Ovation extends Australian season in 2016/217

[MicCanberra]

Going by the Sydney Ports cruise schedule for January through to March there are not a lot of suitable dates for the Ovation to fit in four more cruises. If we take it that the 23rd Jan (original repo date) will now be the start date for the first "extra" cruise it means there will only be the 26th Jan, 10th Feb(possibly)and the 26th Feb available at the OPT . The 26th Jan means only a three night booze cruise but then there is only the 26th Feb after that which makes it a 31 night cruise unless she turns around in Fremantle or somewhere else (if she can???) The 10th Feb the Pacific Eden is at the OPT which could be moved to White Bay but I guess why would P&O move just to accommodate Royal

There looks to be a bit more flexibility in March and you would assume Royal would have taken this into consideration but it will be interesting to see what they have planned.

One "bonus" for me ... four more cruises.... four more days to work:D $$$$$

 

Unless as you say it isn't doing return cruises to Sydney.

[MicCanberra]

Yes Melbourne is a difficult port.The narrow entrance has a very strong rip and ships have to make a very sharp turn on leaving and as said above can be hit with the wind. They also have to navigate the channel up to the city which does not give much room for any error.

There are not many ports in Au or NZ that do not depend on dredging.

Brisbane also has a channel and can be be prone to high winds.

 

 

If a ship like Ovation lost power or got into difficulty do we have any tugs that are big enough and or powerful enough to offer help ?

 

 

 

Yes, I was wondering that as well.

[MicCanberra]

So we have Sydney, Hobart, Fremantle, Darwin as possible ports that can dock the Ovation.

What about Brisbane and Adelaide?

What about NZ ports?

May be a few one way cruises.

[marquisite]

Ovation of the Seas is scheduled to dock in Adelaide for the initial chartered sailing (docking on December 11). Preliminary port schedules had her listed to anchor somewhere but this later changed. At the moment that is the only booking for her for the 2016/2017 season. So to answer your question, yes she can dock here (apparently).

 

However I see three Ovation bookings for the 2017/2018 season including what appears to be one overnight call in Jan/Feb 2018 (that would be a first!).

 

Would be fantastic to see her turn around here even just for a one-way cruise like what happens with the Radiance top-end cruises in Fremantle. Perhaps Sydney > Hobart > Adelaide and then Adelaide > Hobart > Sydney? I'd be interested! :)

Edited April 6, 2016 by marquisite

[gbenjo]

26th January OPT says Terminal Unavailable. Is this for Australia Day?

 

Yes your right, I forgot about that,there goes another day they can't use.

[MMDown Under]

So we have Sydney, Hobart, Fremantle, Darwin as possible ports that can dock the Ovation.

What about Brisbane and Adelaide?

What about NZ ports?

May be a few one way cruises.

 

Queen Mary 2, with a draft of 10 metres berthed at the Grain Terminal in Brisbane. Does that mean Ovation, with a lesser draft, should be able to berth at the Grain Terminal?

Edited April 6, 2016 by MMDown Under

[MicCanberra]

Queen Mary 2, with a draft of 10 metres berthed at the Grain Terminal in Brisbane. Does that mean Ovation, with a lesser draft, should be able to berth at the Grain Terminal?

 

So it seems all the capital cities can take her except for Melbourne.

[The_Big_M]

Wow - what would the odds be of that happening twice?

 

It seems to happen a fair amount. With both of those a number of cruises were impacted, not just the one I had booked.

 

When I think about those I've heard of it's often more than one cruise that gets affected, so that will hit quite a few cruisers.

[The_Big_M]

One other plus from the extended visit is that it's going to be more worthwhile to re-fit for the Australian duration. When only here for 4 cruises, it was a bit questionable whether they'd bother re-arranging things e.g. the Diamond lounge. But being here for longer makes it more worthwhile.

[cassamanda]

Regarding Melbourne, the depth at the heads (the entrance to Port Phillip Bay) is listed as allowing ships with a draft of up to 12.1m. Ovation is showing that her draft will only be 8.5m. Whilst 3.6m might seem plenty to work with, it is a very dangerous and unpredictable narrow stretch of water (not called the rip for no reason). Even with an experienced pilot on board, perhaps they are simply erring on the side of caution.

 

This rather narrow entrance to Port Phillip Bay/Melbourne has stopped other large draft vessels over the years and is the reason why when US aircraft carriers have visited Australia's east coast they haven't called at Melbourne but rather docked at Sydney and Hobart.

 

Whilst a cruise on Ovation is a possibility for us in 2017/18, it would be even more likely for us and our travelling companions if the cruise began or finished (or both) in Melbourne.

All your statements are absolutely correct. I have sailed Port Phillip many times and done a few Melbourne/Hobarts. The only safe time to navigate the rip is at slack water. The entrance is like a bath tub. Shallow, deep, shallow and creates a whirlpool effect. I have seen small yachts spinning like a top:eek:

 

When we entered last week at 5am, we got a strong wind gust on the beam and the Captain decided not to use slack water as the seas were calm. The ship listed 2deg twice and you could hear all the open balcony doors slamming shut. He apologized at Captains Corner. A few old salts gave him what fir at drinks later.;)

 

If the ship misses the right turn it will get stuck on mud island or may have to sail on into Geelong.

