We have sailed a few times out of Baltimore on the Carnival Pride and thought we would give the Grandeur of the Seas opportunity to "show her stuff". She didn't disappoint. From the time we set foot on deck till we said our last goodbye, the crew were as attentive and pleasant as could be. Sometimes I think the prepaid gratuity changes the service level, but not on this ship. Service at the restaurants and buffet were unmatched. Our cabin steward, Fredrick, was always cheerful and our cabin was always ready for our return. Food was wonderful. Windjammer layout was perfect, never having to wait long due to its design. Dining options were exemplary, with great choices at every meal. Plenty to do, with great entertainment all over the ship, and the Solarium was our favorite for relaxing. This ship is not new or a floating Palace, but serves its passengers with grace and style. Unfortunately, she will leave RCCL service in 2021 so times a waistin to sail this Grand Lady. Read Less

. A week prior to boarding we got an email that said due to a coast guard inspection don't show up until noon - no big deal. The boat did not leave until midnight The coast guard was interested in some cracks in the center. Non mechanical but you wonder. They canceled all shore tours in Boston. Went to Portland and then to Bar Harbor which they canceled because their "life boats" couldn't tender because of the winds Then they announced that Saint Johns had been canceled even though the weather for the following day was 50, 6MPH and cloudy. So they decide to go BACK to Boston - are you kidding me. Back to boston then we hiked it all the way back to Halifax. Due to a tropical depression we were then late into Baltimore by 7 hours. The boat is aged and can't support a cold weather cruise. seating everywhere is limited. This is ridiculous they make you eat at the Windjammer but there is never enough seating when you get on. Please just open a dining room. We have been on over 15 cruises and the food was awful in the dining room and the buffet. We had to purchase Specialty dining to get something decent to eat. How can they ruin desserts. Everything was bad. That is the worst food we ever have had. The room was okay, we did an inside because I knew the weather would be cold and windy. The room steward was great. The room sucked. They make the bed up and on one side is barely enough room to get by. I fell the first day before we even left because I was putting things away and my foot got caught in that little space and I went flying into a little table. I went to the doctors. That place is okay but I wouldn't want to be dying and be at sea. Everything is old in there and they didn't even have a gown for me to put on. The xray machine was from 1950. Anyway I came home had xray done again. No broken ribs but it is three plus weeks and I am still suffering from rib pain. The entire cruise I was in Pain. Our waiters were also great. It seems that every time the ship would make an announcement they were wrong or didn't want to tell us what was going on up front. If they said we were pulling in late and would be there at 12, we got there at 3. We did get refunded for two days but really. The cruise was boring. The food was bad. The entertainment was typical. Everyplace was crowded. The boat needs a makeover and a new chef. Also since this seems to have happened before maybe RC should avoid any October cruises or get a better boat. I am not interested in cruising on RC ever. Read Less

We picked this cruise due to its leaving from Baltimore. I went with my sister, who lives in Baltimore. Boarding was easy, luggage showed up quickly, got into room at 1:00. Food: Main dining room excellent for dinner. Didnt really spend much time there for breakfast or lunch Windjammer - this is where we had most breakfast and lunch. Buffett wasnt bad except beware the buffet eggs!! Probably worth the line for fresh omletts, but we didnt. Park Caffe- tried 1st night with munchies, NOT GOOD Service... Excellent thru out ship. Bartenders, hosts, waiters, room service, room steward, all outstanding! Room: We were in 3558 a oceanview. Room was spotless, roomy enough, bathroom tight. Hard not to get the floor wet when showering. We spent most of time in the Centrum, band was excellent, other shows good however we never made it to the theatre. Too busy!! Good time. would do again Read Less

Walt Okon =Review of GRANDEUR OF THE SEAS on 5- 14 September 2019 in room Grand Suite #8016 Grand Suite # 8016 is located on the eighth deck, port side (Left Side) of the ship. 1/3 of the way from the bow of the ship. Stateroom Attendant was Dominic Moses. He was excellent in all respects. This room was perfectly clean and set up for us. We use sanitizer wipes on everything and inside every drawer. There was no dust anywhere. Temperature control: the system worked perfectly, best control of any room I every had. The mini refrigerator keeps everything very cold. Lighting: Excellent on the complete lighting system and controls. Balcony: Large with table and four chairs and two excellent lounge chairs. Bed: King size with luxurious bedding. The mattress was good but did have the middle high point. We had good sleep every night. Storage: Three large hanging closets and 16 drawers. Lots of storage. The only concern was noise from the ninth deck (pool deck) when they moved furniture, the noise was unbearable. Crew Staff: All very friendly and all were excellent. I cannot say enough excellent things about them. Food: Royal Caribbean food quality has diminished in the past five years because Royal in buying bulk frozen foods that are just cook. Example; hash brown potatoes come in the perfect size and portion that are just fried and served. These and many others are not fresh, but frozen stock. Now York stake and prime rib is so thin the quality taste is not possible. Frozen prepackaged items are served with excellent presentation; but the fresh taste is not there. Royal food quality had been diminished over the years. This is due to Royal Caribbean corporation doing mass food buys/contracts. The corporation is buying food in mass like McDonalds. Cooks can only do their best with the food supplies provided by the corporation. Clam Chowder was soupy and tasteless – worst clam chowder ever. Crab Cake tasted more of bread consistency than crab. Minestrone soup at lunch in Gatsby served with the soup spilled over the cup and down into the serving dish -poor presentation. Dining Room: Great Gatsby main dining is on deck 4 and 5. The staff of head waiters, waiter, and assistant waiters have maintained this restaurant with grandeur and excellence. Dress is formal on formal nights and Smart casual at all other times. Head waiters, waiter, and assistant waiters were all excellent to outstanding. Food quality is only fair to good (3 stars at best). Again, this is due to Royal Caribbean corporation doing mass food buys/contracts. Cooks can only do their best with the food supplies provided by the corporation. Specialty Restaurant: Chop Grill. We had an excellent and very pleasant breakfast in the Chop Grill every morning. Fine dining, perfectly clean lining and dining setting every time. Waiters all excellent. They were very attentive and receptive to all special dining request. Excellent food preparation and presentation. Some frozen prepackaged items are served with excellent presentation; but the fresh taste is not there. Crown & Anchor: Diane Megumi, Loyalty Ambassador Miss Diane Megumi was the Loyalty Ambassador on this cruise. She made herself available and attentive to every question and need. She is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the Royal programs and knows how to provide solutions quickly. I personally brought a new first-time cruiser couple to her and she quickly enabled them as Crown & Anchor members. Concierge Lounge: Dudley Jean, Concierge Concierge Club Lounge is on Deck 11 is a private club lounge with a very advantageous view is the ship and ocean. It is a sound proof room enabling quiet conversations. It is managed by Concierge Dudley Jean and two attentive bar waiters. The ambience is excellent. Continental breakfast and special coffee were not always set up and ready in the lounge daily at 7:00 AM. Diamond Lounge: Ilona Tsyhaniuk, Diamond Concierge The Diamond Lounge is open to Royal Diamond member only and on this Grandeur of the Seas trip 5-14 Sep2019 is managed by Concierge Ilona Tsyhaniuk. She is excellent and is the best concierge I have had on Royal. She has been the most responsive to all needs and questions. The presentation of snacks and refreshments is very well done always looking fresh and inviting. The only and big problem is that the Diamond lounge is not a room that is quiet. It is only a participation space. The wall does not reach the ceiling and the noise from the South Pacific Lounge is unbelievable loud some time making conversation impossible. Guest Services: Adelaida Contreras, Senior Guest Services Officer provided service quickly and efficiently. Her personality and smile made us comfortable as she fixed a problem on the first hour we were on the ship. Salon & Spa appointments: On 12 September 2019, Mrs Go-Okon had a spa appointment for 11:15 AM. Mrs. Go-Okon arrived at 11:10 AM early for the appointment. The Spa front desk person told her to sit down and wait even though there were no other customers. But, the desk receptionist, services two other white woman while ignoring her and not calling her back after she finished with the white customers. Was Mrs Go-Okon being ignored because she is Asian? After being ignored and waiting twenty minutes, Mrs Go-Okon went to the desk again explained she has an appointment at 11:15 AM. The new receptionist said she would get some one. She cam back in five minutes and brought Mrs Go-Okon into a treatment room. The Spa treatment started at 11:50 AM which is 35 minutes scheduled appointment of 11:15 AM. Mrs Go-Okon is stating, “I felt DISCRIMINATED upon because of the way I was TREATED!!” Special Staff Recognition: Becknar Bermudes, Royal Caribbean Dance Instructor is an excellent dance teacher. She is always smiling, friendly before and after sessions with guests. She is genial, kind, and patient in all things and a shining star representing Royal Caribbean. She is one of the hardest working staff personnel I have seen. She is everywhere, helping everyone. Sarah Jane Ete, Windjammer Attendant is outstanding in serving her guests. She is quick to server the needs of the guests as she constantly observing their needs and how she can be helpful. She has a maturity about her in the Hotel management and serving field. She has excellent communications skills and is easy to talk sharing thoughts and ideas. Dickerson Lacsamana, Assistant Maitre d’ is an outstanding leader and manager. We have observed him for nine days and it is evident the entire restaurant staff look to him for leadership and guidance. Resolving problems and guiding staff with a gentile smile is an attribute that is in high demand. Recommend Royal Caribbean consider him for promotion into leadership position with complexity. Keith Sepulveda, Receptionist and hand sanitizer at the entry of the Windjammer Café’. This lady was an outstanding smiling welcome to the Windjammer. She brought smiles to our face every day. In fact, we looked forward to seeing her. She deserves recognition. Over-All Rating Outstanding. It is the friendlest Royal ship. I recommend it Walt Okon, Springfield, Virginia Read Less

