Tag Archives: drydock

Princess Ship Completes Drydock in Rotterdam

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The Sky Princess successfully completed a routine drydock at the Damen Verolme in Rotterdam earlier this month.

According to the Dutch shipyard, the Princess Cruises vessel spent a total of 16 days in the facility undergoing regular maintenance, in addition to technical upgrades.

The scope of work included the installation of class-certified parts for a new air lubrication system and a full hull painting program, Damen said.

A total of 1,200 crew members and 700 contractors worked around the clock to complete the project, which the shipyard called a logistical challenge.

Following the successful drydock, the Sky Princess resumed service on May 5.

Spending the summer in Northern Europe, the 2019-built vessel is presently offering a series of cruises departing from Southampton, England.

The program includes itineraries to Western Europe, the Norwegian Fjords, the Mediterranean, the Baltic and more.

In May, for instance, the ship is offering a seven-night cruise to Scandinavia, in addition to a special 14-night cruise to Iceland and Norway.

Also sailing roundtrip from Southampton, the two-week cruise features visits to Akureyri, Isafjord and Grundarfjordur in Iceland, as well as Skjolden, Olden and Alesund, in Norway.

Following its summer program in Europe, the Sky Princess is set to return to North America in November.

Starting on Nov. 25, the vessel offers a series of itineraries to the Caribbean and the Bahamas departing from Princess’ cruise terminal in Port Everglades, Florida.

Fourth in a series of six ships known as Royal Class, the Sky Princess originally entered service in 2019.

Built by the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the 141,000-ton cruise ship was followed, in 2020, by the Enchanted Princess – which also completed a drydock recently.

After arriving in Europe in March, the 3,660-guest vessel underwent routine work at a facility of the Fincantieri Shipyard in Palermo, Italy.

A third ship also spent time at a shipyard recently, as the Sapphire Princess visited the Vigor Shipyard on the U.S. West Coast for regular maintenance in April.

P&O Cruises to upgrade Arcadia and Aurora

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P&O Cruises has announced a multi-million-pound investment for its adult-only ships, Arcadia and Aurora. 

The changes, which are due to be completed by May 2023, will include new balcony furniture, new chairs in cabins, as well as new furniture in the open deck areas.

On Arcadia, the Neptune Pool will also see changes with new lounge chairs, sofas, tables and armchairs.

A wider refit for Arcadia will take place in November 2024, while Aurora’s is scheduled for April 2025.

P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said: “Arcadia and Aurora are two of our most beloved ships in the fleet, offering guests a more intimate experience in stylish surroundings.

“After a busy season hosting guests on longer duration itineraries and world cruises, we will be making sure that both ships look their absolute finest ahead of the summer season.”

P&O Cruises recently named its latest ship Arvia during a  beachside ceremony in Barbados.

The event – hosted by broadcasters and DJs Sara Cox and Trevor Nelson – featured performances from Olly Murs and the ship’s godmother Nicole Scherzinger.

The 5,200-passenger Arvia is the line’s second Excel-class ship, following on from Iona.

It is P&O’s second vessel to be powered by liquefied natural gas and has an optimised hull design to minimise drag and the “latest energy-efficient technology”, according to P&O Cruises.

Costa Atlantica Returns to Southern Europe

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After several months anchored off the island of Cyprus, the Costa Atlantica recently returned to Southern Europe.

Currently, on its way to Marseille, the Spirit-class vessel also visited two Italian ports in March: Augusta and Naples.

Three years after its last drydock, the 2000-built cruise ship is expected to undergo scheduled maintenance at a local shipyard once it arrives at the French port.

Originally operated by Costa Cruises, the Costa Atlantica was sold into Carnival Corporation’s joint venture with China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) in 2018.

Handed over to its new owners a few days before the COVID-19 pandemic operational pause in early 2020, the vessel has remained out of revenue service.

Despite the change of ownership, Atlantica also retained its original name, in addition to Costa’s colours and features.

In November 2022, the Carnival Corporation – CSSC joint venture revealed plans to launch service in China under the Adora Cruises brand.

With a newbuild under construction in Shanghai, the company intends to welcome its first guests in late 2023.

Plans for the service restart of the Costa Atlantica and its sister ship Costa Mediterranea – which was also sold to the joint venture in 2018 – are yet to be confirmed.

The Atlantica originally debuted in 2000, becoming the first vessel in Carnival Corporation’s Spirit Class.

In addition to the Costa Mediterranea, the series of ships also include four ships operated by Carnival Cruise Line: the Carnival Spirit, the Carnival Miracle, the Carnival Legend and the Carnival Pride.

Built for Costa Cruises, the 2,100-guest ship served the company’s traditional markets in Europe for nearly 15 years before being repositioned to Asia in mid-2013.

Sailing year-round in the region through 2020, the Atlantica served different countries and markets, including Singapore, Taiwan, China and more.

In 2015, the ship also became the first to offer a world cruise from China. Sailing roundtrip from Shanghai, the 86-day itinerary included visits to 28 destinations in 18 different countries.