If you’re thinking about an Alaskan cruise in 2019...
There’s some big news from Royal Caribbean that you need to know.
Royal Caribbean is going to be bringing one of their best ships to Seattle, Washington
For 7-day cruises to Alaska during the summer of 2019.
It’s the Ovation Of The Seas
A Quantum-class ship that you probably haven’t heard much about
Because she’s been based in Asia and Australia since she entered service in 2016.
But she’s a full sister to Anthem Of The Seas, a ship that I cruised on two years ago…
And a ship I think of as the best cruise ship I’ve ever been on.
I totally loved all the smart design choices that Royal Caribbean had made with this class of ships.
It’s clear to me that Royal Caribbean has taken everything they’ve learned about cruise ship design in the last 50 years...
And incorporated all their best ideas in to this class of ship.
Let me start by showing you a few things about Ovation Of The Seas that make it perfect for cruises to Alaska.
At the very top of that list is a glass enclosed adults-only area at the front of the ship, known as the Solarium.
No matter what’s happening with the weather outside, conditions inside the Solarium are always ideal for relaxing and enjoying the view.
The glass enclosure that protects the Solarium from any extreme weather allows the most amazing view of whatever’s in front of the ship.
And on an Alaska cruise, that view is just spectacular.
Imagine yourself sitting in a lounger, or on a daybed, in the climate controlled solarium, watching the beautiful Alaskan scenery go by.
Or perhaps you’d rather enjoy the view from one of the big Jacuzzis…
Or from this incredible multi-level pool, heated to just the right temperature.
Two years ago, during my cruise on the sister ship, this was one of my favorite places to spend time.
There’s a bar inside the Solarium, so you can relax with your beverage of choice...
And there’s even a small restaurant, called the Solarium Bistro.
Here’s another area on Ovation Of The Seas that makes it a perfect choice for Alaska cruises.
Notice that this swimming pool sits under a big glass canopy...
Which can be closed up tight if the weather outside is less than perfect...
Or opened up to let all the fresh air in on a warm, sunny day.
Something else that will be amazing for Alaska is this fully enclosed area at the back of the ship known as "Two 70".
During the day, you have a spectacular view of all the scenery through all that glass at the back end of the ship.
But at night, those windows become big video screens…
And the room totally transforms in to a high-tech theater featuring amazing shows with all sorts of interesting effects and surprises.
The creative ideas that they used in designing Two 70 just blew my mind when I saw them on the sister ship that I sailed on.
If you look at the ships that the other cruise lines are using in Alaska…
They’re almost all much older, far less sophisticated ships.
Ovation Of The Seas is a ship on the cutting edge, with innovations that put this ship in a whole other league.
There’s NorthStar, which rises 300 feet above sea level to provide incredible 360 degree views of all the breathtaking scenery around the ship.
No other cruise line has anything like this!
And then there’s RipCord by iFly. The only skydiving simulator at sea.
You get to experience the thrills of skydiving without having to actually jump out of an airplane.
If there’s a thrill seeker in your family, this is the ship for you.
And the Bionic Bar… two robotic bartenders who know how to mix up your favorite drink.
As you can see, they’re great at shaking things up, but they know how to stir, too.
They can create all sorts of cocktails, whether it’s a classic Margarita, or a custom order of your own design.
You place your order using an app on a nearby tablet, and then enjoy the show as your bionic bartender does his thing.
And here’s another innovation you won’t find on the other cruise lines:
SeaPlex…
The largest indoor active space at sea.
There's never been anything quite like this on a cruise ship before.
You’ve got bumper cars at sea Or it can convert in to a roller rink
A full-size basketball court
Or a trapeze school.
Music is provided from a floating DJ booth suspended overhead.
And if you want a bite to eat, just visit the first food truck on a cruise ship.
For a more sophisticated meal, Ovation Of The Seas offers a wide array of fine restaurants…
Including the American Icon Grill
Silk
Chic
And Wonderland.
Plus an Italian restaurant
A steakhouse
And a Japanese restaurant
As well as plenty of casual dining options, like...
A pastry shop
A café
A Pizza place
And of course, a gigantic buffet with a little something for everyone.
As far as entertainment, Royal Caribbean offers some of the best big musical production shows I’ve ever seen on a cruise ship.
I don’t know exactly what shows they’ll be offering on Ovation Of The Seas when it does Alaska cruises in 2019...
But based on all the other shows I’ve seen on other Royal Caribbean ships I’ve sailed on, I bet it will be world-class.
I really like the music venue that they have on Quantum-class ships.
It’s called the Music Hall, and it was designed with one purpose in mind:
To be a great venue for a band to perform in.
I’ve been on cruise ships where the music venue just wasn’t thought out very well at all.
Bad lighting, bad acoustics, bad seating or sight lines, but...
In the Music Hall on Ovation Of The Seas you’ll be in for a real treat if you enjoy seeing and listening to a band perform live.
One other area where Ovation Of The Seas really stands out is high speed Internet.
On most cruise ships, keeping your phone or laptop online is an exercise in frustration.
Most cruise ships have slow and unreliable Internet connections.
But Royal Caribbean is unique in a partnership they have with the most advanced network
Providing Internet to remote locations: O3B networks
And their unique technology that uses satellites in an unusually low orbit To provide hugely faster Internet service
With low latency and speeds not that far off from what you get at home.
If it’s important to your business for you to stay connected even when you’re on vacation...
Or if you’re just used to being able to upload photos and videos to social media wherever you go...
Royal Caribbean is the cruise line for you.
The cabins on Ovation Of The Seas are something special, too.
And I don’t just mean the spectacular two-level suites that they offer.
Those are out of my price range.
But even if you just book a standard balcony cabin, you’ll find some nice little touches.
Like multiple electrical outlets at the desk, as well as USB charging ports.
There is even an electrical outlet by the bed, which makes it easy to keep your phone nearby at night while it charges.
And it’s also perfect for people with sleep apnea, who need a CPAP machine to help them breathe at night.
Royal Caribbean also really impressed me by splitting the closets up.
There’s one on each side of the couch, and that makes it easy for two people to get dressed at the same time, without bumping in to each other.
They designed curtains that fully block all the light from outside.
Which makes it easy to take a nap during the day, or to sleep in past sunrise in the morning.
And there are some nice little touches in the bathrooms, too.
Including a night light that operates all night long.
Which is great if you need to use the bathroom in the middle of the night...
And you don’t want to disturb your spouse by turning on any lights.
And if you like to book an inside cabin, the inexpensive kind without a balcony or even a window...
You’re going to be really impressed with the ones on Ovation Of The Seas.
They feature high tech virtual balconies.
What you’re seeing here is not an actual balcony or a window.
It’s a wall-to-ceiling video display to make you feel like you’re in a much more expensive balcony cabin.
And it has a real-time view of what’s happening outside.
When I think of all the cruise ships that there are to choose from for an Alaskan cruise during the summer...
I can’t think of a more state-of-the-art ship… incorporating more innovative features… than Ovation of the Seas.
If you’re thinking about an Alaska cruise in 2019, this is one the best cruise ships you could choose!
I’m Jim Zim. Thanks for watching!
There are lots of other cruise ship videos on my YouTube channel.
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