The last time I boarded a cruise ship, I was probably 13 years old or so. When you’re a bratty teenager, everything is boring (or inaccessible). The swimming pools and activities were too childish, and of course, I could not enter the bars with my older cousins. So I swore off cruises, concluding that they were meant for the very young, or the old.

That all changed when I had the chance to board Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas docked at Tianjin. With a length spanning more than that of three football pitches, Ovation of the Seas is the largest cruise liner in Asia, and the fourth-largest in the world. It is almost 100m longer than the RMS Titanic and holds about twice as many people of almost 5,000. So, no — there is definitely little hope of meeting a handsome man like Titanic’s Jack Dawson more than once on this liner.

The High (Tech) Life

It made a great first impression so far. The ship is shiny and new, but I wasn’t sure if Ovation of the Seas could give me the sort of excitement, comfort and pampering that one can have at a stunning resort.

But I did spot an area resembling a bar while I was boarding. Bottles of alcohol were hanging from the ceiling, but there was no bartender. When I went closer for a better look, all I found was a computer and a robot. Nice, this is a bartender who will not judge you if you order a basic Cosmopolitan. And the best part is that it can customise your drink like any human bartender would. Whether you want your martini shaken or stirred, with ice or without, the computerised menu at the Bionic Bar has all the options you could possibly think of. Of course, it’s hard to appear cool like James Bond when you fumble with your order at the computer. But your drink is made with such speed and precision, so the fuss in the beginning is all worth it.

The Bionic Bar is a sign of all the high-tech things to come. Ovation of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Class line of technologically advanced smart ships. Instead of troublesome card keys, which could be easily misplaced, guests were given RFID bracelets that could also log purchases. And you’ll never receive stronger Wi-Fi signals in the middle of the ocean than on board the ship, feel free to post pictures of your ocean views with abandon.

Fret not, too, if you had booked your cruise holiday late and are stuck with a windowless cabin. Two-metre-high HD television screens mimic windows by playing real-time sights and sounds of the passing ocean.

The high-tech features go beyond guest experiences. In a bid to make the Ovation of the Seas more environmentally friendly, Royal Caribbean makes sure that every light bulb, window and paint coating helps cut back on emissions and energy consumption.

Back to basics

In my head, food served on cruises does not seem all that gourmet or of a high standard. I thought that being out at sea means that there would be a lot of frozen pre-cooked food and desserts on board the ship.

So imagine my surprise when I headed into the galleys and smelled fresh bread. The kitchen was like any other regular bakery — with chefs sifting flour, creaming butter, and whipping cream. Instead of stacks of pre-baked goods sitting in the freezer, 22 pastry chefs bake and serve up 10,000 servings of desserts a day. The cake on board the cruise is definitely fresher than the one sitting in a display at your favourite cafe, and the calories ingested were worth it.

That was just the baked goods section. The cruise’s kitchens span multiple floors, and are separated into sections of meats, seafood and sauces. According to director of F&B operations, culinary and F&B, Michael Gilligan, up to 900 dishes can be served across the ship’s restaurants in half an hour during meal times. And with six signature restaurants, six main dining areas and eight cafe or buffet options, there was no lack of choices. There’s even a Jamie’s Italian on board! Jamie Oliver himself trained the restaurant’s staff. Hit the dry-aged steak at American Icon Grill if you can — it is more expensive, but certainly a cut above the rest with its melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and rich flavours. It was clear that the food coming from all the kitchens is held to a remarkable standard.

Top of the world

The cruise has pampered me well so far. But to get past the honeymoon stage of our relationship, it has to keep my attention far beyond these basics. I certainly did not want a repeat of my 13-year-old self playing Bingo (and losing).

Obviously, a lot has changed in the past 15 years or so in terms of cruise entertainment. Yes, the Bingo games still exist, but the timetable of activities has expanded. There is a rock-climbing wall, a surf simulator and an outdoor movie screen. And there is the SeaPlex, an indoor activity area, which transforms into a circus school or a basketball court. When night falls, the disco lights come on and it becomes either a bumper car arena or a roller-skating disco rink. At some point, it is very easy to forget that you are in the middle of the ocean.

For top-of-the-world “Jack, I’m flying” vibes, there is the ship’s jewel-shaped glass capsule called North Star. It takes you to new heights by rising 300 feet above sea level for 360-degree views. You would not get the wind in your hair, but it is a lot safer than climbing overboard for the views. If you insist on some adrenaline, check out the RipCord by iFly —a 7m-tall indoor wind tunnel that recreates the feeling of free-falling.

By the end of my trip, I was furiously texting all my friends that we should go on a cruise. This was the best holiday I have had in a while to recharge and relax because there was no rush for any activity. I didn’t have to worry about missing sights, or hunting down a restaurant for my next meal. The cruise I took when I was 13 could hardly compare with this one.

Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas currently homeports in Tianjin, China. It will be in Singapore in March 2017 to offer cruises ranging from three to five nights to Penang, Phuket, Bangkok (Laem Chabang).Bookings are now open at royalcaribbean.com.sg.