Writer M.L. Abbott based this independent review on her 7-night Mediterranean cruise departing from Barcelona, Spain.

Splendour is light, bright, and airy, both sophisticated and saucy. With glass walls, the seven-deck atrium welcomes in the sea and sky. Half the size of this line’s huge Voyager-class ships, Splendour is more intimate, packing her own appealing mix of quiet spots and lively action. The glass-canopied solarium, with a pool, hot tubs, and cushioned lounges, envelops you in a soothing Roman spa setting. Within steps, onlookers cheer those tackling the rock-climbing wall and miniature golf course, while a band livens up the poolside party. In the Mediterranean, the focus turns to shore tours -- no wonder with Rome and Florence among destinations. In the Caribbean, there’s more time to enjoy the ship itself.

Why Splendour?

• Excellent value for the money: This mass-market ship delivers an overall enjoyable cruise experience with a casual elegance at good prices.
• Romancing the sea: She’s classy and graceful, with lounges where twosomes can cozy up and an overall romantic feeling.
• Unique Mediterranean itinerary: Nowhere else could you cover as many Mediterranean sights in such a short time for the price.

Heard on the deck: “I like cruising. You get more bang for your buck.”

Who should go
From the 20-somethings to the 90-somethings, this ship is a pleaser. Couples, singles, honeymooners, grandparents, and kids mingle in a convivial atmosphere of middle- to upper-middle-class vacationers. In the Mediterranean, she attracts a multinational mix of travelers, ranging from South Africans to Australians and Norwegians to Peruvians; less than 50 percent of the passengers may be from the United States. In the Caribbean, she’s more popular among North Americans.

Who shouldn’t go
Those seeking the nonstop action and options aboard Royal Caribbean’s larger Voyager-class ships may consider Splendour a bit tame. The cuisine is standard and satisfying, but likely won’t excite gourmets; and while those in suites get extra perks, it’s not luxury-class sailing. Those who love days at sea should note that the Mediterranean itinerary is port-intensive with only one sea day (Caribbean sailings generally offer two or more days at sea).

Hits and misses

• Don’t miss: The Viking Crown Lounge late at night -- it turns into a hopping disco with occasional live entertainment, including the male staff’s version of the popular Chippendale’s exotic show.
• Best part of the ship: The seven-deck atrium certainly grabs your eye with its grand marble staircases and exterior glass walls, but it may be nudged out by the glass-canopied solarium, a spa-like lounging retreat that’s a good place to de-stress.
• Best experience: A foot massage after a long day of touring is always welcomed.
• Best shipboard activities: The crew flag parade at poolside -- to the cheers of passengers, crew members representing each of their more than 50 home countries march with their flags (and many also carry the U.S. flag).
• Needs improvement: The Windjammer Café buffet setup seems rather disjointed, with food selections in several different places but without adequate direction for diners. Some public bathrooms need closer attention by cleanup crews. Staff at the guest relations desk can be pleasantly helpful or sometimes rather abrupt. The sound system in the main dining room malfunctioned throughout our cruise.
• Activities to skip: The late-night poolside toga party sounds like fun but generally has few takers. Weight-loss seminars by the spa staff present interesting approaches but are tied to promotion of their products.

How to meet the captain
The captain personally greets passengers at the formal night Welcome Aboard reception. Shake hands with him but don’t plan on an extended chat as several hundred guests are waiting their moment. Wait staff pass around complimentary drinks.

In an informal Nautical Notes session, the captain and other officers share insights about the ship and answer questions. Generally it’s a small group with time for personal exchange with the captain. There’s usually a special cocktail party with officers for those who have sailed with Royal Caribbean before.

At the far end of the King and I Dining Room, the captain’s table is in front of the pagoda-style artwork. He or another top officer often hosts a dinner party for VIPs, passengers in the top suites, and passengers who’ve sailed with the line many times.

Heard on the deck: “When you’ve met one captain, you’ve met them all.”

