So, my parents decided that they wanted to see Bermuda again, and wanted to take the rest of us - so we were a group of 10 (7 adults, 2 teens, 1 kid). My husband and I live in Baltimore, so my parents decided we should go out on the Grandeur. This was our third cruise, the first two were one the Carnival Pride (so fair warning, there will be some comparisons). The best: The solarium is an amazing place on this ship. A glass enclosed adult-only section with a little food counter and direct access to the spa with the sauna and steam room. It was amazing, and WAY better than the Pride's adult only section. We almost always were able to find lounge chairs, and the pool is a real sized pool! Actually, both pools were real sized - which was a definite step up from the Pride's pools, with way more hot tubs. We ate at Chops one night and it was delicious! (on par with the prides steak house) The staff is all very friendly and sweet and helpful. Comparing to the Pride: Embarkation and departure were a dream on the Grandeur - Easy and fast. (the Pride was a nightmare both times) The Good: The windjammer was delicious for breakfast and lunch. The great Gatsby was mostly good for dinner. The spaces on the ship (south pacific lounge, centrum, schooner bar) were beautiful. The bad: Dining: Not one dinner meal did everyone get their food at the same time - and my mom is a stickler for 'no one eats if everyone doesn't have a plate'. We received poorly done meat (seriously - who eats well done prime rib?). And breakfast in the main dining room was disgusting (cold eggs benedict two mornings in a row . . ugh). Maintenance: 2 of the 9 elevators were broken from day 1. 2 of the remaining were on/off throughout the cruise (luckily it's a small ship). Entertainment: The Schooner bar piano guy (andy?) needs to retire. No voice, not familiar with all the words to songs and very low energy. the beautiful south pacific lounge was bad karaoke multiple nights of the 5 night cruise. The ship basically closes down except the one night club room and an outdoor movie playing by 10pm each evening. Room: the beds were cots shoved together. Lumpy and hard. Verdict: I wish this ship could get a revamp - better food, better entertainment - because the ship itself is lovely and had a lot of promise. But, as is? I won't be choosing this ship over the Pride. The RC cruises typically are more expensive than Carnival, and the pros weren't enough to sway me. Read Less

Ok so let me say again we had a nice time. The GOS shows her age but that's to be expected. The main reason for writing a review is to add a little ballancd. Out of all the reviews I read before 99% had the GOS walking on water and to be fair to her that's a tough act to follow. The Great: Cruise Director = Great Activities Director = Great Activity Staff = Great Bartending Staff = Great Embarkation = Awesome Disembarkation = Awesome Chops Gill! = Awesome The OK: Room Steward: was just ok. Never been on a boat were at times the room wasn't touched until lunch time. The Food: MDR food to me has always been average but for some reason the food some nights seemed below average. The Bad: Replacing the Movie Screen! I know it was out of commission for at least 4-5 days and for me that's a huge deal. We enjoy watching movies at night. This should have gotten fixed at dry dock. Broken elevators: have two down the entire cruise after being at dry dock was an issue for me and some others. Food \ Beverage Package Selling: or should a say relentlessly asking to buy the package. We always buy the Dinner and Drink package beforehand and are already asked when we first get on the boat but these folks I know asked me at least a 2 dozen times the first two days and I felt that was tacky.. With all that being said if the ports,price and time is right ill cruise on Lady G gain.. 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

First cruise on RCL after cruising NCL, Carnival, and Princess. Young 40's couple. This was a family get together cruise, so this itinerary was selected for us, but we did note that it was the most expensive I have ever paid for a cruise at $608 per night (for 2 people in the cabin including all taxes and fees and less our OBC) for a Junior Suite (which was priced only about $20 per night over a regular balcony). The itinerary was 4 nights at sea and one night at Bermuda. The ship is very small and was built in the mid-90s, so well past her prime. However, there is something quaint and nice about such a small ship that you get to know quickly and can get to places without a real effort. Nice large open walking promenade on the lower deck. But, overall, it is old and while still maintained and pretty clean, it feels old too (thin and discolored bed sheets, rust on edges of areas, ragged carpet/ window corners, etc). There were literally 2 total outlets in our Junior Suite, and they were nowhere near the bed. I suppose getting a bathtub is an "upgrade" in the JS but having to step over the shower and dodge the curtain was more of a pain than a perk. Inconsistent towel animals, ice had to be requested, and the kleenex/ tissue slot in our bathroom was never filled at all in the whole cruise (same for our other cabins, who also said their soap was often not replaced). The JS size was nice and wide with a big balcony (on which they stuck the world's tiniest 2 little chairs on.....so small you couldn't stretch out or lean back). Our Junior Suite (but not our other rooms) also had a weird and large Pillar in the middle of the room, right by the end of the bed - what I would call an obstruction. Also, we were on the 8th floor, so every night from about 10PM-midnight people and staff would rearrange the chairs and tables on the pool floor (9) and raise such a racket (ever heard of chair pads for the legs? - get a hundred for $10 at Amazon!) that all of our cabins had to wear earplugs ever night to get to sleep. The food was below average. The buffet had decent options but the area is small and there is very little outdoor dining on the whole ship. The main dining room (GREAT servers, very friendly and helpful) had a small menu every evening, half of which never changed - probably half the size of menu of every other ship we have sailed. Probably because they have advertisements and table fliers all over the ship trying to get you to buy "premium entrees" with your meal or upgrade to specialty dining. All of the appetizers and desserts arrived cold to lukewarm (seriously, how can you have a LAVA cake if it is cold?). The drink package was a pretty good value at the discounted rate of $49 per person/ day (plus gratuity) rate we got since it was good for all alcohol but also coffee (at Cafe Latte-tudes which serves Starbucks) and sodas and bottled / sparkling water. The Schooner bar and staff was great but all the others were slow and often made drinks that weren't even close to what was ordered. The gym was OK but definitely small for the number of people interested (all treadmills were always full). The pool was an OK size, but it was hard to stay out there very long because they blare the music so loud we couldn't talk to each other. The entertainment options are limited and the quality of performers was definitely the worst we have seen (I guess the talent scales with the ship size). This is definitely not a partying ship as not much is happening after about 9PM and most bars are closed by 11PM. The adult pool area has a nice and quiet Park Cafe (which curiously has no coffee) with small snacks/ sandwiches, as well as a bar that is often less busy but was staffed by one of the grumpiest bartenders I have encountered. Multiple times after asking him how he was doing, or how his day was going, his response was "What do you want" or "Are you ready" - and this was with no one else in line at the bar. Also, they broadcast next to nothing into the cabins - the bulletin said we would dock in Bermuda at 1PM and could disembark at 2PM so we waited to be called down. Finally we went outside at 2PM to see what was happening and they told us that they started letting people go at 1:30PM and you need to stand in the public areas to hear the announcements because they don't announce in staterooms (which was proved consistent upon return to Baltimore, where they also did not announce anything either). Cruising is great, and we had an overall good time on this ship, but for the premium that this ship is priced, I expect a whole LOT more. I guess they can charge this premium because people would rather drive to Baltimore than fly to Florida....but paying such extravagant premium rates for subpar amenities isn't for me. I do see the attraction of the smaller ship and should they ever start pricing this ship more in line with the experience on board, I would definitely consider it again. Read Less

