Dutch-based resin-based decking and flooring specialist, Bolidt has wona record number of cruise refit projects in the past nine months.
Major operators, including Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean International have once again specified Bolidt’s decking solutions and refit expertise as their vessels – some of the world’s largest – undergo preparations for the forthcoming cruise season.
In one of the company’s most extensive-ever refit projects, Bolidt has renewed more than 30 indoor and outdoor spaces on board Royal Caribbean’s ‘Allure of the Seas’.
To prepare the 362 m, 5,496-guest ship for its Mediterranean itineraries this year, a team of 150 Bolidt technicians carried out installations across Decks 5 to 17, covering an area of around 18,000 sq m.
On the 4,000 sq m pool deck, Bolidt installed its lightweight Bolideck® Future Teak, resurfacing existing installations, and fitting a new kids’ pool area with Bolideck® Select in various designs.
The company also repaired and re-sanded the 1,950 sq m jogging track, installing Bolideck® Future Teak and Select Soft on 115 balconies spanning 1,900 sq m, and soundproofing a new 800 sq m extension to the solarium on Deck 15.
In addition, ahead of installing Bolideck® Select across the 1,800 sq m sun deck, about. 5 mm of the existing surface was removed from the top layer using a diamond cutter to help with weight savings.
“While a typical refit takes two or three weeks to complete, this project was of such a scale that its duration amounted to 43 days in drydock, and a further seven days at sea,” said Gerben Smit, Bolidt’s Head of Operations, Global Maritime Division.
“Yet thanks to close collaboration and a little over seven months of preparation, we brought the project to a successful conclusion.”
’Allure of the Seas’ was one of nine Royal Caribbean ships Bolidt has refurbished since mid-2024 amid surging demand for the company’s solutions and refit expertise.
Meanwhile, the upgrade of 2,975 sq m of decking on board ’Carnival Sunshine’ – one of five recent refit projects for Carnival – involved the challenge of removing all balcony teak to install an entirely new system, topped with Bolideck® Future Teak, from the steel work up.
The project started, while she was sailing between Charleston and Marseille, and was completed with a full installation, while the ship was in drydock.
Bolidt recently completed refits aboard six Norwegian vessels –’Norwegian Bliss’, ’Breakaway’, ’Encore’, ’Getaway, ’Star’, and ’Sun’ – most notably renovating the Speedway go-kart tracks on board ’Bliss’ and ’Encore’ with slip-resistant Boligrip® 1250, despite facing challenging weather conditions.
For Marella Cruises’ ’Explorer’ and ’Discovery 2’, the company refreshed a total of 6,500 sq m of decking, including the jogging track and sports court, with a combination of Bolideck® Future Teak, Select Hard, and Select Soft.
Bolidt has also refitted ships for AIDA Cruises, Celebrity Cruise Line, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, and TUI Cruises in recent months.
“Bolidt solutions are now ubiquitous in the cruise industry, with Bolideck® Future Teak an especially popular choice thanks to its weight and durability,” Smit added.
“Operators also appreciate our capacity to manage entire projects as a one-stop shop offering production, logistics, and application services under one roof.”
