Ovation of the Seas 7/7/23-7/14/23 thoughts

[ChinaShrek]

I don't really want to dwell on the negative but I am going to start off on things that annoyed me. This is my first time sailing Royal Caribbean since Covid but I have sailed Carnival and HAL several times since 2021. After my Ovation cruise I don't think I will sail on another Royal ship for some time.

 

1. The Cabin Attendant. I was traveling with a friend and we asked to have the beds separated on the first day. He obliged but that didn't give us much room between each other. My friend and I decided to move them so that each bed was up against the cabin wall (each facing the balcony window). This really annoyed the attendant who said he would have to get special permission from the Captain to allow this. Is this true? Did we make a mistake moving the beds in a different position? In any case, we were allowed to leave the beds as we wanted them. However, this led to what I would call mediocre service for the rest of the week. Water glasses in the bathroom were not replaced daily. The floor was not vacuumed at all during our stay. We definitely got the feeling he was punishing us. 

 

2. . We really hated the food on the cruise. I will give you several examples. Braised lamb with spinach, mashed potatoes, and beans. Spinach wasn't cooked. The masked potatoes weren't fully masked and the beans were the same beans served at breakfast in the Windjammer. Furthermore, who serves beans with lamb?. The vegetables were rarely cooked through and were often served as a garnish on the plate. Food was rarely served hot at dinner.

 

3. The MDR. We selected my time dining and we had to wait until 6:15 to go down to the dining room. That's fine I guess but different from Carnival and HAL. We also had to wait to 15-30 minutes to get a table (standing in a line) each night to get a table. Reservations were already full when I checked on the app on the first day of the cruise but I'm not sure that would help much because I saw people waiting for a table even with reservations.

 

4. Disembarking in Juneau. It took us an hour to get out of the ship on 7/9/22. The line started on Deck 4 and wrapped around the casino on Deck 3. This was annoying. Again, with HAL and Carnival, I am always off the ship in 10 minutes or so. I don't think ti was the size of the ship because I was on the Carnival Mardi Gras and got off quickly and that ship has more passengers. When I combine disembarking in Juneau with the waiting for dinner each night, I think I will call this the Waiting Cruise. 

 

5. The entertainment is still top notch. We enjoyed going to the shows every night. Don't miss the Las Vegas Tenors!

 

6. Technology issues.The Royal app is okay but annoying, Chat did not work as well as we wanted to. We had to have the app on for chat function to work or messages would arrives hours later. We ended up just texting while on the ship. WiFi was inconsistent. Sometimes it was super fast but often we would have turn our devices internet off and on to get the internet to work. I thought the internet on the ship was better than HAL but worse than on Carnival.

[taglovestocruise]

56 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

I don't really want to dwell on the negative but I am going to start off on things that annoyed me. This is my first time sailing Royal Caribbean since Covid but I have sailed Carnival and HAL several times since 2021. After my Ovation cruise I don't think I will sail on another Royal ship for some time.

 

1. The Cabin Attendant. I was traveling with a friend and we asked to have the beds separated on the first day. He obliged but that didn't give us much room between each other. My friend and I decided to move them so that each bed was up against the cabin wall (each facing the balcony window). This really annoyed the attendant who said he would have to get special permission from the Captain to allow this. Is this true? Did we make a mistake moving the beds in a different position? In any case, we were allowed to leave the beds as we wanted them. However, this led to what I would call mediocre service for the rest of the week. Water glasses in the bathroom were not replaced daily. The floor was not vacuumed at all during our stay. We definitely got the feeling he was punishing us. 

 

2. . We really hated the food on the cruise. I will give you several examples. Braised lamb with spinach, mashed potatoes, and beans. Spinach wasn't cooked. The masked potatoes weren't fully masked and the beans were the same beans served at breakfast in the Windjammer. Furthermore, who serves beans with lamb?. The vegetables were rarely cooked through and were often served as a garnish on the plate. Food was rarely served hot at dinner.

 

3. The MDR. We selected my time dining and we had to wait until 6:15 to go down to the dining room. That's fine I guess but different from Carnival and HAL. We also had to wait to 15-30 minutes to get a table (standing in a line) each night to get a table. Reservations were already full when I checked on the app on the first day of the cruise but I'm not sure that would help much because I saw people waiting for a table even with reservations.

