Royal Caribbean has decided to use its own ships in Australia to repatriate Indonesian, Filipino, Chinese and Indian crew members to their countries. Three Royal Caribbean cruise ships based in Australia will embark to Asia very soon in order to return most of the crew back home. The company plans to embark 2584 crew from 5 Royal Caribbean ships which are currently at anchor in Australia, and use Spectrum of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas to set sail to Indonesia, Philippines and China. Royal Caribbean’s ships will be refueled and restocked with the healthy crew before departing to a long journey to Asia.
Spectrum OTS and Radiance OTS – Plan
Around 600 Indonesian, Filipino, Indian and Chinese crew from Radiance of the Seas will be transferred via tender boats on Spectrum of the Seas. The ship will arrive in Bali on Thursday, April 16, where 261 Indonesian crew will disembark. The next port of call will be Manila where Spectrum of the Seas is expected to arrive on Wednesday, April 22, to disembark 577 Filipino crew. The final stop of the voyage will be the Port of Shanghai where Spectrum OTS is scheduled to arrive on Monday, May 11, to disembark 522 Chinese crew. Royal Caribbean will also try to arrange charter flights to send 299 Indian crew members back home from Bali.
Celebrity Solstice, Ovation OTS, & Voyager OTS - Plan
Celebrity Solstice crew will be transferred to Ovation OTS, and Voyager OTS. The plan is to transfer 204 Indian, 182 Indonesian and 13 Chinese crew from Celebrity Solstice to Ovation of the Seas, The rest of 382 Filipino crew from Celebrity Solstice will join the Voyager of the Seas.
Ovation of the Seas will be heading to Bali, Indonesia where the ship is expected to arrive on Sunday, April 19, to sign-off 239 Indonesia crew.
Voyager of the Seas will receive 13 Chinese and 880 Filipino crew from Ovation, and possibly 438 Indian crew as well if not allowed to charter flight home. The ship will set sail to the Philippines, expected to arrive in Manila with on Saturday, April 25, to sign off 1,232 Filipino crew.
