The hair, the clothes, the eye makeup? It was enough to make any teen swoon - and feel rather envious of his spunky get-up. Now I know Dickie is much more than MTV, but I suppose impressions you make as a kid stick with you.
As I was being driven to the event, I gushed to my husband, "You know, Richard Wilkins is going to be MCing the night."
Unfazed by my impending excitement, the hub replied: "You should ask him what type of eyeliner he wears."
Rolling my eyes, I maturely stuck my tongue out at him.
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| Sorry for scaring you Stevie |
A few hours later, having completed the Ovation ship tour, it was now time to mingle and drink and eat and accidentally bump into the Today team. (Today was broadcasting live the next day from Ovation). And by bump, I mean excitedly yell in Steve Jacobs face while he was mid-chew, mispronounce Natalia Cooper's name and Facebook Livestream her lovely dress and then meet the only other person in the room who had had an actual conversation with Prince - Richard Wilkins.
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| This is my mid-cackle face |
Now by this stage I had already consumed two cocktails and a glass of Veuve Clicquot - on an empty stomach. Buoyed by the spirits, I sidled up to Mr Wilkins and introduced myself.
The conversation went something like this:
"Hi, I'm Honey, are you enjoying your night?"
"Yes, it's great!"
"So, I met Prince earlier this year. Twice. Over two nights... " (voice cracking)
"Wow! You know I have written a chapter in my book about him. I'll send you my book. Email me, I'm easy to find."
(Slipping my business card into Mr Wilkins' jacket pocket)
"My email address is on my card."
(Awkward silence)
(Clearing throat) "So, do you want to know the very last thing I said to Prince?"
"Yes, what did you say?" (he seemed genuinely interested)
"I told him to come back soon to Australia. He said, 'I promise'. I said, I'd hold him to that... (genuine tears start welling). I can't talk about it without crying..."
"I might cry too, and my make up will run."
(At this point, my husband's voice booms in my head. 'Ask him, ask him')
"So what type of mascara do you wear Richard?"
Good one Honey. It was funny at the time.
Now, this party was super-swish, I mean it was showcasing Supercruising after all. Held in the 270° lounge, there were free-flowing colourful cocktails, food and even massages on offer. Beautiful people, media types, travel agents and crew filled the room. The 270° is kind of a theatre room - and there's also a cafe - showcasing 270° views - hence the name. The glass lined, floor-to-ceiling walls give a spectacular view, and the AV features are incredible. With the press of a few buttons, curtains cover the windows and guests are treated to a 3D extravaganza. Pretty impressive!
As you all know by now, I love my food, but I was too busy gas-bagging to try much. However, there was a huge spread with samples from a few of the different eateries, including sushi and Jamie Oliver nosh. Man, I wanna try ALL the food!
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| This is Tim |
I know some of you aren't interested, but I must tell you the bathrooms are really lovely. Modern, roomy and have great lighting for selfies. However, there is a weird thing that caught me off guard - The Flush. Try as I may, I couldn't get the damn thing to flush. I pressed the button - repeatedly, but the familiar woosh alluded me. Exasperated, I swung the cubicle door open, and magically THE LOO FLUSHED ITSELF. Now I know what Royal Caribbean mean by "The most technologically advanced ship" - self-flushing toilets. Genius.
Back to the party, and it was time for the super talented Dami Im to perform. You can see my Livestream here. What an incredible voice!
And, while I'm writing about the entertainment, I must give my fabulous friend Harris Meitanis from A.P.E, who produced the media launch, a massive shoutout. I caught up with him the next day and congratulated him for producing such a successful event.
What role did A.P.E play in the launch? We produced the entire media launch encompassing everything that you saw last night (our AV department supplemented the ship’s in-house AV). We booked and facilitated and managed all talent as well as all the design and running of the event. We even produced the giftbags with all points of delegation coming through our wonderful clients at RCI. It was an incredible experience and one that we look forward to hopefully doing again in the near future for this amazing company.
What were the challenges for your team to pull this off on Australia's biggest cruise ship? Obviously, loading in equipment, staff, personnel and talent was an arduous yet necessary process given the location, the legalities surrounding the vessel and the rain! Additionally, given protocols on the ship between their necessary security checks and daily activities that are set in stone meant that we had to work around a very busy venue which we are not used to with normal event spaces. This time we had 30mins before guests and only just enough time to soundcheck and rehearse all talent in pockets earlier in the day.
