Visit our travel agent friends at MEI Travel

Photos: Oasis of the Seas begins $165 million amplification

In:
27 Sep 2019

Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas arrived earlier this week in Navantia shipyard in Cadiz, Spain to begin her $165 million amplification.  

The cruise line shared photos of Oasis undergoing the beginning of the work that will add a variety of new features, including the  Ultimate Abyss; The Perfect Storm trio of waterslides, a reimagined, Caribbean pool deck; new kids and teens spaces transformed from top to bottom, and more. You can view the deck-by-deck changes to Oasis of the Seas.

 

The modernization will take 63 days. The amplified Oasis will set sail on Nov. 24, 2019, beginning 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Royal Caribbean’s new, state-of-the-art Terminal A in Miami. Oasis then moves to the New York City area in May 2020 as the largest ship to sail from the New York area. Oasis will reposition to her new summer home at Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey, offering 7-night sailings to The Bahamas with visits to Royal Caribbean’s newly transformed private island destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Royal Caribbean announces Oasis of the Seas $165 million amplification details

In:
21 May 2019

Royal Caribbean announced today its big plans to enhance and upgrade Oasis of the Seas later this year.

The ten year anniversary of the iconic ship's launch will see a $165 million amplification that will add several new venues, including a few options new to the fleet. Oasis will become the first Oasis Class ship to be modernized as part of the Royal Amplified fleet modernization effort.

The amplified Oasis will set sail on Nov. 24, 2019, beginning 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Royal Caribbean’s new, state-of-the-art Terminal A in Miami. Oasis then moves to the New York City area in May 2020 as the largest ship to sail from the New York area. Oasis will reposition to her new summer home at Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey, offering 7-night sailings to The Bahamas with visits to Royal Caribbean’s newly transformed private island destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The 63-day modernization will include a number of new changes.  Here is a breakdown of what Royal Caribbean is adding or changing to the ship.

Top Deck

The pool deck will get a makeover with a new Caribbean-style pool deck that includes The Lime & Coconut. The signature bar was first added to Navigator of the Seas, and will offer plenty to do day or night with poolside cocktails, DJs and live music across two locations. The pools on Oasis of the Seas will deliver a larger variety of seating and shade, including comfy casitas, daybeds, hammocks and swing seats, new whirlpools on the top deck, and a refreshed Solarium for the adults.

Royal Caribbean will reimagine the Pool and Sports Zone when it adds the 10-story Ultimate Abyss slide, along with the trio of waterslides known as The Perfect Storm.

Kids will love to see Splashaway Bay come to the ship (including a Splash Pad for toddlers) that will feature three waterslides, water cannons, fountains, pools and the first-ever twin drench buckets.

Dining

Oasis of the Seas will expand its dining offerings with a few new options.

Oasis will introduce Royal Caribbean's first-ever barbecue restaurant, Portside BBQ, which serves an authentic, meat-packed menu inspired by the best-in-class barbecue across the United States.

From smoked marbled brisket, pulled pork and chicken, to beef ribs and burnt ends, the casual eatery on the pool deck will tie it all together with classic sides – including mac and cheese, homestyle cornbread, baked beans and coleslaw – and down-home desserts such as the Banana Dream and a brownie cookie mashup.

  • El Loco Fresh will offer made-to-order tacos and burritos, quesadillas, mini salads and salsas galore.
  • Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade will be added to the Boardwalk neighborhood. With 80 big-screen TVs, tabletop games, arcade classics, tournaments, an Owner’s Box VIP room, bar fare and ice-cold brews,
  • Sugar Beach will have more than 220 types of candy and a new walkup ice cream window
  • Oasis of the Seas will still offer Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Table and Izumi.

Entertainment

Coming to the Royal Promenade is a new venue, Spotlight Karaoke.  The venue will have a main stage, as well as two private rooms for guests to sing their favorite songs.

Oasis of the Seas will also have a Quantum Class favorite added to the ship, with Music Hall being added. Music Hall will include live cover bands, an expansive dance floor, pool tables and intimate loungers across two levels.

Bionic Bar will also be added to Oasis of the Seas, alongside existing fun spots such as Boleros, Schooner Bar, Blaze Nightclub & Comedy and English pub Atlas & Globe.

Kids & Family

Royal Caribbean is reimagining its dedicated spaces for babies, teens and kids.  Each of these areas is being enhanced from top to bottom and amplified with technology to offer interactive, personalized and unexpected experiences.

Adventure Ocean will receive a total makeover, with newly designed areas organized by activity type and created to fully immerse kids and their families in the adventures they choose based on their interests.

Returning offerings include a nursery for the youngest of travelers, and a specialized area with programming for kids 3 to 5 years old. Teens will enjoy their private area that has exclusive features like a “hidden” entrance, gaming lounge, movies, music, and a new, laidback outdoor deck.

