Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas cruise liner today entered Singapore’s Sembawang Shipyard to begin a month-long, US$54 million renovation.
The 11-deck, 279-metre-long luxury liner will undergo a major revamp, with the addition of new dining and entertainment venues, new furniture, carpets and upholstery, and renovated staterooms.
Other new offerings include ship-wide Wi-Fi, a digital way-finding system, electronic mustering, an outdoor movie screen, as well as iPads in every stateroom. The ship’s Centrum area will be turned into a new venue for daytime activities and nightly entertainment.
When the project is completed on 28 March, Rhapsody of the Seas will sail a 15-night voyage from Singapore to Sydney. From there, it will sail across the Pacific with a combination of cruises from Australia and Hawaii, before beginning its Alaska season in May 2012.
The Rhapsody drydock work is the largest of its kind ever to take place in Singapore and will employ more than 800 local workers.