Ovation of the Seas - 12 Night NZ, New Years Cruise - Dec 2017 – Review (Really Long)

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It was my son’s birthday and got to recreate the scene where Bilbo is running through the hedge holding the contract shouting out – I’m going on an adventure. I videoed him recreating this scene. He said it was the best day ever. This was something that the ships excursion tour party didn’t get to do! (We saw a lot of people from the ship in the normal tours, with their ship excursion badges)

 

 

There is a shop just before getting back on the buses. This has the same stuff as the shop at the check in point, but it is far quieter and easy to get around. My son with his birthday money purchased the one ring to rule them all!!!

 

A much more relaxing drive, back. I dropped the family at the pier and then dropped the rental car at the airport and took a taxi back to the ship.

 

Getting onto the dock area was a different experience for my wife and myself. The staff on the dock demanded that my wife showed photo ID for the kids, even though we were told that it is only required for adults 18+. Luckily we had our passports in a backpack. So she could produce them. After passing through, my wife overhead one of the other gate workers go over to the person that had been dealing with my wife and said, she was right ya’know, she didn’t have to show ID for the kids.

 

I went through the check point just showing my sea pass, I didn’t need to show ID.

 

Stressful start of the day, but everyone had fun at Hobbiton. You can get here from Auckland or Tauranga, but it is closer to Tauranga - an hours drive in each direction. Well worth the trip, and if you can afford it - do the private tour as you will see more in a shorter space of time.

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Day 9 – Dunedin

 

While we docked in Dunedin (Da-nee-din – not Done-e-din), like most of the cities in New Zealand, you don’t actually dock in the city itself. In Tauranga, you dock at Mt. Manganui, in Christchurch its Lyttelton and in Dunedin, you actually dock at Port Chalmers. A small village that requires a bus to get to Dunedin itself. RCI charged US$15 pp to get to/from the city.

 

We didn’t go into the city of Dunedin as I have been there many times myself. I have also done many of the sights in Dunedin, the Chocolate Factory (may it RIP), Taieri Gorge Train, Larnach Castle etc. Instead, we did something that you can’t do anywhere else - the RCI Excursion – Otago Harbor Wildlife Cruise. While you could get the Cruise from closer to Dunedin (at a cheaper price, as shown in the info sheet below), this charter, left from the back of the ship in Port Chalmers, so it was the easiest way of catching it.

 

When I mean the back of the ship, all you had to do was walk the length of the ship, and our little vessel left from there. The easiest shore excursion I have ever done. There were no members of the general public on this cruise, only Ovation passengers.

 

You cruise out through the harbour to where the Royal Albatross nest. We saw penguins, seals, other sea birds and also baby Albatross. There were also a number of Albatross in the air, gliding along beside us. The boat was small, and in the harbour the sea was very smooth, but he took it out into the ocean and it got quite a bit rougher. He wanted to show us a fault line in the cliff. New Zealand isn’t called the Shaky Isles for nothing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The lighthouse at the top – you will see that later.

 

 

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After that we headed back to the ship where we were all offered Tea, Coffee, Hot Chocolate and some cookies.

 

As you can tell from the photos, the sun was out and it was a nice day, but this was the 6th of January. The height of summer. The temperature was 11C (52F), out on the sea when the wind picked up, it was a lot less than that. It was freezing. The boat had Plastic windows which protected you from the wind, which could be rolled up as we got to the viewing area. They also had plenty of binoculars, rain coats (which were thick and protected you from the wind) as well as info sheets in a dozen different languages on the different types of birds and animals you night see.

 

 

 

It was a really nice shore excursion and while you could hire a car to drive around to the Albatross colony, we got a lot closer than the viewing platform, it was a lot faster than driving all the way around and also very easy to get to and from the ship. We had a great time (except when the little boat went out into the actual ocean). No where else on earth will it be as easy to see Giant Albatross in flight. A shore excursion I would recommend.

 

When we docked next to Ovation again. Even though we were a cruise shore excursion, there was only Ovation passengers, once on land, they still demanded that we show photo ID before letting us walk back to the ship.

 

You can see from this photo the gangway you had to walk up from the little boat, then over to the Welcome Sign, where you had to show Photo ID, you walk through the building and then back to Ovation.

 

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A few photos taken from our room at the back.

 

 

 

This ship turned up while we were docked, so you can see that Port Chalmers is still a working port.

 

Its only a couple of weeks since the shortest night, being ~46 degrees south so sunset isn’t until 10 – 10:30pm, so it was in bright sunlight when we left the Dunedin.

 

Again, great views from Coastal Kitchen, of the heads and lighthouse, that we saw close up in the morning.

