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

[uncw89]

On 5/18/2019 at 5:47 PM, Scottishmum40 said:

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. 

We are on the same cruise!! We can't wait either!! This will be my first Quantum class cruise!!

Thanks to all the cruisers posting on this thread!! I love all the pictures and videos!! Keep them coming!! 

[Hoopster95]

Alaska Travel Adventures

Mendenhall Lake Kayak Tour

 

What an incredible warm and postcard perfect morning! I’m up Mt Roberts now waiting to come down... helicopter & dog sled coming up 😁👌

 

 

 

 

Edited May 19, 2019 by Hoopster95

[Hoopster95]

 

 

 

 

Edited May 19, 2019 by Hoopster95

[Hoopster95]

29 minutes ago, Jennywren113 said:

Alaska is now added to our bucket list!   Interested what they have done with the MDR's as it was dynamic dining whilst we were onboard, do they just allocate a space in one of the four dining rooms now? 

 

Hello Dave & Jen!! Great to hear from you.

While you’re thinking of Alaska, you definitely have to consider Serenade or Radiance itineraries for you coming all the way from the UK. Ovation’s itinerary does not do Alaska justice, and you already know Ovation anyways. Keep in mind Glacier Bay is supposedly opening up to RCL soon... won’t be Ovation from Seattle I wouldn’t think.

 

if you ever come by Vancouver, make sure you email long ahead and I’ll plan to meet up with you 😁

 

Yes... re dining. The 4 restaurants are now traditional and MTD just like on other ships. You’re assigned a table and that’s it...you sit there every night. 

[Hoopster95]

6 hours ago, cnfno1 said:

.how has the weather been in Alaska?

 

Weather has been better than hoped for. You can also research the last few years of both Radiance and Explorer review for further info. Today it’s plenty of shorts and t-shirts walking around Juneau.

 

NOTHING is ever 100% in Alaska. However, the last few years May has been great and June not so much... lots of cold

and rain. Be prepared either way. I had 45 degree driving rain in Juneau 5 years ago 1st week of July. There’s no guarantees.

[Hoopster95]

drusierdmd and twangster...

thank you for all your input. Keep

it coming 👍

[breezy_carol]

Hoopster, is that walking path in your last group of pictures at the top of the Mt Roberts Tram?

Edited May 19, 2019 by breezy_carol

[applepatrick9]

48 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

Alaska Travel Adventures

Mendenhall Lake Kayak Tour

 

What an incredible warm and postcard perfect morning! I’m up Mt Roberts now waiting to come down... helicopter & dog sled coming up 😁👌

 

 

Hoopster95,

 

Thanks for the review! We are onboard for June 14th so we are really enjoying your insight!

 

A couple questions about Mendenhall:

1. Did you book the kayak tour through royal?

2. Did you feel like the kayak tour was worth the money and time?

3. Is just the kayak tour worth it or do you need a second tour the same day?

 

 

[CRUISEFAN0001]

One quick observation - the photos of Mendenhall Glacier show a significant receding of it's size along the water's edge from where we saw it just a few years ago. At this rate...there may not be much to see in another 10 years or so.

 

These pix below were in 2014...compare these 2 to the views in Post #383. WOW.

 

 

[tallgirl97]

3 hours ago, twangster said:

Short time lapse in the early morning as we sail the Alaskan Inside Passage coming down from Hubbard Glacier before making the turn North towards Juneau.

 

 

Awesome timelapse; what was the frame rate on your camera to record it?

[drusierdmd]

Coastal helicopter dog sled plus extra landing is the most amazing 2 hours of my life.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[Jimbo]

26 minutes ago, drusierdmd said:

Coastal helicopter dog sled plus extra landing is the most amazing 2 hours of my life.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 

Did you book this on your own or through the cruiseline, if booking on your own what company did you go through and price per person?

[drusierdmd]

Did you book this on your own or through the cruiseline, if booking on your own what company did you go through and price per person?

I booked on my own. Tour company is called coastal helicopters. They have a big operation here and fly 10 plus helicopters. Booked via Alaska shore tours..which I believe is an aggregator of tours. Excellent communication via email before hand. I believe the trip was 600pp and only 20 or so for 24hr cancellation with full refund. Its the trip with dog sledding with the extra glacier stop. Would go again in a heart beat.  