Splendour has only one main dining room but passengers aren’t short of options. Steaks grilled poolside for a themed buffet couldn’t be in a prettier setting -- whether that’s the Villefranche harbor as sun sets or early evening in Belize. Tapas -- Spain’s contribution to the little-dish grazing trend -- and a glass of sangria in the solarium are a great treat after a tiring day touring. The King and I dining room is the shining star, while the Windjammer Café offers an alternative buffet. Overall, food is fresh and tasty, if somewhat bland, and service courteous and efficient. Room service comes quickly, usually with a call alerting that it’s on the way.

The King and I (main dining room)
The setting is beautiful and the service clicks, with an enthusiastic, happy wait staff that orchestrates dinner with aplomb, and even serenades guests some evenings. It’s an open, airy, two-deck room with a horseshoe staircase and scalloped balcony. Glass walls allow expansive views of the sea, and tables seat four to 10 guests. Following the theme of its name from the hit musical, the décor is Oriental, with muted golds, reds, and blues, creating an atmosphere more casually elegant than overly formal.

From prime rib and roast duck to pasta with Portobello mushrooms and butterflied, broiled shrimp, the daily fare includes choices for a range of palates. Even vegetarians and the health-oriented will be well-fed. No carb or calorie counts, though. Wine is available by the glass or bottle, with recommendations on the menus or from your waiter, but no sommelier service. A grand piano seems more for show as a pianist rarely appeared. In the Mediterranean, four dinner seatings are generally scheduled for 6:30, 7, 9, and 9:30 PM.

Other dining options

• Windjammer Café: In a bright garden-like setting with sea views, this casual café serves buffets at breakfast, lunch, and dinner (except when there’s a poolside buffet). Fruit is fresh and ripe and salad greens crispy. In the evening, the buffet has several entrée selections and usually a carving station.
• Solarium: Hamburgers, hot dogs, and freshly made pizzas are big hits in the late afternoon when passengers return from touring. A tasty selection of tapas is available at lunch and in the evening, and healthy vegetable juices can be ordered any time.

Best dining

• Dish: Chilled soups -- watermelon gazpacho and roasted peach -- are surprising taste treats. Prime rib and rib eye steak are tender and prepared as ordered.
• Dessert: Coconut crème brulee is crusty on the top, and smooth and creamy underneath.
• Restaurant: The King and I offers a consistently pleasant dining experience.
• Food seminar: The executive chef’s culinary demonstration leaves wonderful aromas wafting through the atrium. He usually does a regional specialty, such as a Mediterranean-style dish, and recipes are available.

How to…

• Get a table for two: Request one when you book as there are only about two dozen, or check with the restaurant manager when you embark, but that may be too late. The tables are spaced throughout the dining room.
• Celebrate a birthday/anniversary: If you wish to have a cake to celebrate a birthday or anniversary, see the restaurant manager or maître d’ at least a day ahead of the event; the charge is generally $7.95. Romance packages are good for anniversaries (and honeymoons) and start at $99.
• Change seating: If you’re not assigned the seating (early or late) that you want, see the restaurant manager on embarkation day. He’s usually swamped with requests so you may not get a change until the next day. If you’re not compatible with your tablemates, see the manager in the restaurant shortly before that evening’s early seating to seek a change.
• Dress for formal night: Dressy pants outfits and short or long cocktail dresses are the norm, while dark suits dominate over tuxes for men. No need to pack the diamonds; it’s not a dress-to-the-nines scene but rather a more casual elegance.
• Dress for casual night: Women prefer sundresses and casual pants. For men, sport shirts and slacks suffice.

Light woods and rosy tones make standard cabins airy and inviting. At about 154 square feet, they’re comparatively small but comfortable, enhanced with a small sofa and glass-top table. Mirrors add a sense of spaciousness, and there’s adequate storage space with drawers and hidden nooks above the vanity desk. Nice touches include a tieback curtain dividing the sitting and sleeping areas, and beds having second cover sheets over blankets. Oceanview cabins have dressy drape treatments with swag valances. Balcony cabins come in two sizes, both netting more inside room and an outside deck with seating. Among suite options, one caters to families by including two bedrooms, two baths, a living area, and a balcony.

