Royal Caribbean opened bookings for its third Quantum-class cruise ship, Ovation of the Seas today.  Guests can now book cruises for the ship's maiden season in Australia and New Zealand.

Ovation of the Seas will arrive in Australia on December 6, 2016 when she docks in Perth.  Ovation of the Seas will be the largest cruise ship to ever be homeported in Australia.

After arriving in Australia, Ovation of the Seas will visit Adelaide and Hobart, before arriving in Sydney to begin her official Australian season.

Ovation of the Seas will offer four sailings from Sydney during her summer season starting from December 15, 2016, including:

• A 15-night New Zealand cruise beginning with an overnight in Sydney on December 15, 2016 followed by calls at Hobart, the Milford Sounds region, Dunedin, Wellington, Picton, Tauranga and Auckland.
• A 10-night New Year cruise around New Zealand departing December 30, 2016, with calls at the Milford Sound region, Dunedin, Wellington, Napier and Picton.
• A 14-night cruise during the January school holidays with visits to Bay of Islands, Tauranga, Auckland, Wellington, Picton, Dunedin, and the Milford Sounds region.
• Ovation of the Seas leaves Australia on January 23, 2017 with a 14-night Sydney to Singapore cruise visiting Brisbane, Darwin and Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang).

Royal Caribbean commercial director for Royal Caribbean Australia & South East Asia, Sea Treacy, commented on the arrival of Ovation down under, "At USD$1 billion, Ovation of the Seas represents the single largest investment in Australia and New Zealand cruising by any cruise line. This ship truly ignites the imagination about what is possible on a cruise holiday – from skydiving in the middle of the ocean, robot bartenders, to North Star, an observation capsule that transports you more than 90 metres above the sea providing stunning 360 degree views."

"Being the imaginative and adventure-loving nation that we are, it is not surprising that over 20,000 Aussies have pre-registered their interest since we first announced her local deployment. Ovation of the Seas’ first season will be historic and we can’t wait for Australians to experience the world’s most advanced ship right on our doorstep," Treacy said.

"In her first season alone, Ovation of the Seas is projected to inject more than $20million into the Australian economy with 14 total calls across the country, and almost 30,000 guests are expected to experience the new generation of cruise ship. Some of the other delights her guests can look forward to include bumper cars, a circus school, spectacular shows in the custom-built Two70 entertainment venue, 18 different dining options including Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver, Broadway shows and high speed internet."

Royal Caribbean Blog contributor Michael Poole is on Freedom of the Seas this week reporting all about his cruise experience.

Today was our first of three sea days, I love just relaxing around the ship and enjoying some pool time in the sun. 

I made an appointment for the Next Cruise office right when I got onboard for today at 9:30am, to book some future cruises.  

My advice is to always book the first appointment of the day, as the staff always seem to run over.  We didn’t get helped until 10am and it took around an hour. 

I booked the Allure for next summer and Harmony for Spring 2017.  One of the perks from booking onboard is you get on board credit for the current cruise or the future cruise.  Also, you are only required to put down $100 deposit for the booking, which is nice for a sailing almost two years away. 

Pool Deck

After booking the cruise we headed up to the pool deck for some fun in the sun! 

I actually skipped breakfast, as I was still pretty full from dinner.  The pool deck was packed, but then again it was a little after 11AM on a sea day. 

We all jumped in the pool to cool off and they started the belly flop contest shortly after.  This is a fun activity to sit back and get entertained poolside. 

I noticed a lot of children in the pool most of the day, the pool staff was trying to control them the best they could, but they were everywhere. 

The captain actually mentioned our sailing is the most people to ever sail on Freedom of the Seas, 4,440 guests onboard.  My brother and I laughed because the same thing happen to us this past spring on the Oasis of the Seas. 

Lunch at Johnny Rockets

For lunch we headed to Johnny Rockets, this is an upcharge restaurant at $5.95 per person. 

We were a group of seven, so we had to get two tables, but it didn’t take too long. 

