Vicki Fernandez, Landry & Kling Account Manager, recently sailed with an Insurance Company client to help operate an incentive program aboard Royal Caribbean’s 5,400-passenger Oasis of the Seas. Since this is Vicki’s second time working on the spectacular new ship, we’ve fondly dubbed her the Landry & Kling “Oasis Queen”.

Here are some of Vicki’s favorite Oasis of the Seas moments from the Eastern Caribbean incentive cruise.

“A mini-golf tournament is great fun – The ship’s nine-hole miniature golf course, Oasis Dunes, can be reserved on port days when the course is normally open. We scheduled our mini-golf event from 6 – 8 pm one evening, and served cocktails during the tournament. Everyone who participated really loved it!

The Chef’s Table is the best dining for a small group on Oasis of the Seas. Although there are plenty of onboard dining options included, the $75 per person charge is so worth it! It’s not just a meal – it’s a full-scale dining experience hosted by one of the ship’s chefs who created the menu and wine pairing. The dinner is held in the exclusive Concierge Lounge.

The table for 14 is set with exquisite china and crystal – beautiful! The dinner lasted three hours, and the guests that experienced it during the program were WOWED. My recommendation for anyone considering dining at the Chef’s Table is to plan it towards the end of the cruise so that it’s a highlight.

Digital Technology – The digital signage network on Oasis is amazing, and really adds to the guest experience. There are more than 300 displays – everything from passive screens to interactive touch screens that provide real-time information and directions. Group planners can use the scrolling sign over the “On Air Club” in the Royal Promenade to display a message to their attendees.

Royal Connect Phones– the Best Thing Ever! For $17.50 a week per phone, you can rent an iPhone with a specially designed app for Oasis of the Seas. You can use it to call anyone on the ship, staterooms, or even crew dect phones; or text anyone in your network (the group of phones you rent). Plus, the phones have a guest finder feature that tells you where anyone in you network is at any time – too much fun!

Royal Connect phones also have the Cruise Compass [ship’s daily newsletter] updated daily, so you don’t have to carry the paper copy around. We rented phones for the staff and VIP’s, and had one Royal Connect phone dedicated to Hospitality Desk/Guest Questions. We gave that number to the attendees, so folks could get answers at any time. It’s awesome.

Exceptional Service – I heard from more than one crew member that the staff on the Oasis is held to a higher standard than any other ship’s crew in the Royal Caribbean fleet. They want to exceed passengers’ expectations and debunk the “Ship is too big” myth that exists.

The Onboard Group Coordinator did an amazing job – with several other groups on board she made herself available to our team and was always ahead of the game. The Dining Room staff was gracious and responsive to our group’s needs, and the Bar Staff also did an outstanding job serving the guests. It was a total ship effort, and they did exceed my expectations!”

Thanks, Vicki, for sharing a few highlights from the Oasis incentive cruise. For the 300 attendees, corporate meeting planner and L&K staff, The Oasis of the Seas delivered. The program was an overwhelming success, everyone loved the ship, and the meeting planner looked like a star.

Filed under: Cruise News