Travelled on this 12 day NZ new year cruise with my wife & extended family group of 4 to sample both Ovation & NZ.Ports visited were in order Bay Of Islands,Auckland,Tauranga,Dunedin & scenic cruising through Fiordland before returning to Sydney.Embarkation went reasonably well with us in our stateroom just after 1pm.

Our stateroom was a twin balcony cabin(D4) on deck 13 between forward & midship lifts.The cabin was more than adequate for 2 with plenty of storage space, bags can be stored under bed after unpacking.Balcony view was slightly obstructed by pool deck above struts & was almost always wet due to weather conditions & condensation.Night light in bathroom is a handy addition & plenty of charging options in cabin for phones/camera batteries etc.

Ovation Of The Seas is impressive from bow to stern with lots of options & activities throughout.My favourite areas were the solarium adults only area at the bow & two70 at the stern.Throughout this cruise I found myself alternating between the two.The major entertainment /shopping area in the centre of the ship-Royal Esplanade is always a buzz of activity although the high end shops & lack of feel/view of the ocean left me feeling like I was in a major shopping centre. Read more