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Smuggled cat on cruise ship would have been euthanized until crew members saved it

In:
27 Dec 2023

A cat smuggled onto a cruise ship has a new home, and it almost ended very badly for one cat.

Ovation of the Seas arrives in Sydney

According to Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley, a guest smuggled on a cat on Ovation of the Seas. They aren't quite sure how it was brought onboard, but it was discovered on the ship.

Ovation of the Seas was sailing from Hawaii to Australia on a sailing in October.

"Meet Ovie! The cat smuggled onboard Ovation of the Seas by a guest!", Bayley wrote on his Facebook page.

Ovie the cat

Mr. Bayley thinks perhaps the cat was able to be brought onboard in a sweatshirt in order to evade security measures

"We assume he must have been sedated or something and he wouldn't beep, since Ovie isn't metal," Bayley wrote.

Per customs rules, the cat wasn't allowed off the ship in Australia or New Zealand.

Biosecurity agents from New Zealand found Ovie in a guest’s cabin, but Royal Caribbean International declined to identify the traveler.

Ovation of the Seas in Sydney

Other than service animals, pets aren't allowed on Royal Caribbean ships. Emotional support animals have been banned since 2018.

As a result, the cat was to be euthanized, according to Mr. Bayley.

Thanks to the work of the Guest Services team on the ship, the cat was able to remain onboard the ship until a permanent solution was found. It took a few weeks, but Mr. Bayley said they were able to get the cat back to the United States.

One of those crew members from the Guest Services team adopted the cat, and it's now living in Florida.

The feline was "adopted by one of the Guest Service team members in Miami.  Ovie is now happily living in Miami."

Fans thankful for saving the cat

Mr. Bayley shared the story of Ovie's rescue on Facebook, and the comments were overwhelmingly" happy a positive ending came to the story.

"Love this. Not the cats fault. Love Royal. God Bless," wrote Phares Heindl.

"Love this so much! I hope Ovie and family have a magical life together!", posted Katina Bradley.

"This is amazing! Thank you for making sure this baby was not euthanized!," wrote Fox Forlenza-Owens.

One fan thought the cat had aspirations to become a cruise ship pet celebrity like Captain Kate's cat.

"She aspired to be a cruise cat like Capt. Kate McCue and Bug," wrote April Davenport.

Facebook comment

Many people were also incredulous towards whomever brought the cat in the first place.

"What freaking idiot would “smuggle” a cat onboard?? People really are stupid," Greg Brockman posted.

"How irresponsible of the owners to think this was a good idea," Robyn Tindall added. 

Ovation of the Seas to begin her first test cruise today

In:
30 Jul 2021

Royal Caribbean is preparing to sail its second cruise ship to sail to Alaska this year.

Ovation of the Seas will begin her simulated voyage later today.

The test cruise for Ovation will take 5-nights and sail from Seattle, returning back to Seattle on August 4.

Ovation of the Seas will make one stop in Ketchikan, Alaska during her voyage.

The volunteers onboard are a mix of cruise line employees, travel agents, and volunteers. All passengers will be fully vaccinated. Royal Caribbean will have 100% of its crew members fully vaccinated on all its sailings.

Simulated cruises are part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) phased approach to cruise ships restarting in the United States.

Simulated voyages (also known as test cruises) are when cruise lines can operate ships with volunteer passengers in order to prove their new protocols work.

These are not cruises you can book, but rather, are limited voyages where a cruise line invites certain unpaid volunteers to help go through all the necessary steps and procedures to ensure cruise ships can be run safely.

Thus far, four other Royal Caribbean ships have successfully conducted test cruises: Freedom of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, and Allure of the Seas.

If Ovation's test cruise goes well, she will be ready for paying passengers to begin sailing on August 13, 2021.

Ovation will join Serenade of the Seas as the other Royal Caribbean ship to sail to Alaska this year.

Ovation will sail 7-night cruises beginning in August to Skagway, Sitka and Juneau, Alaska and through the famed Inside Passage. The cruise line recently extended Ovation’s Alaska season into October with four additional sailings. 

