Seven Seas Grandeur

The 2023-built Seven Seas Grandeur cruise ship is the last of RSSC-Regent's EXPLORER-class series, with sisterships Seven Seas Explorer (2016) and Seven Seas Splendor (2021).

The vessel (IMO number 9877444) is currently France-flagged (MMSI 538010706) and registered in Majuro/Marshall Islands. During its construction, Seven Seas Grandeur was temporarily Italy-flagged (MMSI 247475800).

History - construction and ownership

Regent Cruises (officially Regent Seven Seas Cruises / RSSC) is an all-inclusive, top-luxury cruise brand fka "Radisson Seven Seas". Until 2014, the company (as part of "Prestige Cruise Holdings") was owned by Apollo Management LP - one of the world's largest private investment equity funds. Since September 2014, RSSC and the sister company Oceania Cruises are owned by NCL Norwegian (shipowner), acquired at the total cost of USD 3 billion. Regent cruise ships are medium-sized, with max passenger capacity 800. The fleet consists of 6-star rated all-suite and all-balcony vessels with a space-to-guest ratio ~70 and staff-to-guest ratio 1-to-1,6 (some of the industry's best). As building cost per berth, RSSC liners are among the world's most expensive ships.

For the vessel's interior design, RSSC contracted the Florida-based firm "Studio DADO". The DADO-designed venues include Observation Lounge, Constellation Theater, Card Room, Connoisseur Club, Pacific Rim Restaurant, ship's Spa as well as all the 55 suites (categories Penthouse, Grand, Superior).

Decks and Cabins

Like all RSSC-Regent ships, Seven Seas Grandeur staterooms (total 375) are all suites grouped in 15 categories. All cabins also have private step-out balconies. Cabins designer was Tillberg Design of Sweden.

The cost of the Regent Suite on the Grandeur ship signifies the ultimate RSSC luxury vacation package experience. The unique accommodation is sized 4445 ft2 (413 m2) including the outdoor wraparound terrace (1230 ft2 / 114 m2). Grandeur's Regent Suite is not only the largest at sea but also the most expensive - priced USD 11000 (~EUR 9340 / GBP 8050) per night. However, the price includes unlimited services (provided by dedicated staff) and amenities like Spa Room (unlimited massages and treatments), Sauna, Steam Room, 2x bedrooms, 2x full bathrooms (with jetted tubs), living room (with a garden, grand piano, half bathroom), dining room, dressing room, bow-facing balcony (with a Tresse Minipool and a glass-enclosed parlor).

The boat has 13 decks, of which 10 are passenger-accessible and 7 with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

On Regent's Grandeur ship are offered cooking classes in the fleet's first specially dedicated Culinary Arts Kitchen. The teaching kitchen's dishes are crafted with locally sourced ingredients.

Food-themed excursions ashore are available for booking via RSSC's Gourmet Explorer Tours. On these tours, passengers can enjoy gourmet food prepared by renowned local chefs, as well as wine tasting at premium estates and local food market visits.

On Regent's Grandeur ship, the culinary experiences were enhanced by introducing upgraded menus, redesigned specialty restaurants and 130+ new dishes. Among those are Compass Rose (dinner-only restaurant/13x new dishes), Prime 7 (steakhouse/has a new lunch menu), Pacific Rim (pan-Asian restaurant/has 2x new entrees and 4x new desserts), Sette Mari ay La Veranda (Italian restaurant/8x new appetizers).

Along with the new menus, on Grandeur, Regent also introduced numerous plant-based dishes.

