If you're considering booking Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas, there's a good chance you've already heard about the North Star, bumper cars, skydiving simulator, and all the other features that make Quantum Class ships stand out.

But before you spend thousands of dollars on your vacation, there are a few things you should know.

We recently sailed on Ovation of the Seas during one of her first public sailings from Los Angeles, and we wanted to share our honest first impressions. No sponsorships. No sales pitch. Just what we experienced as paying guests.

Like all of our reviews, we're going to cover the good, the bad, and everything in between so you can decide whether Ovation of the Seas is the right ship for your next cruise.

First Impressions: Excitement Meets a Little California Gloom

Our cruise began with a drive to the Los Angeles Cruise Port in San Pedro. Ironically, Southern California decided not to cooperate with our vacation plans.

Instead of sunshine and blue skies, we were greeted by chilly temperatures, overcast skies, and enough drizzle to make us question whether summer had been canceled.

Thankfully, a little gray weather wasn't enough to dampen our excitement.

This sailing was especially exciting because Ovation of the Seas had only recently arrived in Los Angeles. While Royal Caribbean hosted a preview sailing before ours, this was one of the ship's first cruises available to the general public.

That gave us a unique opportunity to experience the ship while it was still settling into its new West Coast home.

Embarkation: Surprisingly Fast and Easy

One thing Royal Caribbean consistently does well is embarkation, and for the most part, Ovation delivered.

We arrived at the port around 10:45 a.m. and were impressed by how quickly the process moved. From dropping off luggage to passing through security, everything felt organized and efficient.

Because we purchased The Key, we were able to bypass much of the regular boarding traffic and move through the terminal faster than many other guests.

If speed is your priority, The Key definitely helped us get through the initial check-in process with minimal stress.

The Key: Worth It... But Not Perfect

This is where things became a little more complicated.

While The Key helped us get through security quickly, the experience onboard wasn't quite as smooth as we expected.

Unlike our previous experience on Navigator of the Seas, guests using The Key on Ovation were required to carry their bags through security, onto the ship, and through several checkpoints before finally dropping them off.

In theory, The Key offers convenience. In practice, carrying luggage through multiple stages of the boarding process felt like extra work.

Part of this may have been because Ovation was new to Los Angeles and the crew was still working through operational adjustments. That's completely understandable.

Still, if you're sailing Ovation from Los Angeles, you may want to weigh whether The Key's benefits justify the additional cost for your travel style.

First Lunch Onboard

One of the perks included with The Key is an exclusive embarkation day lunch in the Main Dining Room.

The atmosphere was comfortable and much quieter than the Windjammer buffet, which many cruisers will appreciate after a busy morning at the terminal.

We sampled several appetizers, including Caesar salad, shrimp cocktail, and mushroom soup.

While the experience was pleasant overall, some of the food tasted as though it had been prepared well in advance for the large number of arriving guests. It wasn't bad by any means, but it wasn't the "wow" first meal that we've experienced on some other Royal Caribbean ships.

The real value here wasn't necessarily the food—it was being able to sit down, relax, and avoid the embarkation day crowds.

So Far, Would We Book Ovation Again?

Based solely on embarkation day, the answer is yes.

The boarding process was efficient, the ship immediately felt modern and impressive, and there was a sense of excitement throughout the terminal knowing that Ovation of the Seas was beginning a new chapter sailing from Los Angeles.

That said, embarkation day is only the beginning of the story.

The real test would come once we explored the ship, experienced the entertainment, sampled more of the dining options, and saw whether Ovation could live up to the hype that surrounds Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class ships.