Cruise and ferry operators worldwide continue to evolve their fleets in response to advancing technology, shifting customer expectations and emerging design trends. On average, cruise ships will enter drydock every three years for mandatory maintenance, technical upgrades and interior refurbishments, while ferries typically undergo annual inspections and refurbishment works during the off season.
Ship refit projects are a major area of investment for operators, shipyards, outfitters and suppliers – the cruise ship refurbishment market is projected to reach $9 billion by 2033, according to the Cruise Ship Refurbishment Market report from market research firm DataIntelo. From sustainability-driven upgrades to guest-experience enhancements, many refurbishment projects have been carried out in the latter half of 2025 and the first part of 2026 to extend vessel lifecycles and improve operational efficiency. We highlight some recent projects across the following pages.
APCL A&P Tyne, UK
In January 2026 Ambassador Cruise Line carried out a multimillion-pound renovation of its first ship, Ambience, at the APCL A&P Tyne shipyard in Hebburn in North East England. The team carried out technical maintenance during the three-week refurbishment, upgrading the propulsion control system, overhauling engines, replacing rudder bearings and completing extensive steel and structural work throughout the tanks and hull areas. New carpets were installed on several decks, while furnishings and finishes in suites, balcony cabins and public spaces were also refreshed.
Brombach + Gess installed a new windscreen system and aluminium handrails onboard Viking Grace
BLRT Grupp Turku Repair Yard, Naantali, Finland
Finnish yard BLRT Grupp Turku completed a €7 million ($8.08 million) modernisation and maintenance project onboard Viking Line’s Viking Grace in January 2026. The ship’s interiors and public spaces were refreshed, while service work was carried out on the vessel’s rudder, propeller shaft system and bow thruster. The electric generators, bow propellers and propulsion engines were checked and all systems adjusted to maximise operational safety and minimise the vessel’s environmental impact.
The refurbishment involved more than 300 professionals, including a team from Brombach + Gess, which fully renewed the existing windscreen system and handrails, which now feature newly developed aluminium handrails engineered for maritime environments. The handrails have been designed specifically for maritime applications, combining safety, longevity and contemporary design, all with resistance to saltwater, ultraviolet radiation and harsh weather conditions.
In late 2025, the shipyard supported the safe and efficient installation of a project to expand the onboard battery capacity of Wasaline’s ferry Aurora Botnia from 2.2 megawatt-hour (MWh) to 12.6 MWh. It is the largest marine battery installation carried out on an in-service ro-pax vessel to date.
Navantia, Cadiz, Spain
In 2025, the team at Navantia repaired 13 cruise ships and 12 ferries, including Windstar Cruises’ Wind Spirit, which had one of its masts replaced, and Carnival Cruise Line ships Carnival Miracle, Carnival Valor and Carnival Liberty.
The World, Residences at Sea, a privately owned residential yacht, spent six weeks at the shipyard undergoing refurbishment, which included over 200 improvement projects and involved nearly 1,500 personnel across vendors, crew and technical teams. As part of the project, which cost over $30 million, the ship was fitted with a new bulbous bow, optimised for fuel efficiency at the ship’s operating speed. Hull resistance has been reduced by up to 10 per cent and improved ice navigation.
Additionally, several vessels from Spanish ferry operator Baleària passed through the shipyard, including catamarans Eleanor Roosevelt and Margarita Salas. The shipyard has bookings for 13 cruise ships in 2026, including another major revitalisation project.
As well as undertaking an array of ‘traditional’ shipyard repair work, Navantia, which is home to seven dry docks, is expanding its range of repair activities. It can now fabricate and install masts on sailing-type cruise ships, as well as replace bow bulbs to optimise hull forms.
BLRT Grupp Western Shiprepair, Klaipeda, Lithuania
The shipyard completed a refurbishment to restore safety and mechanical readiness on TT-Line ferry Robin Hood at its facility in Lithuania in early 2026. The ship’s hull was painted with XGIT-Fuel from GIT Coatings. Deck one, which is above the waterline, was grit blasted and repainted with a PPG coating featuring an anti-skid aggregate to protect the ship’s steel and restore durability.