We enjoyed cruising on the Pride. Leaving from Baltimore is a plus. Only a 30 minute drive from home. Check in was a breeze, they had a good system that was quick. Slowed down to take a picture for memories. Boarded ship nlt 1pm and room was ready by 2pm. Met our stateroom steward, Tegum. He kept our room tidy and requests handled in a timely manner. This was our fifth time on the Pride. Our first stop was to Guy's Burger and we were not disappointed. The burgers are juicy, the extras are plentiful and the fries are just as delicious. Menu in dining room was okay, but we did try the sushi bar (the boat for Two) was more than enough, especially with soup and salad and a drink. We celebrated my birthday and Teguh surprised me with discounts for Spa and tours. We had an obstructed view balcony. Dr E, the Cruise Director was very entertaining and the highlight of the cruise. Itinerary was changed due to Dorian. We stopped at Amber Cove. The port had a variety of stores, restaurants, activities and beaches. The people were very nice and the port offered free wifi. We look forward to returning to Amber Cove in the future. Read Less

We chose Carnival Pride because the departure city of Baltimore is about an hour away, so no airfare required. Drove to the harbor and had to wait maybe 20 minutes for luggage drop-off and parking. Check-in went quickly at our appointed time. The walk up the gangplank is a bit of a hike if you're out of shape and lugging much carry-on. We splurged on this cruise because we were celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary, and were really happy with our Grand Suite, except the lack of outlets. See below for cabin review. But I will add that we LOVED having a nice big balcony, so there was no need to compete for space around the pools, all of which were extremely crowded, including the Serenity area. If I had wanted to be in the pools, I would have found that very annoying. Dinner every night was in the main dining room, where we took the late seating. Initially assigned to a table for 4, our dining partners moved to a table with a window, so we had the table to ourselves all week - yay! Wait staff was friendly and efficient, and brought us a special little dessert for our anniversary. Once hubby found out he could pick and choose entrees and sides, have dessert as an appetizer and take another dessert back to the cabin to eat later, he was a happy camper! I enjoyed sampling the more adventurous options - but overdid it at the start of the week and by the end of the week was keeping it simpler. I was a little disappointed that a number of guests did not comply with the dining room dress codes at all, even on the formal nights (a few wearing shorts, t-shirt, and baseball cap). I appreciate that the ship doesn't want to be clothing police, but it would be nice if people understand that it brings the experience down for other diners if they're dressed like they went to McDonalds. At least a polo shirt and slacks would have been a decent compromise (even though that's technically what's expected the rest of the week at dinner, right?) We mostly enjoyed our cabin, balcony, and casino. Line dancing on Lido deck was fun. Dr. Dre was outstanding as cruise director - so much energy and humor! But we didn't really partake of other entertainment or activities this time around - just wanted relaxation. Port #1 - Grand Turk: Excursion Deep Sea/Reef Fishing - We had a blast. Six cruisers on the boat, and we caught 3 baracuda! Had the option to stop trolling and go bottom fishing to catch more, but we were all having fun so we kept trolling for the big guys! Port #2 - Half Moon Cay: No excursion. Rented snorkel and enjoyed a little self-guided exploration. Port #3 - Freeport: Excursion - Ocean Swim with Dolphins! YES! This was so much fun - I highly recommend, even though it's pricey. It was a bucket list item. Swimming in the lagoon would be better for people not comfortable swimming in deep ocean with fins. Back on the ship - our steward Farry was really nice, and did a great job taking care of us. We asked for ice twice a day, and there it was! We blew up an extension cord (oops) and he got a replacement. Very efficient and thoughtful. Read Less

Last year we decided to plan a family cruise to include extended family. We chose Grandeur because most of our family lives in Maryland and we loved the idea of sailing out of Baltimore. We read lots of reviews on Grandeur and watched several YouTube videos. We have cruised several times before and we knew that this would be the smallest ship that we have experienced. Embarkation: It was a breeze getting on the ship! We arrived T the port at 9:45 AM. We checked our luggage, paid for parking, checked in, and were walking onto the ship before 10:30! We didn’t have to sit and wait so that was fabulous. Best embarkation we have ever experienced. We walked right onto the 4th floor Centrum area. All of the staff greeted us warmly. We had drinks in our hands by 10:45! The Windjammer buffet opened shortly after 11, which was great. We had access to our rooms around 1:00 PM. Room: Balconies are limited on the Grandeur and are priced at a premium, so we had an ocean view stateroom. Then ocean view windows are a nice size. We had lots of storage space and the bed was super comfortable. The room was small and so was the bathroom. The decor is dated and could definitely use a refresh. The sofa was very worn out. However, the room was clean and the bathroom was also clean. The shower had a curtain and no door, which resulted in lots of water on the bathroom floor. Be sure to keep the shower curtain inside the shower to minimize this issue. Public areas: Clean and well-maintained...two elevators did not work for the entire cruise. Definitely showing signs of rust and carpets could be replaced. Public bathrooms were always clean! Food: Specialty dining is definitely the way to go on this boat. We went to Chops twice for dinner and the food was excellent. Our server took care of us and he did an amazing job. We also paid for the Chops brunch and it was really good as well (we enjoyed dinner more). We visited Izumi once for lunch and it was so good! Starbucks was great. Giovanni’s table was okay. The food in the main dining room was truly just average...some good, some gross. Our server was nice but very slow. Since there were 13 of us in our group they split us between two tables. The other table had an excellent server. She was so personable and efficient. To illustrate the contrast...we would order at the same time. The other table would be finishing up dessert when we were finishing our appetizer. They were in and out in 45 minutes while ours took 90 minutes. We only ate there three times and skipped dessert the third night because it was just too slow. Breakfast and lunch were faster. Try the chopped salad at lunch. It’s really good! The windjammer had a nice selection. Good burgers, good brunch selection, good omelets. Indian night and Greek night were both good. The place gets pretty crowded so we tried to avoid peak times. Park Place in the solarium provided snacks in the afternoon and later at night. Burgers and hotdogs were fine. Not a fan of the pizza (think undercooked frozen pizza) or the nachos (the cheese sauce has no taste). The fruit and fruit cups are good. They also offer cookies and chips. We ordered room service for breakfast and dinner...they charge a nominal fee, but the food isn’t worth it. Activities: The cruise director, Cory, was fantastic! We really enjoyed the shows! The singers and dancers were great. We had a magician, comedian, and guest singers. Everybody was great. All of the shows took place in the Palladium. The seats are comfy but be careful with the cup holders. They don’t hold all of the glasses, which results in spills. Trivia and karaoke were lots of fun. The 4th of July celebration was fantastic. They decorated the boat so nicely. Coco Cay is amazing! Truly a game changer for Royal. We loved the pool and swim up bar. The food was great and there were plenty of beach chairs and umbrellas. We would have loved to have more days there. The pools and whirlpools were great. We used them in the mornings and on port days. They were crowded on sea days so we avoided them. The arcade is really small, so my daughter was disappointed. The gym is equipped and adequate, but small, so it was usually packed in the mornings. The big screen was out of commission and was replaced during our cruise. It worked the last night. Should be great for future cruises! Beverages: The bartenders were great. We loved the Schooner Bar and Viking lounge. Customer service: Everyone was friendly and willing to help. Our room steward was great. From other reviews, Grandeur receives high marks in this area. I agree that they deserve it, but I have been impressed with the customer service on every single one of my cruises. Would I sail on Grandeur again? I enjoyed my cruise (I always do). I most likely will not sail Grandeur again. I prefer newer, larger ships, where the activities overwhelm me. I know that’s not for everyone. If you prefer an older, smaller ship with nice staff and without all of the bells and whistles, then Grandeur is for you! You will definitely have a good time. Read Less

