Royal Caribbean International is to base Grandeur of the Seas in Palma de Mallorca in response to demand from the UK and Ireland market.
The ship’s first season in Mallorca will be in summer 2011 and it will go on sale in March 2010.
Grandeur of the Seas, which was launched in 1996, is one of the cruiseline’s older ships and is currently based in Florida.
Royal Caribbean International will be supporting the move with a trade and consumer marketing campaign, including dedicated point of sale materials for agents.
The cruiseline will also continue to raise the awareness of the brand through the ongoing ‘Nation of Why Not’ television and press campaign.
Associate vice president and general manager Jo Rzymowska said: “Growing our itinerary options to offer popular family sunshine destinations as the embarkation point for a cruise will further increase our market share in this sector.
“The introduction of Grandeur of the Seas – home-porting in Palma de Mallorca and dedicated to the UK and Irish market – will offer guests seven night or back-to-back 14-night cruise combinations with greater access to smaller ports along the French Riviera, Italian coastline and Balearic Islands which we know are particularly favourable to this market.”
Summer cruises from Palma de Mallorca start in May 2011 and will include two 7-night itineraries to the Italian Mediterranean and the Spanish Mediterranean which can be taken consecutively to make a14-night cruise.