What was your impression of Ovation? What a simply incredible feat of engineering. It was like being in Pitt Street Mall yet floating. It was hard to comprehend to be honest. I’ve had similar experiences in the past working with Princess and P&O Cruises, but RCI is a completely different level, especially Ovation. She is literally the most gorgeous ship that I have ever stepped on. We were all blown away.
Before I knew it, it was time to bade this magnificent ship good night. I must admit, I was floating on Cloud Nine as I made my way home in the drizzle, trying to digest all that I had seen. One thing I am certain of though, it would take me DAYS, maybe weeks to appreciate all that Ovation offers. Hopefully, I'll cruise on her in the near future.
P.S Richard Wilkins, I haven't found your email address, but I'd still like an autographed copy of your book. Thanks xxx
Royal Caribbean - Ovation of the Seas
I'm not used to luxury.
For me, the finer things in life include my personal T2 paisley teapot, my five bass guitars and obviously my Prince vinyl collection. I'm as happy to shop at Kmart as I am to pick up my favourite makeup at Priceline - I've always said you don't need to spend a million bucks to look like a million bucks. Labels are for tinned food.Which brings me to the bucks. (Nice segue, Honey). Ovation is worth a BILLION bucks. Yes, that is a BILLION with a B. For an every-day, run of the mill Mumma like me, it is almost unimaginable to fathom what a BILLION dollars can buy. Don't get me wrong, we live comfortably in one of the most expensive cities in the world and I wouldn't change a thing about my lifestyle (well, maybe more cruises), but a billion dollars is a heck of a lot of money.
I ended my last post marvelling as I stepped aboard Ovation. While I haven't been to Dubai, I imagined this it what it would be like to step into one of the city's mega malls. Opulent, extravagant, modern. I didn't know where to look, afraid I'd miss out on something - all of this isn't something I can absorb on a mini-tour.
Armed with my IPhone, I thought not only can I Livestream the tour for those who can't be with me, but later on, in the privacy of me home, review the footage at my leisure. (You can check out the vids I took here) Our group was made up of various media types - and to my surprise two former, wonderful colleagues. Some in our group has already experienced a cruise aboard this treasure so were happy to walk around alone, but I decided to stick with our fabulous tour guide Cameron Mannix.
After a brief introduction, our first stop was the Bionic Bar on Deck 5 Oh. My. Word. It was something out of Star Trek ("Early Grey, Hot."). You use an IPad to select your cocktail and two robot 'bartenders' add the alcohol, ingredients, muddle, shake and then deliver your drink in 60 seconds. It's really space-age stuff and very entertaining. Trawling through the comments on numerous Facebook cruising groups, there was a resounding opinion that:
a) it was too impersonal and
b) robots can't detect intoxication.
I suppose my response to that is there are many flesh'n'bones bartenders to spill your guts to and also, you'd be hard pressed to use the IPads successfully if you were sloshed. I didn't get to try it, but it looks fun and a great talking point.
Next we were ushered past the Japanese restaurant Izumi - lots of red decor - and downstairs to Deck 4. Here there are some pretty swanky shops, Swarovski, Michael Kors, Kate Spade and one called Bling. I didn't get the opportunity to go into any of these shops - and my first thought was I wouldn't be able to afford anything in any of them anyway so why tease myself? (P.S I do have a few Swarovski pieces, including a much loved blingy pen #penaddict). Check out the deck plans for a more comprehensive description.
We were whisked very quickly into the Music Hall which was very funky and had POOL TABLES! Yes, I can see myself spending hours here hustling. Looking at me you would be forgiven if you assumed I couldn't even hold a cue, but I'm actually a shark! After a brief look around, Cameron took us up to Deck 15 to be immersed in the adults only area complete with infinity pools and oodles of comfy lounges. Encased in a glass ceiling, I now know what it feels like to be a hothouse flower in a green house! It all looked VERY relaxing and exclusive. Sigh.
We were taken to the main pool area where the North Star towers above the giant screen and sun-lovers frolic in the huge pool. Apparently, the London Eye-esque 'ride' rises 92m up and gives you a spectacular view. I dunno, it looks scary to me, like a mechanical cyclops eager to munch you up and spit you out into the watery depths.
