The Ultimate Guide to Cruising on the Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas...

Nadia Jastrjembskaia The Ultimate Guide to Cruising on the Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas

About the Author ………………………………………………………. 1 Chapter 1. 5 Biggest Mistakes Cruisers Do …………………… 2 1.1. Expectations ………………………………………………………. 3 1.2. No Planning at All or Wrong Planning ……………………. 5 1.3. No Budget or Budget Is Not Realistic …………………….. 7 1.4. DIY and Unexperienced Travel Professionals …………… 9 1.5. Something Wrong: Ship, Dates or Itinerary …………… 11 Chapter 2.Do your Homework ……………………………………… 13 2.1. Reviews ………………………………………………………………. 15 2.2. People Are Different ……………………………………………… 17 2.3 Your Needs …………………………………………………………… 19 2.4 Understand the Product ………………………………………… 20 2.5 How the Oasis Class Ships Meet Your Needs ……………. 22

TABLE OF CONTENTS:


Chapter 3. Step-by Step Guide …………………………………….. 23 3.1 Step 1: Do by Yourself or Through Travel Professional ………………………….... 24 3.2. Step 2: Dates, Itinerary and Ship …………………………… 27 3.3 Step 3: Establish Your Budget …………………………………. 29 3.4 Step 4: Book Your Cruise ………………………………………… 32 3.5. Step 5: Plan It All or Don’t Plan At All ……………………… 38 3.6 Step 6: Enjoy Your Cruise ……………………………………… 45

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

About The Author Nadejda “Nadia” Jastrjembskaia is the holder of Elite Cruise Counselor rank from CLIA – Cruise Line International Association and owner of a store front cruise agency Aurora Cruises and Travel, Port St. Lucie, FL, USA

She specializes in Royal Caribbean International products – the Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. She holds rank of Cruise Expert Plus from Royal Caribbean International. Nadia created a web site about Oasis class ships - http://oasisoftheseasallureoftheseas.com/ . Due to her expertise and first-hand knowledge she has a reputation as an expert in this field. Nadia has 70+ personal cruises and ships inspections as of February 2014. She is a former gymnast and National Rhythmic Gymnastics coach. She co-authored published book Rhythmic Gymnastics with Olympic champion and former President of International gymnastic Federation Yuri Titov, Human Kinetics, 1998. Nadia Also holds PHD in Physical Education and Recreation.

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1.1. Expectations Before you go anywhere you have to establish expectations

- what you will receive for your money. Think about your future vacation as an investment. You invest your money in yourself and your family's wellbeing. Most of us work full time for weeks and weeks before we can take one week for ourselves and truly enjoy a stress-free environment.


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You will be surprise to learn that majority of cruisers don't make any pre-cruise planning at all. A perfect vacation takes some planning. Planning a perfect vacation requires a lot of work. The more family members - the more work because you have to meet the expectations of each family member. If somebody doesn't have one or is unsure - help them to establish at least 3 activities that they can enjoy while on the Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.

1.2. No Planning at All or

Wrong Planning


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Oasis class ships are all about options. 38 stateroom categories available - this is not just inside/outside/balcony/suite. Royal Caribbean International even evolved one of the first categories - family staterooms. I mentioned that in many situations people splurge without exploring the many options available on board of the most innovative ships in the world - Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.

1.4. DIY and Unexperienced Travel Professional


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Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas are identical but not the same. They cruise all year around in Caribbean but prices and crowds are different. Western and Eastern itinerary are comparable (both are Caribbean) but not the same. You have even more choices: the Oasis of the Seas will make a few departures in Europe in September 2014 while the Allure of the Seas will sail in the Mediterranean in summer 2015.

1.5. Something Wrong: Ship, Dates or Itinerary


Cruising on the Oasis class ships is about choices. ”

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Of course, if you have an experienced cruise counselor who can do job for you – it will be great. If not, I suggest you to follow very simple steps to find if the vacation on the Oasis class ship is a good idea for you and your family: 1. Read reviews about the Oasis of the Seas and Allure of

the Seas 2. Understand your needs 3. Understand the Oasis class products 4. Decide if the Oasis class ships meet your needs .


Or another review, “Our vacation was just OK. Our suite was very plain and basic. We don't have the butler service in our stateroom. Concierge lounge was open the whole day but service was limited: morning and evening hours. Food was OK. My husband didn't like food in 150 Central Park Cafe - it was too experimental for him. Entertainment was OK also. But shows are very short - 45 minutes without intermission.” Sound familiar? Why some people enjoy the ship while for others is just OK? Let's discuss this in the next section.