About us: We are a retired couple in our early 70's. This was our 11th cruise, 2nd on Royal Caribbean. It was also our 2nd cruise to Canada/New England. We chose this particular cruise because our local AAA was running a special that would provide us with transportation from NE Ohio to and from the port of Baltimore. The ages on this cruise ranged from about 12 mos. to the mid 90's. Since school was still in session, there were only a few teens and grade school age kids. Most were in the 2-5 year old category and were very well behaved. Probably the majority of the passengers were in the 50-70 range. First, let me clarify that an average cruise is a good cruise. We had fun, we met friendly, interesting people, and we saw some interesting ports. There just wasn't a lot of the WOW factor I have come to expect from a cruise. One particular WOW--the crew was outstanding. They were polite, friendly, and always ready to help. On the first day, we noticed that the sink in our cabin was draining very slowly so we reported it to our steward, Rowena (a master of the towel animal, by the way). By the time we returned from dinner, it was fixed. Although we chose My Time Dining, we were asked to give an approximate time when we would be eating. We showed up every night between 6:30 and 6:45 and our table was always ready for us. Our waiters, Eloisa and Jely Ann couldn't have been nicer. Special mention also goes to the Cruise Director, John Blair, and his wife, Katrina, the Activities Director. They were probably the best we've ever had. John's Neil Diamond Tribute show is outstanding. The ship itself is older and is showing its age. I understand it is due for dry dock in a couple years. It was okay but nothing particularly exciting. Food in the Great Gatsby Dining Room ranged from very good to excellent. We ate there as often as possible, including breakfast and lunch when we could. The tomato sauce for pasta tasted a lot like what we had as kids on Spaghetti O's. On the other hand, food in the Windjammer was uninspiring. It was mostly same old/same old. Especially disappointing--the waffles, pancakes, and French toast were pro-cooked and just sat there under a napkin getting cold and hard around the edges. We saw most of the theatre shows, including Salute to Broadway and All Access featuring the ship's singers and dancers. We also enjoyed three of the guest entertainers, singer Michelle Murlin, Olympic gymnast Lance Ringnald, and Vegas star Clint Holmes. There were a few others we skipped. During the afternoons, pianist Anna entertained in the Centrum, She was great. The Bluewater Band took over during and after dinner, with plenty of easy listening and dancing music. We never did go to hear Giovanni in the Schooner Bar. The pool band, Positive Vibrations, didn't get much chance to play because the weather was so chilly. The bad: Mainly our cabin. We had an ocean view on Deck 2. I did not realize how much having the beds block access to the window would bother us, plus there's hardly no room to walk along the sides of the bed. I will never again sail without a balcony. I also feel RCI has gone overboard on either economizing or ecology consciousness, or both. Soap and shampoo made no lather. Toilet paper and facial tissue were flimsy and harsh. AND there was NO chocolate on the pillow! Now that's what I call bad. We booked all our shore excursions through the ship. The first port was Boston. We had been there many times before so we took the excursion to Historic Salem and the Witch Museum. We stopped at the Derby Wharf for lunch at a local restaurant and shopping at the National Parks Gift Shop, only we really didn't have time for both--just grab a bite and get back on the bus because we had to be at the Witch Museum by 1. So we got to the Witch Museum, saw the presentation, which was very good, and had 15 minutes in the gift shop. Then back on the bus and rush back to Boston. There was no time to walk around Salem. When we got back, we found out that the bus was taking another tour group somewhere. That's why we had to rush so much. In Portland, we took the Taste of Maine tour. We rode a bus to Long Lake and took a paddlewheel boat ride. A lunch consisting or lobster roll, potato chips, and bottled water was served on board, Then we took another bus ride to Pietree Orchard for some excellent apple pie and a hayride through the orchards, just budding for spring. We were only about 30 miles from the Maine/New Hampshire border, and you could see the snow on the mountains in the distance. In Bar Harbor, we took the Intimate Look at Acadia National Park tour. When we were here before, the weather (October) was beautiful but the park was closed due to a government shutdown. This year, the park was open but it was so foggy you couldn't see much. Still, our driver provided an interesting narrative and we stopped at Thunder Hole and the Jordan Pond House gift shop. The next port was St. John, New Brunswick, where we took the St. John and Bay of Fundy Top 10 tour. We saw the reversing rapids, bought candy bars at the City Market, and enjoyed a local entertainer singing Irish folk songs at O' Leary's Irish Pub, where we also had a glass of Moosehead beer. Then we rode out to the fishing village of St. Martin where we stopped for a delicious lunch of fish chowder or minestrone, biscuits, and freshly-baked cookies. We had time to walk on the beach and search for lucky stones. On the way home, we stopped again at the reversing rapids to see how the water level had changed. Our final port was Halifax, Nova Scotia, where we visited the Famous Peggy's Cove Fishing Village. The setting was beautiful, very photogenic, but it was COLD. The high was 44 degrees F, but the wind chill was down near 32. I bought a winter hat. We like the convenience of sailing out of Baltimore but probably would not do this itinerary again. There are some other interesting trips offered, so we might look into those. One piece of advice--wait until later in the year to sail north. This was the first trip of the year, and it was just plain chilly. Read Less

The crew on this ship is the most helpful, thoughtful and kindest of any cruise line we have ever sailed. We took our 91 year old mother on a cruise for Mother's Day.When we arrived Savannah the cruise director greeted mom and had a brief conversation with her. The next day mom received chocolate covered strawberries in the room. Wow! For the rest of the trip she felt like a rock star. What a nice gesture. Jess, the server in the casino bar was always quick with a drink and always remembered our names. (makes us feel welcomed). The staff at the Normandie Restaurant was just wonderful. When you travel with an older senior it can be difficult, but everywhere we went on the ship the crew were always so kind and helpful. We have sailed on different cruise lines and have sailed on this ship before. I would have to say that the embarkation process for this cruise is the best we have ever had. The staff at the terminal checks your documents and photographs you on the way into the building. Then you are sent through security. That's it! No standing in line for hours. After security we went directly on to the ship. WOW! We had a balcony stateroom that was plenty big enough for 3 adults. The room steward, Claudius was very attentive and our room was very clean and tidy every day. Read Less

This is the trip that my traveling agent put together for my family and I, we had a wonderful time I met a lot of people on the trip from many different states , and countries , it was so amazing for our first time family whom travel with us they really enjoy the cruise, the cabins was very nice and clean at all times loved my animals on my bed each day I returned to my room, the food was outstanding, good from the beginning of my trip to the end, I think I gained 10pds in 7 days from eating so much. The entertainment was very nice, had someplace to go on the ship all doing the day and at night. The slots were good for those who like to gamble or just for fun.i met a couple who was entertaining us with songs Joel and Carina they were great loved all the songs they sing. Restaurant workers were great. Read Less

We chose this ship primarily because of the cheaper cost, itinerary. (St Croix) and port of departure. We own property on St Croix and wanted to visit to take care of a little business as well as see friends and have a vacation in the mean time. Price: This cruise was cheaper than getting to JFK, flying to STX, renting a car for a week, renting a cottage for a week and handling all our food expenses. I think the location as well as price attracts many repeat cruisers. We found people who had been on the ship 33 times! 3-6 times was fairly common. Also, as others have said, it is an old crowd with many diamond members. Crew: They are excellent. Every one of them. Can't say enough nice things about the wait staff, room attendants, customer service etc. They get to know you quickly, like to kid around and talk and always took good care of us. Passengers: Much older crowd with very few kids. That's ok because they tend to be a laid back, smart, experienced crowd that are fun to meet. Maybe it's the mid-west and mid-atlantic vibe due to the departure location but almost everybody is very friendly. Some folks practically live on this ship. Activities: It's an older ship and doesn't have a lot of activities, especially in the evenings. That's ok with us. We are 60 & 64. We don't need DJ blasting pool parties. If we really want to see a Broadway show we'll take a train to Broadway. A little more entertainment and more outdoor dance options like an afternoon pool party would be nice. They did have a fun 70's night but most dances seemed to cater to an older crowd of very well practiced dancers doing waltzes, cha-cha's and even tangos. That left us feeling a bit left out but the showy dancers are still friendly. Most dancing takes place in the Centrum which is ringed with seats for 3 levels and open all the way from decks 4 through 8. It was nice to be able to walk down the hall from our deck 8 room and look down & check out what is going on. We enjoyed "enrichment" watercolor painting with Rosemary and her hubby. They are a lot of fun. Also the after 9 PM piano singalongs in the schooner bar with Russ were fun. What shows they did have were fun with comedians, singers and a jazz sax player. My wife saw the cruise director put a great Neil Diamond tribute. I was at a wine tasting at the time. Ports: We did a 12 night Eastern Caribbean run and the ports are were very good. St Croix, Antigua, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and St. Martin. We mostly did 3rd party tours. We had one RCL excursion on St Lucia; a catamaran ride for sightseeing, swimming at a bay and then viewing the Pitons. The crew on the cat was a blast and very knowledgeable. On/off was super easy as the cat was docked right in front of our ship at the port. Cabins: I said that we went cheap. We were in an interior room. It was 136 sq feet. It was tight getting in & out of bed but otherwise very serviceable with plenty of cubbies to put stuff. Others have said that suitcases don't fit under the bed. We solved that by leaving then open so they slid under, but that limits how many you can fit. I suggest bring bags that nest inside each other when empty like Russian Dolls. Bottom line: if you like an older crowd and are looking for a laid back relaxing ship this fits the bill. We would defiantly go again if we were still going be nearby the departure point. Read Less

