Cruise Industry News looks into key drydock projects taking place across the industry in October.

Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber
Cruise Line: Margaritaville at Sea
Capacity: 2,720 guests
Tonnage: 103,000
Year built: 2003
Drydock Period: September 26, 2026 to TBD
Shipyard: Harland & Wolff (Belfast, Northern Ireland)

The former Costa Fortuna arrived at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in late September to be transformed into the Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber.

Handed over to Margaritaville at Sea earlier this year, the 2003-built ship is undergoing a major refurbishment, which will see the debut of new public areas and venues onboard.

The vessel is also expected to undergo technical maintenance and upgrades before welcoming guests for its maiden season in Miami on January 9, 2027.

Oceania Marina
Cruise Line: Oceania Cruises
Capacity: 1,260 guests
Tonnage: 65,000
Year built: 2011
Drydock Period: October 11 to November 5, 2026
Shipyard: Chantier Naval de Marseille (Marseille, France)

The Oceania Marina is undergoing an extensive refurbishment as part of the OceaniaNEXT program, having arrived at the Chantier Naval de Marseille earlier this month.

Every stateroom will be redesigned with new layouts, furnishings and bathrooms, while public areas will feature updated furnishings, new carpeting and refined lighting. The 2011-built ship will also introduce new venues, such as the Founders Bar and the Chef’s Studio.

The vessel will resume service in early November, offering itineraries in the Mediterranean before repositioning to the Caribbean for the winter.

World Voyager
Cruise Line: Mystic Cruises
Capacity: 200 guests
Tonnage: 9,300
Year built: 2020
Drydock Period: October 10 to October 20, 2026
Shipyard: Lisnave (Setúbal, Portugal)

The World Voyager entered drydock at the Lisnave shipyard in Portugal earlier this month for a repair project.

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, the Mystic Cruises vessel is having one of its stabilizers replaced ahead of its upcoming season in Antarctica.

The 200-passenger expedition ship will resume service in early November, kicking off its first season under charter to Quark Expeditions.

MSC Opera
Cruise Line: MSC Cruises
Capacity: 2,160 guests
Tonnage: 65,591
Year built: 2004
Drydock Period: October 10 to October 29, 2026
Shipyard: Palumbo (Valletta, Malta)

The MSC Opera entered drydock at the Palumbo shipyard in Malta earlier this month for routine maintenance and class work.

While further details of the project were not announced, the vessel is expected to undergo technical overhauls, in addition to statutory inspections and hotel upkeep.

The 2004-built ship will welcome guests back in late October, kicking off a trans-Atlantic crossing to the Dominican Republic ahead of its year-round operations in the Southern Caribbean.

Norwegian Escape
Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line
Capacity: 4,200 guests
Tonnage: 163,000
Year built: 2015
Drydock Period: October 12 to October 28, 2026
Shipyard: Chantier Naval de Marseille (Marseille, France)

After pausing its regular operations in North America, the Norwegian Escape arrived in France for drydock earlier this month.

The 163,000-ton vessel is undergoing technical maintenance and class work before welcoming guests back for a trans-Atlantic crossing in late October.

Starting in mid-November, the Norwegian Escape will offer weeklong cruises to the Caribbean from Port Canaveral.