SacCaliCruiser

9 hours ago, seapad said:

Do you happen to have the daily cruise planner that you can share? 

I do have it- I am just a bit technologically challenged. I will try to upload a PDF or at least pics of it. 

On 8/5/2019 at 11:58 AM, Biker19 said:

Typically the kettles are only in JS cabins and up.

 

Nice of them to get out on the Flowrider in what I assume were less than ideal conditions.

We were pretty chilly waiting in line!

On 8/5/2019 at 12:05 PM, Nkelly14 said:

We are doing this cruise next year and are looking at airfare.  What time were you able to disembark the ship?

We stayed on the ship until 9:50 a.m. and were the last ones on our floor. You can disembark as early as 8:30 a.m. for sure and perhaps earlier if you are doing self disembarkation (ie walking off with your own luggage). The ship docks in Seattle at 4:30 a.m.

The taxi lines were insanely long at about 10 a.m. because the Celebrity Solstice also was in port that morning. We walked to the app ride lot (about a 10-minute walk) and waited about 20 minutes for an Uber. 

Clarification about the drink cups: If you have the soda or refreshment package, you DO need the special cups to use the freestyle machines that are in Windjammer, Sorrentos and the SeaPlex. But if you don't have the cup with you, you can still order a soda as part of your package and get it in a regular cup at any bar or restaurant.

Two corrections: you go to the Box Office, Guest Services or the iFly Desk (although I'm not sure what time it opens) on Embarkation Day to book reservations for iFly and Northstar.

And yes there are dedicated Key Times for iFly and Northstar but you still need reservations for these and they do fill up early on Embarkation Day.

14 minutes ago, JeffT237 said:

 

Thanks for your review, did the Key benefits include any private time slots for Northstar or iFly?  Thanks again.

(Corrected), yes they did have private time slots for these but both of these still required reservations. When we arrived on board for the private lunch there was a person there helping Key users make reservations. I think the "key" to getting on these is to board as early as you can and book them ASAP. I will add a photo to this thread with The Key dedicated private time slots on various activities.

We were first time cruisers and had been looking forward to our July 26, 2019, cruise for many months - and it did not disappoint. We had an amazing time. We loved the ship, the rooms, the staff and the activities. The scenery was stunning but note: we did NOT get close enough to see Dawes Glacier because there was too much ice, which was disappointing. Still the Endicott Arm is spectacular. We saw lots of whales from the ship and tons of bald eagles in Juneau. We heard a lot of experienced cruisers unhappy about the elevators, the crowds and "upselling" and the food. But overall we give the cruise an A grade and recommend it, especially for new cruisers and families with children ages 6-16.

Here is a breakdown:

The ship: Ovation is simply breathtaking, inside and out. It is huge! But we found the layout to be easy to navigate after getting used to it and our kids had no trouble finding their way around. The art is fascinating and fun, the decor is beautiful down to the smallest details such as the lighting and signage. Many many people were unhappy with the elevators, but we were relaxed about it and didn’t mind waiting or taking the stairs (however they were slow and packed at times which was difficult especially for those who had scooters, strollers or wheelchairs).

The rooms: We had adjoining balcony staterooms on Deck 10 toward the aft and loved them. Our attendant opened the balcony partition for us right away, adding another way to pass between the rooms and additional space. We are spoiled forever now because the staterooms are modern, spacious and have tons of storage (including plenty of hangers). The beds are quite firm but comfortable and the bedding is so cozy. Couple of notes: some room tours showed hot water kettles but ours did not have one and we were told there wasn’t one available but it appeared some of the suites have them. No biggie. Also the showers have a pump dispenser with a 2-in-1 body wash and shampoo but no conditioner or lotion so be sure to bring your own.

The crowds: We braced for huge crowds everywhere because of other reviews. Indeed, the times we found it to be overwhelming were directly after the muster drill when everybody was in the same place, trying to do the same thing (ride the elevators), in the Windjammer Marketplace at peak hours (around 12:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.), and occasionally on the Royal Esplanade when a lot of people were shopping at the many tables set up in the open space (see pic below). But otherwise it was fine. We always found a nice place to sit in public areas.

The staff: Nearly every single service person we encountered was friendly and professional, although a small few were a little over the top and seemed to be looking for an extra tip. We were beyond thrilled with our room attendant Habibie. He was a pure gem. Our room was beautiful and always fresh and clean. We did the "Find the Nations" scavenger hunt and were SO impressed with every single staff member - from the photographer to the salespeople. They all were patient and friendly as children besieged them to ask where they were from. I found this to be a real testament to the quality of all staff. We found Cruise Director Joff and his sidekick Angelle to be so entertaining and fun - don’t miss their morning show on the room TV, it’s so entertaining and informative. We were hooked and even missed the morning show once we got home (yes we are nerds). When we saw Joff in the elevator our children felt as though they’d met a celebrity and he was so friendly and down to earth. We didn’t have anybody being pushy to sell us stuff, as I’ve seen in other reviews.