My family and I decided to give RCI a try this summer. We have been on 20 Carnival cruises and 2 Princess cruises since 2001. We picked this cruise strictly on the itinerary. My teenagers were doing a DC trip with their school so we met them at the end and then came on this cruise. Coming Jon the ship we had high hopes for a great cruise. We had purchased the Key which was quite expensive for a family of 4. The only amenity we even used was the internet. RCI claims you can stream with it and you can if you sit in the Internet cafe. On your personal device in your room - nope, could hardly even play a game without your connection dropping constantly. The internet is not good at all. With the key and with a suite, you get to have reserved seating for shows. On some of the ships, this may be a benefit but on this ship - the shows were hardly attended. The broadway show was awful. I admit that I am picky about shows because I am a huge broadway fan and have attended many shows in NYC and in London but this was the worst show I’ve ever seen on a cruise ship. The All Access show was better until they got to the Madonna part and then it was a train wreck. The first comedian was great - my favorite show by far. He was good in the Welcome Aboard show and not too terribly raunchy in the adult show which was a pleasant surprise. Sometimes on Carnival, they can be just disgusting. The hypnotist show was ok and the juggler was ok. The rest, meh, Rey disappointing. The ship just doesn’t have much to do or to choose from to do. There were a couple of trivia’s per day but that was about it. The only cleaver things they had was the egg drop and the Royal Fair. Food - if you love buffet food, this is the ship for you. I however, do not. If you don’t eat on a buffet there really isn’t any other choices. They do offer lunch in the dining room on sea days but on port days - that’s it. The buffet is not appealing, food has been sitting for a long time, the hamburger buns are hard as a rock and the patties are burned to a crisp. The main dining room was good, the servers were great but there aren’t too many choices every night, just a couple. They push the specialty dining almost to the point of irritation. They even push you to pay for a specialty add on meal every night when you are about to order in the dining room. They must get a bonus or something if they can upsell you. In closing, we thought we would try a small ship to see if it was worth it to brave 6,000 people and on a ship and the family verdict is - No Way! We will stick with Carnival and enjoy the shows, the activities and the variety of food offered every single day. Read Less

This cruise was not luxurious, enjoyable, or accommodating after working hard all year to pay to have a week of relaxation and a good time. A list of things that need serious improvement: • The food - The meals on this ship were less than sub par. I was highly disappointed in the options and the execution of the food. I can cook better than these supposedly trained chefs. I can promise you, the lasagna tasted exactly like Chef Boyardee right out of a can. Every vegetable served on the plate were essentially raw. The portions were never the same, even for guests sitting at the same table. The food was always cold. I always felt like it had sat out for some time before being served. The buffet was the best option for breakfast and lunch—there was better variety and the food was actually decent. On lobster night, a couple of members in my group decided they wanted an entire lobster and were willing to spend the additional $30. The lobster came out with nothing but the carrcus and a small bit of meat on the plate. The lobster tails had more meat in them. It was a waste of $30. • Cleanliness - Oh my goodness. The cleanliness on this ship needs to be investigated. On multiple occasions, dishes were dirty: lipstick on water glasses, the previous day's meal on silverware, pulp dried in water glasses...etc. One of my family members ended up with a virus from the unclean utensils and dishes. Also, the public bathrooms were not kept clean. • Sugar free dessert options - while the desserts were decent, when eating in the dining room for dinner, there was only one option for those with dietary restrictions compared to multiple options for those without dietary restrictions. Some of the sugar free desserts at dinner were just practically inedible. • Technology - There was no app available for large groups to communicate through. The option available was to spend approximately $15 per person/per day. There is absolutely no way I was going to pay for that. Read Less

