Ovation of the Seas - Boring and expensive.

[antonioro]

I booked the Ovation of the seas with the idea of having so much entertainment, but what a disappointment

 

Everyday with the same music onboard on each of the venues, and on top of this with music from the 50s and 60s

 

The famous 270 venue is so bad designed and seats are the worst that you can find in a theater

 

Very disappointed with this cruise

[The_Big_M]

Ovation doesn't have more entertainment, but it is different.

 

The casual musical entertainment is similar to other RCL ships - though the theme varies depending on the age group. You may have had an older crowd.

 

I think 270 is a great theatre. However, the seating is a little odd and non-standard - but if you scope it out early you can still get a good seat. It creates a different vibe and is suited to different purposes rather than just a traditional theatre.

[Biker19]

I get the expensive part, but boring? Compared to what?

[bertrande]

Interested to know which itinerary this is and more details. How was the service, shows, food etc?

 

 

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[jmckay331]

I wouldn't ask the OP he is having a bad time apparently. He popped into our roll call and complained already. Not sure how much "excitement " he was expecting lol but apparently he is very disappointed

 

 

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[easyboy]

I wouldn't ask the OP he is having a bad time apparently. He popped into our roll call and complained already. Not sure how much "excitement " he was expecting lol but apparently he is very disappointed

 

 

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He was not a member of your roll call?

 

 

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[jmckay331]

He was not a member of your roll call?

 

 

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No he's on Christmas cruise I think. He just joined our roll call to make a comment as we are next in the shoot..,

 

 

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[sr4mjc]

Merry Christmas OP, sorry yours is so terrible on a cruise :)

[dks17]

I'm on the same cruise as the OP.

 

270 is a great venue and we have no complaints about the music. They have an awesome rock band on most nights in the music hall who play a good selection of music from the 60's through to the 90's and we make sure to try and catch them most nights

 

 

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[easyboy]

No he's on Christmas cruise I think. He just joined our roll call to make a comment as we are next in the shoot..,

Oh, must have really been so disappointed to even do a cross-over.

[Trixie21]

Thought 270 on anthem was the best venue we have ever seen on a cruise ship - loved it - frequently sat for a few hours just reading , looking out at the ocean or catching the next robo show or whatever happened to be on during the day. Just my opinion.

 

 

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[bigeck]

I'm on the same cruise as the OP.

 

270 is a great venue and we have no complaints about the music. They have an awesome rock band on most nights in the music hall who play a good selection of music from the 60's through to the 90's and we make sure to try and catch them most nights

 

 

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Haven't heard anyone that doesn't like 'Rock the Boat' Big variation in music.

They are one of the best on Royal ships

Edited December 26, 2016 by bigeck

[sydneylawyer2000]

Just got back from 5 night Sydney-Hobart on Ovation of the Seas, what a disappointment. Staff attitude was consistently uninterested and apathetic, too few staff for the number of guests, very long lines for most attractions, entertainment clearly aimed at the seniors onboard with not much for everyone else, and the food was average at best in the dining room, the Windjammer buffet food was bland and of lower quality - fruits not crisp, etc - felt like we were visiting a high school lunchroom with a view. Far better experience on Explorer of the Seas 2 years ago - it was night & day.

[Merion_Mom]

Just got back from 5 night Sydney-Hobart on Ovation of the Seas, what a disappointment. Staff attitude was consistently uninterested and apathetic, too few staff for the number of guests, very long lines for most attractions, entertainment clearly aimed at the seniors onboard with not much for everyone else, and the food was average at best in the dining room, the Windjammer buffet food was bland and of lower quality - fruits not crisp, etc - felt like we were visiting a high school lunchroom with a view. Far better experience on Explorer of the Seas 2 years ago - it was night & day.

 

antonioro, is that you? ;)

[sydneylawyer2000]

antonioro, is that you? ;)

 

Nope, a newbie here.

[ColoradoGurl]

antonioro, is that you? ;)

 

 

That was my first thought too [emoji23]

 

 

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[baycruising]

Everyone seems to have a different experience. We were on the same cruise and loved it. I was traveling with our daughter and 2 x 8 year olds in two D1 cabins. Fast and easy boarding at 11am. I had pre-booked theatre - Pixels and LLL as well as Ifly and North Star. So no problems with waiting for any of these. The children did all the activities and were fine to wait 15- 20 minutes for tickets for roller skating or rock wall climbing or bumper cars. We found the activities staff helpful and friendly. The pools and the water park were great and we picked non-busy times. My daughter loved the gym and attended several classes. Our room steward was charming and helpful throughout. With the children we found that the buffet, cafe270 or the solarium cafe were better options than the MDR - we all enjoyed our food - hot was hot, cold was cold, great selection. Yes, not my usual style of cruising but fantastic for our needs on this trip.

 

 

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Edited January 28, 2017 by baycruising

[Biker19]

Nope, a newbie here.

 

Welcome to CC. On the relatively short cruises, the venues might be more crowded as everyone wants to partake in the activities. The staff and the food change with every sailing it seems and can be subjective. Every once in a while, you get a miss.

[baycruising]

Nope, a newbie here.

 

 

I just had a thought. Are you a first time cruiser or just new to RCI? My daughter was a first timer on this cruise and she was quite surprised at some of the things I suggested in order to avoid lines, save time/energy or generally make the most of our trip. Were there specific problems you can tell us about and maybe pick up some hints on how to avoid/resolve for future cruises? Even if future cruising is not for you - it may help others to read tips from other people's experiences.

 

 

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[nelblu]

I betcha, no reservations. This was the biggest problems with the Quantum & Anthem. The complaints also centered on the so called lack of a Royal Promenade. To each his own l taste. I will sail on the Anthem in Jan.' 18 and will miss the DD Classic.

[Cruisegroover]

I did 22 nights (Hong Kong to Singapore and Singapore to Sydney). I did not find it boring at all. Plenty to do and if something does suit I am happy to read a book or play cards with friends. Certainly this ship requires some planning so I had everything booked including dinner times so I didn't have to worry about trying to do it onboard. Don't listen to others but make your own mind up. Just read someone saying we didn't eat in the dining room because someone unknown to them said not to. Really why would you listen to unknown and not go to dinner! Needless to say they didn't enjoy their cruise. Cruiselines cannot cater to everyone's personal taste in food, entertainment or bedding unless you pay an absurd amount of money.

[riclop]

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Gordo]

We loved Ovation of the Seas when we sailed on her from Hong Kong to Singapore (so wish we had been on board all the way to Sydney with you Cruisegroover - we hope our paths cross again in the future).

 

We found plenty to do onboard, had great meals, and thought that 270 was a wonderful entertainment venue.

 

We would definitely sail on her again.