mattymay

Geez.. we lose Ovation and then it gets Amped! We'll take her back now!! 🙂

Geez.. we lose Ovation and then it gets Amped! We'll take her back now!! 🙂

Geez.. we lose Ovation and then it gets Amped! We'll take her back now!! 🙂

Guurghhh, more of the same. I'll wait for Singapore next week.

G'Day from Brisbane.  


I had a decent view of the Botany Bay cargo port in Sydney while landing before connecting to Brisbane.


It's a rather industrial looking area but then again most US cruise ports are industrial in nature.  Miami, Port Everglades, Cape Liberty, San Pedro, Seattle to name a few, like Brisbane and many cruise ports around the world, cruise terminals often piggyback onto existing deep water cargo ports which are industrial in nature. 
Port Everglades, the first Oasis class home port ever is a secure marine deep water cargo port due to its role in the fuel supply for South Florida requiring a vehicle security inspection just to get into the port area.  Once within the port there are no tourist venues of any kind.
We are lucky in Port Canaveral that Royal has terminal one right beside tourist venues by foot.  The rest of Port Canaveral including the cruise terminals on the other side of the port are out of luck without a shuttle or any transit to get to the touristy side.  That's usually where Voyager class end up.  
The charm of cruising from Sydney has always been Circular Quay with easy access to tourist venues, hotels and transit all by foot with beautiful views for sail away.  If a cruise terminal was added to Botany Bay it seems most of that Sydney charm would be gone for cruisers.
For what it's worth, a source at the port in Brisbane told me that while the first season left some room for improvement, Quantum's season that is just ending has been successful typically over double occupancy (100%) capacity all season long and many times approaching SOLAS maximum capacity.
If that is the case you can see why they are bringing Quantum back.  Don't mess with success.

Ovation in Sydney for the last time... about to leave for Singapore, never to return!

Ovation in Sydney for the last time... about to leave for Singapore, never to return!

Ovation in Sydney for the last time... about to leave for Singapore, never to return!

It’s looking like Navigator is going to Singapore as there’s a few port bookings in Hong Kong for it.
It looks like a possible pacific transit via Japan in October and back in April????
 

Quantum would have also showed during the test load for Singapore if it was going there. It seems like it's just Navigator.
 
When is Lelepa due? Maybe the delay until Jun for Aus is related? Quantum back in Brisbane to coincide with that announcement? Just throwing things out there.

Test load from a week or so ago, should be live next week.
If you look closely in the pic it's actually AUD, I am definitely booking one if those are the prices!!

Test load from a week or so ago, should be live next week.
If you look closely in the pic it's actually AUD, I am definitely booking one if those are the prices!!

I think they are wrong as the test website loads had Navigator in Singapore.

 

I think they are wrong as the test website loads had Navigator in Singapore.

 

It was full in Jan when we were on there, obviously school holidays, but I'm all for them putting a Quantum class back in Brisbane and actually charging a reasonable price. 
Maybe it's the bad exchange rate, but cruising with Royal Caribbean in Aus is no longer worth the money.
Recently returned from Singapore, if they put Navigator there I will definitely booking one of those! Singapore cruises seem to be the best value for money out there.

It was full in Jan when we were on there, obviously school holidays, but I'm all for them putting a Quantum class back in Brisbane and actually charging a reasonable price. 
Maybe it's the bad exchange rate, but cruising with Royal Caribbean in Aus is no longer worth the money.
Recently returned from Singapore, if they put Navigator there I will definitely booking one of those! Singapore cruises seem to be the best value for money out there.

Cruises are live now.
@Jamesszy94, @mattymay

They're starting to load the Oz sailings now. There are two on Voyager and two on Anthem currently showing.

They are 100% final!

Yes, I think I'm out for that season. I have Star of the Seas in March 26 so that's probably a good thing anyways.
 
Spectrum is already released. I think it will just be Ovation in Singapore.

Yes, I think I'm out for that season. I have Star of the Seas in March 26 so that's probably a good thing anyways.
 
Spectrum is already released. I think it will just be Ovation in Singapore.

They are 100% final!

These are the links to the itineraries I have seen.
https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Deployment/2025_2026/Australia/AN_2025-2026_Australia_Deployment
https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Deployment/2025_2026/Australia/VY_2025-2026_Australia_Deployment
 

Don't forget the blue hull! 

Yeah they are classifying it as amplified. There was an announcement about it when it happened. I followed it closely because I was booked to go on it just after the amplification and was super excited following the reveal of the other ships that got amplified, hence the big disappointment at the time. 
 
Royal has it listed on their site with the amplified ships. 
 
https://www.royalcaribbean.com/aus/en/cruise-ships/renovations-royal-amplified