Grandeur of the Seas to Call Mallorca Home in 2011

Royal Caribbean International will base the 2,446-passenger Grandeur of the Seas in Palma de Mallorca in summer 2011.

The Grandeur will move from its current summer homeport in Fort Lauderdale, Royal Caribbean said, because of strong demand for more cruise variety and destinations in the U.K. and Ireland.

“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,” Jo Rzymowska, associate vice president and general manager for Royal Caribbean, U.K. and Ireland, said in a statement.

The Grandeur will be the first Royal Caribbean ship based in Palma. The ship will offer seven-day or back-to-back 14-day cruises to ports along the French Riviera, Italian coastline and Balearic Islands, destinations that are popular in the U.K. and Irish markets, Royal Caribbean said.

The Grandeur has moved frequently over the last few years: It spent summer 2009 in Baltimore and Norfolk, Va., and this summer it will sail from Fort Lauderdale.