Think cruising isn’t for you? Ovation of the Seas could change your mind. It is the only ship where you can go skydiving, rock climb and then surf the perfect break, ride bumper cars, and soar 90 metres above the ocean in a glass-enclosed viewing pod, all on the same day. Here are our top picks for active travellers who want to make the most of their time on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas. With so much to see and do onboard, you might just be tempted to skip the ports.

Skydiving on Ovation of the Seas

If you’ve ever wanted to go skydiving, you can do it without jumping out of a plane. Book your Ripcord by iFly session via the online cruise planner or onboard and remember to bring a pair of socks. You will be given a safety briefing and skydiving instruction plus a jumpsuit, helmet, goggles and earplugs to wear. Each ride lasts for one minute but you can cram a lot of fun into just 60 seconds. While it might seem like a good idea to iFly with a friend, savvy cruisers book this activity separately. Different flying times leave one of you free to film and photograph each other’s skydive from the viewing area outside. The iFly is free on port days but time slots must be reserved in advance. Paid experiences are also available and worth the spend as they include two goes in the wind tunnel.

Ovation of the Seas FlowRider

Get in early for the FlowRider surf simulator as this free activity becomes more popular as the cruise progresses. Pack a pair of swimmers in your carry on bag and hit the waves on embarkation day when there is no queue and the staff have time to provide extra tips and tricks. Getting used to the force of the water is easier on a boogie board plus there isn’t as far to fall. Once you’ve built up confidence boogie boarding, it’s much easier to master stand-up. Your secret to success when you’re trying to surf is putting about 80% of the pressure on your back foot. This stops the board getting ‘blown away’ by the water and provides added stability. The FlowRider pumps out almost one million litres of water a minute so make sure your swimmers are on tight or you could end up showing everyone more than your tricks.

Rollerskating on a ship

Channel your inner roller girl (or roller guy) on the skating rink located inside the SeaPlex, a multifunctional space which also hosts dodgem cars, basketball and flying trapeze classes. Roller skating sessions are held every few days with passengers zooming (or stumbling) around the rink for 45 minutes at a time, with each slot overlapping by 15 minutes. Arrive at the start of the session to get a coloured band to guarantee your space or you could miss out. A helmet and wrist guards are mandatory, even though these will probably blow your cool image. 

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North Star on Ovation of the Seas

Step inside the North Star, a glass-walled capsule which hoists passengers over 90 metres into the air, for an Insta-worthy view of the ship and surrounding ocean or port if the ship is docked. It is free to ride the North Star on port days but time slots must be reserved in advance. Paid experiences are also available and worth the spend as the North Star goes over both sides of the ship during the paid experience.

Ovation of the Seas dodgem cars

Don’t be deterred by the long queue for the dodgem cars, it moves surprisingly quickly. If you don’t want to wait, time your ride for embarkation day while most passengers are busy exploring the ship. Contrary to what you might think, this attraction isn’t just for kids. Anyone over 1.06 metres tall can ride – and most people do – although kids under nine must be accompanied by an adult. Teens from the onboard youth program, Adventure Ocean, sometimes get their own exclusive session (yes, we were jealous too).

Silent Party on Royal Caribbean

No one knows if you aren’t dancing in time with the music at this unique disco. Get there early to score a pair of glowing headphones with a switch which allows you to swap between two different music channels. On our cruise there was contemporary pop (think Michael Jackson) and a live mix from the ship’s DJ. The Silent Disco only happens once on most cruises so don’t make the mistake of thinking ‘I’ll go next time’ when you see it advertised in the Daily Planner.

Disclosure: The writer and her family paid for their cruise on Ovation of the Seas and had a great time riding the FlowRider and dancing like no one was watching at the Silent Party.

Want to travel smarter and save money? Check out our tips for flying a low cost airline, keeping your luggage safe, visiting Europe in peak season, getting a great car hire deal, avoiding travel scams, saving money at the airport, staying at an Airbnb, finding cheap five star hotel deals, catching public transport overseas, staying safe in a big city, getting the best round-the-world airfares, making the most of a five star hotel stay, travelling during low season, visiting a theme park in peak season, packing a carry on bag, visiting a wine region, planning a romantic getaway, early morning flights, visiting the Great Barrier Reef, multigenerational travel, travelling in a motorhome, buying the best souvenirs, going on safari, visiting the Eiffel Tower, travelling with pets, holidaying with adult children, travelling with teens, and sleeping on a plane.