Cruising With JT

Yup, refundable rates! I know I could do non-refundable and just do the FCC stuff if I cancel later etc but I figured I am this far out might as well spend a little bit extra and keep it flexible in case their policies change. An extra $100-$200 in a $2000+ vacation isn't a big deal for added flexibility.

Just repriced mine online and it's still $2,470 for a solo oceanview balcony room (Category 4D). I went with the refundable deposit for added flexibility.

YOLO Booked it today!

Yaassss! That would be awesome!

Yes!! Fingers crossed Can't wait!

Booking with my MEI agent right now as I type this! Woooooohooo!!!

@Fairlynewand @MicDay So happy to hear about the negative news (which is good :D) I tested negative as well, looking forward to seeing you guys on Friday. In case you missed it on Facebook, we are organizing a meetup at the Sky Bar on the pool deck (weather pending) on Friday at 4:30pm, hope to see you there. You can't miss me with my attire ? Cheers guys and safe travels! We are cruuuuuuuuusing soon!

Awesome! See you soon ?

Sorry I missed this. I ate nightly at the Main Dining room for vaccinated guests, Deck 4 in the American Icon grill. Mainly because the buffet was closed, but the presentation of the food and experience is also nice. I am planning on returning there this coming cruise as well since the waitstaff (Ermon and Hong) took real good care of me.

Great question -- I personally have not heard of any positive cases of Covid onboard while I was there, and the FB group for 8/13 has been pretty quiet as well. There were probably some cases but isolated I am guessing. I do know that one of the tour operators in Sitka I believe tested positive so all guests of the tour had to get tested, fortunately all negative. But that's all I have heard. I wouldn't worry too much about it, just do your part, wash your hands, wear your mask, etc and you should be okay. All we can do is protect ourselves and others around us, and cruise safely!

Welcome! You will love Ovation, hope to see you onboard ?

You're very welcome and I am glad you enjoyed the tours on my YouTube channel! I've just done 3 so far, room tour, ship tour and windjammer tour (felt like that one needed its own video vs being in a ship tour somewhere). I have so much footage sometimes it's easy to forget stuff haha. More videos to come! I look forward to the possibility of meeting you! I will be wearing fun cruise-related tshirts throughout the trip and also my "Cruising With JT" shirts on embarkation day, it will be bright green. If you see me say hello! Thank you ?

Sharing some other information that I posted on CruiseCritic for your info - Check-in was super easy. When you enter the terminal you basically show them your passport, vaccination card and then they ask you a few questions to make sure you're feeling good. Then they give you a "Royal comback" wristband which proves you're vaccinated. Once you get to the actual check-in they give you your tracelet which you also wear. No real lines for anything from I recall except maybe a minute or two to get into the Royal Theater for their main show "The Beautiful Dream" but it was nothing that crazy. I recommend going to the later showing if possible for all shows since it's usually less crowded. Something about being in an indoor space with others, even while we're vaccinated, makes me feel uneasy, so I wore my mask at those events as well even though majority didn't. I just wanted to be extra safe and not bring anything back to my family. I was solo so I didn't really try to sit with other parties during dinner, however on 3 nights I did sit about 3 feet apart from other travelers. Not sure why they would care to have you sit with others if they are putting me 3 feet apart from people I do not know. We had good conversation, but other nights I went early and requested to sit alone/solo with a view at my favorite window table. I basically Facetimed with my family during dinner, Internet worked really good surprisingly, hence all my posts etc on Instagram and FB ?

Haha, well Ovation of the Seas has a CK so maybe that sways your decision ? Sounds good regarding ships, you will have fun no matter what. Definitely try to get multiple glaciers if you can!

Thanks for watching the video of the stateroom tour on YouTube! I am uploading my full ship tour as I type this so check that out later when you get a chance! I stayed on the ship 99.9% of the time, the 0.1% I got off was for 10 minutes at Juneau, Alaska to take pics and videos of the ship. I had to stay on since the ship was my main destination given I have been to Alaska before. It really was nice, I can't tell you how awesome it is to have an entire ship pretty much to yourself. I had 2 hot tubs in the Solarium by myself so I went in and out of them every few minutes, I know I am silly. Staying onboard was awesome! That being said, I might, maybe, get off the ship in Sitka and try one of the excursions during our 8/27 cruise. I heard the "Best of Sitka" tour was very nice. Eating was super easy and effiicent. Getting a table at the Windjammer buffet was sometimes challenging but I just went to the back on Deck 14 since it had better views anyway plus less crowded. In the MDR, being solo it only took 1-1.5 hours really. No issues finding the table I wanted in the MDR. I ate at the American Icon Grill on Deck 4 since it is one of the vaccinated dining rooms. Deck 3 has the unvaccinated dining rooms (families with kids under 12 who aren't vaccinated). Hope that helps!