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

• Compass Rose (main dining room restaurant, open-seating breakfast, lunch and dinner; features European Continental dishes and alternative choices - vegetarian, specialties from the Spa menu, select dishes from Regent's Chartreuse menu with gourmet French cuisine)
• Chartreuse is Regent's new French specialty restaurant also serving premium cocktails based on the Green Chartreuse liqueur. The restaurant offers some of the most exquisite gourmet experiences at sea.
• Prime 7 (reservations-only dinner restaurant with American Steakhouse menu)
• Sette Mari at La Veranda (casual dining venue; operates as ship's self-service buffet restaurant; in the evenings, the buffet transforms into "Sette Mari" Italian dinner restaurant, complimentary. The Destination Corner serves the local dishes of the destination.)
• Culinary Arts Kitchen (cooking school with 18 cooking stations in 3 rows; each is equipped with quartz countertop and stainless steel sink; the cooking school has floor-ceiling windows, and boasts 12 different classes themed as fish and shellfish, food and wine, mini-desserts, healthy cooking, etc. As part of the program, Regent Seven Seas also offers "Gourmet Explorer Tours" ashore).
• Pacific Rim (Pan-Asian restaurant, dinner-only, with an art installation of a large dragon)
• Coffee Connection is an alfresco seating area.

The Compass Rose restaurant on Seven Seas Grandeur is redesigned by Studio DADO (2016-founded, Trapani Sicily-based interior design firm). Among the restaurant's features are the cascading waterfall sculptures (made of laser-cut metal and hand-blown glass), illuminated arching trees (wood-edged and made of interwoven crystal), floor-ceiling illumination during the night (hundreds of lights surround the floor-ceiling windows). The restaurant is also lighted by thousands of crystal-faceted leaves (encrusted on pillars and branches throughout). Also new is the mural (an artwork custom-designed by Confluent Studios Inc/Burnaby BC Canada) crafted with gold leaves and mirror-finished (Verre Eglomise process of gilding onto the glass' rear face).

Compass Rose's expanded menu includes dishes like Black Angus filet mignon, Maine Lobster Tail, King Scallops, New Zealand Lamb Chops, several daily changing specials, a wide selection of vegan and vegetarian items.

In June 2022, RSSC announced that on Seven Seas Grandeur will be introduced a new Italian menu, later to be rolled out fleetwide. The new menu (developed for the Italian restaurant chain Sette Mari) includes items like Bruschetta al pomodoro (tomato), Cavatelli ai frutti di mare (filled pasta), Zucchini alla poverella, Insalata di Panzanella (bread salad) alla Masseria Salamina (17th-century castle in Fasano), Cozze gratinate al forno (stuffed mussels), Branzino in agrodolce (spigola in sweet-and-sour sauce), Pasticcini alla mandorle (Sicilian baked sweets), Chef Nino's Cioppino (fish stew), focaccia con pomodorini (Italian flat bread made with olive oil and flavoured with herbs).

Seven Seas Grandeur's "Prime 7" restaurant (redesigned by Studio DADO) is themed as a classic NYC steakhouse from the late 19th-early 20th century. The design highlights include a wall (by the entry) decorated with handmade vintage suitcases and black-and-white photos, an interior wall (separating from the service stations) with glass-enclosed vitrines, a wall that has gentleman belts (put end on end) creating beautiful texture. The interior tables are with fake windows outfitted with mirrors to reflect the ocean view from the opposite windows. The furniture includes 4-seat tables and handmade armchairs (their leather is outfitted with nail heads), Persian carpets, residential lighting, various memorabilia.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

While the design of Seven Seas Grandeur is decidedly more contemporary luxe than the fleet mates, RSSC strikes a balance between its much-loved traditional features and a more modern ambiance.

