Oasis of the Seas – What Makes It So Special?

When I first stepped onto the Royal Promenade on the Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas, I remember stopping in my tracks, my mouth dropped in awe, my head swinging back and forth at the sight.  Most ships have a lobby or piazza or centrum or some such space but I had never seen a 3 story “street” running half the length of the ship. Colored lights illuminated this space filled with eating places, bars, stores, and a Latin dance venue. It literally took my breathe away. As a result, I returned to Oasis class ships three more times.

Oasis of the Seas Arrives

Oasis made her maiden voyage in 2009 followed by the Allure, Harmony and Symphony all sailing out of Fort Lauderdale or Miami. There are 2 more ships planned, each more spectacular than the last. Even after reading about this mega ship, it still took me 5 years to book a cruise on Oasis. At the time she was the largest ship in the world, carrying 5400 passengers and I just could not imagine enjoying a ship that big. Even today, I often hear this comment from others about why they don’t want to cruise on Oasis. However, I found that even though it is huge, Royal Caribbean designed the ship to feel less crowded than you might expect.

Oasis is the perfect ship for multi-generational cruises because there truly is something for every age from preschool to senior citizens.

My 5 Favorite Things on Oasis of the Seas

There are so many wonderful activities on Oasis that it is difficult not to tell you about them all. However, I will control myself and discuss only my top 5 favorites and several that I have not tried but would like to.

1. Broadway Musicals

Oasis of the Seas was the first ship to incorporate full length Tony Award-Winning Broadway musicals.

The Oasis cast performed Hairspray on her maiden voyage in 2008 in the 1,350 seat Opal Theater. It was still going strong on my 2010 cruise.

The stage on Oasis is large enough to accommodate such a musical. They produce a show with props, scenes, acting, singing, dancing, lighting and costumes comparable to Broadway. Plus, the cast must maintain their balance on pitching seas! Because it is an hour and a half show it is usually scheduled in the afternoon.

The current musical, prior to the COVID pause, was Cats.

2. Aquatic Amphitheater Dive Show

The AquaTheater is unique to Royal Caribbean class ships. It is the largest and deepest freshwater pool at sea. The pool sits at the stern allowing views of the wake. Dimensions are 21.9 feet by 51.6 feet wide and 17.9 feet deep.

There are 700 seats in the theater and if you sit in the first 2 rows you are guaranteed to get splashed. Once we sat in these front rows on the side as no other seats were available and did not get too wet but the center seats get the brunt of the splashing, so beware.

The pool is fitted with 3 custom stage lifts, allowing the pool’s depth to rise or fall for intricate or multi-level performances.

Underwater cameras film performers and project images onto 2 giant Barco LED screens that flank the stage.

During the performance, the AquaTheater comes alive with beautifully choreographed fountain shows amid hundreds of water nozzles. Some have capabilities of shooting water 65 feet high, and are programmed to music and lights.

A giant trampoline is centered between two diving towers allowing gymnasts and aerialists to flip and dismount into the pool.

The diving tower includes two spring boards and two 10-meter-high dive platforms where world class athletes perform heart-stopping dives and flips.

Those with Boardwalk view balcony cabins have great seats for the show.

3. STUDIO B ICE SHOWS

Everyone loves an ice show, right? Generally, you would not expect to find one on a cruise ship, nevertheless, Royal Caribbean is the first and only cruise line with ice skating rinks located in Studio B.

During the day, it is available to passengers for complimentary skating. You must wear long pants and a helmet and don’t forget to bring socks to wear with the skates.

In the evening, Studio B turns into a magical entertainment center as a result of its state-of-the-art lights, sound, costumes and figure skating production shows. World class skaters act, spin and glide over the ice in one of the many production shows Royal Caribbean has showcased.

On my last Oasis class cruise on the Harmony, it featured “Frozen in Time” with stories by Hans Christian Anderson. It included such favorites as The Snow Queen, The Red Shoes, The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid and The Emperor’s New Clothes.

“In the round” seating showcases the captivating choreography, gorgeous costumes and mind-boggling lifts and spins.

World class skaters from around the world perform in conjunction with light and sound effects that rival Las Vegas. Images projected on the ice sheet tie everything together into one big entertainment extravaganza.

On certain nights on the Harmony, Studio B becomes a giant disco.

4. THE CAROUSEL ON THE BOARDWALK

The full-size amusement park style carousel is located on the Boardwalk near the AquaTheater. The hand-crafted horses, zebra, bunny and other creatures invite you to hop on and go for a spin. There is no charge to ride it as many times as you like so I make sure to take a spin on it at least once on every Oasis class cruise.  There is something magical about the horses and music that take me back to my childhood. After leaving the carousel, you can get a hot dog at the Boardwalk Dog House, along with cotton candy or an ice cream to complete the memory.

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5. CENTRAL PARK

If you like walking in the park you will love walking in Central Park on Oasis of the Seas. It is the first living park at sea; a nature sanctuary at the heart of the ship. From massive trees to small flowers, it combines the wonder of nature with the open sea air.

Central Park contains 100 plus species of plants as well as 2,200 sub-tropical species on the Park’s Living Walls. Indeed, these walls span 25 feet and 5 decks high.

It is the perfect place to get away and just relax. Entertainment includes musicians and  wine tastings. Although fun during the day, it is most beautiful at night.

I have twice taken the free Central Park tour guided by one of the dedicated horticulturists on board who explains how Royal Caribbean maintains a living park on a cruise ship.

Taking the concept of the Royal Promenade to the next level, all of Oasis’ upscale premium dining and shopping venues line the park.

Royal Caribbean actually pipes in sounds of crickets, birds and other animals to add to the feeling that you are in a park although occasionally a bird will jump on for a ride to the next island.

Royal Caribbean offers 254 balcony staterooms facing Central Park and 80 Park View window staterooms. I stayed in one of the balcony cabins instead of an ocean view balcony cabin and would do so again because it allowed for fresh air with a view that combines nature’s beauty with people watching. In contrast, ocean balcony views seldom change from…well…an ocean view.

IN CONCLUSION

These 5 favorite reasons of mine for cruising on an Oasis class ship are only the tip of the iceberg of unique, fun experiences these ships offer. Several other things I have not tried but would like to in the future are:

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1. The zip line – a twenty second ride 9 decks above the Boardwalk

2. The Rising Tide Bar – moves slowly up and down between Royal Promenade and Central Park

3. The Bionic Bartender – makes your cocktail without human intervention

In addition, the Flow Rider Surf Simulator is fun to watch as surfers wipe out but I will not be trying it anytime soon.

Also, avoid the buffet. It is inadequate for the number of passengers on the ship. Try one of the other free dining venues if possible.

That said, I still think the Oasis category of ships are spectacular and recommend every cruiser try it at least once.