This week major cruise ships and private islands are either headed for renovations or showing off a new look.
Silversea’s Silver Spirit has wrapped its final cruise before an ambitious lengthening and renovation project designed to bring the luxury cruise ship more in line with the design of the recently launched Silver Muse. The project, which is set to wrap May 1 ahead of a May 6 cruise, will add a 49-foot-long segment to the ship’s midsection.
As a result of the new section Silver Spirit will get 34 new suites, although the line said that the ship would still maintain a crew-to-guest ratio of 1:1.48. The ship will also add a new top-tier Balsorano suite, with items selected by Silversea Chairman Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, plus new dining venues Atlantide, Indochine, Spaccanapoli and Silver Note. Existing suites will also get new furnishings, and public spaces will get a refresh.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Paradise is in the midst of its own renovation project that’s set to wrap March 26. The revamp will add a number of new food and beverage options, including Guy’s Burger Joint, RedFrog Rum Bar, and the BlueIguana Cantina and Tequila Bar, as well as two new Grand Vista suites, 22 junior suites, two ocean view cabins and 12 interior accommodations. The ship will also get a new WaterWorks Aqua Park, a new Camp Ocean children’s area and a number of updates to its retail offerings. Following the drydock, the ship will resume year-round four- to eight-day cruises from Tampa, FL.
Finally, in destination news, Princess Cruises just wrapped a big renovation to its Princess Cays private island destination. The project added enhanced Wi-Fi as part of parent company Carnival Corporation’s new OceanMedallion satellite Internet and connectivity platform. Carnival Corp. is showcasing the update with a new bandwidth test onboard the Regal Princess just offshore.
The Princess Cays renovations also added a number of new shore excursions, including guided lagoon paddles, bike rides and a new “Davy Jones” water sports rental equipment area. Additionally, a new Stingray Beach Encounter will allow guests to feed, touch and hold live stingrays, as well as learn interesting facts about the animals from trainers.
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