My best girlfriend and I went on the cruise to celebrate the end of breast cancer treatment and the joy of our friendship. We have been on Grandeur in the past as it is a breeze leaving from Baltimore & we both appreciate not having to fly the friendly skies. My friend really wanted to see Perfect Day in Coco Cay. Embarkation was so simple. There was a person outside terminal asking health questions but he did it to a group of people, so it took very little time. We were on the ship within 25 minutes of parking at the port terminal. The ship is old but she was sparkling. IT was obvious that there was extra sanitation happening each and every day. The most wonderful part of Grandeur is her crew and staff. They are the best in the fleet if not in the entire cruise industry. Our cabin was small but had plenty of storage space. Space under beds was adequate to put our big suitcases. Stateroom attendant Randy was thorough, attentive and truly a master at towel animals. Only thing we disliked (mild word) was that now in the shower is dispenser of 2in1 body wash-shampoo. Just the idea is yucky...never have I washed my hair with body wash or vice versa. The Main dining room was excellent at dinner...food was very good, service was excellent. Waiter, Sherwin, Assistant John and Head Waiter Rana were some of the best we have had on our 40+ cruises. The only downside was a the table next to us where a man wore an obscene tee shirt to dinner with his little children. Between his tee shirt and foul mouth dinner was uncomfortable at times. Wish that Royal Caribbean would strictly adhere to their dining room dress code. Main dining room for breakfast was very good...excellent French toast. On sea days the dining room was open...best bet there was the salad and pasta station. Windjammer buffet was usually crowded. Saw too many passengers touching food and returning it. We only ate there 2X. The Park Café in the Solarium had good selection at breakfast and lunch. The roast beef on Kimmelwick roll is delicious. The service there was excellent especially ALLAN. Could always find cookies at the Park Café too. We dined both at Giovanni's and Chops Grill and both meals were worth the extra cost. Service again excellent. We would suggest that at Giovanni's you ask that all the courses come separately...if not pasta and entrée served together. The Headliners this cruise were all very good. The comedians so funny and an impressionist that had one heck of a good show. Another evening the headliners was the piano player from the Schooner Bar Henry Rios..another good show. The production shows left a lot to be desired this cruise. The dancers were very good but the singers did not seem to gel together. However I have seen these shows often so I may just be jaded. The Cruise director and staff were present but there was not a lot of energy. However this may have been partly due to the concerns over crowds and coronavirus. We loved that most afternoons there was a movie in the theater. We got to catch up and see some great movies. Ports were all good. Loved Charleston, SC...we just got off, got cab and went to Mass (it was Sunday). Lovely place to walk around CocoCay is beautiful. We did not do any of the $excursions. Just lounged on a chair under an umbrella and read. It was a perfect beach day. The food at CocoCay is delicious and plentiful. Loved the new choices (tacos, sandwiches) We had chilly weather on the way down and back to Baltimore but rest of time weather was great as were the seas. We spent lots of time in Solarium...pool was so warm! Do wish that again rules were followed pertaining to children. It was perfectly understandable that the kids had swim hours when outside was closed But there were often times when kids were in pool when outside was open. If you have rules, please enforce them. I want to compliment the crew for keeping the ship sanitized. There was always someone wiping down the railings, tables in Solarium were wiped down continually. I was impressed. I love Grandeur and will be so sad when she goes away (March 2021). She is beautiful because of her extraordinary staff and crew. Read Less

We signed up to join my daughter and her family. Noise factor in our room adversely effected our experience. Food in the dining room was tasty, but we rejected some of the cooked dishes because they were served cold. The server took far too long for the courses and was a 1 1/2 hour experience. After we complained they got it down to 1 hour. The trivia sessions were conducted by some individuals who could not pronounce English words and it was nerve racking dealing with them. The song and dance entertainment was average, the band was above average. The drink servers (with the exception of Deborah in the Schooner Lounge seemed to take far too long to get the drinks, but were friendly and helpful. Our cabin steward was exceptional and was always present to help us by opening our door or assisting us with other tasks. I would rate the food and the service in the buffet as above average. The excursion to Pearl Island in Nassau was a waste of time and money. We left the island early. High drink costs and run down equipment. The included lunch of fish, rice and chicken was very tasty. Read Less

Wife and I booked this for our first. Probably our last, just not for us. The ship was nice, the food and service ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC! I became seasick w/ somewhat rougher seas and weather the last 2 days. I am still having some land sickness, yes there is such a thing, but hopefully will get over that. We swam with dolphins at Blue Lagoon, another experience checked off our bucket list. Def. Recommend. Our cabin steward, Edison, couldn't have been more attentive, we ended up tipping him extra. Shows were ok, would've like to have seen more comedians and maybe some earlier in the evening. For us, esp. motion sickness prone me, I think we will stick to land and air. Oh, watch out if you check towels off the ship for a shore excursion. When we came back onboard they collected them but didn't scan our seapass. On the final bill there was a charge for $50, $25 a towel. As soon as we walked up to guest services she smiled and said "pool towels?" Had we not questioned, we would have been charged. She did remove it Read Less

We liked the itinerary, and like sailing out of Baltimore We liked our dining room waiters, table 235, Andro was excellent as well as Low. The food was always good, and the waiters always made sure we were satisfied with everything. We liked having breakfast in dining room and especially liked Nitesh and Yogesh. The entertainment was good, liked Dave the CD. My husband was in Airforce for 20 years and the Veterans celebration was very nice. I did enjoy happy hour as well in diamond plus lounge, waiters were very good. We loved Cocoa Cay and has a nice lunch there, very relaxing. There was music around the ship, and the bands were very good, had a great time on 70’s night. Oh, I found a duck in the casino and hid it for the next sailing, enjoyed the casino but did not win, but it was fun, also the slot pull was a good time. Read Less

This was our second cruise on Grandeur so we knew going in that its an older smaller ship that isnt as fresh and full of activities/ options as the newest ships. With that said, there is a certain charm to the ship and the chances of running into the same guests and staff are very high. This allows people to build rapport and makes for a friendlier cruise. My wife our friend and I originally booked a JS but were fortunate enough to Royal Up to GS 8512. This was our first time in a suite and experiencing the benefits. It was a great treat and now we are hooked on staying in a suite. Our vacation got off to a slightly bumpy start when we noticed a bad smell as soon as we entered the cabin. Long story short there was a leak from the bathroom affecting the carpet, hence the smell. We notified the concierge Carlington who immediately took action which resulted in the entire room carpet being ripped out and replaced. RC fairly compensated us for the inconvenience. This wasnt the first or last time Carlington went above and beyond in his capacity as the ships concierge. He is a true professional with a quick smile and friendly demeanor who takes pride in the service he provides. We cannot say enough good things about him and the other crew assigned to the Concierge lounge. They truly made the cruise amazing for us. Due to a storm we were delayed exiting the bay and ultimately we were unable to hit Nassau. While disappointed we completely understood. Cococay was beautiful. Very windy the day we were there. We had an overwater cabana and it was every bit as gorgeous as we hoped. Our attendant was friendly but sometimes disappeared and the plates, utensils and cups continued to accumulate all day which was not something we expected. I did ask him if he could clear it out several times and he’d clear a few things but never the entirety of the mess which was sizable and sat on the counter for hours. Also, there was no trashcan, only a black plastic bag which sat on the deck. We were told trashcans had been ordered. For the cost RC is asking for the cabanas we expected better. Aside from those issues the cabana and beach club were excellent. The food, especially the steak and lobster, were out of this world. We stopped in Port Canaveral and walked around the dock area a bit after going through customs checks. We had breakfast at Grills and it was very good. There are several restaurants/ bars within walking distance depending on where your ship docks at the port. Charleston was our last stop and was phenomenal. Great city to walk in. We hit most of the major areas within walking distance of the ship including Rainbow Row, pineapple fountain and the city market. We stopped in various venues for quick bites and drinks. We recommend Maui Taco, The Griffon ( great old dive bar), and Cane Ruhm Bar. Read Less

