The Amazing Cruise Ship Ovation of the seas - Quantum Class - by Royal Caribbean
♦ Routes (free): Detailed travel itineraries in USA
General
A cruise on Royal Caribbean's "OVATION OF THE SEAS" is an experience abundant with options and activities, and it really doesn't matter what the cruise destinations are. The ship, which is the third in Royal Caribbean's Quantum series, is a floating paradise with innovative facilities not found in any other ship class, impressive design and endless possibilities for every age and style.
I sailed on it on a unique repositioning cruise held only once a year: from Vancouver, Canada to Honolulu, Hawaii, on a 10-night cruise with 5 consecutive sea days, which passed far too quickly, thanks to the array of activities, shows and attractions the ship offers its passengers.
Facilities and Attractions on the Ship
Observation Tower
The highlight of the ship is "NORTH STAR," an observation capsule designed for 14 people that rises at the end of a long arm up to a height of 92 meters above sea level, allowing for spectacular scenic views of the various destinations the ship reaches, the sea and sunset, and of course, the beautiful ship itself. This facility is unique only to Quantum-class ships and does not exist on any other ship in the world.
"NORTH STAR" Observation Capsule:
Sky diving Simulator
Another unique facility is a transparent "skydive chamber" called: RipCord® by iFLY® where you fly in a wind tunnel wearing a special suit. This is a unique and powerful experience that costs dozens or even hundreds of dollars in other places in the world.
iFLY Skydiving Simulator:
Seaplex Multi-use Hall
The ship has a vast indoor sports area called "SEAPLEX" featuring a multi-purpose court for basketball, volleyball, pickleball and more.
"SEAPLEX" Multi-purpose Hall:
This court turns into a bumper car arena during part of the day, at other times into a roller skating rink, and occasionally for trapeze acrobatics.
"SEAPLEX" Multi-purpose Hall:
In addition, the indoor sports area features many ping pong tables, foosball and air hockey.
There is also an escape room (by prior arrangement) and seating areas with XBOX consoles. The ship also features a varied arcade game room.
It is important
to note that the use of all these facilities is included in the cruise price and
no extra payment is required (unlike ships of many other companies that charge significant fees
for facilities and attractions).
It is recommended to reserve spots for the "North
Star" and the skydiving chamber on the very first day you
board the ship, and if possible, even before that.
FlowRider and Climbing Wall
Of course, the ship features the popular sports and amusement facilities found in Royal Caribbean's "Oasis" and "Freedom" series, such as a climbing wall and FlowRider surf simulator.
Pools
The ship has two outdoor pools, children's slides and a current pool.
In addition to the outdoor pools, there are indoor pools suitable for all weather, with several jacuzzis near all pools, but the highlight for swimming enthusiasts is the Solarium, a tropical thermal pool area abundant with vegetation and luxurious seating areas, featuring several giant jacuzzis and well-heated pools.
Solarium:
Indoor Pools:
On no other ship have I encountered such a large indoor and heated pool area, and for free! The area also includes a restaurant specializing in healthy food. This area is designated for adults only (ages 16 and up) but children are not neglected; they have colorful children's pools full of fun and splashes, including a circular current pool.
Video of attractions and entertainment on the Ovation of the Seas :
Theaters and Entertainment
The ship has a large theater where there are shows every evening and sometimes in the afternoon:
In addition to the theater at the bow of the ship, there is another charming hall at the stern full of technology called: TWO70 featuring "robotic" screens capable of moving in all directions.
TWO70 Hall:
In this hall, a unique and spectacular show called "Spectra's Cabaret" is presented, combining dancing and singing with lots of technological effects and innovation. The hall is entirely surrounded by glass walls, has comfortable and luxurious seating areas and also a recommended restaurant nearby. Games and various quizzes are held there and movies are screened. This is one of the ship's gems—a place with atmosphere, pampering and fascinating. Many movies are also screened on a giant screen at the central pool—ranging from full-length feature films to music shows and nature and scenery films.
Giant cinema screen on deck:
Another multi-use hall is the two-story MUSIC HALL where music shows, dance parties and more are held.
Music Hall entertainment and dance hall:
On the upper floor are three billiard tables.
Casino
The ship has a giant casino with many gaming tables and slot machines:
Dining Rooms and Restaurants
Ovation has a large selection of restaurants in addition to the four main dining rooms and several cafes and large buffets (included in the cruise price) .
It features for an additional fee a high-quality Italian restaurant, JAMIE'S ITALIAN, by the Naked Chef, Jamie Oliver,
JAMIE'S ITALIAN Italian restaurant:
Steakhouse: CHOPS GRILLE:
Japanese restaurant: IZUMI, and the "Wonder" restaurant WONDERLAND with special dishes and a fairytale design, and of course, a variety of bars, including the Bionic Bar with robots preparing drinks.
Bionic Bar:
Did you know? Every week on the Ovation they prepare 230,000 desserts, 23,000 steaks, 18,000 pizza slices, use more than 84,000 eggs and drink 18,700 cans and bottles of beer in addition to about 3,000 bottles of wine, whiskey and vodka.
Video on halls, shows and restaurants on the ship Ovation of the Seas :
Ovation is a large and stable ship,
weighing 168,666 tons with a maximum capacity of about 5,000 passengers and about
1,500 crew members.
Most of the ship's rooms have balconies, but even
the interior rooms get a view thanks to a virtual balcony installed
in them: this is actually a giant television screen projecting the outside image
at any given moment.
Virtual Balcony:
Sailing Itineraries
The Ovation sails in 2023-2024 in two main routes, both powerful with spectacular views: cruises to Alaska in the summer from May to the end of September and cruises in Oceania (Australia New Zealand) in the winter from October to the end of April. Twice a year it has repositioning cruises crossing the Pacific Ocean between Sydney, Australia and Seattle via Hawaii.
In 2019 another ship in the series was launched: SPECTRUM OF THE SEAS which sailed only in Asia, from two ports: Shanghai and Hong Kong to neighboring countries on relatively short cruises of 4-7 nights. And In Nov 2020 another ship in the series (the 5th) was launched: ODYSSEY OF THE SEAS .