Royal Caribbean reveals Ovation of the Seas’ panda sculpture

Royal Caribbean has released details of the art collection on board its newest ship, Ovation of the Seas, with “Mama and Baby” – a 33-feet high commission that depicts a mother panda and her cub reaching out to one another.

The pandas are also a nod to the cruise line’s newly announced partnership with World Wildlife Fund, which focuses on ensuring the long-term health of the oceans.

The ship’s crew will have the honour of naming the pandas when the ship sets sail, a custom for Royal Caribbean crew members as done for its sister ships’ installations – Quantum of the Seas’ Felicia the Bear and Anthem of the Seas’ Gigi the Giraffe.

Guests on board Ovation of the Seas can enjoy an 11,000-piece, $4.5m (£3.1m) art collection that was assembled to represent the ship’s destinations and its guests.

Other pieces include: “Sky Wave”, the first ever kinetic moving sculpture at sea, commissioned specifically for Ovation of the Seas; elevator art “The World of the Senses,” a collection of 10 pieces sure to surprise guests each time they ride from deck to deck; and an adaptation of Chinese artist Bieli Liu’s “Lure” series of installations, an energetic piece that responds to subtle air currents and movement.

Ovation of the Seas will sail three European itineraries before embarking on her 52-day Global Odyssey on 3 May.