Refitting work will begin in January on a Carnival Cruise Line ship that has been languishing in a partially stripped state at a Spanish shipyard since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

The resumption ends widespread expectations that the 101,700-gt Carnival Victory (built 2000) would instead be sold for scrap.

The vessel arrived at the Navantia Puerto Real shipyard in March where it was to have undergone an extensive $200m life-extension refit.