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

[twangster]

18 minutes ago, dacsmom said:

I love the review so far. Was the Alaska lecture in Two70 in the compass or publicized in some way?  I am sailing next month and would like to see it.

 

It was in the cruise compass. He’ll be doing more and narrating over the PA while at Hubbard.  

[twangster]

3 minutes ago, m3owbox said:

I'm sailing next year and I am concerned for all the crowding. How are the bars and such in the evening?

 

Typical Quantum class experience.   Can be busy at times but not bad.  

[twangster]

We’ve crossed 50 degrees North and switched to Speedcast Voom.  No more O3b for us.  

 

Ping 635ms

1.7Mb down

0.9 Mb up

 

[drusierdmd]

Ive completed 2 duo video calls perfectly today. Voom still struggles at times...think apps won't load and it says you aren't connected to the internet. Some pages take 2 min to load or fail others take 2 seconds. Not the end of the world but the price should be 10 bucks not 15 or 20 imo and advertising should reflect slower speeds.

Izumi had no hibachi and was sushi only. Really miss the show the chefs preform. 35 pp food limit on the dining plan. Restaurant was very small ( like the size of a McDonald's) but the sushi was excellent.

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[NeedsVitaminSea]

I’ve purchased a two device internet plan primarily to keep up with (and gain a little freedom from) my kids on the ship and share a few photos. Will it work ok for this or should I cancel the plan and figure something else out?

 

thanks and have a wonderful cruise!

[drusierdmd]

I’ve purchased a two device internet plan primarily to keep up with (and gain a little freedom from) my kids on the ship and share a few photos. Will it work ok for this or should I cancel the plan and figure something else out?
 
thanks and have a wonderful cruise!

I'd look at getting the key (grab it for 20) that way the marginal key cost is only 5 bucks daily. I would get the key again and intnet again but only heavily discounted.


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[NeedsVitaminSea]

1 hour ago, drusierdmd said:

I'd look at getting the key (grab it for 20) that way the marginal key cost is only 5 bucks daily. I would get the key again and intnet again but only heavily discounted.


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Isn’t the Key $25 per person per day?  We are a party of 4 so that would add up rather quickly. Perhaps I’ve misunderstood?

 

FWIW, I currently have two device surf and stream for $20/day. 

 

Thanks for the information!

[rvrfam]

3 hours ago, drusierdmd said:

Seems like all the pools are heated...with the exception of the kids pool with the slides. The circle jet pool is heated (felt like 75 to 80). Obviously the covered area is more comfortable than being in the 55deg air.

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I am so excited to see a post with some kids! We will be traveling with a 9, 7 and 2 year old in July on this ship. Any info you want to share that the kids are loving would be great! I have a feeling they will be requesting ice-cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

[drusierdmd]

Isn’t the Key $25 per person per day?  We are a party of 4 so that would add up rather quickly. Perhaps I’ve misunderstood?
 
FWIW, I currently have two device surf and stream for $20/day. 
 
Thanks for the information!

I've seen it vary between 19.99 and 34.99. my wife and I got it and my 3 yr old didn't need to pay. We shared one of the 2 internet passes with another couple traveling with us...we each wanted one internet pass...they paid me directly. So in my mind it cost 5 per day per adult. I got a deal lol.

Pixels was awesome. Second row (first row was empty) walk in seating 25min prior, key seating was not great, second level middle. I'm middle aged, love technology. It's definitely not Broadway style but more upbeat with great sound and visuals.

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[PCWalton1]

17 hours ago, BillB48 said:

Thanks for the pictures Hoopster... I think they will put to rest the question of whether the Q class can clear that other bridge at little south of Vancouver😀!  The Bridge of Americas has just a wee bit more clearance and a little bigger tidal variation,  The real question is when or if they will send one of those ships through the Canal. 

 

Have a great trip and look forward to seeing a bunch of pics!

