Up Front With Martin B. Deutsch at JoeSentMe.com

HOME

E-MAIL MARTIN

SEND MOBILE LINK

2010 COLUMNS

MARTIN ARCHIVES

DOWN TO THE SEA IN (GIGANTIC) SHIPS
By Martin B. Deutsch
March 4, 2010 -- It's hard to remember how many times over the years I've extolled the virtues of a cruise vacation for exhausted road warriors, family holidays, business gatherings and everything in between.

But here I am at it again and, this time, there's a new game in town, or, more accurately, at sea. This new ship merits serious discussion and exploration. Joining me in the cyberspace voyage is Vicki Freed, a senior vice president for Royal Caribbean International, the world's second-largest cruise line.

RCI is the proud parent of the new Oasis of the Seas, which began service back in December. It's the largest and most innovative cruise ship on the seven seas, with more than 2,700 staterooms, including 28 Loft Suites. This translates into a normal passenger capacity of 5,400 and the ability to carry a maximum of nearly 6,300 seagoing tourists. Oasis of the Seas currently boasts a crew of about 2,300.

The ship is, literally, a floating village.

"There is a huge conference center that can be opened into one large tradeshow floor, or it can be broken into four different conference rooms," says Freed. We have "WiFi and AV technology and cellphones and BlackBerrys all work in the Center." She says the conference center has already catered to a group of 1,400 guests booked by an insurance company and several incentive groups. More modest business conferences, board of directors meetings and other customized business activities have already taken place on Oasis, too. Private dining facilities are also available.

Once a day's business schedule has been completed, or if there are spouses and children around, what is there to do on Oasis of the Seas? Well, how much time do you have? The array Freed describes is, if not endless, at the very least impressive.

She compares the ship's programming to Las Vegas and Disney World. On stage in the ship's Opal Theater is Hairspray, the first full-length Broadway musical at sea, and Come Fly with Me, a Vegas-style aerial show. In the ship's revolutionary AquaTheater, passengers can watch Oasis of Dreams, which includes Olympic divers. Frozen in Time is an ice-skating show with a fairy-tale theme. It plays in Studio B, the ship's ice skating rink. Jazz clubs, comedy clubs and a Latin-themed nightclub are among the more intimate gathering places. All of the shows and clubs are free.

Casino Royale is a sizeable gaming parlour that is divided into smoking and nonsmoking sections. The Vitality at Sea Spa has all the services on your wish list with the extra charges that this implies. The beauty salon and barbershop are located in the spa and you can eliminate those wrinkles by signing up for a Botox or Restyline treatment there as well.

Then we move on to the more physical opportunities: Basketball and volleyball can be played on the ship's full-length Sports Court. Studio B, the ice skating rink, is available for skating sessions. Guests can also play a miniature golf course or scale one of the ship's two rock climbing walls. There are 21 swimming pools and Jacuzzis. The ship also features its signature H2O Zone, a water park for the youngsters.

Oasis of the Seas offers the first zip-line at sea. "You're strapped into a harness and you are flying on a cord from one side of the ship to another," Freed explains. The ship also has two FlowRiders and guests can stand and surf or be on a boogie board on these surfing simulators.

Parents will be able to enjoy everything this vessel has to offer without worrying about their little ones. The Adventure Ocean program features a nursery for children over six months old and fully qualified nannies are on hand. There are also a cluster of special activities for kids and teenagers.

Oasis of the Seas is divided into seven "neighborhoods," including Central Park, which features the world's first and only Coach store at sea. The Royal Promenade, which is a shopping zone strategically located in the middle of the ship, is flanked by stores with brand names from around the world.

By now we're all getting hungry and Freed says that the ship offers 24 different dining options. There is a doughnut shop (free), a cupcake store ($2.50 each), several ice cream outlets (some free, some not) and a pay-as-you-munch candy store. The elaborate main dining room occupies three decks and offers two seatings. For passengers who oppose time constraints, there is the "My Time Dining" option: Make reservations in the main dining room or walk in at will.

The specialty restaurants embrace a wide spectrum of culinary choices, including traditional Italian, a steakhouse and 150 Central Park, the most sophisticated dining venue onboard. Among the more modest entries are Sorrento's Pizza; a branch of the Johnny Rocket's hamburger chain; the Seafood Shack; and the Solarium Bistro. The extra charges for the primary restaurants run from $15 to $30 a head. Suite guests can sign up for the Chef's Table, limited to 14 diners each evening; wine-pairing dinners are priced at $75 a person.

The vessel has plenty of cabins and suites with balconies, but there is a difference. While "balconies" normally imply a view of the ocean, many of the interior cabins on Oasis also overlook Central Park or the AquaTheater. Freed says that the discrete nature of the "neighborhoods" guarantees guests will never feel crowded, cramped or overrun. In fact, every "neighborhood" has it own coffee shop and a selection of restaurants.

Oasis currently sails on a 7-night voyage out of Fort Lauderdale to the Eastern Caribbean. Ports of call include St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Nassau. A 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary will alternate with the Eastern Caribbean voyage starting in May. On the Western swing, the ship will call at the new port of Falmouth, Jamaica; Cozumel, Mexico; and Labadee, RCI's private beach destination in Haiti. Freed says Labadee wasn't damaged during Haiti's recent earthquake and adds that RCI's ships will continue to call at Labadee to support the Haitian workers who live there.

Rates per person for these week-long cruises range from about $1,099 a person for an interior stateroom to more than $16,000 a person in the Royal Loft Suite.

And if you're worried about getting a berth on the Oasis, its sister ship, Allure of the Seas will be launched later this year.

ABOUT MARTIN B. DEUTSCH Martin B. Deutsch created Frequent Flyer magazine in 1980 and was editor-in-chief and publisher for 15 years. He also wrote a column called "Up Front" for Frequent Flyer during those years. In a 50-year career, he created, published and edited dozens of other travel publications. Deutsch is based in New York.

THE FINE PRINT Joe Brancatelli makes this space available to Martin B. Deutsch in the spirit of free speech and to encourage editorial diversity and the wider discussion of important travel issues. All of the opinions and material in this column are the sole property of Mr. Deutsch. This column may not be reproduced in any form without the permission of Mr. Deutsch.

This column is Copyright © 2010 by Martin B. Deutsch. JoeSentMe.com is Copyright © 2010 by Joe Brancatelli. All rights reserved.