Having looked around the Royal in 2004 and Artemis in 2007, it was money that should have been spent long ago and it is a shame that it wasn't - but it is nice to see that the German brands are investing in ship refits like on Mein Schiff.

Here are some of their pictures:

The complete log can be found here:
Phoenix Reisen - Artania Refit

Rich

[ 05-18-2011: Message edited by: Linerrich ]

Looking at the P&O deckplan with the Phoenix deck plan, the balconies are being added here:

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Originally posted by PamM:
Was not Albatros totally refitted and given new engines?

Pam

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I'm double minded about this. On the one hand I'm glad they are adding balconies and giving this classic ship an extension on her life and profitability. On the other hand, she does lose some of her original design elements and elegance.

[ 05-19-2011: Message edited by: Fairsky ]

When I inquired on the ship I was told Phoenix is only a marketing company with a handful of staff aboard and the crew, officers, etc. all work for the owners who also maintains the ship while Phoenix does the marketing.

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Originally posted by NAL:
Her exterior still looks very good even with the new additions. Nothing, however, can be done with the original, standard cabins which to me are among the worst afloat. Make them all single occupancy is the only solution IMHO.

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The standard cabins would probably be ok if they were just outside cabins (mind you they would still be small). It's that they are balcony cabins and they are just too narrow to allow sufficient entry and exit to the balcony with the beds made up. I think they are even too narrow to be redesigned with the beds turned to face fore and aft. A bed may fit in that configuration but you would not be able to walk about it.

ROYAL PRINCESS was certainly innovative, but I'm very pleased the entire industry did not adopt her cabin design. What we have today is far superior.

[ 05-19-2011: Message edited by: lasuvidaboy ]

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Originally posted by P&OOfficer:
I thought I would post this picture as it is particularly symbolic...

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quote:

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Originally posted by Fairsky:
Here's a rendering of the final look:

I'm double minded about this. On the one hand I'm glad they are adding balconies and giving this classic ship an extension on her life and profitability. On the other hand, she does lose some of her original design elements and elegance.
[ 05-19-2011: Message edited by: Fairsky ]

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I like what they've done. Royal Princess was one of the most elegant ships of the 1980s, not to mention an absolutely trendsetting design. It seems only fitting that the ship that kicked off the balcony trend (she was not the first to have balconies obviously, but the first to offer them in any great number) is re-fitted to have additional balconies. I think that they have integrated them well into the design, such that they look like they were always meant to be there. In fact, I think that the original design has been enhanced.

[ 06-10-2011: Message edited by: dmwnc1 ]

Jochen

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Originally posted by MR028:

I always thought it strange, however, that for such a trendsetting design she had no sister ship/s built by P&O (of which she was flagship until Oriana in 1995, even though she sailed for their Princess cruises division). Her true sisters, in design terms, were the Royal Viking Sun, and Crystal Harmony.

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The Crystal Harmony was very much influenced by the Royal Princess and in many ways a very close coy. Not a surprise though when you consider that several of the top executives who helped NYK set up Crystal came from Princess.

Royal Princess' chances of a sister were likely stopped by the Sitmar acquisition. Princess got three big ships plus the older tonnage and had no need to build its own for a while.

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Originally posted by SSTRAVELER:

Royal Princess' chances of a sister were likely stopped by the Sitmar acquisition.

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You're right. The Sitmar acquisition meant Royal Princess' gained a step sister in Fairsky. Both ships were of very similar size and both gave P&O-Princess great service over many years.

RP was the very first with the lower public decks and promenade deck. And cabin accommodation (with balconies) on top. Even when I worked on her end of the eighties she was still attracting huge crowds. She was also one of the first with a designed Lido Buffet, aft on the sun deck. which was also kind of new at the time.
We thought at the time she was enormous and the best around in the industry :-) Her crew accommodation was also very nice compared to the bare steel and neon lights you come across nowadays.

I am happy to see she's been taken care off and has a new life. In 2010 we were docked next to her as P&O Artemis and she didn't look very well looked after at all.