As frequent cruisers with 24 cruises under our belts, we have always found the ships to be spotlessly clean--until our 3/28/14 sailing on Grandeur of the Seas. Since we had just recently sailed on this same ship in Nov, 2013, and found it to be clean and well run at that time (with a different captain and staff than was on our March cruise), we were quite surprised and disappointed when we found that not to be the case on this sailing. Dust on the tables and soiled carpet and stained bathroom floor I n our cabin, dirty looking carpets in the lounges and outside decks, and tables in the Windjammer Buffet which were cleaned with the swipe of a cloth that was used repeatedly to wipe off multiple tables.

Therefore, it came as no surprise when we were told on Day 5 of an 8 day cruise that the ship was "sick" with approximately 40 cabins suffering with Norovirus. It was then that the ship went into clean-up mode--shampooing carpets, hosing down the decks, and sanitizing the Windjammer tables with antiseptic solution. The lack of care which we saw on this ship before the Norovirus is unacceptable and, although not the cause of the Norovirus, since passengers are the ones who initially bring it on the ship, certainly contributed to its spread.

Other disappointments on this cruise included poor food choices in the Windjammer and Park Cafe and a very disorganized crew during our port stop to Cococay, Royal Caribbean's private island beach day. Beach chairs in short supply on Cococay required a one hour wait for a truck to arrive with more chairs. And a half hour wait in line on the island to obtain an over cooked, cold hamburger on a dried out stale roll, along with only water as a beverage--choice of plain or flavored water--left much to be desired. Read more