MAKINEN completed a refurbishment project onboard AIDAbella as part of the AIDA Evolution program for AIDA Cruises. The works were carried out during the vessel’s drydock at Chantier Naval de Marseille in January–March 2026. AIDAbella is the third vessel completed by MAKINEN in the first phase of the program, following AIDAdiva in spring 2025 and AIDAluna later the same year.

The MAKINEN scope covered refurbishment of over 1,000 passenger cabins, 18 suites, conversion of 12 cabins into six new family suites, and works in the Pier 3 bar area. In addition, selected works were carried out in passenger corridors.

In passenger cabins, the refurbishment included upgrades to furniture, lighting and electrical elements, illuminated mirrors, wall features, curtains, and other maintenance works, particularly in wet units.

In suites, the scope included new furniture, ceilings, layout modifications with new wall linings, wallcoverings, carpet, drapery, lighting, and other interior details. The converted family suites also received new wet units with jacuzzis.

Pier 3 was one of the project’s major scope areas. The existing bar area was demolished down to steel and rebuilt into 12 new crew cabins and a completely new space, including a crew corridor and lobby area. The works also included flooring and artwork installation in the outside passenger area.

The same MAKINEN core team specifically appointed for the AIDA modernization program has worked across all three vessels during the first phase. Working on multiple vessels has allowed the team to build on experience, improving working methods, planning, logistics, and coordination throughout the projects.

“Multi-ship refurbishment programs are very much at the core of MAKINEN’s expertise, so the EVO I projects have naturally been an important part of our recent work,” says Mikko Makinen, CEO of MAKINEN.

“The partnership with AIDA Cruises has been professional, transparent, and above all enjoyable. In refurbishment programs like these, the customer benefits from continuity, cost-efficiency, and consistency when the same experienced teams work from one vessel to the next.”

The modernized interiors have also received industry recognition. At the Cruise Ship Interiors Awards 2025, AIDAdiva’s Premium Suite with Private Sundeck won the Best Cabin category, with MAKINEN listed as outfitter. https://cruiseshipinteriors-awards.com/premium-suite-with-private-sundeck-aida-cruises-aidadiva/

MAKINEN’s work will continue in the EVO II phase with AIDAmar, AIDAblu, AIDAsol, and AIDAstella. AIDAmar is scheduled to enter drydock in Marseille in November 2026.

“We value the long-term cooperation with AIDA Cruises and look forward to the next phase of the program,” Makinen says.

In spring 2026, MAKINEN refurbished 1,000 m² of public spaces onboard Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas, transforming the Adventure Ocean area into new spaces for children and teenagers. The work took place during the vessel’s spring dry dock, with approximately 80 MAKINEN professionals involved in the project.

The refurbishment covered the new Teens Lounge and Arcade, along with the Juniors, Hangout, Workshop, Arena and Adventure Avenue areas. MAKINEN was responsible for the turnkey interior conversion, including demolition, new walls and partitions, insulation, flooring and carpet, ceilings, wall finishes, electrical and plumbing modifications, and fixed furniture installations. Some of the fixed furniture was also produced in-house by MAKINEN.

“We initially thought this would be a fairly straightforward conversion: there was plenty of open space and no particularly complicated interior details,” says Ville Helenius, COO of MAKINEN. “But there was a surprising amount of technical details involved, and having so many contractors working in the same areas added to the complexity.”

Making it work

One of the most challenging installations was a movable partition wall in the Workshop area, which allows the room to be divided or opened up depending on its use. During installation, it became clear that the wall might not fit into the available ceiling space.

After trying different approaches, the team finally found a way to reroute and raise hundreds of existing cables above the ceiling, and reroute Hi-Fog lines, creating the space needed for the wall mechanism. It was a tight fit, with only millimeters of clearance, but the team’s solution made the installation possible.

The space also featured colorful graphics printed directly onto aluminum wall panels instead of conventional printed vinyl coverings, providing a more durable solution for an area subject to the wear and tear of children’s activities. The challenge was keeping the printed patterns aligned from one panel to the next, especially when changes to wall layouts or openings for technical installations meant adjusting the panels during installation.

Working within the ship’s steel and aluminum structures required different fastening methods and installation techniques. While the ship’s main structure is steel, parts of the upper decks are built from aluminum to reduce weight. The team had to adapt its methods when working with these different structures.

And as is often the case in refurbishments, some existing installations turned out to be different from what the drawings showed. “You can prepare for a lot of things, but you never know absolutely everything until you open up the structures,” Helenius explains. “Sometimes you find something that wasn’t in the drawings, and then you have to work together to figure out a solution. The ship’s technical team was a tremendous help in resolving these issues.”

