This week in cruise travel news saw a host of plans for renovations and enhancements to ships from around the industry.
Royal Caribbean International has announced that the line's Liberty of the Seas will undergo a month-long drydock in February 2016 before setting sail from the Port of Galveston, Texas, on Mexico and Caribbean cruises.
During the dry dock Liberty will receive a new collection of waterslides called the Perfect Storm, including the boomerang style Tidal Wave, as well as a new adult-free zone called Splashaway Bay. The ship will also get an expanded lineup of food options, including modern Mexican cuisine at Sabor, as well as Giovanni’s Table, an Italian trattoria, and R Bar, a 1960s style cocktail bar.
After the revamp Liberty of the Seas guests can also choose from an array of new stateroom options, including 26 new Panoramic Ocean View staterooms, featuring floor-to-ceiling glass walls, as well as an additional 53 staterooms throughout the ship.
Also this week Celebrity Cruises announced plans for major upgrades to two of its Millennium class ships: Celebrity Infinity and Celebrity Summit. The renovation project builds on the previous "Solsticization" of the Millennium class.
Celebrity Infinity will receive a new Rooftop Terrace venue -- the first in Celebrity's fleet -- during a scheduled drydock set to begin October 15 and end October 29. The terrace will offer food and movie experiences on an outdoor screen. The Rooftop Terrace will officially open on December 5, 2015.
The drydock will also include significant renovations to Celebrity's Suite Class Penthouse and Royal Suites, and will convert the ship's specialty specialty restaurant to one of Celebrity’s signature venues, Tuscan Grille.
Celebrity Summit will follow with a similar scheduled drydock in March of 2016.
Costa Diadema, the new flagship of the Costa Cruises fleet, announced plans to celebrate the ship's one year anniversary on November 7 with updated culinary and entertainment offerings.
Beginning in December Costa's new regional menus, featuring dishes from 14 Italian regions, including vegetarian and vegan selections and children's menus, will be available in the ship's main restaurants and the self-service Corona Blu. Costa also has partnered with Italian brand Agrimontana for different ice cream flavors at the ship's Gelateria Amarillo and a new mobile cart poolside. Beginning in December, Diadema's Samsara Restaurant will serve a new menu blending flavors from Asia and South America with a Mediterranean spirit.
Corona Blu will begin serving Costa-style gourmet burgers in January 2016, made with 100 percent Italian Fassona beef, fresh vegetables, including porcini mushrooms, and Italian cheeses like taleggio. The gourmet burgers will be served with side dishes and Italian craft beers, with an option for vegetarians, as well.
Costa Diadema's entertainment offerings are also being refreshed. After their shows, musicians and entertainers will move around the ship performing in different areas dedicated to different genres or musical groups. Guests also will find more poolside parties and theme-based festivities.
Finally, the M/Y Callisto is undergoing renovation and rebuilding work following the ship's acquisition by Variety Cruises. After the ship begins operation in March 2016, Variety intends to use the 17 cabin / 34 berth mega yacht to operate the line's Classical Greece program beginning in April 2016 and the Treasures of Costa Rica and the Panama Canal program as of December 2016.
Variety Cruises is also offering special introductory charter rates for the Callisto.
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