We chose this cruise for the itinerary, the reputation of the Grandeur and for timing around the end of school. We cruised with a family with two pre-teens with whom we are essentially family and both families live near Baltimore. We arranged private transportation to and from the port due to the party size of six and the amount of luggage. Upon arrival, the Port of Baltimore did itself no favors as our driver was directed to one line where the luggage carts were being locked and when attempting to ask for direction to another line we were met with incredible indifference and ineptitude. Once we finally offloaded our luggage, we were then met with yet more confusion as we had booked the Royal Suite and the other members were Diamond members. Port staff had no idea where to direct people for security screening and actually dumped both parties into different, yet packed and slow moving, lines. We met at the screening and went through together. By that time we had been able to identify ourselves to Royal staff and our concierge, Carlington Berry (more on Carlington later) was waiting for us on the ship side of security. That was the last of any bad issues for embarkation. Carlington whisked us directly to check-in and then around all other lines directly to a private elevator (one woman decided to latch on and was with us all the way to and pushed into the elevator with her husband by pure hubris) and then to our suite. All of the features of the suite were discussed and our attendant, Fernando Dierra, was introduced to us. The staff of the Grandeur truly earns their reputation as the friendliest in RCI's fleet, the food was superior to other RCI ships (Majesty and Monarch) we have cruised on and the itinerary delivered. Finally, the staff in the Great Gatsby dining room was top notch, with our table's servers, Deepshika and Mary Ann, being the best we have ever had by far. Deepshika especially, as our head server, was organized efficient and catered to our party's every request. The only average part of our experience were the shows in the main theater. They were at best average, with a hypnotist and a comedian being each an hour we will never get back. We chose private tours we arranged separately and all were excellent. Specifically, Jolly Breeze Tour's jet boat whale watching tour from St. Andrews-by-the-Sea (St John port stop) was in the top 5 of all excursions we have ever done, including seaplane snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef and a helicopter into the Grand Canyon for lunch below the rim. We had been concerned about a rough ride in the zodiak for the girls but they actually wanted more wake jumping as the tour went on. The shock-absorbing seats helped a lot. Read Less

Background information: My husband and I are in our 80s, and I use a small mobility scooter to help me get around. This was a cruise to celebrate our 60th wedding anniversary with our four children. This was Bob's 19th cruise and my 30th cruise overall. It was his fifth and my sixth cruise on Royal Caribbean. We booked this cruise everyone could get off work on those dates and because it went out of Baltimore to Bermuda, and we always love to go to Bermuda. None of our children had seen much of Bermuda, so it was pretty new to them, and two of them had never been on a cruise before. Embarkation - One daughter came a day early and stayed an inner harbor hotel. She Ubered to the port. One daughter was driven by her husband. The third daughter's family flew in and stayed in a hotel near the airport. Our son drove up from SC and stayed in the same hotel. He took them all to the ship. Bob and I drove up from southern Maryland and arrived at the cruise terminal about 11. Check in was pretty quick. But we could not get into the room until 1:00 and the dining room was not open which meant everyone had to eat lunch in the Windjammer with all their luggage. This was NOT a good experience. I was supposed to have on-board credit, and it was never added to my account I thought the muster drill was kind of sketchy. They held it out on the deck (which meant that only about one in eight people could see because most people were behind another person). It was outside even for the people in wheelchairs, walkers and scooters. Unlike some ships who do the muster drills for the mobility challenged inside. Some people have a problem standing for that period of time. Ship: We have sailed on this ship before and it is a nice smaller ship, although it is quite noisy. There is always loud music in the atrium. One of the girls did the climbing wall and that was fun. There was a group on board and some of their meetings would close the Solarium or other venues. Two of the elevators were out of service for the entire cruise. The internet was the worst I have ever had on a ship. I could not post any photos because it was too slow. I could not even play a game of solitaire without having to turn the modem back on and log on again. We wanted to play dominoes and could not find a table anywhere that was big enough. Activities: There were scavenger hunts. We did trivia and had a good time with that. They had Harry Potter Trivia, Friends Trivia, and Pub Trivia in addition to regular general trivia. There was also Pictionary. Some of the group did Karaoke, and that was fun. My son-in-law tried to play Bingo, but he missed marking one of the numbers and then when he marked it and had Bingo, they said it didn't count because he didn't have the last number called. The Family Feud game was very poorly done. We didn't go to any shows and those of us that did weren't very impressed. Service was good. Our children commented that the bar service was particularly good (they had the drinks package) Our cabin steward did a good job and kept the cabin clean. We had a group photo that were taken on the first night. I decided that one of the group was good and we should get one for everyone. Everyone was good except one daughter who had her eyes closed in one of them. So I ordered four of the good one and one of the one with her eyes closed. They put that we should come and get the photos at 8 the next night and they were closed then. When we actually got the photos, they had done it the wrong way. 4 with her eyes closed and one with her eyes open. Dining: The Windjammer buffet was absolutely not an option for me. The labels were over my head and I could not see them from the scooter and I could not reach some of the food. Occasionally someone would offer to help me, but usually I had to get my husband to get me food. There were some times when it was not possible to get any food. For example, earlier than 6:30 am, or between breakfast and lunch in the Windjammer. They did a good job with the various allergies in our group (gluten, peanuts, lactose). In the main dining room, we had a nice round table for all of us on the first night (My Time Dining). We went to Chops the second night, and we were never able to get that good table again. We would get to the dining room as it opened and there was already someone seated at that table. Instead we had to have a long table which meant that we couldn't really talk to the people on the ends of the table. We mostly ate breakfast and lunch in the Great Gatsby. I like the chopped salad at lunch, and one afternoon, Bob had just shrimp and ice cream. The dinner at Chops was good - they did the sides family style. Port & shore excursions: I did not take any excursions because I have been to Bermuda eight times previously and I had booked a private guide. It was absolutely ridiculous to keep people not on excursions from getting off immediately. My children liked the Hidden Gems Tour and the Crystal Caves Tour, and one of them (who brought her bicycle) did some of the Railway Trail. Disembarkation: Very quick and easy Summary: We were able to do a lot of family activities and we had fun together. Bermuda was, as always, beautiful but our time there was too short. A five day cruise is just not long enough. I think two of our daughters are coming back by airplane and staying on the island Read Less

