Quantum of the Seas vs Ovation of the Seas

[Aron_Ross]

Hi All,

My girlfriend and I are considering a 10 day Hawaii to Vancouver on Quantum end of April 2023, or a 9 day on Ovation 1st week of May 2023.  I read some reviews on how Quantum caters more to the Chinese market, especially with dining and entertainment.  I also read the adults only solarium now only caters to suite passengers and free activities like North Star now carry a fee.  Overall it seems as though Ovation gets better reviews.  Can anyone confirm this and have any suggestions?  Thanks!

[Moby Dick]

35 minutes ago, Aron_Ross said:

Hi All,

My girlfriend and I are considering a 10 day Hawaii to Vancouver on Quantum end of April 2023, or a 9 day on Ovation 1st week of May 2023.  I read some reviews on how Quantum caters more to the Chinese market, especially with dining and entertainment.  I also read the adults only solarium now only caters to suite passengers and free activities like North Star now carry a fee.  Overall it seems as though Ovation gets better reviews.  Can anyone confirm this and have any suggestions?  Thanks!

Suite passengers already have their own venue, actually a couple.  There is the concierge lounge and the Suite only Sun Deck.  I don't think there is different between the Quantum and the Ovation, but I could be wrong.  I'd find it hard to believe that the Solarium is exclusively for suite passengers.  That's an awfully large area for just a very small group of people.  I just came off of the Ovation and the Solarium Bistro wasn't open but the Solarium was and I was Star Class/Suite Class.  

I'd spend a lot of time on royalcaribbean.com trying to find answers, factual answers.  You will get plenty of opinions in here, just like mine above, which really doesn't answer your question.  If you have a TA, use him/her to the maximum extent possible.  If you don't have a TA, I'd bug the "phone answers" at Royal Caribbean over and over again.  Don't take the first answer from them as gospel/factual.  Get several 2nd opinions from them.  

[SpeedNoodles]

I'm on Quantum now, and the only difference from Ovation that I can tell is the signs are bilingual. I'm not sure if the Northstar is running at all right now, but there are complimentary and fee reservations. The ship is clean, the service is fantastic. I'd pick the itinerary I like best. 

[Jamesszy94]

I think it also just depends on the ports and where the ship is going to, when I travelled on Ovation back in 2017 from Sydney to Singapore, it definitely did feel like she was catered more towards the Chinese market, there were also a lot more Asian passengers on board, so I guess it depends on the itinerary

 

The NorthStar was free when I sailed on her though, but if costs money now.... that's a shame  

[CruisingOz]

They are essentially the same ship, layout and features. The Quantum is older and deco is different. Suite guest areas are the same on both. With no sailing in China, the Quantum is set up for the US/Australian market. 

[jrey51]

I just got off the Quantum. There are some hints it was previously in a Chinese market (bilingual signs in some places for example), but otherwise it's pretty much the same. Dining and entertainment were standard/NA targeted. Ex. I think it previously had a hotpot-type restaurant on the pool deck; that was converted to a fairly standard snack stand with chicken fingers, etc.

North Star had a free option you could book one time per/sailing, and then a few paid/premium options (usually during best port times, during inside passage, etc.). 

 

[KWofPerth]

The Solarium on Quantum has been known to be suite guests only when doing Chinese sailings. But anywhere else, that rule fortunately goes out the window.

Jan 2020 I sailed from Singapore, on a non-"culturally enriching" cruise and the Solarium was open to all.

[TNMIKE]

 i did  the Quantum 5/16 - 5/23 ,  had great experience.   as far as i can tell all open, and we had great views !   Loved Wonderland !

[CruisingNewb]

There are a few minor differences between the ships.  Ovation is newer.

Here is a great blog written by this forum's very own Jenna DeLaurentis:

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/02/14/all-about-quantum-class-ships

[Aron_Ross]

On 6/2/2022 at 7:46 AM, TNMIKE said:

 i did  the Quantum 5/16 - 5/23 ,  had great experience.   as far as i can tell all open, and we had great views !   Loved Wonderland !

Glad you enjoyed it!  We are back and forth about Wonderland for our next sailing.  It does look like something to experience at least once.  Problem is my other half is a bit on the picky side when it comes to food.  

[FoxboroCruiser]

We did Wonderland on Anthem in April and all enjoyed it. That said, I’ve seen YouTube videos of it on Oasis class ships and it does look more experiential on some of those. My family agreed it was fun, certainly different, mostly tasty, but a one-time thing for us.  We’re really glad we got to experience it.

[Moby Dick]

Wonderland - Hummmmmmmm, what can I say.  Well, I'm no big fan of "Fufu" food.  I don't eat 99% of seafoods and I don't like a theatrical presentation of my food.  So, on my several cruises prior to my last cruise on the Ovation, I've always avoided Wonderland like the plague.  The other couple that usually travels with us decided that they wanted to try it.  So, we went.  I guess because of staffing issues the Maitre d wasn't all dressed up like, I'm not sure of the character's name, whomever and butterflied us over to our table like you see on Youtube videos.  Which I was grateful for.  We went through painting the menu and decided on what we wanted to eat.  I got the BBQ Rib, I don't remember what it was actually called on the menu.  It was actually very very very good (but, not as good as I do in my smoker at home, ).  We also tried a few of the other items that were named for dead marmots or something like that and they were very good.   Will I be back?  Probably, if only for the desserts.  My buddy, who is probably the most fickle eater I've ever known, liked the place or I should say, "he didn't dislike the place".   

I think Wonderland has in many media been given a bad wrap.  I know I have, in the past.   

[twangster]

Just sailed Quantum to Alaska last month and have sailed Ovation three times pre-pandemic.  

For the most if you were teleported back and forth between the two ships they are mostly the same.  The pool deck restaurant is different, the artwork is different.  The Two70 show is Starwater on Quantum and Pixels on Ovation.  Bilingual signage on Quantum as previously stated.  Cabins are identical.  Decor is identical.  If magically transported to the same cabin on the other ship it would take awhile to realize you are on a different ship.  

For Hawaii the itineraries can have subtle differences between ships so look them over in detail including arrival and departure times at each port.  

I'd have zero hesitation booking either ship.  I look at any reason that Quantum is cheaper as a blessing to book a cruise at a lower rate.