 

 

[FunCruiser56]

Really enjoying your review, pictures are wonderful! We will be on the Ovation for the TP so seeing port and ship pictures sure makes us look forward even more.

Thank you for taking the time to post it all

 

Bev

 

Sent from my SM-T900 using Tapatalk

[accio_7]

Loving your photos! As a Canadian, visiting Australia and New Zealand has always been on my travel bucket list; amazing scenery [emoji7]

Needless to say, your trip report is making me jealous lol.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GottaRequalify]

Day 10 – Cruising the Sounds (Sea Day)

I would assume that cruising through the fiords of Southland New Zealand would be the same as cruising through Alaska, except the sides of the hills are green and not white. Fiordland is a very very isolated part of NZ that has an annual rainfall of 8,000 millimetres (310 in) yes 8 metres of rain a year. If is very green and stunningly beautiful.

 

Other than Milford Sound, the ship doesn’t backtrack, it just goes inland and sails around the islands. Back out to sea, then move up the coast to the next inland passage. There is a shore excursion that leaves the ship in Dunedin then overnights in Queenstown then joins the ship again in Milford sound. This caused the ship to pause in Milford sound for an hour, turn off the engines and let you enjoy the majesty of the NZ beach forest.

 

Apart from the blood sucking demons that is the New Zealand Sandfly. These nasty black insects will bite and if you scratch it, then you end up itchy for weeks and horrible welts. In Milford sound, they attach on mass and grow large enough to carry away small children. You think I am kidding. Stand there with your shirt off, and then whimper your apology as they attack every square cm of exposed skin., and you will wonder how anyone smaller than you survived.

 

And if you still think I am kidding - https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/travel-troubles/88169578/sandflies-new-zealands-bloodsucking-summer-nightmare-actually-its-yearround

The three sounds have different scenery, which surprised me as they are not that far away physically from each other. We were lucky enough thanks to Star Class, to be in the North Star as we headed into the first sound. Not only did we get to see the scenery, but we got fantastic views of where we were headed.

 

I will let the photos below give you an idea of what you would see.

 

 

 

 

 

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View from the back, as we cruise up the coast.

 

 

 

They also ran the North Star when we were out in the ocean, running up the coast. As you can see. Difficult to find a chair next to the pool today.

 

Leaving one of the sounds. The video camera is in the frame on the right. This is the sort of view that could be had in Alaska!

 

 

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We also passed other cruise ships in the sounds – more on that later. I think it was a Princess Ship.

 

 

 

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This is the height of summer here.

 

Milford Sound - as far as the ship goes, waiting, before turning around and leaving. This is Milford Sound Township.

 

 

 

 

 

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Same waterfall as above, but view when leaving.

 

 

Pretty much any cruise line that travels to the southern cities in the South Island will spend a day cruising through the three sounds. Either to or from New Zealand. While treated as a sea day, in terms of which restaurants are open. This is one day where balcony cabins come into their own.

 

I had just finished saying to my wife that I am surprised that we hadn’t seen another cruise ship as every schedule includes this part of New Zealand, when we passed a ship in Doubtful sound, as per the photo above.

 

The views are amazing, and during the first sound in the morning (around 9am) they had a speaker giving information about the area. His voice was piped into the public areas around the swimming pool decks, so you could see and hear what you were seeing.

 

I was impressed and would welcome doing the area again on my next cruise to NZ.

[GottaRequalify]

Here are a couple of videos I made of the sounds. The camera was left on a tri-pod while we went out and did our own thing. I didn't try and maximise the best shot, I just left it so you could get a glimpse of what it is like, our eyes have a much wider field of view and can move easily side to side in the valleys. What I am trying to say is it is much more spectacular in real life.

 

Someone asked a question on another thread about bringing a tripod onto the ship and using it. There was no concerns at it. It was setup all week in our room and moved out to the balcony when we wanted to use it.

 

Total video length is 11:55. At about 6:30, we pass another ship.

 

Because the transits are so long, I have sped up the journey to get it a bit reasonable.

 

Doubtful Sound

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Edited June 26, 2018 by GottaRequalify

[vrock]

Thanks vrock, for your comment. I have to say, I have always loved your signature. My two dogs are often like that, but there is no way they are a security system, unless knocking you over so they can lick you, counts.

 

Ovation is going to be a great ship in Alaska. Try and book the North Star when close to a Glacier or close to land. Even during one of the port stops, as it is designed to give you "ooh" moments when next to something and not just out at sea. The section on the sounds might give you an idea. 270 has beautiful indoor unobstructed viewing areas so even if you don't like the cold, you can still see everything, stay warm, next to the bar and the roast beef rolls from 270 café.