The staff started dancing to the music once we arrived, so I thought I would be fun to grab my little sister and dance with them!  She was so embarrassed, but who cares we are on a cruise right? 

I ordered the smokehouse burger, but just asked for a single burger to save room for dessert. 

One of my favorite desserts on a cruise ship is their world’s famous apple pie and ice cream.  This is one of those must try items when you dine at Johnny Rockets. 

Dinner

Tonight was a special evening because we were celebrating my grandmothers 75th birthday.  She loves Mexican food so we thought what better than having dinner at Sabor. 

The cost for dinner here is $25 per person and let me warn you the food just kept coming. 

Since we had a larger group at dinner he just brought all the starters out, and we didn’t mind.  For the main course I order the pork belly tacos and they were amazing, my brother actually said, “I’m ordering those next week”.

We had pre-arranged to have a cake for my grandmother and it was $13.  The service was absolutely outstanding the whole evening, even the chef came out to see how we were enjoying our dinner.  The restaurant is very small, but wasn’t full during our dinner. 

After dinner we headed to the R Bar, where we pull 10 chairs together for our group! 

That wraps up our first sea day, up next is St. Thomas!  

Harmony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's third Oasis class cruise ship, reached another construction milestone, with the installation of her last block at the shipyard in STX France.

Harmony of the Seas will have her inaugural cruise in June 2016.

The photos were taken earlier this week at the STX shipyard in France. All photos are copyright Royal Caribbean International.

Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas offers a lot to see and do onboard on its 3- and 4-night cruises out of Port Canaveral, Florida.  It's become a very popular cruise for those that are looking for a quick getaway vacation, and we present our list of the top must-do's aboard Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas!

Suspension Bridges

Spanning Enchantment of the Seas' Pool Deck are the enormous suspension bridges that are more than 65 feet on either side that offer some incredible views of the ship.

The bridges are supported by beautiful arches and it allows guests to cross over the pool deck below and are a truly unique feature on Enchantment of the Seas.  

Walking over the bridges, you will be able to see much of the pool deck below and they just come in over the side of the deck to give you a view of the ocean below as well.  The bridges also support the jogging track.

Splash Deck

For kids, it's hard to pass up the fun that is the Splash Deck, which features 64 water jets.  Many of these jets are connected to an interactive touch-pad system that allows kids to direct the water in many directions.

When the kids go to bed, be sure to head back to the Splash Deck again because at night it becomes a fiber-optic light and water show.

Jump Zone

Up on Deck 10, you will find four bungee trampolines on Enchantment of the Seas, known as the Jump Zone.

Guests can be strapped into a harness that is connected to bungee cords and then jump up, down and upside down on inflatable trampolines during two-minute jump sessions. 

You will be able to reach heights of 35 feet or more and practice moves like flips during this exhilarating session.  

R-Bar

Royal Caribbean's innovative throwback to the bars of yesterday are embodied in R-Bar.  

Royal Caribbean went for a sophisticated 1960s vibe with R-Bar, and it's a great blend of what we love about going out to get a drink with a touch of nostalgia.

The bartenders at R-Bar are your personal mixologist, and can serve up your favorite drink or tantalize you with something completely different.

Outdoor movie screen

When you combine pools and movies, you will never go wrong.  There's something lovely about enjoying a Hollywood classic while you lounge in (or around) the pool with a warm Caribbean breeze hitting your face.

Each evening, Royal Caribbean presents movies on the poolside movie screen that features surround sound and the perfect backdrop for any flick.

No cruise on Enchantment of the Seas is complete without a late night swim and movie to enjoy.

What are your must do things on Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas? Let us know by leaving a comment!

Our newest podcast episode is out to help give you a quick "audio escape" to a Royal Caribbean cruise!

Episode 98 is available for downloading where we discuss where to start when planning your first Royal Caribbean cruise.

Planning your first Royal Caribbean cruise can be a challenge for people that are new to Royal Caribbean, so this week, Matt offers tips and advice for where to start when you are planning your very first Royal Caribbean cruise.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 98. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Stitcher or on iTunes!

