Three Princess Ships to Undergo Drydocks in April

Posted on 21 April, 2025 by Spacejunkie2

Three Princess Cruises ships are set to undergo drydocks in April: the Emerald Princess, the Grand Princess and the Regal Princess.

The first ship to enter dry dock was the Emerald Princess, which recently arrived at the Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo, Italy.

After repositioning to Europe earlier this month, the 2007-built vessel arrived at the facility for scheduled maintenance, in addition to class inspections and technical work.

Set to spend the upcoming summer season sailing from Southampton, the Emerald Princess will resume service on April 29, 2025.

Before kicking off a summer deployment in Alaska and Canada, the Grand Princess is also undergoing a dry dock.

The 1998-built ship arrived at the Vigor Shipyard in Portland in mid-April and is now going through regular maintenance.

Before welcoming guests back in early May, the Grand Princess is also scheduled to undergo class inspections, as well as upkeep and minor updates to public areas and staterooms.

A third Princess ship is undergoing a dry dock later this month, the Regal Princess.

Currently sailing in Northern Europe, the vessel is set to arrive at the Damen Shiprepair Yard in Rotterdam on April 25, 2025.

The 3,600-guest ship is expected to undergo technical work and general maintenance before resuming service in early May.

Sailing from Southampton, the Regal Princess is set to offer 12-night cruises to the British Isles during the summer of 2025.

Earlier this year, the Majestic Princess also visited a shipyard in Europe, emerging from dry dock with new venues and reimagined spaces.

According to Princess, the 2017-built vessel saw the addition of new bars and restaurants, including O’Malley’s Irish Pub, Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria and Good Spirits at Sea.

Sailing in Europe for the first time in eight years, the ship is currently offering itineraries in the Mediterranean.

The World to Undergo Major Refit During Six-Week Drydock

Posted on 4 April, 2025 by Spacejunkie2

The company announced in a press release that the World Residences at Sea is set to undergo a major upgrade.

The refurbishment will take place during a six-week drydock at the Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz, Spain.

According to the ship’s operator, the project aims to bring an array of transformative enhancements to the vessel, including environmental, technical and hotel upgrades.

“This extraordinary 40-day, $30+ million outlay in the ship demonstrates residents’ commitment to keeping The World at the forefront of luxury living and represents the next chapter in that journey,” said Jessica Hoppe, president and CEO of The World.

The ship was also recently awarded a “Statement of Extended Life” from Det Norske Veritas (DNV).

“Our resident owners continue to invest in the ship, ensuring that it not only evolves with their needs but also stays ahead of global innovations. Our recent Statement of Extended Life from DNV is a testament to the exceedingly high standards that we set, how hard our deck and engine teams work to meet those standards, and the support that we receive from the resident community,” she added.

As part of its regular schedule, The World is said to enter a planned drydock every three years to conduct routine technology and maintenance upgrades, as well as updates to public spaces based on current design and lifestyle trends.

The DNV statement is a result of the company’s commitment to maintenance.

After the completion of a comprehensive study and extensive evaluation, DNV recognized its commitment to maximizing the sustainable lifespan of the vessel.

“Most notably, The World’s physical condition is that of a ship that is just 5.6 years old, far younger than her chronological age—providing confidence in her long-term quality, efficiency, and environmental responsibility,” the company stated.

The 2025 drydock will focus on energy efficiency and sustainability, ensuring that the World continues to meet and exceed global climate targets.

Among the updates is the installation of shore power, also known as cold ironing, a High Voltage Shore Connection (HVSC) system.

The ship’s bulbous bow will be replaced as part of a decarbonization project.

Originally optimized for a speed of 19 knots, the new design will reduce hull resistance by up to 10 percent and significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The World will also debut a reimagined pool deck, a refreshed spa and more.

Norwegian Bliss Completes Drydock in Europe

Posted on 5 February, 2025 by Spacejunkie2

Norwegian Bliss arriving into Southampton port, photo credit Spacejunkie2 Flickr account,

The Norwegian Bliss is currently returning to the United States following a drydock in Europe.

With the project done, the Norwegian Cruise Line vessel embarked on a trans-Atlantic crossing in England on Feb. 2, 2025.

Sailing from Southampton to Miami, the 13-night cruise is scheduled to make visits to destinations in Spain, France and Portugal before arriving in Florida.

The ship is then set to offer a weeklong cruise in the Caribbean before repositioning to the West Coast ahead of a summer deployment in Alaska and Canada.

As part of its two-week refurbishment project in Damen at Brest, the Norwegian Bliss underwent technical updates and routine maintenance, as well as class work.

The 2018-built ship also saw the creation of new public areas and venues onboard, including the Horizon Park.

Making its fleetwide debut onboard the Bliss, the new outdoor area serves as an entertainment and gathering space that offers lawn games, giant Jenga, reclining loungers for sunbathing and more.

The vessel underwent updates to its food and beverage offerings as well, with the expansion of two popular speciality dining restaurants: Cagney’s Steakhouse and Teppanyaki.

Palomar, which is described by Norwegian Cruise Line as an elevated seafood specialty dining venue, also made its debut on the ship.

After being first introduced on the Norwegian Prima in 2022, the restaurant replaced Ocean Blue onboard the Norwegian Bliss.

Other changes include updates to the vessel’s stateroom offerings, with the introduction of three-bedroom Premiere Owner’s Suites created in The Haven ship-within-a-ship complex.

These top-tier suites now include three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and a separate dining room, in addition to fully refurbished living areas, master bedrooms and outdoor balcony furnishings.

Similar to its sister ships, the Norwegian Encore and the Norwegian Joy, the Norwegian Bliss also saw part of its Observation Lounge being replaced with 26 new balcony cabins.