The activities: The pools are great, our kids loved the indoor family pool and the weather was beautiful on our sailing so we used the outdoor pool quite a bit. The splash area is for very little kids so we didn’t use it. We tried to roller skate but learned too late that we didn’t have the required wristbands. Go to the iFly desk on Deck 15 to get wristbands early on the day that rollerskating is offered. The FlowRider was fun and we got on it with about a 30-minute wait. The FlowRider staff are terrific. You need advanced reservations for iFly - if you can’t get them ahead on Cruiseplanner, go to the iFly desk on Deck 15 as soon as you get on board to get a time slot because it did sell out. Some people said you also can book on the Royal IQ App as soon as you are onboard but we did it in person. iFly is fun - a little short and the staff were a little bit “too cool for school.” A suggestion: if your whole family is doing iFly at the same time, break up your group into two sessions or ask someone to take photos for you because the official camera was not working when we went and you’re going to want pics of your kids!

Shows: We loved the welcome and farewell shows (go to the early ones if you are bringing kids) and the game shows they put on (ie Finish That Song Lyric and Love and Marriage). We did not see the main productions, Beautiful Dream (we really wanted to see this but it was shown the evening we had been in port in Skagway and we were exhausted) or Live Love Legs (we were warned it isn’t kid friendly). Pixels is the only show you can reserve in advance and is shown every night. It is not the best show ever but is fun and short with impressive dancing and some cool technology. It’s worth checking out but try to sit on the first floor for the best views.

The food: We loved the Windjammer service and food - in fact we ate most of our meals there and always found the food to be hot (when it was supposed to be) and yummy. Breakfast was great; there were always international choices (I loved the Indian and Chinese food!) and comfort food (we liked the daily soups). There were many choices for kids including tons of fruit, pasta, mac and cheese, pizza and chicken tenders. We did not go in expecting great food based on reviews but were pleasantly surprised. The main dining room was hit or miss - we loved lobster night but had a less than stellar meal another night. The service was a little slow in the main dining rooms at dinner for My Time Dining. My daughter LOVED Sorrentos and visited it at least twice a day for a slice of pizza. We did not eat in the specialty restaurants. A note about the two formal nights: One night we all got dressed up and we had a giant, loud table of teenagers wearing shorts and t-shirts next to us (the parents and grandparents sat at a different table) and it kind of put a damper on the “formal” part of the night. Other tables had people in suits and dresses. So don’t look for this dress code to be enforced/followed. We had the refreshment package and found it worth it for the unlimited sodas, “mocktails,” bottled water (we had to ask for it at the bars), and particularly the specialty coffees at La Patisserie, Cafe 270 and the Windjammer. BTW You don’t have to have the souvenir cup - you can order soda anywhere but there are the soda freestyle machines in the Windjammer and at Sorrentos with a gazillion choices.

"Upselling": We just didn't experience this to be a problem. There were people walking around with alcoholic beverages on carts offering them for sale and tables to buy beverage packages but they never were pushy about it, and only on the very first day did a bartender offer to sell us the all-inclusive beverage package. Otherwise, the only place where "selling" was really going on was in the shops and at the Royal Esplanade tables. And even then we didn't feel very pressured to buy anything.

The Ports: Juneau and Skagway are very cute, crowded, commercial little port towns full of jewelry and gift shops. It’s worth getting off the Main Streets on excursions because the scenery is breathtaking. Our shore excursions were fun and well organized. Juneau’s Mt. Roberts Tramway is spectacular and we were surprised to find it not too crowded (we went straight there after the ship docked at noon). Prepare to shop at the giant gift shop at the top, take a walk on the easy short trails through beautiful rainforest, and leave some time in case there are lines to come back down. Highly recommend the Mendenhall River Float Trip in Juneau (our guide Julia was absolutely fantastic!) Bring rain coats or ponchos, they go rain or shine and we got drenched in a short downpour right at the beginning. The White Pass train in Skagway has amazing views and interesting history. The only slightly obnoxious thing about the train ride was when the tour guide/announcer walked through each train car at the end in a poorly veiled quest for tips. Victoria is fabulous. If you have time, walk from the ship to the adorable Fisherman’s Wharf (15-minute walk) and then take a water taxi to the Inner Harbour. We checked out the area on foot, including quick stops at the Empress Hotel and Parliament building. We skipped Butchart Gardens because we have pre-teens who weren’t interested, it is 40 minutes from town and we wanted to get back to the ship to enjoy it on the last day and to pack. But those who went said they are fabulous and worth every minute. Note: There were at least three ships in each port at a time-making for some crowds but we loved chatting with the other cruisers and everybody else was in awe of the size and beauty of the Ovation.

Voom Surf and Stream WiFi/Royal IQ: We expected the worst because of the many poor reviews but for us it was fine the entire time. We just used it for texting, google and some other websites, and some YouTube streaming, and never had any major issues. A note-we paid for the Royal IQ texting app but never used it. We have iPhones and turned on iMessage and texted the entire time from everywhere on the ship without a problem).

