This West Coast – Appeared Cruise Ship is perfect for family holidays – but not skimp on luxury

“I am skating a roller in the seplex,” my brother read me. “I will meet you at 11 am for indoor skidving.”

“Okay,” I messaged back. “We can climb the rock wall while waiting.”

This is not the kind of exchange that I hope to be in the middle of the Pacific Ocean from Los Angeles-but this ship was not an old school love.

In particular, we were riding on the Royal Caribbean Ovation of seas, Which is located in Southern California since June. Its arrival means that like my brother, West Costers, now many mind-bogling can enjoy attractions, the line has pledged one of the latest and one of the greatest without flying across the country. Things such as robot bartenders, travel to a remarkable sightseeing vessels capsules that grow on a 300 -foot -long mechanical hand, and a broad array of exciting activities is now available within the driving distance.

Royal Caribbean has a habit to make a ship that completes all ages and holiday vibes, and Ocean The active all-edge attacks the right balance with the child-friendly sports areas and the vibrant nightlife. It is the perfect ship for a multi -layered family holiday or group trip.

We should have brought the rest of our family.

If we had turned the cruise into a reunion, my teenage sons and nephews would have spent hours in the seplex, an indoor gaming space with bumper cars, roller skating, pickling, fosbol, xbox and a strategically placed hot dog stand. Our parents would have excluded one place in one of the many pools when my mother was not hitting it in a trivia in the scunner bar. My sister -in -law must have found her happy place in the gym, with its expansor marine scenes; My 11 -year -old daughter may have loved Science Lab at the children’s club.

But not all families want to brave a crowd of one Mega shipAnd Ocean Certainly with 2,091 cabin and maximum guest capacity of 4,900, qualification is. But Royal Caribbean has an answer with its Royal Suite Class. Guests booking these houses receive VIP remedies: access to a private lounge, sun deck and restaurant; Skip-the-line privilege; And free feature including other allowances, food, drink and Wi-Fi. Families can insulating themselves-while still enjoying fun on high-energy ship-Lux scaffold suites have two-deck-high glass walls, oversized private balconies and upscale living spaces as well as two-bedrooms, one-level suites that can sleep up to eight.

As it was, my brother and I were completely fine with zero family responsibilities, selected a separate restaurant for dinner each dinner, wandering between the show and the bar, and some good books passed the time on our balcony. We did not even feel like sharing a room.

For fun more for more for fun Ovation of seas, Here is my review of the latest mega-show statum, restaurant and ship to hit the California coast.

The statue

I stayed in a balcony statum, the most booked room type on the ship, and it felt in the room with adequate storage for all our goods. The minimum decoration was not particularly exciting, but it made the cabin feel calm and uncontrolled.

When it comes to suites, Royal Caribbean has many options. Sea, sky, and star categories, in order, increasing number of allowances: a private restaurant, cunning lounge, and sun deck; Rapid boarding and dismalcating; Food and drink package; free wifi.

Single travelers can choose from two types of rooms especially designed for single occupants, with no surcharge. The studio Ocean View Balcony Room has a full -sized bed and a private balcony, while the studio interior room offers a “virtual balcony”, an LED screen that transmits live footage from outside the ship to create a window impression.

On the other hand, if you want to live in a showstopper, Ocean There are some gorgeous, light -filled scaffolding suits that spread two floors and sleep up to six. Meanwhile, the owner and grand suites adjust to eight. Private balconies (with some hot tubs and dining tables) in these high-ending options are sufficient for entertainment, and to oversize the bathroom, with some sea view shower.

Bar and restaurant

Ocean 15 are dining venues, a mixture focused on a specific dishes is a mixture of contingent granting spots and additional-fee restaurants. In the latter, Jamie’s Italian was our favorite, with a menu by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. A friend recommended chicken perm, but I indulged in all dishes characterized by Trules: Arabini, Bareta and Taglieltail. I also enjoyed Wonderland, where molecular gastronomy – and playful plating – smiling us like Cheshire Cat.

I was influenced by Buffet Prasad (I am a sucking for Indian breakfast dishes) and found Cafe to 70 a hidden gem at lunch. Its salad bowl and famous Kumleveak Roast Beef Sandwich were excellent. Soranto’s pizza was not my favorite, but the smell of baking pies was definitely enchanted after a night after listening to live music at Amber & Oak Pub next door.

The suite guests have a special access to the coastal kitchen for all three food, where the food is several notes above the all-access dining room.

The Royal Caribbean is modernizing its bar menu with a craft cocktail that goes beyond the expected. In 11 bars of the ship, the zero bar is popular for trivia by day and piano singleongs by night. Bolros is always packed with a Latin dance crowd, although I was playing a three-tukra band in an evening 80s. The bionic bar is not the most invited location, but it is fun to see robot bartenders whether sweet, fruit drinks.

