Holland America’s Zaandam Enters Drydock in Freeport

Posted on 3 February, 2025 by Spacejunkie2

Holland America Line’s Zaandam recently arrived in Freeport to undergo routine maintenance at the Grand Bahama Shipyard.

After concluding a cruise in Fort Lauderdale, the ship entered one of the drydocks of the facility on Jan. 25, 2025.

As part of its two-week shipyard stay, the Zaandam is now undergoing a series of technical overhauls, as well as class work and general maintenance.

Upon completion of the drydock, the vessel is scheduled to welcome guests back in Florida on Feb. 8, 2025.

The 2000-built ship will then kick off a month-long cruise to the Caribbean, South America and the Amazon.

Sailing roundtrip from Miami, the “Amazon Explorer” itinerary is part of Holland America’s Legendary Voyages program and features visits to 13 destinations.

The sailing is highlighted by an overnight stay in Manaus, as well as scenic cruising on the Amazon River.

After the cruise, the Zaandam is scheduled to offer a Panama Canal cruise before kicking off a series of cruises to the Mexican Riviera.

The seven- to ten-night itineraries from San Diego will be followed by a summer deployment in Alaska and Canada.

In September, the 1,440-guest ship is also scheduled to offer a 56-night cruise to the South Pacific and Hawaii.

The vessel continues to sail in the Pacific during the 2025-26 winter, with itineraries to the Mexican Riviera, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia and more.

Extensively refurbished over the years, the Zaandam underwent a major refit in 2018 as part of a $300-million fleet upgrade program.

At the time, the vessel saw significant suite and stateroom enhancements and updates to its public areas.

New additions included USB outlets to the bedside headboards, as well as LED lights to facilitate late-night reading and upgraded electrical outlets. A fully new interactive television system was also installed in all cabins.

Carnival Sunshine Drydocking in Europe

Posted on 20 January, 2025 by Spacejunkie2

The Carnival Sunshine is drydocking ahead of arriving at its new homeport in Norfolk, Virginia.

After completing a final cruise from Charleston earlier this month, the vessel started a trans-Atlantic crossing to France on January 4, 2025.

The Carnival Cruise Line ship was expected in Marseille for its shipyard stay on January 15, 2025.

During the routine drydock, the 2,964-guest ship will undergo technical maintenance, in addition to class work and general upkeep of its hotel spaces.

After the project, the 1996-built vessel is set to return to North America for a series of cruises departing from Norfolk starting in mid-February.

As part of its new deployment, the Carnival Sunshine is scheduled to sail from the Virginia homeport on a year-round basis, offering six- to eight-night cruises to the Bahamas and the Caribbean.

The Carnival Sunshine is also set to make regular visits to two of Carnival Corporation’s private destinations in the region: Half Moon Cay and Princess Cays.

After offering itineraries to Bermuda during the summer, the vessel adds visits to Carnival Cruise Line’s new private destination, Celebration Key, in late September.

Originally built as the Carnival Destiny, the Sunshine underwent a major refurbishment project in 2013, which essentially rebuilt its interiors and public areas.

Gerolamo Scorza Completes Refit Projects on Norwegian Encore

Posted on 12 January, 2025 by Spacejunkie2

Gerolamo Scorza S.p.A., a member of Genova Industrie Navali S.p.A., has completed four refit projects onboard the Norwegian Encore.

The work was carried out during the ship’s recent drydock, which took place in Brest, France, in November 2024.

According to a statement, the challenging project was successfully completed within a two-week deadline and included the conversion of a tender lobby into a store.

Gerolamo Scorza also reinstalled the metallic ceiling and renovated tiles in Encore’s American Diner restaurant.

The Italy-based contractor also installed a new counter at the ship’s Cruise Next office and added new customized furnishings to the onboard photo gallery.

“This project gave us the chance to showcase both our technical skills and our craftsmanship attitude, as some furniture was manufactured in our workshop,” the company said.

After completing its drydock in Brest, the Norwegian Encore welcomed guests back onboard on Dec. 3, 2024, for a trans-Atlantic crossing.

Now cruising from Miami, the 2019-built vessel underwent a major refurbishment that included the creation of new features onboard.

According to Norwegian Cruise Line, the project followed guests’ feedback and included the debut of Spice H2O.

The complimentary adults-only sun deck was created in the area previously occupied by the ship’s laser tag arena.

Other enhancements included the expansion of two of Norwegian’s speciality dining venues, Cagney’s Steakhouse and Teppanyaki, as well as the addition of over 20 new balcony cabins.

The ship’s Haven suite enclave was also updated with the expansion of the Premier Owner’s Suites, which now offer new bedrooms in addition to fully renovated living rooms and a new separate dining room.

Before returning to the Caribbean, the Norwegian Encore also underwent technical work, including class overhauls, planned routine maintenance and more.

During the 2024-25 winter season, the Encore is scheduled to offer a series of seven-night cruises departing from Norwegian’s cruise terminal in PortMiami.