Wanting to plan a break from the winter weather, we got a very good deal on an inside cabin on Grandeur. We've sailed on the Lady G before (Sept. 2018 NE/Canada) and knew what to expect. Me (53), Husband (57). Our neighbors also went and this was their first cruise. We got emails prior to departure that the ship would go through extra sanitizing so do not arrive before noon. We arrived a little after noon due to traffic just before the terminal. Then we waited outside in a line to get into the terminal. It was quite cold, so it would have been nice if the first check in point could have been inside the doors instead of right at the door. The line moved very slowly at first, then picked up the pace. I found out from others that they were actually allowed to board just after 11, so was a bit disappointed that we delayed our arrival, but I'm a rule follower! Check in was very easy after that, and we went to the Windjammer for lunch. It was very crowded, but the food was good. Cabins were ready at 2pm (as opposed to the typical 1pm.--another result of the extra sanitation efforts.) Due to a storm off the Carolina coast, we anchored in the Bay just south of the Bay Bridge. It was a nice treat to eat breakfast in the morning with the Bridge as our scenery. We finally started our journey down the Bay around lunchtime of Day 2. Because of the storm, we had to travel slowly once in the ocean and we still had some rougher than average seas. We also had to miss our stop at Nassau. I had booked a day pass from Resort for a Day, and they refunded the deposit (without us doing a thing) since we didn't make it to the port. I will use Resort for a Day again based on this experience:) We also had to make an unplanned stop to drop off a passenger at Cape Canaveral. It was fun to watch us dock and to compare the size of the Grandeur to the Harmony which was also docked. This was a quick stop to drop off the passenger, and we were back at sea. We finally got off the ship at Coco Cay on Monday (cruise started on Thursday). By then, we were quite happy to be on land for awhile! We enjoyed Coco Cay, but it was quite windy by the shoreline. The interior of the island wasn't as windy. We chose chairs on Chill Beach and I did attempt to snorkel using my own equipment (no fins). I saw a few fish, but nothing too exciting. I didn't go out too far, so there may have been more out further. I was actually warmer in the water than out of the water! I had been hearing roosters crowing and finally saw them (one with four baby chicks)! I also saw numerous hummingbirds, a few iguanas, a peacock, and a few other birds as I walked around the island. We enjoyed the lunch at Chill Grill. We took the Kennedy Space Center Guided Tour excursion. I felt like the guided tour part mainly consisted of waiting for people at designated meeting points. We had a large group of 60 people--I think that was too many to get a good guided tour. The bus tour run by the Space Center was quite good, but that is included in the regular admission! If doing this, I would recommend just getting a shuttle to the KSC and touring on your own. After going through some thick fog entering the Charleston port, we did have a little touring time with no rain. We managed to take the historic Carriage tour --booked it that day at one of the kiosks and paid $30 pp for the hour long tour. It was good. I think I expected more interesting tidbits and highlights of the city, but it was mostly about the restaurants/food and the houses with the slave quarters in the back. I did find the facts about the carriage tours/horses surprisingly interesting:) We also walked through the City Market buildings. Food on the ship was good. We thought the Windjammer had a wide variety and very good food (even the French Fries were yummy!). We ate there for every breakfast and lunch. I wish we had tried it for dinner, but I thought we should do the main dining room and get waited on. We had wonderful waiters, but found some of the food to be not as good as our prior cruises. I don't care for seafood and stick to more traditional meats and veggies. The New York Strip steak was thin and kind of fatty/tough. The chicken was better one night than another. My husband loves seafood and enjoyed some of those dishes. His lobster was good on lobster night, but for the first time on a cruise (this was our 5th) he was not offered a second lobster tail. On our past cruises, the waiters would bring out extra lobsters and other extras (Not sure what to get? They'd bring a second entree for us to try without us even asking!) through the week. Nothing extra on this cruise. One night I did specifically ask for two desserts because I wanted to try them (I shared!). I almost felt like I annoyed our server. My favorite dessert was the Royal Cheesecake. If you like cheesecake, you can't go wrong with that! On our final night after the Farewell Show, we went to the Windjammer just for the view as we cruised over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. It was our first time in the Windjammer when they were serving dinner. We decided that on future cruises, we want to try the buffet for dinner a few times! We'll check the menu for the main dining room (can be viewed on the screens by the elevators) and if we don't see something that sounds great, we'll head to the Windjammer instead! I was impressed with the Grandeur musicians and dancers on this cruise. One of the singers, Tim, had an incredible voice. He sounded like Josh Groban. We enjoyed the Headliner shows. The shopping talk was awful! We only went for the maps and the door prizes. After an hour, we left! No door prizes had been given out yet and I just couldn't take the boring talking anymore! I found the ship's Centrum area all the way up to Deck 8 to be very smoky smelling. I did not have this issue on any former cruise and don't know why this happened, but I could not watch some of the entertainment in the Centrum when the smoke was so bad it hurt my eyes. Some tips: -- Look for a cruise group on other social media(Cruise Critic frowns upon naming any here). I found one and it was a very nice group. Also make sure you join the Meet and Mingle and Roll Call for your cruise. A cabin crawl was set up and we got to see a junior suite and grand suite and talk about booking tips etc with other members. Definitely do a cabin crawl if you'd be interested in seeing other cabin set ups (or be the organizer and set one up!). ==Take magnets. The walls/doors are all metallic. I used magnets with hooks to hang jackets, hats etc, and button type magnets to organize papers. Just attach to walls! This helped to organize that small interior cabin space! --Remember you can carry on up to 12-- 17 ounce sodas/waters (I don't drink alcohol, but you can take 2 bottles of wine too). This can save you a lot of money! Yeah, it's a pain to carry it on and not as easy if you have to fly to your port, but if driving, it's great! --If you can't stand being around cigarette/cigar smoke, avoid the Casino! You can go up to Deck 6 and walk through the Centrum shopping area/photo area to get to the Palladium theater. If you want to sit in the balcony, you're right there. If you want to go down to the main seating area, just use the steps or elevator. -Say hi to Robert (the sheriff) in the Windjammer at breakfast! He's great! -If it's cold in Baltimore, make sure you have some warm weather attire! You may have to wait outside while checking in or when waiting for your ride after disembarkation. I was surprised that they will not allow you to wait inside at disembarkation. Keep moving! Also check weather for your port cities. Take appropriate outerwear! -Remember that the only toiletries provided are bar soap and a "shampoo/body wash" pump in the shower. Take your own if you are picky about your shampoo/body wash. You'll also need to take lotion and conditioner if you use any. -The hair dryer is basic/high-lo. I was fine with it, but some people want to take their own. -If buying any of RC's 2 for $20 t-shirts, I'd suggest buying a size (or 2) larger than you think you need! I just washed ours and they definitely shrunk. Read Less

