Tag Archives: Major Refurbishment

Cunard To Add 30 New Cabins to Queen Mary 2

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Cunard To Add 30 New Cabins to Queen Mary 2

Deck plans published on Cunard’s website show that the company is planning to add 30 new staterooms to the Queen Mary 2.

Set to undergo a major refurbishment program in 2027, the 2004-built vessel will see the introduction of new suites and inside cabins.

Designed as the world’s first modern ocean liner, the Queen Mary 2 currently carries 2,620 passengers in double occupancy, and that will now increase by approximately 2.5 percent..

Most of the extra staterooms will be added to a section of Deck 13 that is being turned into a new accommodation area.

Currently housing a sun deck, the space will offer 18 Princess Grill Suites, as well as five inside staterooms.

On Deck 9, the current Concierge Lounge is being converted into four additional inside cabins, while a new Penthouse Suite is being added to Deck 8.

The premium accommodation takes over an area adjacent to the ship’s library, which is currently occupied by a book store.

Cunard is also replacing part of the Queen Mary 2’s Teens and Kids Zone on Deck 6 with four new inside staterooms.

Other changes to the vessel’s deck plan include the addition of a new sun deck on Deck 14, as well as the removal of the Boardwalk Café from Deck 12.

While no details of the refurbishment have officially been confirmed at press time, Cunard’s website confirms that the Queen Mary 2 will undergo enhancements ahead of next year’s summer season.

The 151,400-ton ship is expected to enter drydock in late March 2027 before welcoming guests back on May 9, 2027.

The cabin additions follow a recent trend in the cruise industry, which has seen  cruise lines adding significant numbers of new staterooms to their older ships.

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, Royal Caribbean, Silversea, Norwegian, Holland America and Celestyal are among the brands that added capacity to vessels in drydock recently.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines to revamp three ships

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Fred Olsen Cruise Lines is sending Braemar, Balmoral and Black Watch into dry dock this winter in preparation for the 2020-21 season.

All three will receive new public areas and cabin improvements during their revamps, taking place from now until December 21 at Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany.

In addition, a number of cabins on 804-passenger Black Watch will receive bathroom upgrades.

On Balmoral, an Oriental Room will be added on deck six, where teas and Far Eastern-themed cocktails and drinks will be served.

A photo gallery and flower shop will also be installed on to the 1,325-passenger ship.

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Engineering works, general maintenance and other refurbishments will also be carried out.

Braemar entered dry dock on Thursday and will return to service on November 24 when it sales a nine-night French, Belgian & Spanish City Overnights cruise from Southampton.

Balmoral will enter the yard on December 10 before emerging 10 days later, while Black Watch will go in on December 11 and come out on December 21.

The line’s fourth ship – 880-passenger Boudicca – will go into dry dock in autumn next year.

Peter Deer, managing director of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines said: “We are very proud of our smaller, classic cruise ships and we recognise the importance of investing in ongoing upgrades to ensure that our guests can continue to enjoy them at their very best.

“Our refreshed and the renewed fleet has been very well-received by both new and existing guests following the last round of improvements at Blohm+Voss in 2017 and 2018, and we are keen to showcase the latest enhancements to our guests before Christmas.”

Royal’s Empress refreshingly retro refurb

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The pool deck on the renovated Empress of the Seas has a more airy design than the ships built more recently for Royal Caribbean International. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst
 
When Royal Caribbean International received the Empress of the Seas back from Pullmantur Cruises early this year, hopes were running high that the U.S. was on the cusp of a new era in its relations with Cuba.

Now it looks like it will get a chance to deploy the 1,590-passenger Empress as intended, following the news that Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has received Cuban governmental permission for cruises there.

Until last week, the ship had been stuck in limbo waiting for a decision that had been expected much earlier in the year.

Royal has spent $50 million on renovations to the Empress of the Seas — known as the Nordic Empress when inaugurated in 1990 — and on a tour in July I found the ship to be a pleasant change from the style of vessels currently being built.

 
The two-story dining room on the Empress.<br /><br /><strong>Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst</strong>
The two-story dining room on the Empress.
 
Start with the top deck, where the pool area feels more airy and open than the current designs. Instead of another whole deck running around the pool to provide shaded areas, there are canvas canopies stretched on a framework, making the feel lighter and brighter than on modern ships.

The airy feeling continues inside the ship, which was designed with lots of exterior glass to enhance the connection to the sea.

The effect is noticeable throughout but particularly in the two-deck main dining room, which unlike today’s designs is located in the aft, with double-deck windows in the rear.

Part of the reason the Empress feels different from modern ships is its use of materials.

The architects employed shiny chrome surfaces as liberally as the car designers of the 1950s, particularly in the stairwells and staircases.

In other spaces there’s more wood than you would see on a newer ship, such as the trim around cabinets, vanities, dresser drawers and door frames in the staterooms.

In many cabins, travelers will find the old-style, fold-down third and fourth berths fastened to the walls, instead of concealed in the ceiling. Also notable is the paucity of balcony cabins: only 71 were included in the original design.

In upgrading the cabins, Royal has paid the most attention to the suites, which got new furniture, carpeting, drapes and linens. The suites are also the only accommodations that have bedside USB outlets.

Other improvements include the ship’s lounge, which has been updated as a Boleros, the Latin-themed bar and dance space found on three other Royal ships. A Chops Grille steakhouse has also been added.

At 1,590 passengers and 48,563 gross tons, the Empress is about a quarter of the size of Royal’s largest ships, giving fans of smaller vessels a chance to experience the Royal brand attributes without the crowds.

“It truly is our boutique ship,” said Mark Tamis, Royal’s senior vice president for hotel operations. “So many of our guests love the intimate smaller spaces. This is the ship they grew up with.”