Oasis of the Seas - 6-Night Western Caribbean & Perfect Day

Where this cruise calls, day by day

5 ports and 2 sea days over 6 Nights.

1. Day 1

   Fort Lauderdale, FL

   United StatesDepart

   Port Everglades is the easy one. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International sits barely two miles from the berths - the shortest airport-to-ship hop of any major US homeport - and the eight passenger terminals are spread far enough apart that traffic rarely knots the way Miami's does. Check your terminal number before you set off; they are not close together.

   • Las Olas Boulevard for lunch, then the walk down to the beach
   • The Water Taxi loop along the New River and Intracoastal, past the yacht basins
   • Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, a 1920s estate hemmed in by condo towers
   • Hollywood Broadwalk, 20 minutes south, for a flatter and cheaper beach day

   Getting ashore

   Eight passenger terminals (2, 4, 18, 19, 21, 25, 26 and 29) ring the harbour on separate access roads, and FLL is about 2 miles out - often under 15 minutes door to door.

   Best months

   Nov-Apr (Aug-Oct is peak hurricane season)

2. Day 2

   Perfect Day at CocoCay

   BahamasPort

   Royal Caribbean's island in the Berry Islands, open only to its own ships and Celebrity's. Beaches, the freshwater Oasis Lagoon, the Splashaway Bay kids' area and lunch at the buffet grills come with your fare. Almost everything with a name attached does not: Thrill Waterpark, Coco Beach Club, the zip line, the helium balloon and every cabana are separate purchases that sell out weeks ahead.

   • Chill Island, the main swimming beach
   • Oasis Lagoon, the freshwater pool with a swim-up bar
   • Thrill Waterpark and Daredevil's Peak (extra cost)
   • Coco Beach Club and its overwater cabanas (extra cost)

   Getting ashore

   Ships dock at the pier - no tendering - and the island is walkable, with a free tram running the main spine.

   Best months

   Nov-Apr for reliable sun and calm water; Aug-Oct calls are the most likely to be swapped for weather

3. Day 3 · At sea

4. Day 4

   Costa Maya

   MexicoPort

   Costa Maya is a port with no town attached. The pier was built for ships, and the village behind it - saltwater pools, tequila stalls, a dolphin pen - is a purpose-built shopping compound. The actual settlement of Mahahual is a couple of miles up the road: a sandy malecón, beach clubs, and reef close enough to swim to. Most passengers skip both and head inland to Chacchoben or Bacalar.

   • Chacchoben Maya ruins, about an hour inland
   • Bacalar's Lagoon of Seven Colours (a long day, roughly two hours each way)
   • Beach clubs along the Mahahual malecón
   • Snorkelling the Mesoamerican reef from shore

   Getting ashore

   Ships dock at Puerto Costa Maya; Mahahual town is a 10-minute shuttle or taxi, or a hot 25-minute walk from the pier gate.

   Best months

   Dec-Apr is dry; sargassum is common Apr-Aug and Sep-Oct is the wettest, riskiest stretch

5. Day 5

   Cozumel

   MexicoPort

   Cozumel is an island 12 miles off the Yucatán that runs almost entirely on cruise traffic - three piers, up to six ships at once, and a downtown built to absorb them. Which pier you draw matters more than anything else: Punta Langosta puts you in San Miguel on foot, while Puerta Maya and the International Pier sit a few miles south and need a taxi. The reason to come is underwater, on the Palancar and Colombia reefs.

   • Snorkel or dive Palancar Reef
   • Chankanaab Park's lagoon and shore snorkelling
   • A beach club day at Mr. Sancho's or Nachi Cocom
   • San Gervasio Maya ruins in the island's interior

   Getting ashore

   All ships dock; Punta Langosta is a walk into San Miguel, while Puerta Maya and the International Pier are 3-4 miles south, about 10 minutes by taxi.

   Best months

   Dec-Apr is driest and calmest; Jun-Nov is hurricane season, and sargassum can wash ashore May-Aug

6. Day 6 · At sea

7. Day 7

   Fort Lauderdale, FL

   United StatesArrive

   Port Everglades is the easy one. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International sits barely two miles from the berths - the shortest airport-to-ship hop of any major US homeport - and the eight passenger terminals are spread far enough apart that traffic rarely knots the way Miami's does. Check your terminal number before you set off; they are not close together.

   • Las Olas Boulevard for lunch, then the walk down to the beach
   • The Water Taxi loop along the New River and Intracoastal, past the yacht basins
   • Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, a 1920s estate hemmed in by condo towers
   • Hollywood Broadwalk, 20 minutes south, for a flatter and cheaper beach day

   Getting ashore

   Eight passenger terminals (2, 4, 18, 19, 21, 25, 26 and 29) ring the harbour on separate access roads, and FLL is about 2 miles out - often under 15 minutes door to door.

   Best months

   Nov-Apr (Aug-Oct is peak hurricane season)