Where there is ovation of seas

Ocean Through the summer of 2025, Los Angeles will depart from the port of Los Angeles to three-eight-night Mexico cruise, and will return again by at least April 2027 from September 2026. Small cruises visit the ENSENDA and Catalina Islands, and overnight sailors in Kbo San Lucas for two or three days. (Almost equal brother -in -law ship Soul While leaving from la Jayadhwani Is far away.)

In the middle, the ship will cross Prashant where it will be mainly based in Singapore, hovering to Malaysia and Thailand. In Vasant 2026, it will return to North America to offer a one -way week sailors between Vancouver, British Columbia and Sevard, Alaska. These cruises can be extended to places like Denali, Homer and Fairbanks along with land tourism.

Shore

On a small, three-night cruise, I had a difficult choice to make: book a tour that would take to the port most of the day of my day or spend more time on the ship. I opted for the latter to enjoy the lack of congestion in the solarium only in adults, and took out with my brother with my brother in ENSENDA for one or two hours. Walking in the port and city is quick and easy; You can also get a shuttle from the port for some dollars. There, you can do shopping for a memento, order fish tacos, or really enjoy Mexican Margharita.

If you detect far -distance instead, the ship provides a variety of excursions for all interests and activity levels. The area around Encenada is More known for your wineryAnd many tour options can take you to the wineyard. There are also a lot of food and tequila tour, while people interested in active adventures can try hiking, horse riding, snorkeling and kayaking.

Facilities and entertainment

One of the calling cards of Royal Caribbean is entertainment, and Ocean There are attractions on many ships that are not found on other ships of sailing from Southern California.

My brother and I was ready to make efforts as much as I could, before starting with bumper cars and roller skating before going to Ephli indoor skydiving and rock-climbing wall. We were very chicken to try boogie boarding or surfing on the flider surf simulator, but we brave the north star, a trip to sightseeing attached to a glass was attached to a mechanical hand that rises 300 feet above the ship, then slowly rotates over the sea.

There is a tier observation lounge at the rate of two 70 days and is high-tech performance location at night, which is completed with a video screen on robot arms. High-tech, creative sets and props got two thumbs from Hum-but loose plot threads earned more of an confused shrug.

Knightlife center with deck 4 and 5 between the ship’s theaters and main dining rooms. The music hall was popular for its cover band and large dance floor, but we preferred pubs next door with our talented singer-guitarist.

Pool deck is ideal for the departure of hot mosams such as Ocean An outdoor pool and small child’s water is operated with water playing area; There is a second cover pool for calm or rainy days. I could spend all day with my cascading pluse pool and warm tub in adults-cavalry solarium; I arrived quickly to cry a lounge chair.

We found that the fitness center was quite calm in the late afternoon when people were getting ready for the early seating dinner. In the spa, a deck below, you can plan your own pamper party with a treatment or go on a windless thermal suite. Walker and Joggers used the running track on the top deck, and the seplex has a daily schedule of pickle.

An additional talk to note about onboard features: Royal Caribbean announced in June that it would renew Ocean In 2026. Between expectation changes:

• The Italian of Jamie will be replaced by the Italian kitchen of Jiovani.
• The bionic bar peski parrot will become the rest bar.
• Sushi restaurant of the ship will be involved in Isumi, Hibachi cooking.
• New houses including ultimat family suits and panoramic suites will be added.
• The casino will increase in size.
• The pool deck will be added at-extra-cost Casitas.

Family friendly offerings

My share regretted not to bring his children on this cruise because he loved the ship. (But most of my share was grateful for adult time!) Ocean A drop-off with nursery completes children between 6 months to 17 years of age; A two -storey for supervised activities for 3 to 11 children, multiroom kids club; And a chil hangout and vibrant dance club for 12 to 17 teenagers. With the exception of additional fees nursery, young activities are free from morning to night for a long time.

But children do not need to send “distant” to have fun. Diapers have a rare discovery on a water game area cruise vessels for children, while seplex, arcade and rock wall will continue to entertain older children.

Pizza/Hot Dog/Fried Chicken Venue was staple for many children on my sailing. And I would have ignored the soft-servis ice cream machine of the pool deck, but for the lines of children waiting in the sun for quiet behavior.

Simple use

Ocean Inside 33 wheelchairs, ocean-scenes, balconies and suite categories are accessible cabins. They have characteristics like roll-in shower, ramp or flat threshold and low closet rods. The ship also has facilities for listening and visually impaired travelers.

The entire ship has accessible public bathrooms, and lifts in the main pool and hot tubs. The North Star is wheelchair-friendly, with a lift for the loading platform and a ramp in a trip to sightseeing. In addition, the tenders of the ship are designed, so wheelchairs can roll on them.

The Kids Club On Ocean There are members of the staff who are specially trained to work with children with autism spectrum disorder. Royal provides detailed information about Caribbean “Autism friendly ship“On your website.