OVATION May 13-24 *LIVE* in ALASKA w/lots of photos

[Hoopster95]

Let’s continue with the Natonal Park...

 

The beauty of this place is the actual

nature walk through the beautiful Forrest. A Gorgeous totems throughout the park in specific locations, including the final one erected to commemorate these lands being given back to the natives after fighting with the Russian settlements. It takes approx a 1 hour easy stroll and stopping at each monument, along with photo ops of the beach etc along the way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 18, 2019 by Hoopster95

[Hoopster95]

A short ways out of the Forrest is the Raptor Center. This is a great place to see birds of prey recuperating from various injuries, and long time residents as well.

 

The live show was  the simple side with only an owl on show, but overall everything here was really well done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 18, 2019 by Hoopster95

[saus]

The way this thread has been carried by such a dedicated group of current and former Ovation cruisers is a real testament to the cruise critic community.

A huge thank you to Hoopster95, twangster, AlanF65, Biker19, drusierdmd, and Sunny AZ Girl.  All of your comments and pictures are very much appreciated.

 

Can one of you break down the Key on Ovation in Alaska?  Do you (they) get front-of-line aces to the Sea Plex, flowrider, Northstar, and/or iFly?  Are there seats set aside for key holders for the shows that can’t be reserved (everything but Pixel)?  Where are the reserved Key seats for Pixel?

 

Are any of you aware of how often the flowrider has been in operation and available to Key/non-key riders?  Is there a type of wetsuit that is most appropriate for the Alaska itinerary (shorty, 2mm, 3/2mm, 4/3mm, etc.)?

 

Finally, I hope you and any other current or recent cruiser on Ovation will answer a few questions about your experience (so far):

 

Favorite Ovation crew member you have interacted with:

 

Buy Voom or just download Netflix shows when in port and chill?

 

Do you recommend the Key?

 

Favorite place for a meal:

 

Favorite dish:

 

Favorite drink:

 

Favorite experience:

 

The thing that has surprised you the most so far:

[Trixie21]

Thank you so much for this live review.

We are on ovation 14th June - we are from the UK and this will be our first time to Alaska so a real bucket list trip for us. We have been on Ovation before - the ship is perfect for Alaska . 

Hope chops was just a bad night as we are booked for dinner there one evening and usually enjoy it.

Waiting impatiently for more posts!!

 

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, saus said:

 

Are any of you aware of how often the flowrider has been in operation and available to Key/non-key riders?  Is there a type of wetsuit that is most appropriate for the Alaska itinerary (shorty, 2mm, 3/2mm, 4/3mm, etc.)?

 

Buy Voom or just download Netflix shows when in port and chill?

 

Do you recommend the Key?

Flowrider is usually open anytime the ambient temperature is above 50F - wear what you think is appropriate for that.  Dedicated Key sessions seem to be down to one per sailing. 

 

Assuming you you have a cell plan that works in the ports I would not get VOOM for the whole sailing. Get maybe one 24 hr package on a sea day. 

 

No. 

[Lloyd555]

10 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

This one’s for Lloyd55, as I sit in Two70 Bar enjoying my D+ Captain & coke, enjoying Ovation spinning around in the bay to sail away before Jamie’s dinner tonight ... Lloyd, the sailaway view out of here is phenomenal! Can’t wait to get some inside passage shots from in here 😁

 

Thanks!

Sigh. Can't wait to be on board.

[twangster]

A few days late but it's taken some effort to get this video uploaded.  I've shortened the video and reduced the quality some to get the file size down and make it easier to upload.  

 

Glacier Bay Flightseeing.   The right seat as offered so I jumped at the opportunity.  Plane seats nine plus the pilot. 

 

At the 3 minute mark is the John Hopkins glacier and around the 5 minute mark you can see Ovation at ISP. 

 

 

Pretty awesome experience and looking forward to seeing Glacier Bay by ship now that RCCL can begin sailing there in future years.

Edited May 18, 2019 by twangster

[Jimbo]

15 minutes ago, twangster said:

A few days late but it's taken some effort to get this video uploaded.  I've shortened the video and reduced the quality some to get the file size down and make it easier to upload.  

 

Glacier Bay Flightseeing.   The right seat as offered so I jumped at the opportunity.  Plane seats nine plus the pilot. 

 

At the 3 minute mark is the John Hopkins glacier and around the 5 minute mark you can see Ovation at ISP. 

 

 

Pretty awesome experience and looking forward to seeing Glacier Bay by ship now that RCCL can begin sailing there in future years.

Nice video, what company did you go with and the cost? and how far away from the ship is the airport? is this like a 45   minute  plane ride?

[twangster]

7 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Nice video, what company did you go with and the cost? and how far away from the ship is the airport? is this like a 45   minute  plane ride?

 

Booked through Royal on sale for $319 from the regular price of $399.   I booked it through Royal while I looked elsewhere.  However given the sale price and cruising solo I couldn't make it work externally so it was easier to simply stay with it through Royal.  

 

They picked us at in a van at ISP and it's was a 10-15 minute drive to Hoonah "International" Airport.  

 

From engine start to shut down was just under an hour.  

 

The video may be nice but the time over Glacier Bay, the glaciers and the ice fields above them was pretty spectacular when viewed live as GoPro's tend to capture a very wide filed of view.  We flew over an NCL ship that had just departed from John Hopkins glacier and did a moderately low quick pass over a whale excursion boat to see a whale.  I was also taking still photos that I'm still going through.

[Jimbo]

41 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

Booked through Royal on sale for $319 from the regular price of $399.   I booked it through Royal while I looked elsewhere.  However given the sale price and cruising solo I couldn't make it work externally so it was easier to simply stay with it through Royal.  