 

4. Disembarking in Juneau. It took us an hour to get out of the ship on 7/9/22. The line started on Deck 4 and wrapped around the casino on Deck 3. This was annoying. Again, with HAL and Carnival, I am always off the ship in 10 minutes or so. I don't think ti was the size of the ship because I was on the Carnival Mardi Gras and got off quickly and that ship has more passengers. When I combine disembarking in Juneau with the waiting for dinner each night, I think I will call this the Waiting Cruise. 

 

5. The entertainment is still top notch. We enjoyed going to the shows every night. Don't miss the Las Vegas Tenors!

 

6. Technology issues.The Royal app is okay but annoying, Chat did not work as well as we wanted to. We had to have the app on for chat function to work or messages would arrives hours later. We ended up just texting while on the ship. WiFi was inconsistent. Sometimes it was super fast but often we would have turn our devices internet off and on to get the internet to work. I thought the internet on the ship was better than HAL but worse than on Carnival.

 

 

 

What a difference a season makes. We sailed Ovation the last week of Sep.  Cabin attendant was fantastic, cabin cleaned twice a day and always spotless. We had wine glasses left out and those were replaced every day,Ice bucket filled twice a day.  All food from the Dog House,  Bistro,  Windjammer and MDR was about as good as any cruise we have ever been on, all of it excellent. The ships crew were all top notch. Every dinner in the MDR was spot on, our wait staff could not do enough. I asked our waiter about Indian food and every night he would would show up just after our main course was served with a shareable plate of Indian food.  MTD is turning into a total joke on most Royal ships, we have never tried MTD and never will, always late dining and usually a large table. This trip we had a table for two next to a window and no one beside us.   As far as getting off the ship I don't recall ever being held up at all, walked from Windjammer breakfast and straight off the ship. As usual the entertainment was top notch. To bad you had a unpleasant experience. Our cruise was about 80% full and today several ships are sailing above 110%, saw a blog the other day saying Freedom of the seas sailed at 117% capacity 4th of July week.  All that being said we well probably never sail Quantum class again, the ship just feels too small, Oasis Class for us. Happy future cruising to you and yours. 

Edited July 15, 2023 by taglovestocruise

[Jimbo]

[ChinaShrek]

12 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

 

 

 

What a difference a season makes. We sailed Ovation the last week of Sep.  Cabin attendant was fantastic, cabin cleaned twice a day and always spotless. We had wine glasses left out and those were replaced every day,Ice bucket filled twice a day.  

The cabin attendant made it clear that service would be in the morning or night. We asked for morning but he actually did it around 1pm. No wine glasses were in the cabin. I had to call room service to get them. The ice bucket was never filled but we never asked to have it filled.

Edited July 15, 2023 by ChinaShrek

[mugtech]

2 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

 The masked potatoes weren't fully masked 

Did not realize there were still mask problems since the pandemic is over.  Never seen masked potatoes that were not fully masked, must be quite the sight.

[Tree_skier]

2 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

 

 

 

What a difference a season makes. We sailed Ovation the last week of Sep.  Cabin attendant was fantastic, cabin cleaned twice a day and always spotless. We had wine glasses left out and those were replaced every day,Ice bucket filled twice a day.  All food from the Dog House,  Bistro,  Windjammer and MDR was about as good as any cruise we have ever been on, all of it excellent. The ships crew were all top notch. Every dinner in the MDR was spot on, our wait staff could not do enough. I asked our waiter about Indian food and every night he would would show up just after our main course was served with a shareable plate of Indian food.  MTD is turning into a total joke on most Royal ships, we have never tried MTD and never will, always late dining and usually a large table. This trip we had a table for two next to a window and no one beside us.   As far as getting off the ship I don't recall ever being held up at all, walked from Windjammer breakfast and straight off the ship. As usual the entertainment was top notch. To bad you had a unpleasant experience. Our cruise was about 80% full and today several ships are sailing above 110%, saw a blog the other day saying Freedom of the seas sailed at 117% capacity 4th of July week.  All that being said we well probably never sail Quantum class again, the ship just feels too small, Oasis Class for us. Happy future cruising to you and yours. 

Ditto,  we were on Ovation last week of August last year.  It was one of my favorite cruises ever. Our service was excellent.  The first night of MTD was dodgy but they settled into a decent rhythm after that.  While I love Oasis class I also really like Quantum class.  My favorite is Odyssey but Ovation is good too. I don't know what capacity we have sailed at lately but I seem to manage to avoid horrible crowds on all classes of ships. Even on Oasis in March which is usually spring break time.

