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Right away, our cruise seemed doomed. First, my husband couldn’t make it (work), then my older teen bailed for a soccer tournament. I know. First-world problems, but this left me with the younger teen who still lives in his surly stage for our three-day sailing on Ovation of the Seas to Ensenada, Mexico. Suddenly, he didn’t want to go either.
There was only one way to save our cruise from Los Angeles.
Since Knox hit 12, my question, “Do you want to go on a trip?” was always met with “Can I bring a friend?”
Normally, that request was met with a “No” because airfare, food, and activities add up to a lot for a whole other person. Then Royal Caribbean parked its teen-friendly Quantum-class cruise ships, Ovation of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas, in the Port of Long Beach and invited us to try out Ovation. The all-inclusive nature of a cruise makes the family trip budget-friendly, so he asked his friend Milo.
Thank god my mommy friend was also going on this three-day sailing with her teen daughter, but ultimately, whatever moody challenges popped up, I’d have to handle.
Ovation and Quantum of the Seas are the largest cruise ships sailing out of Los Angeles, meaning plenty of options for everyone in the family. With three to eight-night itineraries sailing to Mexico, and many on-board kid-friendly activities, these cruises are the perfect weekend getaway for Los Angeles area families.
Here’s what to expect traveling with teens on a cruise from Los Angeles, what not to miss, what to skip, and how to save money.
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Getting To The Cruise Terminal In The Port of Los Angeles
The best part of a cruise from Los Angeles is how easy it all is. Drive, park, and sail. And the all-inclusive factor takes the tinkering out of family vacation budget planning. You know exactly how much you’ll be paying for the whole trip, making it possible to bring your teen’s friend on a family cruise.
Checking In To Our Cruise
After booking our cruise, we received emails directing us to download the Royal Caribbean app, our portal for pre-check-in and the daily schedule of the million fun activities available. For those who want to ditch their phones during their cruise, a leaflet called the Cruise Compass is deposited nightly on cabin doors.
We parked in the giant parking lot adjacent to the cruise ship terminal and walked into the tented structure. Our excitement grew as we stood in line to show our passports to the check-in desk and surrender our luggage so porters could transport it to our cabin while we explored our new world. There, we received our SeaPass cards, which would be our room key, our ship ID for port stops, and our credit card for onboard purchases.
All ready for a fun trip! ©Knox Nehdar
The ship was set to sail at 7 pm, and our check-in time gave us the luxury of getting our bearings on this massive 16-deck layered ship.
Our Cabin On Ovation of the Seas
This is where I encountered my first hiccup. Ideally, two cabins for one adult travelling with two full-sized humans would be the perfect set-up. However, each cabin needs an actual adult attached to its booking. So, lacking that additional adult, we three had to share one cabin.
Our Junior Suite stateroom accommodates four people, making it perfect for many families. I had a full-sized bed, while the boys used a couch that turned into a bed, with a trundle that slid out beneath. I gave them a stern warning to keep their clothing in manageable locations because: teens.
Enjoy the room reveal by this bothered teen before he had the chance to don his vacation spirit.
Room Reveal: Junior Suite
A Note About Babies
Although this article doesn’t address families traveling with babies (must be 6 months old, or even a year old for some, so check first!), we did want to mention that many Royal Caribbean ships let parents borrow Pack n’ Plays and have diapers, wet wipes, and organic baby food delivered to their staterooms through a program called Babies 2 Go. As supplies are limited, it’s best to reserve in advance through their customer service or your travel agent.
Parents finally get the break they deserve on a family trip, instead of working hard somewhere else without all the stuff they typically use.
Ovation of the Seas With Teens Video!
Things To Do For Teens On Ovation of the Seas (and Quantum)
Ovation of the Seas rolls out the red carpet for teens. There are so many fun activities they can do and now that they’re old enough to be on their own for longer periods of time, this is a great place to exercise their independence. One of the BEST parts of our trip was our stop in Ensenada. I picked an excursion that fired up the boys and one they said they’ll never forget.
