Ovation of the Seas has been officially named by superstar Fan Bingbing in a first for a new ship in China.
The ceremony culminated in the maritime tradition of the breaking of a champagne bottle on the hull of the ship to wish good fortune to all who sail on her.
Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International, said: “With the arrival of Ovation of the Seas in Tianjin, Royal Caribbean now has the largest fleet in the region.”
Royal Caribbean’s blog tonight said: “This was the first ever naming ceremony in China and the ship also features the first Chinese Godmother, world famous actress Fan Bingbing, presided over the celebrations which culminated with the maritime tradition of the breaking of a champagne bottle on the hull of the ship to wish good fortune to the ship and all who sail on her.
“Ovation of the Seas is a ship of many firsts, including the first to make China its homeport immediately after its delivery.
Michael Bayley was quoted as saying: “We are excited to bring our newest and most technologically advanced ship to China. The unprecedented first-at-sea experiences will provide an incredible vacation adventure to our guests in the region. Chinese consumers have grown to expect the best the world has to offer, and this ship meets that standard like no other – this is a cruise from the future.”
“With the arrival of Ovation of the Seas in Tianjin, Royal Caribbean now has the largest fleet in the region. Now, Chinese guests can enjoy a wider variety of world-class cruise experiences and destinations right from their home market. We believe that this ship will continue to take cruisers to new heights with our extraordinary activities, creative entertainment and diversified dining options.” said Dr. Zinan Liu, President, Royal Caribbean International – China and North Asia Pacific, “We can provide the unforgettable and unexpected cruise experience that the Chinese market deserves.”
Royal Caribbean has built a training facility site for onboard crew training and development in hotel operations and over 100,000 jobs have been created in the past four years for major ports cities in China. Royal Caribbean is committed to cultivate talent for the cruising industry in China.
China is the cruise industry’s fastest-growing market in the world and the demand has increased by double digits since 2013. China alone accounted for 1 million cruise passengers last year, up from about 700,000 in 2014, and the Chinese Ministry of Tourism has forecasted 4.5 million passengers by 2020.
Ovation of the Seas will also offer return trips from Singapore in 2017 in March and April, ranging from 3 to 5 nights to Penang, Phuket, Bangkok (Laem Chabang), and a one-way cruise to Tianjin with calls at Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My) for an overnight, Hue/Danang (Chan May), Hong Kong and Seoul (Incheon).