 

I am pretty sure I talked about the cold weather in New Zealand. The ship handled it very well and never felt crowded at sea. So even a cold weather destination like Alaska and the ship being fully loaded isn't going to be a bad experience. There is so much to do on board that no matter how long your cruise is, it will feel like it is over in a blink of an eye.

 

So while destinations in New Zealand aren't much use for you, the last section on the ship will be.

 

Thanks all, once again for reading. Just waiting for the video to upload to YouTube, then I will start posting.

 

I cannot wait to read about new Zealand it has always been on my bucket list along with Australia.

 

I have cruised on the anthem of the seas so i am somewhat familiar with the layout of the ovation as i understand ithey similar to each other. I think the 270 will be amazing for alaska.

 

Thank you for the compliment on my signature it has been a really hard week my fur baby passed a week ago. Her sister passed 10 months ago.

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your cruise with us.

[GottaRequalify]

Milford Sound

 

I have broken up the transit into three parts.

 

The journey into Milford Sound - 11 minutes long.

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Before we left, the captain showed us what the ship was capable of by doing donuts before leaving. Not just spinning once. That's not me spinning the camera, its the captain spinning the ship!

 

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Okay - they are slow donuts, but it is still spinning in one spot. This would be one location where I would loved to have been flying a drone off the ship to see what it looked like from an external view point. Return to GPS location wouldn't have been a problem with the ship spinning in one spot.

 

 

Lastly leaving Milford Sound and New Zealand heading away from the coast on the way back to Sydney.

 

Video Length - 3:35 - sped up a lot!

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All videos taken by leaving a camera on a tri-pod from our cabin on deck 8 at the back of the ship. While the smoke from the ship is noticeable in the video, I don't remember seeing the smoke when standing on the balcony.

 

That's it for port visits.

[GottaRequalify]

Really enjoying your review, pictures are wonderful! We will be on the Ovation for the TP so seeing port and ship pictures sure makes us look forward even more.

Thank you for taking the time to post it all

 

Bev

 

I just looked at the itinerary for the TP and none of the ports are the ones that we visited and I have described. :eek:

 

Maybe this will help with some ideas

• Picton is wine country - if you like wine organise to do a wine (& Beer) trail.
  
• The Museum - Te Papa - is interesting. One exhibit shows how the building is designed to handle a major earthquake.
  

Hopefully the last section, which is on the ship will still be of interest.

 

Thank you very much for reading and your comment.

[GottaRequalify]

Loving your photos! As a Canadian, visiting Australia and New Zealand has always been on my travel bucket list; amazing scenery [emoji7]

Needless to say, your trip report is making me jealous lol.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

I have been to Canada a few times for work, you have just as amazing scenery so - :hearteyes: - right back at ya!

 

You might like the videos I have just attached which shows some of the scenery you can see, just by staying on the ship. The best of both worlds, a cruise sitting at the pool bar and watching the green walls of the valley slip on by.

 

Thanks for reading and your comment.

[GottaRequalify]

I cannot wait to read about new Zealand it has always been on my bucket list along with Australia.

 

I have cruised on the anthem of the seas so i am somewhat familiar with the layout of the ovation as i understand ithey similar to each other. I think the 270 will be amazing for alaska.

 

Thank you for the compliment on my signature it has been a really hard week my fur baby passed a week ago. Her sister passed 10 months ago.

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your cruise with us.

 

So sorry for your loss. Both now and over the previous 10 months. If my report has been any comfort for you during this difficult time and given you something to look forward to, I am grateful.

 

I really do appreciate with all that you must be going through that you have taken the time to read this and comment. So Thank You.

[GottaRequalify]

I just looked at the itinerary for the TP and none of the ports are the ones that we visited and I have described. :eek:

 

Maybe this will help with some ideas

• Picton is wine country - if you like wine organise to do a wine (& Beer) trail.
  
• The Museum - Te Papa - is interesting. One exhibit shows how the building is designed to handle a major earthquake.
  

Hopefully the last section, which is on the ship will still be of interest.

 

Thank you very much for reading and your comment.

 

I was reading the Royal Caribbean web site, but not close enough.

 

The 2019 TP doesn't even stop in New Zealand. Its the 2020 TP from Sydney that stops in Picton and Wellington. So my comment may or may not apply to your TP journey. Sorry if I gave you the wrong information.

[FunCruiser56]

I was reading the Royal Caribbean web site, but not close enough.

 

The 2019 TP doesn't even stop in New Zealand. Its the 2020 TP from Sydney that stops in Picton and Wellington. So my comment may or may not apply to your TP journey. Sorry if I gave you the wrong information.

We are on the 2020 TP. At any rate your pictures are beautiful. We sure wish we could find a cruise prior to the TP that would take us into the Fjordland but so far no joy :(.