Ordinarily hard to please @Chanin Victor
On our first full day aboard the Ovation of the Seas, the boys slept in, of course, thus missing the first activity for which we had a reservation (see below). They met me during the last few minutes of the breakfast buffet. Chanin joined us with Senna at our floor-to-ceiling window table. I’ll get more into the food on Ovation of the Seas below, but let me say that the ship’s chefs address all food restrictions and desires for their passengers. This is not the time to stick to a diet, but passengers can still make balanced choices.
Better late than never. ©Chanin Victor
North Star Observation Capsule
The North Star observation capsule is a circular-shaped glass pod mounted on a massive mechanical arm that extends more than 300 feet (approximately 88.6 meters) above sea level. It holds a Guinness World Record as the tallest observation deck on a cruise ship.
We joined other passengers (it holds up to 14 plus the operator) as the capsule slowly ascended from its docking station on Deck 17. The arm gently rotated us outward over the edge of the ship. Above the boat, 360-degree views surrounded us through fully transparent walls, blending the thrill of a mini Ferris wheel ride with the intimacy of a ski gondola. Even with all the solid reinforcements, my stomach dropped a bit as I gazed down at the ocean and colorful ship below.
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Drop everything and check this out! © Chanin Victor
The experience lasts about 10-15 minutes, and because of its gentle motion, it’s perfect for all ages and abilities, with no steep drops or high speeds. Although people aboard spoke, they did so in hushed tones, adding to the meditative quality of the experience.
This is a popular activity, and rides are included with your fare on a first-come, first-served basis. Passengers can make reservations to make sure they can experience this – especially on short cruises – on the Cruise Planner app. There’s a small fee to make the reservations (typically around $25-$30 per person), but that way they know they’re in. If your family goes, don’t forget your camera or phone!
The best view at sea. ©Rina Nehdar
iFly
This is like skydiving inside a glass tube. Massive fans generate wind speeds of up to 120 mph from the floor of the enclosure located on the stern of Deck 16, adjacent to the FlowRider surf simulator and rock-climbing wall. Riders walk into the chute after a mandatory safety briefing, during which staff also distribute flight suits, helmets, glasses, and earplugs. We only had two spots for this activity, so I gave up mine to Milo so they could have the thrill.
Buckle up! ©Rina Nehdar
As guests walk through the door, a staff member holds onto their shoulders so they don’t fly away. Then they position them horizontally and remind them what they learned in the prep class: hands out, back arched, head up.
3, 2, 1, blast off! ©Rina Nehdar
Both boys loved it and you could see the concentration on their expressions in the video above. They both did great. Then the instructor had to show off so we could see what was possible in that little tube.
SeaPlex
Everything teen and kid-related is located in this activity bubble, located on deck 15. OK, let’s not kid ourselves (lol), adults love to play games too! This two-story complex, with its rotating roster of fun, has floor-to-ceiling windows to remind everyone that all this action is taking place in the middle of the ocean. It’s the largest indoor activity center at sea, and is guaranteed to stimulate and wear out the heartiest spirit.
The daily itinerary located in the app and on the paper Cruise Compass schedules deposited nightly on cabin doors share times that all activities occur. The floor transforms from a full-sized basketball court to volleyball, to pickleball, soccer, and dodgeball. Tournaments are regularly scheduled.
There is also a circus school where families can learn how to perform on a trapeze.
Old school skating. © Chanin Victor
The floor rotates to become a hub for bumper cars, something Senna loved. And apparently, there are also times it transforms into a roller rink, compete with DJ music and disco balls. Had our cruise been longer, I would definitely have tried that.
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Bumping along. © Chanin Victor
The SeaPlex also hosts special events like “Family Prom Night” and Glow-In-The-Dark Laser Tag.
