Except for the chaotic disembarkation at Shanghai because of the fog, my wife and I had a memorable cruise on the Quantum of the Seas from Singapore to Shanghai last year so we decided to go for a similar cruise on the Ovation from Singapore only this time ending in Tianjin. What became the major discrepancies between the two (but largely similar) ships prompted me to write this review.
I booked the activities we were interested in (North Star, Ifly, The Dream, Spectra and Live Long Legs) when they became available in mid-May on the Cruise Planner on the Royal Caribbean website and prepaid for excursions to Ho Chi Min in Vietnam and Seoul in Korea plus onboard gratuities and a four-specialty restaurant dinner package and a RR drink package aside. The activities on board were fine. My wife and I did not like the Dream and we walked out in the middle of the show. The Spectra at 270 with the moving 4 monitors was enjoyable and my personal favorite was the Live Long Legs at the Royal Theater. The non-verbal two-men comedy act was a riot, very funny and extremely talented.
We found the food served at the complementary restaurants (we gave Silk the miss) OK, better at the beginning but falling apart nearer final disembarkation. Did not understand why the dressing code at the Grande was not enforced making it an experience no longer any different from the other free restaurants. Dinner at Solarium Bistro was a major disaster, poor selection cold and bland food. Food at the Windjammer Marketplace vastly improved over the days given the obvious concern of the chefs responsible. The selection at Quantum was however better with one food station on Ovation given over to desserts,
Been to Singapore many times, loved the city and people but too boring for long periods
Great city but expensive
The Korean Immigration ruined it