The ship will be based in Tianjin, China for the majority of the year, but Royal Caribbean are looking into a more long term Australian season for 2017/18 and 2018/19.
Itineraries will be announced in May, when they go on sale to the public. The ship will squeeze into the newly revamped Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay in Sydney and most of the other ports in the region, will be able to accommodate the huge cruise ship. However tender operations will have to take place at some New Zealand ports of call.
Gavin Smith, Regional Vice President of Royal Caribbean, Asia Pacific, commented:
"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. 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."