The cruise ship Celebrity Infinity arrived in Cadiz, Spain to undergo an extensive drydock at Navantia shipyard. During the 16-day drydock Celebrity Infinity will receive new valves, hull improvement, renewal of propellers and stabilizers, and new painting. The work will not include upper decks where the staterooms and public areas are located. According to the president of the Navantia shipyard in Cádiz this work will employ additional 360 people for completion of the drydock refurbishment.

The arrival of Celebrity Infinity represents a new step for Navantia in the middle of the third wave of the coronavirus in Spain. Navantia shipyard which has secured a big contract with Royal Caribbean Group for the refurbishment of its fleet, saw last year how the work was placed to hold due to the coronavirus. The cruise lines decided to postpone drydock refurbishments and only three large cruise ships out of seven, were repaired in Cádiz in 2020. 

However, this year is quite promising for the cruise companies who have started to plan for the summer season in hopes that the pandemic will subside and get their ships ready. This decision is already a reality in the Cadiz shipyard, where the Celebrity Cruise and Royal Caribbean International have reserved dock for the next few months in order to start the work to improve both the Celebrity Infinity and the  Harmony of the Seas. At the beginning of April Harmony of the Seas will arrive in Cadiz for an extensive dry dock refurbishment which will last for 31 days, said the President of the Navantia Cádiz council.

Navantia is also in talks with Windstars Cruises for the repair of several of its ships in the coming months.

Photo credit: Ferdinand Cruz Escondo