Adjacent to the main pool is the kiddies area which looked super fun! My kids are a little old for this, but still it was colourful and full of slides and other pool paraphernalia. My favourite feature was the kid-sized sun lounges - totally adorbs.
If I ever get the chance to cruise on Ovation, I will spend at least 5 hours of every, single day here. Skating, bumpering, eating hot dogs and pretending I'm the leading lady in the most light-fantastic, hyperactive film to ever be made.
(A hot dog food truck and an amazing soda machine are located at the back of SeaPlex.)
I truly didn't want to leave, but the tour must go on. While the drizzle was getting heavier, and I'd spent an hour straightening my curls, I couldn't miss out on the two other fun features. Outside on Deck 16 stands FlowRider - a place where you can kinda surf and stack (There's a similar one at my local pools). I don't think I'd ever try this as I'd most probably break a few bones or get a concussion or both.
Climbing up anther small flight of stairs we were presented with a very cool contraption. It's called RipCord by IFly and you can experience skydiving without jumping out of a plane.
It reminded me of one of my favourite scenes from my favourite movie, 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory'. Remember the scene when Augustus Gloop falls into the chocolate river and is sucked up into a clear tube? Well, it's kinda like that, however you don't get stuck (well, maybe my rotund body would) and there aren't any Oompa Loompas to sing you a warning song. The subject basically flies propelled by gusts of air. Pretty cool, right?
Back inside and we end up back on a great glass elevator and down to Deck 5. We'd basically come back full circle to where we started, but were now headed in the opposite direction, Aft. Cameron was leading us to Cafe 270 where the party was being held, but first we got a little peak past Jamie's Italian, a few more shops (Cartier), Vintages wine bar and then to where we were about to be wined and dined.
As a big fan of Jamie Oliver, I'd love to be able to review the eatery, but for now, here are a few pics. I love the casual atmosphere, great colour scheme and as always with Mr Oliver, an emphasis on the freshest and best produce. The menu looks delicious! Apparently, the pasta is made fresh daily.
So, what did I think? I'm guessing I only saw 1/10th, or less, of what Ovation has to offer. My next thought was that I'd need a week to truly appreciate and experience every eatery, bar, show and feature on this mammoth ship. The tour was, I guess, the highlights, and I'm grateful to have been invited. But, it was hard to soak it all in. I'd especially love to see inside the cabins, the theatres and all the eateries.
In a nutshell, I didn't feel like I was on a cruise ship. You could go all day and not even venture out on the decks and still be thoroughly entertained. If shopping is your thing, then you're in heaven. However, the shops seem way out of my budget - it would take some saving to take my whole family aboard, leaving not much for spending money. The food options look INCREDIBLE, and if you follow my blog, you know how much I love my food. I'm not sure if sensory overload is the correct description, but there is SO much to see, taste, drink, do. Royal Caribbean have created their own world, a floating resort, mall, apartment complex, suburb! It truly is incredible.
Summing the ship in only one word is too hard, so for now, I think I'll just give her a standing ovation.
It reminded me of one of my favourite scenes from my favourite movie, 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory'. Remember the scene when Augustus Gloop falls into the chocolate river and is sucked up into a clear tube? Well, it's kinda like that, however you don't get stuck (well, maybe my rotund body would) and there aren't any Oompa Loompas to sing you a warning song. The subject basically flies propelled by gusts of air. Pretty cool, right?
Back inside and we end up back on a great glass elevator and down to Deck 5. We'd basically come back full circle to where we started, but were now headed in the opposite direction, Aft. Cameron was leading us to Cafe 270 where the party was being held, but first we got a little peak past Jamie's Italian, a few more shops (Cartier), Vintages wine bar and then to where we were about to be wined and dined.
As a big fan of Jamie Oliver, I'd love to be able to review the eatery, but for now, here are a few pics. I love the casual atmosphere, great colour scheme and as always with Mr Oliver, an emphasis on the freshest and best produce. The menu looks delicious! Apparently, the pasta is made fresh daily.
So, what did I think? I'm guessing I only saw 1/10th, or less, of what Ovation has to offer. My next thought was that I'd need a week to truly appreciate and experience every eatery, bar, show and feature on this mammoth ship. The tour was, I guess, the highlights, and I'm grateful to have been invited. But, it was hard to soak it all in. I'd especially love to see inside the cabins, the theatres and all the eateries.
