Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas Begins Sailing From Tampa

Grandeur of the Seas was originally scheduled to sail from the Port of New Orleans during this winter season, but was redeployed to Tampa in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and its damage to the Gulf Coast. The ship will make 32 sailings from Tampa between December 3 and April 29, 2006. Grandeur of the Seas will arrive at the Port of Tampa's cruise ship terminal two at approximately 6 a.m., at the completion of a 13-night repositioning cruise that originated in Baltimore, Maryland, on November 20. Grandeur of the Seas joins another Royal Caribbean ship, Legend of the Seas, sailing from Tampa this winter. Legend of the Seas is sailing seven- night Caribbean cruises from November 5 to April 15, 2006, with port calls in Georgetown, Cayman Islands, Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico, and Belize City, Belize. Grandeur of the Seas made its maiden voyage on December 14, 1996. The ship is 74,140 gross registered tons, 916 feet long and 105.6 feet wide. It has a 25-foot draft and a cruising speed of 22 knots. The ship has 11 passenger decks and accommodates 1,950 guests (double occupancy) and 760 crew members. It has a total of 975 staterooms, 576 of which have ocean views (212 with balconies) and 399 of which are interior. Fourteen staterooms are wheelchair accessible.