Arcade Games
From old-school Pac-Man and Galaga to air hockey and motorcycle racing games, the adjacent arcade will keep gamers entertained for hours… or until they run out of credits. Then it’s game over, because this area does require an extra charge. The boys loved it here, but their time was also spent in the X-Box Lounge.
The Living Room
This is the cool teen hangout spot on the ship. The one with the X-Box Lounge and foosball tables. Kids from 12-17 are welcome to kick back on the bean bag chairs and listen to music or participate in the occasional organized activities. Despite my encouragement, the boys did not participate in any activities but they did love chilling in the X-Box gamer pods and appreciated the time away from me to zone out. I can’t say I hated that part either. More on that below during the adult part of our trip.
The ultimate chill zone in the Living Room on
Ovation of the Seas – Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean International
Flow Rider
This surf simulator is super fun for adrenaline-loving families. We did this at the Beaches Resort in Turks and Caicos and the boys had a blast but I took a notable tumble, so I skipped it this time, much to Knox’s relief! He, however, jumped on and took turns with the other passengers riding the endless wave of the Flow Rider. Located on the front of the ship, riders feel like they’re riding a giant wave in the vast ocean.
The endless wave. © Chanin Victor
Climbing Wall
Located at the entrance to SeaPlex, the complimentary climbing wall doesn’t require reservations but does provide all the gear climbers need to get to the top of the 40-foot wall. Routes from beginner to expert are embedded in the wall.
The boys loved the challenge and took progressively harder paths for the honor of ringing the victory bell at the top.
Balloon Drop
The anticipation is probably the best part, but nobody outgrows a skyful of balloons! At midnight on our first night, a giant net of balloons rained down on us, as my teens made an appearance to capture the whole thing on their phones to send into the Snapchat universe.
Is it even a celebration without balloons? © Rina Nehdar
Pool Fun
Teens and kids can splash or lie around in 10 hot tubs or two of the three pools onboard Ovation and Quantum – the third is adults only. The main pool is outdoors and has a massive 220 sq ft video screen called a Jumbotron, which plays music videos and shows movies at night.
Fun for all! © Chanin Victor
Splashaway Bay
The Splashaway Bay aqua park has two colorful waterslides, and several miniature ones for those smaller than 42”, water cannons, and of course, the giant dump bucket. Only Ovation has this fun area, while Quantum has fun geyser features in its H2O Zone.
Unfortunately, the slides weren’t death-defying enough for the teens, but the younger kids looked like they enjoyed them.
Our Ensenada Excursion – How We Saved Money
This is the thing to remember. You’re sailing on a ship with thousands of other passengers. Whichever port city your ship visits has a finite number of tour companies. Royal Caribbean reassures passengers about their safety by partnering with many reputable tour companies, but spots fill up fast, as they did in Ensenada, Mexico. Once they’re gone, your dream of doing a taco tour in Mexico or horseback riding on the beach in Ensenada is gone too. Or so we thought, when we found out all the excursions offered by Royal Caribbean were sold out by the time we made it to the app to book one. Even Guest Services on Deck 5 couldn’t help.
However, being a seasoned travel writer, I am aware of other sources of discovering an area. We often use Viator or Get Your Guide when we travel on our own, and I popped on their sites to see if there was any way to fix my lapse in booking early. I was so glad I did!
The mother ship. © Rina Nehdar
ATV Tour Through Wine Country
Then the trick to success was finding an activity that would appeal to both teens and moms. Chanin and Senna had already decided to stay on the ship on our port day to enjoy the plentiful activities on board. There was nothing I could say to convince them to join us.
Nope, you can’t make us! © Rina Nehdar
So, I settled on an ATV tour through Valle de Guadalupe that included lunch and wine tasting. First off, who knew Ensenada had a wine scene? Sergio from Off Road Tours took us through a latticework of unpaved roads connecting acres of lush vineyards. Each had its own winery, and many had tasting rooms.