 

 

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[vrock]

Beautiful photos now I really want to cruise to new Zealand. Thank you for taking the time to share.

 

I do have one question about izumi. When you had dinner there did they offer the hibachi experience. We did the hibachi dinner on Harmony and had a great time.

 

Thank you for the condolences on loosing my fur baby. No matter how long we have them it is never long enough.

[GottaRequalify]

Beautiful photos now I really want to cruise to new Zealand. Thank you for taking the time to share.

 

I do have one question about izumi. When you had dinner there did they offer the hibachi experience. We did the hibachi dinner on Harmony and had a great time.

 

Thank you for the condolences on loosing my fur baby. No matter how long we have them it is never long enough.

 

There is no hibachi on Ovation. It isn't a very big restaurant. If looking at the deck plans, the open space under the word Izumi is all that there is, plus the tables in the walk way.

 

If you want to do it on land in Australia - look for Teppanyaki restaurants, that's what they call it here. It took me ages trying to figure out what Hibachi was when reading other people's reviews.

[doenbucket]

Thanks so much for all the time you've spent posting all this information. Especially love the photos & videos of Milford Sound. That includes Ovation doing donuts:eek:, great vistas. I have heard this is quite common for ships to do giving everyone, no matter where they are on the ship, the same opportunity to see the amazing views. Really looking forward to seeing this. Hopefully the weather is kind to us & we get into Milford Sound.:cool::cool:

[GottaRequalify]

Entertainment

There were two production shows in the main theatre. Live, Love Legs and the Beautiful Dream. We didn’t need to reserve seats for them as the Genie did on our behalf. These are singing and dancing shows, without much speaking as they need to cater for an audience that doesn’t have English as a first language (or may not speak English at all) , when the ship is based in China. Not sure what will happen when it goes between Australia and Alaska.

 

Live, Love Legs – lots of flesh on both the male and female cast shown. Big songs, Big Costumes – it was entertaining. They did extra shows during the day for those that couldn’t get reservations in the cruise planner.

 

The Beautiful Dream – complex storyline that was a bit hard to follow. Strange. Big sets that were well used on stage. I enjoyed it.

 

Pixels was held in 270 using the whole room to great effect. They had screens over the windows which they could project onto, as well as using the robotic TVs, dancers that came out of the floor and went around the room. It was good seeing it then getting a backstage tour of 270 later to see how it was put together. Entertaining, but a hard to follow story.

 

Cruise Director Joff and Activities Manager Chris – Very entertaining. Funny. Came up with some fantastic lines when introducing acts or explaining what was happening the next day. Great monologue during the closing show on the final night. Never interacted with them during the cruise, mainly because the ship is so big and there was a lot going on. You could see sometimes he was just delivering lines, but he was still always entertaining.

 

New Years Eve Countdown - They had a party in 270 and drinks and balloons in the Atrium. Free sparkling wine was handed out. Very nicely done.

 

Guest Entertainers – They had different entertainers every night in the main theatre. Hypnotists, Physical Comedians, Comedians. If their was a main production show, then often there would be something else on at 10:30pm. Very good, mostly enjoyable, worth going to see.

 

There was guest speaker in 270, who was a former Australian Fighter Pilot. I was in 270 one day, as it was the nearest bar and caught a part of his talk. It was very entertaining. He spoke on a number of days.

 

The Cruise Director Staff also had events such as Liars Club, Charades, Love and Marriage. Charades was very funny. Getting the 2nd Officer to do things like “What do you do with a drunken sailor” and others to come up with Brokeback Mountain – was a little adult in theme.

 

The normal Trivia, which was very well attended. You needed to turn up really early to get a seat, but maybe the venue was just a little small being held in the Schooner Bar.

 

Then there was BINGO – VERY WELL attended. This cruise had a lot of sea days, and it was being held in the Dance hall, which goes over two levels, and you needed to turn up over an hour before it started to get any decent seating. People were reserving seating and then fights almost broke out when one person tried to reserve seats for 9 saying you can’t sit there, I’ve been here an hour. The final game total came to US$9,500. Which goes to show how much was being spent over this cruise on BINGO. They say that Australians will bet on anything. Two flies walking up a wall. Melbourne has a public holiday to celebrate a horse race.

 

There was also the physical entertainment. Bumper cars (which I have already talked about). iFly - it was good, but over very quickly and North Star (more on that in the next section). We never got to do the trapeze, or other items in the seaplex as there was just too much to do.

 

I am sure I have forgotten some of the things we saw and did. There was lots going on and if you got bored on this ship – that is definitely your problem and there was nothing more the cruise line could do about it.