We don't fly so it is convenient to drive to Baltimore from Ohio. Embarkation was quick and efficient. Food in Windjammer and MDR was excellent. Band played great dance music and we enjoyed the recorded ballroom music in the South Pacific Lounge. Should have dance teachers hired on every cruise because there were a lot of people that like the lessons. It was lucky that Dave and Betty Begin just happened to be traveling on the ship and John Blair hired them. Debarking was also quick and efficient, customs was quick, and we were able to find all our luggage quickly. My only criticism would be about the catamaran excursion on St. Croix. The weather was very threatening and they never should have taken us out on that boat. Some people cancelled at the last minute and got their money back. I wish we would have known that because it was a miserable trip. No more ships excursions for us on future cruises. Read Less

the ship is a smaller, older ship but still has all the basics, our inside cabin was somewhat smaller than others we have been on but for the time spent in the cabin it was ok. It has been a while since we have sailed with RCCL but it seemed that dining was not quite what I remembered it to be but I definatly did not go hungery There was no access to the ice cream machine during bad weather or after 8:30 pm. The cabin did not have a refer which was a first for us. Entertainment was hit or miss, with all of these sea days there was only one guest lecturer, would have like more and even he was cut short on time. Crew was very friendly and helpfull with exception of the staff person in the internet area who was doing his own thing and did not want to be bothered with questions. activities in these ports were somewhat limited but still things to do if you took excursions. having to travel from Montana to Baltimore I probably would not do it again in the winter. overall a good trip. Read Less

This ship has one the highest return rates in the RC fleet. The A++ service is just one reason. The activities and entertainment are superior. Fellow passengers are friendly. My wife and I traveled alone, but we easily made friends. Our cabin had plenty of room. Food quality was not always perfect. The breakfast and lunch at either the main dining room or the buffet was almost always praiseworthy. The lunch salad bar at the main dining room is not to be missed. The ham at the breakfast buffet melts in your mouth. The quality of entrees at dinner missed my high expectations. All "Fish of the Day" were frozen. The pork tended to be tough; I had to pray for a steak knife to cut a chop. Chicken breasts needed more marinating. On the other hand, the beef dishes were outstanding. My wife gave pasta dishes a high mark. Drink prices are very high and then RC adds an automatic 18% gratuity tax on your bill. Sailing out of Baltimore gives mid-Atlantic cruisers a real cost saving, rather than flying to and from Florida. Read Less

From my first contact by phone with the cruise agent through the debarkation, everyone and everything was a most pleasant experience. I have been on several cruises and this ranks near the top of the list. First and foremost was the attentiveness and attitude of the entire crew which was directed t making our trip pleasant and enjoyable. The fact that passenger count was small (at capacity) allowed for interaction between everyone which made for a most comfortable time and conversation with all. The ship provided ready access to every public area and was clean and well manned. Our cabin was large by cruise ship standards and dining was excellent. The entertainment was good and their was always something to do. All personnel were dedicated to providing first class service to all passengers. The ports were well chosen and provided good shore experiences. I would most assuredly use American Cruise Lines again. Read Less