Hey Bill, I could be talked into doing another canal run on this ship. 😁

[drusierdmd]

I am so excited to see a post with some kids! We will be traveling with a 9, 7 and 2 year old in July on this ship. Any info you want to share that the kids are loving would be great! I have a feeling they will be requesting ice-cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Soft serve on pool deck...hot dogs in seaplex. Most activies req min age or height...see some pics above (bumper cars, trapeze) but adventure ocean is wonderful bc it's only a handful of kids.

Honestly staff has seemed less than friendly with the kids, but we have had amazing experiences on Oasis etc where that's what they cater to on Caribbean trips. Now some staff have stood out but overall it's so so...but early.

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[twangster]

1 hour ago, NeedsVitaminSea said:

I’ve purchased a two device internet plan primarily to keep up with (and gain a little freedom from) my kids on the ship and share a few photos. Will it work ok for this or should I cancel the plan and figure something else out?

 

thanks and have a wonderful cruise!

 

When ships are in Alaska there are times when there will be no coverage.  If you understand that and set expectations low you won't be disappointed.  If you are expecting to watch Netflix a lot you will be disappointed.  

 

I use an app to reduce picture size which helps immensely when uploading or sending them.  Sending full size phone pictures that are often 2-3 MB or more will be painful at times and just okay some times.  

 

When it's working it's like Surf quality, not Surf and Stream.  To that end you may want to just pay for Surf.  With a port intensive cruise like Alaska where US phones work in most ports natively it begs the question if you really need Voom at all.  You only need it on sea days and at night only (no cell towers on nearby land except when in port).

[NeedsVitaminSea]

2 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

When ships are in Alaska there are times when there will be no coverage.  If you understand that and set expectations low you won't be disappointed.  If you are expecting to watch Netflix a lot you will be disappointed.  

 

I use an app to reduce picture size which helps immensely when uploading or sending them.  Sending full size phone pictures that are often 2-3 MB or more will be painful at times and just okay some times.  

 

When it's working it's like Surf quality, not Surf and Stream.  To that end you may want to just pay for Surf.  With a port intensive cruise like Alaska where US phones work in most ports natively it begs the question if you really need Voom at all.  You only need it on sea days and at night only (no cell towers on nearby land except when in port).

Great information. Thank you! I really prefer to unplug so no Netflix for us. My main goal is to have an electronic tether to the kids when we give them some independence. I’ll have to see if I can save a few bucks by downgrading. Thanks again to you and Hoopster for sharing your trips with us 🙂

[rvrfam]

2 minutes ago, drusierdmd said:

Soft serve on pool deck...hot dogs in seaplex. Most activies req min age or height...see some pics above (bumper cars, trapeze) but adventure ocean is wonderful bc it's only a handful of kids.

Honestly staff has seemed less than friendly with the kids, but we have had amazing experiences on Oasis etc where that's what they cater to on Caribbean trips. Now some staff have stood out but overall it's so so...but early.

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Hopefully by the middle of July the staff will understand that it is summer break and there are a lot of kids and families on this cruise. Thanks for sharing the info!  

[westcoastshell]

On 5/9/2019 at 5:57 PM, Hoopster95 said:

 

Hey everyone...  it's been a while! But I'm back, and ready for another review.

 

I have been waiting for this sailing with anticipation more so than any other sailing since Quantum's first ever Caribbean sailing Dec 1, 2014. In fact, I had Anthem booked 3 years ago and had to move my deposit over to another ship as the timing did not work for me, and never re-booked Anthem. I've been yearning to get on another Quantum Class sailing as I really loved Quantum.

 

 

I shared my Quantum review above with my roll call as many cruisers on this sailing have never been on a Q Class ship. That first photo is epic! Hardly anyone has been on the front bow area of the ship since Quantum, not even on Anthem. And now with the All Access Tour scaled down in half, it's no longer offered. If you've never been on Q CLass and would like a trip down memory lane, have a look at Quantum above.

