BRAND-NEW BILLION DOLLAR CRUISE SHIP COMING TO AUSTRALIA
Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas to be based in Australia for 2016/17 season
Royal Caribbean International, the world’s largest cruise brand, announced today that Australia will welcome its very own brand new cruise ship for the first time when Ovation of the Seas arrives in Sydney for the peak summer season from December 2016.
Currently under construction in Germany and with a price tag of USD$1 billion, the Quantum Class megaliner will not only claim the title of the largest cruise ship to ever call Australia home – carrying almost 5,000 guests and 1,500 crew – but also the most technologically advanced.
“Royal Caribbean has been breaking the boundaries in Australian cruising since we arrived in 2007 but today, we have completely changed the face of the cruise industry, making the single largest investment in Australia by any cruise line,” said Gavin Smith, regional vice president, Royal Caribbean, Asia Pacific.
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“We dream big at Royal Caribbean. We create the world’s most imaginative holidays and this has never been truer than for Quantum Class ships. Ovation of the Seas will completely redefine the idea of cruising in Australia, taking the industry to the next level by offering a host of incredible never-before-seen features and technologies.
“This demonstrates our belief in, and long term commitment to, the Australian cruising market. We believe that Australians shouldn’t need to travel overseas to experience the kind of cruise holiday we stand for; the most innovative and amazing ships anywhere in the world are available right here on your doorstep.
“With almost five thousand guests and 1500 crew onboard, the arrival of Ovation of the Seas in Australia and New Zealand will deliver significant economic benefits at each of her ports of call,” Smith said.
When Ovation arrives, Australians will experience the first Ripcord by iFLY at sea down under, where the thrill and excitement of skydiving comes to life from onboard a cruise ship.
The North Star aerial observatory offers breathtaking 360 degree views more than 90 metres above the sea. In a jewel-like capsule, a robotic arm elevates guests high into the sky, taking in the sights from a bird’s eye view wherever in the world the ship happens to be. In Sydney Harbour, the North Star will reach higher than the pylons on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The Bionic Bar lets guests place an order for their favourite cocktail via a tablet, before two incredible bionic arms create the perfect mix in tune to the resident DJ, shaking and stirring great cocktails without any human assistance.
‘Two70’ is a multipurpose, transformative space; an expansive lounge boasting 270 degree ocean views by day becomes an immersive, multimedia entertainment spectacular at night, fusing technology with entertainment using robotic video-screens, dramatic digital projection and high-flying aerialists and performers.
Guests onboard the SmartShip will be more connected than on any other cruise ship in the world, with high speed wi-fi allowing them to stay in touch and share more of their experiences with friends and family onshore.
Radio frequency wristband technology does away with the need to carry a cabin key, and a dedicated app, Royal iQ, lets guests book onboard experiences from their own device, including making a booking at any of the 18 distinct restaurants.
Quantum Class ships feature cuisine as vast and varied as the world itself. These dining destinations range from fun to formal settings, including partnerships with world renowned chefs, such as the much-loved “Jamie’s Italian” from Jamie Oliver at sea.
Jamie Oliver said, "I'm super-excited that Ovation of the Seas will be sailing out of Australia, and with a Jamie's Italian on board! This will be our third restaurant with Royal Caribbean, and it's been a real honour to work with their team. The response we've had to Quantum of the Seas – our first restaurant at sea – has been brilliant, so it just makes me even more excited for this one to open."
Meanwhile, SeaPlex will be the largest indoor sports and entertainment complex at sea, offering bumper cars, a basketball court, roller skating, circus school and more.
Even while providing an incredible array of onboard activities, Quantum Class ships use less energy than ships built just a few years ago, by more efficiently configuring the hull and engine designs and equipping them with state of the art high efficiency systems and appliances. Ovation of the Seas will be delivered with an "Air Lubrication System" which reduces the hull's friction with the water, reducing fuel consumption. Ovation will also be built with advanced emissions purification (AEP) systems, also known as scrubbers, which remove more than 97% of the sulfur dioxide emissions generated by the engines. These AEP systems are progressively being retro-fitted to many of the ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet.
Ovation of the Seas is the third ship in the ground-breaking Quantum Class and will be the fifth ship in the Royal Caribbean Australian fleet for summer 2016/17, joining four other superliners –Voyager of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas in Sydney and Legend of the Seas in Brisbane – offering an expansive range of the newest, most modern and exciting style of cruising Australians have ever experienced.
Cruise fares will start from $199 a day. Bookings for Ovation of the Seas’ maiden Australian season open mid-way through 2015, but guests are encouraged to register their interest at www.royalcaribbean.com.au/Ovation to be the first to receive information on her sailings down under when details are announced.