Background information: I booked this cruise with my recently widowed sister so that we could have some sister time together. It was her first regular cruise (she did one previously with Tauck) and her first time to Bermuda. It was my 27th cruise, and my 7th visit to Bermuda - my third on Grandeur of the Seas. I was 80 years old at the time of the cruise and I use a mobility scooter to get around. The scooter easily folds into a small light package, but my (younger) sister fell just before the cruise and sprained her wrist so while she could fold the scooter, I didn't want her to have to do so. Travel to embarkation port; Normally for embarkation in Baltimore, we drive up and stay at a hotel which offers free parking, but for this cruise, my sister came down to Baltimore on the train the day before and my husband Bob was dropping us off and picking us up. On embarkation day we drove straight up to the Cruise Maryland terminal and got there about 12:30. They gave Bob a big orange window sign that said Drop Off and we gave our two bags to the baggage men. Bob put together the scooter, put the red duffel with the scooter charger underneath the seat and my computer bag on the back and I put my pocketbook under the seat and he bungie corded my cane to the front of the scooter, and we got in line. (My sister just had a large pocketbook) Embarkation: My sister had to put the red duffel bag, my pocketbook and the computer bag, plus my camera and my cell phone through the scanner and then they were going to pat me down. She started to load stuff back on the scooter before they got to me to pat me down, and they reprimanded us for that and made the red bag go through again. Then we got to where we gave them our passports and our set-sail passes. The lady had a problem that my passport says my name is Rosalie Ann (with a space) and my registration says RosalieAnn without a space. She said she had to get that changed, and the confusion, she forgot to photograph us. We got on the ship at deck 1 with the wheelchair people instead of going up the ramp, but when we handed our cards to the lady at the entrance, there were no photos on them !!! So she took our photos there. God knows what they look like. I took off my hat and my hair is probably all on end. I guess it is fortunate that no one sees them except the ship company. The lifeboat drill was out on the deck and took a long time. They put all the people on scooters or with wheelchairs in one section so I could actually see what was going on, but on other ships, they do this drill for the handicapped people indoors so the people with them can sit down. Ship information: Grandeur is a smaller ship, which I appreciate. The only complaint I have about the ship is that it is very noisy. The music in the atrium is LOUD. If I were not already partly deaf, I would be after spending any time in the atrium. The internet connection was quite good in our cabin but I had signed up and then canceled and signed up for a different package, so I got two computer cards at embarkation. The man in the computer lab was excellent at straightening this out. The elevators were pretty quick and I didn't usually have a long wait, but I always had a hard time when I got off the elevator in figuring out which way to turn to get to our cabin. My sister quite liked the spa. We both swam in the spa pool which was nice and warm (it was salt water). I loved the spa pool, but for my sister the pool was 5'4" deep - too deep for her to stand, and it made it hard for her to keep the splint on her hand out of the water, so she mostly went up there to sit and read as it was warm and quiet up there. The library is pretty useless. We looked to see if they had a backgammon board, but they did not and the library is right off the atrium so it is very noisy. The band that played in the atrium was quite good and they played classical music in the afternoon which was nice and not as loud as at night. The climbing wall was sometimes closed because of the wind conditions, but we weren't going to be doing that anyway!! The ship made good time to Bermuda and probably could have docked at 2 pm - the five day cruises arrive on the second day at 1 pm. But they took the long way around the island instead of just going straight in and the reason for this was apparent when we got around to King's Wharf. Disney Magic was still at our spot on the pier. So we had to wait until the tugs pulled her off the pier before we could dock. We did not get docked until 5, and the Craft Market was closed by then. That was a waste of time we could have had in Bermuda Activities: I did not do any of the regular scheduled activities such as bingo or trivia because I was too busy talking to my sister. We haven't traveled together just the two of us (without husbands or parents) since 1964. There were two formal nights. One was the first sea day and the other was the day before Halloween. Since Halloween was the last night on the ship, the cruise director scheduled the Halloween costume parade on the second formal night so that we would not have to be packing and doing costumes on the last night. This worked REALLY well. My sister was Red Riding Hood and I was Grandma after the wolf ate her. There was a great parade of costumes with prizes. The only problem with this was the noise - the music was played so loud that you had to yell in someone's ear for them to hear you. Cruise Critics meeting was on the first sea day and they had munchies and drinks and a nice raffle for prizes. I think they should have people introduce themselves, but RCCI does not seem to do that. There was a meeting for Platinum and above at 10:00 and I had to leave breakfast (because service was slow) in order to get to it and I was 15 or 20 minutes late. The Captain and the Cruise Director spoke to us and told some jokes. All the heads of the departments were introduced and each said where they were from and thanked all of us for sailing with Royal. They had an award for the couple who were Pinnacle Plus (more than 700 days cruising) and also a Crystal award for another couple. Entertainment: I didn't go to any of the shows or lectures, but my sister did and she liked them. Some of the shows were broadcast on the TV later Dining: We went up to the WIndjammer for lunch on embarkation, and never used it again. I can't hold a plate and a glass and still run the scooter and there was no one to help at all. The labels and some of the dishes were over my head, so my sister had to get me something to eat and drink. It is perhaps unfair to judge the Windjammer on the basis of embarkation lunch, but we never went there again. For dinner, we had My Time Dining and we got a nice table for 10 at 5 pm which we had for the rest of the cruise thanks to the guy assigning the tables. Service there was great. The quality of the food was sometimes good and sometimes not so good. The cakes tended to be dry. There was one lobster night which also included strawberry soup (very good) and baked Alaska We used Izumi one time. Japanese food is not my "cup of tea", but my sister who often eats Japanese food and is a better judge than I am liked it very well, and thought that the prices were quite reasonable. My sister also like the Ben & Jerry's ice cream Since we were not using the Windjammer, we always had breakfast in the MDR. Service was quite slow. It did not matter if you ordered the Express Breakfast or the Special of the day - it was the same as far as speed went. They had a buffet set-up for fruit and cold cereal but my problem with this was the same as with the Windjammer. One morning was Chocolate morning, and the chocolate bread was delicious. If we wanted breakfast before the MDR opened, we had Room Service. A hot breakfast it is $7.95 extra plus a 15% tip, but if you don't get a hot breakfast (by which they apparently mean eggs), it is free. So we ordered oatmeal and tea and English muffins for 6:30 to 7 and a wake-up call for 6:30. At 6:20 I got a call that breakfast was coming. He needed two trips because the hot water for the tea would not fit on the tray. The tea was hot but the English muffins were barely warm and ditto the oatmeal. I ate mine, but my sister didn't want just barely warm oatmeal. The second day in port we just had yoghurt, fruit and tea from Room Service. Lunch in the MDR also has a buffet section for a chopped salad which I hesitated to use because I thought I would have a problem doing this on the scooter. On the last day at lunch I did try it and it was excellent, but I did have to carry my plate back to the table myself. On other ships when I have done this, one of the servers carried my plate back to the table for me. Shore excursions: I booked two excursions for Sunday which I thought I could reasonably do on a scooter and which would give my sister a good overview of Bermda. One was the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo (BAMZ), and the other was a boat tour of the island both listed as Easy. I had booked a private guide for Monday. The excursion desk switched the BAMZ tour to Monday, so we canceled that one. When I got the tickets for the boat tour, it said that people must be able to walk and climb steps. That was NOT on the excursion write-up on the website or on the printed information about the excursion. I can walk a little and if I have to I can climb steps but I decided to cancel this excursion too. I talked to someone who took it and she said that the boarding ramp was a narrow shaky plank so it is probably good that I canceled it. Instead we booked little red train (The Scenic West End Trolley) and that was scheduled to meet at 9:15 for an hour tour. We thought maybe we could go to church afterward. They said that I could not take my scooter on the train (although I really could have done as there was space for it folded up), so I decided that I would leave the scooter on the ship on deck 1. They offered me a wheelchair so I took it to the end of the ship where there was a little tent with seats and we sat there. But 9:15 came and went and we did not see the little red train. The lady that said she would come and get us when the time came, did NOT come and get us and when I finally saw the train out about 400 yards from me she had already gone past. So with great difficulty, I walked, stopping at each bollard to rest, and finally got to the street where the train was and collapsed into a seat where the taxi drivers wait. It came around the corner to us so I could get on. By now it was 9:40. The actual tour was nice. The driver (Sidney who was 92 years old) explained a lot of Bermuda history including how they built their houses and how the roofs are configured to collect water. He said when modern houses are build, they dig a big hole as big as the largest room, and then line it to make it waterproof. That acts as a cistern and they build the house on top of it. He went out of the dockyard and all the way to Somerset Parish. We had thought that we could get to church after the train ride, but we did not get back to the dockyard area until about 11:30 and then instead of taking us back to the ship he let us off at the Clocktower Mall. This was not acceptable - I could not walk back to the ship and I couldn't stand and wait for the free train to get back there either as I would still have had to walk quite a distance from the free train to the ship. Independent Activities in Port: After the excursion driver dropped us at the Clocktower Mall I hired a taxi [Conrad Albouy (441-334-8796)] for $50/hour and we went to lunch at The Swizzle and to the BAMZ. Then on Monday I had a guide my husband and I had used before [Lewis Foggo email: lewis_foggo@hotmail.com]. He gave us an excellent tour. He showed us where the ship logos that had been painted on the walls in the dockyard were erased by the Americas Cup people. We saw a lot of beautiful beaches and overlooks. He showed us a property for sale They want $695,000.00 for 0.28 acres (a little over a quarter of an acre). There was nothing on it. He said no one had bought it because they were asking too much money. He took us up to a fort on a hill, and we went to St. David's Lighthouse. We even got to see the ducking in St. George which I had never been there in time to see before. Service: Our room steward was very good and gave us ice for my sister to put in the ice bag for her wrist. The service in the MDR at dinner was very good. Breakfast service was cheerful but slow. Disembarkation We got our disembarkation tickets and times in the stateroom on the 29th. On November 1st we are to get off between 9:15 and 9:30. (Green 21) - the next to last time. I went up to ask about it. The customer service desk estimated 45 minutes to get our bags and get out to be picked up, which would be about 10 am. She says that my husband Bob who is picking us up will only be able to wait for a couple of minutes. Since he will be driving 100 miles to pick us up, and we are not really sure when we will be off the ship, this might be a problem. I thought Bob would leave about 8 to get there at 10. But I was worried as I had not heard from him for the whole length of the cruise. So about 6:45 I tried to call and got the answering machine each time. Eventually I called our daughter in Texas because she said she would check on him to be sure he wasn't doing the back house roof (which he was) when he was home alone. She said he hadn't seemed to be getting my emails. (He said later that they had all gone to spam). We vacated the cabin and went to breakfast about 7:45 with the carry-on luggage (for me this was my computer bag and my pocketbook and cane as I had sent the red bag with the charger down with the suitcase and my sister just had a large purse). We both got the Express breakfast, which still wasn't very express.They had told me that they would announce disembarkation numbers in the restaurant, but they did not. So when we finished breakfast they were up to #17. We went and sat in the library with a couple people who were B2B. We were supposed to wait on deck 6 but then I would have had to get an elevator up and then an elevator down. I turned my phone on and we got in line a little after our group was called about 8:55. At 9:15 we were still in line in the atrium (there was some hold-up downstream) and Bob called that he was there. They would let wheelchair people get off on deck 1 (where we had gotten on), but I saw no reason to do that as I knew from previous experience that getting an elevator down there would be the hard part. We inched our way down and through the walkway to the terminal. There was a large man/boy ahead of us carrying two small bags and he kept trying to sit or lean on the HVAC systems which were posted NOT to sit or lean on and which had benches right next to them if you needed to sit. Went through immigration (there was no customs to go through), and then went to find our bags. Bob usually finds the bags and brings them to me, but my sister was not so organized. I put the red bag on the scooter and then we found my bag, but my sister had found her bag and then lost it again (It was black like all the other bags and she has not apparently learned Mother's trick of tying some colorful thing to the handle) Then we went outside and the cars picking people up were all by the fence out by the road. Bob was there. He was able to wait for more than a few minutes. He took my sister to the train station and then we drove home. Summary I enjoyed the cruise and I always enjoy Bermuda. But I don't think I have converted my sister to cruising. Read Less

Recommended by travel agent, this was to be our first cruise, and had great expectations. On joining the ship my case was withheld and I had to muster in the lower deck to retrieve it, to be told that the £48 bottle of whisky was to be taken and "destroyed"! in New York I had had a small glass from the total of one litre. On asking to witness the destruction of my whisky, I was informed that It wasn't possible; and that the security would deal with it. I bet they did, no doubt shared around. It should be policy that any confiscated drink if not kept as an unopened bottle, should be poured down the sink in font of the owner. out of order RC. This sadly set the tone for the rest of the cruise, with gratuities added daily; and not informed that no one needs to pay this, but one can pay those in the tips envelopes to those you choose at the end of the cruise. I was charged for a treatment in the spa I did not request or receive. The staff were superb and the waiters in the Great Gatsby made our cruise, the young guy who daily did our cabin was also top notch. We have decided cruising is not for us, great if you like a Butlins at sea. Read Less

