Rhapsody of the Seas cruising into the future with flat screen TVs and iPads

FORGET the buffet - a multi-million dollar revamp of liner shows the new face of cruising.

Rhapsody of the Seas

WITH flat-screen TVs in every cabin, a seven-storey atrium where trapeze artists perform and touch screens to help you navigate the ship, the revamped Rhapsody of the Seas is almost unrecognisable from the ship that arrived last year for her fifth summer season Down Under.

The Royal Caribbean cruise ship made a brief stop in Sydney after spending last month in Singapore undergoing a US$54 million ($52.3 million) makeover.

Photo gallery: Rhapsody of the Seas revamp

The 2000-passenger ship, which was built in 1997, has had a top-to-toe revamp and shows cruising ain't what it used to be.

Gone are the days when the buffet was the only eating option - the Rhapsody of the Seas has four new restaurants where you can dine... for an extra cost.

Lounges and conference rooms have been replaced by the new venues, which include the Japanese restaurant Izumi, Chops Grille steakhouse and the Italian trattoria Giovanni's Table.

There is also an exclusive private room called Chef's Table off the main dining room.

It has one table for just 14 people, where you can enjoy a five-course meal with matching wines for an extra US$95 per person.

The most impressive thing about the room is the chandeliers above the table, which are made of knives, forks and spoons.

Packages can be bought to dine at all four restaurants for US$120.

With no new ships to be introduced until 2014, Royal Caribbean made the decision to revitalise the current fleet instead.

All 990 existing cabins were refurbished in the revamp, with new carpet, bedding, drapes and modern bathrooms, while another 30 new cabins were added.

All cabins will soon have iPads and there is wifi throughout the ship, as well as a digital "way-finding'' system, similar to the touch screens you see in some Westfield shopping malls, to navigate the ship.

A large outdoor movie screen has been added next to the pool and the felt deck was replaced to look more like a classic wooden deck.

The seven-storey atrium has been widened and now doubles as a "vertical theatre'' for aerial acrobatics performances, with large LED panels that run the length of the two elevators providing the accompanying light show.

There is also a new concierge lounge only for guests staying in suites, similar to a business class lounge at the airport.

With few cruise companies catering to families with young children, Royal Caribbean has turned the former ping pong room into a nursery for children aged six months to three years.

A "ducktail'' device also had to be built at the back of the 78,000 ton ship to improve stability because of the extra weight from the new cabins and restaurants.