This was my first time on an ocean-going cruise. I was afraid to be on a ship with that many people, given all the horror stories I have read about Norovirus and malfunctions at sea. I chose Grandeur of the Seas, because I live only an hour away from the port in Baltimore. I took my niece, because my husband wasn't convinced. The price was right, and the vacation a necessity, so off we went. I can't compare Grandeur of the Seas to other ships, but I was very, very impressed.
Boarding was easy. Our room was clean and well appointed, if a bit cramped, which is what I expected anyway. We spent no time in the room except to sleep. We never lacked for activities. My niece dubbed it "hitting the wall" (the interactive activity board by each elevator). Just hit the wall and find out what is going on. We participated in almost everything except for gambling, as neither of us are gamblers. It was non-stop fun.
The excursions we chose were fun. We really didn't have much time to explore Nassau (glass bottom boat in Nassau -- a bit disappointing, but worthwhile). By the time we got back from our excursion, the shops were closing down. We loved the bike tour we took in Key West. Best way to see all the sites and get a bit of exercise. The food in the formal dining room was excellent. The casual fare in the Wind Jammer was fine for breakfast and a quick lunch. The entertainment variety was very good. If you weren't into performance pianist, there was always something else. From morning until late at night there was something fun to do. The best excursion was Coco Kay, the private island. It was a bit of paradise.
A little smaller than I expected, but adequate, clean, and well-appointed. Bed was a bit hard, but I wasn't really expecting luxury, so not a problem.
Our tour guide, Laura, was funny and informative. We loved riding through the neighborhoods, seeing the sites, and just enjoying the day on a bike.
We boarded in Baltimore. It was simple. No issues, except for standing in line longer than I wanted to get on board. Can't really complain about that though. I heard from people in the line that this was the easiest boarding experience they had.