Ovation of the Seas Sails Nowhere Cruise After Typhoon Disruption

Royal Caribbean International’s Ovation of the Seas operated a cruise to nowhere over the weekend after a typhoon forced the ship to change course.

Departing from Singapore, the 2016-built vessel had been scheduled to operate a three-night itinerary to Penang, Malaysia. Guests were informed of the change on the first day of the sailing, which left Marina Bay Cruise Centre on November 27, 2025.

“Along with our meteorologist, Peyton Collado, we’ve been monitoring the development of Tropical Cyclone Sanyar along our path to Malaysia,” Royal Caribbean said in a statement.

“In order to safely avoid the storm, we’ll have to skip our visit to Penang and enjoy a day at sea instead,” the company continued.

“We’re terribly sorry for the last-minute change caused by weather – your safety is our top priority,” the statement added.

With Penang removed from the itinerary, the ship spent Friday and Saturday at sea before returning to Singapore as originally scheduled on Sunday, November 30, 2025.

Royal Caribbean confirmed that all pre-paid shore excursions booked through the company would be refunded as onboard credit. Guests were able to use the credit for onboard purchases, and any remaining refundable amounts will be returned to their credit cards within 14 business days.

After completing a summer season on the U.S. West Coast, Ovation of the Seas repositioned to Southeast Asia in late October. The 4,204-guest ship is currently offering short sailings from Singapore to destinations in Malaysia and Thailand, including Phuket and Penang.

In December, the vessel is set to operate a special eight-night New Year’s Eve cruise to Indonesia, with visits planned to Bali, Lombok and Celukan Bawang.