We had to wait over an hour in line at the entrance to the parking lot, because of a delayed embarkation. Windjammer food was great, Dining Room food was oversalted and overdone. Singers and dancers were good, but shows relied too much on them for the entertainment. Three shows were comedians and nothing else...two were not long enough to qualify as the show for the evening. Ladies restrooms were often dirty, out of toilet tissue or had one of three stalls closed for "maintenance." Getting us off the ship at 7:15 am for immigration mid-cruise was very inconvenient and time-consuming. Our cabin steward was exceptional in that there had been 80 passengers on the previous cruise who were ill and her kept the cabin and bathroom spotless and sanitized, while being pleasant and always accommodating if we needed anything. The cruise director was new and unfamiliar with the demographics of the passengers. We had plumbing issues in our bathroom on three separate occasions. The ship is tired. Read Less

I will go in chronological order: (We are seasoned cruisers - first time on any RCI ship) CHECK IN - No one to guide us where to go. Stood in line for 30 minutes before Security suggested we check our bags and directed us where to go. After that stood in line for 45 minutes to Check In and Board ship. STATE ROOM - Smelled like sewer as we walked in. Room was not well maintained. Rust in windows, carpet worn, not a pleasant experience. DINING ROOM - Service was excellent. Joe, our server at breakfast and dinner was awesome. FOOD - All the food on the ship was very disappointing. The Buffet (Windjammer) was configured in a very strange way, making it difficult to know where the lines began and ended. Tables were not cleaned in a timely way, so hard to find a seat with a clean table to eat on. Food Example at Breakfast in Dining room - My husband ordered Cherry Crepes - The cherries were Maraschino cherries-UGH. Eggs were undercooked every order. If you wanted cream with your coffee, it was taken from another table, and once you used it, returned back to that table. Salt and Pepper shakers were always EMPTY. ACTIVITIES on ship during Cruise Days- Many had additional fees added to them. $3 to $12 depending on Activity. I have never paid additional fees for Activities on a cruise ship (Excluding SPA) $25. per towel to use for swimming! I said "Many" the Activities were very limited. Origami, Towel Folding, Bed Making, Hip/Hop lessons (that's great when most of the people sailing are over 60!!!) FlashMob lessons for Thriller and Footloose. The last cruising day there was not a posting for a movie in the Newsletter or Announcements. I was surprised as there had been a movie everyday before. By accident, we were walking by the theatre and there was a movie playing. The performers on the evening SHOWS - their costumes were not fitted and they looked like they had been to Goodwill to get them. Dancers and Singers were ok. Not in unison during performances. The Cruise Director was very irritating and we only saw her on the morning show telling us about all of great activities of the day. PRIVATE ISLAND - Most of the island was closed due to construction. We planned to sit by the water- but the seating was so limited we could only find a chair 5 rows BACK from the water. Many people who has been there before said it was a mess and they had never seen it like that. The interior of the ship had BROKEN TILES, RUST EVERYWHERE, DIRTY AND UNKEMPT, WORN CARPET. It was not a good experience. HEALTH - While they have hand sanitizer everywhere...I did not that all DISPENSERS used to get Water or other Drinks did NOT HAVE GUARDS on them to prevent people from taking their personal container and putting them into the dispenser. This is appalling as we are ALL trying to make sure no illnesses are spread person to person. I was sitting at the Peak View Cafe and a man walked up to the water dispenser, took a big sip of water from his personal water bottle, and then placed it on the dispenser to fill it up with water. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. This was our First RCI cruise and it was also our LAST! Read Less

We've previously cruised on Carnival, Princess and Celebrity. Our last two Celebrity cruises spoiled us for any other line, I am afraid to say. We took this cruise because we live 1.5 hours away from Baltimore, my boyfriend hates to fly (I love flying) and it stopped in Charleston where my son is stationed in the military. We were the cruise after a norovirus breakout and embarkation was a nightmare. We got to the port later (1pm) thinking that the rush was over and between the traffic in the parking lot and the line in the port, didn't get onboard until 3:15pm. By then the muster drill had started so we were not allowed to go to our rooms to drop off our bags. Yes we sent our big suitcases with the luggage cart but we had our wine/cooler/medical equipment/medication/emergency stuff on us and we had to drag it to the muster station after dragging in through the lines for two hours. So the drill is over and I am desperate for some lunch (diabetic) and the Windjammer is closed. So we go to the Park Cafe. WELCOME TO THUNDERDOME. The line was 50+ people long, people cutting in line, they're running out of food, no plates, no silverware, no place to sit, I'm walking around and carrying around a cheeseburger IN MY HANDS. I guess that RC did not care we boarded late even though it was not our faults in the least. Then I want to fill my water thermos so I go to the Windjammer after it opens for dinner. I was filling my water bottle with ice and water, using a cup (not holding my bottle under the spout) and I was screamed at by two different head waiters in suits. Literally screamed at me. Even though I was using a separate cup. No, the staff has to fill the cups for you and then you can use them to fill your bottles. So if it takes 4 glasses to fill your bottle, take 4 glasses. Whatever. I should have just brought along bottled water. So much for trying to cut down on plastic waste. I found out later that there is a water station outside the Windjammer that is not staffed by screaming meemies where I could get water 24/7. But it tastes like rust. Disgusting. Park Cafe water was slightly better but still had a hint of metal taste. Might as well drink your cabin water. Yes, the ship is old. Yes, it smells like sewage in some places. It was pretty clean though. We had an inside cabin - yes they are TINY when you're used to a Celebrity balcony, but we made it work. Our Steward kept our ice chest full of ice at all times. I do like RC's Procedure of using a door magnet to indicate to your Steward if you are in your room or not in your room. I hope Celebrity picks up this procedure. I don’t need to interact with my Steward everyday so we stayed out of his way. Ok, food. Windjammer at breakfast, welcome back to Thunderdome. I would search for an open table for over a half hour each morning while my boyfriend was at the gym. Got me some steps on my fitbit though. Once I would find my table for two, I’d put my coffee/book and thermos on the table to claim it and go get my food. Would you believe people did not care one bit and would sit down at the table with my coffee/book and my thermos like they owned the place? And then act SHOCKED when I asked them to move?? SUPER FRUSTRATING. There is a clientele on this ship that think they own it and all of the crew as well. Anyway, back to the food, the Windjammer was the same every morning but I finally got down to a routine of what I liked each morning so that was good. It was tasty. We did one lunch in the MDR, not impressed. And now they set up a buffet in the MDR, say what? Confusing. Soon everything is going to be a buffet! We did dinner every night in the MDR. We requested a table for two and ended up in a table for 10. Frustrating because my boyfriend eats slow and I’d rather not hold up everyone else. The food and service was hit or miss. I thought most of my beef dishes were ok. My boyfriend was disappointed most nights that he had fish. There was a table next to us that was SUPER demanding of the wait staff, maître d AND the chef so they really had no time for our table because they were always rushing around to accommodate them and their demands. Squeaky wheel gets the grease, and all that. The head waiter and our waiter were both super pushy trying to sell specialty restaurant deals. Uncomfortable. Speaking of specialty restaurants, I took a sushi rolling class at Izumi. It was so great! One of the highlights of the trip. We had lunch there the last sea day and it was expensive but VERY GOOD. I’m not a real fan of cruise entertainment, I just want to read, drink Pina Coladas and maybe see a comedy show. There are rabid fans of this ship that are also rabid fans of the house band, The Rockport Band. Oh my god, they are horrible. So bad, watching them is like a comedy show in itself. The two different comedians were ok – we only went to the adult shows. We stayed for most of the Beatles show, it was kind of hokey and they were off key. Cruise director Clo has a super shrill voice and I found her annoying. Activities director Cian would probably make a good cruise director someday, he was entertaining during the Belly Flop contest. Not going to talk much about the weather (you’re leaving from Baltimore in January, what do you expect?) but the stabilizers on this ship are not equipped to handle the Atlantic in the winter (or don’t exist at all, who knows with a ship this old). We don’t get seasick but many around us did. Our dresser drawers would open and close all night long and we were almost flung out of bed twice. It became funny after awhile. Not going to talk much about the excursions since we’ve been to all of the ports before except Coco Cay. I would say the lunch offerings on Coco Cay were much tastier than the Windjammer. It was cool and overcast/showers but again, it’s January, we expected this. I still went swimming in the lagoon. Read Less

