Royal Caribbean Cabo Cruise Review: A Three-Generation Adventure on the Ovation of the Seas

Most of the time, I plan trips my own way. Cruising would never have been my first idea of a vacation, but my brother and sister in law love it and invited me along. That is how I ended up on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas and discovered that cruising is its own fascinating, fun little universe.

It’s like suddenly living in an airport where the rules of life are suspended. People order espresso martinis at breakfast. Entire families walk around in matching shirts. And for one set price, you get lodging, food, entertainment, and transportation – which, unless you’re hosteling and hitchhiking, is hard to beat.

This trip was a 5-night cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas from Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas. We had three generations onboard: my Baby Boomer brother and sister-in-law in their 60s, my two Gen Z kids (24 and 22), and me, the Gen Xer in the middle. Here’s what it was like.

Getting There: Road Trip in a Tesla (and Coffee Failures)

We drove from the Bay Area to Los Angeles in my brother’s Tesla, making two charging stops along the way. The first was in Kettleman, California, at a Jetsons-like Tesla charging station with “cone of silence” pod chairs and high-tech vending machines.

I learned the hard way that their coffee machine requires you to move the cup mid-process – otherwise, your long-awaited caffeine pours straight down the drain. (Yes, I paid twice.) At least the waiting area was spotless and comfortable while the car charged.

Embarkation: The Wow Factor

Driving into the Port of Los Angeles was a mix of traffic, confusion about which lane to be in, and sheer excitement at seeing these floating buildings up close. If you are cruising from the Port of Los Angeles, allow extra time because signage is not the clearest and the traffic flow changes depending on ship schedules.

The Ovation of the Seas is 3.2 football fields long. If you lay the Empire State Building on its side, the ship is nearly the same length. How is this even possible?

Check-in went quickly: luggage drop, security line, health questions, and then suddenly we were onboard!

First Steps Onboard

Before you can relax, you head to your assigned muster station for a safety briefing. Think: how to use your life jacket, and what those seven short alerts followed by one long sound mean (hint: it’s not a drill).

With that checked off, we grabbed lunch at the café near the Solarium, then tried to get our phones and devices hooked up to Wi-Fi. Even our fairly tech-savvy group needed help from the crew’s internet desk. By the time we were sorted out, our cabins were ready.

Our Cabins: Balcony vs. Virtual Balcony

I splurged on a balcony cabin on Ovation of the Seas, and it was worth every penny. Waking up with the curtains open, watching the sun rise over the ocean, sliding the door open for fresh air and the sound of waves … heaven.

On my last cruise, I stayed in an interior virtual balcony to save money. It’s surprisingly comfortable, with a massive “window” (actually a live camera feed) showing the view outside. You can see weather, land, and the horizon, which is super clever. But there’s no fresh air, and that’s what I missed most.

This time, my kids stayed in a virtual balcony cabin. They found it roomy enough, though they had to call to get their king bed separated into two twins. It worked well for them.

Sea Days: Solarium Bliss

One of my happiest memories came from the Solarium, the adults only retreat at the front of the ship. It is a glass covered oasis with palm trees, shallow pools, hot tubs, and rows of loungers that overlook the ocean. If the main pool deck feels like spring break, the Solarium feels like a spa day.

On our first sea day, my brother and I got there before 9 a.m., grabbed breakfast from the nearby bistro, and claimed five loungers.

One by one, our family arrived. We read, dipped into the pools and hot tubs (with our coffees), listened to music, and chatted. It was pure relaxation and togetherness: the kind of day you dream about.

Dining and Entertainment

We had “Your Time Dining” at 6:45 each night in the Silk Dining Room, decorated in what I’d call an “I Dream of Jeannie” style. Our waiter and assistant waiter memorized our names the first night and greeted us like old friends every evening after. A small thing, but magical.

Dining on Ovation of the Seas ranged from very good to occasionally mediocre, but the fun is that you can order more than one entrée or dessert. Sharing across the table meant very little went to waste.

Evenings included a funny comedian, a Las Vegas–style “Live, Love, Legs” show with showgirls who had posture and confidence I can only aspire to, and a hilarious dance-off game where passengers attempted everything from the Twist to Gangnam Style.

One night there was an 80s Dance Party, which was a blast for all of us. The music was right out of my high school years, and my kids somehow knew every lyric thanks to years of being trapped in my car with 80s playlists blasting…all hail New Order and Human League!

Apparently the cool thing to do at a nightclub is to wear your sunglasses so you look mysterious and no one knows who you’re looking at. I didn’t have my sunglasses but wore my reading glasses to look equally cool. ⬇

For our “grand finale” final night of the cruise we made a reservation at the Alice in Wonderland – esque “Wonderland” restaurant (not included).

Cabo San Lucas Excursions

Read about the Excursions we checked out here!

Family Dynamics: Three Generations, One Ship

Cruising with three generations worked surprisingly well. With nearly 5,000 people onboard, the ship is like a floating city. Everyone could find something that suited them — sporting activities, lounging, game shows, music, gambling, late-night clubs.

Dinner became our daily anchor point to reconnect and share stories, especially since texting each other over the ship’s Wi-Fi was unreliable at best. (Messages probably went through only 25% of the time.) Without those dinners, finding each other would have been almost impossible.

Favorite Moments

• That morning in the Solarium when all five of us lounged side by side, hopping in and out of the pools together.
• Cooling off in the Solarium hot tub with my kids after a scorching day in Cabo, savoring the rare window of time when neither had partners and we could just be fully present together.
• Laughing at the shows, chatting over dinner, and enjoying time with my brother and sister-in-law … priceless.

Reflections

Cruising isn’t my default way to travel. I like museums, hidden cafés, and building my own itineraries. But a cruise is a very special way to travel with family. You share a unique, self-contained experience that feels separate from everyday life. There’s space for everyone to do their own thing, and then come back together without friction.

Would I recommend Ovation of the Seas? Absolutely. It’s fun, beautiful, and offers more variety than you’d expect. Just make sure to plan your meetups in advance – the ship is big, the Wi-Fi isn’t perfect, and without a plan, you might never see your people again until dinner!