Dirt roads, high speed, and boys = perfect tour. © Rina Nehdar
Sergio instructed us when to best drive our ATVs on the side of the roads, and the boys took turns speeding off. It gave a whole new meaning to “eat my dust.”
We stopped at Don Tomas Winery for lunch and a wine tasting. The grounds around the winery spread like a tapestry of vines from the outdoor deck where we ate. Bungalows could be seen by the deck and at the periphery of the rows of green, available for those who wished a weekend of incredible food and superb wines.
Unexpected paradise. © Rina Nehdar
Although the boys had been enjoying the food aboard the ship, each bite seemed to roll Knox’s eyes to the back of his head. I think all three of us were surprised by the quality and exceptional taste of all our dishes.
Heading back, the boys did donuts in the dirt parking lot adjacent to the winery. They declared this activity to be their favorite of the trip.
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Things For Adults To Do On Ovation Of The Seas
Fun-loving adults (like Chanin and me) can participate in all of the above activities with teens or without. Since my teens ditched me for much of the sailing, I mostly explored with the girls.
Girls’ night every night. © Rina Nehdar
Royal Esplanade
Along the Royal Esplanade – which is the two-story center of the ship taking up decks 4 and 5 – are most of the included restaurants and bars. Designed like a walkable street, this is where the parades, balloon drop, and some of the live music happens.
Bars like Schooners have sing-along piano music and music trivia, Chanin and I talked about all the fun activities organized by Ovation’s crew and tried to do as many as we could during our three nights. There are multiple trivia events and sing alongs. There’s nothing like getting a craft cocktail and singing along to old favorites like no one is listening.
Let it rip! © Chanin Victor
Taking salsa dance lessons at Boleros was on our list but alas we didn’t get to it. However, we were able to make a stop after the teens went to bed (or so they said!) and listened to the Latin ensemble cascade their upbeat notes.
One night, we visited the Bionic Bar, where Senna ordered a mocktail that robot arms made! They also make boozy drinks, and it’s fun watching the arms put it all together.
Perfectly measured concoctions. © Chanin Victor
Then we took her to the Silent Disco at Two70 where we rocked out to the tunes in our head and then grabbed slices of late-night pizza at Sorrentino’s Pizza before she went to bed (maybe), and the moms went to the adults-only comedy show at The Attic.
It’s all in your head. © Chanin Victor
Adults-Only Comedy
Cruise ships take a venue from the outside world and shrink it to fit as much as possible into these floating entertainment centers. The Attic comedy club was no exception. Everything checked out in the same way the audience would expect if they walked into a comedy club on Sunset Blvd., except that the smaller space makes it more intimate.
Owning it. © Rina Nehdar
From a spotlit stage with a colorful backdrop, two performers hurled their funny material at the audience, and we made no effort to dodge their wit. Typically, there are adult shows and family shows. The late-night show has more spice and sophistication; however, a good comedian can get their points across in either scenario. We laughed and applauded and then made our way to the Nightclub.
Nightclub
The Music Hall, with pool tables and a lounge area, connects to the dance floor and stage of the Nightclub via a staircase. Cover bands perform at night, and then the space turns into a DJ-inspired nightclub.
Chanin and I aren’t shy. The teens couldn’t walk in and get embarrassed that their moms were getting down to the disco beats because the area is 18 and over with security. And get down we did. Until we were pooped and went back to our cabins to refuel for the next day.
Turning it up. © Rina Nehdar
Casino
On the last night, we did venture into the 21+ casino, where the blinking and bleeping slot machines took up most of the floor space. Roulette tables bookended a circle of those playing poker and blackjack. We sat for a while at the roulette table, long enough to realize my “system” wasn’t working, so we scooted to blackjack to see if our luck was any better.
I rode a wave of good fortune we found after hitting a blackjack on my first hand and then walked away with a bit more than I started.
Lady Luck smiling and frowning on Ovation of the Seas. © Chanin Victor
Solarium
This is an adults-only pool area surrounded by lounge chairs under a glass ceiling. This is where to go for that peace and quiet you thought you’d get on your family vacation.