Can you really complain when you’re on a cruise to the Bahamas? Well, just a little bit when sailing on Grandeur of the Seas. Embarkation: Due to an outbreak of a virus on the previous sailing (great start I know) they delayed embarkation to 12pm. Luckily, we purchased the key which allowed us to receive priority boarding. But people were very grumpy waiting in line. The lines were long and full of angry people. Ship: this ship is old-fashioned. It does not have a modern feel. It almost feels like being in a funeral home in many parts of the ship. The majority of it also smells stale and like cigarettes. There is also a lack of seating... very frustrating experience.also we experienced a lot of seat hogging by the pools: nobody was monitoring the seats on the deck to make sure people weren’t just leaving towels for hours on end. Cabin: we had an ocean view cabin. I was actually impressed with it. It was very clean and our stateroom attendant was fantastic. I even came back to my clothes folded one day. Wow! Dining: main dining room was so disappointing. I thought it was going to be the best part of the ship. But it was the worst. They will not allow you to sit at a table for two. I get they are trying to build a sense of community. However, my fiancé and I like dinner to unwind and relax. That’s not something I can do when I sit at a table with a group of people I don’t know. I even asked to sit by ourselves but they said no. That really angered me because vacation should be fun for everyone and it won’t be when you have to sit with huge groups at breakfast lunch and dinner. However, we greatly enjoyed Chops Grille and Giovannis. We also really enjoyed the buffet for dinner! Entertainment: let’s be honest, this ship is targeting an older demographic. And that’s perfectly ok. But the entertainment is awful. Now, let me say, we had a hilarious comedian. But he only performed two nights. And the shows filled up quickly. However, most of the time, we had no idea what to do. The cruise compass activities were just not appealing. They were stuff like trivia, Random movies, disco parties, and art auctions. But even if you wanted to do any of these things you had to get there early for a seat. Or you were left standing and uncomfortable. There was also a bad attitude on this ship. we noticed it in the lobbies. Guests/ repeat cruisers are very territorial over their spots in lobbies and act as if you are invading their space when you search for a seat. It’s crazy! Look around the centrum, you’ll see people napping, playing cards, and people on their phones. Also, we noticed, most of the time it was complete silence or really bad music. If there was music, it was someone playing the violin. Which was beautiful. But the energy was so low! We fell asleep before 10pm on most nights. When you’re on a cruise you expect to hear the cliche songs like hot, hot, hot but we didn’t hear anything like that. Service was hit and miss. Many of the crew members were so nice. However, some could be very short and rude with you. All in all, the grandeur is only okay. Maybe if you’re looking for a quiet cruise where there isn’t much happening but with pretty good food, this is a fine choice. It was also nice to leave out of Baltimore. After this cruise, we booked a different ship. So that should tell you something. Read Less

Two years in a row in January on the Grandeur is a lot better way to get to warm waters and plenty of sun traveling on a nice ship through choppy waters than the grueling voyage on I-95 in crowded traffic surrounded by crazy drivers. The boat driver on the Grandeur had some work to accomplish to navigate the heavy weather on this voyage, but they call it an ocean, not a lake - thus one should expect rock and roll - not just in the theater. The staff of this ship is terrific, friendly, responsive and personable. Glen the maitre'd in the My Time set the standard for good service. Victoriano served our group in the Chef Table for the second year in a row and the filet was the best anywhere. The steaks served in the main dining room could have been used to repair the parking lot in Baltimore. All other meals ranged from good to great on all twelve days. The Rockport Band vocalist who plays the piano has one of the best voices in any arena today - anywhere. The women playing the violin and guitar in various locations on the ship were accomplished musicians and the Grandeur orchestra was one of the best we have ever had on any ship at any time over the years. The cruise director and her assistant were difficult to understand but they sure tried hard. The ship is still well maintained and in good shape, no difference from our first voyage on the Grandeur in 2008 however Royal is going to send her to a subsidiary in one year and replace it with a bit bigger ship. Some of the reviews that criticize the age group of passengers due to their mobility and advanced age are simply written by folks that should book a booze cruise on another line and hope they never get old. The geezer crowd enjoyed themselves and were not rowdy beyond some occasional cheating at board games near the Park Cafe. Some of the shore excursions could be better organized at the pier but once they got underway, they were top-notch. Read Less

We have cruised several times on the Grandeur of the years, but after this cruise we both decided, this was the last. We will wait for the Enchantment of the Seas and keep our fingers crossed. We like cruising our of Baltimore because we don't have to pay for a flight, but I'll fly to California for a cruise before I get on the Grandeur again. The cabin was a Junior Suite on the stern with a nice deck and view, but when under way the shaking was very bad. I don't mean the usual sway and roll of the ship, I mean shaking. The food in both the buffet and dining was very poor. The only thing I had that was not cold were the made to order eggs in the morning. Food in the dining room was the worst we have had on any of our (not bragging, just making a point) 41 cruises. We have never sent more food back for quality and being cold. Dining room service was also poor. It was so bad, the assistant matre de (sp) started serving us. You can't blame them for the weather, but you pay for an entire cruise. So when they need to miss a port you would think there would be some sort of compensation? Nope! Read Less

