The Grandeur of the Seas is Royal Caribbean International’s third Vision-class vessel. Built by Finalnd’s Kvaerner Masa-Yards, it made its maiden voyage in December 1996. Its itinerary included Miami, Florida and the Eastern Caribbean.
In the winter of 2010-11, the Grandeur will cruise out of Panama, replacing its sister ship, the Enchantment of the Seas.
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Design
The ship has 11 decks. The staterooms and suites are located on decks two, three, four, seven and eight. Compared to earlier Vision vessels, the Grandeur has 75 passenger cabins and 150 double occupancy passenger cabins.
The Grandeur was the first passenger vessel to use dynamic positioning technology. The system works by allowing the ship to port without having to drop anchor, which can damage the marine environment. The system uses global positioning system readings to operate the movement of the forward and stern thrusters.
Staterooms
The ship has 975 staterooms. They include the suite/deluxe, balcony, outside and interior staterooms.
There are five types of suites: the royal suite, owner’s suite, royal family suite, grand suite and junior suite. The sizes of the suites range from 1,119ft2 to 245ft2. The suites have balconies ranging between 148ft2 and 58ft2 and have standard features with some offering complimentary services such as access to a private lounge and personal reservation services. All staterooms offer convertible twin beds and a living area with a sofa bed.
Facilities
The Grandeur has a conference centre and seven rooms that can be used for meetings. The conference room is equipped with a TV, VCR, overhead projector, slide projector, podium, flipchart and easel. The ship also has a library.
Dining facilities on the Grandeur include the Great Gatsby Room, the Windjammer Café and Café Lattetudes. The Great Gastby is a two-storey dining room with sea views and is based on a 1920s theme. The Windjammer Café provides casual and traditional dining facilities serving salads, soups and sandwiches. Café Lattetudes is a counter serving international brands of ice cream and coffee.
Other facilities include the solarium, a main pool and whirlpools. A jogging track, rock climbing wall and golf course are also available on the ship. Deck 10 is home to an observatory zone.
A dedicated shopping area, the Stunning Centrum, is located in the atrium of the ship and sells tax- and duty-free merchandise. The Grandeur has explorations services to assist passengers in planning shore holidays, money exchange and goods recovery.
Entertainment
Entertainment options on the Grandeur include the Palladium Theatre, which hosts theatrical, musical and comedic productions, themed parties and other events. The Casino offers games such as blackjack, roulette and poker, among others. The ship’s gaming arcade provides games such as air hockey, American Idol and Extreme Hunting 2.
The lounges on the ship include the South Pacific Lounge, the Singin’ in the Rain Lounge and the Viking Crown Lounge. The South Pacific Lounge offers bingo during the day and turns into a dance bar at night. The Viking Crown lounge offers 360° views of the sea and has a bar and dance floor.
The bars on the ship include the Schooner Bar, the Pool Bar and the Champagne Bar. The Schooner Bar is a piano bar with a nautical theme and the Pool Bar features a beach-like décor.
Spa and fitness
The spa offers a variety of treatments and services including facial treatments, massage therapies, detox wraps and body therapies, acupuncture, and hair and nail services. Special services for teenagers are also provided.
The ship’s fitness centre features weight machines, free weights, spin bikes, treadmills, a sauna and a whirlpool.
Propulsion
The Grandeur is powered by two diesel electric propulsion units generating an output of 17MW. The total on-board power generated is 50,400kW. A speed of 22kt is provided by the propulsion system.
