Page 22 - Explore Magazine Spring 2016

A STANDING OVATION...

FOR OVATION
20

OF THE SEAS

Jen Talbot of helloworld Mt Maunganui, salutes the amazing innovations
on board a super-ship that will soon grace New Zealand shores.

In early June, I was lucky enough to sail on a three-night you had to wear around your neck or keep safe in your back
cruise marking the inaugural departure of Ovation of the pocket? These are now a thing of the past! On Ovation of
Seas from Singapore. Here are my reflections on Royal the Seas, you instead wear a watch-like band that gets you
Caribbean’s latest offering to the New Zealand cruise into your stateroom via a door scanner. You can also charge
market which we will see in a few months’ time*. your purchases to it and – handy for families – they are
fitted with a GPS so you can track your children wherever
The New Zealand and Australian cruise markets are the they are on the ship.
fastest-growing in the world and this new billion-dollar
super-ship brings a modern, exciting and invigorating air to When it comes to what do on board Ovation of the Seas, I’m
cruising. Whether young or old, families or couples, groups, sure you’ll be spoilt for choice. The ship is crammed with
foodies, academics or gamers, there is something for high-tech entertainment and activities. For active types,
everyone on board Ovation of the Seas. there’s a state-of-the-art gym, which I actually visited at
7am one morning for an invigorating stretch class.
Ovation of the Seas is a mostly Balcony and Interior
Stateroom ship. The Interior Staterooms feature “Virtual For the kids there are Kids Clubs, a video arcade, a huge
Balconies”, a floor-to-ceiling LCD screen that looks like a water fun-park area in the main pool including a swirl
window. The Balcony Staterooms and Suites are plush, pool, water buckets and slides, and then there’s SeaPlex,
spacious and modern. A rounded glass shower door was a a massive hall that contains a basketball court, which
welcome relief to the shower curtains of the past. In short, transforms into a skating rink, which turns into a dodgem-
the Staterooms are amazing, offering maximum comfort, car zone! It’s surrounded by X-Box rooms and a hot dog
plenty of storage space and very comfortable beds and stand so you won’t see the children for the entire cruise –
pillows. and perhaps a few adults too!
And speaking of comfort and ease, remember the cards Other innovations on board include the North Star, a

HELLOWORLD : EXPLORE : SPRING EDITION