Cruise Spotlight
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Ovation of the Seas vs Splendor
The Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas was built in 2016. It was renovated in 2026. It's 8 years newer than the Splendor, which was built in 2008 and renovated in 2024.
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 Ovation of the Seas is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,138 feet long and 136 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.2 football fields, as wide as 2.6 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Carnival Splendor, the Ovation of the Seas is 49% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas holds 39% more passengers than the Splendor 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 Ovation of the Seas has more space per person compared to the Splendor. 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.
| Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas | Carnival Splendor | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Quantum | Conquest |
| Gross Tonnage | 168,666 | 113,300 |
| Length | 1,138 | 952 |
| Beam/Width | 136 | 116 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 4,180 | 3,012 |
| Crew | 1,500 | 1,150 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.8 | 3.2 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 40 | 38 |
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 Ovation of the Seas has fifteen different dining options like Sorrento's Pizza, Giovanni's Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, and Two70 Cafe. Of those options, thirteen are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eight options have an additional fee.
The Splendor has three fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Pizzeria del Capitano, Carnival Deli, and Seafood Shack. Twelve of these restaurants are complementary and the other five 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 25% more dining options than the Splendor.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Splendor might be a better choice then the Ovation of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas | Carnival Splendor | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 15 | 12 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 13 | 12 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 8 | 5 |
| % of Included Options | 47% | 58% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas has 5 fewer bars than the Carnival Splendor. The Ovation of the Seas has 10 bars like Giovanni's Wine Bar, Schooner Bar and Sound Cellar. On Splendor, you can grab a drink at 15 different bars such as Java Blue Cafe, RedFrog Rum Bar and Serenity Pool Bar.
| Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas | Carnival Splendor |
|---|---|
| •Boleros • Casino Bar • English Pub • Giovanni's Wine Bar • Pesky Parrot • Pool Bar • Schooner Bar • Sky Bar • Solarium Bar • Sound Cellar | •Alchemy Bar • Atrium Bar • BlueIguana Tequila Bar • Casino Bar • El Morocco Aft Lounge • Grand Piano Bar • Java Blue Cafe • Juice and Java • Our House Sports Bar • Red Carpet Dance Club • RedFrog Pub • RedFrog Rum Bar • Serenity Pool Bar • The Cool Lounge • Topside Bar |
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 Ovation of the Seas and the Splendor 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 Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas has a total of 3 pools and 7 hot tubs.
Carnival Splendor has fewer pools than the Ovation of the Seas and fewer hot tubs.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Ovation of the Seas.| Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas | Carnival Splendor | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 1 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 0 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 7 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 5 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 0 | 0 |
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.
Cruise Ship Coloring Book for Kids 3-5
(Carnival Edition) (Royal Caribbean Edition)
Let's Get Cruising Activity Book for Kids 6-8
(Carnival Edition) (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. On the Ovation of the Seas, 79% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Splendor, only 69% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas | Carnival Splendor | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bumper Cars | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Club | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✓ | ✗ |
| Indoor Sky Diving | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✗ | ✓ |
| North Star | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✗ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✗ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Royal Caribbean and Carnival are both considered "Mainstream" cruise lines. 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 Ovation of the Seas will likely be more expensive than on Carnival Splendor.
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 compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas | Carnival Splendor | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.50 | $17.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | $3.25 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $7.49 See drink menus | $8.25 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $77 - $118 Learn more | $83 - $88 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 per device per day | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
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
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