Royal Caribbean International’s US$1 billion Ovation of the Seas will not only be the biggest ship to ever call Australia home, but it will also be the most technologically advanced, according to the company. Launched in April 2016, the all-new megaliner, dubbed a ‘smart ship’, has been designed to incorporate the latest technologies to meet modern travellers’ holiday expectations.
Some of the ship’s features include:
- Fastest internet at sea: The company claims the ship will offer Australians unprecedented bandwidth and unlimited downloads at sea using VOOM, which operates using satellites launched by tech partner O3b Networks to beam internet directly to the ship.
- Robotics meets mixology: Bionic Bar, powered by Makr Shakr, features robots that shake and mix a wide variety of drinks made to order. Guests can place their orders using tablets.
- Cleaner and greener: Sophisticated computer modelling was used to reduce the ship’s energy consumption with more efficient, hydrodynamic hull configuration and engine design, together with an air lubrication system that helps the ship ride on a carpet of drag-reducing bubbles that improve fuel efficiency by up to 8 per cent.
The ship is set to arrive in Sydney on December 15, 2016.