Ovation of the Seas, and a few flights along the way.

[Pushka]

Except for those on QM2

Back to Ovation. Your menus came out really well - so easy to read. What camera are you using?

I think maybe they are scanned? My photos of menus never turn out straight like these are.

 

[love_the_life]

I think maybe they are scanned? My photos of menus never turn out straight like these are.

Actually looking at them again, I think they might come off the website.

 

[Atleastonce]

By media reports, it's lucky you're not on Harmony of the Seas - still like a building site on its first cruise with many unhappy passengers.

There is still a little gong on here with maintenance running around with ladders and either repairing or finishing off things, but nothing that you can't overlook. The North Star capsule that takes you 96 meters above sea level was not working yesterday for our booked 'ride' with no explanation. Will try and book again for when we are in port. We did the bumper cars instead. It is hilarious watching an older age group get their game face on and ram anyone they can. I suspect for some of them that was their normal driving style.

 

[Atleastonce]

Actually looking at them again, I think they might come off the website.

Yep the menu pics are a screen shot from the RCL app where you can book restaurants.

 

[Atleastonce]

Start of our second sea day.

 

[Atleastonce]

Yesterday was a real lazy day at sea. We started with our face to face visa confirmation with Indian officials. All went smooth for us but others were not as fortunate. Even though RCL had sent out the requirements in email numerous times and people clicked to acknowledge the content of the emails, they thought they knew better and were denied entry. These people will now be staying in board for the two days we are in India.

Very hot again today, and we spent most of the day in the air conditioned areas just laying on the deck beds and watching the world sail by.

This showed our position at 9pm on 30/05/2016

 

[Atleastonce]

Jamie's Italian was a pretty good meal. The wait staff were excellent, and didn't mind stopping and talking and joking with us. Orsen, our Turkish waiter was talking Italian to us, and explained the specialities on the menu. The restaurant was small, uncomplicated and was showing Jamie Oliver's television shows on flat screen televisions around the restaurant.

 

[Atleastonce]

We started with some bread with olive oil and balsamic. Following e recommendation we had a vegetarian plank and crispy squid. The plank was propped on two vegetable cans in the centre of the table and was really a sharing plate served in a unique way. There was vegetables marinated in olive oil, mozzarella, olives, pecorino with chili jam, and rainbow slaw. The food was very fresh and tasted typically Italian.

 

[Atleastonce]

Our mains were perfectly cooked penne. I had the Penne Pomodoro wi extra chili, which gave it a subtle bite, but not enough to take away from the sweet tomatoes and herbed breadcrumbs.



Mrs atleastonce had the Penne Carbonara which was perfectly creamy

 

[love_the_life]

Looking at the menu for Jamie's it seems to be the same as what is available on land. What was the charge for this specialty restaurant (which I assume it is)?

 

[Atleastonce]

Looking at the menu for Jamie's it seems to be the same as what is available on land. What was the charge for this specialty restaurant (which I assume it is)?

The specialty restaurants are US$49.95 per person. We purchased a 3 restaurant package for US$80. Last night we had 2 glasses of mid range wine for US$40 total. We don't purchase the alcohol packages, we simply could not drink that much alcohol and remember the cruise. I don't mind paying individually for any alcohol when we feel like it and with meals.

 

[kermatu]

Dodgem cars on a cruise ship. Wow.

enjoying the TR so far!

 

[Pushka]

The specialty restaurants are US$49.95 per person. We purchased a 3 restaurant package for US$80. Last night we had 2 glasses of mid range wine for US$40 total. We don't purchase the alcohol packages, we simply could not drink that much alcohol and remember the cruise. I don't mind paying individually for any alcohol when we feel like it and with meals.

Surprisingly you dont need to drink just alcohol to make best use. It includes sparkling water which we enjoy on holidays, fresh orange juice, bottles of water (really dont like the ship manufactured water) and all the coffees and hot chocolates you want. Plus if you experiment with coughtails and find one you really dont like, then you can order a different one.

 

[Atleastonce]

Surprisingly you dont need to drink just alcohol to make best use. It includes sparkling water which we enjoy on holidays, fresh orange juice, bottles of water (really dont like the ship manufactured water) and all the coffees and hot chocolates you want. Plus if you experiment with coughtails and find one you really dont like, then you can order a different one.