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

• Constellation Theater (2-deck high main show lounge for grand music and show productions; also features "Cirque Rock'n Roll" aerial acrobatics spectacle)
• Atrium (2-deck high open-floor area)
• Club.com (Internet computers room); Library
• Connoisseur Club (smoking lounge with comfortable leather armchairs; offers hand-rolled Cuban cigars)
• Card Rooms (hosts bridge tournaments and lectures)
• Explorer Lounge and Bar (disco nightclub; operates as a piano bar during the day with resident pianist performances)
• Meridian Lounge (serves as an entertainment lounge with leather furniture, blue carpeting, dark-wood paneling, antique flooring; has its own bar; serves premium cocktails)
• Coffee Bar
• Horizon Lounge (with a large dance floor; hosts daily trivia shows and offers Afternoon Tea)
• Observation Lounge (grand piano bar with live music performances in the evenings)
• The Boutique (duty-free shopping arcade: luxury jewelry, precious stones, brand perfumes, watches, designer clothes, accessories, gifts, souvenirs, Regent-logo wear)
• Casino (with 2 sections: for the slot machines, and for the gaming tables)
• Fitness Center (deck 6) has floor-ceiling windows and modern equipment (cardio and weight machines, free weights), separate studio for classes (cycling, yoga, Pilates).

Seven Seas Grandeur's wellness complex (Serene Spa & Wellness) is managed by Canyon Ranch SpaClub (also providing certified personnel) and uses luxury beauty products by Red Flower (NYC-based beauty wellness brand using organic/biodegradable and biocompatible skincare and cosmetics). Most of the Red Flower's treatments are itinerary-based (with locally sourced ingredients).

The wellness complex consists of 8x Treatment Rooms, Saunas (including infrared sauna), Steam Rooms (aromatic steam room), Cold Room (temperature 54 F / 12 C), Thermal Suite, Shower Room (varying degrees of water pressure, therapeutic audio effects/waterfalls, thunderstorms), Relaxation Room, infinity pool (resistance swimming pool/aft). Part of the complex are also the Beauty Salon, the Gym and the Aerobics Studio (for classes). The Spa's features include a cocoon-inspired design, a central-location Swarovski crystal sculpture, chrysalis (made of silk wrappings), marble flooring, light-grained wood, exquisite treatments.

On the Grandeur ship, Regent expanded its Spa offerings with new treatments and equipment, including a Quartz Crystal Healing Bed and a Zero Gravity Massage Table (with 8x positions for different muscle groups). New treatments include the 750-minute massages Hot Mineral Body Boost (for alleviating muscular pains) and the Poultice-Powered Muscle Release (for aching muscles). Also new is the Tahitian Hydration Ritual (75-min) but is exclusive (only for guests staying in the Regent Suite) and offered in the Suite's own private Spa.

On Sun Deck are located Power Walking/Jogging Track, Sports Court, Paddle Tennis Court, Bocce Court, Mini-Golf putting green, Golf Nets, and Shuffleboard. Lido Deck's pool area houses a large swimming pool, 2 Jacuzzies (spa pools/whirlpool hot tubs), a sunbathing area with loungers, tennis tables, a seating area with tables and deckchairs. Sundeck is served by the Pool Bar.

Regent's Grandeur is the world's 3rd cruise ship (after Explorer and Splendor) with a Pickleball Court. The installation was done by Adventure Golf Services (a company specializing in custom-designed mini-golf courses).

• This is a combo court serving 2 sports - Pickleball and Paddle Tennis.
• Pickleball is a racquet sport that combines elements of badminton, court tennis and table tennis. The game is played by 2, 3 or 4 players using solid paddles (made of wood or composites) to hit a perforated polymer ball over a net.
• The company also installed other products - paddle tennis court, shuffleboard, 18-hole putting green course, GolfCourt Hitting Bay (golf driving range), Bocce court. All these products use patented interlocking panels fabricated in Traverse City (Michigan USA).
• Adventure Golf Services is the leading manufacturer and installer for the cruise ship industry, with signature products like miniature golf courses, putting greens, shuffleboard, bocce ball, croquet courts, golf driving cages.

Shipboard art collection

In October 2022, RSSC contracted Faberge Ltd (2007-founded) to design "Faberge Egg Objet" for the Grandeur ship's art collection. The unique art piece (designed by Liisa Tallgren and inspired by Faberge's Winter Egg/1913) remains permanently onboard but is not for sale.

