Royal Caribbean's Royal Amplified program revitalizes older, outdated ships by refitting them with many of the same attractions, amenities, and experiences found on the line's newest ships. But have you ever wondered how these ambitious projects materialize? 

For Royal Caribbean, innovation has always been at the heart of ship design, whether that's creating brand-new ship classes or upgrading existing hardware. 

"If you look at every generation of ship that we introduce, we perpetually innovate and create," says Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International. 

"We're always pushing the envelope; we're always adding new experiences and features; we're always focused on the customer experience; we're always making sure that we really are delivering something phenomenal." 

(Credit: Royal Caribbean International)

Bayley describes Royal Caribbean's mindset as a balance between "revolution, evolution, and tradition." Tradition focuses on the experiences that cruise fans adore, like the nautical Schooner Bar, while evolution enhances existing favorites to keep them fresh. 

Finally, revolution introduces radically new and innovative concepts to the industry, such as the Crown's Edge attraction aboard Icon Class ships. 

Royal Caribbean's Royal Amplified program integrates all three principles to enhance the overall guest experience and ensure older vessels continue serving as sought-after vacation destinations for years to come. 

(Credit: Royal Caribbean International)

In the cruise line's latest "Engineering the Experience" press video, they give an overview of just how much work goes into a Royal Amplification project.

"Royal Amplified is a program that allows us to take all of that innovation and move it back to the ships that actually were introduced into the market before they had taken place," explains Darren Dudden, the Director of Product Development for Royal Caribbean International. 

"We have so much innovation that we've continued to bring to the cruise experience, that now we have a lot that we're going to add back in."

The goal is to modernize the ship and keep the guest experience fresh

(Credit: Royal Caribbean International)

According to Jay Schneider, Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer of Royal Caribbean International, nearly everything has evolved in one way or another. 

There are so many new and revolutionary experiences aboard their fleet, ranging from food and beverage concepts to water attractions, entertainment options, and other adrenaline-pumping thrills.

"We're looking to take our ship and completely modernize it by understanding what it is that our guests are looking for, and we start the process by asking questions," says Daniella Hoffman, AVP of Product Development for Royal Caribbean International. 

Work begins long before a ship enters the dock

(Credit: Royal Caribbean International)

When the time arrives, cruise ships head to specialized shipyards around the world, including facilities in Freeport, Bahamas; Brest, France; Cádiz, Spain; Marseille, France; and Tuas, Singapore.

However, long before a ship arrives at the shipyard, teams are already hard at work developing plans, designing new spaces, and coordinating the complex logistics of installing everything on a tight timeline. For example, prefabrication and preconstruction begin as much as eight months in advance. 

"We don't just take piece parts to the ship and then install them. We do as much prefabrication as we can. We plan dry docks on a five-year sequence, so we're planning this a long, long way ahead," explains Kevin Douglas, VP of Technical Project Newbuild for Royal Caribbean International.

(Credit: Royal Caribbean International)

The dry dock teams are ready before the ship's engines shut off, too. Sometimes, demolition begins before the vessel even reaches the dry dock, and a lot of preparation goes into protecting areas that aren't getting a facelift. 

Douglas continues by talking about how important coordination and collaboration are, particularly with more than 2,000 people working on board the ship at the same time.

There can be as many as 7,500 tasks that must be carefully planned, sequenced, and executed within a tight timeframe, each requiring logistics and the materials to support it.

(Credit: Royal Caribbean International)

"A big project can have anywhere between 1,200 [and] almost 2,000 containers worth of material. And we're looking at production rates of about 2.5% per day... We look to only have about a day and a half of material on board to match the production," he says. 

Moving on, many projects require the total amount of time the ship is out of service to be completed. Sometimes, certain projects, like new accommodations, are actually finished up in service. 

According to Douglas, smaller tasks can often be completed in around ten days or two weeks, and the team works to keep the S-curve as flat as possible.

(Credit: Royal Caribbean International)

This ensures that not everyone starts and finishes at the same time, which helps to smooth out the workload and improve efficiency across the ship's Royal Amplification dry dock process.

From construction zone to a revitalized vacation destination

(Credit: Royal Caribbean International)

After around two months in dry dock, the ship's Royal Amplification transformation is complete.

Spaces are cleaned and prepared for guests; restaurants are set with tableware and cutlery; and bars are stocked and tested.

