Ovation of the Seas Begins Inaugural Season from Los Angeles
Two Mexico destinations are getting a big boost in cruise arrivals thanks to Royal Caribbean’s first-time deployment of Ovation of the Seas to the Port of Los Angeles.
The Quantum-class ship is the first in that class to seasonally homeport in the City of Angels. With capacity for 4,100 guests, Ovation of the Seas joins Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, a Voyager-class vessel that accommodates 3,400 guests.
Ovation of the Seas received a warm welcome during her first port call to Ensenada on June 4, 2025, as the largest cruise ship ever to dock in Baja California.
One local media report called the deployment a milestone for the destination, reflecting “the confidence of cruise lines in the region’s port infrastructure and tourism potential.” Calls by Ovation of the Seas will likely prove an economic boon to Ensenada, as several visits to the destination are planned through late September 2025.
Also on Ovation of the Seas’ itineraries is Cabo San Lucas. The ship is sailing 3-night getaways with one port call to Ensenada, 4-night cruises with one call to Cabo San Lucas, and 5-night voyages that call at both destinations.
The deployment wraps up with a 15-night repositioning cruise on September 23, 2025 from Los Angeles to Tokyo. From there the ship continues to Singapore and will be based in that city for a series of 3- and 4-night Asia cruises.
In May 2026, Ovation of the Seas deploys to Alaska, offering voyages between Vancouver, British Columbia, and Seward, Alaska.
Navigator of the Seas is slated to operate year-round from Los Angeles until October 2026. With the seasonal addition of Ovation of the Seas, Royal Caribbean more than doubles its capacity in the region.
It also is the first of two planned deployments of Ovation of the Seas to Los Angeles. The ship, which entered service in 2016, will return to Los Angeles for a series of winter season voyages from September 2026 to April 2027.
Seasonal Homeporting Will Be a Boon to Los Angeles
Ovation of the Seas is one of five Quantum-class ships. The others in the class are Quantum of the Seas, launched in 2014; Anthem of the Seas (2015); Spectrum of the Seas (2017); and Odyssey of the Seas (2020).
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The innovative Quantum class offers plenty of thrills for cruisers, including the free-fall ride called RipCord by iFLY. The Quantum ships are also known for introducing the Bionic Bar, where robots create cocktails, and offering family fun in the form of roller skating rinks and bumper car tracks.
Ovation of the Seas has four main dining rooms and several specialty venues, including Chops Grille, a steakhouse; Jamie’s Italian; English Pub; La Patisserie; Wonderland; Izumi; Fish & Ships; and Chef’s Table.
The ship’s seasonal homeporting at the Port of Los Angeles will translate to a substantial cruise arrivals gain for the facility. It currently is the eighth-busiest cruise port in North America, with 1.1 million cruise guests per year transiting its two cruise terminals.
Los Angeles is primarily known for hosting ships that sail Mexican Riviera voyages and California coastal cruises.
Royal Caribbean has competition at the port: Carnival Cruise Line currently has three ships deployed there, Carnival Firenze, Carnival Radiance, and Carnival Panorama.
Ovation of the Seas Begins Inaugural Season from Los Angeles