We took the train from North Carolina the day before and stayed at the Holiday Inn Express across from the Casino. The hotel was clean but unremarkable. We were pleasantly surprised to see others who would be sailing with us there along with at least one Pinnacle couple. The shuttle from the hotel was already full for the early times so we decided to Uber it over. Less than $20 with tip. As we were arriving some of the folks from the previous sailing were still milling about and looking for their rides. The site did not have a lot of signs and we had to carry our checked luggage over to trams to be loaded. Since we were so early, we grabbed a bench outside and less than 15 minutes later someone got us and we went through security and to the check-in process. Mostly painless, but the brace on my wife's leg seemed to puzzle the security people. Still, we were one of the first checked in and shown the suite lounge. In the lounge, we were joined by some others including a nice couple cruising by themselves without their kids and family. Hi Tim and Tracy! We joked about the "difficulties" of getting to the port but agreed this was a smooth process. After about 15 minutes, they came and got us. As I mentioned, my wife had a knee brace from a broken leg and we got to enter the ship from deck 1 and not have to use the gangway. A nice option for those with mobility issues. At 10:03 we were on the pool deck and heading for the bar. We had the deluxe beverage package and wasted no time using it. It was a bit of a splurge, but we checked prices and got a great deal. In my opinion, the package is great because it offers you the ability to not worry about getting a drink. We waited for the Windjammer to open and called family and friends to let them know that vacation had started and they wouldn't likely hear much from us except pictures on Facebook of us having a good time! The food in the Windjammer was always good and varied. Most of the times the crowds were not too bad except at the made to order egg line. My wife mentioned a couple of times that the food was a little cool. I didn't think that myself. We split our breakfasts from the Windjammer and the main dining room. The Windjammer is more convenient, but we like the fact that you can sit with different people each day and have some great conversations. We did Mytime dining and had the same waiter and assistant waiter (Michael and Derick). They were wonderful and took amazing care of us. We skipped dinner on the first day in Bermuda since our tour got back late and ate at Giovanni's one night, but our MDR experience was outstanding. We hadn't eaten at Giovanni's before since my wife doesn't eat pasta, but we did it this time because I had to try the Pasta Carbonara. It was good. I did try small portions of several portions of pasta as well as shrimp and my wife had a filet. All was very good and we agreed that we would have to eat at Giovanni's again. We loved the entertainers that we saw, but we were disappointed by the ruckus in the comedy show the last night. We weren't there, so I'm not going to go further into it. There were some very talented guests and the karaoke performances were great. We actually gravitated to the Schooner bar by the end of the cruise. At night, we were entertained by the piano player, Danny Burgess, he was great at pulling the guests into his performance and even got several ladies to sing along clucking like chickens including my wife. He is out of Texas and had to fill in for Giovanni who got sick the cruise before ours. If you get a chance to hear Danny, don't pass it up. On Bermuda, we did a private tour with another couple with Quinton Bean and got an amazing tour of the islands and their history. The only complaint I have is the fact that we didn't dock until 2 PM and much the island slows down or shuts down in the late afternoon. It didn't help that we got there on a Saturday. Sunday was even slower and the weather was bad - nasty storms and lightning. We planned on going to Horseshoe Bay, but the weather kept us at the dockyard - most of which was closed. Nassau was Nassau, nothing remarkable. On Coco Cay, we rented a Chill Island Cabana(Oceanfront when we booked it). They revamped the cabana area with the whole Perfect Day relaunch. It was still a great time and having the nice calm cove with all the fish was great. For the right price, I'd do it again. The best part of this cruise and was the core group that was part of the Roll Call page. We had a meet and Mingle hosted by John and Katrina Blair and some of us did an impromptu cabin crawl. Definitely some ideas for future cruises. We do junior suites but are now on the lookout for aft view JSes and good prices on full suites. We have sailed on Grandeur before, but will she has aged some, you'd not be able to tell by looking at her and the crew and service are still the best part of a trip on "Lady G"! Read Less

