Cruise Spotlight
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Ovation of the Seas vs Sunrise
The Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas was built in 2016. It's 3 years older than the Sunrise, which was built in 2019 and renovated in 2024. The Sunrise was previously known as the Triumph from 1999-2019, but was renamed after it went through huge renovations.
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 Sunrise, the Ovation of the Seas is 66% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas holds 40% more passengers than the Sunrise 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 Sunrise. 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 Sunrise | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Quantum | Sunshine |
| Gross Tonnage | 168,666 | 101,509 |
| Length | 1,138 | 893 |
| Beam/Width | 136 | 125 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 4,180 | 2,984 |
| Crew | 1,500 | 1,108 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.8 | 2.7 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 40 | 34 |
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 sixteen different dining options like Vintages Wine Bar, La Patisserie, and Chef's Table. Of those options, thirteen are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eight options have an additional fee.
The Sunrise has one fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Bonsai Sushi, Pizzeria del Capitano, and JavaBlue Cafe. fourteen of these restaurants are complementary and the other six have an additional fee.
The Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas has about the same number of dining options as the Carnival Sunrise.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Sunrise 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 Sunrise | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 16 | 15 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 13 | 14 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 8 | 6 |
| % of Included Options | 50% | 60% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas has 1 fewer bar than the Carnival Sunrise. The Ovation of the Seas has 10 bars like Bionic Bar, Casino Bar and Schooner Bar. On Ovation of the Seas, you can grab a drink at 11 different bars such as Alchemy Bar, Heroes Tribute Bar and New World Bar.
| Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas | Carnival Sunrise |
|---|---|
| •Bionic Bar • Boleros • Casino Bar • English Pub • Music Hall • Pool Bar • Schooner Bar • Sky Bar • Solarium Bar • Vintages | •Alchemy Bar • Atrium Bar • BlueIguana Tequila Bar • Casino Bar • Heroes Tribute Bar • Java Blue Cafe • Limelight Lounge • New World Bar • Piano Bar 88 • RedFrog Pub • RedFrog Rum Bar |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. The Ovation of the Seas serves Coca Cola branded products. That includes drinks like 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. The Sunrise serves the Pepsi family of products. That means Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Starry, Mug Root Beer, and Mountain Dew.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Ovation of the Seas and the Sunrise 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 6 hot tubs.
Carnival Sunrise 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 Sunrise | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 0 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | 0 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 1 |
| 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, 73% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Sunrise, only 71% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas | Carnival Sunrise | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bionic Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| 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 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ropes course | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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 cheaper than on Carnival Sunrise.
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 Sunrise | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.50 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | $3.00 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus | $8.75 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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