Picked this ship because I would be sailing with some newbie cruisers. Thought they'd like to see the wonders of Oasis-class. They were suitably impressed, and it reminded me of why my husband and I love this class of ship. Despite its size, we always found a quiet place to sit and watch the sea go by, or people-watch.

Ports were standard - Phillipsburg, San Juan, Labadee. San Juan looked to be in good shape after the hurricane, Phillipsburg seemed to still be recovering in some places. Labadee has turned into a cash cow for RCI - rent a chair, rent an umbrella, rent a cabana, rent time in the play area, rent a whatever. If you don't get there first thing after the ship docks, good luck finding a place to just sit and chill (unless you're a Star or Pinnacle member, of course; then you get your own beach). The zip line and coaster prices are outrageous and the 'tours' of Labadee can't possibly show you anything more than what you see yourself just by walking the length of the property. And stay away from the market; nothing worth getting there. We found a patch of rock, dunked in the water just say we had, and went back to the ship.

Some good things to start with: They added foot rests to the shower stalls; great idea. They also added additional plugs in the staterooms for the multiple devices people now travel with. The Jazz Club on 4 is still a great place to sit for some quietude and good music. Read more