Cruise Ship Renovations: The Complete Schedule
By Anonymous
Through the course of a year, we spend a lot of time at
sea, but our favorite voyages are often those on brand new cruise
ships. These beauties may not quite waft that “new car” smell, but
new vessels usually have the latest bells and whistles and best address
the industry’s current trends in design, dining, activities,
entertainment and more.
Conversely, we don’t like boarding an older ship and finding dated
décor, ragged furnishings or malodorous accommodations. If we
find out during our cruise that our ship is headed for a refurbishment a
few weeks or months later, it only adds insult to injury.
All cruise ships must go in for renovations eventually, to
repair wear and tear, to make repairs, and to add new, trending
features.
Of course, cruise lines prefer to keep their product fresh and
appealing and, accordingly, most ships go in for a two-week dry dock
overhaul every three years or so. The ship is taken out of the
water for a thorough cleaning of the hull (hence the name dry dock),
while interior and topside issues are also addressed.
While some dry dock refurbishments may involve little more than a
deep cleaning and replacement of carpet and paint as needed, others can
be more extensive, adding additional cabins and decks, or in some cases
even extending the ship by adding a new midsection.
Into that latter category falls Carnival Destiny, a 101,000-ton
vessel that first went to sea in 1996 as the largest ship afloat. When
Destiny goes in for a seven-week dry dock on February 22, 2013, the
reconfiguration will be substantial, involving 182 new cabins, new
restaurants, new bars, and the addition of the popular adults-only
Serenity deck (actually three decks)—an overhaul that will add up to a
$155 million price tag, according to Carnival. The final result will be
something close to a new ship. In fact, when Destiny emerges from the
surgery, she’ll carry a new name, Carnival Sunshine.
We predict you’re going to be hearing a lot more about cruise line
facelifts in the months and perhaps years to come. Why? From design to
construction to delivery, it takes upwards of three years to build a new
cruise ship, and today it appears there are fewer new ships on order
than at any time in recent history. For instance, although Carnival
Breeze debuted in June 2012, Carnival has no new ships on order for the
first time in more than two decades. Holland America hasn’t announced a
new ship since Nieuw Amsterdam came on line in 2010. And Royal Caribbean
also hasn’t had a new ship since 2010 when Allure of the Seas launched.
Credit the lingering world recession that has cruise line honchos
keeping their pocketbooks in check. Although 2012 saw the arrival four
major new ships, of the eight biggest lines catering to the U.S. market,
only two new ships are scheduled for 2013: Norwegian Breakaway in April
and Royal Princess in June. (Things start to pick up again in 2014,
when we can look forward to one each from Norwegian, Princess and Royal
Caribbean.)
As a result, we’re seeing the major cruise lines investing more of
their resources in renovations than in replacing older ships, extending
the life of their older models by a few years. While this is likely just
a cyclical blip, before booking a cruise vacation check our charts
listing planned dry docks for the major cruise lines. Keep in mind that
renovations schedules do change, so verify with your travel agent or the
cruise line directly before committing a nonrefundable deposit on a
yet-to-be remodeled ship.
While we can’t promise that new car smell when these ships emerge
from refurbishment, we think you, too, will appreciate a little nip and
tuck.
Line/class | Name | Entered service | Last dry dock | Next dry dock |
Dream class | Breeze
Magic
Dream | 2012
2011
2009 |
Sep 2012 |
|
Splendor class | Splendor | 2008 |
|
|
Conquest class | Freedom
Liberty
Valor
Glory
Conquest | 2007
2005
2004
2003
2002 |
Oct 2011
Feb 2011
Nov 2012
Oct 2012 | 2014
2015
|
Spirit class | Miracle
Legend
Pride
Spirit | 2004
2002
2002
2001 | Feb 2012
Feb 2011
Jan 2012 | 2015
2014