Greetings! This gift from my children to celebrate my 60th Birthday was awesome in and of itself. From embarking to disembarking our experience was fantastic! Upon entry to the room - I was greeted w/Surprise Birthday signage both outside and inside & cake chocolate cake that was scrumptious.The Port staff was kind and helpful (my husband had a back issues and they were very accommodating). Jaime in Guest Services is the Bomb.com Yes, some places such as the "Windjammer" was a tad crowded; but overall we were able to garner seating by the window with a view and the food was delicious. The servers there provided excellent customer service and one in particular, Sherwin who was exceptional. The shows in Centrum were good; but you had to arrive early or else coincide your dining time. We used the dining hall for our breakfast and lunch the majority of the cruise and were blessed with the Head Server - Rana aka James Bond. We the exception of once (which was breakfast), we were seated with another couple, otherwise we had seating for two. Again, Rana and Sherwin attended to us and they could not have been more helpful - remember our names, to our food choices, etc. They also as a group, sang for us during the new year celebrations and farewell. Amazing! My husband was wheelchair bound for the duration of the trip. From the guest to the staff, everyone was very helpful. The Activities Director did the best she could to provide age appropriate and family activities. It seems the ice cream on the pool deck was a hit with the youth and the arcade. the casino was poppin...as was the live music. Last but definitely not least, our Stateroom Attendant Cornelius was a gem. We were provided with ice, towel art, and overall comfort under his care. This cruise and its guests were full of life and joy! Read Less

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By far worst cruise i have been on. I took off work for 7 days for this cruise and it was horrible. I understand weather but it should have just got cancelled altogether. I am a mom and can only do vacation one time a year. The staff are very rude and i had my food before my drinks n i had to get the head waiter to get our drinks. We got to nassaeu for only 1 hour n had to pay port services and we couldnt do anything for one hour. I am very frustrated.I felt unsafe a couple of times. My own daughter told me that she wanted to go to the room because she wa s scared of everyone yelling n screaming n a fighy almost happenend n no secuirty or staff around on deck 2 n i had to call security n of course they took their good old time. I have never complained. I would like some kind of money back. One day cruise credit for 2 days we missed out on is not fair. Staff was very rude throughput cruise. They dont care about their passengers. I will never go on this ship again Read Less

This was suppose to be a fun, family & friends birthday cruise but it was anything but that ! I invited my girlfriend & her husband who both were first time cruiser.(celebrating her birthday) My husband was a first time cruiser as well, also celebrating his birthday. It was a party of 14 of us in total. So out of the 14 there was 11 first time cruiser. Myself, My Sister, & friend were the only 3 who have cruise over 5-8 times before so we know how things can be. We understand that there is nothing you can do about the weather. We had one half day were we experience rough waters & cause the ship to be rocky. Again not too much can be done. I do feel like hey could have gave us some kind of refund or credit beside one $10.20 port fee. We only had one true day in port. ! Our cruise was @ sea & I really feel like I was ripped off. We stopped in one port for only 45mins. Everything was close & it was dark. This was THE WORST EVER VACATION IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!! I feel like my hard earned money was truly wasted! I also experience my first night a rude waiter in the main dinning area. Also they did not seat our entire party together one night due to others seating @ our assigned tables. They stated to us it was not a big deal, but our guest that was not able to be seated felt different. The only good thing I can say about this vacation was the staff was amazing. Stateroom staff, never had to asked for anything, I head waiter Joe was everything as well. he made sure everyone was please & the entertainment wasn't too bad but could have been more since we were struck @ sea most of the trip!!!! I don't think I will ever take a cruise with Royal again. They just didn't do us right!!!! The food was not as good in the main dinning area, The Windjammer was great through. My husband & did experience with a customer service desk member as well. Again Don't think I will do a Royal Caribbean cruise again after thinking about all we went through. Nothing in return to soften the blow. Just a big fat I took your money & what are you going to do about it?!!! That's how I have taken the experience on this cruise & ship. Read Less

My husband and I booked this to celebrate our Anniversary. One issue after the next from the time we got on the boat until the time we left. Food outside of the speciality restaurants was mediocre at best. We spent an extra day anchored in the bay due to bad weather causing us to miss 2 of our ports. I say 2 because we were only in Nassau from 1130pm until 1230am. The ship itself was run down. Common areas were dirty as well as the bathrooms. It is clear they don't value customer loyalty. There were some positives while on board but those all came with an extra fee. Chef's table and Giovannis were out of this world as well as the service received in the bar areas. Machines were without ice most of the time and bottled beverages were always warm. We would definitely love to cruise again but it won't be with Royal Caribbean. Read Less

First of all, this certainly was not our best cruise experience; however some things were in my opinion unavoidable, but RCI still could have done better in their response. To start, prior to the voyage, RCI sent everyone both an e-mail and text message the day before the cruise informing us of an impending storm and that there may be itinerary changes. I viewed the storm myself on radar and it was rather large. I've been on a ship before that attempted to go around a storm and that was a bad idea, many people got sick. I certainly preferred to stay in calmer waters for 2 days, rather than take a chance. So of course this affected everything. We did not go to Port Canaveral at all (still need to recoup money for a third party excursion to Epcot Center); we arrived in Nassau at 11:00 PM and had only 90 minutes to see virtually nothing (most businesses were closed); and CoCo Cay was indeed nice, but that was about it. The staff was hit and miss, which was disappointing (some were very good, others were not). The shows were decent. Some of the on board activities were lacking, such as Bingo in which the cost was a bit pricey for just a simple game of straight bingo or 4 corners. Probably the most disappointing was the food. For the most part the buffet food in the Windjammer was lukewarm at best. The dining room was a bit better, but just overall average. Also it should be noted even for breakfast in the dining room, the food on the bar was cold. However, our dining room servers were great (Sinegar and Mark), as was our cabin steward (Chris). Also the young lady outside the buffet that providing the hand sanitizer was wonderful and always a breath of fresh air. The cruise directors Katrina and John (who had taken ill) worked hard to keep things going. I would like to note they also led a non-denominational service which I hope RCI does implement on all of it's cruises. The two tributes to the vets (of which I am one) was outstanding. Our cabin (although a junior suite) was just okay, a bit dated, but clean. RCI did provide everyone an additional monetary credit towards a cruise that needs to be used over the next year (good on you). Overall, not the best cruise experience and I would say it is good they are retiring this ship next year. Read Less