When marine interior expertise matters

Alongside MAKINEN’s interior works, several specialist contractors were carrying out other tasks, including structural modifications and installing entertainment systems, interactive games and play equipment. Coordinating the work of so many contractors was one of the biggest challenges of the project. It also showed how important clear communication and visibility into other contractors’ plans and requirements are to keeping the work on track.

The Adventure Ocean conversion was the kind of project where having experienced marine construction professionals on site made all the difference:

“It was a tough project, and the team made an enormous effort to get everything finished to the high standards we always aim for,” Helenius says. “There were some very long days, and at times the pressure was intense. I really want to thank our people for pushing through and delivering such a beautiful result.”

MAKINEN and Tomas Tillberg Design will join CSI+ for a live online Q&A on September 29, 2026, to discuss their collaboration on SunStone Ships’ seven-vessel Infinity-class series.

Built at China Merchants Heavy Industry’s Haimen shipyard in China, the series began with Greg Mortimer in 2019 and was completed with the delivery of Douglas Mawson in September 2025. Tomas Tillberg Design designed the interiors, while MAKINEN delivered turnkey interiors for all seven vessels, including passenger cabins, suites and public spaces.

The discussion will cover the design and outfitting of the vessels, with a focus on comfort, quality and functionality in the demanding conditions of expedition cruising.

CSI+ members can register via the CSI+ website. Non-members interested in attending can contact members@csi-plus.com.

MAKINEN is featured in the latest edition of Inside Marine in an article titled “Building the best.”

The feature looks at MAKINEN’s recent cruise refurbishment and expedition newbuilding projects, including AIDA Evolution, Margaritaville at Sea and the seven-vessel SunStone Infinity Class series.

Markus Mäkinen, President of Makinen Inc., also discusses the planning behind large-scale projects, long-term customer and supplier relationships, and MAKINEN’s plans to grow its role in expedition vessel newbuilds.

Read the full article in Inside Marine:
Building the best

MAKINEN will exhibit at the 7th Nantong Marine Engineering Industry Exhibition in Nantong, China, on 16–19 September 2026.

The event will take place at the Nantong International Convention and Exhibition Center. MAKINEN can be found in the Cruise and Yacht Exhibition Area, booth H10.

The exhibition is part of the wider 2026 Nantong Jianghai International Expo. More than 500 companies and over 30,000 visitors from China and abroad are expected to attend.

Nantong is one of China’s main shipbuilding and marine engineering centres. In 2025, the city’s larger shipbuilding and marine engineering enterprises generated a total output value of RMB 221.2 billion, approximately USD 32.6 billion.

To arrange a meeting during the exhibition, contact Director, Newbuilding, Timo Mouru at timo.mouru@ismakinen.com.

SMM will take place in Hamburg on 1–4 September 2026. One of the biggest maritime trade fairs brings shipowners, shipyards, suppliers and other industry professionals to Hamburg from around the world.

MAKINEN will be visiting SMM, and we look forward to seeing our customers, partners and colleagues during the week.

To arrange a meeting in advance, please contact CEO Mikko Mäkinen via email at mikko.makinen@ismakinen.com.

MAKINEN’s work on AIDA Evolution is featured in the latest issue of Cruise & Ferry Interiors.

The report highlights MAKINEN’s role in the refurbishment of AIDAbella, part of AIDA Cruises’ ongoing AIDA Evolution fleet modernization program. During the seven-week dry dock at Chantier Naval de Marseille, MAKINEN’s team contributed to the transformation of passenger cabins, suites, family suites and crew areas onboard the vessel.

The story also looks at MAKINEN’s wider collaboration with AIDA Cruises across the AIDA Evolution program, following work on AIDAdiva, AIDAluna and AIDAbella.

Read the full story in Cruise & Ferry Interiors 2026 here: https://www.cruiseandferry.net/digital/magazine/2026/interiors/77/

MAKINEN will participate in Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Americas 2026, taking place at the Miami Beach Convention Center on June 9–10.

This year marks MAKINEN’s fifth consecutive year at the event. Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Americas has become an established annual meeting place for the cruise interiors industry.

Visitors can meet the MAKINEN team at Booth 1016 to discuss upcoming turnkey interior refurbishment and newbuild projects.

To schedule a meeting during the event, please contact Markus Makinen at [markus.makinen@ismakinen.com].

Register for your free pass here.