Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas cruise ship returned to the Port of Baltimore Friday after undergoing a $48 million renovation.
The ship, which replaces the Enchantment of the Seas, arrived early Friday morning for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a proclamation from Gov. Martin O’Malley, who declared May 3 “Royal Caribbean Cruise Day” in Maryland.
As part of the renovation, all of the ship’s staterooms have been refurbished with new carpet, furniture and upholstery and flat-screen TVs. New amenities onboard include upgrades ranging from dining to entertainment.
The ship offers six new specialty restaurants, including Asian fare, a steakhouse and an Italian trattoria-style eatery. A 220-foot movie screen now overlooks the pool. Also new is the Royal Babies and Tots Nursery, which caters to families with children ages 6 to 36 months. The ship tops it all off with a new aerial show featuring trapeze artists performing nightly on specially designed apparatus above the six-story Centrum atrium.
The cruise ship will offer six-night and 10-night cruises year-round from Baltimore to destinations that include Bermuda, the Bahamas and Canada and New England.
The first sailing departs Friday evening with passengers headed for a six-night cruise to Bermuda.
Grandeur of the Seas first deployed to Baltimore from 2004 to 2009. Since its departure, Enchantment of the Seas has offered sailings to Marylanders, but that ship will now be based in Florida, with cruises from Port Canaveral.