The ship is not very new, but its clean and looks good. Cabins are a good size, and amenities are good. Food was great, pretty standard though. They don't have 24/7 food like all the other cruises I went on, but they have it until 2/3am. The entertainment was good. But the comedian, Jeff Norris, on the final day went a bit far and people started yelling at him and leaving... Would not want to see him again. Wish they weren't partnered with him. Service was good. They strive to give you perfection, but make sure you speak up. The ports and excursions were good. You can disembark quickly and they provide a lot of support for getting to where you need to go. Finally I did dislike the upselling. When you are eating your food they have ads for more expensive options. If you go to the spa, they will give you want you want and try and sell you more and more. The art auctions they let the crowd choose what art to see, but only show half of those AFTER they try and sell you on the ones they want to show you. I don't remember that being as bad on Carnival and Princess, but maybe it's the changing times. Read Less

Grandure is a bit dated but if you are looking for classic cruising this is a good ship to meet those types of expectations. Royal has not updated this ship to include water slides and a wave runner. Because of this, the ship draws an older crowd and there are few children, teens and college aged folks. Since the ship is older and lacks these amenities the price point is lower and attracts cotton tops on a fixed income and people who are looking for a bargain. The crew was awesome. It is not unusual for crew to try and remember you and your tastes but it seems that this crew really has a talent to make to feel you are the only person they are taking care of. I could write a review on Dan Burgess, the piano player in the Schooner Bar, and his talent for making connections and bringing an entire room of people together and making them have a great time. The food is standard Royal Caribbean offerings. I don’t find any uniqueness or variation in menu, quality or presentation from one RC ship to another. I believe corporate does this to maintain a homogenous expectation much like a chain of restaurants. I think this is a mistake because passengers feel like they are eating at the same chain restaurant every night and every cruise. The food in the MDR and the buffet are the same. The premium restaurants do serve a notch higher quality and portion and variety of menu. I would like to see RC put an exec chef of every ship and give them autonomy to create dining venues and offering that make one RC ship unique from another. My only truly negative feelings are of RC and their incessant and relentless jamming of dining, drink, internet, next cruise, jewelry, shore excursions etc etc. They are there to sell these things and I am here to buy them. Their nonstop, high pressure tactics is a HUGE turn off for me. Immediately upon entering the door of their terminal we were ordered, in a not so nice way, to empty all of our outside drinks on the ground. After checking in and even before getting to the ship we were hit up for dining packages, drink packages and the usual obligatory photo. I have no issue with this. Once on the ship, we were approached NINE (yes nine) times in the first hour to purchase premium dining. I began for feel this was rude and I had no problem being rude to anyone who approached me with a smile and a brochure by telling them to go away. Hitting the Windjammer for lunch as soon as you board is a bad idea unless you want to start your vacation by becoming angry. The spa personnel set up a table and greeted guests as you approached them instead of circling an area like a street beggar who is desperately pan handling for drug money. I purchased over $500 in spa services for my family. This is proof that slamming your guests with an army of beggars is not effective and creates a paradigm of anger that lasts for the entire cruise. If you are not a stickler for details and can turn a blind eye to sloppy repairs in public areas, worn furniture and scratches; then this may be a good fit for you. I would sail on Grandure again as the value is fair. If those little things bother you and mildew totally turns you off then you may want to look at Oasis class ships. Read Less

This was our 9th cruise, 2nd with Royal. After cruising on the Oasis, I have to say that the small to medium size ship are more attractive to me. Although the Grandeur is an older ship, and smaller ship, it has a charm to it that makes you look over some of its dated look. The open atrium (centrum) makes the ship feel larger than it is. We are a family of four, and travel with friends We booked two ocean view rooms, deck 2, Rooms are adequate with plenty of storage, and drawer space. Dining. Overall a good variety of offerings in the Windjammer, healthy corner was appreciated. Omelet station was frequented often by some. Lots of choices for meat lovers of vegans. Main dining room was also quite good, with a nice rotation of different meals every night. Crab cakes were especially good. Service was great, fun friendly staff made our mealtime enjoyable. Entertainment. Enjoyed John Blair and his team. Smaller ships give you the opportunity to see this group in action more readily than the larger ships. Always a fun activity to watch or participate. John also gives a matinee performance Tribute to Neil Diamond. If you close your eyes you would think Mr Diamond was in the room, very good. Ports.Bermuda was beautiful, next time maybe 3 night stay would make it even better. Did a 4 hour tour with local Taxi. Very informative tour with lots of local tidbits from this native driver. Stops at St George, Hamilton and other points of interest Horseshoe Bay was spectacular, beautiful pink sand and rock formations were visually satisfying.(bring the camera) Nassau. walked to The Queens staircase for a few photos, some shopping on Bay street, overall a pleasant few hours, we skipped the beach, have been here before CoCo Cay. Amazing transformation to this island, making it an absolutely wonderful, or shall I say "Perfect Day", spent a few hours on Chill Island, relaxed, some beach time, a quick meal at the food/ grill shack, lots of Beveridge stations as well.Moved to the Oasis pool for a quick afternoon dip and DJ music, the pool is HUGE, clean and refreshing, very enjoyable. Negatives? Yes there were some, food a little on he salty side, not used to that. The ship is scheduled for a major Dry Dock, I believe next year? and probable needs more than a coat of paint, a upgrade in many areas would benefit this already charming little ship. The staff is encouraged to upsell, upsell, upsell, specialty restaurants, drinks, spa, photos and more, no issue with that, but at mealtime it seemed a bit much to have it mentioned numerous times to accept one offering or another. Would I sail her again? Yes, for 2 reasons, no need to fly from where we live, drove to the departure port the night before, stayed at the Best Western in Elkridge , one night and provided parking for the duration of the cruise, really convenient. Complimentary breakfast, great staff, clean rooms. Shuttle to and from the port and they also drove us and picked up from Arundel Mills Mall nearby. The ship has a few itineraries that are of interest, would do Bermuda again, New England Canada cruise and have my eye on the 12 night southern Caribbean itinerary. Overall a great cruise Read Less

