The Royal Caribbean Oasis Of The Seas: A Huffington Post Travel Cruise Ship Guide

The Oasis of the Seas plies the beautiful blue waters of the Caribbean, departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for seven-night cruises to either the Western Caribbean or the Eastern Caribbean. The Eastern Caribbean cruise makes stops in the exotic ports of call of Nassau, Bahamas; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas and Philipsburg, St. Maarten. The Western Caribbean cruise makes stops in Labadee, Haiti; Famouth, Jamaica; and Cozumel, Mexico.

The Oasis of the Seas is a 16-deck monster-size cruise ship five times bigger than the Titanic, with a maximum capacity of 6,360 passengers. With numerous activities and attractions aimed at all ages and interests, this resort-like ship can easily keep all members of a family entertained for the entire duration of a seven-day cruise.

If you can imagine an activity that would be on a cruise ship, the Oasis of the Seas probably has it, plus others you might not have even thought about. Activities and attractions available on this ship include the expected, such as exercise classes -- including yoga and pilates -- a casino and a nightclub. Passengers also will discover the unexpected, such as rock-climbing wall, two surfable water attractions, a zip line, a water park for kids and a teen disco.

The Oasis of the Seas offers a range of staterooms, from a basic 150-square-foot interior room that includes a bed, sitting room and private bathroom, to multiroom suites that can comfortably fit an entire family. One of the unique features of this ship is the availability of 724-square-foot two-floor loft suites that can connect together to create a space big enough to accommodate larger groups or families. The largest suite available on the Oasis of the Seas is the Royal Loft Suite, which measures 1,599 square feet and boasts an additional 874-square-foot balcony.

Prices start as low as $749 for an interior stateroom on a seven-night Western Caribbean cruise with a departure date in late September to early December. Suites for the same time period on this cruise start at $1,749. In early July to early September, the starting price for an interior stateroom on the same cruise goes up to $875. For the Eastern Caribbean cruise, a basic interior stateroom on a ship leaving in early May through late September would start at $815. For the same room on a ship leaving in April, the price starts at $1,265. The Oasis of the Seas does offer discounts for guests 55 and over, as well as U.S. and Canadian military, law enforcement, fire department or EMT personnel. Families can save money by booking one of the suite-style accommodations rather than two or more staterooms, depending on the room selected.

If you've ever wanted to spend up-close-and-personal time with Flipper, then book any of the dolphin excursions that are available in Cozumel. Guests who go on the Dolphin Encounter are allowed to pet the dolphins, while those on the Dolphin Experience and Family Adventure get to spend more time interacting with the loveable aquatic mammals. The dolphin excursions are recommended on the

forum by those who have taken them in the past.

The Oasis of the Seas has both traditional and non-traditional seating arrangements for dining. In the traditional manner, you will be assigned a time and a table at which you will eat each meal. The non-traditional arrangements include a reservation dining option, as well as what's known as My Family Time, where children are fed within 40 minutes and then escorted to activities by cruise staff while the parents can eat at a slower, more enjoyable pace. Room service and other dining options -- some included and some at an additional cost -- are also available on this ship.

According to the

, the Oasis of the Seas first set sail in November 2009 and was built by the STX Europe shipyard in Turku, Finland. The gigantic ship was built in approximately three years for Royal Caribbean.

In May 2010, a crew member was reported as missing and may have fallen overboard, according to

. In December 2010, a cook was found dead in his room, according to Miami's local

.