Other Things You'll Want to Know - December 1, 2017

CND subscribers also read about:

• Ovation of the Seas moving to Alaska
• Costa's program to feed children in need in Italy is expanding
• Another piece of AIDAnova is ready for towing, and it will be exactly one year to the day when the ship enters service. 

Details appeared in the December 1 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Ovation of the Seas Arrives at Sydney

Watch Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas arrive at Sydney yesterday - a bit faster than it really happened.

The Show behind the Show

The show backstage in the Two70 lounge and showroom aboard Royal Caribbean's Quantum-class ships may be as fascinating as the one on stage. That's because technically there is no BACKstage with this stage. “Backstage” in Two70 is below the stage and above the stage.

It's part of a new format of entertainment created for this class of ship that includes live action from a cast of 18 performers, a 12K 115-foot by 23-foot high video screen and six robotic video screens.

The complete story appeared in the September 30 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Video courtesy of Royal Caribbean International. All rights reserved.

Naming a Ship - Chinese Style

Technically, Ovation of the Seas just sailed around the world without a name. It arrived at Tianjin this morning at the end of its 54-day positioning cruise from Southampton, and this afternoon it was officially named at the Chinese port by its godmother, Chinese actress Fan Bingbing.



Left: Godmother Fan Bingbing and Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley


Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean International. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

Almost Home

Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas arrived in Hong Kong last Friday, its first Chinese port on its 52-day positioning cruise from Europe to Tianjin, where it will seasonally homeport during the Chinese summer season.

Ovation of the Seas' maiden arrival at Hong Kong

Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean International. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission. 

When Pandas Fly

Installation of the signature outdoor artwork aboard Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas

Readying Ovation for China

Fan Bingbing

Royal Caribbean announced today that Ovation of the Seas will be officially named by Chinese actress Fan Bingbing in Tianjin on June 24.



In other Ovation news, the Quantum-class has become known for having a large, whimsical piece of artwork on the upper deck, and today, Ovation had hers installed in Southampton.

The complete story appeared in the April 12 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Reading Ovation of the Seas for her departure for China

Photos courtesy of Royal Caribbean International. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without permission.

Meyer Delivers Again

Meyer Werft delivered the 168,666-ton Ovation of the Seas to Royal Caribbean at Bremerhaven today, a few days earlier than planned.

Royal Caribbean Chairman and CEO Richard Fain and Meyer Werft Managing Partner Bernard Meyer signed the paperwork aboard the ship as the flags were changed on the ship’s mast while the officers looked on.

Details appeared in the April 8 edition of Cruise News Daily.

The flags on Ovation are changed when the paperwork is completed.

Officers look on as Ovation's flags are changed

Photos courtesy of Meyer Werft and Royal Caribbean International. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission.

Other Things You'll Want to Know - April 5, 2016

CND subscribers also read about:

• Fincantieri laying the keel Tuesday for the second Carnival Vista-class ship at their Marghera yard. The unnamed ship will be delivered in the spring of 2018. 
• Meyer Werft plans to deliver Ovation of the Seas early (this Friday) after a propeller change.
• Big Brother Big Sister opened a new facility in Miami yesterday thanks to a $5 million donation from Carnival Corp. 

Details were in the April 5 edition of Cruise News Daily.

The first block of Carnival Vista 2 is put in place at Fincantieri's Marghera yard.

 Photo courtesy of Fincantieri. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without permission.

Out the Door and Down the River

Ovation of the Seas began her once-in-her-lifetime 26-mile journey from Meyer Werft in Papenburg down the Ems River to the North Sea this morning.

Details appeared in the March 11 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Ovation of the Seas leaving Meyer Werft

 Photo courtesy of Meyer Werft. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission.

She’s Leaving Home

Meyer Werft has set Friday as the day Ovation of the Seas will be leaving the Papenburg yard for its conveyance down the Ems River to Eemshaven, never to return.

The complete story appeared in the March 10 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Adam Goldstein Talks about China with CNBC

Royal Caribbean's Adam Goldstein talks with CNBC about cruising in China and Ovation of the Seas being the first newly constructed ship to go right from the yard in Europe to China. (CNBC inserts a short commercial before the story plays.)

