List of stretched cruise ships
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.[1] The first modern cruise ship to be stretched was Royal Caribbean Line's Song of Norway in 1977.[2]
- 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)[3] | Cammell Laird Birkenhead shipyard, United Kingdom | New midsection constructed, job was cancelled when ship was enroute to shipyard[4] 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[5] | Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany | |
![]() | MSC Armonia | MSC Cruises | 2015 | 24 metres (79 ft)[6] | Fincantieri Shipyard, Palmero, Italy[7] | |
MSC Sinfonia | MSC Cruises | 2015 | 24 metres (79 ft) | Fincantieri Shipyard, Palmero, Italy[7] | ||
MSC Lirica | MSC Cruises | 2015 | 24 metres (79 ft) | Fincantieri Shipyard, Palmero, Italy[7] | ||
![]() | MSC Opera | MSC Cruises | 2015 | 24 metres (79 ft)[8] | Fincantieri Shipyard, Palmero, Italy[7] | |
Silver Spirit | Silversea Cruises | 2018[9] | (49 ft)[10] | Fincantieri Shipyard, Palmero, Italy[11] | ||
![]() | Star Breeze | Windstar Cruises | 2020[12] | 25.6-meter | Fincantieri Shipyard, Palmero, Italy | |
![]() | Star Legend | Windstar Cruises | 2021[13] | 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.
- ^ a b c d 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.