Royal Caribbean International: Splendour of the Seas

Overview

The first Royal Caribbean ships to offer private balconies in a number of categories, these Vision-class vessels, named for sister ship Vision of the Seas (which does not sail in the Mediterranean), have acres of glass skylights that allow sunlight to flood in and windows that offer wide sea vistas. The soaring central atrium at the heart of each ship is anchored by champagne bars and fills with music after dark.

Built in pairs, the ships follow the same general layout but are different in overall size and the total number of passengers on board. Cabin sizes also vary somewhat; as the total size of the ships increased from Legend and Splendour at 69,130 tons (1,800 passengers) to Grandeur at 74,140 tons (1,950 passengers), and finally, Rhapsody and Vision at 78,491 tons (2,000 passengers), so did the size of the accommodations. In some categories, it's only a matter of a few feet, so don't look for huge—or even noticeable—differences.