The cruise vessel Amera has entered dry dock at Chantiers Naval de Marseille for an extensive refurbishment programme valued at approximately EUR 15 million. The work follows the completion of the ship’s 134-day world cruise and is being carried out in cooperation with ship management company BSM.
The programme includes the modernisation of 160 guest bathrooms, together with the redesign of the beauty salon and sauna facilities. The vessel’s principal show lounge is also undergoing a full renovation, while public spaces will see the installation of new panoramic windows in the Pazifik Lounge and a redesigned outdoor pool area on Deck 9.
Technical upgrades form a substantial part of the project. Improvements are being made to HVAC systems serving restaurants and bars, along with refrigeration equipment and elevators. Energy-efficiency control systems, including eco-mode functions intended to reduce operational consumption, are also being installed during the refit period.
The vessel is scheduled to return to service on May 23rd with a voyage from Savona to Bremerhaven before commencing a summer deployment across the Baltic, Scandinavia and the British Isles. A longer autumn voyage to Canada is planned for September.
Originally delivered in 1988 as Royal Viking Sun, the ship later sailed as Seabourn Sun and subsequently as Prinsendam for HAL-Holland America Line before joining Phoenix Reisen in 2019.
The current work follows a major 6-week refurbishment completed in 2023 at Remontowa Shipyard in Gdansk, where the vessel received new engines, gearboxes and alternators, alongside extensive interior upgrades that included refurbished bathrooms in 232 cabins, new carpeting throughout public areas and renovations to the Ocean Restaurant and Royal Suite.
That programme itself expanded upon the large-scale modernisation undertaken in Hamburg after the vessel’s transfer to Phoenix Reisen. During that earlier refit, spa and wellness facilities were enlarged and redesigned, outdoor guest areas were reconfigured, and the Amera Restaurant underwent a complete reconstruction that included new buffet installations, lighting systems and decorative elements.