the a.m. or p.m. tour and picked the p.m. It was a GREAT idea! The sun was setting on the way back and we got to see the cruise ship all lit up from our pirate ship.... stunning and beautiful.

As clean as it could be. However, was hard to keep clean with all the advertising papers we kept accumulating. Ashford tried to do a good job and did well.

We also booked Cats for a certain time (first night) and were bumped to matinee on last day at sea (the last thing I want to do on my last day) with absolutely no explanation.We were worried about the time of the year (kids in school) for our 16 year old, but after the first night she found friends and had a great time for the rest of the cruise.

Oasis of the Seas Review

Oasis.....Radically Different in 3 Years

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Ocean View Stateroom

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