Bathrooms have good-sized sinks and counter space, with storage behind mirrors. Showers prove a bit snug, particularly as you tango with the filmy shower curtain. Wall dispensers make shampoo an easy reach. All rooms have mini-safes and standard hair dryers, not wall-mounted types that tie up the bathrooms. Service was a bit perfunctory, but that can vary with each room steward. To the delight of passengers, stewards create nightly “towel pals” for your bed. Our favorite was a monkey hanging from the curtain rod.

Cabins for guests with disabilities
Of the 17 wheelchair-accessible cabins, there are options from the least-expensive inside rooms on the lowest deck to suites on the highest passenger deck. Some have accessible balconies. For those with hearing problems, TVs have closed-captioned programming, and kits provide assistance with telephone communication, a special alarm clock, and a sound monitor.

Tips:

• Go for a balcony cabin when you’re sailing in the Caribbean as you have more time to enjoy it. A balcony is nice in the Mediterranean, but with more port days and longer shore excursions, there’s less time to loll there.
• Want an upgrade? Book a “guarantee.” You book a type and category of cabin but aren’t given a specific room assignment until later. You’re guaranteed to get at least what you book, but if those sell out, you will be upgraded to the same type of cabin, but a higher category, most commonly a higher deck.

Click to view a virtual tour

Like a town center, the atrium with two glass elevators and open staircases is a magnet for activity. The lower-level Champagne Terrace, which often has live music, is a great people-watching spot, and you’re only steps from an outside deck to watch the ship slice through the deep blue, as romantic as in the movies. One of the best showrooms afloat, the 42nd Street Theater, has good views from nearly all seats and upper-level side tiers like box seats.

While port calls take most passengers off the ship during most days, there are still activities onboard, including bridge games, poolside antics, miniature golf, and the rock wall (a little less scary to climb with the ship docked than when she’s at sea). Internet addicts have a good place to get online: An area with sea views and 16 terminals in kiosks with four machines, each partitioned for privacy.

Tip: Internet access costs 50 cents per minute. If you use AOL e-mail, you’re out of luck until the system is enhanced to be compatible. Check for updates before you sail.

Bars, lounges, and casino
In the evening at sunset, or as you leave port, the place to be is at the top of the ship in the Viking Crown Lounge, where large windows provide panoramic views during the day, and at night it becomes a pulsating disco. With wood floors and old-ship décor, the intimate Schooner Bar invites cozying up while the pianist plays your song. Partitioned from the atrium by frosted glass panels, the Champagne Bar lets you people-watch in a quieter area while sipping some bubbly, or any drink. A great discovery for passengers with late-seating dinner who need an early-evening snack, the bar in the solarium offers wine and tapas; expect to pay $6.95 for six hefty servings of such tidbits as olives, shrimp, marinated veggies and other cold and hot treats. In the casino, action heats up at the tables and slot machines late in the evening.

Tip: In the Top-Hat Lounge, check out the fluid murals by the bar. As you walk past the tile artwork, a couple whirls across a dance floor.

Swimming pools
Sunny days at sea bring everyone onto Pool Deck, either to the main pool or the quieter solarium. Live music and games make the main pool the top action spot. The younger set splash around in the shallow end of the long pool, leaving the deep end for adult play. Mid-pool, two elevated, shaded hot tubs overlook the scene. Standard web-like lounge chairs around the pool and the upper sun deck fill quickly on days at sea. You may have to settle for putting a towel on the deck.

For many, the coveted lounging spot is the solarium, separate from the main pool. With its muted earthy red columns, tile work, statues of gods and goddesses, and live plants, it’s like stepping into a Roman spa -- and, indeed, it does lead to the spa and fitness center. Two raised hot tubs overlook the pool, which sometimes has jet streams of water arcing over it. A glass canopy protects in inclement weather and opens for the sun. Towels are provided in areas adjacent to both pools.

