Mystic Cruises’ Vasco da Gama has recently resumed its cruise schedule for Nicko Cruises following a drydock in Setúbal, Portugal at Lisanve.

The 1994-built cruise ship spent several weeks undergoing maintenance and improvements.

Among the work carried out during the drydock, the ship got all new bathrooms in all outside cabins on Deck 4.

The company also spent time on its infotainment system aboard, with German TV channels now available to guests.

More maintenance work included some new windows, new carpets, fresh varnish on wood floors, furniture repair and a new modern bathroom in the ship’s penthouse suite, plus new balcony doors.

On the technical side, the hull received a new coating and the drive shaft was completely removed, overhauled by the manufacturer and after reinstallation, extensively tested in the open seas.

The air conditioning system was also overhauled, according the company, and there was extensive renovation work was carried out in the pool area on deck 11.

The 1,270-guest vessel is now once again serving the German-speaking market on a series of itineraries across Europe.

Following the completion of the project, the vessel sailed to Lisbon where it welcomed over 1,000 guests for a cruise to the Mediterranean.

The six-night cruise departed from Portugal’s capital on May 6 and also included visits to destinations in Spain, Italy and Malta, such as Cartagena, Menorca, Sardinia and Valletta.

Earlier this year, the Vasco da Gama also completed Nicko’s first world cruise. Sailing roundtrip from Lisbon, the 183-day voyage included visits to 36 countries on six continents.

According to Mystic CEO Mário Ferreira, the vessel sailed for over 75,000 kilometers, while guests onboard consumed ten tons of ice cream, 67 tons of meat, 47 tons of fish, 30 tons of rice, 95,000 eggs, 67,000 liters of wine, and 105,000 liters of beer.

A second edition of the global voyage is scheduled to sail in October 2024, the CEO added in a social media post.

Originally ordered for Holland America Line, the Vasco da Gama first entered service as the Statendam in 1994.

Built by the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the 55,819-ton vessel was acquired by Mystic Investment in 2020.

After undergoing extensive refits in Portugal, the vessel debuted for Nicko Cruises, Mystic’s Germany-based brand, in early 2021.

Mystic Cruise also operates a fleet of expedition ships under the Atlas Ocean Voyages brand. Serving the U.S. market, the 200-guest vessels sail in remote areas of the globe, including Antarctica and the Arctic.