[fac429]

Sailed on Ovation in mid-June, had a great cruise (for the most part).  This is why I never give too much weight to any particular review, good or bad- there's so much about a cruise that can make your own experience a terrible one that it's impossible to know if you'd have a good or bad time just because someone else did.

[RB9643]

 

Will be on Ovation in 3 weeks. Will dig up this thread when we get back and compare notes.

 

 

[Merion_Mom]

5 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

 

 

 

What a difference a season makes. We sailed Ovation the last week of Sep. 

 

2 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

Ditto,  we were on Ovation last week of August last year.  

 

Just saying:  Things changed in January.

[Merion_Mom]

4 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

The cabin attendant made it clear that service would be in the morning or night. We asked for morning but he actually did it around 1pm. No wine glasses were in the cabin. I had to call room service to get them. The ice bucket was never filled but we never asked to have it filled.

 

I am sorry that you were disappointed in your cruise.  I thought I would address these comments:

 

RC has gone to once a day cabin service, following NCL.  I expect that Carnival will follow soon.

 

There are never wine glasses in your cabin, unless you also  have wine delivered.  As you found out, when you ask, you get.  (you could also have picked some up at any bar)

 

You are not going to get ice unless you ask for ice.

 

🙂 

[Merion_Mom]

@ChinaShrek -  I am trying to picture what you did with the beds.  Did you happen to take a photo?

[Ferry_Watcher]

8 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

I am trying to picture what you did with the beds.  Did you happen to take a photo?

 

I am wondering about the 'creative' bed moving.  I think beds are usually parallel with the balcony.  I wonder if the beds were moved so that they were perpendicular with the balcony - so that the foot of the beds were facing the balcony.

 

Yes, a photo would be helpful.

[Ferry_Watcher]

14 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

We also had to wait to 15-30 minutes to get a table (standing in a line) each night to get a table. Reservations were already full when I checked on the app on the first day of the cruise but I'm not sure that would help much because I saw people waiting for a table even with reservations.

 

14 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

Disembarking in Juneau. It took us an hour to get out of the ship on 7/9/22.

 

There were 4,895 passengers booked on that Ovation sailing.  That's a lot of passengers to seat for dinner service, and a lot of passengers to 'scan' off the ship at a port-of-call.

[ChinaShrek]

1 hour ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

I am wondering about the 'creative' bed moving.  I think beds are usually parallel with the balcony.  I wonder if the beds were moved so that they were perpendicular with the balcony - so that the foot of the beds were facing the balcony.

 

Yes, a photo would be helpful.

You are correct. We put them perpendicular to the balcony. I should have taken a picture. All of my pictures are of Alaska or Victoria.

[ChinaShrek]

1 hour ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

 

There were 4,895 passengers booked on that Ovation sailing.  That's a lot of passengers to seat for dinner service, and a lot of passengers to 'scan' off the ship at a port-of-call.

Yes, I recognize that. It will make me shy away from larger ships in the future.  Although, I probably should have booked early fixed seating. One waiter said there was no waiting to get a table on early fixed seating. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

1 minute ago, ChinaShrek said:

You are correct. We put them perpendicular to the balcony. I should have taken a picture. All of my pictures are of Alaska or Victoria.

 

Thanks!  So each bed was against opposite cabin walls, and there was a narrow path between the beds leading to the balcony?

[ChinaShrek]

1 minute ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

Thanks!  So each bed was against opposite cabin walls, and there was a narrow path between the beds leading to the balcony?

Yes, a good size path actually. Maybe two feet. My question is, Is that illegal or wrong?

[Ferry_Watcher]

13 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

Yes, a good size path actually. Maybe two feet. My question is, Is that illegal or wrong?

 

I think it's more of a 'it's just not done'  It's a lot more work for the room attendant, especially at the end of the cruise to reconfigure the room - and if all single beds passengers did that, you can imaging the extra time needed, as well as potential physical back strain pushing beds around.  I'm not sure about the staterooms on the Ovation, but on other ships there are linen storage bins under the beds, and they would have to get moved as well, if the the beds were shifted like you did..

 

As for vacuuming, I don't think my stateroom on Celebrity was vacuumed daily, as there didn't seem to be a need   Same with the wine glasses and ice - not provided unless you ask for them.

 

Thanks for the clarification.

Edited July 16, 2023 by Ferry_Watcher

[ChinaShrek]

6 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

I think it's more of a 'it's just not done'  It's a lot more work for the room attendant, especially at the end of the cruise to reconfigure the room - and if all single beds passengers did that, you can imaging the extra time needed, as well as potential physical back strain pushing beds around.  I'm not sure about the staterooms on the Ovation, but on other ships there are linen storage bins under the beds, and they would have to get moved as well, if the the beds were shifted like you did..