Test cruise requirements

Test cruises come with a variety of requirements that must be completed in order to demonstrate the ship can be operated in a safe manner with the new health protocols

While the ship is indeed conducting a cruise as if it were a normal cruise, the CDC wants the cruise ship to test out procedures and ensure it can handle any health situation it could encounter.

Each ship must conduct at least one simulated cruise, and each voyage must be between 2-7 days in length with a least one overnight stay, including through embarkation, disembarkation, and post-disembarkation testing.

Read moreEverything you need to know about Royal Caribbean test cruises

The CDC recommends a test cruise is at least 3 days with 2 overnight stays.

Passengers and crew must meet standards during the simulated voyage for hand hygiene, use of face masks, and social distancing for passengers and crew, as well as ship sanitation.

Royal Caribbean must modify meal service and entertainment venues to facilitate social distancing during the simulated voyage.

And then there is a laundry list of activities that the CDC says the ship needs to test across one or many separate test cruises:

  • Embarkation and disembarkation procedures, as approved by U.S. port and local health authorities as part the cruise ship operator’s Phase 2A agreements, including procedures for terminal check-in.
  • Onboard activities, including seating and meal service at dining and entertainment venues.
  • Medical evacuation procedures.
  • Transfer of symptomatic passengers or crew, or those who test positive for SARS-CoV-2, from cabins to isolation rooms.
  • Onboard and shoreside isolation and quarantine, as per the terms of the cruise ship operator’s Phase 2A agreements, of at least 5% of all passengers and non-essential crew.
  • Recreational activities that the cruise ship operator intends to offer as part of any restricted passenger voyages, e.g., casinos, spa services, fitness classes, gymnasiums.
  • Private-island shore excursions if any are planned during restricted passenger voyages. The following measures must be observed on the private island:
    • Only one ship can port at the island at any one time.
    • A routine screening testing protocol must be implemented for island staff who are expected to interact with volunteer passengers or crew, unless they are fully vaccinated or have documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 90 days.
    • Mask use and social distancing must be observed in indoor areas while on the island.
  • Port of call shore excursions if any are planned during restricted passenger voyages. The following measures must be observed on port of call shore excursions:
    • Shore excursions must only include passengers and crew from the same ship.
    • Cruise ship operator must ensure all shore excursion tour companies facilitate social distancing, mask wearing, and other COVID-19 public health measures throughout the tour while in any indoor areas.
    • Cruise ship operators must have a protocol for managing persons with COVID-19 and close contacts at all foreign ports of call. At a minimum, the protocol must include the following:
      • Disembarkation and housing of persons with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 needing shore-based hospital care and their travel companion(s) for the duration of their isolation or quarantine period.
      • Commercial repatriation of U.S.-based persons with COVID-19 and close contacts only after meeting criteria to end isolation and quarantine per CDC guidance. For commercial repatriation of foreign-based persons with COVID-19 and close contacts, cruise ship operators must consult with all relevant public health authorities.

Royal Caribbean gets CDC approval to start test sailings on Ovation of the Seas

In:
15 Jul 2021

Another Royal Caribbean cruise ship has a test sailing scheduled.

Royal Caribbean confirmed on Thursday that Ovation of the Seas has received permission from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to start test cruises.

Ovation is one of a half dozen ships within the Royal Caribbean fleet to have gotten approval to start test cruises so far.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley confirmed the news on Facebook, along with sail dates.

Ovation will sail from Seattle to Alaska on July 30 to August 4th.

"Onwards and upwards ship by ship," Mr. Bayley added with the news.

Simulated voyages (also known as test cruises) are when cruise lines can operate ships with volunteer passengers in order to prove their new protocols work.

Read moreEverything you need to know about Royal Caribbean test cruises

These are not cruises you can book, but rather, are limited voyages where a cruise line invites certain unpaid volunteers to help go through all the necessary steps and procedures to ensure cruise ships can be run safely.

Each cruise ship needs to be approved by the CDC in order to conduct test cruises.

