Royal Caribbean Cruise on Ovation of the Seas

Lorraine Wynne 27 April 2016
All my preconceived notions of cruising were proved wrong when I experienced my debut cruise with Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas. The words Wow and amazing we used quite a lot throughout my time on board, the ship is simply stunning.

Many people have the idea that a cruise is only for older people, it feels too confined and uncomfortable and there is too much moving from place to place and it would not be relaxing. If you have never cruised before then clear any thought you have out of your mind because you will be amazed at what a cruise holiday has to offer you.

Ovation of the Seas is part of the Quantum class fleet from Royal Caribbean and this makes it one of the largest cruise ships. I was amazed at how spacious the whole ship felt; at capacity she can hold 4000 passengers but her sheer size allows you the freedom to feel like it is not too crowded. On more than one occasion I had to remind myself that this was a ship, everywhere was so spacious and modern it has the feel of a 5* hotel.

The Royal Promenade is at the heart of the ship and a lovely place to stroll during the day and browse some of the shops including designers such as Michael Kors perfect for treating yourself to a lovely handbag. It is also a lovely meeting point before you enjoy a lovely meal in one of the many restaurants. The ship boasts amazing features like the Bionic Bar, Flowrider surf experience, RipChord indoor sky diving, Rock climbing wall, a casino, nightclub, many bars and restaurants, lovely pools both indoor and outdoor and an amazing spa for the adults and Adventure Club and Seaplex for the little ones and teens.

It is rumoured that on average a person gains about a stone in weight on a week’s cruise and having experienced it myself I now understand how this can happen. Windjammers café is a large buffet area open 22 hours every day and here you can taste food from all over the world, with loads of options to choose from it is the perfect casual dining for all meals. The main restaurants are a la carte dining experiences we enjoyed a lovely meal in Silk where I tried Crab cakes for the first time and they were delicious! Speciality restaurants are available for an extra treat; Wonderland is a magical themed restaurant, The Jamie Oliver Restaurant and there is also Lzumi which is a lovely sushi restaurant.

I visited every type of cabin available on the ship and each one is modern and spacious including their inside cabins having a virtual balcony, they have a live camera feed of the outside scenes of the ship so you will not miss out on lovely views. From an inside virtual cabin to a two story Royal loft suite there is a cabin for every budget and preference.

Entertainment is a key word when you think of cruise, and there is entertainment to keep everyone in good spirits. Throughout the cruise there are some of the best of musicians you will hear taking turns in entertaining you. Whether it’s the 80’s band in the nightclub, the one man band in Michaels Bar, the 4 piece reggae style band in the Royal Promenade or the piano player in Schooners Bar, there is something for everyone. Along with music you have lots of fun activities such as the bumper cars in Seaplex, surfing on the Flowrider and the rip cord; a unique indoor sky diving experience that you will love. At night time they also show movies on a large screen outdoors, imagine watching a movie under the stars in the warm Caribbean air, doesn’t it sound so appealing?

If you are thinking about a cruise for your next holiday I would love to hear from you.