The Most Expensive Cruise Ship Renovations in History (Were They Worth It?)

It’s not uncommon to hear about cruise ships undergoing refurbishment.

With the high passenger turnover and the sheer number of people taking cruise holidays, it’s perfectly understandable that ships need a well-deserved makeover every so often.

Sometimes, it is just a minor makeover, with an upgrade of some public spaces, updated decor or new technology being fitted.

Sometimes, the cruise lines choose to spend multiple millions completely refitting and refurbishing a ship so it feels more like the newer ships in their fleets.

In this article, we look at why cruise lines choose to do this. Look at some of the ships that have been completely renovated and discover whether this multi-million-pound investment is worth it in the long run.

Ships Totally Renovated

#1.Norwegian Spirit

As many of you know, Norwegian Spirit has a very special place in my heart. I took my first-ever cruise on this ship with my family back in 2005. I was eleven, and this is where my love of cruising began.

In 2020, Norwegian Spirit underwent a $100 million restoration in Marseille, France.

She was in dry dock for a total of 43 days whilst they ripped out the old interiors and started afresh.

They created new restaurants, redesigned cabins, and upgraded the spa, amongst other things.

Norwegian described it as:

Most Extensive Bow-to-Stern Renovation in Company’s History Extends to All Dining Venues, Staterooms and Public Areas

Norwegian Cruise Line

When I was a child, I loved the “Buccaneers Wet and Wild” pool on the aft of the ship. It had a pirate ship, water slides and water cannons!

That has now been changed, and there is a pool there instead. This is a far more adult space that suits me now.

I had my reservations about Norwegian removing the panoramic lifts, the stairs and the water feature from Norwegian Spirit’s memorable atrium.

But my fears were unfounded, Norwegian have created a much more usable space in that area.

Find out more about that and the general renovation of Norwegian Spirit here:

#2. Oasis Of The Seas

In 2019, Oasis of the Seas got a $165 Million refit. She had been in service with Royal Caribbean for ten years at this time.

She was taken out of service for 63 days, and the work took place in Cadiz, Spain.

800 tons of extra weight was added to Oasis of the Seas during refurbishment

They added thirty new cabins, refreshed dining and entertaining areas, and added the distinctive “Ultimate Abyss” slide to the back of the ship.

The slide’s entrance is shaped like the mouth of a giant anglerfish. 

I tried this slide out on Oasis’s sister ship, Symphony of the Seas. Find out all about that ship here:

They also added “The Perfect Storm” waterslides. You can also find the Perfect Storm slides on Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, and Navigator of the Seas.

#3 Queen Mary 2

In 2016, Queen Mary 2 undertook a $132 Million refit in Hamburg, Germany.

Queen Mary 2 was originally launched in 2004 and is a very special ship. She is the last true Ocean Liner at Sea.

Ocean Liners are very different from cruise ships. Find out why here:

Cruise Ships vs Ocean Liners – Measurable Differences You Need to Know

After twelve years in service, she needed a refurbishment, which included the creation of 15 single-occupancy cabins.

They also installed 35 more Britannia Club Balcony staterooms, which were added on top of her forward superstructure on Deck 13.

These cabins replaced an area with tennis courts, a wading pool, two hot tubs and a bar.

Queen Mary 2 has the unique feature of onboard Kennels. Those taking a transatlantic sailing can take their cats or dogs with them – at an additional cost. The pets must stay in the onboard kennels.

Obviously, this is a good money-making feature, as Cunard added ten new kennels to the original twelve onboard.

Find out everything you need to know about taking your pet on Queen Mary 2 here:

I Took A Cruise That Allows Dogs (And Cats) Onboard!

Another significant change was to the impressive atrium area. Originally, there were panoramic lifts in the atrium, but these have been removed to improve the flow of passengers through the ship.

When I stayed on Queen Mary 2, I had a very unusual atrium-view cabin. It looked out onto the atrium area below.

Find out what I thought of that here:

#4 Carnival Sunrise

Carnival Sunrise was originally named Carnival Triumph. In 2019, she underwent a $200 Million refit in Cadiz, Spain.

Carnival Triumph was originally launched in 1999.