We selected this cruise to see the leaf color in New England and to celebrate my wife's birthday which occurred on the cruise--12 October. We've sailed from Baltimore before and it is one of the more convenient cruise ports from our home in Wake Forest, NC. We drove up the day before and spent the night at the Hampton Inn in Glen Burnie, MD. They offer a sleep, park, ride package that includes shuttle to and from the cruise terminal. Several days before leaving for the port, it became obvious that Hurricane Michael was going to affect our cruise in some way. RCCL sent us an email telling us to arrive early at the port so that we could sail two hours early to get out of the Chesapeake Bay and ahead of Michael. Embarkation at Baltimore went very smoothly. We all boarded early and were ready to set sail 2 hours early but the Captain announced that Michael was moving too fast so we were going to sail at the original time of 4pm, but would only sail for 2 hours and then drop anchor in the Chesapeake and wait for Michael to pass early the next morning. This now caused us to skip Boston and proceed straight to Bar Harbor, ME. We took the Best of Bar Harbor excursion which was very nice. Our tour guide was very good, a former teacher, but the highlight was the lobster bake! Best excursion meal we've ever had! Next port was Portland, ME where we met my wife's sister for sight seeing and shopping in Portland. Then on to St. John, New Brunswick which we had to sail by because of very high winds (50 its plus) so we could not dock. This was our second missed port due to weather. We then proceeded to Halifax, Nova Scotia where we took the top 10 tour. Again a very good tour with a very knowledgeable guide. The Grandeur was nice but is showing it's age. Our cabin was 3098, slightly aft of center and very convenient to the aft stairs and elevators. The cabin bed was lower than those on other ships which meant we could get our luggage under the bed. We had to stack the luggage in a a corner which cut down on our already limited space. We like early dining but could not get it so we dined 2nd seating at 8PM. Our wait staff was excellent. Nickolas, our head waiter, discovered we both like escargot so he arranged to have it for us every meal, even when it was not on the menu. The evening entertainment in the Palladium Theater was at 7:15 and 9:15PM. Since early dining was 5:30 and late at 8PM, this resulted in the 7:15 show being packed and the 9:15 show being sparsely attended. It would have been better if the early show was at 7 and the late show at 9, then more of the early diners would have attended the later show. Entertainment was top notch. The RCCL singers and dancers were superb and the guest entertainment was also excellent. Scheduled activities on sea days were for the most part disappointing. Only on the last day were there sufficient activities to keep us from being bored. Disembarkation went very smoothly. Our luggage tag number was 7 and we exited the ship about 15 minutes before the predicted time for our number. Crew and staff were awesome! Bob the Cruise Director was very personable and accessible. The last night featured a veterans recognition which was the best I've ever had on a cruise. It featured Tim, one of the singers, leading the singing of the national anthem and also a special rendition of Hallelujah. Not a dry eye in the Centrum! Read Less

We looked for an inexpensive cruise to see if I could do it since I recently went on oxygen. The cabin steward was friendly but the cabin was rarelt done when we returned after being out. Make up cabin cards no longer available. Our waiter was good but our table was a little out of arae and we had inconsistant service. We didn't see any shows as the theater was at the opposite end of the ship. We also didn't get off the ship as we have been on 29 cruises. The TV was really disappointing. No more network channels, 3 or 4 news cannels all connected with CNN. One movie channel which showed the wrong movies since they must change the somewhat monthly. Terrible entertainment. They worked on the balconies 2 days and I couldn't see any improvement. Like all cruise lines things are going downhill and starting to become adisappointment. Read Less

My first attempt at a cruise review after 4 cruises. We were to leave Baltimore on September 9, 2018 for Bermuda. Because of Hurricane Florence we were rerouted to the Bahamas. Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Freeport. We cruised to those islands in 2011. I will give you some updates on changes I noticed on this cruise since our last cruise in 2016.. MY OBSERVATIONS: PARKING LOT: There used to be 2 lanes, one for cash and one for credit. The cash line was always the shortest. Now both lanes are open for either cash or credit. EMBARKATION: Seeming long lines at the 1:00 - 1:30 check in but they moved really fast. Carry on bags went through the xray conveyor belt but this time they were not opened and inspected like they did in 2016. We were aboard in about 15-20 minutes. Rooms were ready at 2:00. SHOWER: Water pressure in the shower was excellent. Shower curtain was extra long and didn’t wrap around you while you were taking a shower. I do wish they would add a small grab bar in the shower while the Pride is in drydock. ROOM SERVICE: Room steward brings a card and you check off AM, PM or BOTH. We were not pressured one way or another. We chose AM and wrote in ice. Our room steward was I Ketut and he was great! ROOMS: Our 4K room had a flat screen TV. Previous years you could find the day’s menu and check your sign-and-sail balance on the TV. Now you have to download the Carnival Hub to see those things. We didn’t take a device to use and locked our phones in the safe so this was no help to us. We would check our balance and add money if needed at one of the Kiosk’s at either end of the Casino. Never had to stand in line at Guest Services. I listed the TV Channels you get on the room TVs at the end of this review. BRUNCH: OJ was the only juice offered but you could ask for others. The bread basket came around and you could pick one piece. Menu was great! DINNER: We had YTD on the 3rd floor dining room. Bread basket was placed on the table. Water was really good on this cruise. Some choices came in little bit larger portions (caesar salad especially). Our waiters were awesome! Arta, Arya and Libin. At around 5:30 the line would start forming for the YTD. Crew members from the Dining Room were nice enough to bring those disabled guests right in to a table so they didn’t have to stand in line. I thought that was very nice. In past years they had a menu board outside the Dining Room with that night’s dinner menu. This cruise there was none. LIDO: Lots of good choices for lunch. Breakfast was always the same. I am not a fan. Best drink we found from Lido was to put about ½ inch of lemonade in the cup, add ice and then fill with water. Excellent lemon-water! Lido now has platters alongside the plates. Perfect to use as a tray if you need one, especially for bringing coffee and pastries back to the room. GUY’S BURGERS: Guys is a matter of opinion. Some love it and some do not. My husband loved it but I don’t usually eat burgers. The fries looked greasy and not crispy. However, I love fried onion sandwiches! I got a burger roll from Guys and filled it with the (yes, very greasy) fried onions from their fixins bar. Delish! PIZZA: We both preferred the pizza of 2 years ago made on a flat bread/foca bread type crust. This time it was made on traditional round pizza crust and it was served as ½ pizza when you ordered. (Unless you wanted a whole one. Approximate size was a medium). SHOWS: We didn’t go to any of the musical shows except KARAOKE which was fun. Hosted by Assistant Cruise Director Bendy Blake who was awesome! We did attend the CARIBBEAN SHOPPING SHOW. As reported by others, it was a waste of time, just telling you where to shop on the islands. (Stores associated with Carnival). Love and Marriage Show was hosted by Dr. E and of course it was very funny. He asked around 10 questions. COMEDIANS: Didn’t attend but heard they were very funny but only about 20 minutes sessions. Last couple of nights they had no comedians because they were to be picked up in Freeport on Friday but we skipped that port and came straight home Thursday after Half Moon Cay. CASINO: We spent a little time in the Casino on the first night. The smoke was unbearable. When we got back to our room, our clothes smelled like cigarette smoke! I wish they would make the table game side of the Casino the smoking section and the Slot Machines on the right as non smoking. That might help a little. DH was able to pick up a stack of $100 from the claw machine. We saw a couple other people grab one as well. CREW: As always, you won’t find a nicer, friendlier crew anywhere. When ship is docked in a port, the crew members are busy cleaning. CRUISE DIRECTOR: Reverend Dr. E (Eversen) was so funny and personable! Best cruise director we have ever sailed with! PORTS: GRAND TURK: We were last in Grand Turk in 2011 so it has been awhile. Back then Carnival advised to stay in the Carnival port area and not wander off beyond there. This time, locals were everywhere in the port. They offered golf cart rentals, jeep rentals, tours, chairs and umbrellas closest to the beach. It was really a big difference and to me it just seemed overcrowded with so much going on. Port shops were great. Half Moon Cay: Awesome as always. Captain announced on Thursday evening when we left Half Moon Cay that we would not be docking at Freeport on Friday due to Hurricane Florence. We would leave right then and go farther out to sea and around the Hurricane on our way back to Baltimore. Friday was a rough sea day as we did hit some rough seas. This also cancelled the Comedians for Friday and Saturday as we were unable to pick them up in Freeport. DEBARKATION: We did self-assist for the first time and loved it! If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer. TV CHANNEL SHOWING 11 FUN FINDS 13 CRUISE LIFE 14 CHANNEL GUIDE 15 SAFETY INFORMATION 16 FUN ABOARD 17 CARNIVAL ADVENTURES 18 MAP CHANNEL 19 FORWARD CAMERA VIEW 20 LIDO CAMERA VIEW 21 AUDIBLE FUNTIMES 22 CNN 23 CNN INTERNATIONAL 24 CNN SPANISH 25 HLN 26 BOOMERANG 27 CARTOON NETWORK 28 TNT 29 TBS / WATCHED IN ENGLISH/COMMERCIALS IN SPANISH 30 TCM 31 TRUTV / SPANISH IN PM & ENGLISH IN AM 32 FREE MOVIE CHANNEL / MOVIE GUIDE BETWEEN MOVIES 33 FUN FOR ALL 34 OCEAN VIEW 35 GOOD TO KNOW 36 MUSIC CHANNEL Read Less

