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How will Odyssey of the Seas be different?


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I'm sure any week now we will get some information on odyssey of the Seas. I wonder how it will differ to Spectrum and the other 3 Quantum class ships? my big question as it seems to be going to Miami area, will they still have the seaplex? for me I think they should change it up and make it like a Navigator sports deck with slides and such like. Along with the new BBQ Concept and increase the main pool so its again like Navigator.

 

No skypad aswell for me.

 

Just my thoughts, I would be interested to see what others think, I know plans have already been finalised but I am growing very curious!

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Slides on Quantum class.  Interesting idea.  Certainly would buck the trend but a missing feature.  The challenge is keeping the slides below the height of the stacks (retracted) so as to maintain the neoPanamax dimensions.  

I think SeaPlex stays just for the bumper cars and multi-use aspect.  They should add laser tag to the SeaPlex, it's just inflatable walls, easy to add to existing Q class ships as well.

The design has been set for some time, it's not like they figure it out as they build it.  Removing SkyPad from the Q Ultra design would cost money since it deviates from the cookie cutter rinse and repeat method of ship building.  However given the current Skypad situation maybe they'll sign that change order.  

Ships move from region to region over the years they'll be in service.  The question becomes how much will they deviate from the cold weather capabilities just for the initial deployment where ever she lands for the first few years.      

Retractable roofs for the indoor pools and solarium solve some of that while keeping the cold weather capabilities.  

I'm equally interested in the suites only concept of the Solarium on Spectrum.  Blocking off the Solarium from the non-suite masses would be a first in the fleet for North America yet a dedicated suites only area is what MSC and NCL offer so maybe they go there with Odyssey.  

 

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The more I think of it the more I'm inclined that she will be a close copy of Spectrum with a different name painted on her, at least in terms of major infrastructure.

It's a short build window.  Making changes requires re-modeling a lot of engineering data to determine how adding or removing a few thousand pounds here or there alerts ship handling on top of modifying blueprints and architectural designs.

When Navigator was refreshed and AMPED they went to sea with engineers on board and sensor tanks placed around the ship to validate and measure handling under various conditions such as sharp turns and emergency stops.  

There is a lot that goes into modifying a design such as hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on modeling and predicting handling characteristics.  It's one reason why they find a design and stick with it.  Deviating costs money.  

Looking at Ovation's top decks:

7fmXTVM.jpg

Where would slides go?  There isn't much room by the Flowrider and iFly.  The SeaPlex area contains all the communication antennas.  Those need to be up high to avoid blocking satellites by ship infrastructure and causing outages.  No slides there.  Putting slides midship by the main pool blocks a lot of sight lines for the pool.  North Star needs it's own space, no slides there.  Slides forward over the Solarium and newer suites area wouldn't work.  

Slides would have to go at the back but there isn't a lot of room for the landing zones and tower of stairs to climb up unless they remove iFly.  

Big part of me says no slides.

Only time will tell.

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Well for Odyssey, they will have to completely rethink the placement of the gym because on Spectrum, they don't have a very full gym after relocating it from what is now the 'Suite Club' and they will for sure have to rethink all of the Suite-only areas to accommodate for the increasing number of P and D+. Also RCCL uses the "Quantum Ultra Class" concept very lightly and is mostly for marketing in Asia. What I'd consider to be a semi new class would be the 2nd gen OA-class (Harmony and Symphony) with the bigger Solarium and Abyss but not really with Spectrum.

I'm interested to see what they will do with the aft of the ship as on Spectrum, they just have normal JSs and if they'll have Sky Class or Star Class categories of smaller staterooms much like the Golden Balconies and the Golden Junior Suites on Spectrum.

@twangster Spectrum already has Battle for Planet Z in the SeaPlex and they've also repurposed some of the pods so instead of Xbox, they have a free AR-style game pod and one empty multipurpose pod where they do the fencing training and the inflatable S.A.F.E. archery.

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1 hour ago, twangster said:

The more I think of it the more I'm inclined that she will be a close copy of Spectrum with a different name painted on her, at least in terms of major infrastructure.

It's a short build window.  Making changes requires re-modeling a lot of engineering data to determine how adding or removing a few thousand pounds here or there alerts ship handling on top of modifying blueprints and architectural designs.

When Navigator was refreshed and AMPED they went to sea with engineers on board and sensor tanks placed around the ship to validate and measure handling under various conditions such as sharp turns and emergency stops.  

There is a lot that goes into modifying a design such as hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on modeling and predicting handling characteristics.  It's one reason why they find a design and stick with it.  Deviating costs money.  

Looking at Ovation's top decks:

7fmXTVM.jpg

Where would slides go?  There isn't much room by the Flowrider and iFly.  The SeaPlex area contains all the communication antennas.  Those need to be up high to avoid blocking satellites by ship infrastructure and causing outages.  No slides there.  Putting slides midship by the main pool blocks a lot of sight lines for the pool.  North Star needs it's own space, no slides there.  Slides forward over the Solarium and newer suites area wouldn't work.  

Slides would have to go at the back but there isn't a lot of room for the landing zones and tower of stairs to climb up unless they remove iFly.  

Big part of me says no slides.

Only time will tell.

Just curious. Is Flowrider THAT popular? I would think more people would prefer water slides over Flowrider so I am more than okay not having a Flowrider if it meant we can get water slide. 

