New cruise routes are to be offered on cruise liner Grandeur of the Seas, to begin in December this year.

Starting on December 3rd, the cruise ship will offer four- and five-night cruises around the western Caribbean from the port of Tampa, Florida.

The new cruises replace the planned seven-night cruises from New Orleans, which had to be cancelled due to the indefinite closure of the port.

Passengers on the four-night cruise are able to stop off in Cozumel, Mexico, while those on the five-nighters can visit Costa Maya in Mexico as well.

The new cruises will be ongoing until April 22nd, 2006, after which time five-night cruises to Bermuda and nine-night western Caribbean cruises will begin.

Royal Caribbean International, which owns Grandeur of the Seas, has promised passengers who had already booked cruises from New Orleans that it will endeavour to ensure they experience "as little inconvenience as possible".

Royal Caribbean International offers cruises in Alaska, Canada and Europe in addition to the western Caribbean. It currently has 19 cruise ships in service and is in the process of constructing two more.