During these test cruises, Royal Caribbean will go through a variety of scenarios to prove to the CDC that the ship can conduct sailings in a safe manner. Specifically, the new protocols aimed at preventing Covid-19 from getting onboard the ship are at the heart of these dry runs.

Each ship must conduct at least one simulated cruise, and each voyage must be between 2-7 days in length with a least one overnight stay, including through embarkation, disembarkation, and post-disembarkation testing.

According to the CDC, passengers and crew must meet standards during the simulated voyage for hand hygiene, use of face masks, and social distancing for passengers and crew, as well as ship sanitation.

Royal Caribbean must modify meal service and entertainment venues to facilitate social distancing during the simulated voyage.

Royal Caribbean releases Alaska cruise ship protocols for August sailings

In:
09 Jul 2021

Royal Caribbean sent guests booked on Alaska cruises in August a list of health protocols to expect onboard its sailings.

As ships are restarting operations, Royal Caribbean is sending out what health protocols for booked passengers on these sailings can expect and typically for each month.

The cruise line says these new protocols are especially important to unvaccinated children who are between the ages of 2 and 11.

This information only applies to sailings departing from Seattle in August 2021.

Vaccine requirements

All guests 12 years and older are required to bring proof of vaccination, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 vaccination record card, with the final dose of the vaccine completed at least 14 days before sailing. 

Testing

At the terminal: Unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 years are required to take a PCR test for COVID-19 when checking in at the terminal. Registration details for this test will be sent via email in advance. 

Prior to disembarking: Unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 years are required to take an antigen test onboard within 24 hours of the end of voyage. Vaccinated guests who require an antigen or PCR test for entry into their destination country may receive one onboard at no charge. Registration details will be provided during the cruise. 

Face masks

When indoors, CDC guidelines require all guests 2 years and older to wear masks unless they are actively eating or drinking.

The CDC makes allowances for guests to remove their masks in venues and events dedicated to fully vaccinated parties. Royal Caribbean says vaccinated guests will find "plenty of these opportunities".

Masks are not required in your client's stateroom when they are with their traveling party or outside on the open decks, unless in a crowded setting. Updates will be shared as changes to CDC mask guidelines occur.

Dining

For Main Dining, Royal Caribbean will designate areas for everyone, including parents and unvaccinated children, and areas for vaccinated parties only.

My Time Dining will not be available to parties that include unvaccinated guests. 

Some specialty restaurants will be open to everyone, while others will be for vaccinated parties only.

Windjammer will be open to everyone for breakfast and lunch, and the food will be served by crew members.

Royal Caribbean recommends to make dining reservations via Cruise Planner before the cruise or the Royal Caribbean app onboard.

Grab-and-go cafes will also be available for everyone.

Other venues onboard the ship

Theaters and activity venues will offer spaced seating with options for everyone and for vaccinated guests only. You will be able to make reservations for shows via the Royal Caribbean app.

Spa services, except those offered in treatment rooms, are available to everyone.

The Fitness Center will have dedicated operating hours for everyone as well as hours reserved for vaccinated guests only. 

The Casino will be open to vaccinated guests only.

Youth spaces will be open to all children and teens.         

Shore excursions

Fully vaccinated parties have the choice of booking a shore excursion or visiting freely.

Parties that wish to go ashore and include any unvaccinated guests, including parents traveling with unvaccinated children, must book a shore excursion through Royal Caribbean.

Vaccinated parents wishing to go ashore freely can drop kids off at Adventure Ocean and reserve time for their child on the day they wish to go in port.

Other protocols

Check out health protocols from other ships already announced:

Ovation of the Seas enters dry dock for routine five year maintenance

In:
08 Mar 2021

The cruise industry remains shutdown, but regular maintenance continues for ships to keep them operational when cruises do begin again.

Ovation of the Seas is in dry dock currently in the Tuas Shipyard in Singapore for her routine refurbishment.

Unlike amplifications, this is a "technical dry dock", where the ship undergoes maintenance work to ensure she can continue to operate normally. Every five years, cruise ships go in for this sort of maintenance.