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Yes, we are different: lifestyle, expectations, and travel experiences. That is why our vacations are different even we are on the same ship. That is why some people are extremely happy with their cruise vacation while some are just OK. Royal Caribbean International created the great products that meet needs of almost everyone. There are a lot of different activities for all ages as well as food options. You have to choose from Quest (adults-only game) to violin classical concert in the Central Park; from the Barbie experience for girls up to zip lining and surfing.

2.2. People Are Different

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There is one thing that you have to keep in mind: Royal Caribbean International is the best cruise line in the contemporary market but not in the premium or luxury market. So, don't expect personalized robes in your inside stateroom. For more luxurious experience try sister brands: Celebrity or Azamara. In conclusion, try to figure out what you expect from Royal Caribbean International before booking your next cruise vacation.

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2.3 Your Needs Ok, we came to the point: your needs. Everyone in your family has a set of expectations that you have to verbalize before you deposit for your cruise. Let's start with you. Write down at least 5 things that you like to do while on vacation: food, activities, and excursions. Food experience is a big part of your vacation. If you read reviews for the Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas pay attention on the food mentioned and see if this work for you. Start with breakfast. Do you like in-room service and start morning with a cup of coffee on your balcony? Do you prefer thee healthy choices? You have to eat at Solarium bistro. Go down to the menu - this helps you to find the best option for each meal. You can review food section in my web site http://oasisoftheseasallureoftheseas.com for more information.

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I put accommodation last because people are so focused on accommodations when they plan their cruise that they overlook other very important parts of their vacation experience. At the end, they may find themselves in a perfect stateroom but totally unprepared in the most important: WHAT to DO on your cruise vacation. Start with the official web site for the Royal Caribbean International http://www.royalcaribbean.com/home.do and my site http://oasisoftheseasallureoftheseas.com . List all options that apply to you or family members. Yes, you can ask your loved ones to do research for you BUT you know what happens - they are too busy to do this. Problem will arise when people will look to you when they are unhappy on board. Next, read reviews on forums - see what other people are happy and unhappy with. Make notes for those that are very important for you. Report to your family about everything you find so far. Discuss features that are important to our family members.

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2.5 How the Oasis Class Ships Meet Your Needs

Now it is time to see how your needs meet what Oasis class ships can offer. In my practice this step is overlooked. You have to determine if those ships are right for you. Estimate the percentage of compatibility. If it is around 70% or more - more likely you will be happy on your cruise vacation on the Oasis class ships. If not, try to see if other ships or cruise lines meet your need in better way.

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3.1 Step 1: Do by Yourself or Through Travel Professional

Some people will be surprised to learn that there are no additional fees to hire a travel professional. So, from financial point of view there is no advantage of using direct booking with Royal Caribbean International. Compensation for cruise counselor is built in the price – either you use it or not, this is up to you.

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Know the answers for those questions before you commit into your cruise vacations. Membership in CLIA (Cruise Line International Association) is important because this means that travel professional takes classes and has rank: ACC – Accredited Cruise Counselor is the beginning, Elite Cruise Counselor (ECC) is one of the highest (Cruise Scholar is the top one) while Master Cruise Counselor (MCC) is at the middle. Membership in ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) allows you to verify if your travel professional follows code of ethics and has any issues with other clients.

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Have at least 3 choices to start with. Keep in mind that you can return or transfer your deposit in full without any penalties before the final payment. After the final payment you have penalties – please read your confirmation from Royal Caribbean International and pay attention to the fine print. Ask your cruise counselor to explain to you all details before you put money down. Also, pay attention to dates around school breaks or public holidays. Those departures tend to have more kids on board of the Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. Prices tend to be higher during those days also.

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Keep in mind that prices and availability subject to change - Royal Caribbean International is very good in promoting its products and the most desirable departures and staterooms are gone from market very quickly. Be aware that prices are changed on weekly basis and people learn the hard way that prices have changed or staterooms are gone. Royal Caribbean International has a strict rebating policy. So don’t expect that somebody will discount for you. So, take Royal Caribbean International prices as a base for your calculations. Second, look at additional prices: gratuities, taxes, cost of excursions, surcharges for fine dining. How many drinks per day you may take while on board? Does it make a sense to purchase a drink package? What about soda package for kids? Spa treatments?

