When our CEO Jo Kling returned from her 2-night inaugural cruise of  Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, I couldn’t wait to hear her impressions of the world’s largest ship. Even with all the media frenzy as the eagerly anticipated ship finally set sail, I knew it would have to be a pretty amazing ship to impress Jo.

“I didn’t know if it would live up to all the hype”, Jo admitted, “but not only did the Oasis live up to the hype, it surpassed it!” This is a powerful endorsement from Jo  - after all, she and Joyce Landry founded sister company Landry & Kling in 1982, and have sailed and planned events on ships of every class and size throughout the years.

I asked Jo what surprised her the most about the ship, and her response addressed my major concern about sailing on a 5,400-passenger vessel: “It was remarkably easy to get around the ship.” She went on to explain how the touch-screens on each deck helped direct guests to their cabins and onboard destinations. But what about long lines? Not a problem, Jo insisted. Check-in and debarkation were a breeze, and there was never a wait for one of the 24 elevators.

Jo loved the various “neighborhoods” that create intimate, unique spaces within the ship – her favorite was Central Park, with plenty of green space, trees, and lovely cafes and restaurants. She was also impressed by the caliber of entertainment, variety of  multi-functional public spaces, and the gorgeous dining rooms. This ship is sure to be a huge hit with group event planners.

Jo and Brad Nickel, Seasite’s VP of Marketing, are back on the Oasis for a 3-night “friends and family” cruise. Stay tuned for more updates, as well as videos and photos from the ship!

Filed under: Cruise News, Landry and Kling News, Seasite News