Grandeur of the Seas
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History | |
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Name: | Grandeur of the Seas |
Operator: | Royal Caribbean International |
Port of registry: | Nassau, Bahamas |
Ordered: | 14 February 1992 |
Builder: | Kværner Masa-Yards Hietalahti shipyard, Helsinki, Finland |
Yard number: | 492 |
Laid down: | 6 June 1995 |
Launched: | 1 March 1996 |
Christened: | 13 December 1996 |
Completed: | 20 November 1996 |
In service: |
14 December 1996–present She went through a comprehensive revitalization in Cadiz, Navantia shipyard during May 2012 |
Identification: |
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Status: | In service |
General characteristics | |
Class and type: | Vision-class cruise ship |
Tonnage: | |
Length: | 279 m (915 ft) |
Beam: |
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Draught: | 7.82 m (26 ft) |
Depth: | 15.85 m (52 ft) |
Decks: | 11 |
Installed power: | 4 × MAN B&W 12V48/60 |
Propulsion: |
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Speed: | 22 kn (41 km/h; 25 mph) |
Capacity: | 2,446 passengers |
Crew: | 760 |
14 December 1996–present
MS Grandeur of the Seas is a Vision-class cruise ship owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. Features include a full-service spa, six whirlpools, an outdoor jogging track and a number of bars and restaurants.
Grandeur of the Seas features an on-board casino, Casino Royale, on Deck 5. The casino has many slot machines, variations of poker, craps, blackjack, and a bar. There are also eight themed bars and lounges, including the pool deck bar, South Pacific Lounge, Schooner, The Viking Lounge, and several unnamed areas. There is an open atrium, called the Centrum, that stretches from deck 4 to deck 10. An outdoor pool is found on the top open deck (deck 9) along with 4 whirlpool areas, 2 on the starboard side and 2 on the port side. Off of the pool is the Solarium area with a pool and 2 whirlpools, 1 on the starboard side and 1 on the port side. There is a jogging track on deck 10. Several youth facilities are scattered about the ship, including an arcade area, a teen nightclub, and the Explorations desk on deck 5. A special edition of The Compass called Explorations is published specifically for children. The Spa and Fitness Center can be found on deck 9. The main dining area, the Great Gatsby, is located on decks 4 and 5. Guests are seated in two shifts on deck four of the main dining (5:30 PM ship's time) and 8:00 PM (ship's time) or anytime in my time dining from 5:00-830 PM (ship's time) on deck 5. The shows in The Palladium (the main theater, found on decks 5 and 6), are designed around the dining room times. The ship also contains a conference center, a library with an honor checkout system and a buffet called The Windjammer Market Place, 2 shuffle board courts, a rock wall with areas for climbers of various skills, a photo shop, several stores specializing on jewelry, souvenirs, cigars, cigarettes, and liquor, and a piano area.
Grandeur of the Seas was initially deployed on 7 night cruises from Miami, Florida, to the Eastern Caribbean from 1996 to 2000, when Explorer of the Seas was launched and took over the Grandeur's run. Since 2000, Grandeur of the Seas has been deployed in Europe as well as back in the Caribbean homeported in cities such as Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale, and New Orleans. Summers have been spent in Eastern US ports such as Norfolk, Virginia; Baltimore, Maryland and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, visiting the Caribbean, Bermuda and the North East of the US and Canadian Maritimes.
Grandeur of the Seas was based out of Panama in the winter of 2010/2011, replacing her sister ship, Enchantment of the Seas. In 2013, Grandeur of the Seas replaced Enchantment of the Seas out of Baltimore when Enchantment of the Seas moved to Port Canaveral. As of April 2016[update], the ship offers cruises to Bermuda, the Bahamas, and New England and Canada all departing from Baltimore.