As someone who’s cruised with Royal Caribbean for more than two decades, I’m still curious about every new ship. Between the new restaurants, elaborate entertainment, and attractions that somehow get more impressive with each launch, there’s usually something that catches my attention.
But some of my favorite cruises haven’t involved Royal Caribbean’s newest or biggest ship. My recent sailing on Ovation of the Seas reminded me just how much there is to love about a ship that doesn’t get all the hype!
My mom joined me for a 5-night cruise to Cabo San Lucas, marking our first cruise with just the two of us. We spent our days trying different restaurants, watching shows, and finding comfortable places to relax. Even with several attractions we never got around to trying, I never felt like we needed more to do.
My mom and I had already sailed on several Quantum class ships, including Anthem of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, and Spectrum of the Seas. We knew we enjoyed these ships, but we were excited to finally try Ovation of the Seas.
Since our sailing, Ovation of the Seas has undergone a major refurbishment, adding new restaurants, bars, and refreshed spaces. I haven’t tried those additions yet, but they give me even more reasons to book another cruise.
I’ll certainly continue booking Royal Caribbean’s newest ships, but I wouldn’t overlook Ovation of the Seas when planning my next vacation. Here’s why I’d happily sail on her again.
Ovation has plenty to do without being one of Royal Caribbean’s biggest ships
One of the many reasons I love the Quantum class is because of their size. These ships have many of the modern amenities I enjoy without being as enormous (or crowded) as Royal Caribbean’s newest vessels.
Don’t get me wrong, Ovation of the Seas is still a big cruise ship. You won’t run out of places to explore, and you should expect to do plenty of walking. But for me, the size feels manageable while still offering enough restaurants, entertainment, and activities for a full vacation.
For instance, the North Star is one of the ship’s most unusual attractions. The glass observation capsule rises above the top deck, giving you panoramic views of the ship and surrounding scenery.
My mom and I tried the North Star while our ship was in port, when a complimentary session was available. Our ride was shorter than the extended experiences, but we thought it was plenty of time to enjoy the views and take photos.
I actually liked seeing the port from above rather than looking at only the ship and ocean. It was a fun experience to share with my mom, and even better that we didn’t pay extra!
If you want to try the North Star, check your sailing’s schedule for complimentary port-day sessions. This worked well for us, and I wouldn’t feel the need to pay for a longer ride next time.
In addition to the North Star, Ovation of the Seas has a versatile space called the SeaPlex, which I absolutely love! Throughout your cruise, you’ll find the SeaPlex hosting different activities, including bumper cars, laser tags, roller skating, pickle ball, and more.
The SeaPlex is very useful when the weather isn’t ideal for spending all day outside, especially for families who want somewhere for their kids to burn off energy. Of course, adults can also enjoy the space. I don’t think you’re ever too old for a little friendly competition in bumper cars!
I didn’t need to try every attraction to enjoy the ship
Ovation of the Seas also has a FlowRider surf simulator, rock-climbing wall, and RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator (which has an additional cost). We didn’t try any of those during our cruise, as it didn’t necessarily appeal to us.
Years ago, I might have felt more pressure to squeeze everything into the trip. These days, I’m perfectly happy choosing the activities that interest me and leaving the rest for another time.
I appreciate having those attractions available, especially if I’m traveling with family members who want a more active vacation. But my mom and I didn’t need to spend our days climbing walls or attempting to surf to feel like we were getting our money’s worth.
Between trivia, shows, meals, and time by the pool, our days filled up quickly enough. Royal Caribbean’s newest vessels have some incredible attractions, but I know I won’t necessarily use all of them. For this vacation, Ovation of the Seas already had more than enough to keep us entertained.
My mom and I kept returning to the Solarium
Some of my favorite moments on Ovation of the Seas involved doing very little, as we found ourselves spending a lot of time in the adults-only Solarium. My mom and I loved having a comfortable place to relax, look out at the water, and enjoy being on vacation without a schedule.
On embarkation day, we found a daybed and settled in for sailaway. After a long travel day and a busy morning boarding the ship, we were thrilled to finally sit down and relax. For all of the planning that goes into a cruise, sometimes this is what I look forward to most. Give me a comfortable seat, a drink, and an ocean view, and I’m pretty happy!
I also appreciate that Ovation of the Seas has an indoor pool separate from the Solarium. It was popular during our sailing and gave families another swimming option without relying entirely on the outdoor pool deck. This also kept the Solarium less busy, which we appreciated.