Tip: Looking for a more private sunning spot? Beyond the spa, on the stern, is a small open sun deck with lounges.

Shows
Both day and night, live music caters to a variety of interests and ages, with a lively beat by the pool and softer sounds in the atrium. A rock ‘n’ roll sock hop puts 30-somethings in competition with 60-somethings who did the twist the first time around. For the main evening show, the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers star in a couple of major productions with impressive costuming and hit songs from Broadway and the Big Band era. They’re complemented with variety acts. The big buzz, though, are guys from the staff who do their version of the Chippendale’s exotic dancing in late-night shows in the Viking Crown Lounge.

Shore excursions
The majority of passengers book shore excursion through the line’s Web site before even leaving home, but you can buy tours and change bookings on the ship. Act early to get what you want and watch the daily program for booking deadlines and times when the shore excursion desk is open. Early bookers receive their packets of tickets in their cabins; check early to see that they’re correct.

Tour departures are well-organized and proceed like clockwork. Buses are lined up before the ship docks, and tickets specify the time and place to meet, usually in one of the big lounges. Your tour group exits the ship together to link with the right guide and bus. If you’re not doing one of the ship’s tours, you can go ashore as soon as the ship is cleared for disembarkation, usually shortly after arrival.

For Caribbean sailings, more than 100 options emphasize beaches and water sports, with excursions geared for the adventure-oriented travelers. In the Mediterranean, 50 options take in some of Europe’s top attractions, including tours of Rome, Florence, Pisa, and Pompeii.

Tip: The ship sells bottled water as you leave on tours. It’s more expensive than ashore but on organized tours, you may not easily find a place to buy water. Some tour buses sell water, too.

Heard on the deck: “I packed only once and went to see all these places.”

Weddings and vow renewals
Weddings can be performed onboard, though there’s no chapel. The Viking Crown Lounge is the most popular setting, though the Centrum makes a romantic backdrop. When the ship sails in the Caribbean, weddings are scheduled before departure from the homeport. When the ship is in Europe, wedding ceremonies can be arranged but they’re symbolic only, not official legally as laws of the different countries come into play. Private vow renewals are done by the ship’s social host. Arrangements for both should be made directly with Royal Caribbean ahead of sailing.

Looking for…

• Quietist spot: During the day, the Viking Crown Lounge provides great views and comfy seats for reading. For sunbathing, visit the small sun deck behind the spa.
• Liveliest spot: The disco heats up late at the Viking Crown Lounge.
• Most popular activity: The midnight buffet -- passengers pack the dining room to photograph and then indulge in this one-time extravaganza. Chefs beam and well they should with the artful presentation of scores of dishes, from appetizers to desserts.
• Best view: It’s a tie between the Viking Crown Lounge, the highest point amidships; and the Observatory, a platform high on the bow.
• Best show: The Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers are energetic and dynamic, and costuming is elaborate.
• Best drink: Daily specials are inviting in looks and price ($3.95) and range from standard margaritas to bellinis and a blue concoction called Naples Daydream. But the strong vodka martini with a twist is hard to beat.

Spa and salon
The relaxing solarium pool area serves as an entrance to the spa, which carries through a Roman theme with statues and columns. Beyond the spa check-in, slip around the corner to a waiting area with windows onto a private sun deck and the sea. Take advantage of spa tours on embarkation day. Appointments fill up quickly for sea days, but the spa is open into the late evenings. Your feet will welcome a massage after a long day of sightseeing. The Spa Taster Massage is a good buy at $99, concentrating on the back, neck, and shoulders and finishing with a scalp massage and aromatherapy facial. You can adjust the treatment, for instance asking for a massage of the feet instead of the scalp. The reflexology, working pressure points on the feet, de-stresses the whole body. After a facial, be prepared to hear about suggested products to solve your skin problems, though they’re generally not hard sells.