A new glow-in-the-dark laser tag game, Clash for the Crystal City, will be offered onboard that will pit two clans, the Yetis and
Snowshifters, to battle for claim of the crystal city and defeat impending extinction.

A new Royal Escape Room will be added, Mission Control: Apollo 18. The year is 1973 and travelers must come together to launch Apollo 18 to the moon by solving every mind-bending puzzle before time runs out.

Royal Caribbean expects Oasis of the Seas to return to service on May 5

In:
01 May 2019

In the weeks since a shipyard accident required Royal Caribbean to make unscheduled repairs to Oasis of the Seas, it now appears the ship is on schedule to return to service on May 5.

During an earnings call with investors today, executives from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced that Oasis of the Seas is expected to return back to service for its normally scheduled May 5, 2019 sailing from Barcelona.

On April 1, 2019, Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas was undergoing maintenance at the Grand Bahama Shipyard when an accident involving the drydock caused two construction cranes to collapse on the stern of the ship.  The damage to the ship was extensive and the ship had to go to a dock in Europe for repairs.  As a result, the ship was taken out of service for almost a month.

The company estimates the direct financial impact of this unusual event, net of insurance, will be a reduction of approximately $0.25 per share to the company's full year Adjusted EPS, mostly driven by lost revenue.

Royal Caribbean cancels three Oasis of the Seas sailings due to crane accident

In:
02 Apr 2019

Royal Caribbean has cancelled the next three scheduled sailings of Oasis of the Seas, following an accident where a construction crane struck the ship at a shipyard yesterday.

After assessing the damage to Oasis of the Seas, the cruise line found damage to the Aqua Theatre and some suites. As a result, Royal Caribbean has begun alerting guests on affected sailings that the next three sailings have to be canceled in order to make repairs.

Guests on the affected sailings should be sent shortly to inform them about compensation due to the cancellation. According to one tweet, a full refund of the cruise fare and a 100% Future Cruise Certificate is being given.

Oasis will head from Grand Bahama shipyard to be serviced at facilities in Cadiz, Spain. Oasis will resume her scheduled itineraries, beginning with the May 5 sailing from Barcelona.

In an email to guests, Royal Caribbean expressed recognition that personal injuries were limited, "We are very grateful that there were no life-threatening injuries and everyone is recovering, as the safety of our crew and guests is always our number one priority."

The cancellations come after Oasis of the Seas was hit by a construction crane while the ship was undergoing scheduled repairs in Freeport, Bahamas.

No passengers were on Oasis of the Seas at the time of the incident, and media reports indicate only eight non-life threatening injuries from the accident.

Oasis of the Seas was in the Bahamas for a short period of work. 

Construction crane accidentally hits Royal Caribbean ship

In:
01 Apr 2019

Video appears to show a construction crane has hit Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas while the ship was undergoing scheduled repairs in the Bahamas.

No passengers were on Oasis of the Seas at the time of the incident, earlier today.

A video tweeted by Bahamas Press showed the construction equipment lying against the vessel at the Great Bahamas Shipyard near Freeport.

Oasis of the Seas was in the Bahamas for a short period of work. No passengers were onboard the ship at the time of the accident.

According to police, there were several injuries – none of them thought to be life-threatening. It is unclear if there will be any impact on scheduled Oasis of the Seas sailings.

Gastrointestinal illness on Oasis of the Seas forces Royal Caribbean to end cruise early

In:
10 Jan 2019

About 167 guests on Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas are afflicted by a stomach virus, according to Royal Caribbean officials.

WESH is reporting the guests affected by the short-lived illness are being treated by the ship's medical team with over-the-counter medication.

“We are bringing additional medical staff on board and we're engaging in intensive sanitary procedures to minimize the risk of any further issues,” a statement from Royal Caribbean said.

Oasis of the Seas is on a 7-night Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral, Florida.

UPDATE: The number of sick guests has increased to 277.

UPDATE: Royal Caribbean has decided to cancel the rest of the Oasis of the Seas sailing due to the outbreak. The Miami Herald is reporting that Oasis of the Seas will cut its current cruise short. Royal Caribbean said all passengers will receive full refunds for their cruise fare.

“We think the right thing to do is to get everyone home early rather than have guests worry about their health,” said Rob Zeiger, chief communications manager for Royal Caribbean. “Returning on Saturday also gives us more time to completely clean and sanitize the ship before her next sailing.”

Royal Caribbean announces 2020-2021 Northeast, Bermuda & Caribbean sailings

In:
12 Dec 2018

Royal Caribbean announced today its 2020-2021 Bermuda, Northeast and 7-night Caribbean sailings.

As we reported earlier, Oasis of the Seas will become the first ship in her class, and the world's largest, to sail from the Northeast.  Oasis will arrive in May 2020 and  transport travelers to the clear blue waters of The Bahamas all summer with 7-night itineraries, as well as a select number of short cruises north to New England and Canada.