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

The only thing I can say good about our cruise is that my teenage boys room steward, Rouston Rodrigues was Amazing. He not only cleaned my teenage boys room, made them animal towels, but interacted with them and my husband and myself throughout every day of our cruise. My husband and I saw our steward, Wilfred (I believe that was his name) only once when we boarded. In the Great Gatsby dining room, Shereen, our waiter and Noemi her assistant waiter always greeted us with a smile and was always courteous and generous with their time. We tipped all three of these employees very generously. We also appreciated that a RC employee was there tomake everyone hand sanitize before entering the Windjammer buffet. Sadly, many cruisers refused the hand sanitizer. Now, for the down side of our family trip. They was very little activitys to do, (for our teenage boys, my husband and myself) activity wise, unless my teenagers wanted to learn to dance the tango, attend wine tasting classes (they are only 14 and 15 yrs old) or play bingo. The rock climbing wall stayed closed throughout the entire cruise, They were told that they were “too young” (they are 14 and 15 yrs old) to workout in the gym and the shuffle board on top of the ship was always, “saved” for other adult cruisers.Both my boys were thrown out of the Solarium 3 times by different RC employees (they were just walking through the solarium to go to the Park Cafe for a snack, as unlike on other cruise lines, RC Grandeur of the Seas does NOT have a variety of food stations/restaurants open 24 hours a day). The food on the entire ship was subpar to mediocre at best. On more occasions than frankly I care to admit, in the Windjammer cafe, I witnessed passengers eating off their plates while still in line, contaminating the food in the buffet trays with their germs and actually verbally fighting and pushing people out of the way to get to the food. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. Finding seating was nearly impossible in the Windjammer Cafe and my family of 4 (when we didn’t eat in the Gatsby dining room) usually had to eat out in the pool area. Speaking of the pool area, the pool was mysteriously closed twice during our cruise and only the hot tubs were available for use. Every cruiser I spoke to was annoyed and going “crazy” watching the big TV screen play the same dog/cat/little boy UTube video over and over and over and over at nauseaum. The same video played over and over for 8 days straight!! The only thing that my teenagers did enjoy was the Karaoke each nite, but unfortunately it was from 10pm to 11:30pm and run by a different RC employee each nite. On 2 occasions, other cruisers rudely told my teenage boys to leave the Pacific showroom where the Karaoke took place. Fortunately, I was there and my teenage sons were allowed to stay and participate. In the casino every day/nite was an extremely intoxicated male cruiser being extremely disrespectful to RC women employees and guests. Making sexual innuendos and being extremely rude, loud and insulting. Not one RC employee said anything to him, “because the cruiser is always right”. After witnessing this behavior for 2 nights, my husband finally said something to him. He became louder and even more aggressive and belligerent. He even told my husband to “step outside so he could teach him a lesson as he was going to whip his ass”. The male passenger was 60-70 yrs of age and my husband is 50 and a Lt. with the Baltimore City fire department. The pit boss finally stepped in and the man was asked to leave. Everyone, RC employees and cruiser alike thanked my husband profusely because they (the employees felt they couldn’t really do or say anything, because they are taught to bend over backwards for the guests) and the other cruisers were shocked and intimidated by this man and were apparently afraid to intervene. Sadly, the very next day and night the same drunk, sexually inappropriate, loud mouthed bully was at it again and allowed to continue that behavior for the rest of the cruise. Many cruisers said they stopped gambling all together or just all together refused to be at the same table with that loud mouth, sexual predator. I have cruised other lines, the last being 4 months ago on Carnival Pride. It’s a smaller ship, but the food was impeccable, the service amazing and there was always an activity and something fun to do, whether you were young, old or somewhere in between. The Pride also has a pizza place (Pizza Pirate) that is open 24 hours a day, along with Guy Ferri burgers and fries and the Blue iguana (Mexican food) along with their massive buffet. On other cruise line, you can get coffee, hot choclate, tea, lemonade and even ice, 24 hours a day or nite without having to call room service. Sadly, RC doesn’t offer these amenities. As for “A perfect day at CoCo Cay”, we were very disappointed. We did have beautiful weather and we were the only ship in port so it was not crowded. My husband did the Pig Island excursion, swam with the pigs and loved it. My teenage boys and I stayed behind on CoCo Cay island. I do NOT understand why RC (who owns COCO Cay island) feels the need to charge their cruisers to pay an extra fee for the “thrill island” side. RC OWNS the island, and as cruisers, we have already paid for the cruise. We didn’t pay extra to go to Naussa, Port Canaveral or Charleston. This is RC just trying to fleece more money off of their cruisers. When my family and I cruised Carnival Pride 4 months ago, we went to Half Moon Cay. (The island that Carnival owns). As cruisers, we were NOT charged for anything on the island that Carnival owns. Food was served at no extra charge, they had a band playing on the beach, and many of their Carnival employees were there interacting with the guests, playing sand and water games and truly getting to know each and every one of us. Even more disappointing and reprehensible is the fact that because we were the only ship at COCO Cay, they kept discounting the “thrill side” of the island from the original excursion price to a mere $10 by 2pm (the ship departed at 6pm) because NO ONE was on the “thrill side” of the island. The cabanas go for up to $300 on the beach. Because we were the only ship in port, people used the cabanas for FREE, while others got stuck having already paid for the $300 cabanas up front. It seems to me, and many of the RC cruisers my husband and I spoke to throughout our 8 day cruise, that RC is just out to make a quick buck and do the bear minimum. On other cruise lines, the mustered drill is 20-30 minutes long at a minimum. Our drill was 5 minutes long (if that) and it was to just electronically buzz everyone’s sail and sign card. They never even showed us how to put on a life jacket! My husband and I were in one room, with our teen age boys next door, yet we were assigned different mustered stations!! The Centrum is absolutely tooooo small as people saved seats and the same people were down there each and every night to listen to the band. Most the cruisers had to watch standing up, leaning on the railings or pull up chairs on the upper railings (all the way to floor 8), to watch and listen from afar. The comedy was awful (we had three comedians on our 8 day cruise). The ship board “broadway show” had to be cancelled because of an illness of one of the RC employees. The show went on the following nite, but it was definitely subpar and many people walked out by the middle of the show. All and all, I have sailed on many cruise lines, and RC is by far the worst. I even had an employee tell me that they really didn’t care about anymore of the Grandeur of the Seas sailings, as a “rich sheik had just purchased the ship for himself and his 158 wives and children and the ship was being sold and retired at the end of the 2019”. That was a very disappointing and upsetting comment to hear. My husband and I were also told that RC was a “step up” in clientele, sophistication, and class. On every other cruise line we have sailed on, formal night meant just that.... dressing up. Apparently NOT on the Grandeur of the Seas. Cruisers were in the main dining room (the Great Gatsby) in SHORTS on both formal nites!!! On any other cruise line, that would not have been allowed and they would have been asked to change. I could continue on, but I think I have made my point regarding our below par family trip on RC. It’s sad when my teenage boys stated once we returned home that they would have rather NOT missed school and 8 days of homework than to have gone on this specific cruise. Feel free to contact me if you have any further questions regarding our subpar vacation. Read Less

Since we live within 45 minutes of Baltimore we decided to book at Gandeur of the Seas. The embarkation was so very easy to board the ship and parking was very plentiful. When arriving we went to the Windjammer for a quick meal and then our room was ready. We had booked an oceanview room and it was very clean and a good size. I thought we would get a port hold but I was thankful for the large window. The bed was very comfortable and a king size. The room was very clean and our statesroom attendant was fantastic and took care of us (Rolanda). Whenever we left and returned it was ready and the towel animals were very cute. We ate breakfast at the Windjammer and it was alright but I am not a breakfast person but my husband truly enjoyed the variety. Every night except one we ate at My Dinning which was very good every night. The dining room is a a pretty decor of white and a soft blue. Our waiter Ikango and his helper Henri was the best. Every night he remember that I took mint leaves with my water and hot tea for my husband. He recommended the items that we should try and they very good. One night we ate at Chops Grill for a kind of celebration and I will give a C because our food was not cooked as we requested and my husband's steam was cold. It would not be on our list when we go again. The shows are alright except for one comedian which kind made remarks that were not socially acceptable to us. They had a group called UpTown and they were fantastic singing the Motown songs so they decided to have them two nights. Overall we really enjoyed our trip and will definitely return. Read Less