Plus I think having retractable roof would be fantastic.

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3 hours ago, twangster said:

I'm equally interested in the suites only concept of the Solarium on Spectrum.  Blocking off the Solarium from the non-suite masses would be a first in the fleet for North America yet a dedicated suites only area is what MSC and NCL offer so maybe they go there with Odyssey.  

I'm also watching this to see how it's implemented.

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57 minutes ago, mook1525 said:

Just curious. Is Flowrider THAT popular? I would think more people would prefer water slides over Flowrider so I am more than okay not having a Flowrider if it meant we can get water slide. 

Plus I think having retractable roof would be fantastic.

Flowrider is popular in North America.  Some people even bring their own boards with them.  

The main challenge for slides will be height.  They don't have much to work with and stay under the top of the iFly and stack areas.    They could try something like Navigator's water blaster ride since the jet blast of water keeps you moving (don't need to start as high).  

If they removed Skypad they could build a small water slide tower in that corner.  

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1 hour ago, BaikG said:

 Spectrum already has Battle for Planet Z in the SeaPlex and they've also repurposed some of the pods so instead of Xbox, they have a free AR-style game pod and one empty multipurpose pod where they do the fencing training and the inflatable S.A.F.E. archery.

I'm surprised they haven't added Planet Z to the existing Q class.

Is Xbox big in Asia?   

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12 hours ago, twangster said:

I'm surprised they haven't added Planet Z to the existing Q class.

Is Xbox big in Asia?   

From my understanding, RCCL China is marketing Spectrum as a "spaceship at sea" so they are focusing on technology with the video screen 'AR' walls in the dining room, the 'AR' games in the SeaPlex and the 'VR' SkyPad and Xbox wasn't very popular on my Quantum sailing as there were only a couple of people who spent the whole day there.

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On 5/31/2019 at 1:16 PM, mook1525 said:

Just curious. Is Flowrider THAT popular? I would think more people would prefer water slides over Flowrider so I am more than okay not having a Flowrider if it meant we can get water slide. 

Plus I think having retractable roof would be fantastic.

It's a good question.

Just throwing this out there, not trying to argue, lol.  But...I've heard more complaints about the slides, specifically how slow they are (I haven't experienced them myself...yet), than the flowriders.  I talked to a fellow cruiser on Freedom, and he won't book on a ship if it doesn't have a flowrider.  He brings his own wetsuit in case it's cooler outside.

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On 5/31/2019 at 1:16 PM, mook1525 said:

Plus I think having retractable roof would be fantastic.

I am pretty sure that existing Q class ships have retractable roof/windows over indoor swimming pool? They are just never used or can’t be used. 

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On ‎6‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 4:06 AM, TBMT said:

I am pretty sure that existing Q class ships have retractable roof/windows over indoor swimming pool? They are just never used or can’t be used. 

the indoor pool has a retractable roof and I suspect they can use it? However I have never seen it retracted.

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On 6/2/2019 at 3:44 PM, RestingBird said:

It's a good question.

Just throwing this out there, not trying to argue, lol.  But...I've heard more complaints about the slides, specifically how slow they are (I haven't experienced them myself...yet), than the flowriders.  I talked to a fellow cruiser on Freedom, and he won't book on a ship if it doesn't have a flowrider.  He brings his own wetsuit in case it's cooler outside.

The lines on the slides on Navigator never got more than. 5-10 minutes. The flow is better as the two person raft is conveyered rather than carrying it upstairs. 

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  • 10 months later...

Matt has posted new pictures of the Odyssey receiving here last two blocks.

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2020/04/08/last-two-blocks-added-odyssey-of-the-seas

Something caught my eye on differences between the aft on other Q class.

This seems to confirm that the Windjammer will be fully enclosed with no aft outdoor seating (like Spectrum).

It also shows a space that appears to be a lounge ( Suite or Concierge Club) on deck 13 aft unlike any of her sisters.  

91634036_2541251279471288_16262398370675

The two story loft suites are on deck 8 and 9.

Deck 10 single story cabins.

Deck 11 single story cabins.

Deck 12 single story cabins.

Deck 13 lounge space.

Deck 14 Windjammer.

I have mixed feeling on this as I really like the outdoor seating behind the Windjammer.  Even in Alaska I enjoyed several meals out there on Ovation.  At the same time more interior air conditioned seating for the Windjammer is always a good thing.  

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21 minutes ago, twangster said:

I have mixed feeling on this as I really like the outdoor seating behind the Windjammer.  Even in Alaska I enjoyed several meals out there on Ovation.  At the same time more interior air conditioned seating for the Windjammer is always a good thing.  

I agree, I have mixed feeling as well. My wife & I rather enjoyed sitting outside, out back, on Anthem; however, those moment we chose to sit inside, it was fairly difficult(primary late mornings & peak lunch hour)to find a table inside.

BTW....Playmakers is located in the Sea Plex & yes, they do have Laser Tag there as well.

Also...there is a way to structurally have the water slide barely straddle both the sides of the ship and in front of the Sea Plex, for a Big U around the ship, using water jets similar to the Blaster on Navigator, beginning near the Sky Pad & ending just behind the Rock Wall on the other side. Just one slide however, unless they build a tight spiral behind FlowRider, with a slight overhang over the back.

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