North Star, a 360-degree observation capsule that takes you 90m into the air for a splendid view of the surroundings.
Dubbed the “largest and most technologically-advanced ship” by Royal Caribbean, Ovation of the Seas, which is the third of the cruise operator’s Quantum Class of smartships, features various new experiences such as North Star, an observation capsule that brings you 90m above sea level and over the sides of a ship for an exhilarating 15-minute experience.
How does having a robot mixologist serving you an afternoon tipple sound?
Amazing, unusual, unique… we thought so too.
And that’s just one of the cool technologies on board Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas, which made its maiden call in Singapore on June 8.
At the Bionic Bar, all you need to do is to submit your drink order via a tablet, sit back, and watch as the bionic bartenders get to work, stirring and shaking two drinks per minute.
Dubbed the “largest and most technologically-advanced ship” by Royal Caribbean, Ovation of the Seas, which is the third of the cruise operator’s Quantum Class of smartships, features various new experiences such as North Star, an observation capsule that brings you 90m above sea level and over the sides of a ship for an exhilarating 15-minute experience.
For the adventurous, they can take their turn on a surf simulator; at RipCord by iFly, which is one of the first simulated skydiving experiences at sea, inside a 7m-tall indoor vertical wind tunnel; or get on old-school bumper cars at SeaPlex, which is said to be the largest indoor activity space at sea.
Ovation of the Seas also operates Voom, a high-speed WiFi service that allows guests to remain connected while they are out at sea. Other tech features include Virtual Balcony staterooms with screens that mimic windows to offer real-time views of the passing seas, and Two70, an entertainment venue with 18 movable projectors that offer 12K resolution images.
Overall investment for the 4,905-passenger ship costs US$1 billion (S$1.37 billion; the ship-building took a period of more than 18 months.
Said Gavin Smith, senior vice president, international, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, who arrived from Barcelona for the plaque and key ceremony onboard the ship, “It’s mind-boggling just to think about everything this incredible smartship can do.”
The ship, along with the return of Mariner of the Seas (in May) and Voyager of the Seas (in October), is expected to increase Royal Caribbean’s capacity in 2017 in Southeast Asia by 30% over 2016.
Ovation of the Seas will be back for a homeporting season in Singapore in 2017.