Splendour of the Seas is a Vision-class cruise ship of Royal Caribbean International. It was relaunched in December 2011 after a major refurbishment.
The bow side view of Splendour of the Seas. The vessel has a gross tonnage of 70,000t.
Splendour of the Seas can accommodate over 2,000 passengers and up to 750 crew members.
Splendour of the Seas underwent a major refurbishment at Navantia shipyard in November 2011.

Splendour of the Seas is a Vision-class cruise ship owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. The vessel was relaunched in December 2011 after a major refurbishment.

Chantiers de l’Atlantique built Splendour of the Seas at the Saint-Nazaire shipyard in France. The ship was launched in June 1995 and started its maiden voyage on 31 March 1996.

The 70,000t cruise ship has an overall length of 264.2m, beam of 32m and draft of 7.3m. It can accommodate 2,074 passengers and up to 750 crew members.

Starting from 30 December 2011, Splendour of the Seas will sail on a series of voyages throughout South America. It will then operate itineraries to the Western Mediterranean.

Splendour of the Seas refurbishment

“Chantiers de l’Atlantique built Splendour of the Seas at the Saint-Nazaire shipyard.”

In October 2011, Royal Caribbean signed a contract with Navantia for extensive refurbishment of Splendour of the Seas. The ship was provided with a new 217t ducktail at the stern for increased stability.

The revitalisation added 124 new balconies, dining spaces, guest amenities and stateroom amenities. Regular scheduled maintenance to the propellers, shafts and rudder was also conducted during the refit.

The refurbishment took five weeks to complete and involved 550 workers. The revamp is part of an extensive $300m programme for introducing latest innovations to the Royal Caribbean fleet.

Staterooms

Splendour of the Seas has 902 staterooms, which are categorised into Superior Oceanview Staterooms, Large Oceanview Staterooms, Accessible Inside Staterooms, Accessible Outside Staterooms, Superior Interior Staterooms, Large Interior Staterooms, Interior Staterooms, Royal Suites, Family Junior Suites, Owner’s Suites, Royal Family Suites and Grand Suites.

The rooms range from 132.4ft2 to 1,002ft2. The standard staterooms include twin beds that can be converted into queen-size, a vanity area and a private bathroom. Each room features a hair-dryer, TV, phone, and a vanity table.

The premium rooms include two twin beds that can be made into queen-size, a private balcony, a private bathroom with bathtub, and a sitting area with a sofa bed. These rooms also have a refrigerator, a vanity area, a hair-dryer, a TV and a phone. Starting from February 2012, every stateroom will feature an iPad.

Splendour dining

The refurbished cruise ship features a main dining room that offers complimentary, multi-course menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“Splendour of the Seas will offer a new à la carte menu in the Viking Crown Lounge.”

The new dining venues are the Asian Izumi restaurant; the line’s signature steakhouse, Chops Grille; the Boardwalk Dog House hotdog counter; the Park Café restaurant; and Chef’s Table.

Splendour of the Seas will also offer a new à la carte menu in the Viking Crown Lounge serving bite-sized portions of favourite classic dishes.

Entertainment facilities

Splendour of the Seas features a theatre, a casino, shops, themed bars and lounges. The newly introduced entertainment spaces include the Centrum, R Bar, BRITTO Gallery, Concierge Club and Diamond Lounge.

The main theatre offers complimentary Broadway-style entertainment, while BRITTO Gallery displays the works of pop art icon Romero Britto. The 6,500ft2 Vegas-style Casino Royale has 164 slot machines and 11 tables.

“Splendour of the Seas is powered by five Wasa Wärtsilä 12V46B V12 engines.”

Duty-free shops onboard offer branded jewellery, perfumes and clothing.

Relaxation facilities include a poolside, outdoor movie screen, the Vitality Spa, a fitness centre, a solarium and whirlpools. The ship also features a rock-climbing wall, upper-deck jogging track, 18-hole miniature golf course and a video game arcade.

Propulsion

Splendour of the Seas is powered by five Wasa Wärtsilä 12V46B V12 engines driving two fixed-pitch propellers. Each engine delivers a power output of 11,700kW. The main propulsion is complemented by two 1,500kW bow thrusters and a 1,728kW stern thruster.

The ship is also fitted with two stabilisers. The propulsion system provides a maximum speed of 24kt and a cruising speed of 22kt.