The Key: As this was our first cruise, we had no loyalty perks whatsoever and this made The Key ABSOLUTELY worth it. We breezed on to the ship at embarkation, had a private lunch in the MDR with a nice menu; had some private time slots at the FlowRider, bumper cars and rock wall (I’ll post a pic of the times); had priority disembarkation at the ports (even though we weren’t using tenders at any port); and had priority disembarkation on the last day; and it included the WiFi. I would recommend The Key to anyone who is new or relatively new to RCCL and has no perks. For those with higher status, it probably is not worth the extra expense.

Some small suggestions: The first day's morning show and Cruise Compass (and the cruise details ahead of time) should make it very clear that it is not a guarantee to see the Dawes Glacier. The teen club activities were a little bit on the late side for us. Beautiful Dream should be shown on a sea day because Skagway is a long day. The Captain should repeat his announcement about the Glaciers because several people did not hear it early in the morning. It was slightly annoying for a few staff to ask us for good reviews on the after-cruise survey. And a “Find The U.S. States” scavenger hunt would be fun. But these are nitpicking because we honestly had the time of our lives!

3 hours ago, frank808 said:

Here is the key and star class line for bumper cars right now on ovation.

Thanks! Looking forward to hearing more about your experience. Hope your cruise is going well and you aren’t too bothered by smoke from the wildfire. 

52 minutes ago, HardyVA said:

I've never sailed with rcc before. What is a key and how do I get it? We are booked on Grandeur in April2020

The Key is a new program that you purchase in your cruise planner and get certain perks such as priority boarding and disembarkation, boarding day lunch at a specialty restaurant and special times on activities such as FlowRider. There are several threads in Cruise Critic about it. It varies when it becomes available but keep an eye on your cruise planner under “Internet and More.” If you do not have any loyalty perks and had planned to buy internet it’s well worth it at anywhere from $19 per person to $29 per person (per day). It does sell out though so watch for it and grab it while you can. 

Good morning! We have connecting staterooms on an upcoming Ovation of the Seas cruise. My DH and I purchased the Key but before we could purchase two more for our daughters, who are under the second room’s reservation, it was sold out. With just half of our family having the Key we presume we wouldn’t use most of the amenities (priority boarding, embarkation day lunch etc). So here’s the question. Does anyone have experience with a similar situation and would they let the kids “tag along” even if they don’t have the Key? Or can we switch our Key to them once onboard (we cannot do it online or through guest relations without risking losing it altogether)?  Do they issue a wristband for it and can we just give them to the kids or is it on our individual SeaPass? We’d like the kids to have it for priority times and access to onboard activities, which my DH and I don’t need. Thanks in advance and apologies for the long question. 

Hello - We are first time RCCL cruisers with a couple of questions for those who have sailed on Ovation to Alaska. 

Will we have access to the Royal IQ app once on board and do we just connect to ship WiFi and use our usual RCCL to sign in to schedule activities? Alternatively, where exactly do we go once aboard to reserve activities including iFly, Northstar and shows? Some have said Boleros and others said go to the box office, 270 or directly to location of the activity. 

Thanks for this review, it's eye opening to be sure. Did you mention your issues at any point regarding the service besides the internet or just include it in your survey? I just am curious if there is any recourse whatsoever for such a universally bad experience with the staff and activities. This will be our first ever cruise and I have such mixed feelings from the reviews here on CC.

Also, another questions for the tween/s in your group, did they at least have fun/meet friends etc.? We are traveling with two tweens.

Last question, are there any shuttles or transportation that anybody knows of that drop you right at the port?

Thanks in advance!

Thanks everyone, cruising 7.26.2019 on Ovation and these threads are super helpful. I always appreciate those who hop on and answer questions and offer advice and highlights!

1 hour ago, SacCaliCruiser said:

Again (and again!) thank you for this thread. It's beyond helpful. We are first time cruisers and I have a question about dress codes. I understand the MDRs are smart dress and we certainly won't flaunt any dress codes, but my tween girls live in flip flops and Birkenstocks. Will it be OK for them to wear these at the WJC and around the ship? I am just figuring out what we need to buy/pack and any tips on how people dress on the Ovation Alaska cruise would be very helpful!

Also I'd love to ask the same question of jeans. I see a lot of people wearing them in photos. Are they acceptable for the WJC and/or the MDRs as long as they aren't ripped/dirty?

Again (and again!) thank you for this thread. It's beyond helpful. We are first time cruisers and I have a question about dress codes. I understand the MDRs are smart dress and we certainly won't flaunt any dress codes, but my tween girls live in flip flops and Birkenstocks. Will it be OK for them to wear these at the WJC and around the ship? I am just figuring out what we need to buy/pack and any tips on how people dress on the Ovation Alaska cruise would be very helpful!

13 hours ago, AlanF65 said:

So helpful, thank you!

Thank you so much for taking the time to post this. I’ve read every word of it! A question, is there an “indoor” pool on Ovation’s Alaska cruise in the Solarium where kids can swim or is the entire Solarium adults-only? And if so is the outdoor pool the only one for kiddos? Many many thanks again.