Although guests only see the finished result, the cruise line's Royal Amplified program represents years of planning and thousands of hours of work — and all of this requires ingenuity, problem-solving, and a great deal of teamwork across every level of the company. 

Royal Caribbean Amplification schedule

(Credit: Royal Caribbean International)

Here's a quick rundown of which ships have been amplified and which are on the docket for future renovations. 

• Independence of the Seas (COMPLETED 2018)
• Mariner of the Seas (COMPLETED 2018)
• Navigator of the Seas (COMPLETED 2019)
• Voyager of the Seas (COMPLETED 2019)
• Oasis of the Seas (COMPLETED 2019)
• Freedom of the Seas (COMPLETED 2020)

(Credit: Royal Caribbean International)

• Allure of the Seas (COMPLETED 2025)
• Ovation of the Seas (COMPLETED 2026)
• Harmony of the Seas (COMPLETED 2026)
• Liberty of the Seas (COMPLETED 2026)
• Explorer of the Seas (INDEFINITELY POSTPONED)
• Adventure of the Seas (INDEFINITELY POSTPONED)

The Royal Amplification program was designed to give new life to Royal Caribbean's older cruise ships. 

When the Royal Amplification program was initially announced in 2018, 10 ships were scheduled to receive updates over the course of 4 years; however, the initiative came to a halt during the pandemic as a result of the worldwide port and shipyard closures.

Before getting postponed, 6 ships were successfully amplified, including Independence of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, and Freedom of the Seas. 

For years, loyal Royal Caribbean fans had been left wondering when the program would be restarted, as ships like Allure of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas fell short compared to their upgraded counterparts. 

Thankfully, Royal Caribbean has officially restarted the Royal Amplification program. The long-anticipated upgrades are in full swing and resumed with Allure of the Seas in early 2025.

Curious about which ships have been amplified and which are on the docket? You're in the right place. 

Independence of the Seas (2018)

Independence of the Seas was the first ship to undergo Royal Amplification, re-entering service with her new upgrades in May 2018. The revitalization cost over $100 million and added a slew of new experiences to the Freedom Class ship, including:

• A SkyPad (a virtual reality trampoline, which has since been closed)
• Perfect Storm water slides
• Re-designed pool deck
• Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade
• Izumi Hibachi & Sushi
• Splashaway Bay
• "Battle for Planet Z" glow-in-the-dark laser tag
• New escape room
• Panoramic Oceanview staterooms
• Sugar Beach candy shop
• Improved ice rink
• Fish & Ships
• New lounges

Mariner of the Seas (2018)

Royal Caribbean invested $120 million into the refurbishment of Mariner of the Seas, and the results made it one of the favorite ships of Royal Caribbean Blog founder Matt Hochberg. Mariner's Royal Amplification finished in June 2018 and added new ways to drink, play, and dine, such as:

• Perfect Storm racer water slides
• A SkyPad (a virtual reality trampoline, which has since been closed)
• "Battle for Planet Z" laser tag
• Royal Escape Room: The Observatorium
• The Bamboo Room (the cruise line's first-ever Polynesian-inspired, tiki-chic bar)
• Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade
• Jamie’s Italian
• Izumi Hibachi and Sushi
• FlowRider surf simulator

Navigator of the Seas (Feb 2019)

The third ship to be royally amplified was Navigator of the Seas. She sailed into Miami, Florida, in February 2019 with $115 million of next-level features, including:

• The Blaster (Royal Caribbean's first aqua coaster)
• Riptide water slide
• Caribbean resort-style poolscape with a small kids' splash pad
• Johnny Rockets Express
• El Loco Fresh
• The Lime and Coconut
• Royal Escape Room: The Observatorium
• To Dry For stand-alone blow-dry bar
• Hooked Seafood
• Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade
• The Bamboo Room
• Redesigned Adventure Ocean with dedicated teen spaces

Voyager of the Seas (Oct 2019)

Voyager of the Seas wasn't the first Voyager Class ship to undergo a Royal Amplification. However, she was the first to debut in Asia following the upgrades. After a 41-day, $97 million transformation, Voyager arrived in Singapore in October 2019, ready to offer guests new staterooms, attractions, and more.

