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Ovation of the Seas
Sunday 17 April 2016
The newest ship to join Royal Caribbean's fleet this month is Ovation of the Seas. Having been at the launch of her sister ship 'Quantum of the Seas' a couple of years ago, I was interested to see how this newest offering compared.
We arrived at Southhampton cruise terminal at 4.30pm on Monday and we had to disembark at 8am Tuesday morning! We were under a bit of a time constraint but it’s amazing how much you can see and do when time is against you!
Checking in at the Terminal is seemless. Within minutes one of the numerous check in clerks walking around the terminal armed with their ipad, had us ready to board.
There really are few differences between the Quantum Class fleet. Ovation of the Seas is shortly making its way to China and aside from Dim Sum Noodles replacing Johnny Rockets, some fancy art work on the walls & ceilings and the signs translated into Chinese, you really would struggle to notice the difference.
Our fun filled afternoon included a visit to the Bionic Bar. It is quite a novelty to order your drink on an ipad and watch while a robotic barperson mixes your cocktail. It wouldn't be the quickest means of ordering a drink but perhaps once the novelty has worn off by day 2, the wait time isn't so long!
Wonderland is one of the speciality restaurants, with its decor based on the Alice in Wonderland tales. Once seated diners are handed a blank menu with a paint brush & water. As you 'paint' over the blank page, your menu is revealed! The food is as unconventional as the menu!
Our next stop was the North Star, a pod which elevates you over 300 feet above sea level & offers 360 degree views. Ripcord by Fly - the on board sky dive simulator. Flowrider is a 40 foot surf simulator with a row of stadium seats for those in search of some wipe out moments! Even if you are not interested in participating, it is worth heading down for an hours entertainment!
For anyone still of the opinion that cruise ships are for older clientele or they reckon they'll be bored couldn't be further off the mark. The choice of entertainment, activities and dining on board would bewilder you when you think of the logistics of it. The Music Hall is personally my favourite venue on board. The 80's cover band 'Wild Boys' entertained us into the wee hours as we made the most of our one night stay!
Check out the highlights of our short visit on Ovation on our video below ~Katrina