A-ROSA River Cruises has begun its ship refurbishment plan, which will see six of its 11 strong fleet undergo full refurbishment during the next three or four years. Investing several million Euros, the river cruise line aims to bring its first generation of ships up to date with the newer vessels in the fleet.
A-ROSA DONNA, A-ROSA’s international ship on the Danube, will be the first vessel to undergo a full refurbishment and work has just begun in Linz where the ship is currently docked for the winter. She was built at Rostock Shipyard in 2002 alongside A-ROSA BELLA and these were the first ships to enter the market when the river cruise line launched.
Refurbishments will include the public areas such as the restaurant, lobby, atrium, lounge bar and sundeck as well as the cabins. Enhanced WiFi onboard and new 42-inch flat screen TV’s in all cabins are also planned. In addition, the ship’s ‘speciality dining’ area at the rear of the ship where guest can enjoy a more intimate, waiter service dinner on selected evenings, will be redesigned to reflect a more rustic Bavarian theme to fit better with the route the ship travels.
International ship A-ROSA STELLA, who sails on the Rhone, will also undergo full refurbishment, as will four other ships that serve the German market. These are A-ROSA BELLA, A-ROSA MIA, A-ROSA RIVA (Danube) and A-ROSA LUNA (Rhone). All of these ships were built between 2002 and 2005.
Lucia Rowe, managing director of A-ROSA River Cruises UK & Ireland comments: “Over the next few years we will spend several million euros refurbishing and modernising our first generation ships in the fleet. Whilst the ships have undergone regular refreshments and are thus all in good condition, this extensive refurbishment programme will ensure all our ships meet the expectation of today’s cruisers. Better performing WiFi and larger TV’s in all cabins will also increase the comfort of our guests on board.”
A-ROSA DONNA will return to the Danube fleet at the end of March and cruise packages are currently offered for agents to book via operators such as Newmarket Holidays and Shearings Holidays.
