I Cruised on a Cruise Ship That Was Cut in Half! Here’s Why

I recently sailed on Windstar’s Star Pride. She and her two sister ships, Star Breeze and Star Legend, were lengthened between 2019 and 2021.

They added an extra 50 staterooms, accommodating 100 more passengers. They also added an infinity pool and new public areas.

I’m very glad they stretched it because I felt like it was a very small ship, even after the stretch!

What Happens

The ship is physically cut into two pieces in dry dock.

The new prefabricated section, made to fit precisely, is inserted into the middle of the ship.

The two halves are welded back together.

This might sound fake – but it is completely normal in the cruise industry!

The ship remains structurally sound afterwards.

This new section can add cabins, restaurants, pools, or entirely new venues.

Cruise ships are designed in sections, which makes lengthening them in this way possible.

*All images by Windstar

Why Cruise Lines Do It

There are many sound financial reasons for stretching a cruise ship.

#1. To Add More Cabins

More cabins means they can accommodate more passengers onboard.

More passengers means more revenue for the cruise line.

Sometimes adding 100 to 300 extra cabins makes a huge financial difference to the amount of profit a ship is able to make.

Cruise demands change over time. Cruiselines need to modernise older ships to keep up with newer competition.

#2 Adding Modern Features

Adding new restaurants, pools, and venues will make the ship more appealing to passengers.

Older ships can become far more profitable after stretching.

Older ships are often missing attractions that you will find on a new cruise ship, so they can be less popular with the general public.

Cruise lines will need bigger restaurants, theatres, spas, or pool decks when there are more cabins and more guests onboard.

Passenger expectations change very quickly. As new, modern cruise ships are launched, the older ships can be left behind, and cruise lines have to sell cabins more cheaply to generate demand.

#3. To Make Older Ships Competitive Again

Stretching will be considerably cheaper than building an entirely new ship.

Cruise lines can modernise older vessels rather than retire them from the fleet.

It’s a bit like refurbishing your house instead of buying a new one.

Older properties are usually well-built and have quirks and a charm all their own. Buying a new house is an easier option, but you might not end up with such a nice house in the end!

Cruise lines constantly try to extend ships’ lifespans by refurbishing them. Ordering completely new ships is expensive!

How The Process Actually Works

Stretching happens in this order:

• The ship enters dry dock
• Interior areas are removed or prepared
• The hull is cut apart
• Ship halves separated
• The new middle section is floated into place
• The entire structure is welded together
• Systems are reconnected and tested

The inserted section is usually built separately beforehand, to minimise the time the ship is out of action.

Precision engineering is critical to make sure the new section fits seamlessly into the old.

This process can take weeks or months

Does It Make The Ship Worse?

Some passengers say stretched ships feel awkward, but many never notice that the ship has been stretched at all.

If you have been on the ship before, you might notice you are walking longer distances.

You might have a situation where more passengers onboard are using the same public facilities.

Layouts can sometimes feel less balanced than when the ship was originally designed.

Many stretched ships actually become far better afterwards.

The Star Pride that I sailed on had a new pool installed. I can’t imagine sailing on a ship like that in hot destinations without a good-sized pool to relax in.

Whether stretching is a success depends entirely on how well the redesign is done.

Famous Cruise Ships That Were Stretched

You might have travelled on cruise ships that have been stretched without even realising.

Examples of ships that have been lengthened:

• Enchantment of the Seas
  • In 2005, a new 73-foot mid-body section was inserted, stretching the vessel to add hundreds of new staterooms and expanded deck spaces.
  • Although the ship was lengthened, certain original public spaces, such as the Windjammer Cafe and theatre, were not expanded. There were mixed opinions among guests about the extra crowding onboard.
  • It was the only Vision-class ship to be lengthened, because of the immense architectural challenges and high costs – reportedly around $30 million.
• MSC Armonia and other MSC Lirica-class ships
  • Four Lirica-class ships were originally built between 2003 and 2005 at the STX yards in Saint-Nazaire, France.
  • Between 2014 and 2015, an 80-foot-long section was added to the middle of each ship.
  • This added nearly 200 more cabins, extended the shops onboard, added a spray water park for children, and they also took the opportunity to refit restaurants and public areas.
• Pride of America – (Norwegian Cruise Line)
  • Pride of America was actually lengthened before she even set sail for Norwegian Cruise Line!
  • Construction of the ship began in 2000 in the USA as part of a plan for a US-built and US-flagged cruise ship under “Project America.”
  • The project failed, and she was then bought by Norwegian Cruise Lines and completed at the Lloyd Werft Shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany.
  • In August 2002, when Norwegian Cruise Line first acquired the 40% completed hull, they decided to lengthen her.
  • The ship was lengthened from 850 feet to 920 feet, and the gross tonnage was increased from 72,000 to more than 80,000.
• Balmoral – (Fred. Olsen)
  • Balmoral sailed for many different cruise lines before being bought by Fred.Olsen.
  • The ship was built in 1988 for Royal Cruise Line, which then sold out to Norwegian Cruise Line. She sailed under the names Crown Odyssey and Norwegian Crown prior to her being sold to Fred. Olsen.
  • Fred. Olsen added a new 98 ft midsection. The work was completed at the end of 2007, before she sailed on her inaugural cruise to Florida in February 2008.
  • The lengthening added 186 passenger and 53 crew cabins, as well as creating new and updated public areas.

Passengers often sail on stretched ships without ever realising!

Why Cruise Lines Rarely Do It Today

Modern mega ships are already extremely large.

The Royal Caribbean cruise ship Icon of the Seas is already 1,198 feet/365 meters and takes over five minutes to walk from one end to another at a reasonable pace. It really doesn’t need to be any bigger!

They are so big, it is hard to get a proper idea of the lengths and heights involved. Read the article below to help you understand how big they really are!

The World’s Biggest Cruise Ships Compared To Cars, Buildings – And Even Capybaras

New ships are far more specialised and complex, so stretching would be difficult to do.

Stretching isn’t always financially worthwhile anymore. Bigger ships are being built, and older, smaller ships are being retired or sold to smaller cruise companies.

Stretching was much more common in the 1990s and 2000s than it is today.

Have a look at the ships that Marella bought from large American cruise lines, and transformed to suit the British market in the article below:

How Marella Cruises Transformed Ex-Celebrity and Royal Caribbean Ships

Cruise ships today are often already designed close to their maximum practical size.

Before You Go

Only a few cruise ships are small enough to fit under Tower Bridge in the heart of London. Find out which ones do, here:

The Cruise Ships Small Enough To Sail Under Tower Bridge

Find out when is the best time to book to get a great deal on your cruise here:

Booking A Cruise Last Minute Vs Early – Which Is Actually Cheaper?