OVATION May 13-24 *LIVE* in ALASKA w/lots of photos

[AlanF65]

2 hours ago, SacCaliCruiser said:

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. 

The little kids pool is outside, there are enclosed pools under 18 kids can swim in just outside the solarium

 

This is outside solarium

 

And this

 

 

And this

 

This is little kids outside

 

A

 

 

 

 

[Hoopster95]

Ovation Rocks.... What a great new show!! People lined up at the entrance to Two70, no seats on top floor balcony either. What a great crowd. Superb music. 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2019 by Hoopster95

[Hoopster95]

13 minutes ago, twangster said:

Don't buy Voom on Ovation in Alaska.

 

150 million percent.

 

Everyone going to the VOOM desk is getting 25% off what they paid. I also spoke to a GS representative whom I befriended and it’s a wait and see situation  for the upcoming cruises in Alaskan waters as they had no idea how bad it would be.

Edited May 23, 2019 by Hoopster95

[twangster]

Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier Time Lapse.

 

Nine hours in 3 mins and 42 seconds, 5am arrival, 2 pm return to the Inside Passage.

 

 

It took 2 1/2 times longer than the actual cruising time to upload this over Voom, heavily compressed and reduced in file size.   

Edited May 23, 2019 by twangster

[Newbie2019]

Thank you all for the great info! We have 3 families going in August. We don't need VOOM since we won't be streaming stuff.  Yet what options do we have for communicating while on the cruise?  Can we text for free somehow?  Or walki talki?  Or are we back to putting yellow sticky on each other's doors?  Thank you in advance for answering!  Newbie to cruise  and going to Alaska on Ovation in August :-)

[twangster]

2 minutes ago, Newbie2019 said:

Thank you all for the great info! We have 3 families going in August. We don't need VOOM since we won't be streaming stuff.  Yet what options do we have for communicating while on the cruise?  Can we text for free somehow?  Or walki talki?  Or are we back to putting yellow sticky on each other's doors?  Thank you in advance for answering!  Newbie to cruise  and going to Alaska on Ovation in August :-)

 

At the moment there is a loophole that allows Apple iMessage and some Android wifi based messaging apps to work without buying a Voom plan.  No guarantees that loophole will remain through August but it's worth a shot.  

[Hoopster95]

Yep, per Twangster... no guarantees.

This is the official word:

Royal IQ has a chat function however you’re supposed to by a package

 

 

[Biker19]

4 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

Royal IQ has a chat function however you’re supposed to buy a package

Yes, but why bother when iMessage and some messaging apps on Android work without VOOM?

[twangster]

49° 26.74' N and still on Slowcast.  No O3b yet on our last sea day.

 

818ms, 1.8 Mb down, 0.6 Mb up

Edited May 23, 2019 by twangster

[twangster]

A few days late, but here is the Skagway to Haines time lapse:

 

 

Tip - Haines provides cell coverage for 20 - 25 minutes as you sail past.

[A&L_Ont]

23 minutes ago, twangster said:

A few days late, but here is the Skagway to Haines time lapse:Tip - Haines provides cell coverage for 20 - 25 minutes as you sail past.

 

Twangster, just caught up on your videos.  Well done, and Haines is a great cell coverage pick-up along the way.  

 

I wonder when Voom will kick in today, and will cell coverage will kick in first?  I guess we will find out later.

Edited May 23, 2019 by A&L_Ont

[tiger belle]

16 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

 

Everyone reading this and wanting to reserve a spot in the puzzle room, here’s the deal....

 

Guest services told me they opened up reservations on the 1st day and it was fully  booked for the entire cruise within a few hours.☹️

 

My tip: get on board, go directly up to Seaplex and book this.

 

thanks, guys...go to Seaplex and not guest services

[tiger belle]

16 hours ago, Biker19 said:

It was available in the app for us - that's how we booked it. The entry door is the one with the port hole by the sign up desk - even looking in there you can't really tell it's an escape room next to it.

Biker, you booked it on the app once on board?  Did you enjoy it?  How does it compare to ones you've done before on land? thanks

[Pean]

Thanks everyone for such an amazing thread. Just wondering in regard to the kids pools is there a minimum age or height. Looking at doing this with our grandson who will be 2 1/2 and thought I read somewhere that there were restrictions. Wouldn’t take him in the main pool but hoping he can go in the kids pool. 

