Cruise Ship Profile: MS Ovation of the Seas

Photo credit: AerialHive

MS Ovation of the Seas is a cruise ship operating for Royal Caribbean International (RCI). The vessel is the third ship in the Quantum class, which surpasses RCI’s earlier Freedom-class ships by over 14,000 GT, becoming the second largest class of passenger ships behind RCI’s Oasis-class ships on a gross tonnage basis. The Ovation mainly sails from Tianjin during the northern summer season and repositions to Sydney during the southern summer season.

Photo credit: AerialHive

Packed with bells and whistles, Ovation of the Seas is the third ground-breaking ship to join Royal Caribbean’s Quantum class. There are plenty of similarities with its two sister ships — Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas — including the thrilling RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator, the North Star capsule that transports passengers 90 metres (300 feet) above sea level for bird’s-eye views, bumper cars, trapeze classes, world-class entertainment and — in short — nonstop fun.

Photo credit: AerialHive

Making its debut on Ovation is the colourful Kung Fu Panda Noodle Shop (replacing Johnny Rockets), plus a new Asian food station in the Windjammer Marketplace buffet restaurant. There is also an enlarged casino, and shops in the Royal Esplanade have been stocked with more high-end designer goods and Asian cosmetic brands.

Photo credit: AerialHive

The ship spends the Australian summer based in Sydney from about December to April. During this brief spell, some of the food, drinks, and activities are tailored to local tastes and everything is in English. All of the bars, specialty restaurants, cafes (or anywhere serving coffee), the three pools and FlowRider surfing simulator are much busier than during the Asian sailings, so prepare for queues. However, despite a large number of passengers onboard, staff go out of their way to get to know passengers and make their cruise holiday memorable. Friendly passengers who stand out (in a good way) are treated especially well.

Photo credit: AerialHive

The ship’s entertainment scene is outstanding, with Broadway-style theatre shows and cabarets that combine human talent with technical wizardry. All-singing, all-dancing gadgets are not just confined to the stage. Ovation has myriad high-tech features including Royal IQ, a free interactive scheduling service that lets passengers make reservations for dining, entertainment, and activities; it’s available as an app for mobile devices or can be used via kiosks and tablets throughout the ship. Thanks to a huge investment in satellite Internet, connectivity is fast and efficient. It’s good to see USB ports for in-cabin charging and the option for RFID WOWband wristbands, which can be used instead of key cards.

Photo credit: theaustralian.com.au

Another exceptional feature is the artwork: An A$5.8 million (US$4.5 million) collection of 11,000 pieces. Much more than just space fillers to adorn blank walls, the installations, paintings, and sculptures wouldn’t be out of place in the world’s top galleries. SkyWave, over the Royal Esplanade, is the first moving sculpture at sea, and the Flutter Wall, on the way to the Royal Theatre, is a three-metre (120-inch) screen filled with interactive butterflies. Elsewhere are smaller surprises: a retro petrol pump beneath a stairwell; panda and koala faces on human shoulders; and boxed pictures with tiny people inside. It’s worth doing a top-to-bottom walking tour of the ship to discover the artwork alone.

Photo credit: dailymail.co.uk

With so much to see, do and discover Ovation delights and excites in equal measure and is ideal for longer itineraries, which give passengers time to enjoy the many onboard attractions to the full.

Class and type: Quantum-class cruise ship
Tonnage: 168,666 GT
Length: 348 m (1,142 ft)
Beam:
41.2 m (135 ft) (waterline)
48.9 m (160 ft) (max)
Draught: 8.5 m (28 ft)
Decks: 18 (16 passenger-accessible)
Installed power:
2 × Wärtsilä 12V46F (2 × 14,400 kW)
2 × Wärtsilä 16V46F (2 × 19,200 kW)
2 × Cat 3516C HD (2 × 2,500 kW)
Propulsion:
Diesel-electric
2 × ABB Azipod XO thrusters (2 × 20.5 MW)
4 × 3,500 kW (4,694 hp) Brunvoll FU115 bow thrusters
Speed: 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Capacity:
4,180 passengers (double occupancy)
4,905 passengers (maximum occupancy)

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