Refurb going on for many ships

[bgoff60]

Not saying it is a 'Dry dock' refurb but I had heard from an insider that many of the RCI ships that are anchored are sinking some significant cash into doing some restorations and repairs on the ships while they are idling.   I like the thought.  Any one out here that can confirm???

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Seems unlikely. Can you cite a source? 

[PhoenixCruiser]

I'm not sure they have a lot of cash on hand to do major changes.

Painting, polishing, carpet replacement and extra cleaning, perhaps.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[ONECRUISER]

1 hour ago, PhoenixCruiser said:

I'm not sure they have a lot of cash on hand to do major changes.

Painting, polishing, carpet replacement and extra cleaning, perhaps.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 

Yeah and most that stuff is normal year round Maintenance. Other then this, not happening. 

[upwarduk]

I average read the Explorer of the Seas planned Dry Dock is on hold.

However certain parts were very badly in need of a refurb, namely the window in Dizzy’s.

 

As you can see, the window behind Dizzy’s left elbow is not giving a clear view. I was a shame, as we were unable to see through it when we were there for Happy Hour. Compare it to the windows behind his right elbow.

Edited May 26, 2020 by upwarduk

[leisuretraveler223]

6 hours ago, bgoff60 said:

Not saying it is a 'Dry dock' refurb but I had heard from an insider that many of the RCI ships that are anchored are sinking some significant cash into doing some restorations and repairs on the ships while they are idling.   I like the thought.  Any one out here that can confirm???

 

I think this sounds like pure fantasy.  The cruise lines in a financial free fall with no end in sight.  They have no confidence their product will even be marketable for the next year or more.  There is no way they've decided to start "sinking some significant cash" into anything.  The only certainty ahead for the cruise lines is bankruptcy reorganization.

[upwarduk]

Quote

I average read the Explorer of the Seas planned Dry Dock is on hold.

However certain parts were very badly in need of a refurb, namely the window in Dizzy’s.

 

Something has gone very wrong here——not even predictive text! ‘Have read’ becoming ‘average read’ !!!!

Sorry, I usually re read my posts, but the Internet was playing up when I was looking for the picture attachment.

Edited May 26, 2020 by upwarduk

[DfDinLA]

I agree with the sentiments of the other respondents.  Cash preservation is critical for the cruise lines.  Any significant expenditures are to make the ships saleable, not sailable.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, leisuretraveler223 said:

The only certainty ahead for the cruise lines is bankruptcy reorganization.

@jknc may share your outlook.

[not-enough-cruising]

There is no way there is anything going on while the ships are "meandering".  First and foremost os that the proper personal aren't on the ships to do much of this kind of work (aside from what is normally done on an ongoing basis as stated above)

[JT1962]

I don’t see any major refurbishments anytime soon. Allure and Explorer both had their major upgrades postponed indefinitely. Allure is going in for it’s required maintenance, but that won’t affect many, if any, customer areas. I think all major upgrades and new builds will postponed or even canceled to the extent they can contractually. It makes no sense to spend millions on updates when they don’t even know when they will sail again.

[TeeRick]

1 hour ago, JT1962 said:

I don’t see any major refurbishments anytime soon. Allure and Explorer both had their major upgrades postponed indefinitely. Allure is going in for it’s required maintenance, but that won’t affect many, if any, customer areas. I think all major upgrades and new builds will postponed or even canceled to the extent they can contractually. It makes no sense to spend millions on updates when they don’t even know when they will sail again.

Or what ships will sail again.  Or what ships will be sold or mothballed.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

1 hour ago, JT1962 said:

I don’t see any major refurbishments anytime soon. Allure and Explorer both had their major upgrades postponed indefinitely. Allure is going in for it’s required maintenance, but that won’t affect many, if any, customer areas. I think all major upgrades and new builds will postponed or even canceled to the extent they can contractually. It makes no sense to spend millions on updates when they don’t even know when they will sail again.

The Explorer needs its 5 year maintenance done, not sure if it can be postponed 

EU could give the shipyard money to offer the cruise lines 0% to get work done, just to get people working 

[Thesandman12]

5 hours ago, leisuretraveler223 said:

 

I think this sounds like pure fantasy.  The cruise lines in a financial free fall with no end in sight.  They have no confidence their product will even be marketable for the next year or more.  There is no way they've decided to start "sinking some significant cash" into anything.  The only certainty ahead for the cruise lines is bankruptcy reorganization.

Wow

[fred30]

Refurbishing a ship is a big task to accomplish when it has been planned.   Materials would all be ordered in advance.  Trying to pull off an unplanned refurbishment in these times would be impossible to do.   

