Mystic Cruises will equip the Vasco da Gama with shorepower capabilities during its routine drydock in Portugal.

After completing a 148-night world cruise, the 1994-built vessel arrived at the Lisnave Shipyard in Setúbal on March 27, 2025.

According to an update shared by the company’s CEO, Mário Ferreira, the addition is part of a series of improvements that will be carried out onboard the ship, which is operated by Mystic’s Nicko Cruises brand.

“The installation of this electrical system allows the ship to connect to the shore and turn off all onboard machinery when it is in port,” he explained.

Previously, in May 2024, the Vasco da Gama spent several weeks in drydock to undergo maintenance and improvements.

At the time, the ship saw upgrades to its cabins and staterooms, which received new showers and furniture.

In 2021, the Vasco da Gama underwent a transformation to become Tier III ready ahead of the environmental requirement for cruise ships sailing in Norway’s coastal landscapes.

After the completion of the current drydock, the vessel is set to welcome passengers back onboard in early May.

Sailing from Lisbon, the Vasco da Gama offers a 16-day cruise to the Eastern Mediterranean that features visits to destinations in Spain, Italy, Greece and Montenegro before ending in Croatia.

The ship is set to operate additional cruises in the region before repositioning to Northern Europe for the remainder of the summer of 2025.

Originally built for Holland America Line at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the Vasco da Gama first entered service as the Statendam in 1994.

After also operating for P&O Australia and Cruise & Maritime Voyages, the 1,270-guest vessel was acquired by Mystic during an auction in 2020.

In addition to the Vasco da Gama, the company also operates a fleet of 200-guest ships under the Atlas Ocean Voyages brand.