Chose this cruise for the itinerary and although the weather wasn't the greatest the ports were still wonderful and enjoyable. Ship is older but was clean and tidy except for very dirty outside windows. Since it is a smaller ship the crew is friendly and good at remembering you and making you feel pampered. Cabin 3124 is small, quiet and comfortable with adequate storage. Unfortunately Royal falls short when it comes to food quality at all levels. Windjammer's quality is at best, equal to Golden Coral. Many items over cooked, dry, tough and tasteless. MDR is about the same as Outback. Specialty restaurants are only slightly better. Service far out shined the food quality by a large margin. Cruise directors felt insincere and phony. Entertainment activities where lacking in originality and not the best fit for the passenger demographics of this cruise. Main theater under utilized for activities. Many were poorly timed causing overcrowding at the buffet, Due to smaller ship size, it does make it easier to make friends and connect with others. Kolada Read Less

We haven't been on a cruise in many months and we haven't been on a Royal Caribbean cruise since 2008. Our previous experiences were all right; and we wanted to see New England as we've been the Caribbean far too often. Ports: I enjoyed the Itinerary. Boston was great, so much to do and a nice long time in Boston. Portland, Maine was fabulous, Bar Harbor, Maine was foggy and cold, and a lot of local businesses were closed (it was a Monday, and the place has a lot of Mom and Pop shops). Saint John was freezing cold, but folks were very nice and the city is very walkable. Halifax was amazing, almost as amazing as Boston. I wish we had more time there, the weather was damp, cold and freezing wind, yet the Titanic/Shipping museum was worth it. Ship: Old ship, small ship, the Atrium is in the Aft of the ship and where everything happens. The cruise director, John was amazing, (Hello John). They have a ton going on, great trivia, and activities and the show, "All Access" was great. The ship itself is old, and worn in parts, and the first night the plumbing went out and there was no water at all for a few hours (yikes!!!). Not technology updated as the internet was mega slow for everyone, and didn't work in the rooms, it worked well in the Forward public of areas. Not enough outlets to charge all our devices (two outlets per room, bad). The Bad: The food. The food was terrible. It was Stouffer's/Lean Cuisine'esque. Royal Caribbean is efficient, they close their restaurants on the dime, they don't waste food, they close things down quick. Also, they have a off hours cafe, the only issue it is located in the Adults Only section of the ship. I had to sneak my kids in their for after hours snacks. Food was bland, service was good, staff was nice, food just was abysmal, even in the up charge restaurant. Try the cruise, just make sure you eat off the ship!!!! Misc: Washy, Washy!!!! #StaffMemberInTheWindjammerCafe 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

DH had Bermuda as a bucket list item and we've heard wonderful t hings about the Grandeur (all true!). From the time we boarded to disembarkation, the ship and crew were first class and we had a wonderful time. The ship may be older, but is in very good condition. We were told the crew had been voted friendliest crew in the fleet. I can certainly see why. There wasn't anyone that wasn't doing the best possible job. The dining service team were first class. We heard our sailing was only the second sailing where our waiter was a waiter ( he was an assistant waiter prior to that). We would have thought he had been doing this for years. Both he, his assistant and the head waiter left us wanting for nothing. Our cruise director, John Blair, celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary with the Activities manager, Katrina. Both they and their teams did a great job and were out and about and very approachable. For people that think the CD & AD has no impact on their trip, think again. A great one can make all the difference (as could a bad one). If you would like to see a more detailed review, I wrote this and posted on the Royal Caribbean board. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2663258-grandeur-to-bermuda-april-25-may1/ Read Less

This was our second cruise on Lady G. Chose this ship as it sails from Baltimore. I grew up near Baltimore and sailed with family that still lives in Maryland. Cabin was kept clean at all times by our steward Oliver. Balcony door was difficult to open and should be repaired. Food in MDR was excellent. The service in the MDR isn't at attentive as it used to be. I believe that to be a product of staff reductions and not the effort of the individual staff members. The wait staff was simply assigned more tables than they could handle. Chops was wonderful. Giovanni's Table was good, but the menu could use a few standard Italian dishes. Paid to attend the Lobster Brunch in Chops and was severely disappointed. They only bring you the lobster after you've been there for about 30 minutes. Then we had to wait another 30 minutes for a second lobster tail. This was not what we expected when they advertised "unlimited lobster". Service a the R Bar was less than expected. On two separate visits we were kept waiting quite some time for the waiter to take our drink orders. Would have been faster to go to the bar. Same thing happened at the Schooner Bar. Did end up going to the bar for that drink. The shows were good. Singers were very talented. Read Less