• Perfect Storm three-story water slides
• "Battle for Planet Z" laser tag
• Reinvigorated Vitality Spa and Fitness Center
• Redesigned kid and teen spaces

Oasis of the Seas (Nov 2019)

Costing $165 million, Oasis of the Seas' amplification was one of the cruise line's most expensive to date. The ship received everything from the Perfect Storm water slides and the Ultimate Abyss dry slide to new dining venues like Portside BBQ.

• The Ultimate Abyss
• Perfect Storm water slides
• Caribbean resort-style pool deck
• Splashaway Bay
• The Lime and Coconut
• Portside BBQ
• Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade
• Bionic Bar
• El Loco Fresh
• Sugar Beach
• Spotlight Karaoke
• Music Hall
• Aqua80
• One Sky
• All-new Adventure Ocean
• Social298 for teens
• "Clash for the Crystal City" laser tag
• Royal Escape Room – Mission Control: Apollo 18

Freedom of the Seas (2020)

Freedom of the Seas might not be the newest ship in the fleet, but she holds a special place for Royal Caribbean Blog writer Elizabeth, who took her first-ever Royal Caribbean cruise aboard Freedom in 2009. 11 years later, Freedom of the Seas received a $116 million transformation in 2020 — and was the last ship to be amplified before the cruise industry came to a screeching halt. 

• Perfect Storm water slides
• Caribbean resort-style pool deck
• Splashaway Bay
• The Lime and Coconut
• Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen
• El Loco Fresh
• Izumi Hibachi & Sushi
• Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade
• "Clash for the Crystal City" laser tag
• 360-degree transformation of Adventure Ocean
• Social033 for teens

Allure of the Seas (2025)

Allure of the Seas was scheduled to receive major renovations in 2020. However, her Royal Amplification process was indefinitely postponed due to the impacts of the COVID pandemic. She finally received her long-awaited transformation in early 2025 before returning to sail in Europe for the first time in a decade. 

• Perfect Storm water slides
• Caribbean resort-style pool deck
• Splashaway Bay
• The Ultimate Abyss
• Royal Escape Room – Apollo 18: Lunar Landing
• Glow-in-the-dark laser tag
• The Lime and Coconut
• El Loco Fresh
• Pesky Parrot tiki bar
• Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade
• The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar
• Adventure Ocean refresh
• Social298 for teens
• Over 100 new cabins, including the Ultimate Panoramic Suites
• Aqua80Too

Ovation of the Seas (Planned 2026)

In June 2025, Royal Caribbean announced plans to continue upgrading older ships, starting with Ovation of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, and Harmony of the Seas. Ovation of the Seas is the first on the schedule. She will be out of service from March 15 until May 1. Upon Ovation's return to service, guests can expect the following changes:

• Expanded casino
• Sound Cellar (upper level of the former Music Hall)
• Starbucks
• Pesky Parrot tiki bar
• Izumi Hibachi
• Giovanni's Italian Kitchen
• New staterooms, including the Ultimate Family Suite

Harmony of the Seas (Planned 2026)

Royal Caribbean plans to amplify its largest ship ever, Harmony of the Seas, between April 1 and May 21, 2025. Following Oasis and Allure of the Seas, she's the third Oasis Class ship to be royally amplified. As one of the largest ships in the fleet, Harmony of the Seas already boasts impressive features; however, there are a lot of exciting changes coming to the 9-year-old vessel, including:

• The largest Casino Royale in Royal Caribbean's fleet
• Pesky Parrot tiki bar
• Caribbean resort-style pool deck
• The Lime & Coconut
• Refreshed adults-only Solarium
• El Loco Fresh
• Playmaker's Sports Bar & Arcade
• Samba Grill Brazilian Steakhouse
• New staterooms, including the Ultimate Panoramic Suites and Ultimate Family Suite

Liberty of the Seas (Planned 2026)

Liberty of the Seas is also getting her much-needed Royal Amplification next year. Currently, she's the only Freedom Class ship that has yet to undergo the transformation, and fans have been vocal about how dated she feels. Liberty of the Seas will be out of service from April 19 until May 29. Afterwards, she will offer a series of European cruises to showcase her new amenities.

• Expanded casino
• Izumi Hibachi
• Starbucks
• Royal Escape Room
• Caribbean resort-style pool deck
• The Lime and Coconut
• El Loco Fresh
• New staterooms

Explorer of the Seas (indefinitely postponed)

Two ships that were supposed to undergo the Royal Amplification process, Explorer of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas, have been indefinitely postponed.