About Quantum Class Ships:
The smartest ship at sea
Unprecedented levels of technology amp up the holiday experience onboard Quantum Class, which allows for the utmost in simplicity, efficiency and customisation. Guests can be online and connected 24/7 should they choose to be, thanks to superfast wireless speeds that match broadband connections onshore, and a downloadable app, Royal iQ, empowers guests to manage every detail of their holiday during the cruise. Not to mention robots! Technology also enables a number of surprise-and-delight elements including a brand new venue, Bionic Bar powered by Makr Shakr that is set to make waves with robots centre stage.
Activities that make you dream big
Royal Caribbean added to its portfolio of exclusive, ground-breaking onboard experiences that have never before been imagined at sea with a skydiving experience called RipCord by iFLY, as well as the engineering marvel North Star, a glass observation capsule that gently rises more than 91 metres in the air to treat guests to dramatic 360-degree views. More “firsts” onboard include bumper cars, a circus school with flying trapeze and roller skating can be found inside SeaPlex, the largest indoor active space at sea.
A new era of dining at sea
Cruise ship dining has also been modernised with Dynamic Dining, where guests have total control of their own culinary journey and can choose from a landscape of 18 distinctive restaurants. Five complimentary, full-service restaurants replace the traditional, common main dining room, while a variety of specialty restaurants will wow even the savviest foodies, including the new multi-sensory venue Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine, as well as concepts from award-winning chefs Jamie Oliver, Michael Schwartz and Devin Alexander.
Show-stopping entertainment
Technology headlines onboard entertainment with a line-up of first of their kind productions and performances. The transformational new venue Two70 offers the most highly advanced digital displays, Vistarama and Roboscreens, that intertwine with live performers, music and special effects to deliver spectacular, multidimensional shows and events that have never before been seen on land, let alone at sea.
The Royal Theater will be home to Broadway smash hits as well as an all-new headline show, Sonic Odyssey, which was inspired by musician and innovator William Close and his variety of one-of-a-kind majestic instruments.
Spacious rooms with a view
Uber-sophisticated in design and big on size – an average of nine percent larger than those of Oasis class ships – the 2,090 staterooms onboard Quantum Class ships are Royal Caribbean’s largest and most advanced yet. Guests can choose from a wide selection of categories, including Family-Connected staterooms that are perfect for multi-generational families or groups of friends, new balcony and interior Studio staterooms created for single travellers, as well as Virtual Balcony staterooms, which are interior cabins with large digital screens displaying real time views that ensure every room has a view.
Shopping, fitness, family and more!
Every aspect of Ovation of the Seas is complete with the newest, most sophisticated features at sea. The retail offerings, which can be found within the Royal Esplanade and The Via, boast an unparalleled collection of celebrated brands including Cartier, Kiehl’s, BVLGARI and Hublot. State-of-the-art fitness facilities make it easy and inspiring to stay fit while on holiday, with all-new options including Technogym equipment, as well as professionally instructed Flywheel, TRX and Beach Bootcamp classes, which were influenced by former NFL linebacker Dhani Jones, who worked with Royal Caribbean as Quantum ClassExperience Advisor for Sports and Fitness. And there’s fun for the whole family, thanks to a number of new enhancements to Royal Caribbean’s award-winning Adventure Ocean youth program, including a fully-equipped Adventure Science Lab, as well as the very first wave pool at sea, which debuts as part of the DreamWorks Animation Madagascar-themed H2O Zone.
About Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean International is an award-winning global cruise brand with a 45-year legacy of innovation and introducing industry “firsts” never before seen at sea. The cruise line features an expansive and unmatched array of features and amenities only found on Royal Caribbean including, jaw-dropping, Broadway-style entertainment and industry-acclaimed programming that appeals to families and adventurous holiday makers alike. Owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE/OSE: RCL), the cruise line sails 23 of the world’s most innovative cruise ships to the most popular destinations in the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, South America, the Far East, and Australia and New Zealand. World renowned for its friendly and engaging Gold Anchor Service, delivered by every staff and crew member, Royal Caribbean has been voted “Best Cruise Line Overall” for 11 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards.
RCL Cruises Ltd Australia commenced operation in December 2008 as the Australian arm of global cruise holiday company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. The company offers three cruise brands in Australia and New Zealand: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises. In the 2014/2015 cruise season, Royal Caribbean International was the largest cruise operator in Sydney, with three ships sailing in the region: Voyager of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas. In the 2015/2016 local cruise season Royal Caribbean International will increase the local fleet to four ships: Legend of the Seas home porting in Brisbane; along with Explorer of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas home porting in Sydney. Celebrity Solstice will also sail her fourth local season out of Sydney.
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