Just a little background info. This was our 3rd RC cruise. We have cruised 2 times on Celebrity and 1 time on Emerald Waterways. We were very pleased with our Adventure of the Seas Cruise and anticipated to have a great time on this one. We were only Gold ranked peeps on the ship and it was first apparent upon embarkation. We chose this cruise because of timing and we had never been to Key West before. The other times it was apparent is when they had a "private event" in the Viking Crown Lounge area. We flew into Baltimore the day before and stayed in a cute B&B called 1840's Carrollton Inn. It was very charming and breakfast was made to order and very good! It was raining most of the day (October 16th), but we still walked around to explore the city a bit. Had fun walking in the rain! We ate a wonderful Crab Cake lunch at the Lexington Market. Since we did not wear our rain gear, we got soaking wet. The wonderful people at the 1840's Carrollton Inn let us use their washer and dryer. We were told that Embarkation wouldn't be until later in the afternoon, but checkout was at 11:00, so with luggage, there really was not much we could do but go to the Port. We were not the only ones in the same boat, so to speak! ;) We got to know our line-mates and that was fun. It was still cool and windy and it would have been Really Nice if Royal Caribbean would have let us in out of the cold. We were towards the front of the line and the line behind us quickly grew very long. There was another line for another door as well. And, for some unknown reason, people thought they could form a 3rd line...huh?? what?? Now for the frustrating part........After a long wait, the Guard of the Door finally opened it and started his spiel announcing for all the people who have lots of points (Emerald, Diamond, Key, Etc.). Well, that was fine, for the first few times. I get it, they spent a lot of money cruising with RC. But......when he kept on announcing the same thing every few minutes, and then more stragglers would come up and go in the door....and that happened for a very long time and got the rest of us more and more impatient (it was not warm breezes we were experiencing outside). We came up with a Brilliant idea ---- Why can't all those people have the other door just to themselves? It sure would have solved the problem of the rest of us getting miffed at the Guard repeating himself every few minutes (and miffed at the stragglers) and us thinking we can finally go in, and then another set of stragglers would show up and our wait would continue. Anyway, it could have been done a lot more efficiently. I really felt badly for the older folks and the folks who could not stand in line well. I am normally a cup half full type of person, but this kind of annoyed even me. On the other hand, we were able to get a later disembarkation time. Our flight wasn't until later in the day. By the time we had breakfast in the main dining room, sat a while near Starbucks and the windows....and then disembarked; there was No Problem at all exiting the ship, getting our luggage and going through security. That was a Very Good experience. We also were able to catch a ride (cab/limo) to the airport right away. We had never been on Grandeur, but have read reviews about it here on cruisecritic. We knew it was an older and smaller ship. A couple comments I have about the overall ship is that on Deck 5 (I believe), where the Starbucks is located, they were continually replacing/repairing the area around the rail. The walkway was partially blocked the whole time. Not a very good first impression. Also, there were a lot of not nice odors all around the ship that seemed to get worse as the cruise progressed. We did not notice a lot of cleaning/disinfecting of the hand rails on the stairs nor in the public restrooms. We had a balcony cabin on Deck 7. It was a great location for us; down the stairs a few flights to the dining room and up the stairs a few flights to the pool and Windjammer. We always take the stairs to hopefully help a bit with all the calories being consumed! Our Stateroom Attendant's name was Ikomang Wijahya. He was such a pleasant young man -- always greeting us with a smile and great attitude. For my birthday he made a 3 layer birthday cake out of towels :) Our room was kept spotless and had plenty of closet space, drawers and shelves. The bed was actually comfortable! A Very Nice Surprise! I'm not a fan of the curtain for the shower and the all in one shampoo and body wash though, and the size of the shower. Since it is an older ship, I doubt there is much they can do about it. We did not go to any specialty restaurants. We ate breakfast in the main dining room. Lunch in the main dining room for the 3 sea days and in the Windjammer for the port days. Dinner in the main dining room. We had the roast beef sandwich (beef on a kimmelweck bun) a couple of times in the Park Cafe. It was better the 2nd time (new beef and I was first in line). We were a bit disappointed in the lack of variety of the food, especially in the Windjammer. It would be nice to have different stations: Italian, Asian, Mexican, etc., with different types of those foods each day. It was really nice that servers walked around and took drink orders while you were dining in the Windjammer. Service was very good that way. Also, the Windjammer needs an ice cream station :) I know, there is the soft serve just outside....We really enjoy the salads they make for you in the main dining room during sea days at lunchtime. The last formal night in the main dining room - lobster tail and prime rib - was very good. I remember our last RC cruise that for Chocolate Breakfast day they offered a chocolate shake. I did not get it that time and was looking forward to getting it this time ---- but it was not on the menu. :( We went to a couple of the shows. Were not at all impressed with the Royal Caribbean singers and dancers. However, we were Very Impressed with Rookie. That show was really good and enjoyable! I wish his band would have played by the pool and in other areas of the ship. We did not go on any shore excursions. Our first stop, Port Canaveral, it was raining.All of the water based shore excursions were canceled. We would not have minded just walking around, but you can't get anywhere without taking a bus. When we go on cruises, we like to be able to walk into town, or to a beach and explore on our own. That is one of the reasons why we rated this cruise so low ---- the lack of being able to do that in both Port Canaveral and Miami. It was nice to finally be able to do that in Key West. We arrived an hour earlier and departed an hour earlier than it was originally planned. We walked to the Southernmost point in the Continental USA and meandered back, doing some shopping along the way; had lunch on the ship and went back out for more exploring. Was a nice way to spend my birthday :) And, yes, I wore a tiara :) We then went to Coco Cay. It was a nice, relaxing beach and pool day for us. We walked all around (where it was open). Not a large isle. Beware.....it looked like they rake the sand and sandy pathways, But there are small and large coral type rocks everywhere. If you have tender feet, you might want to put your flip flops on while going on the paths to/from places. The ocean water was great -- a bit cooler than the pool on the Grandeur (which was a bit warm). The pool was very nice and big enough to swim and make your way around the different areas. The liner in the pool was not intact in places, especially around the 0 entry area where the little kids were and the steps near there. Those steps could be very dangerous and I had to be careful stepping up and out of the pool there. Something RC Needs to fix before someone gets hurt. The swim up bar was packed and it is a lot easier to get a drink on the dry side of it. Speaking of drinks ---- we don't think they use the best alcohol to mix their drinks there. On a brighter note, we thought the food was better than most of the food on the ship. Yummy Mexican food and a good Cuban sandwich. We did not buy the balloon ride nor any of the waterpark extra fee things. I think Snorkel equipment should be a freebee. It would have been nice to be able to do that. We had no problem finding 2 lounge chairs and table an umbrella on the beach side; but harder to find 2 chairs together near the pool (with some shade). We Really enjoyed the pool! Plenty of room for all the people. The pool on the Grandeur has a very small space that is not just for sitting in the water, and then 99% of the people in the pool part of the pool just stand and watch the TV. Not great for someone who would like to do a little bit of swimming or moving around at all in the pool. So, I was really glad for the Coco Cay pool! We had 2 sea days on the way back. The first day was nice and warm, the 2nd day got cooler and cooler, of course. It was pleasant. Had time to read and took walks around the ship on deck 5, having to detour when parts of it were closed off for some reason or another. Saw some dolphins swimming along one day and that was really fun! We did see dolphins at the dock at Cape Canaveral and I have a picture of one that caught a fish for breakfast. That was really cool! Regarding the Beverage Package and the bartenders......It seemed to us that the only bartenders who automatically gave us "the good stuff" was Christonio -- in the Viking Crown Lounge. He also knew how to make drinks, even if not on the "menu". And Amit in the Lobby Bar was very good and friendly. Deborah at the Scooner bar did a good job for us one day. All the other bars/bartenders, if you don't specify a certain liquor, they give you the "house" or lower quality brand --- in our experience anyway and a lot of the bartenders made the same drink differently. I'm glad we were able to get away before the cold and snow of winter sets in. Grandeur has been sold (to another RC part of their company, I think). There were A Lot of people on the ship that were Regulars on Grandeur. Sometimes it seemed like we were invading "their space/special club". There were a lot more people on this cruise that talked/bragged about their status than in all the cruises (6 of them so far) we have been on, put together. All in all, I would not go on this ship and go with this itinerary again. Our other cruises were much more enjoyable in every way. We did meet up with a couple from our very first cruise -- on this one -- and that was really special! :) Read Less

