Ovation of the Seas Begins Short Asia Cruise Season

Royal Caribbean International’s Ovation of the Seas has recently made its way to Asia, launching a short-term cruising season from key Chinese ports.

This limited-time schedule features four sailings departing from Hong Kong and Tianjin, with stops in popular travel spots across Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Following its winter deployment in Australian waters, the 2016-launched vessel began a repositioning voyage to Hong Kong in mid-April.

From there, Ovation of the Seas set sail on a five-night journey that included calls at Okinawa and Keelung, operating from the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal.

Later in April, the ship sailed one-way to Tianjin, kicking off another five-night itinerary that will take guests to Japan and South Korea, including two days at sea and port visits to Nagasaki and Seogwipo-si.

Before it transitions to North America, the vessel is also expected to offer a one-way cruise to Yokohama, setting out from Tianjin.

That particular nine-night voyage will bring travelers to five destinations across Japan and South Korea, with highlights including Incheon, Kagoshima, and Kochi.

Originally, the ship was slated for a full summer schedule out of Tianjin, offering multiple sailings throughout the season.

However, those plans were later shelved in favor of a summer deployment along the U.S. West Coast.

Now joining Navigator of the Seas, the 4,204-passenger ship is operating a series of three- to six-night sailings from Los Angeles, visiting sunny Mexican ports like Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas through September.

After that, Ovation  will once again reposition—this time for a winter cruise season sailing from Singapore to destinations in Malaysia and Thailand.

Meanwhile, the Spectrum of the Seas, another Royal Caribbean ship, continues its year-round service from Shanghai, offering four- to eight-night cruises tailored to the Chinese domestic market with routes to Japan and South Korea.