Oasis Suite on RC or Two Connecting Verandas on Fantasy?

[ForMyBoys]

Hi All, I'm pricing out our cruise for next year (Feb. 2017). Friends of ours just got back from a RC cruise on the Oasis and were raving about it. Granted they have never cruised Disney so they don't have a base of comparison. But anyway, I contacted our TA and she was able to book a family suite on the Oasis, room 12648 for our family of five for $8,100 the week of Feb. 12th.

Alternatively I could get two connecting 250 sq ft veranda rooms on the Fantasy (deck 8-forward) for $8,256. Of course I should get 10% off if I book on board on our Feb 2016 cruise but I won't get as many credits AND there is no guarantee that they won't raise prices by then. Plus hubby will probably want midship higher, so I'm assuming both cruises are about equal in price.

The family suite on the Oasis looks really, really nice. 580 sq ft and 250sq ft balcony w/ a jacuzzi tub. Plus we'd get club level benefits and reserved seating and such. I'd also love to try a new ship.

I have no clue if the service will be lacking compared to disney but I assume it would be a step up if we are in a suite.

I realize I may have to add on drink packages for the royal and maybe more money for food add ons?

What would you guys do?

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Hi All, I'm pricing out our cruise for next year (Feb. 2017). Friends of ours just got back from a RC cruise on the Oasis and were raving about it. Granted they have never cruised Disney so they don't have a base of comparison. But anyway, I contacted our TA and she was able to book a family suite on the Oasis, room 12648 for our family of five for $8,100 the week of Feb. 12th.

Alternatively I could get two connecting 250 sq ft veranda rooms on the Fantasy (deck 8-forward) for $8,256. Of course I should get 10% off if I book on board on our Feb 2016 cruise but I won't get as many credits AND there is no guarantee that they won't raise prices by then. Plus hubby will probably want midship higher, so I'm assuming both cruises are about equal in price.

The family suite on the Oasis looks really, really nice. 580 sq ft and 250sq ft balcony w/ a jacuzzi tub. Plus we'd get club level benefits and reserved seating and such. I'd also love to try a new ship.

I have no clue if the service will be lacking compared to disney but I assume it would be a step up if we are in a suite.

I realize I may have to add on drink packages for the royal and maybe more money for food add ons?

What would you guys do?

We're giving RCCL a try next October. For less than half of 2 connecting insides on the Fantasy we are getting this on Liberty of the Seas:

It's their new panoramic family room that their adding to Freedom class. It sleeps 6 and has 1 full and and a 1/2 bath. For the 4 of us is only $2950. The Liberty is going into dry dock in January and their adding 3 water slides so it really was a no brainier to give it a try.

I say go for it! I'm sure you'll love it. If nothing else you can sit in your private jacuzzi and order room service for a week!

 

[ForMyBoys]

That looks fabulous!

 

[CesD]

After the best apples to apples comparison we could do RCCL came out to almost HALF the price for sailing the same week next Oct and with the same ports (except CC, of course)..
We are a family of 5.
Fantasy is $6455 for a deluxe family oceanview w/ verandah ( 299 sq ft)
this is before the on board booking discount. so about $5809 with the on board booking discount and OBC.

RCCL Liberty of the Seas is $3149 in a family panoramic stateroom ( 406 sq ft)
I got 200 OBC. by booking thru AAA, I got the soda pkg for 2 kids included ( kind of weird that its 2 kids and not 2 adults though),a bottle of champagne in room

That's a $2600+ savings to sail in a bigger stateroom, go to the same ports and the ship will have new waterslides that look pretty awesome.
I know it will be a different experience but even if it absolutely sucked, we could theoretically take a whole other vacation with that $2600. and if turns out to be awesome, then we took an awesome trip for less.

You'll never know until you try. that's my motto anyway.

your verandah on the Oasis is the size of one of your staterooms on DCL and you're getting club level benefits. that sounds awesome.

 

[tinkerone]

we to are sailing rccl oasis for the first time next October and saving about $2000. that $2000 being u.s. and we being Canadian it actually means we are saving almost $2700. I figure its worth a try and it could be the game changer, time will tell.
if your getting your own private Jacuzzi do it! that alone would make it worth it.

club Disney chandler, that room looks amazing!

