Wet Dock/ Dry Dock

[stoneharborlady]

Does Princess post a schedule anywhere for the ships going in for refurbishing? Am trying to ascertain whether the Caribbean Princess is going to have any services done before July. Thank you

Karen

[CruisinChris]

Just to be clear "refurbishing" is neither wet dock or dry dock. Both are meant for primarily mechanical maintanence or other maintenance that is best carried out without the ship in operation or passengers aboard. Most ships in the fleet have a dry dock every 2-3 years with occasional wet docks in between. You can tell when these will occur by gaps in a ship's schedule of sailings. Further dry docks tend to occur when the ship is in the vicinty of a ship yard with a dry dock big enough to accomodate her. (Vancouver, Bahamas, Norfolk, and several locations in Europe). No Princess ship has been refitted or refurbished in the true sense of the word in recent times because the Princess fleet is so young. The last refurbishmen would have been Regal Princess about 6-7 years ago. Otherwise interior maintenance - changing carpets, upholstry etc. is ongoing.

[stoneharborlady]

Thank you. The gaps in the sailing schedule dont always tell that story however, they show gaps when the ships have been booked for private group sailings, and are not open to the general public for booking.

Karen

[Toto2Kansas]

Most improvements on ships are done while they are on a current sailing. Carpets are replaced, bedding changed out, furniture both inside and on balconys are changed while the ship is sailing.

 

Drydock is something that is usually a last resort when there is a huge mechanical problem that can not be repaired any other way.

 

Cruises are booked out long in advance, so they do not take them out of commission unless it is absolutely necessary anymore.

[Druke I]

Scraping the barnacles off the bottom is not a "huge mechanical problem", and it is done during scheduled dry-dockings, among other non-mechanical issues!

[Toto2Kansas]

OK, I give, scraping barnacles are not included in the mechanical problems. LOL

But they do not usually put a ship into dry dock for cosmetic improvements. Admittedly, if it is already there, they will utilize the time, but ships won't go in just for cosmetic improvments.

[stoneharborlady]

Thanks to everyone!! Karen

[Pam in CA]

Scraping the barnacles off the bottom is not a "huge mechanical problem", and it is done during scheduled dry-dockings, among other non-mechanical issues!

 

OK, I give, scraping barnacles are not included in the mechanical problems. LOL

But they do not usually put a ship into dry dock for cosmetic improvements. Admittedly, if it is already there, they will utilize the time, but ships won't go in just for cosmetic improvments.

Another reason for a dry dock would be to paint the bottom of the ship and do a thorough inspection of the propellers, which you can't do in a wet dock. Living near the "sailing capital of the world", I know that boat owners scrape and repaint the bottom of their boats annually. Repainting isn't cosmetic but is part of the regular maintenance of a boat.