Ovation of the Seas vs Spectrum of the Seas

The Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas was built in 2016. It's 3 years older than the Spectrum of the Seas, which was built in 2019.

Comparison Overview

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. It's about the same size as the Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas.

Number of Passengers

Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas holds about the same number of passengers as the Spectrum of the Seas based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or tons of ship compared to number of passengers, the Ovation of the Seas has the same amount of space per person as the Spectrum of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean
Ovation of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
Spectrum of the Seas
ClassQuantumQuantum-Ultra
Gross Tonnage168,666169,379
Length1,1381,139
Beam/Width136135
Passenger Decks1414
Passengers (double occupancy)4,1804,246
Crew1,5001,551
Passenger to Crew Ratio2.82.7
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger)4040


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 21 different dining options like Jamie's Italian, Solarium Bistro, and Fish & Ships. Of those options, 12 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 9 options have an additional fee.

The Spectrum of the Seas has 2 more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Izumi, Sorrento's Pizza, and Chef's Table. 11 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 11 have an additional fee.

The Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas has about the same number of dining options as the Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas.

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

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

Royal Caribbean
Ovation of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
Spectrum of the Seas
Cafe PromenadeLearn More
Chef's TableLearn More
Chops GrilleLearn More
Coastal KitchenLearn More
Coffee & Tea Shop
Dog HouseLearn More
Fish & ShipsLearn More
IzumiLearn More
Jamie's ItalianLearn More
La PatisserieLearn More
Main Dining RoomLearn More
Noodle Bar
Sichuan Red
Solarium BistroLearn More
Sorrento's PizzaLearn More
Teppanyaki
Two70 CafeLearn More
Vintages Wine BarLearn More
WindjammerLearn More
WonderlandLearn More

Bars and Drinks

Royal Caribbean's Music Hall
Royal Caribbean's Music Hall
Royal Caribbean's Music Hall
Royal Caribbean's Music Hall

The Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas has 2 more bars than the Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean
Ovation of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
Spectrum of the Seas
Bionic Bar
Boleros
Casino Bar
English Pub
Music Hall
Pool Bar
Schooner Bar
Sky Bar
Solarium Bar
Vintages

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 Spectrum of the Seas below.



Pools and Hot Tubs

The main pool on Royal Caribbeans Ovation of the Seas
The main pool on Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas
The main pool on Royal Caribbeans Spectrum of the Seas
The main pool on Royal Caribbean's Spectrum of the Seas

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 Ovation of the Seas has a total of 3 pools and 6 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are adults only.

Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas has more pools than the Ovation of the Seas and fewer hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Spectrum of the Seas. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.

Royal Caribbean
Ovation of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
Spectrum of the Seas
Total Pools34
Pools - General Access22
Pools - Adults Only11
Pools - Exclusive01
Total Hot Tubs64
Hot Tubs - General Access44
Hot Tubs - Adults Only20
Hot Tubs - Exclusive00


cruise coloring book

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 Ovation of the Seas. Only 73% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Spectrum of the Seas, 75% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

Royal Caribbean
Ovation of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
Spectrum of the Seas
Adult Only Relaxation Area
Arcade
Basketball
Bionic Bar
Bumper Cars
Casino
Climbing Wall
Fitness Center
FlowRider
Indoor Sky Diving
Laser Tag
North Star
Pool-side Movies
Shows - musical review
Spa
Splash park
Learn moreLearn more

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 Ovation of the Seas will likely be cheaper than on Royal Caribbean Spectrum 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
Base Daily Gratuities*
(Per Person Per Day)
$18.50
Tip added to drinks & services18%
Soda Price$3.50
Domestic Beer Price$8.25
See drink menus
Drink Package Price$70 - $125
Learn more
Internet Plan$17 to $30 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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