Tag Archives: spain

The World to Undergo Major Refit During Six-Week Drydock

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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.

Marella Sending Discovery 2 to Med and Canaries for Winter 2024-25

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Starting November 7, Marella Cruises will homeport the Marella Discovery 2 in Malaga, Spain for a series of winter sailings before heading to Tenerife and Gran Canaria in December 2024.

The ship was previously slated to sail in Asia.

These itineraries go on sale on May 23.

Chris Hackney, managing director of Cruise for TUI UK & I said: “We are delighted to offer these itineraries out of two of our well-established homeports for this winter. We know guests love the beautiful Canaries and Madeira and as Marella Cruises is part of TUI, we can offer incredible experiences ashore with our destination teams as well as a great onboard experience too. All of these itineraries offer cruise and stay options too, with great flying options across various UK airports.”

 “We do appreciate how disappointing it was to those customers who were impacted by the cancellation of our Asia program on Marella Discovery 2, but we are confident with the breadth of the program we have to offer something different to our customers.”

 From Malaga, Spain, Marella will offer two itineraries:

  • Spanish Flavours, departing from November 7, 2024, with visits to Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona, Valencia, Cartegena, Gibraltar and porting in Malaga.
  • Sights and Delights, departing from November 14, 2024, visiting Malaga, Lisbon, Portugal, Cadiz, Casablanca, Cartagena, Motril and Malaga, Spain.

From Tenerife, the Marella Discovery 2 will also offer two new itineraries:

  • Winter Escape, departing November 28, 2024, with visits to Malaga, Gibraltar, Cadiz, Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
  • Sail into Spring, departing on March 24,  2025, visiting Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Cartagena, Malta and Limassol, Cyprus.

Carnival Freedom Returns To Service With New Look

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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.