Carnival Freedom Returns To Service With New Look

Posted on 26 October, 2023 by Spacejunkie2

Once again sporting an iconic winged funnel, the Carnival Freedom marked its return to service by welcoming guests onboard in Barcelona, Spain, for a 14-day transatlantic voyage to its homeport of Port Canaveral, Fla.

The ship underwent an extensive refurbishment that included the installation of the new funnel, the addition of the signature Carnival red, white and blue hull livery and other enhancements, the company said in a press release.

Earlier this month, the 2,980-guest ship entered its 16-day dry dock at the Navantia shipyard in Cadiz, Spain. The ship’s transformation is a milestone for the shipyard. While the yard’s team members have worked on other projects across the fleet, this is the first time they have designed and manufactured a Carnival funnel.

Among the other enhancements is a newly installed Heroes Tribute Bar, which is an expanding venue across the Carnival fleet and honors military veterans and active-duty service members. Carnival Freedom now also features a Dreams Studio, where guests can capture memories that become keepsakes from their cruise with the help of Carnival’s photography staff. Some of the other work includes an expansion to the ship’s casino, and renovations and upgrades across the ship’s staterooms and public areas.

Carnival Freedom’s two-week-long transatlantic Carnival Journeys cruise from Spain is offering guests an unforgettable journey that includes visits to Valencia, Malaga and Las Palmas, Spain as well as Bermuda. From Port Canaveral, the ship offers four- and five-day sailings to destinations in The Bahamas, such as Nassau and Princess Cays, as well as other Caribbean destinations, including Grand Turk. Many new itineraries were recently opened for the ship, and among them are sailings that feature Carnival’s upcoming exclusive destination, Celebration Key, as a port of call beginning in 2025.

Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas Resumes Service Following Drydock

Posted on 12 March, 2023 by Spacejunkie2

Royal Caribbean International’s Explorer of the Seas is re-entering service today following a 21-day drydock in Spain.

Sailing from Miami, the Voyager-class vessel is resuming a program of six- to eight-night cruises to the Southern and Western Caribbean.

For its first voyage after the refit, the 2000-built cruise ship is offering a six-night itinerary to Jamaica and Grand Cayman that includes George Town and Falmouth as ports of call.

Before returning to PortMiami, the Explorer is also set to visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island destination in the Bahamas.

In addition to routine maintenance and technical overhaul, the Explorer of the Seas received new waterslides during its recent stay at the Navantia shipyard.

Named “The Perfect Storm,” the pair of slides were added to the ship’s 13th deck on an area previously occupied by sun loungers.

The drydock work scope also included hotel upkeep, as well as minor upgrades and class work.

As the second ship in Royal Caribbean International’s Voyager Class, the Explorer of the Seas originally entered service in 2000.

With a capacity for 3,100 guests, the Explorer was also one of the first ships to offer the Royal Promenade, Royal Caribbean’s trademark indoor boulevard surrounded by shops, bars, and restaurants.

In 2015, the ship underwent a major refurbishment that added new features, such as the FlowRider surf simulator and a 3-D movie theatre.

While new cabins and suites were added to different parts of the ship, the existing staterooms were also equipped with “virtual balconies” during the refit. According to Royal Caribbean, the large screens added were designed to bring the live ocean and destination views into the interior of the cabins.

Completing its winter season in the Caribbean, the Explorer of Seas is set to kick off a summer program in the Mediterranean on May 8.

Drydock Frenzy as Cruise Lines Restart

Posted on 12 August, 2021 by Spacejunkie2

The resumption of global cruise operations is keeping drydock busy around the world. With more cruise ships restarting service, cruise companies are rushing to get necessary work done before welcoming the passengers back onboard, as predicted by Cruise Industry News earlier this year.

In Europe some drydocks have seen a dramatic increase in the number of cruise ships projects, almost seemingly overnight.

Popular among several cruise lines, the Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz, Spain, has been one of the busiest facilities.. Working on vessels from brands such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Marella and Azamara, the yard currently has five ships in Cádiz, with two more on the way.

According to the local press, Navantia plans to work on18 cruise ship projects through the end of the year. the year.

The work performed by the facility includes necessary classification society inspections, technical maintenance and modernization. Recent work included the Liberty of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas and Celebrity Constellation, which underwent repairs and revision of propulsion and steering equipment, hydro blasting and application of silicone paint.

Marseilles, has also been a the hotspot, working closely with Carnival Corporation, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and Royal Caribbean Group’s Silversea.

Carnival completed four drydocks in the facility recently, with all vessels undergoing regular maintenance and a change of hull colors. A fifth Carnival vessel – the Carnival Legend – is currently at the shipyard, along with Silversea’s Silver Spirit.

Also recently,, the Palumbo Malta Shipyard worked on several MSC ships for their restart operations. Located in Valletta, the yard was partly acquired by the MSC Group in 2020 and currently has the MSC Preziosa docked there.

Bigger Projects Making a Comeback

While most of the current drydock projects are limited to mandatory and technical work, some vessels are also seeing significant refurbishment and conversion projects in 2021.

After virtually all those projects scheduled for 2020 were cancelled or postponed, a few are now being carried out.

In April, the former Star Princess was converted into a P&O ship in Singapore. Also in Singapore, Ponant’s Paul Gauguin emerged renovated a few weeks before, with revamped interiors and cabins.

Work on Carnival Victory was also resumed recently. The vessel is set to be transformed into the Carnival Radiance with all new interiors and revamped cabins in a $200 million project.

Another big project confirmed for the year is the conversion of the Silver Wind into an ice-class expedition vessel. Previously scheduled for 2020, the project is now set to be completed by the end of 2021.