In 2013, there was an unfortunate incident when a fire knocked out the ship’s power.

More than 4,000 passengers and crew members were stranded aboard Carnival Triumph. This was dubbed as the “poop cruise” by media at the time.

The ship drifted for four days before it could be towed into Mobile, Alabama. At this time, it was without air conditioning and largely without lights, water, food and any working toilets.

Passengers were mostly unsuccessful in suing Carnival for damages, but court cases did reveal that Carnival knew that there were problems on the cruise ship due to its “shoddy maintenance”.

The generator that caught fire and caused the outage had been overdue for maintenance for over a year, so this situation may have been easily avoided.

This negative publicity for the ship must have had an effect on sales, so I am not surprised Carnival renamed the ship!

New features added included new dining options, a new ropes course, and a redesigned atrium.

All of the ship’s cabins were redecorated with an island-inspired look. More than fifty staterooms were added to different parts of the ship.

#5 Celebrity Millennium

Celebrity Millennium was built in 2000. In 2019, she was the first of Celebrity’s older ships to undergo a major refurbishment. This was carried out in Singapore.

Her hull was given a new colour scheme (painted blue) in line with the newer ships, such as Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Ascent, and Celebrity Xcel.

After the refurbishment, Celebrity claimed that all staterooms featured a new design, which was described as rivalling “the world’s best boutique hotels”.

New restaurants were added, and the famous “Le Petit Chef” virtual dining experience was added.

The Oceanview Café buffet was redesigned with a “marketplace-inspired design”. The main restaurants underwent a redesign, with new textures and new finishes added throughout.

The Celebrity Revolution is our ambitious $500 million initiative to modernize our entire fleet with the incredible design aspects that have made Celebrity Edge one of the most innovative and revolutionary cruise ships ever built.

Celebrity Cruises

#6 Silver Spirit

Silversea spent $70 Million in 2018 to upgrade Silver Spirit. They lengthened the ship at the same time.

The refurbishment work was undertaken in Palermo, Italy, over a 59-day period. The ship emerged 49 feet longer than when she went into dry dock.

With the aim of amplifying guests’ onboard experience in line with the successful design of Silversea’s flagship, Silver Muse, the lengthening project has brought the ship to an exceptional standard: among other improvements, stylish décor enhancements have brought superlative comfort and a sense of spaciousness to public areas and suites; the ship’s pool deck has been enlarged; a new eight-restaurant arrangement has increased dining options, with the introduction of Spaccanapoli, Silver Note, Atlantide, and Indochine, as well as the renovation of La Terrazza; and a number of new amenities have upgraded the onboard offering, including the Arts Café, Tor’s Observation Library, the Zagara Spa, the Panorama Lounge, and the chic Dolce Vita lounge.

Silversea

To find out more about ships being lengthened and why cruise lines undertake this extreme renovation, read this article next:

These Cruise Ships Were Cut in Half: Why and How (Royal, MSC, NCL & More)

MSC Magnifica

MSC spent a whopping €140 Million in 2021 upgrading MSC Magnifica.

Magnifica was built in 2009, but in 2021 she undertook a much-needed refurbishment.

She was dry-docked for two months and was refurbished and stretched by 23 metres (75 ft 6 in). This created more cabins and public spaces. Many of the public spaces were redesigned.

They added two new restaurants, a new shopping area, a new water park, and 215 new cabins (92 with balcony), and they upgraded to the most modern ecological systems.

MSC aren’t new to lengthening its older cruise ships. They lengthened all four of their Lirica-class ships (MSC Lirica, MSC Armonia, MSC Sinfonia and MSC Opera) before lengthening the Magnifica, so this approach must work for them financially.

Disney Magic

Disney Magic is Disney Cruise Line’s oldest ship. She was built in the Fincantieri shipyards in Italy.

In 2013 Disney spent $150 Million upgrading her, in Cadiz, Spain.

Upgrades included the AquaDunk waterslide, a revamped kids’ club and refreshed staterooms.

Disney Magic is the one Disney ship I have sailed on. I did find her layout a little odd, with restaurants towards the middle of the ship, and corridors and passageways down the edges. (normally you would find restaurants with windows on most ships, with corridors spaces down the middle).

