We sailed on the Grandeur on April 26, 2003. We were celebrating our 25th anniversary. The Captain and crew could not have been more helpful during this cruise. We had recently, March 9th, sailed on the Conquest so it was easy to make comparisons. While the Conquest is brand new and so huge, we liked the Grandeur better. It is much easier to get around on the RC ships than Carnival. The layout of the ship is much more compatible with getting from place to place.
We had smooth sailing the entire week. When we arrived in Key West we were met with thunderstorms. It rained the entire time we were there. I wonder why we were not allowed to stay in port till noon on the day of sailing to make up for the bad weather. It surely does not take two days to come back from Key West to New Orleans. This would have pleased the passengers so much.
One comment I would like to make is the purchase of the Romance Package. My husband purchased this without telling me about it. It was a wonderful addition to our cruise. We were greeted in our balcony cabin with appetizers, champagne, and chocolate covered strawberries. On the first formal night we again received appetizers and chocolates. On the morning of our choice we were served mimosas, bloody Marys and omelets with caviar, sweet rolls, cheese and fruit, etc. One night we took our formal portrait and were presented with it and a silver commorative frame. This package was well worth the $99 that he paid for it. They never needed to be reminded of what was included. The meals and gifts just automatically arrived at the cabin. I was very impressed.