Ovation of the Seas

News

Australia’s oldest music cruise moves to 2022 – star act Suzi Quatro sticks by the concerts

After a decade of running music charters on board Royal Caribbean ships, music specialist Choose Your Cruise has scratched its 2021 season and moved to 2022 instead. Project manager Caitlin Manov told Cruise Passenger music […]

WORDS BY Teresa Ooi . Apr 16 2021
News

Three Royal Caribbean ships to cruise in Australia in 2021-22

Royal Caribbean International will step up its presence in Australia, sending three ships, including Quantum of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas to cruise in local waters in 2021-22 season. […]

WORDS BY Teresa Ooi . Oct 22 2020
News

What the cruise lines say about when they’ll be back

There is much confusion over when international lines will return and cruise in Australian seas. The Federal Government’s official ban on foreign cruise vessels entering local waters ends on 17 September. So what do the […]

WORDS BY Teresa Ooi . Jun 18 2020
Ahoy

Meet the pair who have 30 cruisers under their belt and have more planned

Cruising YouTube superstars, Ben and David have 30 voyages under their belt. Known for their video channel, Cruise with Ben & David, the pair had dozens of upcoming cruises postponed or cancelled. But it’s not […]

WORDS BY Bernadette Chua . May 29 2020
News

Royal Caribbean faces legal action over White Island deaths

Royal Caribbean is facing legal suits over its shore excursion to volcanic White Island in New Zealand in December. Twenty-one people died and many were injured when the island’s volcano erupted last year. All but […]

WORDS BY Peter Lynch . Apr 27 2020
News

Royal Caribbean passenger dies from COVID-19

A 68-year-old Queensland man has died from COVID-19 after he disembarked Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas last week. According to ABC and other news outlets, Garry Kirstenfield contracted the virus aboard the ship and […]

WORDS BY Bernadette Chua . Mar 25 2020
News

Another Ruby Princess passenger dies, bringing the total to 14

A Tasmanian man in his 80s, who was a passenger on the Ruby Princess has died today from coronavirus. Over the weekend, another passenger, an 87-year-old woman who had been infected on the ship also died. […]

WORDS BY Bernadette Chua . Mar 24 2020
News

NSW blamed for failing to halt Ruby Princess disembarkation after 131 positive COVID-19 tests

NSW Health officials are being blamed for failing to halt the disembarkation of Ruby Princess passengers last week, despite tests being carried out on guests, twelve of which proved positive for coronavirus. NSW Health Minister […]

WORDS BY Cruise Passenger . Mar 20 2020
News

Mum’s month-long hospital vigil beside Volcano victim daughter

The mother of a New Zealand volcano victim has not left her daughter’s bedside for more than a month after her youngest child and husband died in the White Island volcano eruption. Maria Browitt, who […]

WORDS BY Bernadette Chua . Jan 16 2020
News

Tour operators and cruise lines could face jail or big fines over volcano eruption – New Zealand PM

The Ovation of the Seas left Sydney last night, ironically on a 10-night cruise through the Pacific and New Zealand, as it became clearer Royal Caribbean may face legal action over the tragedy on White […]

WORDS BY Peter Lynch . Dec 17 2019
News

White Island death toll rises to 16 as video reveals the horror of the eruption

An Australian died in hospital today, bringing the death toll so far to 16 from the New Zealand volcano tragedy. Five patients remain in a critical condition in Sydney and three more in Melbourne. Six […]

WORDS BY Peter Lynch . Dec 13 2019
Features

How I survived a $59,000 heart attack five days from port

Frank Armstrong was five days from the nearest port when he suffered a heart attack  halfway between Australia and America. The 81-year old, who was travelling with his wife Leah,  was immediately admitted to the […]

WORDS BY Teresa Ooi . Aug 15 2019