Palumbo Shipyards, Paola, Malta
MSC Cruises’ MSC Poesia was refitted in February 2026 to introduce new dining concepts, refresh public spaces and upgrade wellness and fitness areas, as part of one of the largest drydock upgrades in the cruise line’s history. The cruise line also added the MSC Yacht Club – the all-inclusive ‘ship within a ship’ concept – onboard MSC Poesia for the first time. Several new dining venues were also created, including the American-style steakhouse Butcher’s Cut and the All-Stars Sports Bar, while the Kaito Sushi Bar was reimagined.
Damen Shiprepair Brest, France
The Damen team in France worked on Disney Cruise Line vessels Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy in 2025. Both ships received upgrades to their propulsion for increased efficiency and were painted with toxin-free silicone paint. Disney Fantasy was also equipped with a bulbous bow, produced by Damen, which will significantly lower drag in the water, reducing demand on the vessel’s engine and cutting fuel consumption and emissions.
Chantier Naval de Marseille, France
For 20 days in November 2025, Norwegian Cruise Line’s ship Norwegian Pearl underwent refitting work, functional improvements and aesthetic updates at the French shipyard. The garden villas on deck 14 were restyled, a new dance floor was installed in the Spinnaker Lounge on deck 13 and new tiles were installed into The Garden Cafe on deck 12. Work was also carried out on five crew cabins on deck four and the technical tiles of the bakery on deck three were also renovated.
In the latter half of 2025 the shipyard also carried out refurbishments onboard Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Infinity and Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Mardi Gras, as well as AIDA Cruises’ AIDAluna and AIDAbella in January and February 2026.
Damen’s team installed a new air lubrication system during P&O Ferries’ Iona drydock in late 2025
Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam, Netherlands
In late 2025, a workforce of more than 920 people completed numerous technical upgrades and interior design enhancements onboard Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Borealis. A new radio-frequency identification system for cabin doors and key cards was installed as well as more energy-efficient equipment in the galley. The refurbishment included the installation of more efficient propellers to improve fuel performance. While in drydock, Borealis also underwent hull cleaning, grit blasting and checks on key systems including the keel, bow thrusters, stabilisers and propellers.
In late 2025, P&O Ferries’ Iona docked in Rotterdam for the installation of an air lubrication system designed to reduce the vessels’ resistance in the water, thereby lowering fuel consumption and harmful emissions.
Crystal ship Crystal Symphony spent three weeks in drydock in Genoa in November 2025
San Giorgio Del Porto, Genoa, Italy
The shipyard carried out a three-week refurbishment project onboard Crystal’s Crystal Symphony in November 2025. The project team redesigned the Aquamarine and Sapphire Classic suites on deck 10 and completed numerous technical upgrades, such as overhauling the fin stabilisers’ hydraulic system, renewing both evaporators and installing new fuel and oil purifiers designed to accommodate biodiesel.
Italian outfitter Gerolamo Scorza – part of Genova Industrie Navali group – redesigned the atrium, upgraded retail areas, styled restaurants and added decorative elements to elevators. For 2026, Gerolamo Scorza has refurbishment projects scheduled for AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises and Crystal.
Drydocks World, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
TUI Cruises’ ship Mein Schiff 5 spent 11 days at Drydocks World in Dubai in January 2026. The work included hull painting, refurbishing two swimming pools, and load testing 18 lifeboats and tender boats. Selected interior and exterior guest areas were also refurbished, while furniture was upgraded in lounges and restaurants. The open deck areas were also refreshed.
During the project, the yard’s onboard team identified additional repair and maintenance requirements. This led Drydocks World’s Global Offshore and Onshore Services division to mobilise a dedicated group of specialists, including welders and steel fabrication experts, to carry out the necessary work while the vessel was in service.
Drydocks World teams also completed refurbishment projects onboard TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 4 and Celestyal Cruises’ Celestyal Journey in the latter half of 2025.
Discover more insights like this in the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of Cruise & Ferry Review. Don’t miss out – subscribe for FREE and get the next issue delivered straight to your inbox.