Any help would be appreciated. 

Thanks

[Biker19]

12 minutes ago, tiger belle said:

Biker, you booked it on the app once on board?  Did you enjoy it?  How does it compare to ones you've done before on land? 

Yes and Yes. It's almost exactly like the one on Anthem.

[Hoopster95]

Good morning from the Pacific Ocean just west of Vancouver Island. Slow going today, currently around 10 knots with plenty of time to get to Seattle from our current position

 

 

Finishing my thoughts on last night’s entertainment.... superb live concert by DSB, a journey tribute band. They played a 1:15 minutes set. Singer sounded extremely close to Steve Perry and hit every high note. They also played a Foreigner song. Another not to be missed show for the adults looking to enjoy excellent night life

 

 

Edited May 23, 2019 by Hoopster95

[AlanF65]

I was on EOS last year on the same itinerary Ovation will be doing and don't remember this kind of difficulty with VOOM.

 

I was able to make calls over wifi yesterday.

 

You wont be able to expect streaming TV.

 

I had to VPN into work on Saturday and something that should have taken 10 or15 minutes took over 1.5 hours. We were also further north than the 7 day but it was useless.

 

[Hoopster95]

59 minutes ago, Pean said:

Thanks everyone for such an amazing thread. Just wondering in regard to the kids pools is there a minimum age or height. Looking at doing this with our grandson who will be 2 1/2 and thought I read somewhere that there were restrictions. Wouldn’t take him in the main pool but hoping he can go in the kids pool. 

Any help would be appreciated. 

Thanks

 

Directly from the pool Deck this morning... Here’s the indoor pool kid’s area and only signage displayed

 

 

 

 

And here’s the outdoor Splashaway Bay and Splashzone areas

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2019 by Hoopster95

[twangster]

18 minutes ago, AlanF65 said:

I was on EOS last year on the same itinerary Ovation will be doing and don't remember this kind of difficulty with VOOM.

 

I was able to make calls over wifi yesterday.

 

You wont be able to expect streaming TV.

 

I had to VPN into work on Saturday and something that should have taken 10 or15 minutes took over 1.5 hours. We were also further north than the 7 day but it was useless.

 

 

Agreed.  Millennium, Radiance and Explorer in Alaska all had better internet and we've had better weather overall here on Ovation so rain fade or cloud loss isn't the root cause.

 

In Juneau I re-boarded early afternoon and it was a standard Alaska internet experience (okay but not great).  Gradually through to sail away time it became slower and slower as more guests returned.

 

It's compounded by hundreds of smart phones all trying to upload hundreds of pictures to "The Cloud", either Google Photos or Apple iCloud once they connect to the wifi signal onboard.  Combined with an increased appetite for being connected and the old geostationary technology can't handle it.  

 

I suspect the limited bandwidth on a per ship basis for the older geostationary satellite technology can't handle the volume of passengers on these larger ships.  This legacy technology has a finite capacity on a per-transponder basis while O3b uses beam forming technology that provides greater aggregate bandwidth on a per-ship basis.  

[Pean]

Thank you Hoopster95 that is just what I wanted to see.  He will love it and so will the rest of the family.  Loved following your trip. Safe travels. 

 

Oops. Just read the fine print re heights. Looks like the slides will be out but hopefully he will enjoy the other section. 

Edited May 23, 2019 by Pean

[Hoopster95]

A few photos along The Via on my way to breakfast at Cafe Two70. Captain’s Corner coming up right after.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2019 by Hoopster95

[twangster]

Just dipped below 48°N and still no O3b.  Ugh.

 

Our blue skies have left us as we sail into fog.  Around 1 mile visibility, no fog protocol yet.

[Hoopster95]

Vintages... seen many people there most nights actually. Very nice venue

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2019 by Hoopster95

[Hoopster95]

Currently at “Captain’s Corner”

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2019 by Hoopster95

[Hoopster95]

Confirmed... Ovation cannot make it through the British Columbia inside passage. I just asked the question to Capt Hendrik here at Capt. Corner.

 

The currents through Seymour narrows is a big problem, with the main issue being length AND height of ship... not draft. I remember this discussion in past threads, Capt. Hendrik confirms there’s overhead power lines at one narrow section of the passage, and thus the height issue for Ovation.

 

 

Edited May 23, 2019 by Hoopster95