Find out more about that memorable cruise and ship here:

Why Do Cruise Lines Spend So Much?

For the cruise lines, renovating and refurbishing their ships is a sensible option.

• Cheaper Than Building New Ships
  • A new cruise ship can cost over $1 billion.
  • Even the most extensive renovations typically cost between $100–$200 million.
  • Renovating allows cruise lines to refresh older ships with modern amenities without the massive expense and time commitment of building from scratch.
• It extends the Ship’s Lifespan.
  • A major refit can add ten to fifteen years of extra service to the ship.
  • By updating cabins, public spaces, and technology, older ships stay competitive with newer vessels in the fleet.
• Meeting Passenger Expectations
  • Travellers want the latest features, high-speed Wi-Fi, modern entertainment, eco-friendly systems, and modern designs.
  • Cruise lines use renovations to add popular attractions like water parks, new dining concepts, and advanced tech systems.
• Environmental Regulations and Efficiency
  • Upgrades often include eco-friendly technologies to meet new environmental standards, like exhaust gas cleaning systems and improved fuel efficiency.
  • These changes can reduce operating costs in the long run, making the investment worthwhile for the cruise line.
• Brand Consistency across the fleet
  • Older ships are updated to match the design and amenities of newer ships, which is key for brand identity – an example of this is the new hull art on Norwegian Spirit or the blue hull paint of Celebrity Millenium.
  • Renovations help maintain a consistent experience across the fleet. The last thing cruise companies want is for guests to avoid the older ships because they aren’t seen as being as “good” as the newer ships.

Were the Renovations Worth It?

Success Stories

Some ships become significantly more popular after renovations.

Norwegian Spirit’s $100 million transformation turned it from an older, dated ship into a modern favourite with a sleek design, new dining options, and upgraded staterooms.

I have always loved Norwegian Spirit anyway – with its wooden decks and a large wraparound observation lounge. She is now better than ever!

The refurbishment seemed to make use of previously underused areas – like the atrium and wet and the wild children’s pool – and put those spaces to much better use.

Royal Caribbean found Oasis of the Seas to be far more in demand after its renovation This was thanks to the addition of water slides, new dining experiences, and better family activities.

Mixed Results

Not every renovation is entirely successful. Some ships receive expensive upgrades that passengers find underwhelming, especially if changes are mostly cosmetic rather than functional.

For example, some guests on Carnival Sunrise felt the new design didn’t fully address crowding issues – despite the $200 million spent.

When cruise lines lengthen their ships or reconfigure to add extra cabins, there is always the risk that the ships will feel more crowded. The public areas are rarely enlarged, but an increased number of passengers are using them.

I sailed on Celebrity Infinity after she had undergone “The Celebrity Revolution” refurbishment a few years previously. It felt like the hull had been painted blue, and new carpets (or bits of carpet) had been laid in certain areas. Although the suites and suite area lounges had been refurbished, that didn’t benefit most passengers.

I think you have to take cruise reviews with a pinch of salt, but one guest said:

Ship definitely needs some attention. There was a sewage smell in the stairwell, the windows on the decks were filthy, the railings were rusty and our window cornice was covered in dust. It was a lower standard than what we expected having cruised on the Edge ship previously. Also the entertainment was subpar and the activities were too short. They need to fully upgrade the ship and all the amenities.

Disgruntled Passenger

I sailed on Celebrity Infinity in March 2023, when I booked a cheap last-minute cruise. You’ll definitely pay a premium to sail on the newer Edge Class Ships, but you can often find fantastic deals on the older ships in the fleet.

Sometimes, the rates are between 30 and 40 per cent cheaper than for new ships, depending on the itinerary and season.

Although I noticed that the carpets on the stairwells were mismatched, and there wasn’t as much choice in the dining experiences – for a port-intensive itinerary like the one I took, that made no difference to my enjoyment of the cruise. We all had a great time!

Find out more about that here:

Before You Go

Find out some great reasons why you shouldn’t avoid smaller, older ships here:

9 Reasons You Shouldn’t Avoid Cruising on Older, Smaller Cruise Ships

Find out all about dry docks and why they are needed here:

What are Dry Docks and Why do Cruise Ships Need Them?