Cruise ship refits happen all the time, whether it involves replacing the soft furnishings or giving the entire ship an internal makeover. Below are three exciting ship refurbishments that have been completed recently and will be ready for your 2021/2022 cruises.

FREEDOM OF THE SEAS

On 9th March 2020, Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas came out of dry dock after a £90million refurbishment. She underwent a bow-to-stern makeover that included adding new features, from outside facilities to entertainment venues and restaurants.

Children can now zoom down the Perfect Storm waterslides, Cyclone and Typhoon, which feature many twists, turns and drops, as well as play in the aqua park, Splashaway Bay. They can also engage in a competitive game of glow-in-the-dark laser tag at Clash for the Crystal City. During that time, adults can relax in the new Caribbean-themed pool bar, The Lime and Coconut, and sip on tasty cocktails while live reggae music plays.

Freedom’s Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen is the first of the Royal Caribbean chain to be refreshed and showcase a reimagined menu, filled with mouth-watering pizzas and pasta dishes. El Loco Fresh is also the first of its kind to have a full-service bar, where guests can help themselves to delicious Mexican food by the pool.

CELEBRITY SILHOUETTE

Celebrity Silhouette completed her dry-dock refurbishment in late February and now boasts six new cabins, a new casual dining venue, an exclusive area for suite guests, and upgraded bars and lounges. This refurbishment was part of Celebrity Cruises’ £38 million revolution programme that takes design ideas from Celebrity Edge and implements them onto older ships.

A lot changed over 42 days, including the addition of The Retreat – an exclusive sun deck, bar and lounge for guests staying in suite-class accommodation. Also added was the casual dining spot, Craft Social that serves a range of comfort foods, cocktails and 40 craft beers. If you’re looking for a new bar where you can delve into tasty cocktails, try the new Entertainment Court Bar or upgraded Sunset Bar.

The cruise line built two new sunset suites and four interior cabins. Meanwhile, amenities, mattresses and TVs were upgraded in already-established cabins and suites. The outdoor pool deck, gym and solarium have all been refreshed and the art gallery, casino and photo gallery revamped.

NORWEGIAN SPIRIT

Norwegian Cruise Line renovated Norwegian Spirit as part of their Norwegian Edge Programme, where features of Norwegian Spirit are added to their older ships to make them more cohesive. Changes made to public areas, staterooms and dining venues meant the 43-day renovation cost over £80million.

While docked in Marseille, additional staterooms were built and previous ones refurbished before her hull livery was changed. The expanded Mandara Spa now features a new thermal suite and relaxation area, perfect for sea days. You can also look forward to eating classic pub grub in The Local; dining in the complimentary buffet, The Garden Café; and trying out the new main dining room, Taste.

The five new bars and lounges allow you to grab a pre or post-dinner drink in a different venue every evening. The Bliss Ultra Lounge acts as a bar, lounge and dancefloor so you can grab your favourite cocktail and mingle with others before taking to the dancefloor. During the day, pop into the adult-only Spice H2O to relax in hot tubs while sipping on refreshing drinks.