Ovation of the Seas cruises in: A bumper line up waiting for thousands of cruise ship tourists

Darwin’s waterfront precinct was a bustling hive of activity this morning when the majestic Ovation of the Seas cruised into Darwin.

Ovation of the Seas arrives in Darwin carrying 4,200 tourists: Picture Gary Shipway

Darwin’s waterfront precinct was a bustling hive of activity this morning when the majestic Ovation of the Seas cruised into Darwin.

It was bumper to bumper buses lined-up, coming and going taking thousands of eager visitors off to their day tours.

Those that didn’t opt for a day tour could be seen in their hundreds ambling around the Darwin CBD taking in the city sights.

Others chose the open top tourist bus to see our city.

The Ovation of the Seas is the largest luxury ship to visit Darwin carrying almost 4,200 passengers and 1,610 crew.

It provides an influx of visitors to the Top End during the off-peak season.

The luxury liner towers over Fort Hill Wharf with 16 decks and a height of 72 metres.

The boat is 48 metres longer than the 300m length of the wharf and is due to arrive at 7.30am.

The $1 billion state-of-the art Quantum class cruise ship is owned by Royal Caribbean and has 2091 guest rooms and 1426 balcony rooms.

Tourism and Hospitality, Minister Marie-Clare Boothby said the arrival of thousands of passengers on the Ovation of the Seas is a boon for tourism operators and local retailers.

“We urge all of our tourism operators and retailers to welcome these visitors with open arms and show them what a wonderful and friendly place the Northern Territory is,” she said.

“Tourism is a key pillar of the government’s plan to strengthen the Northern Territory’s economy, and the cruise industry plays a vital role in this effort.

“The cruise ship season is typically outside of the peak tourist season in the Top End, providing significant economic uptick at a time when it is most needed.

“The cruise industry unlocks opportunities to grow regional visits to destinations such as Yirrkala, Bathurst Island, Cobourg Peninsula, and Melville Island.”

From Darwin it heads to Singapore for a series of cruises in the region to our north before heading for a cruise season in the US.

Darwin businesses will have plenty of opportunity to take advantage of the massive influx of tourists with the boat not leaving until 7pm just after sunset.

Originally published as Ovation of the Seas cruises in: A bumper line up waiting for thousands of cruise ship tourists