[ONECRUISER]

2 hours ago, Airbalancer said:

The Explorer needs its 5 year maintenance done, not sure if it can be postponed 

EU could give the shipyard money to offer the cruise lines 0% to get work done, just to get people working 

The 5 yr Marine Side Maintenance will get done some point, might be delayed some, but anything else above water not going happen

Edited May 26, 2020 by ONECRUISER

[pcur]

I'm going to guess that the "refurbishing" is really getting the ships ready for "healthy" COVID19 sailing.  Take a look at the articles about what hotels and restaurants are doing with social distancing, etc., for customers to come back.

[PigsCanFly]

Perhaps they are making all of the MDR tables 1-tops in prep for future sailings.

And storing half of the chairs for each of the casino tables.  And Installing the hand sanitizers every 6 feet in the public areas.  I believe that they were 12 feet apart on our previous cruises. 

[MISTER 67]

If they are spending money, they need to spend it on changing the buffet area to some kind of restaurant where you are waited on. 

[deliver42]

The only refurbishing I can see happening is replacing pieces of worn carpets if they have the matching car[ets on board. Other than that, maybe a deep cleaning.

[boscobeans]

17 hours ago, PigsCanFly said:

Perhaps they are making all of the MDR tables 1-tops in prep for future sailings.

And storing half of the chairs for each of the casino tables.  And Installing the hand sanitizers every 6 feet in the public areas.  I believe that they were 12 feet apart on our previous cruises. 

 

I know casinos are opening and are placing more sanitizer dispensers, and they are rearranging their dining venues to comply with distancing recommendations and they are limiting blackjack tables to 3 players and a dealer and they are separating or at least turning off every other slot machine. Why not cruise ships??  

 

[boscobeans]

23 minutes ago, deliver42 said:

The only refurbishing I can see happening is replacing pieces of worn carpets if they have the matching car[ets on board. Other than that, maybe a deep cleaning.

YES.  AND maybe fixing a lot of little things like slow drains, leaky faucets, veranda door problems, air conditioning repairs..... There are lots of little things their maintenance crew can handle and since many crew members have been staying in regular passenger cabins MAYBE they were told to point out or list the minor problems...

[pcur]

Interesting article:

 

As cruise companies embark on a raft of improvements to save their reputations, it could change the face of cruising as we know it. 

“Lots of changes will occur before ships are permitted to resume service,” The Cruise Guy’s Stewart Chiron, an industry analyst who has been on 276 cruises.

 

Indeed, some of those changes have already played out. Strict medical protocols were implemented when a series of major cruise liners went into lockdown following outbreaks onboard.

 

Others changes will be more gradual. But they will need to be in place by the time travel returns.

Predictions are “meaningful” cruise operations will resume by 2021 — and already, the demand is there. Reservations for next year are up 40% from 2019, as holidaymakers rally to reschedule canceled trips and new customers plan ahead. 

 

Strict health screenings

Enhanced health care measures will, of course, be the first port of call. 

“They will have to rethink how everything is laid out for all public spaces, how the shore excursions are done, enhance sanitation procedures, (introduce) more stringent efforts to screen passengers” .

 

Already the Cruise Lines International Association has been working with member cruise lines, such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean, as well as the U.S. government, to produce a framework of such guidelines. Those include “more stringent boarding procedures,” better monitoring capabilities and quarantine arrangements.

But stricter medical protocols could be just the start, according to analysts who spoke to CNBC. Regular temperature checks, expanded onboard medical centers, improved air filtration systems and mandatory “fit to travel” documents for older travelers could all become part of the package for future cruises.

Dining disruption

Beyond health care, there could be a further sea change ahead.

Love them or loath them, the quintessential, self-service buffet could soon be a thing of a past — replaced by crew-manned serving stations and table service. 

Historically, in the case of norovirus outbreaks on ships, this strategy has been employed by cruise companies to limit the spread of infectious disease. 

Reservation systems, too, could become routine for both dining rooms and entertainment venues, as liners move to comply with stricter capacity limits. 

New technologies

Meanwhile, the outbreak could push cruise companies to invest in more modern technologies.

Sterilization robots already in use in other parts of the travel industry, such as hotels, could ensure hospital-level sanitation standards.

 

The pandemic has accelerated the tourism industry’s path towards higher hygiene standards to incorporate automated and digital cleaning systems. Technologies that increase the tourism industry’s level of safety (will) be prioritized by industry players in order to gain back confidence from consumers post pandemic. 

Winners and losers

Such sweeping changes will require heavy investment at a time when cruise operators are already struggling.

Commentators suggest major players will be best placed to handle that, with many having mothballed ships in anticipation of better days ahead. “Travel is going to return ... and when it does, we’ll return with it,” Carnival CEO Arnold Donald recently told CNBC.

But whether travelers will have the stomach to take to the seas with several thousand other passengers is unclear.

***************************************************************************

 

We have traveled on HAL and Princess, and their buffets already include staff served buffet lines.  I would imagine they will modify this even more.