The Ovation is a large modern ship with numerous activities built in. All over the ship there are things to do, or that's how it might seem. The ship appears to have everything a cruiser would want. It has the usual RCI flow rider, rockwall (poor), many pools, Spas(Whirlpools) and a wonderful Solarium as well as the Seaplex, a marvelous area in which nearly every active sport is played (basketball, dodgeball, cricket, table tennis, etc.,) as well as the Bumper Cars which were a lot of fun for adults and kids alike. There is also the North Star and Rip Cord iFly in which you can learn to sky dive (booking required and is free). So, with so many things to do, one would think that you would always be busy...well, no.

Aft in the ship (level 5) is the truly magnificent room called the Two 70, a very large high-tech room and bar in which many functions and lectures are held, as well as trivia etc. The robotic screens and main screen (rear windows) simply must be experienced to describe.

So many magnificent things to do and see, but not everyone can or wants to fly, surf, play basketball, table tennis, drive bumper cars, or sit in a large bar with loud music (no matter how good it is). When the weather was bad (and we had several days) the outside activities are simply not possible and the ship's small activities (or lack thereof) was sadly exposed. There were not enough things to do, the little things that most guests like to see or participate in. Baggo, ring toss (quoits), deck xxx, paper plane making and flying and golf putting were conspicuous by their absence. There were a few activities but very much diminished, I suspect because the activities crew are used to the big-ticket items doing much of their work for them. So much trivia, but little else. Read more