CLOSE A new 49-foot section is being added to the center of Silversea Cruises' Silver Spirit. USA TODAY 
 
 A new, 49-foot-long section is moved into position during a project to lengthen Silversea Cruises' Silver Spirit. (Photo: Silversea Cruises) 
 
 One of luxury line Silversea Cruises' ships is about to get bigger, thanks to an unusual lengthening project taking place at a shipyard in Italy. 
 
 As can be seen in the video above, the 642-foot-long Silver Spirit was cut in half earlier this month in a dry dock in Palermo, Sicily to make way for a massive new segment measuring 49 feet long. 
 
 Underway since May 10, the multi-week project will allow for a bigger pool area, new restaurants, revamped spa and additional cabins. The addition also will expand the ship’s passenger capacity by roughly 12% to 608. 
 
 RELATED: In first, Silversea ship to visit all seven continents in one voyage 
 
 Ship expansions of this type are relatively rare. Silversea says this is the first time a luxury cruise ship has undergone such a process. 
 
 More than 500 workers at the Fincantieri-run shipyard in Palermo are expected to spend approximately 450,000 worker hours completing the project. 
 
 Approximately 846 tons of steel, 360,892 feet of cabling and 26,247 feet of piping will be put to use in the lengthening. 
 
 The expansion will be completed in early May. Spirit is scheduled to sail its first post-upgrade cruise on May 6 out of Civitavecchia, Italy. 
 
 Sailing since 2009, Spirit was Silversea's biggest ship until last year, when the line unveiled its new flagship Silver Muse. 
 
 MORE:Inside Silver Muse, the most luxurious new cruise ship of 2017 
 
 MORE: Inside Silversea's revamped Silver Cloud 
 
 Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2u5h0Nz ||||| Why buy another ship when you can just saw one in half? 
 
 Silversea cut the Silver Spirit in half over the weekend and is currently installing a new 49-foot segment of ship between the two parts. Over the next two months, the ship will undergo a $100-million renovation at the Fincantieri Shipyard in Palermo, Sicily. 
 
 The lengthening project will “create more space in public areas and will enhance Silver Spirit’s facilities,” according to the cruise line. 
 
 Courtesy of Silversea 
 
 “Witnessing these breathtaking phases of the Silver Spirit lengthening project has filled us with pride and excitement,” Barbara Muckermann, chief marketing officer of Silversea, said in a statement. “This ambitious project will amplify the onboard features that matter most to our guests.” 
 
 The extension will take 500 workers more than 450,000 man hours to complete. Changes to the ship include a longer sky deck and pool, a new spa, two new public spaces and a new aerobics area. All onboard suites will also be refurbished during the project. Upon completion, the Silver Spirit will measure 691.3 feet in length and have an increased capacity of 12 percent. 
 
 The Silver Spirit will recommence its service between Rome and Barcelona on May 6. Seven-day packages start at $5,600 per person. 
 
 While the Silver Spirit’s extension is the first time a luxury cruise ship has been cut in half, other cruise lines have undertaken similar projects. An extension is much cheaper than ordering a brand new ship, which can cost upwards of $1 billion. ||||| 21 March 2018 by Scott Anderson 
 
 Silversea Cruises have embarked on a rare project where they cut Silver Spirit in half and inserted another section to make it larger. 
 
 Called a lengthening, the 49ft section will increase the size of the ships pool deck and allow the creation of 26 Veranda Suites, 6 Silver Suites and 2 Panorama Suites. The extra space will also increase the dining options from six to eight; allow the creation of a new Arts Café and the ships tonnage will increase from 36,009 GRT to 39,519 GRT. 
 
 Silver Spirit lengthening 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 A total of 10 decks had to be meticulously cut before the two sides of Silver Spirit could be moved apart and the new pre-built section inserted. 
 
 The ship will be updated to reflect the modern décor of Silver Muse, the new flagship of Silversea Cruises. 
 
 Taking 1,000 workers over 450,000 man hours, Silver Spirit will emerge sleeker and looking like new from the dry dock on 6 May to embark on her Rome to Barcelona voyage. 
 
 Peter Shanks, managing director, UK & Ireland, said: “Seeing this feat of engineering gives me enormous pride and a sense of excitement that we are able to demonstrate Silversea’s resurgence, growth and investment.” 
 
 “Witnessing these breathtaking phases of the Silver Spirit lengthening project has filled us with pride and excitement,” added Barbara Muckermann, chief marketing officer of Silversea. “This ambitious project will amplify the onboard features that matter most to our guests. We are taking our flagship, Silver Muse – which was delivered by Fincantieri in April last year – as the point of inspiration for a fleet-wide renovation programme; the lengthening and refurbishment of Silver Spirit will replicate the modern elegance of our latest vessel to make for a more luxurious travelling experience. We are eager to share the new and improved layout of our cherished ship with our valued guests.” 
 
 
 
 ||||| (Fincantieri Shipyard, Palermo -- March 12, 2018) A great spectacle of naval engineering, Silversea’s Silver Spirit has been cut in two at Fincantieri Shipyard in Palermo as part of her planned lengthening. A prebuilt 15-metre (49-feet) segment has been inserted and the ship is now being reconnected. With the aim of amplifying guests’ onboard experience, the rare lengthening project will create more space in public areas and will enhance Silver Spirit’s facilities. Welcomed by Leoluca Orlando, the Mayor of Palermo, members of the international press, representatives of Silversea and Fincantieri, and other VIP guests were in attendance at two celebratory ceremonies, as the ship’s transformation got underway in Sicily on March 10 and 11. 
 
