Grandeur Of The Seas

The 1996-built Grandeur of the Seas cruise ship is the third Vision-class Royal Caribbean liner, with sisterships Vision OTS, Legend OTS (now Marella Discovery 2), Enchantment OTS, Rhapsody OTS, and Splendour OTS (now Marella Discovery).

The vessel (IMO number 9102978) is currently Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 311315000) and registered in Nassau.

In 2021, after 23 years of RCI service, Grandeur OTS was slated to leave the fleet and be transferred to Pullmantur, but the plans were canceled. Grandeur OTS’s replacement in Baltimore, MD was Enchantment OTS. Pullmantur planned to deploy the liner in Northern Europe for Baltic Sea and Norwegian Fjords itineraries with roundtrips from homeports Trondheim, Norway and Warnemunde-Rostock, Germany.

History - construction and ownership

Royal Caribbean International (RCI) is a US passenger shipping company, a trademarked travel brand, and a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group (RCG/shipowner). Established in 1968, RCI currently holds over one-fifth of the worldwide cruise market and has RCG’s largest fleet by both vessel number and GT tonnage (ship sizes and capacities).

All RCI liners have names ending with “of the Seas.”

The 2000-passenger Grandeur OTS is one of Royal Caribbean’s older liners; however, guests wouldn’t know it from her sleek public areas: a grand Art Deco-inspired dining venue, the glitzy Palladium Theater, and a sweeping six-story atrium.

The 2012 refurbishment gave Grandeur OTS new life. Royal Caribbean invested millions to add Oasis-class touches to ships that lacked extensive balconies, dining variety, and the line’s latest perks. Post-makeover, Grandeur features updated staterooms, shipwide Wi-Fi, and HDTVs. Specialty dining venues, a redesigned atrium, and an outdoor movie screen add more ways to enjoy time onboard. Browse daily restaurant menus and activity schedules on digital “Wayfinder” signage—large touch screens by the elevators that also provide directions when you’re unsure whether you’re aft or forward.

Decks and Cabins

Grandeur of the Seas staterooms (997 total, in 21 grades) include 95 Suites, 122 Balcony, 380 Oceanview, and 400 Inside cabins. Cabin sizes vary between 140-190 ft² (13-18 m²). Most balconies are 40 ft² (4 m²). The largest is the Royal Suite (1185 ft² / 110 m² plus a 160 ft² / 15 m² terrace). There are 16 wheelchair-accessible cabins.

The boat has 12 decks, of which 11 are passenger-accessible and 5 have cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

For a quick bite, choose Grandeur’s Windjammer Marketplace. It’s arranged in stations, so you can grab everything from cheeses and pizza to carved meats and desserts. Afternoon tea is offered there daily beginning at 3 p.m. During peak times, seating can be scarce. For more formal dining, visit the two-level Great Gatsby Dining Room. It’s open daily from 7:00–9:30 a.m. for breakfast and from noon–1:30 p.m. for lunch (when it converts to Brasserie 30, serving dishes such as shells with pesto sauce). Set-seating dining times are 6:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Guests may also opt for My Time Dining, which allows dining between 6:00 and 9:30 p.m. without assigned tablemates.

Alternative dining venues include Chops Grille (US$30 per person), Giovanni’s Table (family-style Italian; US$15 pp at lunch, US$20 at dinner), and Izumi (Japanese/sushi; a service charge applies in addition to à la carte pricing). The Viking Crown Lounge serves tapas-style small bites, but serious foodies should consider the exclusive Chef’s Table experience: a five-course, wine-paired dinner hosted by the executive chef and sommelier for US$95.

Follows the complete list of Grandeur of the Seas restaurants and food bars.

• Great Gatsby Restaurant (1039-seat aft Dining Room; offers Brasserie 30 lunch on sea days; Chef’s Table)
• Windjammer Cafe Lido buffet restaurant (790 seats; Early Breakfast 6:30 a.m., Breakfast 7:00–11:30 a.m., Lunch 11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m., Dinner 6:30–9:00 p.m.)
• Chops Grille (74-seat specialty restaurant; reservations recommended)
• Giovanni’s Table (Italian specialty restaurant; reservations recommended)
• Izumi (Asian specialty restaurant)
• Park Cafe (68-seat deli; complimentary; serves the Solarium area)

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Shows in Grandeur’s Palladium (main theater) are scheduled around dining times. Grandeur OTS also offers a library with an honor checkout system, a rock-climbing wall with routes for various skill levels, two shuffleboard courts, a photo shop, and several retail stores specializing in jewelry, souvenirs, cigarettes, cigars, and liquor. There are numerous themed bars and lounges, including a pool deck bar, Schooner Bar, Viking Crown Lounge, South Pacific Lounge, and a piano bar area.

The Centrum Atrium stretches from Deck 4 to Deck 10. Youth facilities are located throughout the ship, including a teen nightclub and an arcade. A special edition of “The Compass,” named “Explorations,” is published specifically for kids.

Most enrichment consists of complimentary activities such as gaming lessons in the casino and dance classes in the disco. If you’re expecting academic-style lectures, Grandeur of the Seas may not be the best fit. RCI offers numerous shore excursions via its “Explorations!” desk. Glass-bottom boat rides and sightseeing tours are popular, as are beach days; however, some beaches can be accessed independently for free or at a lower cost.

Additional amenities include complimentary 24-hour room service, Adventure Ocean (youth program), Internet/Wi-Fi access, and laundry.

