Ovation of the Seas Review
The best cruise yet - just need to be organised
Rating by category
Additional details
Been on 2 other cruises before and the Ovation is the best one so far. I was really apprehensive before this cruise because of all the negative reviews but decided to keep an open mind and to learn from the bad experience others had which works great for me.
Keys to a good cruise on a big ship like the Ovation - planned for everything. I booked everything online - North Star, iFly, all the shows, dining and drink packages. It is the key to stress free cruising. (I am in my 30s - might be a reason why I had no issues using the online cruise planner. I thought it worked great.)
Embarkation - easy peasy. Online check in was quick and simple. Uploaded our photos and booked in for boarding at 12:30pm. Arrived at 12:25pm at OST and was on board in 20 mins, with the majority of the time spent waiting for immigration. Our room was already ready for us as soon as we board.
Cabin Review
Deluxe Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony
Chose this cabin because of the big balcony and its location. The cabin itself is smaller than usual - no lounge, just an armchair. I was a bit worried it would be too small but it was the perfect size. Loads of storage, we were able to fully unpack and store our big (the biggest size) suitcases under the bed. I read in many reviews that the bed was really hard but I found it to be perfect for me. There was a mattress topper already on the bed, might have made it a bit softer?? The location of the cabin is great, near the aft elevators bank (which I didn't use since they were always full). Super happy about the location as there are only 2 banks of elevators in the Ovation so there will be a bit of walking for cabins in the front and back of the ship. The best part of this cabin was the balcony. It was wider than normal which I find a little claustrophobic in the past. This was perfect for laying about and enjoying the ocean. It is also shaded so we can use it every day, in all hours, great value for money :) It was quite as its tuck between two other guest cabin deck, away from the activities in the promenade and swimming pool, yet it is close to the all the restaurants and the two venues for shows (on Deck 5). Highly recommend this cabin type and this deck.