Take a listen and as always, let us know what you think! Please rate and review the podcast on iTunes and leave your comments below!

Explore Anthem of the Seas’ North Star from a new angle. Go behind the scenes with the North Star Operator on Anthem of the Seas as she takes guests on a 300 feet above sea level adventure.

Royal Caribbean Blog contributor Michael Poole is on Freedom of the Seas this week reporting all about his cruise experience.

You may recall me from the Labadee vs Coco Cay podcast, that I’m a huge fan of Coco Cay.  To me this is what paradise looks like blue waters, hammocks under shaded trees, and chicken’s walking around like they own the island.  I know there is not a lot excursions to do in Coco Cay, but to me that’s what makes it special, you just relax. 

Since we are traveling in-group it takes a while to get everyone together, so we didn’t get off the ship until 10am. 

Okay, so if you listen to the podcast, you will know I’m a big fan of the tender boats and the ride over.  Well not on Freedom of the Seas, it took us almost an hour to get from ship to shore.  We did arrive at 7am and departed at 3pm, so it was a shorter day in Coco Cay. 

Today I had booked the Aqua Park with my sister, I had played on it a few years ago and wanted to revisit.

All I can say about this park was, holy cow!  There were around 100 kids out there with a few adults.  I was worn out within a few minuets of being out there, but it sure was a blast. 

I actually lost my water camera in the water, I was kind of freaking out because it’s brand new.  I went to the check-in stand and asked for some snorkeling equipment, and after 15 minutes of searching I found it!

After the aqua park we headed back to the ship since it was almost last call for a tender ride at 3pm.  Once I got back on board I headed to the schooner bar for some trivia, and well I just blogged. 

Pre Dinner

Tonight was formal night so everyone was very nicely dressed and this just happens to be my favorite night. 

One recent change is they no longer have the captain’s reception on the Royal Promenade; it’s almost hard to believe.  They now have the reception in the main theater, without free champagne. 

Before the show they hosted a Make a Wish auction on WiFi, drink packages, bridge tours, ect.  Around a half hour in they started the welcome aboard show. 

Dinner

Tonight was our first time in the main dining room and we had a table for 12.  They had live music playing from the staircase and the passengers were really getting into the music. 

For dinner we all order the filet of beef and it was so tender, quit possible the best I’ve ever tasted. 

That about wraps up our day in Coco Cay, up next is sea day!  

Royal Caribbean announced today it was promoting Dr. Zinan Liu as its new President for the China and North Asia Pacific region.

Zinan joined Royal Caribbean International in 2009 and has been spearheading all of Royal Caribbean's commercial and operational activities, and significantly growing the brand in the region, including opening offices in Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, and bolstering the brand's operations in Shanghai. 

Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley commented on the promotion, "These are exciting times for Royal Caribbean International as we continue to build our business in China.  I am confident that Zinan's expertise as a global travel veteran, his strong relationships in the region, and astute business acumen, will put us in a powerful position to reach our goals."

Zinan holds a doctoral degree in economics from the University of London, and also is Chairman of Cruise Lines International Association, North Asia, where he has been an influential spokesman for the cruise industry in the region.

Royal Caribbean is offering a free Royal Refreshment package with any Ultimate unlimited alcohol package purchased for a limited time.

Royal Caribbean had created a flyer over the weekend advertising the deal was to get the Royal Replenish package, but Royal Caribbean Global Brand Communications manager Lyan Sierra-Caro confirmed that "was an error" and the deal is in fact for the Royal Refreshment package.

In a message to Royal Caribbean Blog, Royal Caribbean explained, "It seems there was an error on the trade flyer and it is being updated."

"With purchase of an ultimate beverage package, guests will receive an additional souvenir cup and royal refreshment package to share with a friend."

Guests will also receive a complimentary bottle of limited edition American Summer Domaine Chandon.

The Royal Refreshment package allows for unlimited fountain soda refills and a free Coca-Cola souvenir cup for $6.50 per person, per day for adults and $4.50 per person, per day for kids.

Offer valid June 15 through August 31, 2015. One bottle of champagne per stateroom.