Royal Caribbean International says that after a 17-month pause, the Oasis of the Seas is back in cruise service, sailing on her first post-pandemic commercial cruise, the first Oasis-Class vessel sailed from Bayonne, New York.
Based in New York the first time, the vessel is now offering a series of seven-night voyages to the Bahamas.
Through the end of October, Oasis is making weekly visits to Nassau, Port Canaveral and Perfect Day at CocoCay – Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, home to North America’s tallest waterslides, featuring unique attractions and having had a $250 million transformation in 2019.
After the New York series, Oasis will reposition to Miami for the winter season, through December, sailing alternate itineraries to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, including stops in Mexico, Honduras, St. Maarten and Puerto Rico.
The 2009-built Oasis of the Seas, one of the world’s largest cruise ships, has a capacity for over 5,400 guests, was built in Finland and she introduced a groundbreaking design including Central Park, a park with real plants, surrounded by shops and restaurants.
The vessel also has her public areas divided in seven different zones, known as neighborhoods. Each one of them has a different appeal, with unique attractions. The BoardWalk, for instance, reproduces a seaside pier, with a carousel, carnival games, retail outlets and eateries.
The Oasis of the Seas was also the first ship to feature a dancing-waters theater, a zip-line and a moving bar and in 2019, she underwent a $165 million refurbishment in Spain as part of the Royal Amplification program, with after two months in drydock, she with the tallest slide at sea – Ultimate Abyss; The Perfect Storm trio of waterslides; a reimagined Caribbean pool deck; and new kids and teens spaces.
The Oasis of the Seas is the 14th Royal Caribbean ship to resume service since the COVID-19 pandemic operational pause and the 10th to return to service for Royal Caribbean in the United States, after the Freedom of the Seas became the first ship do so in July.
With a 25-ship fleet, Royal Caribbean plans to have 21 vessels in service by the end of the year.
A report by John Alwyn-Jones, Cruise Editor, Global Travel Media and Global Cruise News.