Ovation Shakedown Cruise April 26-29, 2022

[westcoasttech]

I just got an invite today ... I must be on a backup list!  I’m D+, in case that was a factor.  I’m located in Vancouver so will have to take the bus down and back to Seattle ... if there’s anyone else travelling down from Vancouver by car with room for one more, I would be happy to help with gas expenses ... just putting that out there, in case😄.  Been checking out testing expenses and bus fares today, and working out timing of both.  I’m happy to be travelling again, but a little freaked out too - hoping for a nice cabin, so worst case scenario I can hide out on a balcony and watch the waves🌊
 

Ovation is one of my favourite ships - spent almost a month onboard in the ‘before times’ sailing transpacific in 2019 - starting in Aus all the way home to Vancity!

 

Has anyone seen any evidence of what she’s doing between April 29 and May 5? If they were doing a reposition shakedown that would work better for me and avoid a long bus trip back North!  Not to be ungrateful though ... I’m very happy to have got the invite as I hadn’t even heard they were doing one!!

Edited April 5, 2022 by westcoasttech

[grayshark]

On 4/1/2022 at 12:52 PM, Dutter50 said:

Registered as well, excited to be onboard!  Does anyone know the itinerary?  What time does the ship depart/arrive Seattle?  And will it stay overnight in Victoria?

The Victoria port schedule shows Ovation in port April 28 13:30 to 23:00 in South B

 

A Princess  ship has “South B” from 06:00 to 12:30 that day - maybe explaining the 13:30 arrival

 

Radiance and Eurodam are in Victoria on 4/28 also

 

gvha.ca greater Victoria Harbor Association website

[Ferry_Watcher]

The shake down cruise also give the returning and new shoreside staff an opportunity to get up to speed after not working with cruise passengers for 7 months.

[crzndeb]

20 hours ago, westcoasttech said:

I just got an invite today ... I must be on a backup list!  I’m D+, in case that was a factor.

I think maybe they started with invites to travel professionals and Pinnacles, and now working their way through Diamond+. Probably the high end points D+’s.

I’m on the low end of D+ points, having just gotten there last year on my B2B Ovation cruises. I doubt I will get an invite.

[lovescats5]

Would love to be invited.  Plane fare from Reno to Seattle is pretty good and it would be a fun cruise.

 

[sunset seekers]

Hello Everyone,

We were very surprised when we checked our email yesterday to see the invite. We just got home from driving up the coast from LA after getting off the Navigator April 1. I asked my husband if he wanted to register and he said of coarse. We are Diamond Plus. Have been on Ovation once on the 11 night Alaska cruise May/2019 and really enjoyed the ship, first time on the Quantum class.

 

We are looking forward to cruising on Ovation again, hopefully see everyone on board.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sdsseattle]

After not being invited on any test cruises I finally got an invitation to this shakedown cruise.  Only problem is that I will be on Wonder so have to turn this down. Darn! 

One word of advice for those going: if you have Royal stock you can try to submit for shareholder OBC once you have a booking confirmation.  I know it's a long shot but worth the try.  I am on the two Wonder trade event cruises in May out of Barcelona.  They are completely free.  I submitted a shareholder OBC request and was surprised to get $50 for each cruise. 

To those going, have a great time!

[Ferry_Watcher]

23 hours ago, crzndeb said:

I think maybe they started with invites to travel professionals and Pinnacles, and now working their way through Diamond+. Probably the high end points D+’s.

I’m on the low end of D+ points, having just gotten there last year on my B2B Ovation cruises. I doubt I will get an invite.

We are still rooting for you to get an invitation.  Hoping for the best for you!!!

[grayshark]

On 3/31/2022 at 7:03 AM, crzndeb said:

I keep hoping I will get an invite and nothing yet. Maybe there will be a second round of emails, depending on how many reserved from the first round.

Patience, grasshopper.

 

I have a feeling you may be rewarded in the next few days. They are still sending invites out everyday.

 

I second ferry watcher’s sentiment that we are all rooting for you.

[Everwillow]

I received an invite and registered. But have not received anything further. Is that the way it works? More information to follow later? Just wondering. This is my first experience with this:)

[Merion_Mom]

15 hours ago, sdsseattle said:

After not being invited on any test cruises I finally got an invitation to this shakedown cruise.  Only problem is that I will be on Wonder so have to turn this down. Darn! 

One word of advice for those going: if you have Royal stock you can try to submit for shareholder OBC once you have a booking confirmation.  I know it's a long shot but worth the try.  I am on the two Wonder trade event cruises in May out of Barcelona.  They are completely free.  I submitted a shareholder OBC request and was surprised to get $50 for each cruise. 

To those going, have a great time!

 

That sounds very sketchy, since they turn you down when you apply for shareholder OBC on a casino comp cruise.  (even if you paid to upgrade)

[sdsseattle]

On 3/31/2022 at 7:03 AM, crzndeb said:

I keep hoping I will get an invite and nothing yet. Maybe there will be a second round of emails, depending on how many reserved from the first round.

I’m rooting for you Debbie!

