Royal Caribbean International today announced highlights of its 2017/18 Australian summer season, including details on the Ovation of the Seas’ second local season. Bookings for the 2017/18 summer season will open this Thursday, said Royal Caribbean.
“Australia’s biggest, newest and most technologically advanced cruise ship is returning to our shores for a second season. Ovation of the Seas’ construction has just reached completion – she’s purpose built for our region – so we’re incredibly excited to be offering Aussies more opportunities to experience this revolutionary cruise ship," said Adam Armstrong, managing director, Royal Caribbean Australasia.
Together, Ovation of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas will offer 66 sailings ranging from two to 23 nights during the 2017/18 season. From September 2017 through to April 2018 the four ships will call at 46 ports across Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, Asia and North America with departures from Sydney, Fremantle, Auckland, Singapore, Honolulu and Seattle.
Explorer of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas will sail predominantly to destinations like Mystery Island and Port Vila in Vanuatu as well as Noumea, Isle of Pines and Lifou (Loyalty Islands) in New Caledonia.
Radiance of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas will focus on Australia and New Zealand itineraries, sailing to ports around Australia like Hobart, Adelaide and Fremantle, as well as to the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Radiance of the Seas will embark on two open-jaw cruises from Sydney and Auckland.
Explorer of the Seas will make two overnight calls in Suva in Fiji on her repositioning voyages, at the commencement of the season and on her return to Seattle in 2018.
Both Ovation of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas overnight in Adelaide, allowing guests to spend the night in the nearby wine regions of the Barossa or Clare Valley.
Explorer of the Seas will continue the work of Radiance of the Seas in opening up the South Coast of NSW to cruise tourism with a maiden call to Wollongong (Port Kembla) – as part of her seven-night Tasmania sailing in March of 2018.
The Legend of the Seas will leave the region, and head to Europe in 2017