 

Back to Ovation and Alaska... I've been party to many "Q Class in Alaska" threads over the last 5 years here in CC. I was a HUGE fan since day one that a Q Class ship would be a great hit and best seller for Alaskan itineraries. I just couldn't believe it when they sent a totally inner focused ship with a fully exposed top deck (in Alaskan weather) the Explorer to the Pacific Northwest. Totally stupid in my opinion. But alas, 5 years in the making and Ovation is finally here... in my own home town no less!

 

 

Vancouver is beautiful and consistently voted in the top 20 cities to visit and/or live in in the world. Those cruisers who are too lazy to hang around a day pre or post cruise are doing themselves an injustice. Above you see the downtown core of Vancouver, with Canada Place Pier in the lower right (the "Sails"). To get their, Ovation has to transit under the Lion's Gate Bridge through a small pass in the upper right before reaching open ocean. The bridge is 198 feet mid span... Q Class is 198 feet tall on a good day. Uhm.... ok.... so there's an issue here.

 

 

Above is the 178 foot tall Radiance going under the bridge with only 20 feet clearance. So how will Ovation get under?? Well, the current Transpacific from Hawaii will be arriving early to Vancouver the night before debarkation at 8pm in order to get the lowest tide level possible. Not only that, I suspect we'll witness the rare event of the funnels being retracted. And even with all that, there's supposedly about a 5 foot clearance of the Lion's Gate Bridge. I've also been involved in many Panama Canal threads regarding size of ships, and which ships may or may not pass under the Bridge of Americas on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal... this sailing re-enforces the best answers given by BillH48 and ChengP on those threads, that likely only perfect conditions would allow for a Q Class ship to get under the BoA as it is a sister bridge with same span height as the Lion's Gate.

 

 

We are currently experiencing summer weather this week in Vancouver. Today it was 25 degree Celcius/about 75 degrees F. On Sunday and Monday it cools a bit to 65F/18C... still great weather for a beautiful sail-in and sail-away from the port of Vancouver. If anyone is around Stanley Park on Monday night, they should definitely get to a view point somewhere to watch the ship leave. According to slack tide charts found by AlanF on our role call (Thx Alan!) we are estimating Ovation to leave Canada Place around 6:45-7 and get to the bridge somewhere between 7:10-7:30 to hit that low tide.

 

So why this itinerary? It's one of a kind and is not being repeated. 4 port stops, 2 glacier viewings, and basically (for me anyways) a round trip Vancouver-to-Seattle sailing which is a simple bus trip back up from Seattle when the cruise is finished. The itinerary is outstanding with a ton of extended time at the ports.

 

Date	Port	Arrive	Depart
Monday, May 13	Vancouver, BC, Canada		5:00pm
Tuesday, May 14	At Sea
Wednesday, May 15	At Sea
Thursday, May 16	Icy Strait Point, AK	9:00am	8:00pm
Friday, May 17	Sitka, AK	7:00am	6:00pm
Saturday, May 18	Hubbard Glacier, AK (Cruising)
Sunday, May 19	Juneau, AK	7:00am	9:00pm
Monday, May 20	Skagway, AK	7:00am	8:30pm
Tuesday, May 21	Endicott Arm, AK (Cruising)
Wednesday, May 22	At Sea
Thursday, May 23	At Sea
Friday, May 24	Seattle, WA	6:00am

 

I'll have VOOM on this cruise, so we'll see the O3b satellite network works for Alaska, especially for all the negative internet reviews on radiance the last few years.

I have a few more posts to add before cruise day on Monday. This is going to be an AWESOME cruise! 😁

Such a great Review already. Fantastic photos! Can’t wait to hear more.

[RPD]

What’s the deal with the Royal app and the Ovation? I am sailing on it Jun 28 and it says my reservation is on a ship “not yet supported by this app.” Does anyone know if RCI plans to add the Ovation to their app?

[twangster]

1 minute ago, RPD said:

What’s the deal with the Royal app and the Ovation? I am sailing on it Jun 28 and it says my reservation is on a ship “not yet supported by this app.” Does anyone know if RCI plans to add the Ovation to their app?