We chose this cruise at the last minute as a birthday gift to take a bit of the sting out of my turning the big 60. We weren't expecting much but very pleasantly surprised at how Carnival delivered such a great experience. Embarkation, while a bit slow, was painless and moved along at the expected speed. Ship was very well kept up with a few more additions since our last time on it. A Japanese restaurant that we didn't visit, was added as well as a coffee shop on Deck 2 that was quite enjoyable. They also added Guy Fieri's Burgers and the Blue Iguana on Deck 9 that were both delicious. The only comment on the burgers were they tended to be a bit on the greasy side. They also turned The Twilight Bar? into The Red Frog and they had a group playing each evening for dancing. The only comment on that was for the jazz music, the bass was so loud it made it difficult to enjoy the rest of the group. Hopefully they fixed that after the first evening. Our cabin was a 4K that had French doors with a view of a lifeboat. Enough to let the light in and it was a bonus for an inside cabin. It was quite spacious and gave us plenty of room for the two of us. Our cabin steward Kadek was always visible and did a fantastic job! He was always checking to see if everything was alright and it we needed anything. We did the dining that we could choose our time. It made for a relaxing cruise but we found ourselves there at the same time anyway:) Lee Ann made certain we always managed to get a table for two by the window. We had the same service team every evening. Alexis, Luis and Puthut made certain we had fantastic dining experience every evening. The food itself was outstanding! I can honestly say we never had a meal that we didn't care for. We went to Freeport, Grand Turk and Carnivals own island. Their island is the only time we got off the ship and it was truly beautiful. I think we could have stayed anchored there for a few days and been quite content. Entertainment in the Taj Mahal was mediocre at best , however all of the comedians were definitely worth seeing. The two stand outs for us in the activities area were Stephanie and Bendy Blake. They had the type personalities that lent themselves to that profession. Neil was okay as a cruise director, considering he was new and still finding his own way. We truly enjoyed trivia and they had many different ones to chose from. Sorry this ended up so long! Read Less

First let me be up front that my wife and I are RCCL's Crown and Anchor Diamond Plus level members and I am a Club Royal casino player at the "Signature" level. Our cruise on the Carnival Pride from Baltimore MD was a seven day casino "free"cruise for port charges, taxes and fees, we purchased the pre and post cruise transportation from BWI and the vacation protection (insurance) for the week. Arrival and transportation to the ship: we arrived at 8:30 am to BWI and were at the "waiting area" in the baggage area, a Carnival cruise representative met us and we were escorted to a Chevrolet SUV with another couple for a quick trip to the Cruise Port Baltimore at 10:20 am, then the waiting began. The cruise ship was still debarking passengers from the prior cruise and we had to wait outside of the cruise port building for about forty minutes. The process is going through the check point were they he m your passport and cruise documents, then you go to the metal detectors and then into the main waiting hall to get your "Sail and Sign" card, which is your room key and on board charge card, they had our credit card on file. Then we were told to sit. As the prior cruise passengers were still getting off the ship, they started to move passengers onto the Carnival Pride about 12:45 pm, the cabin 1245 interior room on Deck 1, was not ready till 2:00 pm. We spent time dining in the Lido Buffet on deck 12. Food was good, not great. Going through the muster procedure, was pretty standard, however, the cruise director, the Reverend Dr E was trying to make vocal impressions for the safety drill and it was somewhat unprofessional, cut the baloney and give us the facts, just the facts. Then the ship sailed. YOUR TIME DINING: this is unassigned seating in the Normandie Main Dining Room (MDR) on deck three, we were fortunate to get a fantastic head waiter for our table by the name of Adrian and the two assistant waiters, Thet Thet and Saisa. If you do the Your Dining Time, ask for Adrian, you will not be disappointing. Food in the MDR previously was good, but on this cruise, I would have to say that the fare was better than average, service was good to excellent. The menu included a seafood, pasta, vegetarian, beef, poulty or port Beef was served four out of the seven nights. My wife we one of two couple selected to do a private tour of the kitchen and tasting on fifth night and we now have "A GREATER APPRECIATION of the MDR kitchen and wait staff. The MDR kitchen is located on deck one, and the waiters have to go up and down an escalator to bring the food up to the guests. The kitchen is well organized and the MDR kitchen food is prepared totally separate from the 9th deck buffet. In the MDR Ken, the one of the maitre d' had a good voice and he did celebration announcement and sang ballads, mainly Sinatra songs-very entertaining. SHOWROOM ENTERTAINMENT was mainly production shows which were okay, the Punchline Comedy Club had two very entertaining comedians. In the Centrum, they had a variety of musical entertainment, the trio of electric violin artists were very good. WINNERS CIRCLE CASINO has a variety of updated slot machines of various demoninations, two roulette tables, on craps table, one electronic poker table, three three card poker table, on Heads Up Holdem tables, one Let it Ride table and the rest were blackjack table. The dealers, pit bosses and Casino Host Petra were all very friendly and accommodating, I was on the Carnival Players Club Dealers Choice which was a "free" cruise and $300 CASINO CASH BACK, but BEWARE, make sure that you photocopy the original offer, as when I went to the casino cashier's window to collect my $300 casino cash, I was entitled to only $150, fortunately I brought a copy of the original casino offer which listed the August 5th Carnival Pride cruise. In speaking with a couple of the other casino players, they also were told that they were "entitled" to a lesser amount. The casino had nightly drawings, and giveaways, for anyone who had accumulated at least 100 points.The "Drinks on Us" card, now takes 1500 points to earn your "Drinks on Us" beverage card for free beverages in the casino while gambling. It used to be 1000 points. Please note that to earn one point it you have to run $5 through the slots, I have been unable to determine how the table time is calculated to "earn" your "Drinks on Us" card. All in all the Carnival Players Club casino was very entertaining and during the week they announced many slot jackpot winners. OUR INTERIOR CABIN number 1249 on deck one was standard queen size bed which is two twins pushed together, very adequate closet space, a mini frig, two chairs, deck and table. The bathroom has the necessary sink, and shower with a curved curtain, and sufficient shelves for you toiletries. Our cabin steward (they call them "attendants" now) was Ketut and he provided excellent service. DRINKS are expensive, we don't get the drink package as my wife and I are not big drinkers and in the casino the pit boss bought a round for the table players at least once every night. DEBARKMENT was slow. On RCCL's Grandeur of the Seas which also goes out of Baltimore, MD, usually docks at 6:00 am, but the Carnival Pride did not dock until 830 am, and they take the walk offs who take their own luggage off the ship, and the majority of the passengers are from Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and NYS, so most of the passengers drove to the port. We finally got off the ship by 11:15 am and we took a Chevrolet SUV back to BWI for our flight home to NC on Southwest Airlines (SWA). Unfortunately, SWA cancelled a bunch of flights and we went into the terminal there were at least 200 people in line to be their flights rebooked. I called SWA automated line and cancelled our flight and our fare for the return flight was refunded to our SWA flight funds account. We rented a one away car rental and drive 6 1/2 hours to our home in NC. This was my 9th cruise on Carnvial overal and my third on the Carnival Pride and probably my last, due to the slow embarkment and debarkment. Travel through the ports in Florida get you in and out quicker. Read Less

We have been on four cruises, all with Grandeur of the Seas. We like the crew and staff and the ship is just the right size for us. The staterooms are very nice, and clean and the staff really take pride in taking care of the rooms. The chefs and staff in the Great Gatsby go overboard (pun intended) to make sure that we had the best experience possible. We loved the variety of menu options and there was not one meal that we did not thoroughly enjoy. The lobster night was perfect and if you are unsure of the menu items, the waiter and waitress make recommendations. The shore excursions are plentiful and prices are set to suit every budget. We booked some tours through the ship and sometimes we just set off on our own to explore the area. The only complaint that we had is that the 1pm curfew time for children should be adjusted to 10pm or 11pm. There seemed to be more unsupervised preteens this trip then in previous cruises, which led to some unruly behavior. Read Less

I had some trouble getting adjustments made to my final bill in the area of gratuities. Apparently communication was an issue. Ultimately, it was straightened out before I left the ship. The majority of the ships staff were wonderful and well mannered. However, there was one young man who was working in the Photo Center who made an inappropriate advance towards me. I did not look at him long enough to get his name. He was not working the register. I was looking for pictures of my brother and myself. Needless to say, I did not return to the Photo Center. He was the only one who was inappropriate. I should say that I am old enough to be his grandmother. With this being my first cruise, it was stress for the continuous reiteration of return times from excursions when we were at the mercy of the cruise supported excursion to get us back to the ship on time (in most cases). There were two excursions that we had paid for in advance who did not get us back until right at time of even a couple minutes late. This stress took away from my ability to enjoy the excursion. The Light House tour in Portland was one of these. On a positive note, I would like to compliment our dinning room waiter staff, Lulama, Ms. Campbell, and especially JingFang Lee - she was the kindest most delightful individual on our cruise. They were all very attentive with the right mix of being personable and professional. With the exception of the last comedian and the thrown together show with the orchestra in the Paladium Theater, the entertain was excellent! All the added expenses were a bit much. I did without a lot to keep things affordable. The Windjammer was best. The Hop On Hop Off in Saint Johns and Halifax were best. Read Less