Can you hear that sigh of relief? © Chanin Victor
Restaurants On Ovation of the Seas
Wonderland
Standing above the rabbit hole. © Senna Brooks
Walking into Wonderland was like falling down a nautical rabbit hole and landing on Alice’s dream dinner table. A hostess who looked like she raided Alice’s closet led us to a long table bordered with antique chairs, some with keyhole designs in the seatback. A bow-tied server in crimson pants and a jacket covered with large white roses handed us menus that appeared to be blank whiteboards. He instructed us to dip the paint brushes set, part of our dinnerware, into a cup of “magic water.”
As we painted the whiteboards, lists of appetizers and entrees appeared, and we happily ordered our meals. Smoke-filled presentations arrived with dishes full of secret ingredients we discovered as we enjoyed our dinner experience. This specialty restaurant has an additional cost, but it’s worth every penny for kids and kids at heart.
The mystery begins. © Rina Nehdar
Other Specialty Restaurants
The regular restaurants are enough, but for those looking for a little more, here is the list of what’s available.
- Chops Grille: A classic steakhouse experience. We ate here another night, just me and the boys, and we loved it, being the carnivores we are. Juicy and flavorful!
- Izumi: Japanese cuisine, sushi, and sashimi. One event during our cruise was a candy-making sushi class. Senna and Chanin did this, and it involved various types of candy arranged to look like sushi rolls, sashimi, and hand rolls.
Not fishy at all. © Rina Nehdar
- Jamie’s Italian: Italian dishes so good, Chef Jamie Oliver has his name on them.
- Johnny Rockets: American diner favorites (burgers, shakes).
- Fish & Ships: British-style fish and chips.
- Coastal Kitchen: Mediterranean-inspired cuisine (exclusive to suite guests).
- Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade: Sports bar food.
- L’A PÂTISSERIE: French pastries and coffee.
Included Restaurants
Our days started with breakfast at the Windjammer buffet because it was easy and offered so many options.
Picture this x10. No lack of anything. © Chanin Victor
Every morning, we’d get a table by the floor-to-ceiling windows to soothe our hearts as we glanced at the undulating blanket of ocean between bites and conversation. Chanin, Senna, and I would plan our day over coffee and eggs while the boys rolled in just as the food was being put away at the end of breakfast. Throughout the day, we’d hop into one of the seven complimentary restaurants, and on the last night, we enjoyed the farewell show presented by the crew in the multi-level main dining room.
- Main Dining Room: A multi-level venue with different themed restaurants (The Grande, Chic, Silk, American Icon Grill) offering rotating menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Sorrento’s Pizza: Pizza slices all day and late into the night. This is surprisingly convenient.
- Cafe Promenade: Grab-and-go coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and snacks 24/7.
- The Dog House: A hot dog stand with all kinds of toppings.
- Fish & Ships: The name says it all.
- Solarium Bistro: A healthier, buffet-style option in the adults-only Solarium.
- Cafe @ Two70: Light bites, sandwiches, and soups with incredible views.
- Soft Serve Ice Cream: Available for free throughout the ship.
Included. © Rina Nehdar
Our Top 3 Takeaways
First, for Los Angeles area families, this is a no-brainer, budget-friendly family vacation. Whether you’re traveling with teens, younger children, or babies – for a long weekend or a week-long break – the fun is built in. Second, take advantage of Ovation of the Seas’ teen program and its award-winning kids’ club, Adventure Ocean (3–11). Take a break for adults-only fun and load teens and kids up with supervised fun. Third, splurge on the Wonderland specialty restaurant. It’ll be a magical experience for kids, teens, and parents!
When everything goes wrong, cruising is one of those family vacations that can withstand the beating. With so many choices, even teens can find a reason to smile. And for families living in Southern California, cruising out of Los Angeles reduces the stress typical of family vacations and fits neatly into a family travel budget.
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