Having indoor spaces like these is one of my favorite things about Quantum class. I don’t want my entire day to depend on whether it’s warm and sunny outside. If you’re planning to sail somewhere with cooler weather and want to have an indoor pool option, Ovation of the Seas is a great choice!
Since our sailing, the ship’s pool deck has been refreshed, with private casitas added and changes made to Splashaway Bay. I’d be curious to see those updates, although I suspect my mom and I would still spend plenty of time in the Solarium!
The shows were some of the best parts of our evenings
I love going to shows when I cruise, and the entertainment was one of the things my mom and I enjoyed most on Ovation of the Seas. Our favorite production was Live. Love. Legs, which is a Vegas-style show featured elaborate costumes, impressive dancing, and plenty of showgirl glamour.
My mom and I both thought it was fantastic. I especially loved seeing the intricate costumes, and it was the kind of production I’d happily watch again on another sailing.
We also enjoyed The Beautiful Dream, which was another production show in the theatre. I’ll admit that the storyline was a little hard to follow at times, but the singing and dancing were very good. Even when I wasn’t entirely sure what was happening in the plot, I was still enjoying the performance.
Spectra’s Cabaret in Two70 was a more unusual production. We’d seen it before on other Quantum class ships, and while it’s not our favorite Royal Caribbean show, I still enjoyed watching how the performers and technology brought the room to life.
Two70 is already one of my favorite places to spend time during the day thanks to its panoramic windows, and seeing it transform into a performance venue makes it worth returning to in the evening.
I would recommend seeing Spectra’s Cabaret at least once, particularly if you haven’t seen a production in Two70 before. Just plan to arrive early for a good choice of seats, as the seating is a more limited than the main theatre.
Although the entertainment on Ovation of the Seas isn’t as elaborate as Royal Caribbean’s newest ships, we still enjoyed the shows. Each evening, we had plenty to look forward.
We had just as much fun at trivia as we did at the bigger productions
Not every activity needs elaborate staging or expensive technology to be enjoyable. There were also opportunities for karaoke, game shows, live music, themed parties, and a silent disco. For instance, mom and I went to Taylor Swift music trivia during our cruise in the Schooner Bar, which was especially fun for me!
The English pub was particularly popular during our sailing. Whether it was hosting trivia or live music, there always seemed to be people gathering there.
These are the kinds of activities I love attending on almost any cruise. I don’t need to be on the newest ship to have a fun evening listening to music or trying to remember song lyrics with my mom.
However, I am a little bummed that Music Hall was removed during Ovation of the Seas’ recent amplification. The venue has since been replaced with Sound Cellar in the upper space while the lower space is now a casino. I really loved the multi-level Music Hall, as it was one of the more unique venues in Royal Caribbean’s fleet.
We enjoyed complimentary and specialty dining during our cruise
Ovation of the Seas has a wide selection of complimentary and specialty dining restaurants onboard. While we mostly dined at the free restaurants, my mom and I also splurged on a specialty dining meal at Chops Grille. We used our Diamond Plus BOGO dining credit on the first evening.
After a long day of traveling and a busy embarkation day getting settled onboard, it was a lovely way to spend our first evening. I’ve eaten at Chops Grille on many Royal Caribbean ships, and it continues to be one of my favorite restaurants.
For the rest of the cruise, we ate dinner in the Main Dining Room and had a great experience. For this cruise, we had My Time Dining, meaning we could arrive whenever we wanted for dinner. Overall, we enjoyed all of the meals and found the service to be very attentive.
I enjoy specialty restaurants, but I don’t want to feel like I need to book one every night to eat well. During our cruise, we were happy to have our first-night dinner at Chops Grille and then enjoy the restaurants already included in our fare.
Since Ovation’s recent refurbishment, there have been a few changes to the specialty dining line-up. For instance, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen replaced Jamie’s Italian, which is Royal Caribbean’s in-house Italian restaurant. As a big fan of Italian food, I’m happy to dine at either restaurant, although I do prefer Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen.
Additionally, Izumi Teppanyaki took over the former Wonderland space, which seems like an upgrade, as Wonderland is never busy.
I wish the ship had even more casual dining options
Ovation of the Seas has a variety of dining options for casual meals and grab-and-go snacks. However, I wish the ship had a few extra included places to eat onboard.
