Tag Archives: dry dock

Queen Victoria Cruise Ship To Get Multi-Million Upgrade

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Cunard Line is continuing its fleet upgrade with a multi-million refurbishment scheduled for January 2015.

The Queen Victoria will have a dry-dock at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany. The shipyard is also the same place where sister ship Queen Elizabeth recently had its upgrade.

Queen Victoria’s multi-million dollar refit will ensure this much-loved ship remains in tip-top condition for her World Cruise in 2015 and beyond, said David Dingle, CEO for Cunard Line.

The refurbishment will include 9 brand new single staterooms which will offer an even wider range for cruisers sailing single. More shade will be offered by new sun awnings near the ships open deck pool. Another large part of the refit will be new environmentally friendly filters for the ships propulsion systems.

When a cruise ship gets a major upgrade it usually includes all the hotel spaces which the Queen Victoria will receive. New carpets and flat TV’s will be installed to freshen up the vessel. Also hotel departments including the gift shops will get a new fine jewellery and watches sections along with a new layout.

Queen Victoria’s dry-dock was originally scheduled for December 2015 but due to a propulsion unit bearing problem the dry-dock has had to be brought forward to January 2015. The propulsion issue has caused Cunard to cancel two cruises in January, a 12-day cruise to the Canaries departing January 3rd and a five-day cruise to Amsterdam departing January 15th. Passengers booked on those cruises have been informed and the cruise line is offering a $175 onboard credit. Passengers can choose another cruise or get a full refund of their booking.

While we are sorry to be cancelling the two cruises, we are looking forward to welcoming all those affected back aboard a Cunard ship in the near future, perhaps on Queen Victoria or Queen Elizabeth, both of which will be sailing in 2015 fresh from their make overs, Dingle said.

The Queen Victoria will be all set for its world cruise starting on January 20th 2015. The ship will offer guests all the latest onboard features which will be added during the upcoming dry-dock in Hamburg.

Royal Caribbean will expand Dynamic Dining to Allure of the Seas

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The largest cruise ship in the world, Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, will be converted over to Dynamic Dining.

Dynamic Dining is the new twist on traditional cruise ship dining.  Instead of a main dining room with fixed dining times, smaller restaurants are spread all over the cruise ship to offer more choice in ambiance and cuisine.  Some restaurants will be complimentary while others will have a cover charge to dine there.

Earlier this year Royal Caribbean announced sister ship; UPDATE: AUGUST 28: Royal Caribbean has tweeted out more information related to the Dynamic Dining changes coming to Oasis of the Seas.

The main dining spaces will be remodelled during Oasis of the Seas’ drydock later this year but Dynamic Dining itself will not begin until March 2015

It was widely speculated Allure of the Seas would follow suit.

SEE DYNAMIC DINING CHANGES COMING TO OASIS OF THE SEAS

Royal Caribbean’s web site is now reflecting the change coming to Allure of the Seas, although the content there appears to have been copy and pasted from the Oasis of the Seas description.

Allure of the Seas is scheduled to go into drydock in May 2015 and will then offer Mediterranean cruises from May 2015 to October 2015.

Oasis of the Seas deck plan changes coming after dry dock is complete

Oct2014

Royal Caribbean is going to be upgrading Oasis of the Seas as part of her upgrades while she is in drydock and there’s quite a bit of changes coming to this ship.  After receiving lots of questions related to how where the changes are onboard the ship, we’ve compiled a list of the changes coming visually.

Deck 3

  • Opus DIning Room changes to American Icon Grill

Deck 4

  • Private dining (port side) becomes Izumi
  • Private dining (starboard side) becomes Diamond CLub
  • Opus Dining Room becomes The Grande

Deck 5

  • Opus Dining Room has become Silk restaurant
  • Cupcake Cupboard has come Kate Spade Store
  • Focus store has become Michael Kors store
  • Guess store has become Regalia store

Deck 6

  • Seafood Shack has become Sabor
  • Boardwalk Bar has become Sabor Bar
  • Pets at Sea has become Britto shop
  • Ice Cream Parlor renamed to Cups and Scoops
  • Boardwalk Donut Shop has become Boardwalk Dog House
  • Inside staterooms added (6279, 6281, 6679, 6681)
  • Diamond Club replaed with staterooms (6593, 6591, 6589, 6587, 6585)
  • Pinwheels has become an Arcade

Deck 7

  • New staterooms added (7279, 7679)

Deck 8

  • Public restrooms in Central Park forward reduced in size
  • New staterooms added at Central Park forward (8450, 8452, 8454, 8456)
  • New staterooms added near Dazzles (8279, 8679)

Deck 9

  • New staterooms added (9279, 9679)

Deck 10

  • New stateroom added near forward elevators (10458)
  • New staterooms added near central elevators (10279, 10679)

Deck 11

  • New staterooms added at aft (11330, 11730)
  • Concierge Club is now Concierge Club & Wonderland restaurant
  • New staterooms added near Concierge Club & Wonderland (11279, 11679)

Deck 12

  • Concierge Club is now Concierge Club & Wonderland restaurant
  • New Grand Suites added to aft (12330, 12730)
  • New staterooms added near Concierge Club & Wonderland (12279, 12679)
  • Royal Suite 12240 replaced with new staterooms (12238, 12240, 12242, 12244, 12246, 12248)
  • Presidential Suite 12640 replaced with new staterooms (12638, 12648)

Deck 14

  • New staterooms added near Card Room (14279, 14679)
  • New Grand Suite staterooms added at aft (14330, 14730)

Deck 16

  • Izumi removed and becomes part of the Windjammer

Deck 17

  • Viking Crown Lounge has become the Suite Lounge and Coastal Kitchen restaurant
  • Pinnacle Lounge has become a Royal Suite (1701)
  • Pinnacle Chapel has become a Royal Suite (1758)

Volendam to get lanai staterooms

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By Tom Stieghorst
Holland America Line said its 1,432-passenger Volendam will have 21 of its cabins converted to lanai staterooms during a drydock in December.

The lanai cabins feature large sliding-glass doors with direct access to the lower promenade wraparound teak walking deck. They come with reserved deck chairs and a one-way mirrored coating on the sliding-glass doors to ensure privacy.

In addition, Volendam’s bars will be reconfigured to feature Mix, a space that incorporates three specialty theme bars: Martinis, Champagne and Spirits & Ales.

During the drydock, all suite bathrooms will be updated to feature new whirlpool bathtubs, stone vanities, lighted mirrors, Grohe fixtures, floors, walls and sinks.

Several additional categories, including the lanai staterooms, will receive new bathroom appointments and walk-in showers.