 

To be honest, we would have put the beds back in the "proper configuration" if the attendant had been nice about it. One more question. Should the bed sheets be changed during a 7 day cruise? They were definitely not changed at all. I saw a chocolate stain on mine for most of the week.

[Saab4444]

24 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

Yes, a good size path actually. Maybe two feet. My question is, Is that illegal or wrong?

Not illegal but wrong. Imagine all passengers would re-arrange the rooms like they want to have it. By the way: green beans are a classic side with lamb!

[Ferry_Watcher]

15 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

They were definitely not changed at all. I saw a chocolate stain on mine for most of the week.

 

I am guessing that in an ordinary balcony stateroom, unless the sheets need to be changed, that the sheets are changed at the end of the cruise, kinda' like the end of a stay at a hotel.

 

Cruising has changed post-Covid.  We are all hoping that once the cruise lines are in a better financial position, that there will be a return to the pre-Covid service/amenities levels that the ships were known for.  (At least we can hope!)

[coops]

6 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

To be honest, we would have put the beds back in the "proper configuration" if the attendant had been nice about it. One more question. Should the bed sheets be changed during a 7 day cruise? They were definitely not changed at all. I saw a chocolate stain on mine for most of the week.

No they should not have been changed unless they had gotten something on them. 

[Merion_Mom]

13 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

You are correct. We put them perpendicular to the balcony. I should have taken a picture. All of my pictures are of Alaska or Victoria.

 

13 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

Yes, a good size path actually. Maybe two feet. My question is, Is that illegal or wrong?

 

12 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

To be honest, we would have put the beds back in the "proper configuration" if the attendant had been nice about it. One more question. Should the bed sheets be changed during a 7 day cruise? They were definitely not changed at all. I saw a chocolate stain on mine for most of the week.

 

The room is set up to have the beds' heads on the wall that is perpendicular to the door and the balcony door.  There are outlets there.  The lights are there.  This really is a big problem for your cabin steward.  I am SURE that he NEVER encountered anyone doing this before, and was flustered.  

 

I agree that there is not much space between separated beds on Quantum class ships.  On one cruise, I woke up with my cabinmate's head on my pillow.  But, she was always drunk, so there's that.

 

But it really shouldn't have caused you deep pain or problems to just leave the &%#%* beds where they were.

 

You were also blocking the balcony door.

 

See how the beds are literally fitted into a specific space?  

 

[Max and Ruby]

We were on the June 23-June 30th cruise and although I admit our MDR (early seating) was the worst service I ever had, that was probably the worst complaint.  First time ever I did not give extra tip in person.  We knew it was our waiters.  Other tables around us were in and out and our table of 4 was slowly getting there. Service was better when this huge table of like 12 didn't show up 3 nights.  The worst was I ordered wine the first night and although my Diamond voucher was used I never got it. I know, I should have said something, but the waiters were just not showing up and I was like "heck with it."  I just wanted my food and to leave. LOL!

 

So yes, a cabin attendant (ours was very nice and got extra tip money), wait staff, even your neighbors (ex: smokers on balcony , door slammers, etc) can really be random and affect your cruise enjoyment.  

 

[ChinaShrek]

20 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

 

 

The room is set up to have the beds' heads on the wall that is perpendicular to the door and the balcony door.  There are outlets there.  The lights are there.  This really is a big problem for your cabin steward.  I am SURE that he NEVER encountered anyone doing this before, and was flustered.  

 

I agree that there is not much space between separated beds on Quantum class ships.  On one cruise, I woke up with my cabinmate's head on my pillow.  But, she was always drunk, so there's that.

 

But it really shouldn't have caused you deep pain or problems to just leave the &%#%* beds where they were.

 

You were also blocking the balcony door.

 

See how the beds are literally fitted into a specific space?  

 

 

First, there is only one outlet behind the bed as traditionally arranged, not multiple. Someone at the Captain's Q&A actually complained about the lack of multiple outlets behind the beds. I wish I took pictures of the beds as we arranged them, It actually provided more room in the cabin as well access to the balcony then the way you like the bed. I cannot believe it was a safety issue considering the amount of cleaning carts, vacuums, and dirty trays sitting in the hallway all day long making it difficult to walk Finally, I would be shocked that if I was the first person to re-arrange beds on a cruise ship but perhaps I was.