We sailed the Grandeur April 25-May 2 2019. From the ease of embarkation to the ease of disembarkation this was a great trip. The ship though considered small had so much to do. Probably not as modern as newer ships but still had a great vibe to it. We were in Cabin 7111 which is a sideways room. The layout made it seem bigger. Always kept great but the housekeeping staff. Shower was a bit tight but manageable. The food was excellent. Lots to choose from at Windjammer and very good. Usually the same stuff everyday though they did mix it up and theme it up as well. The Great Gatsby was a nice dining room for dinner and again the food was mmmmm good. However I wish they had a little more variety and bigger portions. We didnt do the specialty places. The Casino was fun but you sure can lose money fast. And for some reason they allow smoking there which made playing at times not so fun. But the games were cool just be prepared to not walk away with millions. Lots of trivia to be had which was hard but fun. People really got into it. Lots of music everyday including a live bad on pool deck and in the centrum. There was Karoke and karoke with a live band which was fun. Art shows and wine tasting and tours. Lots to do on board for adults. The shows not so great. Ok but not great. Not the best singers and dancers ive seen but all seemed very young. Had 2 comedians which were awesome. The service on the ship was outstanding especially at the bars. Drinks were delicious and service top notch.Our stops were Bermuda and Charleston Sc. Bermuda was ok but found out Ferrys dont run on weekends so we were stuck on the port side of it and not all that much to do there. The fort tour was cool though where you could see Dolphins as well. Charleston was much better. Lots of history. Being a Disney fanatic i was leery about trying anything else but i must say was delightfully surprised how good a trip and how everything was. I recommend highly a trip on this ship. Just keep in mind too the crowd tended to be a bit older with some kids but not many. Read Less

We booked RCCL after sailing on NCL, Carnival, and MSC because we thought it would be more luxurious, but we've come to the conclusion all cruise lines are pretty much the same. The food was great, but the latest food venue closed at 1:00am, and it only had nachos, hotdogs and burgers. They need a 24 hour dining option with a broader selection. We had all of our dinners in the main dinning room and all of the meals were great. The wait staff was also very attentive and worked very hard to make sure that every passenger was satisfied. They were very accommodating when I ordered 2 appetizers, or on the evening that I ordered 2 entrees so that I could have steak with my lobster. The cabin steward was also top notch. Every time we left the room, he went in to clean, make the bed and straighten up. The only negative on this cruise was the first day tossing and turning enroute to Bermuda. The Captain was trying to get away from a storm system and was streaming full speed across the Atlantic which made the ship pitch and lean heavliy to port and starboard. Lots of sea sickness bags were placed on the stair ways, and guest services was giving out free sea sickness pills. There was one other minor negative as this ship did not provide digital photos. The photo prices were reasonable, but on Carnival and MSC, we were able to get digital files that we could immediately share online with friends. I was told that the ship didn't have the server capacity to support digital photography. Everything else about this cruise was great. Read Less

We selected this cruise because of it's length (12 nights) and ports of call (islands we had not yet seen in our past cruises). This was our 5th cruise on Royal Caribbean, all of which we loved and made us loyal cruisers. We had the worst cruise of our lives on Grandeur of the Seas. We wanted to leave by day 2! What you need to know. This ship is full of loyal, patron cruisers, many of whom cruise back to back to back on this ship exclusively. They consider this ship their home. Good for Royal Caribbean, not good for us. To be specific, my husband and I are in our mid forties and do not have children. We were bored to tears on this ship. The entertainment was very poor. The musicians were good, but the singers and dancers were awful, and the shows were not broadway fare, but rather piecemeal reviews, like the "Broadway, Rhythm and Rhyme" I endured. On board activities included lots of bingo, trivia, name that tune, a spelling bee, and several days of learning to dance Michael Jackson's "Thriller" dance. I played so much trivia just seeking something to do! The evenings often had no shows at all. The afternoons were showings of movies (fortunately they were more recent releases). We went on a cruise and watched movies!?! The average age of the cruisers was 75-granted, my guestimation, and all very nice people. We met a newlywed couple who stayed in their room almost all the time. Good for them. We booked 3 excursions to dive, and learned that they were all cancelled on the first night of the cruise due to lack of participation. The few other younger cruisers we met all had the same astonishment. Wish we had known this would be so boring when we booked it! We could tell from the website that this cruise would be quite different. There was for example, no promenade, no surfing simulator, no fun, modern things to do. However, we thought we would spend more time by the pool relaxing or low key things to do. The pool was over-run by seniors who didn't want any activity in the pool that might splash them or cause a disturbance. We were scolded for swimming in the swimming pool. Finding a poolside deck chair was challenging sometimes, and this ship had unique signage we hadn't seen on any other ship, prohibiting saving deck chairs. The senior cruisers would sleep all day by the pool. The pools close at 7 pm. Almost no one is out after 8 pm. The bars have limited drink offerings, for example, you could not order a tropical RedBull mixed drink, even though there were advertisements on the ship at the bars for this product. Why? Likely because seniors are not interested in this beverage so they don't stock it, although it has been standard on all of our other cruises. This ship is old and showing its age. There were smells from our bathroom and frequent clean ups in the hallways using blowers to dry carpeting. There is rust apparent all over this ship and the furniture and decor is showing considerable wear. The cabin furniture in our Junior Suite was hard and the bed was painfully uncomfortable. I will say, however, that the room was the coolest we have ever experienced on RC. Good air conditioning. Staff are friendly, but I could see the bias for cruisers they saw over and over again. I sat next to a lady who was sharing all the things the Crown and Anchor Supervisor had given her over the length of the cruise, including the etched crystal block depicting the Grandeur of the Seas she had in her hands at the moment. This was not standard perk. They are gushing over these frequent senior cruisers. Good for them, not good for us. The initial review of this ship by the Cruise Critic reviewer was very diplomatic and kind. If you are not yet in retirement age, and like a more active cruise experience- beware and steer clear of the Grandeur of the Seas. Besides, they are mostly booked up for the next 3-5 years, health permitting. If only we had known before we took this cruise. Read Less