 An air of excitement was cast over the shipyard as those present witnessed the dissection of the 36,009-ton ship, as well as the manoeuvering of the vast new mid-section into place. These important stages of the project ran with military precision, which pays testament to the quality of operations at the world-leading Fincantieri Shipyard. A rarely performed feat of maritime architecture, this type of lengthening has never before been employed for the extension of a luxury cruise ship. 
 
 “Witnessing these breathtaking phases of the Silver Spirit lengthening project has filled us with pride and excitement,” comments Barbara Muckermann, chief marketing officer of Silversea. “This ambitious project will amplify the onboard features that matter most to our guests. We are taking our flagship, Silver Muse – which was delivered by Fincantieri in April last year – as the point of inspiration for a fleet-wide renovation programme; the lengthening and refurbishment of Silver Spirit will replicate the modern elegance of our latest vessel to make for a more luxurious travelling experience. We are eager to share the new and improved layout of our cherished ship with our valued guests.” 
 
 Over 500 skilled workers will spend approximately 450,000 man hours completing the ambitious project, which is due to conclude on May 5, 2018, and will see Silver Spirit lengthened to 210.7m (691.3 ft.). Approximately 846 tons of steel, 110,000m (360,892 ft.) of cabling, and 8,000m (26,247 ft.) of piping will be put to use in the lengthening, as Silver Spirit’s capacity increases by roughly 12%, resulting in an overall dining capacity increase of 15% and a 20% increase in outdoor seating (from 200 to 266). 
 
 A new 8-restaurant configuration will replace the existing culinary infrastructure, with varying dining concepts introduced: Atlantide, Indochine, Silver Note, Spaccanapoli, will complement the pre-existing Seishin, La Dame, La Terrazza and The Grill. 
 
 Outside, the pool area on the sky deck will increase in length (from 30 to 45m / from 98 to 148 ft.) to offer additional space for relaxing under the sun and a new aerobics area will also be created. Inside, the Zagara Spa concept will be installed, as will a new free weights room which will complement the upgraded fitness centre. The Arts Café and Dolce Vita – two new, sophisticated public spaces – will improve the onboard entertainment options. All suites will be refurbished to ensure the trademark Silversea level of quality is maintained. 
 
 Prior to Silver Spirit’s arrival in Palermo, the ship docked in Chania, Crete, where Silversea made a charitable donation of used furniture to a number of the island’s worthy causes. As a destination visited by Silversea’s cruises and as an island in need, Chania was identified as a deserving recipient of the donation. In total, 11 containers were filled with 4,652 items from the ship – including sofas, chairs, curtains, computers, and more. The donated articles will be put to use for social welfare purposes in hospitals, nursing homes, schools and other institutions across the island. Impacting on the lives of many, the gesture from Silversea will strengthen relations between the cruise company and the island’s authorities at a time when Chania’s social structures need all the help they can get. 
 
 Not only will Silver Spirit increase in length, but she will also increase in comfort. From an enhancement and a re-imagination of the ship’s public spaces to an increase in the number and quality of suites, each aspect of the lengthening project has been designed with guest enjoyment in mind. Based on the chic décor found aboard Silver Muse, Silver Spirit will benefit from beautiful interior design upgrades throughout. 
 
 Departing on May 6, 2018, Silver Spirit will recommence her service with a seven-day cruise between Civitavecchia (Rome) and Barcelona. Fares start at €3,800 ($5,600) per person with special savings available for those booking before March 31. View the itinerary: https://www.silversea.com/destinations/mediterranean-cruise/civitavecchia-to-barcelona-5811.html 
 
 Discover more information about the refurbished Silver Spirit: https://www.silversea.com/ships/silver-spirit.html 
 
 Watch the video: https://youtu.be/4DC3ReKYHQo 
 
 About Silversea Cruises 
 
 Silversea Cruises, which is chaired by Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio, is recognised as an innovator in the ultra-luxury cruise line industry, offering guests large-ship amenities aboard its intimate, all-suite vessels: Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper, Silver Spirit and Silver Muse – all designed to offer an atmosphere of conviviality and casual elegance. With the inclusion of the expedition ships Silver Explorer, Silver Galapagos, Silver Discoverer, and with Silver Cloud recently joining the Expedition fleet, Silversea's itineraries encompass all seven continents and feature worldwide luxury cruises to the Mediterranean, Caribbean, both polar regions and hundreds of fascinating destinations in between.
– How to make an already-existing cruise ship bigger? Cut it in half, of course. That's what Silversea Cruises is doing to its Silver Spirit ship, which has been sailing since 2009. The 642-foot-long vessel was halved earlier this month so that a new 49-foot-long segment can be added, USA Today reports. The new and improved version of the ship will feature more restaurants and cabins, a larger pool area, and upgraded spa, fitness, and entertainment areas. "A rarely performed feat of maritime architecture, this type of lengthening has never before been employed for the extension of a luxury cruise ship," says Silversea in a press release. More than 500 workers will be involved in the process, which is happening at an Italy shipyard and expected to take 450,000 worker hours and use 846 tons of steel, 360,892 feet of cabling, and 26,247 feet of piping. It will also cost $100 million, Travel + Leisure reports—a lot less than the $1 billion or more an entirely new ship can cost. Wexas Travel reports that 10 decks had to be cut through before the ship's two halves could be pulled apart to make room for the new section. The Spirit, which will have a 12% expanded passenger capacity after the renovation, will sail its first post-expansion cruise out of Italy starting May 6. (A cruise ship will carry you through the perilous Northwest Passage.)