Explorer was on the docket to receive over $100 million in upgrades in 2020, such as The Lime and Coconut, revamped Adventure Ocean, Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, glow-in-the-dark laser tag, and more. 

Royal Caribbean hasn't provided any official updates on when (or if) Explorer's amplification will be rescheduled. It will likely be a while, though, as Explorer of the Seas underwent a dry dock in 2023 that added the Perfect Storm water slides. 

Adventure of the Seas (indefinitely postponed)

Adventure of the Seas' Royal Amplification in 2021 was also canceled. Like with Explorer, Royal Caribbean hasn't publicly announced plans to upgrade the 24-year-old ship. 

She's not totally out-of-date, though. In 2016, the Perfect Storm water slides were added to Adventure's aft. Likewise, Adventure of the Seas also features Izumi Sushi (not Hibachi) in the Royal Promenade. 

Big changes are coming to three of Royal Caribbean's cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean has announced that three ships are going to get significant upgrades as part of the cruise line’s ongoing Royal Amplified initiative.

This includes:

• Ovation of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas

The work will begin in spring 2026, and cruisers can expect new dining concepts, entertainment venues, suite accommodations, and reimagined public areas across each vessel. 

Bookings are currently open for these ships, with the changes coming online once each vessel returns to service following a lengthy drydock.

The upgrades are a result of how well-received the work was on Allure of the Seas.  That ship got new enhancements earlier this year.

Jay Schneider, Chief Product Innovation Officer at Royal Caribbean, described the amplification efforts as a continuation of the line’s strategy to "deliver the best of every vacation," referencing the strong response to previous upgrades made to Allure of the Seas.

Here's a look at what Royal Caribbean has planned for each ship.

Ovation of the Seas

Amplification date: April 2026

Ovation of the Seas will get a newly renovated pool deck that includes private casitas and a whirlpool. New onboard offerings include Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, Izumi Teppanyaki, the tiki-themed Pesky Parrot bar, and a new nightlife venue called Sound Cellar. 

The casino will be expanded as well.

The ship will also add new suites to include the Ultimate Family Suite and Panoramic Suite. 

Harmony of the Seas

Amplification date: April 2026

Royal Caribbean will upgrade Harmony of the Seas to coincide with its European summer season in 2026 before relocating to Florida for Caribbean sailings in winter. 

Updates include a new Caribbean-style pool area with The Lime & Coconut, a redesigned Solarium, the addition of Samba Grill Brazilian Steakhouse, and the largest Casino Royale in the fleet. 

They will also add the Ultimate Family Suite onboard.

The redesigned Solarium is likely to add a pool, given there is no pool in the adults-only area.  Instead, it has a water mister system that has been poorly received among guests.

It's also interesting that Samba Grill will be added, given it's only on two other ships. Nonetheless, Royal Caribbean kept Samba Grill on Allure of the Seas and it seems there's renewed life with this restaurant concept.

Liberty of the Seas

Amplification date: 2026

Liberty of the Seas will receive similar changes as the other ships with a reimagined pool deck, a new Royal Escape Room concept, and additional food and beverage options including El Loco Fresh, Izumi Teppanyaki, and Starbucks. 

Liberty of the Seas was scheduled to be refurbished originally in 2021, but those plans were cancelled due to the cruise industry shutdown.

The ship will sail from Southampton in summer 2026 with itineraries to Northern Europe before moving to Galveston, Texas, for winter sailings to the Western Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean hinted at more amplifications

Today's announcement is exciting, but not completely unexpected.

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty told Wall Street investors they had intentions to upgrade ships that missed out on it in 2020 and 2021.

The Royal Amplified program, launched in 2018, aims to modernize Royal Caribbean’s older ships so they could better match up with newer vessels. 

Ship upgrades add more incentive to cruise

It's easy to feel like cruise ships are leapfrogged when newer ones arrive, especially in terms of what's available to do onboard.

Each ship is largely a reflection of the best ideas Royal Caribbean had at the time it launched.

To ensure they don't feel stale, Royal Caribbean has steadily upgraded most of its ships over the last two decades.

This started in earnest after the Oasis Class ships debuted, and the cruise line began adding features first introduced on Oasis and Allure of the Seas to older ships.

The next phase was the Royal Amplification program to continue that idea, but on bigger ships.

Today's announcement builds on the ships that received notable upgrades leading up to 2020.

