This was my first cruise, and I was very excited beforehand, but after reading a few of the other reviews, I was a little afraid of "bad food, sewage smells, worn ship, etc". My fears were laid to rest once I stepped foot on the Grandeur. The ship, although a little older than most, has aged gracefully. The carpets, in most areas, were very fresh. A few were a little stained but I assumed that the carpet and seats in the theater and Windjammer were recently replaced. The dining room was also fabulously appointed. The only place I saw the least bit of wear was in my stateroom and on the main stairways. (After seeing a drunk blow his cookies on the stairs, I know why...it gets a lot of abuse.)
My stateroom was clean and functional but the colors were out of date and there were a few minor things broken. None of that bothered me. I spent very little time in the room. The public restrooms were the cleanest I've ever seen. The areas of the ship where smoking is allowed must be very well ventilated because I never smelled smoke other than the direct smoke of a cigarette. The sewage smell did rear it's ugly head on the second day. It was horrible, and I was afraid we'd smell it daily but that was the last time I smelled it.
Embarking: