The Oasis of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean's premier cruise ships. It's also one of the first Royal Caribbean ships recently renovated as part of a $1 billion plan to upgrade their Oasis class ships.
Oasis of the Seas Facts
The Oasis of the Seas underwent a $165 million renovation that added some compelling new amenities to the cruise ship. The newly renovated ship began sailing again on November 24, 2019. Some key information about the Oasis of the Seas includes:
- The cruise is a seven-night trip through the Caribbean leaving from Miami.
- In May 2020 the ship will move to sailing from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey. The new cruise will be a seven-night journey to the Bahamas.
- The Oasis of the Seas will be the largest cruise ship to dock at the Bayonne location.
- The new cruise destination will include a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, a private island resort owned by Royal Caribbean.
- The Oasis of the Seas can carry 6,780 passengers and has approximately 2,100 crew members on board.
- When the Oasis of the Seas debuted in 2009, it was the world's largest cruise ship at 1,187 feet in length. It has since dropped to the fourth largest with the addition of three newer Royal Caribbean ships, the Allure of the Seas, the Harmony of the Seas and the Symphony of the Seas.
Oasis of the Seas Neighborhoods
Because the Oasis of the Seas is a massive ship, it was designed with seven "neighborhoods" to give cruise goers a small sense of scale and make it easier to find your way. Each neighborhood has their own theme and visual style. The neighborhoods are:
- Boardwalk has a Coney Island boardwalk theme with a beautiful carousel, family-friendly activities, shops and restaurants.
- Central Park evokes the classic New York gathering spot with an open-air garden, walkways, shopping and restaurants.
- Entertainment Place includes clubs, a casino, ice rink, restaurants and lounge as well as the Solarium pool.
- Royal Promenade is designed to look like a city district with restaurants, shopping, entertainment venues and nightclubs.
- The Pool and Sports Zone is the place to go for all types of sports, pools and adventure entertainment.
- Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center has a full spa, salon and fitness center with a cafe.
- Youth Zone is designed for providing day-long entertainment for every age group, including babies and toddlers. There's a theater for kids, crafts classes, a science lab, video arcade and much more.
Oasis of the Seas Rooms
The Oasis of the Seas has four cabin options:
- Interior staterooms are about 149 to 172 square feet and can accommodate two to three guests with standard amenities.
- Ocean view staterooms are about 179 square feet and can accommodate between two to four guests with standard amenities.
- Balcony rooms range from 182 to 673 square feet and can sleep between two to three guests with standard amenities.
- Suite cabins can be 287 to 1,524 square feet and may include large ocean-view balconies, panoramic view master bedrooms and in-room jacuzzis.
Oasis of the Seas Dining Options
Passengers on the Oasis of the Seas can enjoy a wide variety of complimentary food 24/7 that is included in their cruise price at nine different themed restaurants. For diners who want to try some specialty options for an extra fee, there are ten dining options available, including:
- 150 Central Park, an upscale restaurant run by the James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Schwartz
- Chops Grille, a classic steak and seafood restaurant.
- Giovanni's Table featuring Italian cuisine and a "neighborhood" restaurant feel.
- Izumi, a sushi and sashimi restaurant with hibachi-style cooking.
- Johnny Rockets, the popular retro hamburger chain
- Portside BBQ, part of the 2019 renovation, is a new BBQ restaurant offering counter service and indoor/outdoor seating.
Things to Do on the Oasis of the Seas
The Oasis of the Seas is full of amenities for every type of cruise enthusiast. Many new features have also been added with the 2019 renovation that will make this cruise even more attractive to future travelers.
Oasis of the Seas Deck
The ship features a Caribbean-style pool deck that was part of the recent makeover. New features include the Lime & Coconut bar and upgraded day beds and casitas.
Oasis of the Seas Slides
Another set of additions from the 2019 upgrades include the new Ultimate Abyss slide, which is a 10-story high dry slide, and The Perfect Storm water slides which has two racer slides, Typhoon and Cyclone, and Supercell, a "champagne bowl" slide. Other slides to choose from are the Riptide, the only headfirst mat racer waterslide on a cruise ship and the Blaster, which is the longest waterslide on a cruise ship. The slides are accompanied by the new Splashaway Bay aqua park. The water park has water cannons, pools, fountains, whirlpools, drench buckets and several slides with setups designed to accommodate toddlers through adults. Finally there's the Tidal Wave, the very first "boomerang" style slide where sliders can experience the feeling of weightlessness.
Vitality at the Sea Spa and Fitness Center
The spa and fitness center on the Oasis of the Seas has a full set of exercise equipment and fitness classes for the health conscious traveler. The spa offers a wide range of relaxing services including massages, facials, acupuncture and medi-spa treatments. Teens can enjoy a separate spa made just for them called the YSpa. There's also a delicious cafe featuring spa cuisine open for breakfast and lunch.