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

 

[drusierdmd]

This is it if you want to book direct.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[Jimbo]

15 minutes ago, drusierdmd said:

Booked via Alaska shore tours..which I believe is an aggregator of tours. Excellent communication via email before hand. I believe the trip was 600pp and only 20 or so for 24hr cancellation with full refund. Its the trip with dog sledding with the extra glacier stop. Would go again in a heart beat.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 

 

8 minutes ago, drusierdmd said:

This is it if you want to book direct.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 

Cool thanks, internet seems to be going great there. You are answering questions super fast, unlike some on your cruise that are complaining about the slow speeds.

Edited May 20, 2019 by Jimbo

[drusierdmd]

Perfect 4g in most of Juneau. Sitka was poor service, some places 4g mostly 3g. ISP was 1x.

 

Internet on board isn't too bad as long as you understand it's 1 mbit average.. I've been able to video chat and watch YouTube at 480p. There were times the first few days where it would disconnect etc...that seems to have been resolved.

 

Posted via Verizon 4g sitting at the hanger eating a $35 crab leg (as in singular finger)...but very tasty and right near the ship.

 

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

[shoreline6726]

3 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

drusierdmd and twangster...

thank you for all your input. Keep

it coming 👍

Hey Hoopster in case you cant get the game feed where you are the Raptors just won game 3 in double OT 118 to 112. Thanks so much for taking the time to do this review. I'm on the June 14th sailing so I am loving all of the info about the ship and ports.

[perfect match]

Awesome review! Thank you, Hoopster, and everyone else who is taking time to contribute! I’m taking notes, both on Ovation and Alaska, so thank you for including info on your excursion providers. 

[Hoopster95]

#E.P.I.C.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 20, 2019 by Hoopster95

[eel]

Took Adventure Bound tour in Juneau to Tracy Arm.  We got up close and personal with Sawyer Glacier. Great wildlife and iceberg viewing along the way!

[Hoopster95]

6 hours ago, breezy_carol said:

Hoopster, is that walking path in your last group of pictures at the top of the Mt Roberts Tram?

 

Yes, that’s correct 👍

 

6 hours ago, applepatrick9 said:

 

Hoopster95,

 

Thanks for the review! We are onboard for June 14th so we are really enjoying your insight!

 

A couple questions about Mendenhall:

1. Did you book the kayak tour through royal?

2. Did you feel like the kayak tour was worth the money and time?

3. Is just the kayak tour worth it or do you need a second tour the same day?

 

 

 

1. Nope, Alaska Shore Tours... also booked the Chopper+dog sled with them like druiserdmd

2. Yep. I loved it

3. Kayak tour 3 hours... I was back on board at 11:30am drying off and having lunch. we are in port 7am - 9am. No way I would Personally sit around for 9 hours once done kayak, but that’s up to the individual 

 

3 hours ago, shoreline6726 said:

Hey Hoopster in case you cant get the game feed where you are the Raptors just won game 3 in double OT 118 to 112. 

 

Thank you thank you thank you!!!

GO RAPS! 🏀🏀🏀🏀

[Hoopster95]

One of the better 70’s parties in a while

Two70

 

 

[breezy_carol]

More thanks to all the contributors for the great information and answers to my questions.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

7 hours ago, eel said:

Took Adventure Bound tour in Juneau to Tracy Arm.  We got up close and personal with Sawyer Glacier. Great wildlife and iceberg viewing along the way!

 

I was wondering how Ovation was going to support Tracy Arm Fjord...now we know... a tour. Thanks for sharing.

 

When we viewed Sawyer Glacier, they actually sailed Radiance of the Seas all the way to the inner turnaround pool in front of it.

 

Like my previous compare photo post about Mendenhall Glacier, it has become obvious that these beautiful nature wonders  are decreasing in scale over time (comparison views to your background glacier shot below from 2014 - the last one is pretty close to the same area view as your photo).

 

Edited May 20, 2019 by CRUISEFAN0001

[jamon]

Hoopster...how much was the tram ride up the mountain in Juneau?? thanks