The changes on Allure of the Seas was the first step in resuming that program, and now we have three more lined up.

Royal Caribbean's announcement follows similar news from Celebrity Cruises to upgrade its Solstice Class ships.

Celebrity Cruises plans to modernize the ships, elevating the guest experience while continuing to pay tribute to classic cruising.

Celebrity Solstice will be the first when it goes in to drydock in March 2026.

Upgrading ships is a smart business decision.  It adds new things to do onboard and makes older ships more enticing to book.

Plus, that added demand that amplifications have ensures higher cruise fares too.

Amplified ships drove up revenue as a result of higher guest satisfaction with the changes.

In 2019, former Royal Caribbean Group CEO Richard Fain talked about how lucrative the changes were, "Our vessel modernization program is driving strong results. These upgrades are expensive, but our guests love them and reward us accordingly."

After having to pause its cruise ship upgrade program in 2020, Royal Caribbean hinted they're re-thinking those improvements.

In 2018, the Royal Amplified program was announced to bring new enhancements to the Oasis, Freedom and Voyager Class cruise ships.

Many cruise ships received upgrades, but a number of vessels did not because the cruise industry shutdown in 2020 and the company had to shore up its finances by cutting costs.

The company hasn't announced a resumption of those upgrades, but executives tip-toed around the idea they might spend more on ship upgrades on vessels that missed their upgrades in 2020 and 2021.

During Royal Caribbean Group's second quarter earnings call with investors, Chief Financial Officer Naftali Holtz talked about an increase in spend on dry docks next year as it relates to costs.

"We are now in the planning process obviously for '24 and we're considering all the the dry docks that we we need to do next year. And that could be more elevated than than than this year, which obviously will will impact some of the costs and a little bit on the yield."

That alone wasn't much of a hint, but then Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty jumped in with an additional comment that seemed to point in the direction of more upgrades.

"The elevation on the dry dock is just a reflection of ships that came out of Covid that had missed those windows. And so it will be a little bit more elevated in 2024."

Mr. Liberty did not refer to the Royal Amplified program by name, but he certainly talked about the ships that missed their opportunity to get enhancements. This would likely refer to possibly four ships:

• Explorer of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas 
• Liberty of the Seas
• Adventure of the Seas

Allure of the Seas was scheduled to undergo a 58-day, $165 million transformation that would have added new features, including the Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea; The Perfect Storm trio of waterslides, completely redesigned Adventure Ocean kids and teens spaces, the first Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, and Music Hall.

Similarly, Explorer of the Seas was planning to get a $110 million amplification that would have added a number of changes from bow to stern.

Specific upgrades were never announced for Liberty or Adventure.

The important takeaway for guests is Royal Caribbean may finally be reconsidering finishing those upgrades.

Why amplified cruise ships matter

In comparing cruise ships that were amplified versus those that were not, there is a noticeable experience difference.

The purpose of upgrading these ships was to add back in features and amenities newer cruise ships already had so that the guest experience was more consistent and enjoyable across the fleet.

Amplified ships drove up revenue as a result of higher guest satisfaction with the changes.

In 2019, former Royal Caribbean Group CEO Richard Fain talked about how lucrative the changes were, "Our vessel modernization program is driving strong results. These upgrades are expensive, but our guests love them and reward us accordingly."

What Royal Caribbean changed on other ships

It remains to be seen what changes ships going into drydock in 2024 would get, but other ships that were upgraded ended up with quite a number of features.

Royal Caribbean did not apply the same changes to all the ships that were upgraded between 2018 and 2020. It seemed the cruise line took an opportunity with each ship to look at what features and changes would most benefit that particular vessel.

Read more: What was added to each Royal Caribbean ship during its Royal Amplified refurbishment

The program focused on three key areas:

• Pool deck & attractions
• Bars & nightlife
• Dining

Depending on the ship, there could be new specialty dining added, revamp of the pool deck, new water slides, or completely new retail venues added.

Water slides were one feature every ship received as part of its upgrades. Royal Caribbean adopted water slides as a must-have feature on its ships in recent years. In fact, they managed to add water slides to Explorer of the Seas as part of a regularly scheduled dry dock earlier this year.

Royal Caribbean announced on Tuesday it was postponing its scheduled cruise ship upgrades on 4 vessels, but the cruise is still planning to do this work down the line.

Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President of Sales and Trade Support & Service Vicki Freed spoke to travel advisors in a weekly webcast on Wednesday and reiterated the cruise line's commitment to adding these upgrades.

I want to make sure to reiterate that they are simply being placed on a temporary hold. And we look forward to amplifying these great ships sometime in the near future.

The previously scheduled amplifications were to take place in 2020 and 2021:

• 2020: Explorer of the Seas & Allure of the Seas amplifications postponed
• 2021: Liberty & Adventure of the Seas amplifications postponed

Allure of the Seas was scheduled to undergo a 58-day, $165 million transformation that would have added new features, including the Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea; The Perfect Storm trio of waterslides, completely redesigned Adventure Ocean kids and teens spaces, the first Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, and Music Hall.

Similarly, Explorer of the Seas was planning to get a $110 million amplification that would have added a number of changes from bow to stern.

Royal Caribbean's Royal Amplified program was announced in March 2018, and it was a $900 million investment in the Oasis, Freedom and Voyager Class cruise ships.

The program managed to enhance a number of ships, including: Independence of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas.

The Royal Amplification program breathed new life into existing ships, and drove revenue as high as guest satisfaction with the changes.

"Our vessel modernization program is driving strong results," Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Chairman and CEO Richard Fain said,  "These upgrades are expensive, but our guests love them and reward us accordingly."

Incidentally, the indefinite postponement of these ship upgrades means certain amenities that became "cult-classics" among some cruise fans will live on longer, including Sabor and the Champagne Bar. These were to be replaced with new venues during the amplification process, but have a new lease on life for the time being.

Royal Caribbean announced that due to the impact of COVID-19, the cruise line has postponed its upcoming amplifications until further notice.

On Tuesday, the cruise line issued updates regarding the schedule for Allure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas.

The Allure of the Seas Amplification has been postponed until further notice. Additionally, due to pier construction delays in the Galveston terminal, the pier will unfortunately not be ready to welcome an Oasis Class ship. Therefore, Allure will no longer sail from Galveston, Texas, and rather, Liberty of the Seas will assume Allure’s itineraries in late 2021.

The Adventure, Explorer and Liberty of the Seas Amplifications have also been postponed until further notice. All Explorer sailings will be cancelled through August 2020 to complete a technical dry dock.

Guests on affected sailings will be notified directly more details and options available.

Warnings this was coming

Royal Caribbean warned a change like this was coming, when in May it told investors the necessary steps it would take to cut operating costs during the suspension of its global cruise operations.

Among the cuts, the cruise line identified approximately $3.0 billion and $1.4 billion of capital expenditure reductions or deferrals in 2020 and 2021.

In addition, the Port of Galveston had shared publicly its vote to approve Royal Caribbean's request for a delay in building a new cruise terminal in Galveston.

Royal Caribbean has confirmed that the planned amplifications of Allure of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas are on hold, due to the global impact of coronavirus.

Both ships had multi-million dollar amplifications scheduled for this year, but the work has been put on hold and the extend of enhancements to come is being re-evaluated.

Royal Caribbean confirmed on social media what many had feared was the case, following the closure of many European ports, along with Royal Caribbean's decision to cut 2021 capital expenditures.

A statement by Royal Caribbean confirms the post on social media.

In these unprecedented times, in addition to voluntarily suspending our global operations, port closures and travel restrictions have also affected the possibility of moving forward with our amplifications of Explorer of the Seas in Brest, France and Allure of the Seas in Cadiz, Spain this spring. Both amplifications have been put on hold at this time. With global developments rapidly evolving, we are reviewing all options to bring Explorer and Allure into dry dock this year and determining the extent of the enhancements we can implement.

Allure of the Seas was scheduled to undergo a 58-day, $165 million transformation that would have added new features, including the Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea; The Perfect Storm trio of waterslides, completely redesigned Adventure Ocean kids and teens spaces, the first Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, and Music Hall.

Similarly, Explorer of the Seas was planning to get a $110 million amplification that would have added a number of changes from bow to stern.

Royal Caribbean is currently not operating any cruises because of a month-long suspension of sailings to help reduce the spread of coronavirus.

It appears Allure of the Seas scheduled $165 million amplification is on hold temporarily while all of Spain's ports are closed for at least two weeks due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Oasis of the Seas in Cadiz, Spain during her 2019 Royal Amplification

Local media reports in Spain say that Allure of the Seas was scheduled to undergo the Royal Amplification at the Navantia shipyard in Cadiz, Spain, but that has been postponed.

