Introduction
After a busy year of newbuild announcements, 2026 may shape up to be the year of the fleet modernisation. Many cruise lines have announced, or started undertakings on, large scale and fleet-wide refurbishments. Meanwhile, global events mean that dry dock space is harder to come by just as demand is increasing. Read on to find the comprehensive CSI+ overview of some of the biggest movements in the refurbishment market this year.
Key Developments
Cabins and dining spaces are key focus areas for cruise lines upgrading aging stock. Guest expectations regarding these areas have significantly changed in the last ten years. At a 2025 CSIE conference session Lars Kruse, Head of Sales and Design, Meyer Werft identified restaurants and cabins as two of the key areas for development identified by cruise lines’ briefs. A desire for modern market dining and balcony cabins have led to those spaces being an obvious marker of an older vessel.
At the start of 2026, Hurtigruten plans to move MS Midnatsol from a coastal cruise ship to one of its Signature fleet. Hurtigruten has announced that it will add more double and outside cabins. The cruise line also plans to upgrade restaurants, adding fine dining options and a new bar to the observation deck.
As part of Celebrity’s new Renewed refurbishment project, covered below, Celebrity Solstice has seen an upgrade to all 1,479 staterooms. This includes suites in Aqua Class and The Retreat. The brand also intends to add dining venues Trattoria Rosa and Fine Cut Steakhouse, the latter being an ‘Edge Series favourite’. Meanwhile, many other bars and eateries will be upgraded.
At the end of 2025, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines refurbished one of their three vessels, Borealis, at Damen Shiprepair. Among other upkeep and maintenance, the cruise line updated the look of the Colours & Tastes and added a new open-air dining venue, Fresco.
Fleet-wide moves
Fleet-wide and near-fleet-wide refurbishment programs are back with a vengeance. Last seen in full force during the industry’s pre-pandemic upswing, refurbishment programs transform old stock into marketable assets.
The Royal Caribbean Amplified project is fully underway, with three vessels already earmarked for improvement. Ovation of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas are all due to undergo significant upgrades over the course of 2026. Royal Caribbean markets these upgrades online, sharing that ‘old favourites get refurbished with our latest and greatest innovations.’ This includes an all new nightlife venue Sound Cellar(™) on Ovation of the Seas and the addition of The Perfect Storm(™) waterslides to Liberty of the Seas.
AIDA Cruises kickstarted its new fleet modernisation program, AIDA Evolution with a comprehensive refurbishment of AIDAdiva at the start of 2025. The modernisation program is designed to create a new brand, ‘AIDAselection’, described as a ‘unified ship family concept’. AIDA Cruises have projected that the refurbishments will run through 2028. They are slated to include new wellness suites, a modernised theatre and a Fun Park, featuring a Kids Club.
Azamara announced their own refurbishment program, Azamara Forward, at the start of 2026. Azamara Quest is set to be the first ship to receive the upgrades. These will include all-new premier suites, refreshed staterooms and suites, and a reimagined cocktail lounge. The upgrades will roll out across the fleet, with Azamara Onward to be the next vessel to receive the upgrades, set for 2027. Azamara Journey and Azamara Pursuit are also slated to be extensively refurbished under the Azamara Forward program.
Celebrity Cruises have launched their Renewed refurbishment programme, targeting their Solstice-class ships, starting with Celebrity Solstice in 2026. According to Celebrity Cruises, ‘Celebrity Solstice is the first of many classics to be made new again’. The cruise line plans to invest $250 million to refurbish the Solstice class. In addition to the cabin and restaurant upgrades already mentioned in this article, exclusive areas such as Luminae, and spaces within The Retreat such as The Fitness Centre and Camp at Sea, will also undergo changes.
Shipyard focus
Over in the Americas cruise market, Grand Bahamas Shipyard is close to finishing its two-dock expansion. The first dock, a 2XL floating dry dock christened ‘East End’ was installed late 2025. The second dock, dubbed ‘Lucayan’ is due to arrive in Summer 2026. The two docks are set to have the heaviest lifting power in the world, and are especially equipped to dock the mega ships that mark the latest evolution of many cruise lines’ fleets.
The most recent wave of newbuilds have seen a rise in these mega ships, with Icon of the Seas debuting in 2024 to become the largest cruise ship ever to sail. However, with the requirement that vessels must enter dry dock every 5 years, Icon and other ships like it will soon start vying for slots. With only a few shipyards equipped to handle vessels of this size globally, options are limited. This may be something Grand Bahamas Shipyard hopes to alleviate.
Track upcoming projects
Track current and upcoming projects in the cruise ship interiors refurbishment market using the CSI+ Refurbishment Dashboard. Follow all the cruise ships scheduled for refurbishment across 2026 and 2027, including quarter, month when known and shipyard when known.