Cruise lines have opted to increase capacity by stretching their current ships. Known as lengthening, the process of enlarging a cruise ship usually includes cutting the ship in half and adding a new midsection, adding more cabins and public areas. The first modern cruise ship to be stretched was Royal Caribbean Line's Song of Norway in 1977.
- Royal Viking Sky Before Stretch
- Royal Viking Sky After Stretch
- Norwegian Wind & Norwegian Dream Before and After Stretch
Ship Name | Cruise Line | Year Stretch | Length of Section | Shipyard Lengthened | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Song of Norway | Royal Caribbean Cruise Line | 1977 | 85 feet | Wärtsilä Marine, Finland | ||
Nordic Prince | Royal Caribbean Cruise Line | 1980 | 85 feet | Wärtsilä Marine, Finland | ||
Royal Viking Star | Royal Viking Line | 1981 | 27.77 metres (91 ft 1 in) | A.G. Weser shipyard in Bremerhaven, West Germany | ||
Royal Viking Sky | Royal Viking Line | 1982 | 27.77 metres (91 ft 1 in) | A.G. Weser shipyard in Bremerhaven, West Germany | ||
Royal Viking Sea | Royal Viking Line | 1983 | 27.77 metres (91 ft 1 in) | A.G. Weser shipyard in Bremerhaven, West Germany | ||
Westerdam | Holland America Line | 1989 | 36.9 m (121 ft 1 in) | Meyer Werft, Germany | ||
Norwegian Dream | Norwegian Cruise Line | 1998 | 40-metre (131 ft 3 in) | Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany. | ||
Norwegian Wind | Norwegian Cruise Line | 1998 | 40-metre (131 ft 3 in) | Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany. | ||
Norwegian Majesty | Norwegian Cruise Line | 1999 | 33.76 m (110 ft 9 in) | Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany. | ||
Costa Classica | Costa Cruises | 2000 (CANCELLED) | 146 ft (intended) | Cammell Laird Birkenhead shipyard, United Kingdom | New midsection constructed, job was cancelled when ship was enroute to shipyard Would have been largest lengthening of a cruise ship. | |
Pride of America | NCL America | 2004 | 70 ft | Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany. | Stretched while under construction at Lloyd Werft shipyard. | |
Enchantment of the Seas | Royal Caribbean International | 2005 | 22 m (73-ft) | Keppel Verolme shipyards in Rotterdam | ||
Balmoral | Fred Olsen Cruises | 2007 | 30 m (98 ft) | Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany | ||
Braemar | Fred Olsen Cruises | 2009 | 102-foot | Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany | ||
MSC Armonia | MSC Cruises | 2015 | 24 metres (79 ft) | Fincantieri Shipyard, Palmero, Italy | ||
MSC Sinfonia | MSC Cruises | 2015 | 24 metres (79 ft) | Fincantieri Shipyard, Palmero, Italy | ||
MSC Lirica | MSC Cruises | 2015 | 24 metres (79 ft) | Fincantieri Shipyard, Palmero, Italy | ||
MSC Opera | MSC Cruises | 2015 | 24 metres (79 ft) | Fincantieri Shipyard, Palmero, Italy | ||
Silver Spirit | Silversea Cruises | 2018 | (49 ft) | Fincantieri Shipyard, Palmero, Italy | ||
Star Breeze | Windstar Cruises | 2020 | 25.6-meter | Fincantieri Shipyard, Palmero, Italy | ||
Star Legend | Windstar Cruises | 2021 | 25.6-meter | Fincantieri Shipyard, Palmero, Italy | ||
Star Pride | Windstar Cruises | 2021 | 25.6-meter | Fincantieri Shipyard, Palmero, Italy |
External links
- Balmoral Stretch Time-lapse
- MSC Armonia Stretch
- Silver Spirit Lengthening Video
- Windstar Cruises - How to Stretch a cruise ship
References
- Staff, C. I. N. (2021-01-03). "These Cruise Ships Were Cut in Half To Be Enlarged". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
- Kolltveit, Baird (1995). Under crown and anchor: Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, the first twenty-five years, 1970-1995. On-Board Media.
- Staff, C. I. N. (1999-10-01). "Costa Stretch Job". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
- "Shipyard left high and dry after £51m liner deal is halted". the Guardian. 2000-11-25. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
- "Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines to lengthen the Braemar: Travel Weekly". www.travelweekly.com. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
- "MSC Cruises to stretch ships". www.traveldailymedia.com. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
- ^ Staff, C. I. N. (2014-02-07). "Fincantieri Starts MSC Steel-Cutting for Ship Stretch". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
- Staff, C. I. N. (2015-11-04). "MSC Completes Ambitious Vessel Stretch Program". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
- "What Is a Cruise Ship Stretching?". www.cruisecritic.com. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
- "Why Do Cruise Lines Keep Cutting Their Ships in Half?". Time. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
- "Silversea's Silver Spirit is stretched". Cruise International. 2018-03-12. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
- "Star Breeze stretch and renovation project update". Windstar Cruises Travel Blog. 2020-07-27. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
- Staff, C. I. N. (2021-05-27). "Stretched Star Legend Delivered to Windstar from Fincantieri". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 2022-10-23.