Ovation of the Seas was launched in 2016, so it is her turn to undergo work now.

Our friends at Singapore Cruise Society found photos of Ovation of the Seas entering dry dock and shared a glimpse of Ovation in position to get work done.

Pictures By Vincent CLS and shared by Singapore Cruise Society

No changes have been announced for the ship as part of this refurbishment, and I expect this will be just "under the hood" type maintenance, similar to when you bring a car in for a tune-up.

While Royal Caribbean has put all Royal Amplifications on hold indefinitely, scheduled maintenance work continues on its cruise ships.

So far Anthem of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, and Explorer of the Seas all had their five year dry docks take place while the cruise industry was shutdown.

New Zealand volcano erupts while Royal Caribbean ship is nearby

In:
09 Dec 2019

A volcano in New Zealand erupted on Monday, coinciding with a nearby visit by Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas.

Ovation of the Seas was in the port of Tauranga, a coastal city about 90 km (56 miles) from White Island. White Island (or Whakaari) is one of New Zealand’s most iconic, active, volcanoes that you can visit by boat. 

Authorities report around 50 people were on White Island when the eruption took place, and CNN reports more than 30 passengers were there from Ovation of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean's Australia website posted an update at 7:30pm AEDT:

During Ovation of the Seas call to Tauranga today, a shore tour was visiting White Island at the time of the volcanic eruption earlier this afternoon. We do not have any additional details to share at this time. Ovation of the Seas will remain in Tauranga overnight until we learn more about the situation. We will offer all possible assistance to our guests and local authorities. Please keep all those affected in your prayers.

AU Crisis Hotline: 1300 026 240

NZ Crisis Hotline: 0800 002 141

Royal Caribbean issued a statement about the incident:

We can confirm that a number of our guests were touring the island today. We do not have any additional details to share at this time.

Ovation of the Seas will remain overnight until we learn more about the situation. We will offer all possible assistance to our guests and local authorities.

Please keep all those affected in your prayers.

 

We are devastated by today’s events and our hearts go out to all those affected by this tragedy.

We are working together with local authorities, and we are providing all the help and care we can to our guests and their families, including offering medical resources and counseling. We are also sending staff members from both our ship and our Sydney and Auckland offices to assist family members however possible. 

 

Ovation of the Seas will remain in port as long as needed to assist with the situation.

Family members concerned about the status of relatives traveling aboard Ovation of the Seas may inquire by calling the following numbers:

Australia – 1-300-026-240
New Zealand – 0800-002141
USA - 800 829 4050
Germany 0800-180-0885
UK 0-800-014-8339
Mexico 01-800-681-5336
China 400-120-3534
Japan 0800-170-6282
Singapore 65-31582855

Noon update: Royal Caribbean has issued a new statement on the developing situation in New Zealand.

The news from White Island is devastating. The details that are emerging are heartbreaking.

 

We are working to help our guests and the authorities in the aftermath of this tragedy in any way we can.

 

We are communicating with our guests and their families. We’re making sure they are taken care of in terms of medical help, counseling, accommodations, and transport. Our hearts go out to them, and we want to be as supportive as we can.

 

Staff from our Sydney and Auckland offices office are already onsite, and we’re going to be offering all our resources while this terrible tragedy sorts out.

 

We are grateful for the work of all the first responders and medical personnel. We also thank the prime minister and her team, the local authorities and everyone who has reached out to help with their kind thoughts and prayers.

Royal Caribbean adds Ovation of the Seas to new app

In:
20 Sep 2019

Royal Caribbean has expanded its new app to include support for Ovation of the Seas.

Ovation now appears in the list of supported ships that can be found from within the app.

The new app is being actively developed, which means not all features area available on the app yet.  Moreover, the cruise line is slowly rolling out support for more ships.

The app is available on the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store.