We went on this cruise because we won a "free" cruise from listening to a time share presentation. (Hubby and I have sailed on Carnival before but this was our first time on Royal Caribbean). By the time we upgraded to a cabin with a view (no balcony) and paid the taxes and fees it was far from free.. Embarkation was a nightmare. We received an email the day before saying the ship would arrive late and that we should arrive between 5-7 pm. Apparently all the other passengers received the same e-mail because it looked like everyone was arriving at once. Traffic was a nightmare and dangerous. Stood in line for an hour. Once we finally got on the ship we were in our room for a couple minutes when a crew member came in and said we had to go to the muster drill. Some passengers were not even on the ship yet. Then we went to the main dining room where there was open seating for dinner. Service was very slow and food was okay. We heard later that it was a rough trip back and even the crew got sick. So I'm willing to give them a break, but it wasn't a great first impression. Our cabin was nice enough and bed was comfortable. There was enough storage but the bathroom was small. We usually had breakfast in Windjammer and it was okay. Omelet made to order was good. Lunch in Main Dining Room (MDR) was good but slow. We ate dinner in the MDR every night. It was good but there wasn't much variety. Steak was too thin. The desserts and service were very good. Our cabin steward, Oliver, did a good job keeping ice bucket filled for my husband's bum knee. The decor of the ship is nice and understated. There are kiosks that give directions, what's happening on the ship, and menus. Good job on those. We docked in Bermuda on the third night. Arrival there is another story but we did get our overnight and partial day. Before that we went to a couple of lectures about Bermuda which were interesting. We took a shore excursion to a secluded beach that included lunch, beach equipment, access to a nature reserve, and rum swizzles. My lunch (local fish sandwich) and swizzles were good. The man who served us did a good job. But the beach was rocky and we spent almost as much time getting to the beach and back (almost an hour each way) as we did at the beach. On the way the bus driver told us about Bermuda but didn't talk much on the way back. Bermuda was not really what I expected. There were very few flowers. There were lots of colorful houses close together. I certainly wouldn't want to drive on the island. We also took the tour of the ship's kitchen with brunch and unlimited mimosas. Tour was interesting but wasn't thrilled about the brunch menu. I got a refreshment package and enjoyed the mocktails. The hot tubs were too hot. On the last day there was a very nice salute to veterans ceremony. Beatlemania was a good show. Broadway was so-so. I didn't know many of the songs but there was a live band. On the last night the show wasn't presented because the ship was rocking. One of the two comedians was okay. I didn't appreciate the literal bathroom humor from both. Disembarking wasn't as bad as embarkation but was late. I probably would not go on this particular cruise again but I would consider cruising on Royal Caribbean again. Read Less

This was our first Canada New England cruise. If we were to do this again... we would definitely not go in late September or October. The weather is to iffy and uncertain. The Lady G was put to the test this trip. First we were 9 hours late leaving Port of Baltimore. We never got a real honest explanation as to why. Non-mechanical some say, whatever that meant. Then she faced a Category 1 tropical storm Nor'easter which quickly came up the coast. This storm created 50 foot waves which caused 30 to 40 foot swells. The ship rocked back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. You literally walked from this wall to that wall. It was crazy. These swells also created havoc in the galleys on Decks 4, 5 and 9. Food was flying off shelves and counters as witnessed during a galley tour on Deck 5. Dishes were crashing in the dining room falling off the waiter stations. It truly was crazy. The bad storm also created changes in the itinerary. We got onto Boston late. We only had 2 to 3 hours off the ship before having to sail onto Portland. That day was nice. Extremely windy but sunny. We left and then were told RCCL cancelled our next port, St. John and would have a sea day to Bar Harbor. As the weather was getting worse we knew our chances of tendering were slim. We got all the way to BH only to be told nope water too dangerous to render. We are heading BACK to Boston! We thought the trip was over. We got back to Boston to find out the ship was still having non-mechanical issues and had to be repaired! The one thing that all paying cruisers deserve is to be told the honest truth about every aspect of troubles regardless of what they are. We stayed in Boston and then headed back UP to Halifax. So we have now missed 2 of 5 ports. I will say that Halifax was a good day. Stable weather and actually got to go on an excursion to Peggy's Cove which I recommend highly. I forgot to mention that all excursions were cancelled in Boston (first visit) and St. John. So, aside from the awful weather which caused the 1800 passengers to be stranded inside finding things to do. We made the best of it. We kept ourselves busy and got lots of rest. I will say that the constant rocking motion of the ship put you right to sleep. My husband is in a wheelchair so we prefer a smaller ship because we aren't able to fully utilize all the bells and whistles the larger ships offer, that's ok for us. This was our 3rd cruise on the Grandeur and we booked our next trip for March 6 2021- a 12 day Southern Caribbean trip. The Lady G's final days. As sad as we are to see the Grandeur retire we are thrilled beyond words that RCCL is bringing the Enchantment back!! Except for the unfortunate weather, there wasn't anything we would change. From the food to our waiters and room steward and to John and Katrina...... it was a great trip!! Read Less

Booked to travel with friends, who later backed out. Between the Coast Guard and the weather nothing came off as scheduled.departure was delayed by at least 8 hours due to "non-mechanical" problems found during Coast Guard inspection. Arrived in Boston at 4:00 pm and all excursions cancelled. Missed total of 2 ports of call. To their credit the line refunded 2 days of cruise to our on board account. 40 knot winds and 12-15 ft swells kept everyone on their toes. Can't fault the Captain for changes to keep us out of the worst of the storm. Food was fine in both dinning room and up stairs. Service was at the level to be expected.Ship in reasonable shape for being 24 yo. Entertainment was quite good. The ventriloquist and magician/mentalist were superb. Cabin was clean and room steward excellent. Only fault would have been that the crew had no "plan B" for extra sea days. No additional activities, so about there was a lot of time to fill. I'd bet the bar and casino revenues were quite good. Read Less