The ship's art collection groups ~1600 pieces from popular artists and renowned galleries worldwide. The collection's highlights are 3x Pablo Picasso paintings (Toros y Toreros/1961, Antes de Picar al Toro/1963, Picador Picando al Toro, Con Matador al Quite/1961), Faberge's custom-made egg "Journey in Jewels", and Zheng Lu's stainless steel sculpture "Water in Dripping - Waterfall" (2021).

Another unique art piece is the custom-made "Bonsai Cherry Tree" sculpture (bronze and hand-cast glass) by Savoy Studios (Portland OR USA-based art glass studio). The installation is at the entrance of the Pacific Rim restaurant.

Upon entering the Compass Rose restaurant, diners are seated beneath a canopy made of thousands of interwoven crystal-faceted leaves on wood-edged trees, creating the ambiance of an enchanted forest.

Regent Grandeur boasts a wide array of artworks encompassing sculptures, original paintings, photographs. Next are listed some of the most expensive pieces and their floor location.

Pablo Picasso's (Lithograph and Linocut) "Toros y Toreros," "Antes de picar al toro," and "Picador picando al toro, con matador al quite" are displayed in Prime 7 (steakhouse on Deck 10).

Faberge's "Journey in Jewels" is in the Atrium on Deck 5.

Savoy Studios's "Bonsai Cherry Tree" (Pacific Rim) is on Deck 5.

Walter Goldfarb's "The Enchanted Tree" (40-ft/12-m-tall tapestry) hangs beside the elevator wall in the Atrium on Deck 6.

Zheng Lu's "Water in Dripping - Waterfall" is displayed at the Serene Spa & Wellness (Deck 5).

Itineraries

Seven Seas Grandeur itinerary program (as homeports and destinations/regions) and the ship's Inaugural Cruise date were announced on September 22, 2021, when the voyages were also opened for booking.

The boat's inaugural season starts on November 25, 2023, and is comprised of total 17x voyages (ranging from 7 to 16 nights) visiting ports in the Caribbean and Europe/Mediterranean, as well as 2x Transatlantic crossings and 2x Panama Canal transits. Early booking prices (per person with double occupancy) ranged between USD 4000-88000 (EUR 3390-74500 / GBP 2900-63600).

Schedule 2023-2024

The Maiden Voyage (NOV 25, 2023) is a 14-night Transatlantic crossing from Europe to the USA (Barcelona to Miami) themed "A MAGNIFICENT CROSSING" and initially priced from EUR 5960.

Next is listed the ship's remaining schedule currently planned for the inaugural season.

• 2023 (DEC 14) 7-night Caribbean roundtrip from Miami / themed "MEXICAN MARVELS IN THE CARIBBEAN"
• (DEC 21) 16-night Panama Canal from Miami to Los Angeles / themed "COMFORT ACROSS THE CANAL"
• 2024 (JAN 8) 16-night Panama Canal from Los Angeles to Miami / themed "A GRANDIOSE TRANSIT"
• 10-night Caribbean roundtrips from Miami / themes "WONDERS IN THE CARIBBEAN" (JAN 26), "ISLAND JOY & CRUISE COMFORTS" (FEB 17), "MAGIC IN THE CARIBBEAN" (MAR 5), "STRAITS TO PARADISE" (MAR 15)
• (FEB 5) 12-night Caribbean roundtrip from Miami / themed "POMP & ROMANCE IN PARADISE"
• (FEB 27) 7-night Caribbean roundtrip from Miami / themed "A PRIVATE ESCAPE"
• (MAR 25) 16-night relocation from Miami to NYC New York / themed "ISLAND SPRING & SOUTHERN CHARM"
• (APR 10) 14-night Transatlantic from NYC to Barcelona, via Bermuda and Azores / themed "OCEAN AIR & SPANISH FLARE"
• 2024 (Mediterranean-Adriatic-Aegean/Greek Islands)
• (APR 24) 7-night from Barcelona to Civitavecchia-Rome / themed "GLORY OF THE RIVIERA"
• (APR 24) 14-night roundtrip from Barcelona / themed "ROMANCE IN ITALY, LOVE IN SPAIN"
• (MAY 1) 7-night from Civitavecchia-Rome to Barcelona / themed "ICONIC ITALY & A TASTE OF SPAIN"
• (MAY 8) 12-night from Barcelona to Venice / themed "MAJESTY ALONG THE AMALFI COAST"
• (MAY 20) 10-night from Venice to Piraeus-Athens / themed "CROSSROADS & IONIAN GRANDEUR"
• (MAY 30) 12-night from Piraeus-Athens to Istanbul / themed "ANCIENT LANDS & HOLY SITES"
• (JUN 11) 10-night from Istanbul to Piraeus-Athens / themed "GRANDEUR IN THE GREEK ISLES"
• (JUN 21) 10-night from Piraeus-Athens to Civitavecchia-Rome / themed "THE DELIGHTS OF TURKEY"

