TOULON, France -- Just how over-the-top are the suites on luxury line Regent's soon-to-be-christened Seven Seas Explorer? See for yourself with a scroll through the carousel above.
USA TODAY this week is among a handful of news outlets getting early access to the vessel's accommodations, and we're posting our first photos here and at our Twitter page and Facebook page.
Billed as the most luxurious cruise ship ever, Explorer features some of the largest, most elaborate accommodations at sea, including a single suite measuring 3,875-square-foot -- nearly 50% larger than the average house in the USA.
At $450 million, Explorer is the most expensive luxury ship ever built and boast one of the highest ratios of space to passengers in the history of cruising. Like Regent's last two new ships, it's an all-suite vessel. Only a handful of luxury lines, including Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Silversea Cruises, offer all-suite vessels.
Explorer will be christened Wednesday by Princess Charlene of Monaco before setting sail on its maiden voyage. It initially will cruise in the Mediterranean, offering a range of eight- to 14-night sailings starting at $6,799 per person. It'll re-position to the Caribbean for the winter.
Explorer is designed to carry 750 passengers. It's Regent's first new ship in more than a decade. With its addition, the line has four vessels.
For a our first photos of Explorer's deck-top and interior public areas, scroll through the carousel below.
