Oasis of the Seas

Welcome to the Neighborhood

According to Royal Caribbean's literature, there will be 7 distinct Neighborhoods on the Oasis of the Seas.  Central Park is a Neighborhood for natural serenity.

Central Park is a complete neighborhood, with shops, restaurants and lounges of all types.  Everyone should find something they like in Central Park.  Restaurants range from elegant dining to more relaxed and casual.  There are seven different bars scattered all along Central Park. The Rising Tide bar promises to be the most popular - because it levitates!

Like its namesake, Central Park also features places to relax and enjoy the scenery, including serene pathways; lush, tropical grounds; and large trees. ( Yes, there will be real, planted, living trees on a cruise ship!) At the center of Central Park is a Italian-style piazza.  It also functions as the ship’s town square, tranquil and peaceful space during the day.  Quiet reading corners, specimen gardens, and other hidden surprises can be discovered along the winding paths.

During the evening, Central Park is the main spot for dining, entertainment, and street performances.   Central Park features several alfresco dining options. 

As with all Neighborhoods, Central Park will have "residences".  And like New York, the buildings here are towering.  The Oasis of the Seas Central Park will be lined with balcony staterooms that lift up six decks high!

Overall, Central Park is as long as a football field, brings the outdoors to your cruise shopping experiences and allows residences to view all the excitement from their balconies.  This is why I really like this ship; it is really nice to have a hotel room where you can come out on your balcony and still be a part of the action.  It is like having the urban vacation experience. 

Oasis of the Sea's Central Park summary:

• Neighborhood Features:
      Three themed garden spaces offering a wide variety of tropical foliage.
• Dining / Entertainment Venues:
      Chops Grille - our signature steak house
      150 Central Park - exclusive dining
      Antonio’s Table - Italian trattoria
      Central Park Café - indoor/outdoor gourmet market
      Vintages - our ever popular wine bar
      Canopy Bar - featuring the Crystal Canopy
      Rising Tide bar - the first levitating bar at sea
• Boutique Shopping:
      Upscale specialty gift store
      The Parkside Gallery - showcasing original artwork
      Picture This - a unique portrait studio
• New Accommodations:
      254 Central Park^SM View balcony staterooms
       70 Central Park^SM View staterooms

Features - Crystal Canopies

One thing I am sure the Architects of the Oasis of the Seas discussed is how much these Neighborhoods would seem distinct from each other.  One one hand, you want to have a certain theme in each and, on the other, you want people to feel easy about crossing the boundary lines that exist. 

Think about some of the neighborhoods you know; the ones that feel inviting.  The excitement seems to flow across the street and into the neighborhoods around.

Oasis of the Seas' Neighborhoods are separated by steel floors!  But, they figured out a way to create visual links between the Neighborhoods.  One such link is the glass floor / roof of the Crystal Canopies.

At the center of Central Park is a large, glass arch looking down into the Royal Promenade.  Of course, this adds light into the Royal Promenade, giving it the ambience of a grand hotel lobby open to the sky. 

I just love the idea of standing in the Royal Promenade, looking up and seeing all the other people looking down.  What a great way to people watch.  And, it takes away the sometimes negative feeling I get when I am in a cruise ship too long, stuck inside.   

No other ship has been able to bring in natural light from above their Promenade until now.  That is because, the deck above is open to the sky even at the center of the ship.  Again, a new and exciting feature.

From the Central Park, of course, this provides some special places to relax.  You have the ability to see out of your present Neighborhood and into another exciting scene.

The Canopy Bar is the location for another Crystal Canopy.  This will be a highlight.  I have not seem any images of the Canopy Bar yet...

A Bar That Elevates Between 3 Decks!

Now this is a cool, and ingenious, feature!

Imagine a bar that ascends and descends three decks!  Enter at the ground and rise to see the whole view of the Central Park while relaxing with your drink. 

Wondering if you can actually enter the bar from two different decks?  Yes!  The Rising Tide Bar connects the Royal Promenade to the Central Park.  Just hop on, have a drink, and get off on either floor!  Such a cool idea.

At the Royal Promenade level, the bar is replaced by a fountain.  That is to say, that when the Rising Tide Bar elevates toward the Central Park, a fountain will turn on beneath it! 

I'm sure this has been done before, somewhere.  But not on a cruise ship.  A fun little feature.

Central Park Daydreaming

I think Central Park Neighborhood is the best part of the ship. I will spend a great deal of time here. 

Perhaps I am merely daydreaming, but I imagine getting up early and walking though the Central Park on my way to a nice pastry shop.  I have already watched the sunrise from another part of the ship, now I am ready to eat!  Nothing too heavy yet.  Perhaps a danish or a muffin.

Other people in my family are just begining to wake.  In a few minutes, they will be very hungry and want a big breakfast.  But, for now, I can sit in peace and watch the myriad of international faces walk by as I enjoy my tea and scone.  What a dream...

But wait!  Look what I found!  Central Park Café - indoor/outdoor gourmet market.  My new morning hang-out.  Just walking distance from my Central Park Neighborhood residence (for a week).

Aah!  Life in the city.  The smell of fresh flowers and budding trees.  And, no pigeons!  (They should put a few on the ship, just for effect.  Maybe we can engineer a few that didn't poop!)

Central Park Deck Plans

The deck plans are in for the Oasis of the Seas.  Here, we will review all the features of the Central Park Neighborhood.

The Central Park Neighborhood starts on Deck 8.  It is open to the sky!  It is surrounded on all sides by "high rises" to give it that New York City feel. (Thus, the name:-)

As seen on the deck plans, Central Park showcases Vintage and Retail Stores, the Parkside Gallery (art?), Picture This, Park Cafe, Antonio's Table, Chops Grille,  and 150 Central Park.  Also, the Rising Tide Bar peaks up through a Crystal Canopy.

Staterooms that face the Central Park start on Deck 9, which features the Central Park View Staterooms (CV).  From what I gather, these rooms have porthole windows (?).  On Deck 10, we start the "highrise" climb of balcony staterooms.  Central Park View Staterooms with Balcony (C1 & C2) climb from deck 10 all the way up to Deck 14. (Deck 13 doesn't exist :-)