In Europe-Mediterranean, the cruise ship visits ports in Turkey (IZMIR, EPHESUS-KUSADASI, BODRUM, ALANYA, ANTALYA, ISTANBUL/overnight, BOZCAADA Island), Greece (KAVALA, IGOUMENITSA), Greek islands (CORFU, SANTORINI, MYKONOS, LESBOS, PATMOS, RHODES, CYPRUS/LIMASSOL, CRETE/HERAKLION), Italy (AMALFI, ANCONA, LIVORNO, SORRENTO, NAPLES), Sicily Island (CATANIA, PALERMO, TAORMINA), France (MARSEILLE, SETE, SANARY-SUR-MER, SAINT-TROPEZ), Spain (VALENCIA, PALMA DE MALLORCA), Monaco (MONTE CARLO), Malta (VALLETTA), Israel (ASHDOD, HAIFA), Croatia (DUBROVNIK, SPLIT), Montenegro (KOTOR).

In the Caribbean are visited the islands Aruba (ORANJESTAD), Bonaire (KRALENDIJK), Grenada (ST GEORGE'S), St Lucia (CASTRIES), Antigua (ST JOHN'S), Saint Barthelemy (GUSTAVIA), Puerto Rico (SAN JUAN), Mexico (COZUMEL, COSTA MAYA), Belize (HARVEST CAYE), Guatemala (SANTO TOMAS DE CASTILLA), Honduras (ISLA ROATAN), as well as the USA (CHARLESTON SC, KEY WEST FL).

The shipowner NCLH (Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd) placed the order with the shipbuilder Fincantieri SpA on January 15, 2019. The shipbuilding order was signed by Frank Del Rio (NCLH's President and CEO) and Giuseppe Bono (Fincantieri's CEO).

For the newbuild project, NCLH obtained export credit financing (for 80% of the unit's contract price of EUR 475 million / USD 532 million). With the order for Seven Seas Grandeur in 2019, NCLH had 11 vessels (on order or under construction) with deliveries through 2027. Of those, 7x were for NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line, 2x for Oceania and 2x for RSSC-Regent.

Regent announced the name of its newest boat (Seven Seas Grandeur) on June 22, 2021. The name was revealed by Jason Montague (RSSC's President and CEO) in a video.

As registered shipowner is listed the company EXPLORER III NEW BUILD LLC, while the ship management company is REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES INC.

The vessel's construction (Fincantieri Ancona yard number/hull 6282) officially started with the steel-cutting ceremony on November 2, 2021, held at Fincantieri's Ancona shipyard. The special event was attended by Jason Montague (RSSC's President and CEO) and Giovanni Stecconi (shipyard's Director). The vessel's physical construction started with the keel-laying ceremony, held on July 12, 2022. During the event, 3x custom-minted coins were placed onto the keel/first hull block, each representing one of the sisterships Grandeur (2023), Splendor (2021), Explorer (2016). The coins for Explorer and Splendor were delivered to Fincantieri's yards Sestri Ponente Genova (in 2016) and Ancona (in 2020), while Grandeur's coin is new and features RSSC's 30th-anniversary logo.

