Next Quantum class ship to sail from Australia

By Phil Davies 

Royal Caribbean International is to deploy its next Quantum-class ship in Australia for the 2016-17 southern hemisphere summer season.

The $1 billion Ovation of the Seas, currently being built in Germany, will be the largest cruise ship to be based in the country.

The vessel is due to arrive in Sydney for the peak summer season from December 2016.

The announcement came as the line prepares for Monday’s naming of sister ship Anthem of the Seas in Southampton ahead of a summer season sailing from the UK.

Ovation of the Seas, the third ship in the Quantum class, will be the fifth vessel to be positioned by Royal Caribbean in Australia for summer 2016-17, joining Voyager of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas in Sydney and Legend of the Seas in Brisbane.

The disclosure coincided with rival Carnival Corporation brand Princess Cruises confirming that it is to home port five ships in Australia for the 2016-17 season.

The 3,082-passenger Emerald Princess will join Golden Princess, Sun Princess, Sea Princess and Dawn Princess with departures from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

Emerald Princess run 42-day re-positioning voyage from the UK to Australia on September 28, 2016.