Three Royal Caribbean Ships in Drydock at Same Time

Three Royal Caribbean Ships in Drydock at Same Time

Three ships in the Royal Caribbean International fleet are currently undergoing drydocks in Europe and Asia.

While two vessels are also getting significant updates as part of the company’s Royal Amplified refit program, a third is undergoing routine maintenance.

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, the Ovation of the Seas was the first of the brand’s vessels to enter drydock recently.

The Quantum-class ship is currently in Singapore to undergo major refurbishment work that includes a series of enhancements and updates.

The project is highlighted by the expansion of the ship’s Casino Royale, as well as the introduction of new dining venues and features.

Other changes coming to the 2016-built vessel include the addition of 40 new staterooms, which will take over areas that were previously occupied by public and technical rooms.

The Ovation is scheduled to welcome guests back on April 17, 2026, kicking off a repositioning voyage to North America.

As part of the Royal Amplified program, the Harmony of the Seas is also getting updates at a shipyard in Spain.

The Oasis-class ship arrived at the Navantia shipyard in Cadiz in early April for a refurbishment that will see the addition of the fleet’s largest casino.

Other changes include the addition of new specialty restaurants, as well as a refreshed solarium and pool deck.

The 227,625-ton vessel is scheduled to resume service on May 21, 2026, ahead of a spring season in the Mediterranean.

After crossing the Atlantic in March, the Odyssey of the Seas became the latest Royal Caribbean ship to enter drydock.

The 2021-built vessel is presently at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard to undergo routine maintenance.

Set to spend the summer sailing in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean, the ship welcomes guests back on April 16, 2026.

As part of the Royal Amplified program, a fourth ship, the Liberty of the Seas, is scheduled to enter drydock later this month.

Cruise Lines Leverage Drydocks to Add Capacity to Existing Ships

Cruise Lines Leverage Drydocks to Add Capacity to Existing Ships

Cruise lines continue to add a significant number of staterooms to existing ships during routine drydocks, as highlighted in the new 2026 Drydock Report from Cruise Industry News.

The additional capacity generally fills in under utilized public areas, with revenue that flows right to the bottom line.

Among upcoming programs, the 2016-built Ovation of the Seas will see the addition of 40 new staterooms, which will take over space currently occupied by various public areas.

Also included in the company’s modernization effort, the Harmony of the Seas is set to enter drydock in April for a refit that will include the creation of 91 additional staterooms.

A third ship is also getting a significant capacity increase with 68 new staterooms: the Liberty of the Seas.

Silversea’s Silver Muse saw a seven percent increase in 2025.

After entering drydock in November, the 2017-built vessel returned to service with 18 smaller staterooms replacing its original larger suites.

Norwegian Cruise Line continued to expand its ships’ capacities in 2025 by adding 26 additional staterooms to the Norwegian Bliss. The increase followed similar projects carried out onboard the Norwegian Joy and the Norwegian Encore in 2024.

A second ship, the Pride of America, saw the addition of 26 new staterooms during a drydock on the West Coast in May.

Other key capacity addition projects:

  • Celestyal Discovery – 47 new staterooms
  • Carnival Miracle – 5 new staterooms
  • Holland America’s Zuiderdam – 11 new staterooms
  • Norwegian Epic – 8 new staterooms

Royal Caribbean International Trimming Housekeeping Services

Royal Caribbean International is adjusting the housekeeping services onboard its fleet. According to different passenger forums on the internet, several ships have seen a reduction in how many times a cabin is serviced per day.

“In an effort to be more sustainable and to align with global hospitality trends, we will be adjusting our stateroom services to one per day,” the company said in a daily cruise program onboard one of the ships that saw the change.

According to the document, passengers are welcome to work with their housekeeping staff to ensure their needs are met. It’s understood that guests are able to select whether they prefer morning or evening service in their staterooms.

While most cabin categories are set to move to the new service schedule, Junior Suites and above will maintain two services per day, the message added.

The change has been spotted in different ships, including the Quantum of the Seas, the Spectrum of the Seas, the Independence of the Seas, the Ovation of the Seas and the Harmony of the Seas.

It’s unknown whether the service reduction will be applied to Royal Caribbean’s 26-ship fleet.

In 2022, Norwegian Cruise Line also moved its stateroom cleaning services to a once-a-day basis for select cabin categories. According to a letter sent to the crew at the time, the change aimed at consolidating crew roles while saving energy and water.

Other cruise lines that have moved to a once-a-day cabin service include Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises and more.