The much anticipated official launch of megaship Ovation of the Seas – the largest vessel ever to base herself in Australia – is just days away.
The 24th ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet will depart Southampton for a brief three-day sojourn to Holland this week before embarking on a 52-day “Global Odyssey” from the UK to Tianjin in China.
This high-tech, next-generation giant that can accommodate more than 4000 passengers, has 25 dining establishments (including a Jamie Oliver restaurant), 35 bars/cafes, a simulated skydiving pod, bumper cars, a bionic bar (robotic bartenders) and swanky two-level staterooms.
She will dock in Sydney in December in readiness for her first Australian voyage – a 15-night cruise to New Zealand via Hobart, Fjordland Park (Milford, Doubtful and Dusky Sounds), Dunedin, Wellington, Picton, Tauranga and Auckland.
Here’s a taste of what passengers will experience on that Christmas voyage across the Tasman.
Ovation of the Seas will be homeported in Sydney (as well as Tianjin/Beijing and Southampton) making her the largest ship ever based here for round-trip journeys.
The full 2016 itinerary leading up to the inaugural Australian voyage is below.
- April 14-16; 3-night to Holland, visiting Rotterdam.
- April 17-22; 5-night to France and Belgium, visiting Cherbourg, Le Havre-Paris, Zeebrugge.
- April 22-29; 7-night to France and Spain, visiting Gijon, Bilbao, Le Havre-Paris, Cherbourg.
- June 28; 5-night round-trip from Tianjin to South Korea and Japan, visiting Busan and Nagasaki.
- November 30; 15-night Asia to Australia (repositioning from Singapore to Sydney).
- December 16; 15-night Australia to NZ round-trip