Follows the complete list of Grandeur of the Seas lounges, clubs, and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Palladium Theater (870 seats; grand production shows featuring dance, acrobatics, comedy, and games)
• Photo Gallery and Shop; Art Gallery
• The Centrum (six-deck atrium and social hub with aerial acrobatics); Card Room; South Pacific Lounge (328-seat show lounge); Crown Lounge (fka Diamond Club Lounge & Bar; for past guests only); Concierge Club (for suite and past guests only); Viking Crown Lounge and Nightclub
• R Bar (43-seat cocktail bar); Cafe Latte-tudes (36-seat specialty coffee bar; Starbucks Coffee); Ben & Jerry’s (ice cream bar); Schooner Bar (133-seat piano bar)
• Centrum Boutiques (duty-free: clothing, perfumes, accessories, jewelry, logo souvenirs, General Store/alcohol and cigarettes)
• Casino Royale (282 seats)
• Royal Caribbean Online Center (computer room; 24-hour)
• Vitality at Sea Spa & Fitness Center; 6 Jacuzzis; 3 pools
• Solarium lounge (Cafe Bar, pool bar, and adults-only pool area)
• Outdoor Movie Screen
• Video Games Arcade; FantaSeas Teen Center and Disco Club; Royal Babies & Tots Nursery
• Adventure Beach; Adventure Ocean kids’ lounge area
• Sports Court (golf simulator, table tennis, basketball court); Jogging Track; Rock-climbing Wall

Itineraries

Grandeur of the Seas’ itinerary program was based on Canada & New England, Bermuda, and Caribbean cruises departing from Baltimore, MD. Roundtrips (operated 2013–2020) visited ports in The Bahamas (Nassau, CocoCay), Mexico (Cozumel), Jamaica, and Florida (Key West and Port Canaveral). In Baltimore, Grandeur OTS was replaced by Enchantment OTS.

In mid-January 2021, RCI homeported the ship in Bridgetown, Barbados. The itinerary program (Dec 2021–Apr 2022) featured three new-for-RCI ports: Scarborough (Tobago), Port-of-Spain (Trinidad), and Kingstown (St Vincent, Grenadines).

RCI’s ex-Barbados program offered fly-cruise deals (roundtrip flights from the USA) and three itineraries—two 7-night and one 14-night.

• 7-night “Southern Caribbean Explorer” to Scarborough (Tobago), Port-of-Spain (Trinidad), St George’s (Grenada), Kingstown (St Vincent & the Grenadines), Roseau (Dominica), Castries (St Lucia)
• 7-night “Southern Caribbean Adventure” to St George’s, Kralendijk (Bonaire), Oranjestad (Aruba), Willemstad (Curacao), Port-of-Spain
• 14-night “Ultimate Caribbean” to St George’s, Kingstown, Kralendijk, Oranjestad, Willemstad, Port-of-Spain, Cartagena (Colombia), Colon (Panama), Puerto Limon (Costa Rica)

In summer 2022, from Galveston, Texas, Grandeur OTS offered 4–5-night short breaks to Mexico (Costa Maya and Cozumel).

In 2023 the ship was homeported in Miami (5-day “Eastern Caribbean” to Key West, Florida, and Labadee, Haiti, and 9-day “Southern Caribbean” to St Maarten, St Croix, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Labadee) and, during summer, in Tampa (4-day to Cozumel, and 5-day to The Bahamas/CocoCay and Nassau).

Grandeur OTS was built by Kvaerner Masa-Yards (Helsinki, Finland) and completed on November 20, 1996. The ship’s godmother was Aviva Ofer, wife of Sammy Ofer and mother of Eyal Ofer (a member of RCI’s Board of Directors). The naming ceremony took place on December 13, 1996, in PortMiami, followed by her maiden voyage to the Caribbean on December 14. Grandeur and Enchantment of the Seas were the world’s first passenger liners equipped with a Dynamic Positioning System.

Grandeur underwent a major refurbishment in 2012. The upgrade refreshed her colors and added new venues, including Park Café, R Bar, an outdoor movie screen (LED), Giovanni’s Table, Chops Grille, Izumi, and Centrum’s aerial entertainment program. Shipwide Wi-Fi coverage was also introduced.

Though smaller in size, Grandeur OTS features the 7-deck-high “Centrum,” a signature of older RCI ships. The Viking Crown Lounge, located above the Atrium, offers the best panoramic views of sea and ports. Passenger cabins are designed to appear more spacious, and bathrooms include medicine cabinets along with the line’s standard bath amenities.

Grandeur OTS shares her name with RSSC’sSeven Seas Grandeur (2023).

Grandeur OTS refurbishment – 2013 review

Updates from the 2013 drydock included:

• cabin upgrades (LCD TVs, bathrooms, new interiors, linens, furniture)
• complimentary “Park Café” (deli)
• “Chef’s Table” (gourmet dining experience)
• “Chops Grille” (steakhouse)
• “Giovanni’s” (Italian cuisine)
• “Izumi” (Asian/Japanese cuisine)
• new Centrum Atrium program with aerial acrobatic shows
• “R Bar” (1960s-themed)
• RCI Nursery
• “Viking Crown” with a new à la carte menu

New “Concierge” and “Diamond” lounges were also added.

The 2024 drydock (March 24–April 24) was completed at Grand Bahama Shipyard (Freeport, Bahamas). It focused on routine maintenance, classification works, machinery upgrades, safety inspections, and hotel updates such as new carpeting and upholstery in all public areas.

Inaugural roundtrip Barbados cruises – 2021

For winter 2021-2022, Royal Caribbean scheduled 15 roundtrips for Grandeur OTS from Bridgetown, Barbados.

The company’s first-ever homeporting season in Barbados (December 5, 2021 – April 17, 2022) offered three different itineraries:

7-day “Southern Caribbean Explorer” (from $1040 pp, double occupancy)

7-day “ABC Caribbean Adventure” (from $660 pp)

14-day “Ultimate Caribbean Cruise” (from $750 pp)