 

[bumbershoot]

I won't get as many credits

Glad you recognize that Royal's suites (starting at Jr Suite level) get double points!

realize I may have to add on drink packages for the royal

Not sure what the suites on royal include, drink-wise. You'll want to research that to see what you need/want.

and maybe more money for food add ons?

Do you pay for the extra foods on disney? We haven't yet paid extra for food on Royal.

 

[shelbell77]

We're platinum on Disney, but mom also cruises often on RCCL (without me). I've been on RCCL only once.

Mom does love it. She loves Disney MORE, but she loves RCCL. She thinks service is still better on Disney. Not bad on Royal, just not as good. But it is quite a bit less expensive so for her it allows her to cruise more often than if she only went Disney. But we will continue to sail Disney as well.

She never brings drinks on board, and has a cocktail or two per night regardless of cruise line - so that is a wash for her.

Where she spends a lot of extra money is on dining. She'll eat in the main dining room maybe 1-2 nights on a week long cruise. She loves all the other dining venues but there's a cost for that. So that is what I'd consider - if you want to eat in MDR only or want specialty dining. I only ate in MDR in my one RCCL cruise and it was fine. I probably enjoy Disney's dining a little better but its because I like the rotation and I felt there was more variety in the menus because of the various theme nights. There was some variety on RCCL but I didn't think it was as much.

I like to do a spa treatment or two when I'm on a cruise and found prices for that comparable between Disney and RCCL.

 

[Frozen2014]

As we tinkerone, we selected Allure of the Seas ourselves (sister ship of Oasis) over Fantasy mostly because of the price difference (and being Canadian). But in your case, the cost is very similar. You don't mention how old your kids are. If younger, they may want the Disney experience. If older, Oasis has DreamWorks (which personally our DS at 10 would prefer) and so many activities great for kids (zipline and flowrider depending on their weight, mini golf, big rock walls, H20 Zone...but no waterslides if that's important to you....parades, amazing shows for the family including aqua shows, boardwalk area with games and parades). Some say the kids club is better on Royal since it's age specific with organized activities (but does have times it is closed).
I don't think you can go wrong either way.

 

[ForMyBoys]

Thanks for the replies! My boys will be 14, 10 and 7 when go. My older two are almost done with characters now so they will likely have outgrown it by then.

I could get two connecting veranda for more like 5,300, but I figure I should buy something comparable in price to Disney to see if it's a comparable experience.

 

[Frozen2014]

If not Disney freaks (I mean that in a nice way), then Oasis may be a good choice for you. You older 2 sons can enjoy the flowrider and maybe the zipline and you youngest can still get characters (e.g. Shrek, Fiona, Madagascar, Puss and Boots, Kung Foo Panda, How to Train your Dragon). Royal is a great family ship. Disney is kid centered.
As for the stateroom, it depends on how much space you'd like and how important the room type is. They also have Boardwalk rooms that may be fun for them with 2 connecting ones (not sure if family suites are here)

 

[ForMyBoys]

Agreed, I think the ship is more interesting. And we aren't "disney freaks" as pp mentioned. So now I need to look into if I should get connecting rooms or pay more for a suite. There seems to be less info out there on RC so it's hard to make those decisions.

 

[holula]

Oasis is an AWESOME ship. I love Royal's large ships; IMO they are much better designed than Disney's. I sailed her in September and it was awesome. I think I said that. There is tons for kids to do especially the ages that your kids are. I felt the service on Oasis was a little lacking compared to Disney but I'm sure a suite would be different. Also you get to try out Coastal Kitchen which was awesome for breakfast and dinner! The suite lounge is also a freak perk.

I have an Oasis review in my signature if you are interested.

 

[CesD]

I could get two connecting veranda for more like 5,300, but I figure I should buy something comparable in price to Disney to see if it's a comparable experience.

I think comparing the price of two connecting verandahs on both ships is a more accurate comparison. add in the RCCL soda package cost if you are big soda drinkers.

 

[tinkerone]

Agreed, I think the ship is more interesting. And we aren't "disney freaks" as pp mentioned. So now I need to look into if I should get connecting rooms or pay more for a suite. There seems to be less info out there on RC so it's hard to make those decisions.

try going to the cruise critic web site. they have a forum for just the oasis but a lot of information is good for their whole fleet. i'll see if the link will work.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/royal-caribbean/oasis

 

[Savikins]

I'd love to try another line, but the smoke from the casino would kill me. It did on the one RCCL cruise I tried.