One of the most spectacular meteor showers in Earth’s skies is about to peak, and the observing conditions couldn’t be better.
On the night of October 21, up to 20 meteors per hour could streak through the sky – the same night as a new…
One of the most spectacular meteor showers in Earth’s skies is about to peak, and the observing conditions couldn’t be better.
On the night of October 21, up to 20 meteors per hour could streak through the sky – the same night as a new…
HOLIDAYS TOO GOOD TO MISS AS OVATION OF THE SEAS BRINGS FAMILY ADVENTURE BACK TO SINGAPORE
Fan-favourite Quantum Class ship returns to Singapore for the 2025-26 season, offering bold getaways to Southeast Asia
SINGAPORE, Oct. 21, 2025 – Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas has returned to Singapore for a season of spectacular getaways to Southeast Asia’s most sought-after destinations. From now through March 2026, families and holidaymakers alike can look forward to everything from weekend escapes to longer adventures packed with world-class thrills, chill, entertainment and dining experiences for every type of traveller.
“Families remain at the centre of everything we do, and our ships are designed to bring everyone together through unforgettable shared moments – whether it’s exploring local cultures, enjoying world-class entertainment or trying new adventures at sea,” said Chad Grospe, vice president and managing director, Asia-Pacific, Royal Caribbean. “With Ovation’s return to Singapore, holidaymakers can enjoy the ease of beginning their holiday closer to home, while enjoying Royal Caribbean’s unique blend of adventure and relaxation.”
Royal Caribbean continues to introduce new experiences specially designed for the Asian market, bringing the best of the brand to the region.
“We are delighted to welcome Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas back to Singapore for her seasonal homeport deployment. Aligned with our Tourism 2024 vision, this exciting return strengthens Singapore’s appeal as a vibrant holiday getaway, offers families unique options to explore the region from Singapore, and underscores the cruise industry’s confidence in Singapore as their regional hub,” said Jacqueline Ng, Director, Cruise, Singapore Tourism Board.
On Ovation, holidaymakers can enjoy a wide array of Royal Caribbean’s signature highlights and experiences. Adventurers can soar on RipCord by iFLY, the first skydiving simulator at sea, or take in panoramic views from the North Star all-glass observation capsule, which rises over 90 metres above the ocean. For indoor fun, SeaPlex—the largest indoor activity space at sea—offers everything from bumper cars and roller skating to arcade games and a sports court. The excitement continues with world-class entertainment, from live music to jaw-dropping shows at the transformational Two70, where guests can enjoy cutting-edge performances that combine aerial acrobatics, robotics and projection-mapped visuals.
With 17 dining options to choose from, travellers can indulge in flavours from around the globe. Guests can enjoy fresh Italian dishes at Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver, Japanese favourites at Izumi, imaginative creations at Wonderland, premium steaks at Chops Grille, Mediterranean-inspired dishes at Solarium Bistro, or casual classics at the ever-popular Windjammer Café.
This season, Ovation will offer a variety of adventures from Singapore, ranging from 3- to 5-night getaways to 8-night journeys, with visits to popular destinations like Penang, Malaysia; Phuket, Thailand, and Bali, Indonesia.
Holidaymakers can now book their adventures on Ovation of the Seas at Royal Caribbean’s website.
About Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean, part of Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL), has delivered memorable vacations for more than 50 years. The cruise line’s game-changing ships and exclusive destinations revolutionize vacations with innovations and an all-encompassing combination of experiences, from thrills to dining and entertainment, for every type of family and vacationer. Voted “Best Cruise Line Overall” for 22 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards, Royal Caribbean makes memories with adventurers across more than 300 destinations in 80 countries on all seven continents, including the line’s top-rated exclusive destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.
Media can stay up to date by following @RoyalCaribPR on X and visit www.RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com. For additional information or to book, vacationers can visit www.RoyalCaribbean.com, call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN or contact their travel advisor.
Ovation of the Seas cuenta con una gama de experiencias, incluyendo el simulador de surf FlowRider, paracaidismo en RipCord de iFly y SeaPlex, el espacio de actividad interior más grande en el mar, con autos chocadores, una cancha de deportes de tamaño completo, pista de patinaje sobre ruedas y más.
North Star, the signature glass observation capsule, takes guests more than 300 feet above the ocean on Quantum Class ships like Quantum, Anthem and Ovation of the Seas.
Credit SBW-Photo
Ovation of the Seas’ top-deck adventures include Royal Caribbean’s signature FlowRider surf simulator and skydiving on RipCord by iFly.
The Singapore-homeported Ovation of the Seas.
Ovation of the Seas Fast Facts
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) — Health officials across the United States signed a statement on Monday, criticizing false vaccine information from federal officials and urging Americans to get vaccinated as the respiratory virus season…
On Friday evening, Buckingham Palace released a statement from Prince Andrew. ‘I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first,’ it read. ‘I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have…
(Bloomberg) — Asian shares extended gains Tuesday, buoyed by upbeat US earnings and indications that tensions between Washington and Beijing were easing.