Spain's Council of Ministers announced that in an effort to avoid Coronavirus, cruise ships from any origin will not be permitted to visit Spanish ports between March 13 and 26.

No official word by Royal Caribbean on the impact, if any, on the timetable for Allure to rejoin the fleet. The delay in work may be mitigated by a number of other Coronavirus travel restrictions and port closures in Europe that have the entire European cruise season in doubt.

Once the work begins, Allure of the Seas will undergo a 58-day, $165 million transformation that will add new features, including the Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea; The Perfect Storm trio of waterslides, completely redesigned Adventure Ocean kids and teens spaces, the first Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, and Music Hall.

Allure was scheduled to resume sailings in May 2020 with 7-night Western Mediterranean cruises sailing roundtrip out of Barcelona.

Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas completed her $116 million amplification, and is back in service offering cruises to the Southern Caribbean.

The ship underwent a bow to stern makeover, with new features being added including water slides, a new Caribbean pool deck look, the cruise line’s first Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and new, dedicated spaces for kids and teens. 

Here is a look at the new changes:

Thrills & Chills

Perfect Storm Waterslides:  Cyclone & Typhoon slides.

A resort-style Caribbean poolscape – Featuring a whole new look, signature poolside bar The Lime & Coconut, live music and a wider variety of seating and shade with the addition of casitas, in-pool loungers and daybeds, the reimagined pool deck is where pool days become an all-day affair.

Splashaway Bay kids aqua park.

Renewed adults-only Solarium.

Dining

Photo by Linken DSouza

Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen: Freedom of the Seas is the first to receive this refresh of Royal Caribbean's Italian specialty restaurant, it serves up a reimagined menu of fresh pastas, custom pizzas, and more. It also features a wide selection of wines and limoncello.

Photo by Linken DSouza

El Loco Fresh: Complimentary Mexican serviced poolside including tacos, burritos and quesadillas. The venue is the first El Loco Fresh that includes a full-service bar with a wide selection of tequilas.

Izumi Hibachi & Sushi: From sushi to sashimi and hibachi, Izumi a variety of hot and cold appetizers, entrees and desserts.

Photo by Travis Kamiyama

Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade: Catch live games on more than 100 TVs, play arcade classic and enjoy classic bar fare and ice-cold brews.

Things to do

Clash for the Crystal City Laser Tag : Two clans, the Yetis and Snowshifters, collide in this glow-in-the-dark laser tag adventure for control of a mystical frozen city.

Adventure Ocean: Royal Caribbean has revamped its youth program on Freedom with a new layout that encourages kids to choose their own immersive adventures across several rooms:

• Play Place, the whimsical space with climbable creations
• Arena, where there’s friendly competition
• Hangout, a space to chill and call their own.

Three- and 5-year-olds and toddlers (6-36 months old) each have dedicated spaces with AO Juniors and AO Babies, respectively.

Social033: Teens will rejoice in their exclusive hangout, entirely redesigned to feature the latest in movies, gaming and music, plus a new, private outdoor deck.

Tech

Royal Caribbean has also added Freedom of the Seas to its new app. Guests can check-in for their cruise and take advantage of Expedited Arrival.

Onboard the ship, the app can plan activities for each day, view onboard expenses, and make reservations for dining, shore excursions as well as shows, and the in-app TV remote available for each stateroom.

Freedom offers 7-night Southern Caribbean cruises from San Juan, Puerto Rico.  Itineraries from Barbados and Antigua, to the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao) are available to enjoy.

Royal Caribbean informed guests on five sailings in 2021 that their cruises have been cancelled in order to provide extra time for the ship's scheduled dry dock next year.

The cruise line confirmed that five sailings are being cancelled, beginning with the February 14, 2021 sail date.

An extended dry dock is necessary in order to perform the upgrades and enhancements the ship will receive as part of Royal Caribbean's more than $1 billion Royal Amplified fleet modernization effort.

Guests on the affected sailings received emails to inform them of their options, which include being rebooked on other Liberty of the Seas sailings later in 2021, or Jewel of the Seas during the same time period. Alternatively, guests may choose to re-book on a different Royal Caribbean International sailing or cancel the cruise all together.

Royal Caribbean has not announced what changes and upgrades are coming to Liberty of the Seas yet.