Adventure of the Seas will return to Cape Liberty, sailing a variety of 5- and 9-night summer and fall itineraries to Bermuda, New England and Canada, The Bahamas and the Caribbean.

Vision of the Seas will offer three 10- to 11-night open-jaw itineraries between Bayonne and Quebec City with an overnight in Quebec’s capital.

Symphony of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas will return to PortMiami and Port Canaveral, Fla., respectively, offering 7-night itineraries to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. Both ships will feature visits to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Brilliance of the Seas will sail 7- to 10-night cruises to Canada starting in September 2020, while Grandeur of the Seas continues to offer 9-night itineraries to Canada and New England for fall foliage from her year-round homeport in Baltimore, Md. Grandeur will embark on a combination of 5- and 9-night itineraries to Bermuda and The Bahamas in the summer months, and transition to 9-night Southeast Coast & Bahamas and 12-night Southern Caribbean cruises for the winter. Northeast, Canada and Bermuda itineraries will be available to book as of Dec. 13, 2018.

In 2020, San Juan, Puerto Rico will welcome what will be the newly modernized Freedom of the Seas. Freedom will return for the third consecutive year to sail 7-night itineraries year-round throughout the Southern Caribbean, traveling to destinations like Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis; St. Johns, Antigua; Castries, St. Lucia and Bridgetown, Barbados.

Liberty of the Seas  will continue to sail from Galveston to the Western Caribbean ahead of her own highly anticipated amplification in early 2021. 

Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Society members can begin booking sailings on December 12, 2018, with the general public available to begin booking on December 13, 2018.

Northeast

Bermuda

7-night Caribbean

Royal Caribbean will homeport Oasis of the Seas from New York City area in 2020

In:
12 Dec 2018

For the first time ever, an Oasis Class ship will offer sailings from the New York City area when in 2020 Oasis of the Seas spends the summer offering cruises from Cape Liberty, New Jersey.

Royal Caribbean's 7-night 2020 itineraries for Caribbean and Canada were posted to the website yesterday, and it shows Oasis of the Seas arriving to Cape Liberty on May 6, 2020 and staying through October 25, 2020.  Oasis of the Seas will return to Florida on November 4, 2020.

When Oasis arrives in Cape Liberty, she will offer a quick 4-night Canada Getaway cruise on May 6 before offering 7-night sailings down to the Bahamas, with stops in Port Canaveral, Nassau and CocoCay.  On August 1, 2020, she will offer an 8-night sailing that adds a stop in Miami.

Oasis will sail one New England & Canada sailing on June 21, 2020 when she offers a 6-night cruise to Portland, St. John and Halifax.

Adventure of the Seas will also sail from Cape Liberty and alternate between 5 and 9 night itineraries to Bermuda and the Caribbean.  Adventure of the Seas will also offer a nine-night New England/Canada sailing a few times during the summer and fall 2020.

Royal Caribbean testing VIP guest access program

In:
05 Nov 2018

Royal Caribbean is testing out a new limited quantity VIP guest experience on select Liberty of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas sailings.

Royal Caribbean is calling this pilot program, The Key, it provides guests with special benefits and perks during their cruise. 

The Key is being tested out on Liberty of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas for sailings beginning November 25, 2018 through the end of March 2019. The Key will be available only in the Cruise Planner for purchase at a rate of $24.99 per person, per day.  All guests in a stateroom age 6 and up must purchase in order to receive benefits.

Once purchased, the Key benefits are utilized via the SeaPass card and a summary of benefits will be available in their stateroom on boarding day.

With The Key, guests can enjoy a private lunch at Chops Grille when they board, daily private hours at marquee attractions, like the FlowRider, rock climbing Wall and ice-skating rink, and access to VIP seating at shows. Please note: Guests will need to reserve their seating online at Cruise Planner before they set sail.

The Key provides:

  • Carry-on luggage service offering drop off at the Theater (until 1:30 PM) and delivery to your stateroom (Up to 2 bags per guest)
  • Private lunch at Chops Grille on boarding day from 11:30 AM until 1:30 PM - this does not need to be reserved, as the dining team will be expecting guests who’ve purchased The Key package
  • Daily private hours at signature attractions like the FlowRider, Rock Climbing wall, and ice-skating rink
  • Priority tender service from cruise ship to shore
  • Access to the VIP seating at shows (reservations required through the Pre-Cruise Planner)
  • Complimentary VOOM Surf & Stream (1 device)
  • Choice debarkation with an exclusive à la carte breakfast beginning at 6:30 AM until 9:30 AM

From what we understand, this is a pilot program and whether or not it rolls out to other ships and sailings depends on how well the program is received and performs.

Does this sound like something you would want to purchase? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Subscribe to Oasis of the Seas