 

They picked us at in a van at ISP and it's was a 10-15 minute drive to Hoonah "International" Airport.  

 

From engine start to shut down was just under an hour.  

 

The video may be nice but the time over Glacier Bay, the glaciers and the ice fields above them was pretty spectacular when viewed live as GoPro's tend to capture a very wide filed of view.  We flew over an NCL ship that had just departed from John Hopkins glacier and did a moderately low quick pass over a whale excursion boat to see a whale.  I was also taking still photos that I'm still going through.

Looks like  a nice option if you are on a sailing that does not go to Glacier Bay. That's same excursion is on the Radiance of the Seas that we have booked for next July.  It's at $399 per person right now.

Edited May 18, 2019 by Jimbo

[LXA350]

16 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

Let’s backtrack a couple of nights...

we were at Chops for dinner which I was really looking forward to, unfortunately it was not as good as usual. I’m fact, the ambiance and food was very “MDR-like”... the lack of staff had the waiters running around everywhere and barely saying anything to us, and all courses (especially the sides) came out cold. When we asked for more sides , they came out cold as well. Thankfully my filet was done perfectly else this dinner would have been a real disappointment.

 

Chops has been go-to For me on the last few ships... goes to show you RCI = “Really  Consistently Inconsistent”

 

wild mushroom soup

tuna tatare 

9oz fillet med-rare with sides 

warm chocolate cake

Chops is completely overrated, the sides are almost always cold and nothing special. The meat you need to order at least one cooking stage lower that you will have it +- how you want it. The highlight are always the starters with a nice crab cake, shrimp cocktail (hard to get that wrong) and the tuna tartare, however it depends from chef / ship and is not always so good. For instance the one on Ovation does not count to the highlights. Concerning the desert, the chocolate cake is nothing special often the one in the dining room when they have it on the menu is just as good or even better

16 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

 

 

[drusierdmd]

When in Sitka on foot...go here. Seriously worth it. Enjoyed walking around on foot. The buses had less than a 2 min wait and total trip time of approx 10 to 15min. We were able to return to our room for 30min before our excursion.

The sea otter and wildlife quest was okay. We booked via rccl bc our friends would are traveling with little kids too and only wanted to book direct. About 130pp with our 3yo free. The boat was comfortable and held 30 upstairs and 60 downstairs. It was heated with binoculars and snacks provided. We did see whales otters and bald eagles but nothing really exciting. I would have preferred a smaller more intimate experience. But for "easy" it hits the mark.

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[drusierdmd]

Balcony worth it? I'd say it depends on the price gap. My friends upgraded 5 days before sailing from an interior to a balcony....for $17..because their nice friend drusierdmd notified them....now that's worth it!.

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[rvrfam]

4 minutes ago, drusierdmd said:

Balcony worth it? I'd say it depends on the price gap. My friends upgraded 5 days before sailing from an interior to a balcony....for $17..because their nice friend drusierdmd notified them....now that's worth it!.
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Can I ask what floor this is on/room? Looks like you have an overhang above you and was wondering if it is the same type of overhang we will have on our balcony from the coastal kitchen above (I think that is the name of what is above us, lol)

[drusierdmd]

Can I ask what floor this is on/room? Looks like you have an overhang above you and was wondering if it is the same type of overhang we will have on our balcony from the coastal kitchen above (I think that is the name of what is above us, lol)

11th mid starboard. Overhang aka roof equal to walls and floor. In other words all extend the same and I wouldn't call it an overhang. I think the highest floor balcony's may have an actual overhang.

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[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, drusierdmd said:

11th mid starboard. Overhang aka roof equal to walls and floor. In other words all extend the same and I wouldn't call it an overhang. I think the highest floor balcony's may have an actual overhang.

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I see the use of heavier coats now, I guess it's getting colder. Which is the next port or is the Hubbard Glacier viewing next, if so be prepared for even colder temps on the sail in to that.

[Hoopster95]

I have just taken 2 hours of THE VERY BEST photos and video I have ever taken on any cruise this morning.

 

internet has been utter garbage, this photo has taken me 4 attempts and about 1/2 hour so this is probably all for now.

 

Northstar went off to the side a full 90degrees, all the way down to 30degree angle. We had at least 20 minutes up there

 

Edited May 18, 2019 by Hoopster95

[A&L_Ont]

Hoopster, this is Glacier Bay right?  Looks very nice today for early in the season. 

[drusierdmd]

Samsung s10 plus. Hubbard Glacier.

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[Jimbo]

46 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

Hoopster, this is Glacier Bay right?  Looks very nice today for early in the season. 

 

Ship does not go to Glacier Bay

[jrmende63]

1 hour ago, drusierdmd said:

Samsung s10 plus. Hubbard Glacier.

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Wow...This is gorgeous!

 

[Hoopster95]

Hubbard Glacier....

 

when I get home, I’ll come back to this day for a full photo and video review.

[Scottishmum40]

Wow Hubbard Glacier looks spectacular.  

 

Thanks everyone for all the awesome information and photos.  We cruise on 28th June and cant wait.  

 

Ive been on Anthem before and can’t wait to be back on a Quantum Class.  270 is my favourite place to be out of any ship I’ve ever been on. 

[Jimbo]

34 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

Hubbard Glacier....

 

when I get home, I’ll come back to this day for a full photo and video review.

Did the Captain mention how many miles that is from the Glacier?

[drusierdmd]

We literally sailed through the ice field with ice on both sides of the ship...feet from the hull. Loud bangs could be heard every few minutes as large sections fell into the ocean...amazing.

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