Carnival and Royal Caribbean are making major cruise ship upgrades
Sometimes, cruise ship features miss the mark, or designers fail to recognize something that was important to passengers. Occasionally, they even overlook something that passengers say has a negative impact on the cruise experience.
Related: Royal Caribbean passengers demand key onboard change
Passenger preferences and needs change over time, too, so certain features eventually become outdated as new innovations are developed that enhance the cruise experience.
Luckily, the fact that there's limited space on a cruise ship doesn't mean onboard areas like the pool deck, restaurants, bars, and casinos, can't be redesigned at some point. Even spaces that can't be fully reworked, like staterooms, can be refreshed to add some enhancements.
When cruise ships go to dry dock for routine maintenance every few years, they often receive significant refurbishment throughout to overhaul existing venues and make improvements that will elevate passengers' future sailings on the ship.
Sometimes when a need arises, cruise lines will even make upgrades to a ship without taking it out of service for dry dock. That's something Royal Caribbean is currently doing to fix a big casino problem on some of its newer and most-popular ships.
Doug Parker shared more on the upgrades rolling out on board certain Carnival and Royal Caribbean cruise ships, plus details on the largest ultra-luxury cruise ship suite yet, on the June 12th edition of Cruise News Today.
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Transcript:
This is Cruise News Today with Doug Parker.
Good morning. Here's your cruise news for Thursday, June 12th.
Carnival Valor is back in service after completing a month-long dry dock over in Spain.
The 21-year-old ship received major upgrades including the addition of the Heroes Tribute Bar and WaterWorks Aqua Park. Public spaces were also refreshed, staterooms upgraded with USB outlets, and the casino and spa were also expanded.
Valor resumed service yesterday in Barcelona and is now sailing a 15-night repositioning cruise to New Orleans.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line testing new dining option passengers want
And a $25,000-per-night cruise.
Yeah, Regent Seven Seas has unveiled its most extravagant suite yet, the Skyview Regent Suite aboard the upcoming Seven Seas Prestige.
Spanning nearly 9,000 square feet over two levels, the suite will set you back $25,000 per night and includes a private gym, sauna, bar, elevator, and a car and driver in every port.
Bookings - they open next week if you're interested.
Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter.
And Royal Caribbean is expanding the casino aboard Wonder of the Seas, converting the Crown Lounge on Deck 4 into a larger, non-smoking gaming area.
The Crown Lounge will be relocated to Deck 16 and reopen later this month. The expanded, redesigned casino will reopen in mid-July.
Wonder of the Seas is currently sailing Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral and will reposition to Miami in August.
Related: Royal Caribbean makes casino smoking, loyalty program change
And cruise stocks were down on Wednesday. Carnival Corporation: down 2.6 percent, 23.87. Royal Caribbean: down 1 percent, 267.96. Norwegian: down 3.3 percent, 19.08. And Viking: down 3 percent, 47.36.
If you have a lead on a story, let us know. Tips@cruiseradio.net.
This week's Cruise Radio Podcast: a review of a Norwegian cruise ship - can't remember which one.
Here in Victoria, British Columbia, waiting to debark for the evening, I'm Doug Parker with Cruise News Today.
Have yourself a great Thursday.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)
Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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