Pool and Sports Zone on the Oasis of the Seas
There's more adventure and sports activities than can possibly be done in one seven-day cruise. These are located on the Pool and Sports Zone and, in addition to the kid-themed Splashaway Bay, you have a choice of several other pools:
- The Solarium, a 16-and-older pool that includes two large cantilevered hot tubs.
- A "sports pool" where you can enjoy playing pool sports like volleyball.
- The Beach pool has a beach theme" and has been updated with many new renovations.
- There's also a pool specially made for babies and infants who are still in the diaper-wearing stage.
Sports that are available include classes on scuba diving, fitness, and dance. There is an ice skating rink, basketball court, a nine-hole miniature golf course, two 43-foot rock climbing and walls. Adventure seekers will also love the 82-foot long zip line and the FlowRider surf simulators.
Family Entertainment on the Oasis of the Seas
In addition to many sports and adventure options, there are some unique family entertainment options with the new renovations. The Royal Escape Room challenge is part of the fun new trend where participants have to band together to solve the room's challenge. The latest escape room challenge is Mission Control: Apollo 18 with a space exploration theme. There's also glow-in-the-dark laser tag battles which are sure to be fun for older kids and adults. The newest battle is the Clash for the Crystal City with a post-apocalyptic theme.
Oasis of the Seas Musical and Theatre Entertainment
Spotlight Karaoke is a new feature of the revamped Oasis of the Seas where vacationers can enjoy singing to their favorite songs or even have a private room party. There's also the new Music Hall featuring a variety of cover bands and dancing. You can also enjoy many types of shows including full Broadway musical productions, ice skating and water acrobatics shows. There's also a comedy club and for adult entertainment, a casino with slot machines and table games and On the Air and Dazzles which offer dancing and bars.
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Oasis of the Seas Reviews
If you're considering taking a cruise, you're probably wondering if the Oasis of the Seas is a good ship to try out. Overall, the Oasis of the Seas gets positive reviews from cruise goers. It's also won awards such as Best Cruise Ship in 2014 from Viagem e Turismo Magazin and Best Large-Ship Cruise Line for Families in 2015 by Travel & Leisure Magazine.
U.S. News & World Reports Reviews of the Oasis of the Seas
The average review on U.S. News & World Reports travel site is a 4.3 out of five stars with over 3,000 reviews. Reviewers remark that it was an "outstanding experience" though some note that there were "too many people" because of the immense size of the ship and its passenger capacity. U.S. News & World Reports notes that the Oasis of the Seas gets their number two rating overall of all the Royal Caribbean International ships, as well as fourth in their pick of most affordable cruises and seventh for best family cruises.
CruiseCritic Reviews of the Oasis of the Seas
The cruise review website CruiseCritic gives the Oasis of the Seas an average rating of 4.5 out of five. They have collected over 3,600 user reviews which call the renovations "remarkable" but some note that the staterooms were not part of the revamp. Others echo previous complaints about the size and the problems that carrying so many passengers at once can create, especially wait times for food and debarkation.
Fodors' Review of the Oasis of the Seas
Fodors' review is prior to the 2019 renovations, though their information still echoes many more current reviews. They found the Oasis of the Seas to be a great choice for people who enjoy being in a "city-at-sea" and like the many options available for fun including "non-stop nightlife, extensive sports equipment, [and] wide variety of onboard entertainment options." However because of the size of the ship they note, "lines are inevitable" and budget-conscious travelers may be turned off by the "extra charges at every turn, even for cupcakes." The average rating of users on the site is 3.5 out of five stars.
Cruiseline Review of the Oasis of the Seas
Cruise ship resource website Cruiseline.com reviewed the Oasis of the Seas in time for the new renovations. Users on their site give the ship an average 4.3 out of five star rating. The review states that it's a great choice for active travelers of all types" and "multigenerational families with varied interests." On the other hand, they caution that people seeking a quiet, intimate environment will probably not enjoy the crowded, overwhelming conditions.
Cruising on the Oasis of the Seas
The newly renovated Oasis of the Seas is an impressive ship with a breadth and depth of things to do that should please just about any age group and traveler. You definitely won't be bored on the Oasis of the Seas, although based on the reviews, if you're an introvert who prefers a low-key, less crowded atmosphere, you may find the Oasis of the Seas too overwhelming. Overall reviews support that it's an excellent choice for families and cruise goers who want plenty of choices during their vacation, whether it's thrill-seeking on a water slide or relaxing on a cabana around the pool.
