My Experience on the Oasis of the Seas

by Tim Smith
President of Carefree Vacations

Day 1: Arriving in Ft. Lauderdale

Tomorrow morning I’ll be boarding the masterpiece Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s fleet, the Oasis of the Seas. The Oasis may be one of the most anticipated ships ever built. Perhaps more than anything, the ship is distinguished by it’s size. It literally dwarfs the Titanic and every other large ship. The Oasis is the largest passenger vessel ever to sail the seven seas. A walk around the deck represents approximately 1.25 miles and takes the average walker 15 minutes to circle the ship. The focus on the size of the Oasis may unintentionally take away from what goes on inside this magnificent ship. It’s what goes on inside the ship that can literally take your breath away.

Long ago, Royal Caribbean distinguished themselves as innovators in the cruise industry, bringing such innovations as on-board surfing, rock climbing, ice skating and, now, zip lining. The Oasis even sports a Carousel, a kids pool area which is large and elaborate. I’d be remiss in not elaborating on the two Flo Rider pools, pushing artificial waves strong enough to support surfers and belly boarders. The novices have a tendency to wipe out but even after a handful of rides the face plant technique is replaced by some quality hot dogging.

My boys are excited to be here. This is a Nirvana of sort for kids 18 and under. My youngest (8) is beside himself. This Oasis experience will be the ultimate adventure in his young lifetime, not to mention his potential elevation to hero status among his fellow 2nd graders. I’ll report more in the morning when we arrive at the Port.

Day 2: Boarding the Oasis of the Seas

This morning, as we clearing the initial security at the port, the ship roared into view, dwarfing other ships docked in harbor. It was immense. In order to get a picture of the entire ship, you needed to start snapping pictures moments after clearing Port security. A moments hesitation resulted in only partial shots. It was big and beautiful and far more than my camera lense could manage.

The litmus test for me in evaluating a cruise line is frequently about the embarkation and debarkation process. I have sailed on plenty of ships and it’s not unusual to have congestion during embarkation. That was certainly the case with my family. However, contrary to what I would have assumed, the process was, without question, the most efficient process I had ever experienced. My ‘line’ had a single person in front of me. It seemed hard to believe, but from the moment the taxi dropped us off in front of the terminal, it literally took us 10 minutes from the sidewalk to being on the ship in the Royal Promenade. The manner in which they set up the embarkation process was singularly impressive. This is the right way to to start a cruise vacation; stress free and I just stepped on board.

We spent the first three or four hours exploring; just getting to know the ship. In spite of its size, the Oasis had a number a intimate spaces where you could simply get away. But, there was also the hustle and bustle of the Royal Promenade and Central Park and no shortage of bars, restaurants, Espresso bars and even an elegant float bar that floats between two floors.

Here are some stats worth considering:

• Oasis is 225,00 feet long



• 2,700 staterooms



• Aqua Theater pool is 17.9 feet deep; the largest pool at seas



• Oasis if 75 feet longer than the Freedom-class ships



• Central Park neighborhood will be the first ever living park at sea with 12,175 plants, 62 vine plants, 56 trees and bamboo, some over 24’ tall



• 968,751 square feet of carpet



• 86,111 square feet of windows



• 7,000 works of specially commissioned art.

My first day at port and sea was really overwhelming. This ship seems to have something for everyone; in fact it seems to have lots of somethings for everyone. The ship is a destination in itself. I suppose the Ports of Call will just be icing on this very large cake.

More tomorrow as I start of experience the ship first hand.

For more information about booking the Oasis of the Seas contact

Carefree Vacations 1-800-CONFIRM

www.carefreevacations.com

My Day on Oceania's Regatta Cruise Ship

by Linda Rigg

A couple weeks ago I had the good fortune of spending a day at the Port of Los Angeles on Oceania's Regatta Cruise Ship which was docked in port.

This ship is absolutely exquisite.











It is a mid size ship with less than 700 passengers and 400 staff members to cater to all of your needs. The ambiance is that of a private country club atmosphere, it's casual, but elegant.

You can leave your tuxedos and ball gowns at home, the evenings are yours to explore the many dining experiences on board.


Your Dining experiences include the Grand Dining Room, equivalent to a 5-star restaurant.








Then there's the Polo Grill, decked in dark woods and elegant furnishings, it is a classic steakhouse and views of the ocean.











The Terrance offers breakfast and lunch buffets. In the evening it transforms into a Tapas bar.

Toscana is an intimate Italian restaurant. And Waves serves mouth-watering seafood, BBQ, sandwiches and salads.

The library is understated elegance with it's dark woods. It has an unprecedented choice of books, Cd's, DVD's, movies to enjoy at your leisure.















And the staterooms are spacious and beautifully appointed.
















the decor is especially nice.














There is no shortage of things to do. You can go to a stimulating lecture, do wine tasting or visit the Spa on your at sea days.



But one thing is for sure - you will have a spectacular time on this relaxing, elegant yet casual ship.










Oceania has truly great offers available right now: 2 for 1 Cruise options, free airfare, shipboard credits, prepaid gratuities are available on many of their sailings - but you must book and place a refundable deposit down no later than March 31, 2009 in order to take advantage of these savings. Give me a Call at (760) 479-002 or (800) 683-1556, or email me LRigg@sdtg.com to find out more about these special offers today.

You can check out my video of the Regatta on our Carefree Vacations You Tube Page, right here Also visit our carefreevacationsblog.com site for more information about Oceania Cruises and more about me.