2014
2015 |
Triumph class | Victory
Triumph | 2000
1999 |
| 2014
2015 |
Destiny class | Destiny** | 1996 |
| Feb 2013 |
Fantasy class | Paradise
Elation
Inspiration
Imagination
Fascination
Sensation
Ecstacy
Fantasy | 1998
1998
1996
1995
1994
1993
1991
1990 |
Oct 2010
Sep 2010
Jan 2010
Feb 2009
Sep 2009
Nov 2010 | 2015
2014
2013
2013
2013
2014
2014
2013 |
**to be renamed “Sunshine”
Line/class | Name | Entered service | Last dry dock | Next dry dock |
Solstice class | Celebrity Reflection
Celebrity Silhouette
Celebrity Eclipse
Celebrity Equinox
Celebrity Solstice | Oct 2012
2011
2010
2009
2008 |
2010 |
May 2016
Apr 2015
Apr 2014
Nov 2016 |
Millennium class | Celebrity Constellation
Celebrity Summit
Celebrity Infinity
Celebrity Millennium | 2002
2001
2001
2000 | 2010
Jan 2012
Dec 2011
May 2012 | Apr 2013
Feb 2015
Nov 2014
Apr 2015 |
Other | Celebrity Century
Celebrity Xpedition | 1995
2001 | 2010
2009 | tbd
Sep 2012 |
Line/class | Name | Entered service | Last dry dock | Next dry dock |
Various | Queen Elizabeth
Queen Victoria
Queen Mary 2 | 2010
2007
2004 |
Dec 2010
Dec 2011 | tbd |
Line/class | Name | Entered service | Last dry dock | Next dry dock |
Various | Disney Fantasy
Disney Dream
Disney Wonder
Disney Magic | Apr 2012
2011
1999
1998 |
Sep 2011
Oct 2010 |
|
Line/class | Name | Entered service | Last dry dock | Next dry dock |
Signature class | Nieuw Amsterdam
Eurodam | 2010
2008 |
April 2011 |
|
Vista class | Noordam
Westerdam
Oosterdam
Zuiderdam | 2006
2004
2003
2002 | Summer 2010
Summer 2010
Dec 2012
|
|
Rotterdam class | Amsterdam
Rotterdam
Zaandam
Volendam | 2000
1997
2000
1999 | Dec 2010
Dec 2012
Jan 2010
Mar 2011 | Dec 2013
Oct 2013
2014 |
Statendam class | Veendam
Ryndam
Maasdam
Statemdam | 1996
1994
1993
1993 | Apr 2011
Nov 2012
Apr 2010
Apr 2010 |
Jan 2013 |
Other | Prinsendam | 1998 | 2009 |
|
Line/class | Name | Entered service | Last dry dock | Next dry dock |
Breakaway class | Norwegian Getaway
Norwegian Breakaway | Jan 2014
Apr 2013 |
|
|
Epic class | Norwegian Epic | 2010 |
|
|
Jewel class | Norwegian Gem
Norwegian Jade
Norwegian Pearl
Norwegian Jewel | 2007
2006
2006
2005 | Dec 2010
Dec 2011
Nov 2010 |
Apr 2013
tbd 2014 |
Dawn class | Norwegian Dawn
Norwegian Star | 2002
2001 | May 2011
2010 |
|
Sun class | Norwegian Sun
Norwegian Sky | 2001
1999 | Jan 2011
May 2009 |
Sep 2013 |
Other | Pride of America
Norwegian Spirit | 2005
1998 | Jul 2010
Oct 2011 | Mar 2013 |
Line/class | Name | Entered service | Last dry dock | Next dry dock |
Royal class | Royal Princess | Jun 2013 |
|
|
Grand class
| Ruby Princess
Emerald Princess
Crown Princess
Sapphire Princess
Caribbean Princess
Diamond Princess
Star Princess
Golden Princess
Grand Princess | 2008
2007
2006
2004
2004
2004
2002
2001
1998 | Dec 2011
Dec 2012
Nov 2011
Feb 2012
Nov 2011
Nov 2010
Dec 2011
May 2012
May 2011 |
Nov 2013
|
Coral class | Island Princess
Coral Princess | 2003
2002 | Oct 2010
Oct 2009 |
Feb 2013 |
Explorer class | Pacific Princess
Ocean Princess | 1999
1999 | Jan 2010
Oct 2012 |
|
Sun class | Sea Princess
Dawn Princess
Sun Princess | 1998
1997
1995 | Sep 2012
May 2012
Apr 2010 |
|
Line/class | Name | Entered service | Last dry dock | Next dry dock |
Oasis class | Allure of the Seas
Oasis of the Seas | 2010
2009 |
|
|
Freedom class | Independence of the Seas
Liberty of the Seas
Freedom of the Seas | 2008
2007
2006 |
Jan 2011
Mar 2011 |
|
Radiance class | Jewel of the Seas
Serenade of Seas
Brilliance of Seas
Radiance of Seas | 2004
2003
2002
2001 | Apr 2011
Nov 2012
2008
June 2011 |
May 2013 |
Voyager class | Mariner of the Seas
Navigator of the Seas
Adventure of the Seas
Explorer of the Seas
Voyager of the Seas | 2003
2002
2001
2000
1999 | Apr 2012
2007
2009
2010
unknown |
Jan 2014
2014
Mar 2014
Apr 2014 |
Vision class | Vision of the Seas
Enchantment of the Seas
Rhapsody of the Seas
Grandeur of the Seas
Splendour of the Seas
Legend of the Seas | 1998
1997
1997
1996
1996
1995 | Nov 2010
Dec 2012
Mar 2012
May 2012
Nov 2011
unknown | Sep 2013
Jan 2013 |
Sovereign class | Majesty of the Seas
Monarch of the Seas** | 1992
1991 | Jan 2007
unknown |
|
**leaves fleet Mar 2013