 

 

BTW, reports from Germany say they are not happy with the new Azipods and are fitting the same ones as Quantum.

Edited April 6, 2016 by cassamanda

[Cruise ship fan]

Queen Mary 2, with a draft of 10 metres berthed at the Grain Terminal in Brisbane. Does that mean Ovation, with a lesser draft, should be able to berth at the Grain Terminal?

Brisbane can take the Ovation. She was actually scheduled to make her maiden call there on the cancelled cruise.

[MMDown Under]

It seems to happen a fair amount. With both of those a number of cruises were impacted, not just the one I had booked.

 

When I think about those I've heard of it's often more than one cruise that gets affected, so that will hit quite a few cruisers.

 

I meant happening twice to you.

[rwil111]

Is Garden Island still an option like when QM2 made her first visit to Sydney ?

[MMDown Under]

Is Garden Island still an option like when QM2 made her first visit to Sydney ?

 

It hasn't been an option for Royal Caribbean in the past.

[The_Big_M]

I meant happening twice to you.

 

The more you cruise the more likely it will have happened to you.

Edited April 7, 2016 by The_Big_M

[The_Big_M]

Is Garden Island still an option like when QM2 made her first visit to Sydney ?

 

That was before the extension at OPT as well, when there wasn't a land option elsewhere. It'd be harder now as part of the justification for the extension was to remove the need for that.

 

I doubt because a line decided to make some bookings late for their own commercial benefit and as a result OPT was booked out would be accepted.

[gbenjo]

The plot thickens ...just read on Cruise Weekly that the extended season is only for a month so unless there are some changes to the OPT bookings by the other cruise lines, which I doubt would happen,there are not many opportunities for Sydney start / finish cruises.

[rwil111]

Radiance is shown in the Sydney Ports schedule at the OPT on 20th Feb. Radiance leaves Sydney 9th Feb for a 16 day top end and will be in Bali on the 20th Feb.

 

Don't know how long that date has shown Radiance but now seems very coincidental with the rescheduled relocation leaving 20th Feb.

[rwil111]

Radiance is shown in the Sydney Ports schedule at the OPT on 20th Feb. Radiance leaves Sydney 9th Feb for a 16 day top end and will be in Bali on the 20th Feb.

 

Don't know how long that date has shown Radiance but now seems very coincidental with the rescheduled relocation leaving 20th Feb.

 

Radiance also showing at OPT 17th Feb when it is supposed to be in Darwin

[tangogulf]

That was before the extension at OPT as well, when there wasn't a land option elsewhere. It'd be harder now as part of the justification for the extension was to remove the need for that.

 

 

 

I doubt because a line decided to make some bookings late for their own commercial benefit and as a result OPT was booked out would be accepted.

 

 

Oh I wouldn't be so sure. The Govt would look at the economic benefit of the additional visits (pax spending money, provisioning the ship, port pilot and docking fees) for a ship this size. There are also per pax processing fees. So it could end up being viable for them to allow Garden Island to be used at least in $$ terms.

Edited April 7, 2016 by tangogulf

[woodscruise]

Sydney ports is updated today.

Additional bookings for Ovation of the Seas as follows:

28th Jan, 9th Feb, 17th Feb and 20 Feb.

[gbenjo]

Sydney ports is updated today.

Additional bookings for Ovation of the Seas as follows:

28th Jan, 9th Feb, 17th Feb and 20 Feb.

 

All those dates were all originally for the Radiance and she has disappeared from the Sydney Ports schedule until the 14th March Wonder if they will just swap ships but then what happens to the Radiance????? Maybe some cruises from other ports?

Edited April 7, 2016 by gbenjo

[cassamanda]

All those dates were all originally for the Radiance and she has disappeared from the Sydney Ports schedule until the 14th March Wonder if they will just swap ships but then what happens to the Radiance????? Maybe some cruises from other ports?

 

No. Radiance itineraries are 28 Jan 12 nt NZ, and 9 Feb 16nt top end out of Sydney, returning 25 Feb.

[Cruise ship fan]

Oh I wouldn't be so sure. The Govt would look at the economic benefit of the additional visits (pax spending money, provisioning the ship, port pilot and docking fees) for a ship this size. There are also per pax processing fees. So it could end up being viable for them to allow Garden Island to be used at least in $$ terms.

Except Garden Island is under the control of the Navy. The government cannot just say let us use the dock. The navy has to be able to justify and give permission. Which is becoming less and less likely as the navy is getting larger ships and there already isn't enough room at Garden island so it would be a hard pitch for a cruise line to get a dock there.

[The_Big_M]

Oh I wouldn't be so sure. The Govt would look at the economic benefit of the additional visits (pax spending money, provisioning the ship, port pilot and docking fees) for a ship this size. There are also per pax processing fees. So it could end up being viable for them to allow Garden Island to be used at least in $$ terms.

 

That's an argument used before, but the government doesn't control/determine the usage of Garden Island. It's controlled by the Navy, and tourism benefits don't play much into their priorities. :)

 

(As Cruise ship fan also said. :-) )

Edited April 7, 2016 by The_Big_M