Click to view a virtual tour

Fitness areas
Floor-to-ceiling windows on a high deck make the workout rooms bright. There’s not an abundance of equipment but a good range, with stationary cycles, treadmills, stair machines, muscle-toning equipment, and weights. With tours sometimes leaving by 7 AM, the center opens at 6 AM for workout devotees. Free introductory classes in Pilates, yoga, and fitball are offered the first day; afterward, there’s a $10 fee per class. Other fitness classes are free, as are the saunas and steam rooms and health seminars.

Tips:

• Treatments in the spa flyer are the more expensive ones, starting at $99, but less-expensive services are available, such as a simple half-hour massage.
• Watch the daily program for spa specials, with specified treatments at reduced rates. Also, check for occasional free makeovers with makeup application.

Boutiques are conveniently grouped just off the atrium, allowing easy browsing for jewelry, perfume, gifts, liquor, sundries, and clothing. Every day brings a sale so look early, spot what you like, and wait for a sale. Stoles in a rainbow of colors were a bargain at $10, and formal dresses were marked down to good buys. If you buy a lot on your trip and lack room in your suitcase, the ship boutiques sell a handy tote bag for around $20.

Art aficionado or not, everyone enjoys the art auctions. They’re unique opportunities to view a wide variety of works, and enjoy a free glass of champagne. Old masters and new artists are among the collection, which usually includes work by Dali, Picasso, Peter Max, and Norman Rockwell. Participants also receive a free work of art, usually a nice small print.

Tips:

• In Europe, a 16 percent Value-Added Tax is added to all purchases onboard the ship. Non-residents of European Union countries are eligible to claim a tax refund on major purchases. See the daily program for refund details.
• Be sure to look by the shore excursion and purser’s desks for small information pamphlets for each port. These are quite helpful, with maps and useful tips. Separate shopping guides with your daily program offer general information and promotions of specific merchants.
• European cruises include port calls on all but one day, so there’s little time for the port-shopping guide to give talks. But he’s usually available in the evenings, and during the day as you’re disembarking, to answer questions.

Adventure Ocean keeps kids on the go with age-suited activities. The base of operations is high on the bow, with a room for the younger set and a club and video arcade for the older kids. Usually the age groupings are 3-5, 6-8, 9-11, 12-14, and 15-17. Activities are often keyed to the area; for instance, in Europe, the 9-11 group does a Roman adventure with gladiator challenges and chariot racing. Ages 12 and up have their own teen dinner, casino night, and party under the stars. For the younger set, the program stops at 10 PM, but there’s late night sitting until 1 AM at $5 per hour. Of course, the Splendour of the Greens miniature golf course and the rock-climbing wall are big hits. Teens duel each other in a climbing competition. Both guys and gals can check out the spa specials for teens.

Heard on the deck: “This isn’t just a vacation. It’s an exploration.”

In summers, Splendour does seven-night Mediterranean itineraries roundtrip from Barcelona. She calls at Marseille and Villefranche in France. In Italy, she stops at Livorno (with excursions to Florence and Pisa), in Civitavecchia (with trips to Rome), and in Naples (with tours to Pompeii, Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast, and Capri).

In winter 2004-2005, Splendour sails seven-night cruises from Tampa to the Western Caribbean, calling at Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Cozumel, and Belize. In winter 2005-2006, she will sail from Galveston, Texas, to the Western Caribbean on four- to 10-night itineraries to the same ports, adding Jamaica to some cruises.

Heard on the deck (from a honeymooning couple): “She wanted to see the world, and I didn’t want to handle the luggage.”

• Cruise line - Royal Caribbean
• Ship name - Splendour of the Seas
• Type of cruise - Casual
• Total cabins - 902
• Private balcony cabins - 231
• Decks - 11
• Total crew - 720
• Passenger capacity - 1800
• Ship size - Large
• Officers nationality - Norwegian
• Year entered service - 1996/1998
• Registry - Bahamas
• Ship length - 867
• Tonnage - 69,130