Now, this is the sort of dry dock which would be worth taking a look at. An Ultra Luxury cruise ship named Silver Spirit has already been cut in half so that an entirely new block can be added to lengthen the ship. Silversea Cruises has released video footage of the first cut during the two-month dry dock but what’s more impressive are the photos, they could be the best we’ve seen of a ship in dry dock!
Silver Spirit Cut in Half!
It’s something special to see an entire cruise ship cut in half and then lengthened with a totally new section in the middle. Silversea Cruises is doing just that with their Silver Spirit luxury vessel at the Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo, Sicily. Once the cut was made work began on inserting a prebuilt 15-meter mid-section segment. The new block makes Silver Spisirt even longer at a length of over 210 feet.
Barbara Muckermann, chief marketing officer of Silversea, commented:
“Witnessing these breathtaking phases of the Silver Spirit lengthening project has filled us with pride and excitement.”
“This ambitious project will amplify the onboard features that matter most to our guests. We are taking our flagship, Silver Muse – which was delivered by Fincantieri in April last year – as the point of inspiration for a fleet-wide renovation programme; the lengthening and refurbishment of Silver Spirit will replicate the modern elegance of our latest vessel to make for a more luxurious travelling experience. We are eager to share the new and improved layout of our cherished ship with our valued guests.”
Work began on March 10th with a ceremony held at the shipyard attended by representatives of Silversea and Fincantieri. Not only is the vessel getting a new section but also enhancements and features which future Silver Spirit guests are going to love. We’ll detail more about the ship refurbishment further down below but before that do take a look at a video showing the first cut and new block of Silver Spirit at the shipyard.
Watch Ship Cutting
Stunning Silver Spirit Photos
Silversea Cruises released a lot of photos of the cutting event and when the new section was inserted. The luxury cruise line posted so many photos we’ve only chosen a collection of the best ones but they are all really good and worth looking at.
Silver Spirit Refurbishment Details
While Silver Spirit is undergoing a month-long dry dock which will conclude on May 5 enhancements are being added. In addition to what’s detailed below the ship will have new updated decor and designs based on sister ship Silver Muse.
Outside, the pool area on the sky deck will increase in length (from 30 to 45m / from 98 to 148 ft.) to offer additional space for relaxing under the sun and a new aerobics area will also be created.
Inside, the Zagara Spa concept will be installed, as will a new free weights room which will complement the upgraded fitness center. The Arts Café and Dolce Vita – two new, sophisticated public spaces – will improve the onboard entertainment options. All suites will be refurbished to ensure the trademark Silversea level of quality is maintained.
Refurbishment Facts and Stats
The cruise line has released some facts about the refurbishment including the newly added mid-section.
- Over 500 skilled workers will spend approximately 450,000 man hours completing the ambitious project.
- Silver Spirit lengthened to 210.7m (691.3 ft.).
- Approximately 846 tons of steel.
- 110,000m (360,892 ft.) of cabling.
- 8,000m (26,247 ft.) of piping will be put to use in the lengthening.
- Silver Spirit’s capacity increases by roughly 12%, resulting in an overall dining capacity increase of 15% and a 20% increase in outdoor seating (from 200 to 266).
About Silver Spirit Cruise Ship
Silver Spirit will commence service with a 7-day cruise between Civitavecchia (Rome) and Barcelona departing on May 6, 2018. There are some special rates for this voyage being offered by the cruise line but only for cruisers booking before March 31, 2018.
Silver Spirit is a 36,009-ton ship offering the very best luxury cruising experience. The ship is intimate and not like those mega ships from cruise lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Silver Spirit just has a guest capacity of 608 along with 412 crew members. Take a look at even more cruise ship refurbishments here.