 

No one knows but Royal and they typically don't forecast when each ship will move to the new app.  

 

For now the older RoyalIQ app which can be flaky is working better on board than the new app has on recent ships that use the new app.  

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, NeedsVitaminSea said:

 My main goal is to have an electronic tether to the kids when we give them some independence. I’ll have to see if I can save a few bucks by downgrading. 

You don't need VOOM at all. iMessage on iPhones and some apps on Androind work without a VOOM package and the Royal IQ app has a paid ($8 for the entire voyage) text function.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, RPD said:

Does anyone know if RCI plans to add the Ovation to their app?

CEO Fain mentioned that all ships will have RCI app support by the end of 2020 - for now, I think the Royal IQ app used on Q class ships is "better" than the RCI app.

[perfect match]

Awesome info! Thanks, Hoopster, Twangster, and everyone else who has been sharing!

 

I think that the indoor viewing space on Ovation may finally allow me to convince my always cold DH that he can cruise to Alaska and not be totally frozen. I’m sure he will be pleasantly surprised once I get him aboard which may not be until the 2021 Alaska season. 

[fla gang]

We are so excited to be on the Ovation in June doing Alaska. We've done the oasis class ships several times to the Caribbean and we needed a change. Spending two days in Seattle pre cruise.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

4 hours ago, perfect match said:

Awesome info! Thanks, Hoopster, Twangster, and everyone else who has been sharing!

 

I think that the indoor viewing space on Ovation may finally allow me to convince my always cold DH that he can cruise to Alaska and not be totally frozen. I’m sure he will be pleasantly surprised once I get him aboard which may not be until the 2021 Alaska season. 

Ovation is a perfect ship to enjoy Alaska. We sailed her in Sydney to New Zealand this past December, and got a good appreciation for the ship and its features (photos in this thread show a number of them). What are key points about Ovation is that there are a number of enclosed areas to control temps/weather on the outside...intended in the ship's design. That also includes a good amount of viewing area (windows/glass).

 

As for Alaska itself - we did that a few years ago in 2014...and it's fair to see it is a "bucket list" destination. We have hundreds of photos & some video - and no photos can do justice to the viewing experience in person. If anyone has the opportunity and/or plans to see Alaska...by all means do it.

[cot427]

Great pictures and comments so far!

 

Quick question regarding embarkation: I'm on the Vancouver to Hawaii sailing in September - when I sailing out of Vancouver one way to Anchorage, we did customs & immigration right in Canada Place as a part of checkin. Did you also do that? Wasn't sure if that is standard if the ship is remaining in U.S. ports for the duration of the sailing or not?

[A&L_Ont]

9 hours ago, twangster said:

 

When ships are in Alaska there are times when there will be no coverage.  If you understand that and set expectations low you won't be disappointed.  If you are expecting to watch Netflix a lot you will be disappointed.  

 

I use an app to reduce picture size which helps immensely when uploading or sending them.  Sending full size phone pictures that are often 2-3 MB or more will be painful at times and just okay some times.  

 

When it's working it's like Surf quality, not Surf and Stream.  To that end you may want to just pay for Surf.  With a port intensive cruise like Alaska where US phones work in most ports natively it begs the question if you really need Voom at all.  You only need it on sea days and at night only (no cell towers on nearby land except when in port).

 

Twangster you pretty much nailed it with this comment.  That is exactly how I felt about my live review last July on Radiance.  Posting pics while sailing on the ship was horrendous, but text only was easy.  Once we were within cellular coverage I switched right to it, from WIF, and posted photos separately. 

 

I am curious to see how the TV channels disappear when you get into the tighter passages.  WIFI was worse then too.

 

Twangster, Hoopster and those abord, loving the pics and commentary.

Edited May 15, 2019 by A&L_Ont

[jamon]

Hoopster..Twangster.....On some ships, Pinnacles do not need a reservation to get into certain shows. Do you know if that is true on the Ovation, and if Pixels is one where they do not need a reservation. Also do you have any menus from Coastal Kitchen..thanks