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Australia embraces its biggest cruise ship, Ovation of the Seas

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Making her Australian debut, Ovation of the Seas arrived in Fremantle Tuesday
The biggest cruise ship to visit Australia arrived to a tremendous welcome in Fremantle today.

At a ceremony featuring more than 100 local entertainers, Western Australian premier and tourism minister Colin Barnett said it was ‘an absolute honour’ to welcome Ovation of the Seas to the state.

Premier Barnett said cruise shipping is a vital part of Western Australia’s A$9.6bn tourism industry, with plans to grow it to A$12bn by 2020.

‘We have seen extraordinary growth in cruise shipping in WA in recent years, with more to come,’ he said.

As previously reported, the fourth biggest cruise ship in the world is heading to her homeport in Sydney where she will arrive to a thundering ovation on December 15 and operate a maiden 2016/17 season until late February.

Interest in Royal Caribbean International’s 168,666gt mega ship has been overwhelming and she will return for the Australian 2017/18 summer season.

Md Australasia Adam Armstrong said the US$1bn ship which carries 4,606 passengers and 1,500 crew will introduce Australians and New Zealanders to supercruising.

Armstrong said it will offer them new experiences, like skydiving in a seven metre tall wind tunnel and 360 degree views from North Star, the glass pod that soars more than 90mtr above the ocean and has earned the Guinness World Record as the highest viewing deck on a cruise ship.