I chose this cruise due the ports visited, living only 2 hrs from Baltimore, & also since it sailed on my 60th Birthday! This cruise DID NOT disappoint! This was one of my best vacations! The service was over the top, bed was very comfortable, food was always great, fellow passengers were so friendly, entertainment was over the top. How could you not love Alfred & Seymour! Reading reviews. From some others here, I wonder if I was on the ship with them, Yes, it is an older ship, but I would not want to be on a ship with 5000-7000 people making reservations for all the shows & waiting in lines for everything. I met so many friendly people and made new friends. I enjoyed hearing others talk about how many times they have been on the ship. Anyone who did not enjoy themselves on this cruise only has there selves to blame. While on vacation cruising to beautiful islands with beautiful people the glass is not only half full but all the way full! Read Less

We chose this cruise as it was the spring break of our soon to be graduating daughter (HS), and it is an easy three hour drive to Baltimore. We have always loved the Port of Baltimore for efficiency and ease! We have been on three Enchantment cruises in the past that we absolutely loved! I did read the reviews of the Grandeur (after booking, unfortunately , and had some concerns that the Grandeur would be different based on hearing it was for "the older" passenger demographic). Hey, I am no spring chicken, so due to proximity, and praying that this is spring break time, there would be something for my daughter to enjoy while making friends. Well, alas, it was not the case. I am not going to "bash" this cruise. We were in room 7078, a balcony with an awesome location! There were many "highs", and we did have fun. John Blair, the Cruise Director and his wife, worked very hard to make everyone's trip a fabulous event. He is an INCREDIBLY talented singer, and his Neil Diamond show was incredible! What a voice! Enjoyed the dancers and singers .... will not lie, I have heard better but also far worse. Good comedians, and overall great entertainment. Our room steward, Cornelius and waiters, AJ and Andy were fabulous! Dinners very good; not the best, but considering the number of guests they are feeding? We did not buy tickets for the upscale restaurants, but I heard a variety of reviews. I guess I just feel that you are already paying a significant cost, so the "push" for upscale meals is trying. There is seemingly never ending marketing for additional revenue; that is for sure! You can get some good buys, but many are overpriced or simply "junk". We did buy a Citizen watch. 35% off, but the retail price stated was less than looking the same one up on line. We usually play bingo .... did not even go as we heard it was $40 to play! The casino??? Horrible!!!! Never ending losses, machines a joke, and how the dealers keep pulling 21's is remarkable, to say the least. On previous cruises, they at least give you a free drink when losing your shirt; no longer happening! All in all, I would rate this cruise a 3.5. We did have a great time, met great people, and had lovely men and women working hard in their jobs to serve us. We were blessed with beautiful weather, and relatively calm seas. The Grandeur apparently has a huge following, and we now know it is geared for an "older" geographic population that enjoys smaller ships and is not focused on her "older" appearance with fewer activities. Not sure how long she will continue to be in service ...... but perhaps they need to take that into account when establishing pricing. Again, we did enjoy the trip ...... just trying to give an accurate evaluation of what to expect so there is no disappointment or regrets for your choice. Read Less

Our room accommodations were not as promised. The day at COCO Cay was a total disappointment. Nothing was operational, all still under construction. The beach was the only thing we were able to use. None of the staff knew where anything was as this was their 1st time at CoCo Cay themselves. The Cruise director told us all we needed was our key card when in fact if you wanted to buy something from the vendors you needed cash or a credit card. They were very uninformed as to what was happening there. We went into a storm with 25 ft. waves and were never advised until the following day when the captain announced that we were all safe. The ship was very old and definitely showed it's age. There was not much for the kids to do except for the rock climbing wall which was never operational for one reason or another. The food was good and service in the restaurants as well as the room stewards. This ship is not one that I would ever go on again or recommend to anyone especially with kids.. Read Less

I love the longer cruises. When I leave the ship I always feel that I’m leaving family behind! It’s always like a big reunion each time I return to the ship. Lots of repeat cruisers because of the friendliness of the ships crew! My cabin was an interior 3079, close to the elevator which I wanted! A little noise from the Centrum, however not enough to bother me, plus nothing goes on the Centrum after 11 pm I’m a solo traveler and never feel alone on this cruise! Highly recommend! Not to be missed is the Neil Diamond show, it’s great. On day 11 of the 12 night cruise the Veterans and First Responders were recognized as they are on this ship every cruise, plus earlier in the cruise they had a Veterans get together. Last night of the cruise there’s a Flag parade, Flags from each country represented by crew are proudly displayed! When they get to the USA there’s an uproar! Great ship, great crew and fantastic passengers! 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