RCI website shows Ovation due out fall 2016

So is this yet another screwup by their IT department.

This is from their website,

The Quantum class of ships is a new leap forward in vessel design with groundbreaking innovations....

Quantum of the Seas sailing November 2014.

Anthem of the Seas sailing Spring 2015.

And now we proudly introduce Ovation of the Seas for Fall 2016.

Can't remember what thread there was this discussion on but I know RCI PR made a comment about Ovation being due out in the fall of 2016 yet according to Meyer and the RCCL annual report it is due out in the 2'nd qtr of 2016.

The delivery date for Ovation of the Seas is May/Spring 2016. Like you said Meyer Werft says the spring, and then also seatrader also names May as the delivery month.

Maybe one of these days they will tell us which one is correct. However there are few references to Autumn 2016 that I have seens as well, including in RCI PR and Cruise Industry News.

The delivery date for Ovation of the Seas is May/Spring 2016. Like you said Meyer Werft says the spring, and then also seatrader also names May as the delivery month.

That's what I have thought as well however now I am wondering if there have been changes to the delivery as the website was just recently updated and this is RCI's subtle way of releasing that information or of this is yet another screwup by their marketing/IT departments.

Maybe one of these days they will tell us which one is correct. However there are few references to Autumn 2016 that I have seens as well, including in RCI PR and Cruise Industry News.

And these have been recent. The annual report was published 6 months ago. Not sure when Meyer's info was released/last updated.

And these have been recent. The annual report was published 6 months ago. Not sure when Meyer's info was released/last updated.

Just a guess and speculation here on my part. Maybe the schedule has changed due to modifications in the ship design. If the original plan was for the third Quantum Class to head to Asia, it is possible she had design futures for that market. Now that they have changed the plan and her permanent home port will be UK or US they may have design changes. Furtherf more with an Autumn schedule they may want her to start her first sailings from Florida like Oasis and Allure did.

Edit: Another thought is perhaps they dont want both Oasis 3 and Ovation to start around the same time. Their attention around spring 2016 maybe more focused on Oasis 3 and the new features she will have. Those will be included in the "more to come" :)

Meyer Werft stated Spring 2016 in their official press release about the steel cutting. I doubt they are doing a steel cutting for a ship now if they expect to build a different ship in her place instead. The Royal Caribbean press release for the exact same event was also the first place we saw Autumn 2016 and it seems like nearly every other place saying Autumn is referencing that release. So who knows what Royal's plan is but it sounds like Meyer will be shoving Ovation out to sea in Spring 2016 whether Royal wants it or not. The steel cutting is the first step in a very strictly timed out process to ensure the ship is built on time. Meyer would never start that and then pause the build as it would cause there entire calendar to become backed up. The only other possibility is that Royal made a deal with Star Cruises but that would mean that Ovation would not have had her steel cutting yet. Meyer must deliver Ovation of the Seas in May 2016 in order to deliver Star Sagittarius in October 2016. No way they could deliver two ships in Autumn 2016.

edit: Oasis III is currently scheduled for a June 2016 delivery so they would be very close and a tough marketing job. Oasis III will easily over shadow Ovation so I would expect that if Ovation goes to Europe as we all expect Oasis III is guaranteed to come to the US. No way they'd try to sell one market on two new ships at once.

Meyer Werft stated Spring 2016 in their official press release about the steel cutting. I doubt they are doing a steel cutting for a ship now if they expect to build a different ship in her place instead. The Royal Caribbean press release for the exact same event was also the first place we saw Autumn 2016 and it seems like nearly every other place saying Autumn is referencing that release. So who knows what Royal's plan is but it sounds like Meyer will be shoving Ovation out to sea in Spring 2016 whether Royal wants it or not. The steel cutting is the first step in a very strictly timed out process to ensure the ship is built on time. Meyer would never start that and then pause the build as it would cause there entire calendar to become backed up. The only other possibility is that Royal made a deal with Star Cruises but that would mean that Ovation would not have had her steel cutting yet. Meyer must deliver Ovation of the Seas in May 2016 in order to deliver Star Sagittarius in October 2016. No way they could deliver two ships in Autumn 2016.

 

 

 

edit: Oasis III is currently scheduled for a June 2016 delivery so they would be very close and a tough marketing job. Oasis III will easily over shadow Ovation so I would expect that if Ovation goes to Europe as we all expect Oasis III is guaranteed to come to the US. No way they'd try to sell one market on two new ships at once.

Not sure about that. If they do both come out in the spring I can definitely see Ovation doing summer cruises out of Southampton and Oasis 3 doing cruises out of Barcelona.

Only reason I brought this topic up again is that I thought that it was very strange for the website to show a fall 2016 date. It just seems odd that the older press releases and releases from Meyer all said Q2 and now the recent releases are saying fall 2016.

Knowing Royal we won't find out anything for sure until next spring when the new itineraries are released.

 

edit: Oasis III is currently scheduled for a June 2016 delivery so they would be very close and a tough marketing job. Oasis III will easily over shadow Ovation so I would expect that if Ovation goes to Europe as we all expect Oasis III is guaranteed to come to the US. No way they'd try to sell one market on two new ships at once.

I agree. I think we are more likely to see Oasis or Allure in Western Europe with Oasis III headed to the Caribbean and Ovation headed for Southampton on the original Anthem plan.

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I agree. I think we are more likely to see Oasis or Allure in Western Europe with Oasis III headed to the Caribbean and Ovation headed for Southampton on the original Anthem plan.

 

 

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I could see that for 2017 but with Oasis 3 being released in Q2 do you think that they would have Oasis/Allure do an eastbound TA only to be sending Oasis 3 on a westbound TA at approximately the same time? That would be 3 TA voyages instead of 1 if they used Oasis 3 in Europe for the summer of 2016.

I could see that for 2017 but with Oasis 3 being released in Q2 do you think that they would have Oasis/Allure do an eastbound TA only to be sending Oasis 3 on a westbound TA at approximately the same time? That would be 3 TA voyages instead of 1 if they used Oasis 3 in Europe for the summer of 2016.

Unless Oasis or Allure stays over there permanently, which I think is a distinct possibility and would yield only 2 TAs instead of 3. Hey, imagine if the timing worked out for one to take O/A over and O3 back?? Haha, heck of a trip!

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Unless Oasis or Allure stays over there permanently, which I think is a distinct possibility and would yield only 2 TAs instead of 3. Hey, imagine if the timing worked out for one to take O/A over and O3 back?? Haha, heck of a trip!

 

 

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That would be a great TA.

I wouldn't have thought of them having ships in Europe year round. If they were to I would have assumed it would have been Q class and not O class that would have been the first to do that.

That would be a great TA.

 

 

 

I wouldn't have thought of them having ships in Europe year round. If they were to I would have assumed it would have been Q class and not O class that would have been the first to do that.

Fair. I was thinking of them doing it to compete against NCL Epic, which will be there year round.

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Fair. I was thinking of them doing it to compete against NCL Epic, which will be there year round.

 

 

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Interesting. Did not realize that the Epic would be sailing there year round.

Wonder if that could change things from the initial plans and have the Ovation stay year round in Europe.

Personally I hope not. I was looking forward to having at least one of the quantum class ships sailing part of the year from Florida. I did break down and booked a winter cruise on the Anthem but would much prefer to sail out of Florida to enjoy the warmth for the full cruise.