MIAMI, Jan. 10, 1996 -- Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's new 1,804-passenger SPLENDOUR OF THE SEAS, currently under construction in France and set to sail its maiden voyage in Europe on March 31, promises to offer the most advanced star observing equipment on any passenger cruise ship afloat.

The only other ship which can compare is its sister, LEGEND OF THE SEAS, which has identical equipment.

Although Royal Caribbean has long had a customized astronomy program on its ships, SPLENDOUR OF THE SEAS' Stargazing Deck is dedicated solely to allowing passengers to watch the night sky with state-of-the-art starwheels. Called Planispheres, these instruments were developed expressly for LEGEND OF THE SEAS and SPLENDOUR OF THE SEAS to show stargazers placement of constellations in the sky.

"Taking a night stroll to gaze at the stars has always been a popular activity on cruises," said Rod McLeod, Royal Caribbean's executive vice president of sales, marketing and passenger services. "SPLENDOUR OF THE SEAS' Stargazing Deck takes watching the night sky one step further."

Designed by Tom Graboski & Associates of Miami with consultation from Jack Horkheimer, Executive Director of the Planetarium at the Miami Museum of Science and host of the PBS show "Star Hustler," the Stargazing Deck is located far forward on the 69,130-ton SPLENDOUR OF THE SEAS with special design considerations given to comfort and protection from the ocean's winds and the ship's light.

Horkheimer has used starwheels for about 40 years. He had never seen one that was user-friendly, until he met starwheel designer David Chandler. Using Chandler's design, Horkheimer came up with an automated version with two charts of the stars -- one for the northern hemisphere and one for the southern hemisphere of the sky. The two hemispheres would rotate on a "star-time" clock mechanism, allowing the charts to move in synchrony with real time. Horkheimer then added a compass to the concept so the amateur astronomer would know in which direction to observe the sky.

The concept was then designed and detailed by Tom Graboski & Associates, Inc., a Miami environmental signage, graphics and industrial design firm. General Exhibits and Displays, Inc., (of Chicago) constructed the starwheels. The final product was named a "Planisphere." SPLENDOUR OF THE SEAS' Planisphere will be on a forward deck featuring a special black-out shade to shield the stargazers from the interior lights of the ship's Windjammer Cafe and a unique 5-1/2' wind screen to keep ocean winds to a minimum. Graboski also designed rails on which about a dozen passengers can comfortably lean while watching the stars.

"I am very proud to have had a hand in this project," said Horkheimer. "This is the first time this kind of star chart has ever been automated. There is nothing in the world today which can compare."

In 1979, Horkheimer and Bill Dishong, Associate Producer of "Star Hustler" and a technical assistant at the museum, developed an astronomy program to be used onboard Royal Caribbean's ships. Since then, members from the company's cruise staff have attended semiannual training seminars in Miami to learn about the night sky. Dishong also produces a monthly calendar of current astronomical information to keep Royal Caribbean's young Carl Sagans abreast of upcoming nighttime events.

Royal Caribbean is one of the world's largest cruise lines and operates nine modern ships with a total capacity of 15,020 passengers. SPLENDOUR OF THE SEAS will be the first of five new ships Royal Caribbean is introducing between 1996 and 1998 with a total additional capacity of 9,700 passengers. The award-winning vessels of the fleet offer passengers 54 different itineraries and 134 destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, Bahamas, Alaska, Panama Canal, Bermuda, Europe, the Far East and Hawaii.