My family has been over 10 cruises, mainly on Princess and MSC. This was our first Carnival Cruise (May 20 – 27, 2018) and it will not be our last. The staff on the Carnival Pride was the friendliest and most helpful of all the ships we have sailed. As others have echoed in previous posts – I could not find one staff member who did not have a smile on their face in the entire week. We choose this cruise as it was only 40 minutes from home to the port. No flying this time. It worked out great as we were able to use the pool from the beginning to the end of the cruise as the weather was warm. Keep in mind - if you go from October to April – you may have to spend the sea days inside. Let me run down the week’s events and categorize them. Embarkation – The cruise port of Baltimore is very easy in and out right off of I-95. With only one cruise ship in port at a time – there is little to no traffic in and out. Tip – make sure you have your tagged luggage ready to be dropped off. Prior to parking – porters take the luggage from your car and place it into airport style luggage carts prior to parking. Parking is $15 a day – and you pay when you arrive. If you have cash there is a separate line to pay. Plan on getting to the port no earlier than 11:30am as they will not let you park prior to that time. Going through security and getting your cruise card was easy and quick. For those who like to be dropped off that is easy as well – follow the signs and they will direct drop offs accordingly. Tip - for out of towners – there is no food available to purchase at the cruise port – you will have to wait until you get aboard. Bonus Tip - Cruise goes under the Key Bridge about 20 minutes after leaving Baltimore and under the dual spans of the Bay Bridge about 2 hours after departure. Nice feature to go under bridges as with Fort Lauderdale and Miami you make the turnout of port and you are in the Atlantic Ocean. Bonus Bonus Tip - you do not need to go to the muster station drill with your life jacket. Just go to your station and the drill took place at about 4:30pm. Each child under 12 will get a wrist band to identify the muster station they need to be for the length of the cruise. Ship – The ship is older. If you are looking for the latest and greatest bells and whistles (no rock walls, ice skating, indoor parks, bowling alleys, etc…) then you will be disappointed. If you are looking for a cozy ship – 2124 passengers – and temper your expectations – then you will be pleasantly surprised. Yes, there was paint peeling and some rust spots on the balconies. The years of salty air does wear on the ship. But overall it has held up very well. Food – Main Dining Room – food was adequate – service was exceptional. Tip - We had anytime dining and we were able to secure the same table every night at 5:45pm. If you want the same table every night – make sure you get there early on the 1st night and then follow through on the 2nd. After that you are all set. The waiters and staff were extremely helpful. The best we ever had – thank you Michael from table 400. My daughter is on a special medically prescribed Ketogenic Diet (for her seizures) and they made sure Chicken, Pork and Beef Burgers were cooked without seasoning. We were able to get the menu for the next night and choose in advance. Carnival was by far the MOST accommodating food staff we ever had. We also were able to finish dinner and catch 7:30 and 7:00pm pre-shows with easy. We just let our waiter Michael know that we wanted to make the show and he speed up service. Buffet - food was adequate. Tasty – nothing extraordinary. Try Chopsticks for Chinese food at lunch. 24 hour pizza was great – be sure to ring the bell after hours. Guy’s burger joint – burgers and fries were awesome. The tacos and burritos on deck 9 allowed for a quick and very tasty meal without losing your pool chairs or having to walk through the buffet line. Room Service – typical food – delivered on time. There are few items on the room service menu that do charge extra – chicken wings – special desert, etc… Spent $0 Specialty Restaurants - we did not use them. Spent $0 Casino – we did not use the Casino. Spent $0 Bars – we did not use them. Spent $0 Photos – we took pictures every night. Carnival does the standard placing of photos on deck #3 and you spend time looking up and down for the ones you took. They offer a 10% discount for the embarkation photos on the first two days. 8x10 photos are $21.99. They do offer Shutterfly bonuses with certain # of photos purchase. Tip – if you are getting multiple photos - be sure to ask for the $1 per photo add on to digital image. We got 10 photos and for $10 extra got them on a USB cruise drive so we could print copied out at home. Bogo, Stefan and Yogi were great with our photos. Spent $225 Excursions – Grand Turk – we did not do an organized excursion – ship docked. There is a beach right off the ship – with chairs and umbrellas. First two rows – you can pay to sit – rows 3 and back are all wide open. Beach has some rocks and a rocky shelf in the water. Just watch your step. There is a Jimmy Buffet’s Margaretville in the secured cruise area. The pool is huge. You can buy food/drinks if you want to but there is no requirement. Great place to sit and enjoy the music and people watch. In addition to Jimmy Buffet’s - there are local shops all in the secured area – haggle if you want but the items are reasonable priced. Spent $40 for a beer, iced tea and monster chicken nachos and $30 for souvenirs. Tip – 15% service charge and VAT are already included in the bill. Half Moon Cay - we did not do an organized excursion – tender into port. The tender is a short 15 minute ride – smooth sailing. Get your tender tickets starting at 8:30am from the Lido deck and wait until your number is called. The process was typical and smooth. The private cay has plenty of beach chairs and there are spots with tree coverage. Food is buffet style burgers, hot dogs and jerk chicken on the island. Tip - Try the chicken it is better than the hot dogs and burgers. You can rent water sport gear if you like. Beach has superfine sand and crystal clear. You can walk out 150 feet and still have the water at chest level. There is ample time at Half Moon Cay. Spent $0 Freeport – we choose the beach excursion. Meet at the Harley Davison Store in the port – easy to find and wait for the double decker bus to take you to the other side of the island. 20 minute ride. May is rainy season – so the skies opened up as we drove to the beach. Those on the 2nd level of the bus got wet. We enjoyed the experience of getting soaked even before we got to the beach. It rained the morning except for the last 40 minutes. We still went in the water as it was warmer than the rain. So people left early as the bus came 2 and 3 hours into the excursion. We stayed the 4 hours and enjoyed getting wet in and out of the water. Some people were disappointed but you cannot control the weather. Spent $120 for the excursion and an addition $11 for nachos. There are about 30+ shops right off the ship. Tip - Head away from the first few shops and you will get better deals. We picked up a large Bongo that they engraved for $25 to the left of the Harley shop from a couple when the same Bongo was $75 from the first shop through the gate. Again haggle if you like – but this couple was working hard and handmade all their goods. They also had homemade wooden crosses with shells and local rocks that were only $10. Spent $50 on souvenirs. Shows on Board – there are four main shows – 80’s Pop Music –Hart & Soul – Getaway Island and 88 Keys. We went to the 7:30 shows and sat in the front row every night. The 8 person cast works had and the shows were fun. If you are used to MSC’s grand productions this is not. But if you want toe taping music that you can sing to and feed off the energy from the cast – then it is great. Comedians – did not attend any of the shows. Pools – two main pools – were never crowded – even on sea days. Water area in back of ship had some strange hours and they do close it if it is too windy. Mini golf is best early morning as there is no shade. Tip - Just be patient for chairs near poolside. Serenity Adult retreat - did not use. Kids’ Activities – did not use. We had a blast with our 8 ½ year old daughters by our side the entire time. We are probably the exception to the rule – but when we go on vacation we do not take a vacation from family time. Seeing her enjoy herself and exploring the ship together was a blast. Tip – find the Sunset Garden forward on deck 3 and explore it on a rainy day and if you want peace and quiet. Great place to get away especially if only have an interior room. Room and Room Steward - Ms. Lui was great. Room was always clean, bathroom is older but you get a stronger shower as the water saving features is not in place. Room was comfortable and the beds were surprising good. We had an extended balcony which was nice on the starboard side. Tip - Starboard side gives you views of Baltimore. Port side gives you views of Grand Turk and Freeport. Debarkation – Carnival allows you to select early or late debarkation times by selecting the luggage tag on the last sea day. You also have the option of walking off with your luggage. Keep in mind the cruise ship does not dock until 9:30am on Sunday. We waited in the Taj Mahal to have our number called for early tagged debarkation. There was a delay in getting off the ship as there was only one emigration office at the port. Not Carnival’s fault but shame on the port of Baltimore for only having one guard at the start of debarkation. Positives – it was a very inexpensive cruise for the three of us. Service was great. The ship was never crowded to us and there were ample activities on board during sea days. Negatives – pool deck is super slippery – walk and do not run. We saw 5 people go down even as the deck hands were trying to keep the decks dry. Speaker system on board is poor – could hardly hear any announcements. Iffies – the weather – leaving out of Baltimore you never know what weather you are going to get. We lucked out with great weather. We enjoyed our cruise close to home and will go again. May – September are probably the best weather months to cruise out of Baltimore. Hope you enjoyed this review as much as I enjoyed experiencing it. Read Less