A regional stock gauge topped its record close as most major Asian benchmarks advanced. Chinese shares gained at the open, while Japanese equities strengthened amid expectations Sanae Takaichi will become the nation’s first female prime minister. US equity futures rose after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 each gained more than 1% Monday, while gold held near highs amid bubble concerns.
Asian markets are finding fresh momentum after the S&P 500 logged its biggest two-day gain since June on Monday, with about 85% of companies beating profit estimates so far. Strong third-quarter earnings helped temper worries over the US government shutdown, while hopes of progress in US-China trade talks lifted sentiment. President Donald Trump reiterated his threat to follow through on a tariff hike on Chinese goods “if there isn’t a deal” by Nov. 1, but said he plans to meet President Xi Jinping next week.
“The strong start to the week on Wall Street has helped Asian markets to open higher today,” said Nick Twidale, chief market analyst at AT Global Markets in Sydney. “A softening in trade concerns has also helped overall sentiment, with investors taking a glass 75% full look at the market at the moment.”
Earlier this month, markets were roiled as Trump raised the prospect of a sky-high tariff rate, citing China’s “hostile” export controls. Soybean futures rallied Monday, with growers holding out hope that Trump will make a deal with China to restart stalled American exports.
Separately, shares of critical mineral producers jumped in Sydney on Tuesday after Trump signed an agreement with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to boost America’s access to rare earths and other key materials.
The Treasury 10-year yield traded below 4% and the dollar was steady early Tuesday as falling oil prices eased concern about the inflation backdrop before the release of consumer-price data.
After a delay caused by the US government shutdown, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to release September’s consumer price index on Friday. The data, originally slated for Oct. 15, will give Federal Reserve officials a key reading on inflation ahead of their Oct. 30 policy meeting.
The data may take on greater importance due to the government shutdown-driven data drought, said Rick Gardner at RGA Investments. He still sees a Fed cut in October and noted that a key test will be Big Tech earnings, with investors looking for clarity on how spending on artificial intelligence is leading to profitability.
“We are seeing the typical seasonal volatility in October, but the recent swings have been relatively shallow by historical standards, as the buy-the-dip mentality appears to be in play,” Gardner said.
Some of the main moves in markets:
Stocks
S&P 500 futures were little changed as of 10:32 a.m. Tokyo time Nikkei 225 futures (OSE) rose 1.1% Japan’s Topix rose 0.6% Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.9% Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 1.1% The Shanghai Composite rose 0.3% Euro Stoxx 50 futures rose 0.2% Currencies
The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was little changed The euro was little changed at $1.1648 The Japanese yen was little changed at 150.72 per dollar The offshore yuan was little changed at 7.1208 per dollar The Australian dollar was little changed at $0.6516 Cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin fell 0.8% to $110,281.06 Ether fell 1% to $3,961.26 Bonds
The yield on 10-year Treasuries was little changed at 3.98% Japan’s 10-year yield declined one basis point to 1.660% Australia’s 10-year yield declined three basis points to 4.12% Commodities
West Texas Intermediate crude fell 0.5% to $57.22 a barrel Spot gold fell 0.2% to $4,347.44 an ounce This story was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation.
–With assistance from Winnie Hsu.
©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
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BHP has warned that it expects slower growth in China for the rest of the year but maintained a positive view of demand for commodities as it continues to hold talks with China over iron ore contracts.
The Australian company, the largest global miner by market capitalisation, reported a 1 per cent decline in iron ore production to 64mn tonnes during the three months to September, due to maintenance upgrades of its facilities in Western Australia.
Its copper production increased 4 per cent while steelmaking coal production grew 8 per cent in the quarter.
BHP has been embroiled in negotiations with China’s state-run iron ore buyer over the terms of future purchasing amid reports that the world’s largest consumer of iron ore has stopped buying some of the miner’s products.
Melbourne-based BHP has refused to comment on commercial negotiations with China Mineral Resources Group, which co-ordinates much of the country’s iron ore purchasing.
BHP made no reference to the talks in its production report but pointed to a slowdown in demand in the coming months.
“Overall macroeconomic signals for commodity demand remain resilient, and global growth forecasts are moving higher,” said Mike Henry, BHP chief executive. “While we expect some deceleration in growth in [the second half] of [2025], in China we still expect GDP growth of [about] 5 per cent for the year.”
BHP shares opened 2 per cent higher following the release of the production numbers. The company holds its annual meeting this week.
The Australian company, which attempted to buy UK rival Anglo American last year, has increased its exposure to copper through acquisitions in Australia and South America in the past three years and has forged ahead with a major plan to produce potash in Canada as it has looked to reduce its reliance on iron ore.
In contrast, BHP scaled back its steelmaking coal operations with the downsizing of a mine in Queensland after the state imposed higher taxes on commodity companies.
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