On my 8/13 sailing they had 1,600. On the 8/20 sailing a reliable source has informed me 1,300. No idea what 8/27 will be but it won't feel packed that is for sure with less than 50% capacity.

Hi @Lovetocruise2002 Thanks for following along my social media posts on Instagram and Facebook, and now uploading videos on YouTube slowly but surely! Just seeing this thread now returning from Ovation of the Seas yesterday from Alaska, and going back again next Friday 8/27 ? I'm a bit bias towards leaving out of beautiful Seattle and doing the Endicott Arm/Dawes Glacier experience. The sailing into Dawes Glacier might even be better than the Glacier itself. Ovation stays pretty far from the Dawes Glacier so you really have no chance of experiencing any "calving"... I think Glacier Bay national park is the place to go if you want to see that, which unfortunately Royal Caribbean does not go to at this time, which is why I booked Norwegian Encore in October -- yes 3 times to Alaska in 2 months seems nuts but I live in Seattle and I am okay with driving 1 hour to port and going on a cruise to beautiful Alaska. Norwegian Encore does Glacier Bay later this season so I'd recommend that itinerary if you really want to see Glaciers, but Ovation of the Seas hands down is the nicer ship. I am not familiar with the itineraries for northbound/southbound but those little ships don't interest me, I need something big and has a lot to offer, as I am sure your children will want as well. I recommend Ovation/Endicott Arm/Dawes Glacier out of Seattle OR Norwegian Encore/Glacier Bay national park out of Seattle. Side balcony was good for me but can't go wrong with that aft view...if you want peace and quiet though, the aft is much louder due to the sounds of the wake... Hope that helps!

Just got back from the first sailing on 8/13 and it was a blast! Happy to answer any questions, I posted a ton of content and experiences on my Instagram and Facebook channels, and will be posting videos on YouTube in the near future. North Star isn't working due to a broken part so they are going to try and fix it in the coming weeks, although I also heard it may be due to the safe restart to cruising and it may not operate at all this season. iFly isn't working due to either short staffing or safe protocols. I am likely to believe the former. The wind is blowing in that tunnel at an insane speed so not sure how you would catch Covid there lol. Overall it was a fun week -- food and entertainment was awesome, and I can't wait to get back on 8/27. If you see me say hello, I will be wearing "Cruising With JT" tshirts from time to time thanks to @CruisingKat(Kathy) at Kat's Custom Embroidery LLC. Thank you for making them for me! Looking forward to meeting you on the 8/27 cruise!! ?

Awesome, I hope it all works out!! I have one booked in February and April 2022 as well but am avoiding the "bad" months for cold/flu/Covid season Nov-Jan.

So like many out there, I am concerned that the Delta variant will throw the travel industry back into what it was when the pandemic first started, as the peak has not yet happened. Honestly hard to see this thing slowing down in Fall and Winter. I cancelled my November and December cruises, and am instead now going twice in August, then mid-September, and then again in October, avoiding the peak of Fall/early Winter. Anyone else changing their plans just so they can be out at sea, confidently? Who knows what a few months will look like from now!

Thank you @MicDay! I can't wait to board this Friday and then again 2 weeks after that. Keep a lookout for my social media posts if you follow any of them! Fingers crossed internet works okay up there. I chose not to book the North Star since I have done it already but if they offer any complimentary rides I will definitely be doing it!

In case anyone is interested, someone from FB posted the likely entertainment lineup for the 8/13 cruise I am going on -- can't wait until we can actually reserve this, It's going to be fun!

I may be in the minority here but I am probably going to hit up the buffet for breakfast and lunch since it is closed for dinner. For dinner I hope to make the MDR experience a quick one but will enjoy the experience as I am cruising solo. Otherwise I may just swing by Two70 cafe or Sorrentos/Cafe Promenade for a quick bite.

I am onboard the week before, will make sure to keep it nice and clean for you ? Oasis cruises are a go as of now as they got approved for sailing from the CDC last I heard. It is scary not knowing what a month will look like but just hope for the best.

Haha makes sense! I live in the suburbs as well ?