'Most luxurious ship ever' begins cruises from Miami
The new face of luxury at sea is now sailing out of Miami.
Regent Seven Seas' four-month-old Seven Seas Explorer, which is being billed as the world's most luxurious cruise ship, kicked off a series of winter cruises out of the port town over the weekend, marking its North American debut.
Costing more than $450 million, the 750-passenger ship is the most expensive luxury vessel ever built and boasts one of the highest ratios of space to passengers in the history of cruising.
Built at a shipyard in Italy, Explorer features some of the largest, most elaborate accommodations at sea, including a two-bedroom complex overlooking the bow of the ship that measures 4,443 square feet. That's more than 50% larger than the average house in the USA.
Explorer also has a wide range of upscale eateries including new-for-the-line contemporary French and Asian restaurants, and a newly designed version of Regent's signature steakhouse, Prime 7. A stylish spa operated by Arizona's Canyon Ranch; a two-tiered, 694-seat theater; and an opulent observation lounge that evokes the 1920s are other notable features.
Explorer is Regent's first new ship in more than a decade. Christened in July in Monaco, it initially sailed in the Mediterranean before re-positioning to North America with a trans-Atlantic crossing. It'll now operate a series of Caribbean voyages as well as trips through the Panama Canal.