One of my favorite restaurants on Quantum class ships is The Café @ Two70. I love the made-to-order options at this restaurant, and being able to take my food into Two70 makes it even better. It’s hard to complain about breakfast or lunch when you have those views! The breakfast sandwiches are my favorite, and don’t miss the homemade cinnamon rolls.
Solarium Bistro is another good option when you want something a little quieter than the main buffet. It’s convenient for breakfast or a quick lunch, with lighter choices available. You can also reserve dinner for a Mediterranean-inspired menu, which I’ve actually never tried before.
Of course, the Windjammer buffet is one of the most popular spots for meals with breakfast, lunch, and dinner being served. As expected, breakfast was usually busy during peak hours, but the restaurant was large enough that we didn’t really struggle to find a table.
Sorrento’s is another classic Royal Caribbean venue for freshly-made pizzas, especially for late-night snacks. The location right next to the pub makes it too easy for a quick slice of pizza after trivia and drinks!
We also tried Fish & Ships on the pool deck, which was a first for us! It was nice to have something different when we wanted a casual bite to eat, but the menu was pretty limited.
Even still, I would have liked a few more casual dining choices. For instance, Dog House isn’t my favorite, and the savory snacks at Café Promenade rarely impress me. I’m more likely to stop there for cookies or a little dessert, but nothing more than that.
Our inside cabin was comfortable, although I’d choose a different location
My mom and I booked an interior cabin with a virtual balcony, which neither of us had tried before. We were eager to see what the experience would be like, as the floor-to-ceiling screen shows live views from outside the ship.
The virtual balcony was useful for checking whether the sun was out in the morning, and it made our interior room feel a little less closed in. Seeing the outside scenery was definitely more exciting than the boring wall. However, the picture wasn’t as crisp as I expected, and the screen occasionally glitched. You definitely wouldn’t mistake it for a real balcony!
For some reason, we also couldn’t figure out how to turn it off at night. Instead, we closed the curtains and used a clip my mom had packed to keep the light from coming through. Having to tuck our pretend balcony in for the night gave us a good laugh!
The rest of the room was comfortable and thoughtfully arranged. We had twin beds, overhead storage, drawers, and enough closet space to unpack without constantly getting in each other’s way.
The bathroom was compact but had a glass-enclosed shower and useful shelving. Our shower drained slowly on the first night, but after we reported it, the issue was fixed by the following evening.
Only one side of the bed setup had a nearby outlet, which was less convenient with the beds separated. That’s something to remember if you both like charging your phones beside you overnight.
The biggest issue was our cabin location. Our cabin, 10521, was beneath Adventure Ocean, and we could hear activity overhead in the mornings. Thankfully, I’d packed a sound machine and earplugs, which helped block out the noise while we slept.
However, another family staying nearby told us they were having a much harder time with the noise. Next time, I would prioritize a room with other cabins above and below it.
The refurbishment gives me more reasons to return
One of the changes I’m happiest to hear about is Pesky Parrot replacing Bionic Bar! The robot bartenders were an interesting novelty, but Bionic Bar often seemed quiet and felt like space that could have been used better. With its fun menu of fruity cocktails and frozen drinks, I can see Pesky Parrot becoming a popular spot onboard.
During our cruise, we generally enjoyed the bar service and had a good experience. The bar by the indoor pool was an especially good find, with great service and hardly any lines when we visited. We also didn’t usually wait long for drinks while spending time in the Solarium or at Schooner Bar.
Along with the new restaurants, Sound Cellar, and refreshed pool areas, these changes make me curious to return. I already enjoyed the ship before the refurbishment, so having some new places to try is appealing!
I’d happily book another Ovation of the Seas cruise without feeling like I was missing out
I understand the excitement around Royal Caribbean’s newest and biggest ships, but I think the Quantum class gets overlooked. Having sailed on Anthem, Odyssey, Spectrum, and now Ovation of the Seas, I’ve found plenty of reasons to keep coming back to these ships.
Quantum class ships have the modern amenities, great entertainment, and comfortable places to relax, without being as enormous as Royal Caribbean’s newest vessels. My cruise on Ovation of the Seas with my mom reminded me how much I appreciate that. We had more than enough to do during our five nights onboard, but we were just as happy spending an afternoon in the Solarium as we were heading out for dinner and a show.
I wouldn’t hesitate to sail on Ovation of the Seas again. She might not be Royal Caribbean’s newest or biggest ship, but she had everything my mom and I needed for a wonderful cruise, and plenty we’d look forward to enjoying again!
