Regal Princess Undergoes Engine Work in Rotterdam Drydock

The Regal Princess recently underwent a significant engine replacement while docked at Damen Shiprepair in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

According to a facility update, the work was part of a broader repair effort that took place in late April.

“The Regal Princess is a Royal-class cruise ship that has four diesel generators. The main reason it came into our drydock is that it had an engine failure and needed it replaced,” explained Alexander Stijlaart, project manager at Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam.

“We facilitated this engine exchange together with our sister company, Damen Harbour & Voyage,” he added. “They did all the preparation work before the ship came into drydock. They already went onboard a couple of weeks prior.”

The Regal Princess was one of three Princess Cruises vessels to enter drydock earlier this year. It arrived at the Rotterdam facility on April 25, 2025, for repairs, before resuming service on May 9 with a summer schedule in Northern Europe.

Stijlaart described the detailed process: “When the ship came into drydock, we had to execute the scope, which meant we had to pump water out of the dock, cut the shell plate out, cut the internal bulkhead out, then put the skidding tracks in, jack the engine up and out.”

After removing the damaged engine, the team reversed the steps to install the new one, completing the job with a fresh hull paint job.

Damen emphasized that this type of engine swap is uncommon, typically occurring only once or twice every ten years.

“We had to make sure that everything that was obstructing the path of the engine was cleared, so we removed all piping, pumps and walkways,” said Remco Trouerbach, project manager at Damen Shiprepair Harbour & Voyage.

Trouerbach noted that what made this job especially unique was that the ship remained operational before and after drydock. “The vessel was still in operation and therefore passengers were onboard enjoying their lovely cruises around the world.”

He also praised the smooth collaboration with Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam: “We are basically colleagues with each other; therefore, issues you’re facing during the project can be easily worked out.”