Review: North Star Alaska Experience on Ovation of the Seas

In:
23 May 2019

Royal Caribbean has introduced a new Alaskan experience on it’s newest and largest ship to visit Alaska Ovation of the Seas.  The North Star Alaskan Experience is offered in addition to the customary and complimentary North Star Experience offered to guests on some Quantum class ships.  The new North Star Alaskan Experience is offered when the ship calls on Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier during the summer Alaska cruise season. 

The Alaskan edition of the North Star Experience is offered at an additional charge and timed to occur during the ship’s visit to Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier.   Unlike the complimentary North Star experience the Alaskan experience ride extends over the sides of the ship giving participants unparalleled views of the ship and the surroundings.  Float over the side of the ship as pieces of glaciers float by below you.  

The North Star Alaskan Experience begins with complimentary hot chocolate in an exclusive area of the North Star Bar for participants while they wait for their North Star Alaskan Experience.

The initial offering of the North Star Alaskan Experience is priced at $49 per person for adult or child with up to fourteen guests per ride. The experience is shared with any other guests who book the same time.

The North Star Alaskan Experience lasts approximately 15 to 20 minutes and begins by rising to a height of approximately 250 feet above sea level where the North Star turns and extends over the side of the ship.  This position is held for a few minutes giving participants an incredible view of the ship and surroundings before the North Star climbs to a height of approximately 300 feet above sea level.

 After several minutes the North Star lowers and extends over the opposite side of the ship at approximately 250 feet above seal level before eventually returning to center and gently lowering back to it’s starting position.

 

The North Star Alaskan Experience is available while the ship is within Endicott Arm during the approach and departure from Dawes Glacier and it is available while the ship is at Dawes Glacier.  Both offer a unique and different perspective.  On the Ovation of the Seas initial visit to Dawes Glacier the rides starting between 9am and 10am offered views of Dawes Glacier while the rides before and after featured views of Endicott Arm.  This will vary from sailing to sailing depending on time of arrival and ice conditions.

Guests interested in the complimentary North Star Experience will find the North Star available based on reservations at certain times and purely on a walk up basis at other times.  A standby line is available during reservation based times for last minute guests on a space available basis.  The complimentary North Star Experience does not extend over the sides of the ship.  

Limited reservations are usually offered in the Cruise Planner before sailing while the majority of North Star reservations are offered only on board once the cruise has started.  Reservations can be made by visiting the temporary Box Office kiosks upon boarding on embarkation day.

The North Star Alaskan Experience is only offered on Ovation of the Seas and it’s a unique perspective to an Alaska cruise available on no other ship or cruise line.  

First look: Ovation of the Seas visits Alaska glaciers

In:
21 May 2019

Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas has begun sailing her inaugural season in Alaska, and she is the first Quantum Class ship to offer cruises in the region.

When you combine the natural splendor and beauty of Alaska with one of the world's most advanced cruise ships, the result is a fantastic view.

Royal Caribbean crew ambassador Stephen Burke snapped these photos of Hubbard Glacier from Ovation of the Seas on her recent visit.

With the highest vantage point on any cruise ship, the North Star – the ship’s signature glass observation capsule with panoramic views from 300 feet above sea level – is the “best seat in the house” for guests to take in the majestic mountains, eye-catching glaciers and diverse wildlife native to the state’s stunning landscape.

This year marks Ovation of the Seas' first season offering cruises to The Last Frontier, with 7-night itineraries to destinations from Juneau to Victoria, British Columbia

Ovation will return to Alaska in 2020 for her second consecutive season to offer cruises through the region’s untouched wilds on 7-night itineraries from Seattle, Washington.

Spotted: North Star Alaska Experience on Ovation of the Seas

In:
17 May 2019

Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas has begun her inaugural season in Alaska this year, and guests sailing on her can enjoy an incomparable view of the glaciers.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader twangster shared with us a new activity to reserve via the Royal iQ app or the shore excursions tablets onboard, North Star Alaska Experience.

For $49 per person, you can take a ride up in North Star while the ship visits a glacier and take in a view of this natural wonder 300 feet above sea level.

This North Star experience is available while the ship visits Hubbard Glacier or Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier.

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