Agree, we have the soft drink package which includes all the still and sparkling water and so many flavored soft drinks.

 

[njba]

In the last few trip reports I've read they've all been uniformly critical of EY's service in their premium cabins. I wonder what's going on with that.

Cruise ships as fascinating. There's a great New Yorker article about the logistics of keeping these things afloat and running. What was the best meal you ate?

 

[Atleastonce]

Last night we dined at the Wonderland restaurant on board the ship. I cannot upload photos at this stage as the Internet is not too reliable. We had perfect connection at sea, but when we docked in Cochin India this morning we lost connection..

Now for the review of Wonderland. You enter to a black, white and chrome wonderland, with purple/blue lighting that fluctuates its intensity throughout the evening. The napkins are folded in an origami shape and the knives and spoons are uniquely off set that are off putting at first but strangely very easy to use. The menu is brought to you in a mini easel with a paint brush. You are directed to a small bowl of water on your table where you dip the brush and magically reveal the menu as you brush over the paper in the easel. The wine glasses are tall goblet style glasses.

We were sitting near a mirror that is on the side wall. The mirror randomly changes from a mirror to a piece of artwork and patterns float across the shiny surface.

You don't select your food, you let them know if you have any allergies or don't like certain food types, and they select your meal for you from the menu. The food starts off in small portions and builds as the journey continues. This is a sensory experience, with clear smoke filled klosh containing a cut boiled egg with a replaced yellow colored blue cheese and hot sauce yolk. The klosh is lifted and the smoke is swirled around the table, but only after it has been left long enough to infuse the egg. Single olives that are filled with herb oil that explode in your mouth. Baby beets that melt in your mouth and crispy crab cones with a wasabi surprise at the base of the cone, just like the chocolate in a cornetto ice cream.

Next were crispy tempura kim chee leaves with a marinated melon as a palette cleanser.

The main course of beef that was so tender that it literally fell apart. The beef was placed over a bed of toasted bread crumbs with so very thinly sliced beetroot chips that looked like lily pads, and potatoes that were covered with a grey something (I don't know what it was) to make them look like stones. The pork knuckle took pride of place in the centre of the table and with the slight pressure of a fork slid from the bone. The slow roasted chicken was tender with a large 'chip' that was actually chicken skin that was so thin that it was transparent.

Finally a bombe alaska with toothpick sized bright blue toffee shards, pistachio ice cream alongside an oozing chocolate cake and fresh cream, and tiny key lime and raspberry coulis popsicles that were so soft and fluffy I don't know how they stayed on the stick.

This was truly a gastronomic experience that took advantage of all your senses.

 

[Atleastonce]

Today we arrived in Cochin India and we went on a day tour to Alappuzha, which was a 90 minute drive each way. This is my first visit to India and it an interesting place. I don't know why there is a centre line painted on the roads, and our bus driver was using the speed limiter on the bus as a challenge not a safety feature. The traffic was horrendous which I am told is normal for here. I have worked in traffic safety and traffic studies for many years and I was astounded when our guide told us the road toll is low, because there is a zero alcohol limit. I really don't know how we didn't hit any cyclists, pedestrians or anything else that was either on the road or near the road.

After a harrowing 90 minute drive we boarded a boat in Alappuzha. We were told to be careful walking along the plank to the boat we had to walk through to get to the other side where our boat was tied up. No OH&S here. We were on the upper deck of the boat, on plastic chairs that were not secured to anything. We cruised to a motel for lunch, which was a buffet of local foods, based mostly on rice. We were then asked to walk to another 'dock' to re board our boat. The dock was where the boat was tied up to a wall, where we had to basically jump to the side of the boat. We then cruised around the canals for 2 hours. Everyone we saw was waving to the boats and were so happy and proud of their homes. This cruise was amazing to see how these people live and fish in the canals. I love visiting different countries and seeing how different cultures live, work and play. No matter how much people have or don't have, everyone has their own benchmarks of standards, and it really doesn't matter what that benchmark is as long as they are happy, and everyone I met today in India was happy.

Looking forward to another tour tomorrow in and around Cochin.

 

[Atleastonce]

Wonderland restaurant photos

 

[Atleastonce]

 

[Atleastonce]