Brilliance of the Seas vs Ovation of the Seas

The Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas was built in 2002. It's 14 years older than the Ovation of the Seas, which was built in 2016.

Comparison Overview

• Ship Size
• Number of Passengers
• Food and Restaurants
• Bars and Drinks
• Pools and Hot Tubs
• Ship Features and Activities
• Cruise Costs
• Onboard Costs
• See Our Detailed Cruise Blog

Ship Size

The Brilliance of the Seas is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 962 feet long and 106 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 12-story building. Compared to the Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas, the Brilliance of the Seas is 47% smaller in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas holds 49% fewer passengers than the Ovation of the Seas based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Brilliance of the Seas has more space per person compared to the Ovation of the Seas. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.

Food and Restaurants

Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.

The Brilliance of the Seas has 14 different dining options like Chops Grille, Giovanni's Table, and Izumi Sushi & Hot Rocks. Of those options, 8 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 6 options have an additional fee.

The Ovation of the Seas has 7 more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Izumi, Two70 Cafe, and Jamie's Italian. 12 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 9 have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Ovation of the Seas might be a better choice. It has 50% more dining options than the Brilliance of the Seas.

Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.

Restaurants on Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas & Ovation of the Seas

Bars and Drinks

The Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas has 1 more bar than the Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas.

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.

You can check out recent the bar menus for the Brilliance of the Seas and the Ovation of the Seas below.

Pools and Hot Tubs

Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.

The Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas has a total of 2 pools and 3 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 1 of the hot tubs are adults only.

Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas has more pools than the Brilliance of the Seas and more hot tubs.

Cruise Coloring and Activity Books for Kids
Get your kids ready for their cruise or keep them entertained while on board with our custom made coloring and activity books. These are the Royal Caribbean editions with places like Studio B and Sorrento's featured.

Cruise Ship Coloring Book for Kids 3-5 - Royal Caribbean Edition

Let's Get Cruising Activity Book for Kids 6-8 - Royal Caribbean Edition

Ship Features and Activities

Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Brilliance of the Seas. Only 70% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Ovation of the Seas, 73% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

Cruise Costs

Royal Caribbean is a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.

Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas will likely be cheaper than on Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas.

Onboard Costs

Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.

Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.

The table below will help you understand what you might spend onboard a Royal Caribbean ship.

Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.

We sailed aboard the Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas

Follow along on our sailing on the Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas. We take you through every aspect of our sailing, from getting to the port to debarking the ship. See the schedule of events, menus, what excursions we did, and what we really thought about the ship.

Ovation of the Seas - Cruise Blog - Day 1 - Seattle

Ovation of the Seas - Cruise Blog - Day 2 - Sea Day

Ovation of the Seas - Cruise Blog - Day 3 - Juneau

Ovation of the Seas - Cruise Blog - Day 4 - Skagway

Ovation of the Seas - Cruise Blog - Day 5 - Sitka

Ovation of the Seas - Cruise Blog - Day 6 - Sea Day

Ovation of the Seas - Cruise Blog - Day 7 - Victoria

Ovation of the Seas - Cruise Blog - Day 8 - Debarking in Seattle

6 Hits & Misses of Ovation of the Seas

Want to Stay Up-To-Date on All Things Cruising?

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Articles Related the These Ships

8 Things To Know About Alaskan Cruises

Skydiving on a Cruise Ship? RipCord by iFLY

Ride Bumper Cars on Your Next Cruise

Royal Caribbean’s North Star: All You Need To Know

7-Night Ovation of the Seas Alaskan Cruise Summary

6 Hits and 6 Misses on Ovation of the Seas

About Cruise Spotlight
Founded in 2020, Cruise Spotlight's goal is to help people understand every aspect of cruising. Plenty of sites focus on the perfect Instagram pictures and marketing fluff. We focus on what really matters: onboard expenses, tips for cruise ships, detailed cruise reviews, and more. Our goal is to provide helpful, unbiased information to new and established cruisers. Over the years, we've helped millions of people get the most from their cruise vacation.
Learn more about Cruise Spotlight.