By
Rebecca Gibson |
Royal Caribbean International’s Ovation of the Seas was conveyed from Meyer Werft’s Papenburg yard down the River Ems to the North Sea on 11 March.
At 346m in length and 41m in width, the 167,800gt ship is one of the largest ever to be conveyed backwards down the 26-mile route from the yard down the River Ems to the North Sea. The journey took 12 hours.
To be launched in April 2016, the 167,800gt Ovation of the Seas will have 16 guest decks and be able to accommodate 4,180 passengers at double occupancy. The vessel will also feature the cruise line’s largest staterooms, including cabins with Virtual Balconies to offer guests in interior staterooms real-time views of the ocean.
Ovation of the Seas will offer a series of ‘first-at-sea’ onboard experiences including the new Bionic Bar where guests can place orders via tablets and then watch robotic arms mix their drinks; the Ripcord by iFly skydiving experience; SeaPlex, the largest indoor active space at sea; Two70°, which spans three decks at the stern of the ship; and North Star, a glass pod that extends more than 300 ft above the ship.
Guests can also enjoy the Dynamic Dining concept, which comprises 18 restaurant concepts and speciality restaurants created with partner-chefs Jamie Oliver, Devin Alexander and Michael Schwartz.
Ovation of the Seas will launch in April with a 52-day ‘Global Odyssey’, which departs Southampton, England for Tianjin, China. The ship will then homeport in Tianjin from 24 June, joining Quantum of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and Legend of the Seas to make up the largest fleet of any cruise line sailing in China.