[sdsseattle]

44 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

That sounds very sketchy, since they turn you down when you apply for shareholder OBC on a casino comp cruise.  (even if you paid to upgrade)

I’m not sure what you mean by sketchy. I have an updated booking confirmation from Royal Caribbean that shows $50 onboard credit. I was surprised to get that. I’m not sure what I would spend it for onboard other than gratuities. If it disappears so be it. I just wanted to give people the information in case it was the same situation for this cruise. 

[westcoasttech]

On 4/7/2022 at 8:24 AM, Everwillow said:

I received an invite and registered. But have not received anything further. Is that the way it works? More information to follow later? Just wondering. This is my first experience with this:)

I think somewhere in the email invite and confirmation it says that they will be completing the manifest around April 15 and will be sending out cabin assignments then ... fingers crossed for any type of balcony!!!

[Ferry_Watcher]

On 4/5/2022 at 5:25 PM, grayshark said:

The Victoria port schedule shows Ovation in port April 28 13:30 to 23:00 in South B

 

There are all sorts of questions about ArriveCan across all the CC cruise line boards sailing to, or stopping in Canada.  Have you lucky folks who will be going on the shakedown cruise been told that you need to sign up for ArriveCan, assuming that you do stop in Victoria?

Thanks!

[Aquahound]

58 minutes ago, westcoasttech said:

I think somewhere in the email invite and confirmation it says that they will be completing the manifest around April 15 and will be sending out cabin assignments then ... fingers crossed for any type of balcony!!!

 

Correct.  The documents says "Reservation numbers will be provided to all guests on or before April 15, 2022. An invoice will be automatically sent to the email address on record."

 

1 minute ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

There are all sorts of questions about ArriveCan across all the CC cruise line boards sailing to, or stopping in Canada.  Have you lucky folks who will be going on the shakedown cruise been told that you need to sign up for ArriveCan, assuming that you do stop in Victoria?

Thanks!

 

No, I have not received anything referring to ArriveCan.  

[Ferry_Watcher]

@Aquahound, are you expecting to stop in Victoria?

Since there are so many threads about ArriveCan, I thought I would ask the folks who will be on basically the first ship out of Seattle heading north.  I wasn't sure if the Ovation will be stopping in Victoria., or whether Royal was instructing passengers to sign up.  Like everyone else, just trying to figure it out.  Thanks! 

[Aquahound]

28 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

@Aquahound, are you expecting to stop in Victoria?

Since there are so many threads about ArriveCan, I thought I would ask the folks who will be on basically the first ship out of Seattle heading north.  I wasn't sure if the Ovation will be stopping in Victoria., or whether Royal was instructing passengers to sign up.  Like everyone else, just trying to figure it out.  Thanks! 

 

Yes, Victoria is our one and only stop.  I have a feeling when they email out the confirmations on April 15, it'll include more details on requirements.  All I've seen so far are the COVID testing requirements to board and the masking requirements.  

Edited April 10, 2022 by Aquahound

[westcoasttech]

As I’m starting off in Vancouver and have to trek down to Seattle to get onboard, I’ve pre-emptively registered with CANarrive ahead of time.  You can register without putting specific travel details in, an then you have an account to add in details 72 hrs ahead of your border crossing.  You do need to provide a PDF (or image) of your vaccination details so would recommend doing that while you have a stable internet connection.  Here’s the link that should take you to the explanatory page ...

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/arrivecan.html

[Zu~]

On 3/31/2022 at 7:03 AM, crzndeb said:

I keep hoping I will get an invite and nothing yet. Maybe there will be a second round of emails, depending on how many reserved from the first round.

I just got my invite last week, they had sent one a week earlier that I didn't see. 

[Zu~]

On 4/10/2022 at 1:18 PM, westcoasttech said:

As I’m starting off in Vancouver and have to trek down to Seattle to get onboard, I’ve pre-emptively registered with CANarrive ahead of time.  You can register without putting specific travel details in, an then you have an account to add in details 72 hrs ahead of your border crossing.  You do need to provide a PDF (or image) of your vaccination details so would recommend doing that while you have a stable internet connection.  Here’s the link that should take you to the explanatory page ...

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/arrivecan.html

There used to be a bus from Vancouver to Sea-TAC I think it was called Bolt. Cheap and fast and had wifi etc.

[Zu~]

So I'm registered for this cruise, but didn't sign up my room mate, thinking I could do that if I get confirmed. Fingers crossed-good luck to all hoping for an invite.

[westcoasttech]

6 minutes ago, Zu~ said:

There used to be a bus from Vancouver to Sea-TAC I think it was called Bolt. Cheap and fast and had wifi etc.

Bolt is now gone ... not sure if a pandemic victim or just didn't work out.  My choices are Amtrak TrainBus (real train not back running across the border) or Quick Shuttle (which actually has a better pick up point for my home location and drops off downtown Seattle rather than King Street station).  If the train was running, it would be no-brainer ... used to love taking the train ... slow but scenic!!  I'm still working out the details and timing.

[westcoasttech]

Woo hoo!  Just got details of my cabin allocation - check your emails!!

 

Been assigned a regular balcony but as I normally travel in the solo balconies I guess that’s an “upgrade” from the usual!

[GarrenS]

We just got ours too!  Regular balcony on Deck 12.   So excited!!!!