In a nutshell, I didn't feel like I was on a cruise ship. You could go all day and not even venture out on the decks and still be thoroughly entertained. If shopping is your thing, then you're in heaven. However, the shops seem way out of my budget - it would take some saving to take my whole family aboard, leaving not much for spending money. The food options look INCREDIBLE, and if you follow my blog, you know how much I love my food. I'm not sure if sensory overload is the correct description, but there is SO much to see, taste, drink, do. Royal Caribbean have created their own world, a floating resort, mall, apartment complex, suburb! It truly is incredible.
Summing the ship in only one word is too hard, so for now, I think I'll just give her a standing ovation.
While trying to traverse the Sydney Harbour Bridge, at peak time, in the rain, and with three monkeys picking at each other in the back seat, my mind floated away to my happy place - cruising.
(Insert dreamy music..... "You will soon be aboard a heavenly seafaring vessel, laden with delights and colourful cocktails")
As our people-mover inched forward, we craned our necks to catch a first glimpse of Ovation of the Seas, however we barely had to turn our necks to see her! Rising above Circular Quay, dwarfing, yes dwarfing all other iconic features of the Harbour, she stood, or rather floated, majestically. Dirty grey billows of exhaust fumes intermingled with the soggy Sydney weather while the blue Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor insignia pierced the dreary vista.
("Hurry up, Hurry UP." My internal voice screeched as my face melted in the humidity and my darling offspring took turns to poke me in the head from the backseat. I put up with this as mumma-guilt gave me a little more patience. They're dropping me off and will only get a glimpse from the outside).
"Mum, Mum, MUUUUUUUUUUUUM," Miss 9's voice cut though my reverie. Instantly what was left of my patience dissolved.
"WHAT!" I snapped as my hair started to frizz.
"What does Ovation mean?" the angelic voice quipped.
I made a promise a long time ago that I would always answer word questions to help increase their vocabulary.
"Well, you know when someone gives a speech and then you clap and cheer to show how impressed you are? Or sometimes before they even say a word, they just enter a room and get applause? And then sometimes you stand when you're really moved by their speech or performance? That's a standing ovation," I explained.
Miss 9 paused, mulling over the newly acquired info.
"Ohhh, so this ship is the ocean's cheer! Or maybe, it deserves a big cheer 'cos its so huge. Massive clapping and cheering and feet stomping," she grinned, excited with her explanation.
"I suppose so baby." Once again, intrigued with how little ones see the world around them.
With my daughter's words still circling in my mind, we finally pulled up to the Overseas Passenger Terminal - I was now up close to Ovation. It's very hard to put into words how I felt, but I almost broke into a round of applause, overwhelmed with the sheer size. This certainly is SuperCruising!
Ovation is the fourth largest cruise ship in the world and the biggest and most technologically advanced to sail in Australia
Let me give you some specs:
- 168,666 tonnage
- 41 metres wide
- 347 metres long
- 8.5 metre draft (The draft is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull
- 2091 guestrooms
- 1572 balconies
- 4 bow thrusters with 4694 horse power each
- 18 decks (16 for guests)
- 4905 total guests
- 1500 crew
I know these numbers are hard to visualise, so I'll just post a few photos. (Credit Delta Charlie Images )
When I first went on Carnival Spirit, I thought she was huge compared to P&O's Pacific Eden. For a comparison, Ovation is almost 150m longer, 10m wider, 6 decks higher and more than two times heavier. Wrap your noggin around that!
I wouldn't say I was scared, but I felt pretty minuscule as I lined up with the rest of the media entourage for our tour. Butterflies of excitement were bursting out of my mouth as I went through customs (stealing a pen - I'm a pen addict) and bounced my way through the metal detectors. I had to go through twice as I couldn't keep my hands still.
Skipping over the gangway, I nearly ran to get on board. Stepping through the door I was momentarily stupefied. You'd be forgiven if you thought I was partaking in a lame mannequin challenge, but I was stunned, dazed and at the same time wanted to run off, scoop my kids up and smuggle them aboard.
I had entered Aladdin's cave.
TONIGHT! Ovation Of The Seas has arrived in Sydney Harbour and I've been given the privilege to attend a spectacular cocktail party.
The divine Dami Im will be aboard to welcome this beautiful ship to her new home, Sydney.
Join me tonight on my Facebook page Cruising With Honey as I report live from the event from 6pm.