The Regent ship's namesake is the RCI's liner Grandeur of the Seas (1996).

The ship was launched/floated out from drydock on January 26, 2023. The ceremony was led by Orsinja Myshku (Senior Controller of Ancona yard's Economic Administration and Control Office) who served as madrina/godmother. The special event was attended by Andrea DeMarco (Regent's President), Gabriella Fonzo (Regent's Senior Director of Sales CEMEA) and Giovanni Ciriaco Stecconi (Ancona shipyard's Director).

Fincantieri officially delivered Seven Seas Grandeur to RSSC on November 13, 2023.

Christening ceremony (2023)

On July 17, 2023, RSSC announced that Grandeur's godmother will be Sarah Josephine Faberge (1958-born).

She is the only daughter of Theo Faberge (1922-2007) who was a grandson of Peter Carl Faberge/Karl Gustavovich Faberge (1846-1920) who was one of the sons of Gustav Faberge (1814-94, the founder of the House of Faberge/1842-established) and made the first Easter-themed jeweled Faberge eggs in Sankt Petersburg (Russia).

Sarah Faberge is a founding member of the Faberge Heritage Council and Director of Special Projects for Faberge. Since 2007, all trademarks, licenses and associated rights relating to the brand Faberge are owned by Pallinghurst Resources Ltd (now Gemfields Group Ltd/2007-founded supplier of colored gemstones).

The ship's christening ceremony was held on December 10, 2023, in Miami (Florida USA). The naming event featured entertainment from Kristin Dawn Chenoweth (1968-born American actress and singer) and was attended by Harry Sommer (NCLH's President and CEO) and Andrea DeMarco (RSSC's President).

As part of the Regent-Faberge partnership, during the ship naming festivities, Sarah Faberge wore unique earrings and a ring designed specifically for the event. These pieces of jewelry (made of 18-karat white gold, white diamonds and pearls) were auctioned and the money was given to charity (Gemfields Foundation) in 2024.

After the ceremony, Seven Seas Grandeur started the exclusive "Caribbean Christening Cruise" (3-day roundtrip itinerary) before the official Caribbean deployment.

For July 1, 2024, was scheduled to start Seven Seas Grandeur's "Faberge Spotlight Voyage" featuring small group workshops and master-class programs, exclusive shore tours, Faberge egg demos, lectures and screenings. The "Faberge Cruise" is a 10-day Mediterranean itinerary (from Civitavecchia-Rome to Monte Carlo Monaco) visiting Salerno, Taormina Sicily, Valletta Malta; Palma de Mallorca (Balearic Spain), Barcelona, Marseille, and Antibes.

In September 2023, Regent announced Grandeur ship's Senior Officers - Luciano Montesanto (Master/Captain), Antonio Lagana (Chief Engineer), Giuseppe Gargiulo (Staff Captain), Franck Galzy (General Manager), David Nevin (Cruise Director).

Inaugural cruise itineraries (2023-2024)

Next tables show the ship's inaugural voyages by destination, with prices in USD per person (lowest cabin grade cabin with double occupancy).

(MAIDEN VOYAGE 2023) 7-day from Trieste to Barcelona ($18000 pp)

(Inaugural Transatlantic crossing) 14-day from Barcelona to Miami ($8500 pp)

(inaugural Caribbean cruise 2023) 7-day "Mexican Marvels In The Caribbean" itinerary ($4000 pp)

(inaugural Panama Canal cruise 2023) 16-day from Miami to Los Angeles ($9000 pp)

(inaugural Mediterranean cruise 2024) 14-day "Romance In Italy, Love In Spain" itinerary ($14000 pp)

Godspeed!