That New Ship Smell

The Port of Rotterdam is proudly pointing out that this spring they will have three giant newbuilds call at the port fresh from the yard. In April, the port will play host to Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas. In May, her big sister, Harmony of the Seas, visits. Also in May, AIDA’s long-delayed megaliner, AIDAprima will homeport at Rotterdam for a series of cruises.

A Different Perspective on Ovation

Yesterday, Meyer Werft floated out Ovation of the Seas. If you tuned into the Meyer webcam, you were the first to see the ship come out, but admittedly, it happens with the speed of paint drying.

Meyer has released a video which speeds up the process tremendously, and lets you see the event from some unique perspectives only the shipyard could provide.

Other Things You'll Want to Know - February 18, 2016

CND subscribers also read about:

• Houston’s KPRC is reporting that when the winter cruise season ends in a few weeks (April), and Norwegian Cruise Line and Princess Cruises leave, Houston’s Bayport Cruise Terminal will likely be repurposed for cargo use. 
• Ovation of the Seas has now seen the daylight. The ship was towed out of the building dock this afternoon at Meyer Werft (early morning in the US).

Details appeared in the February 18 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Ovation of the Seas departing the building dock today.

 Photo courtesy of Meyer Werft. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without permission.

Meyer Schedules Ovation’s “Coming Out”

Have any plans for breakfast on Thursday (or lunch for our European readers)? If not set up your laptop or tablet and watch Ovation of the Seas make her official debut while you have your coffee. Meyer Werft has scheduled Ovation of the Seas to float out of their covered building dock at 12:30pm on Thursday (6:30am Eastern time).

Details appeared in the February 16 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Ovation of the Seas ready for her debut today

Photo courtesy of Meyer Werft. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without permission.

Other Things You'll Want to Know - June 24, 2015

CND subscribers also read about:

• A new affordable flat rate plan for AIDA passengers who want to access their social media accounts.
• Gaining weight for a good cause aboard Princess ships in Australia
• Meyer Werft gives a sneak peek at Ovation of the Seas

Details appeared in the June 24 edition of Cruise News Daily.

A section of Ovation of the Seas pops out of the building hall at Meyer Werft

Photo courtesy of Meyer Werft. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without permission.

Tauranga to the Rescue

A couple of weeks ago we told you how Royal Caribbean’s plans for part of the inaugural season of Ovation of the Seas may have been scuttled when the Port of Auckland decided they didn’t want to make modifications to a pier to accommodate the huge 168,666-ton ship. Without Auckland as the turnaround port, the entire New Zealand program may have had to be canceled, since other ports on the itinerary just didn’t have the international air lift necessary.

But yesterday it was revealed that the Port of Tauranga has stepped up and is making necessary modifications in time to handle the giant ship during the 2016/2017 (austral) summer season. Passengers will fly in and out of Auckland and sail from Tauranga.

The complete story appeared in the May 13 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Thanks, but No Thanks

Ports around the world are vying for the opportunity to host a cruise ship, and more than anything they’d like to host one for a series of turnarounds. Now imagine one of the world’s largest cruise lines coming to a port unsolicited and offering them that opportunity for what will be their newest ship, and second largest type in the world carrying 5,000 passengers. Who would turn down an opportunity like that?

Auckland, New Zealand. That’s who!

It seems Auckland has decided to tell Royal Caribbean they can't host four turnarounds of Ovation of the Seas during the 2016-2017 season.

The complete story appeared in the May 1 edition of Cruise News Daily.

RCI Sends Next Quantum-Class Ship to Australia

It’s obvious Australia is becoming more and more important to Royal Caribbean, while at the same time their traditional markets (such as North America) are becoming a little less important. Royal Caribbean said today they plan to make a splash in the Australian market by basing Ovation of the Seas there for the 2016-2017 season.

The third Quantum-class ship will be the first brand new ship ever to be homeported in Australia, and it will also be largest.

The complete story appeared in the April 14 edition of Cruise News Daily.