Ovation of the Seas Alaska Review

Alaska Itinerary Overview

For years, Ovation of the Seas has been the undisputed king of Royal Caribbean’s 7-night roundtrip sailings out of Seattle. However, if you are looking to book for the 2025 or 2026 Alaska cruise seasons, you need to be aware of a major deployment shift. Royal Caribbean is bringing Anthem of the Seas to the Pacific Northwest to take over the Seattle roundtrips, while Ovation of the Seas shifts to highly immersive 7-night Northbound and Southbound open-jaw itineraries sailing between Vancouver, British Columbia, and Seward, Alaska (the cruise port for Anchorage).

This is actually fantastic news for Alaska purists. Open-jaw itineraries allow the ship to travel much further north into the Gulf of Alaska, unlocking visits to the spectacular Hubbard Glacier and making it incredibly easy to add a pre- or post-cruise land tour to Denali National Park.

During these 7-night voyages, you can expect to visit classic Inside Passage ports including Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, and Ketchikan. One critical factor to keep in mind: Royal Caribbean does not hold permits for Glacier Bay National Park. Instead, your scenic glacier cruising day will feature either Hubbard Glacier or the Endicott Arm fjord leading to Dawes Glacier. While undeniably beautiful, it is a distinctly different experience than the multi-glacier viewing found in Glacier Bay on competitors like Princess or Holland America.

The Ship for Alaska — What Works

At 168,666 gross tons and holding up to 4,905 passengers (at maximum capacity), Ovation of the Seas is a massive, floating resort. Fortunately, because she is a Quantum-class ship, she was purpose-built for cooler climates. This makes her arguably the best ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet for navigating the unpredictable, often rainy weather of the Last Frontier.

Here is where the ship truly shines in Alaska:

• Two70°: Located at the aft (back) of the ship, this multi-deck lounge features massive floor-to-ceiling windows offering spectacular 270-degree panoramic views. During scenic cruising days, this is the absolute best place to grab a coffee, sink into a comfortable lounger, and watch the glaciers and icebergs drift by. At night, the windows transform into “Vistarama” screens for high-tech entertainment.
• The SeaPlex: Alaska itineraries can be notoriously chilly and wet. The SeaPlex is the largest indoor active space at sea. Your kids (and teens) can spend sea days riding bumper cars, roller skating, playing basketball, or gaming—completely protected from the elements.
• The North Star: This jewel of the Quantum-class is a glass observation capsule attached to a mechanical crane arm that lifts you 300 feet above sea level. Extending over the edge of the ship, it provides unparalleled, bird’s-eye views of the Alaskan wilderness. Tip: While basic rides are sometimes complimentary on port days, the premium extended experiences (especially on scenic glacier viewing days) typically cost between $40 and $50 per person. It is an incredible splurge that you cannot replicate on any other cruise line.
• Thrill-Seeker Amenities: Even in Alaska, you can surf on the FlowRider simulator or experience indoor skydiving at RipCord by iFly.

The main trade-off of choosing a ship this spectacular? The crowds. Dropping nearly 5,000 passengers into a town like Skagway (population ~1,200) radically changes the local dynamics. The ports will feel very busy, and you will wait in longer lines for tenders and popular excursions. If you prioritize an intimate, quiet wilderness experience, this ship will feel overwhelming.

Cabin Recommendations for Alaska

Choosing the right stateroom on Ovation of the Seas can make or break your scenic viewing experience.

If you are sailing on the new open-jaw itineraries, the “best side” of the ship depends on your direction of travel. For Northbound sailings from Vancouver to Seward, book a balcony on the starboard (right) side to face the majestic mainland coastline. For Southbound sailings from Seward to Vancouver, book the port (left) side.

When selecting a balcony, aim for Decks 8, 9, or 10 mid-ship. These decks are high enough to avoid obstructed views from the lifeboats on Deck 5, but insulated enough from the noise of the pool deck and Windjammer buffet directly above on Decks 14 and 15.

If you are trying to cruise Alaska on a budget, Ovation offers a fantastic industry-first for its interior cabins: Virtual Balconies. These floor-to-ceiling high-definition screens provide a live camera feed of the outside ocean and weather. It’s a neat technological trick that genuinely helps alleviate the claustrophobia of an inside room, letting you know whether you need a raincoat or sunglasses before heading up to the open decks.

Food and Dining

Important Correction: If you are reading older reviews or outdated brochures mentioning that Ovation of the Seas features “Dynamic Dining” (a concept with multiple smaller restaurants, no main dining room, and no set dining times), you can safely disregard them. Royal Caribbean officially abandoned that experiment back in 2016 due to passenger feedback.

Today, Ovation features a traditional Main Dining Room experience. You can choose between classic set-seating times (early or late, sitting at the same table with the same waiters every night) or flexible “My Time Dining,” which allows you to eat at different times each evening.

The complimentary dining is solid, but the specialty dining is where the ship truly flexes its culinary muscles. Chops Grille delivers a classic, upscale steakhouse experience that feels incredibly cozy after a cold day in port. Jamie’s Italian (partnered with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver) serves excellent rustic Italian dishes, and Izumi offers some of the best sushi at sea. For a whimsical experience, Wonderland provides a molecular gastronomy menu themed around Alice in Wonderland—a fun, interactive dinner that is highly recommended for a sea day.

The Windjammer Marketplace (the buffet) is expansive and features global cuisine, but it gets overwhelmingly crowded during peak breakfast hours before morning port excursions. Do yourself a favor and utilize the Café Promenade or Café Two70 for grab-and-go breakfast sandwiches and coffee to beat the rush.

Entertainment and Onboard Experience

If you want a hushed, educational Alaska experience led by naturalists pointing out bald eagles, Ovation of the Seas is not your ship. You are better off booking a premium line like Princess or Holland America.

If you want an energetic, non-stop vacation where the destination is just a backdrop to the fun, Ovation is unmatched. The entertainment is Broadway-caliber. The Royal Theater hosts massive production shows, but the real star is the Two70° venue at night. Its shows blend live dancers, acrobats, and robotics in a way that feels straight out of Las Vegas.

Evenings on board can be spent grabbing a cocktail made by robotic bartenders at the Bionic Bar, listening to live guitar music at the English pub, or hitting the expanded Casino Royale. It is a highly localized, high-energy environment that caters perfectly to multi-generational families. Teens will never be bored, parents can enjoy upscale dining, and grandparents can relax in the adults-only Solarium (which is fully enclosed with a glass roof—perfect for Alaskan weather).

Practical Booking Tips

• Book Excursions Early: With nearly 5,000 passengers vying for limited slots, the premium Alaska excursions (like helicopter glacier landings, dog sledding on Mendenhall Glacier, or the White Pass train in Skagway) will sell out months before you set sail. Book them in your Cruise Planner as soon as you put down a deposit.
• Consider ‘The Key’: Royal Caribbean’s VIP access program, “The Key,” can be highly valuable on a mega-ship in Alaska. It provides priority tendering (crucial for getting ashore quickly in tender ports), dedicated viewing times for the FlowRider and rock climbing wall, and priority embarkation.
• Pack in Layers: Even in the middle of July, viewing the glaciers from the open deck of the ship will be freezing. Bring a waterproof outer shell, a fleece mid-layer, gloves, and a beanie.
• When to Book: For the best pricing and optimal balcony selection, book your Alaska itinerary 12 to 18 months in advance. The shoulder season (May and September) offers the best deals and fewest children onboard, but mid-summer (July and August) guarantees the best chance of warmer weather and active wildlife.