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Basically, your cruise fare has to be between 70 – 90% of your budget. If your budget is extremely limited, try to be flexible with your dates, ship, itinerary, and accommodation. In this situation be honest with your cruise counselor: explain your limitations and ask for suggestions. She will be able to give you different options to take into consideration. If you are looking for more upscale stateroom keep in mind those prices subject to change and different new rates such as resident, military or senior rate may evolve before departure. Your cruise counselor may be able to adjust price for you before the final payment or make an upgrade after this. So, you can find yourself in the better stateroom compare to one that you booked.


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If you pay for your cruise within 75-days window you may face a penalty as written in your confirmation. When you book through somebody other than Royal Caribbean International make sure about 2 things: 1. Your confirmation is originated by the Royal Caribbean

International. You receive an official ‘Guest Copy’ with your cruise counselor credentials in the upper left corner. Be aware if there is another name other than your cruise counselor. It may be an issue if you will have any problems in future.

2. Your credit card is charged by the Royal Caribbean International only. Politely decline any explanations if your card is charged by the agency other than Royal Caribbean International. In this case cancel your reservation if you can’t see charge from the Royal Caribbean on your credit card statement.

Stateroom may be on hold for a different period of time: from a few hours when departure is too close up to a few days. Be advised that your deposit is fully refundable and transferable before the final payment, so you can request change dates and ship.


Take into consideration gratuities and travel protection. If you pick up My Time dining or if this is the only option gratuities have to be paid up front. In many situations this is a plus because you will have upfront payment for your cruise vacation and don’t forget that those gratuities will be billed towards your credit card while on board. Travel protection is the only way to protect your investment. You have 2 options: either purchase cruise protection through Royal Caribbean International or through third party. There are pros and cons of both options. You have to ask your cruise counselor what is in your best interest and compares prices and coverage. Pay special attention to pre-existing medical condition waver – to receive it you have to purchase your travel protection within particular time limit. This depends on provider your cruise counselor will recommend to you.

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First of all, ask your cruise counselor to book your air if you need it. Please keep in mind that Royal Caribbean International has a special program called ChoiceAir for air ticketing. In some cases prices may be better in this program compare to current published prices. If prices are the same and you are taking flight on day of departure – I strongly recommend to book tickets through Royal Caribbean International. In case of flight delay or cancellation ship will wait for your arrival for a few hours. If ship sailed, Royal Caribbean will help you to meet your ship in next port of call. That is why is very important to be in contact with your cruise counselor – she will manage your situation. From this point of view is more preferable to have a full time cruise counselor.


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I recommend for you to play around with options for entertainment, food, activities, and excursions first. Pick up options that you like and discuss each of them with your cruise counselor. Ask her opinion and advice. My suggestion: ask her or make reservations for entertainment and fine dining first. You can make all reservations as far as 90 days prior departure. If options you selected currently are not available, you can make reservation while on board. Try to do that as fist things after you step on the Oasis of the Seas or Allure of the Seas. Your cruise counselor can help you wait list your request for particular show or dining at particular time. She will be informed by Royal Caribbean when your request is cleared. Try to make the reservation for Comedy Club and dining in the Chops Grill first – those two are gone very fast. The same situation is with booking excursions – the best one is gone first.


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If there are too many details in your cruise vacation on the Oasis of the Seas or Allure of the Seas, ask your cruise counselor to create a travel booklet for you with all details listed. In this case you don’t miss any planned event. Don’t forget to check in for your cruise! Go to the Royal Caribbean International web site https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/boardingDocuments.do?cS=NAVBAR&pnav=4&snav=3 Ask your cruise counselor to help you to check in. I do that through phone conference. Keep in mind that you have to put your travel documents’ numbers into system by yourself. If your cruise counselor does this for you – she may be liable for a mistake. So, I strongly recommend you to put numbers by yourself but she may guide your through the process. Print out your SeaPass (one per stateroom) and your are ready! If you are a first time cruiser to the Caribbean – ask your cruise counselor to email packing list suggestions. There are two formal nights during 7-night cruise on the Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.


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Second, come to the pier relaxed – you and your cruise counselor did a great job to take care of every detail of your cruise vacation. I suggest being in touch with her simply to inform that everything is fine. In case of unforeseen event ask for help from Guest Relations desk and email your cruise counselor immediately. Many cruise counselors have very strong relations with a head office of Royal Caribbean International in Miami and are able to help you to solve your problem before it turns too big. Also, read carefully Daily Compass – newsletter on board for activities and announcements. I recommend taking a highlighter with you to highlight interesting events you want to participate. Bon Voyage!

The Ultimate Guide to Cruising on the Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas...

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